2020届江苏省常熟中学高三上学期期初调研英语试题(解析版)
2019～2020学年第一学期高三期初调研试卷英语试题注意事项：1. 本试分为第一卷（选择题）和第二卷（非选择题），满分120分，考试时间120分钟；2. 请将第一卷的答案涂在答题卡上，第二卷请直接在答题卡上规定的地方作答。
答题前，务必自己的学校、名、考试号等相关信息写在答题卡上規定的地方。
第Ⅰ卷（选择题，共85分）第一部分：听力理解（共两节，满分20分）做题时，请先将答案标在试卷上。
录音内容结束后，你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡上。
第一节（共5小题：每小题1分，满分5分）听下面5段对话。
每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。
听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。
每段对话仅读一遍。
1. What will the weather be like according to the radio?A. Sunny.B. Rainy.C. Windy.2. Who will pay the bill?A. The boss.B. Tom.C. The woman.3. How did the woman feel?A. Nervous.B. Excited.C. Upset.4. What can we learn about the man?A. He did well in spelling.B. He couldn’t spell the words.C. He was satisfied with the result5. How much should the man pay for his room?A. 150 pounds.B. 110 pounds.C. 100 pounds.第二节（共15小题：每小题1分，满分15分）听下面5段对话或独白。
每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。
听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟：听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的做答时间。
每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第6段材料，回答第6和第7两个小题。
6. What time was the plane originally scheduled to leave?A. At 3:00.B. At 4:00.C. At 5:00.7. Why is the woman worried?A. The weather is bad.B. The report is not finished.C. An appointment will be delayed 听第7段材料，回答第8和第9两个小题8. What happened to the man?A. He broke a machineB. The machine owed him 25 cents.C The machine owner refused to help him9. What does the woman suggest the man do?A. Call the police.B. Rock the machine.C. Call the number on the machine.听第8段材料，回答第10至第12题10. How is Ted's homework this time?A. Very poorB. Well done.C. So-so.l1. Where is Ted going now?A. The gym.B. The library.C. The bookstore12. What does Ted think of his teacher?A. Polite.B. Generous.C. Helpful.听第9段材料，回答第13至第16题。
13. What are the speakers mainly talking about?A. What abilities to possess.B. Which professor to follow.C. What job to do in the future.14. What subject does the man probably prefer?A. History.B. Politics.C. Art15. What do the woman's parents expect her to be?A. A restaurant manager.B. A politician.C. A teacher16. What is the woman good at doing?A Dealing with people. B. Working with kids. C. Painting pictures.听第10段材料，回答第17至第20题17. What is to be hosted on Wednesday evening?A. A bake sale.B. A parent book club.C. An event to honor an artist.18. When does the book fair end?A. On Thursday.B. On Wednesday.C. On Monday19. Where will the money from the bake sale go?A. A computer lab.B. The sports teams.C. The art department.20. What happens to the computer lab?A. It will be repaired.B. It will be closed forever.C. It will be put up for sale. 第二部分：英语知识运用（共两节，满分35分）第一节单项选择（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）请认真阅读下面各题，从题中所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
1.As is estimated, more than 20 million shared bikes ______ into operation nationwide by 2025.A. will have been putB. will have putC. have been putD. will be putting【答案】A【解析】【详解】考查动词时态语态。
句意：据估计，到2025年为止，全国将有2000多万辆共享单车投入运营。
根据by 2025可知应用将来完成时，且主语与谓语动词构成被动关系，故应为将来完成时的被动语态。
故选A。
2.Many Chinese parents are willing to spend money on camp education and study tours for their children, ______ the industry a booming market with great potential.A. to makeB. makingC. having madeD. made【答案】B【解析】【详解】考查非谓语动词。
句意：许多中国家长愿意花钱为孩子们举办夏令营和游学活动，这使得该行业成为一个潜力巨大的蓬勃发展的市场。
本句已经存在谓语动词且句中没有连词，故make只能做非谓语动词与逻辑主语构成主谓关系，故用现在分词making。
故选B。
3.Many programmers criticized the “996 work schedule”, ______ employees work fr om 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week, with the possibility of ending up in hospital.A. whenB. whereC. thatD. what【答案】B【解析】【详解】考查连接词。
句意：许多程序员批评“996工作计划”，即员工从早上9点工作到晚上9点，每周工作6天，最后可能会住院。
本句为定语从句修饰先行词“996 work schedule”，且先行词在从句中做地点状语，故应用关系副词where。
故选B。
【点睛】定语从句的关系词的选择可考虑以下三点：(1)一看先行词的意义，即分清先行词是指人、指物、时间、地点还是原因(如指物时不能用who或whom，指人时通常不用which等)(2)二看关系词的句法功能，即分清关系词是担任什么句子成分，是作主语还是宾语、是作定语还是状语等(如作定语通常用whose，有时也用which；作状语要用when, where, why)(3)三看定语从句的种类，即分清是限制性定语从句还是非限制性定语从句(如that和why通常不引导非限制性定语从句)4.Traveling by subway ______ sometimes be quite an adventure, especially during the rush hour.A. mustB. canC. shallD. should【答案】B【解析】【详解】考查情态动词。
句意：乘地铁旅行有时可能相当冒险，尤其是在交通高峰期。
A. must必须；一定；B. can能够；可能；C. shall将会；D. should应该；应当。
本句中can表示客观可能性（客观原因形成的能力），故选B。
5.A recent survey shows that Chinese has become ______ British parents most want their children to learn.A. whichB. thatC. whyD. what【答案】D【解析】【详解】考查连接词。
句意；最近的一项调查显示，中国人已经成为英国父母最希望孩子学习的语言。
本句为宾语从句，从句中缺少宾语，指物应用what，故选D。
【点睛】名词性从句关键在于三点：一、找准从句在主句中充当的成分即分出是名词性从句的主语句、宾语从句、表语从句还是同位语从句。
二、连接词从句中充当的成分（主、宾、定或状语或不做任何成分）三、弄清楚每个连接词的意义。
此外还要注意，近年来高考对于名词性从句的考查多从名词性从句的语序和连接词的用法区别上考查。
6.The younger generation is turning its back on the traditional holiday routes of museums and shopping malls ______ adventurous experiences.A. in recognition ofB. in defence ofC. in terms ofD. in favor of【答案】D【解析】【详解】考查介词短语辨析。
2020-2021学年江苏省常熟中学高三英语上学期期中试题及答案
2020-2021学年江苏省常熟中学高三英语上学期期中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ASwimming Holes in AmericaIn America, these secret swimming holes are hidden and hard to reach but well worth the adventure.Cummins FallsLooking for the best place to escape the summer heat in the heartland of America? For more than 100 years, Cummins Falls, a scenic,75-foot waterfall located in Jackson County, TN, has been a treasure for Tennessee natives. But now, the secret is out! Although it’s a bit tough to get to, once in the park, the mountains and river provide unmatched beauty on your way to taking a swim in Tennessee's eighth-largest waterfall.Sliding RockA popular place to cool off during those hot North Carolina summers, Sliding Rock waterfall is located in the Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania County. A flattened rock about 60 feet lies in a nearly 7-foot-deep pool at the bottom, making this natural waterslide a great place to visit with people of all ages.Mooney FallsIt is the tallest water feature in the Grand Canyon, rising 190 feet above the surface. Named after an explorer in the 1800s, Mooney Falls is accessible only by crawling（爬）through 2 underground passages and then climbing down a sheer cliff（峭壁）face with just a couple of chains to hold on to. Although it is tough to get to, the view and the cool alone make it worth the trip.Lihue EstateA private swimming hole at the old Lihue Sugar Farm on Kauai, HI, was changed into an inner-tube water ride by Kauai Backcountry Adventures in 2003 and opened to adults. The waters for this 2.5-mile journey, which come from near the top of Mount Waialeale—one of the wettest spots in the world—are channeled through ditches（沟渠）that were hand-dug by farm workers over a century ago.1. Which hole may be the favourable destination for families?A. Lihue Estate.B. Sliding Rock.C. Mooney Falls.D. Cummins Falls.2. What can we learn about Mooney Falls from the text?A. It wasfound by an explorer.B. It was hand-dug in the 1800s.C. It is dangerous to arrive there.D. It is the tallest fall in the world.3. What is special about Lihue Estate?A. It is man-made.B. It is a private area.C. Its water is from underground.D. It lies on the top of Mount WaialealeBA male tiger was rescued in Mishan city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, on Friday. A tiger was recently seen on the Siner Russian border（边界），but there is no evidence to suggest this is the same tiger or that it had lost its way from Russia.Wherever it may have come from, cross-border protection of endangered species is a problem. According to Ma Jianzhang, a senior wild animal researcher in China, tigers know no borders, which have been built to stop humans from illegally crossing over. However, these borders also stop the free movement of tigers, thus preventing their breeding（繁殖）and exchange of genes.The Sino-Russian border alsocomes in the way ofprotecting tigers in the region. Data show about 500 to 550 Siberian tigers, or over 90 percent of the species, live in the wild in Russia; 27 live in the wild in China, and 50 inthe border region. Sometimes tigers lose their way across the border and that is hindering（妨碍）efforts to stop illegal hunting and protecting them.Fortunately, both China and Russia have realized this problem and are working toward solving it. As early as 2010, the two countries established a cross-border protection network aimed at strengthening communication on protecting tigers in the northeast. The countries have also held anti-poaching（反偷猎）activities together. In 2019, two national parks from the two countries signed a three-year deal to share research data on tigers, greatly improving the living conditions of Siberian tigers in the wild.However, much more needs to be done to protect the species. It is necessary to combine the tiger protection areas in the two countries. That will require greater efforts from both sides and some difficulties might remain even then. Fortunately, both countries have been taking effective measures to provide the endangered species a better home.4. What's the original purpose of setting up the Sino-Russian borders?A. To ban people from illegal crossings.B. To help protect tigers in the region.C. To protect tigers from losing their way.D. To stop tigers' breeding and exchange of genes.5. What does the underlined phrase “comes in the way of” probably mean?A. keeps from.B. is on the way toC. is aimed atD. keeps up6. What is the focus of Paragraph 4 ?A. Recent studies and researches on tigers.B. Joint efforts by China and Russia to protect tigers.C. The possible effects of establishing a networkD. Reasons for improving the living conditions of tigers.7. What's the author's purpose in writing the text?A. To inform the possible dangers of tiger protection.B. To cover the news about a missing tiger on the border.C. To put forward suggestions on finding the missing tiger.D. To report the problems and measures of cross-border tiger protection.CBarred owls(大林鸮猫头鹰) are a large species native to eastern North America, but they began moving west at the start of the 20th century. By 1973,large numbers of barred owls had arrived in the western state ofWashington. Later they moved south intoOregonandCalifornia.In parts of thePacific Northwest, the owls are now believed to be causing a drop in the population of a smaller, less aggressive bird: the northern spotted owl. In many ways, the barred owl is the spotted owl's worst enemy. The barred owl has more babies per year and eats the same animals, like squirrels and wood rats. And their numbers are now larger in many parts of the spotted owl's traditional territory.David Wiens is a biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, a federal agency that studies the Earth and its natural resources. He and other officials are doing something unusual to protect spotted owls: killing barred owls. It is a controversial, experimental program. More than 2,400 barred owls have already been shot.Wiens is the son of a well-known bird expert and grew up with the fascination for birds. He has mixed feelings about the program. "It's a little distasteful, I think, to go out killing barred owls to save another owl species," he says. But he adds, “We knew that barred owls were out competing spotted owls and their numbers were growing too fast."To catch barred owls, officials put digital bird callers on the ground. Then they step back and wait as several sounds from the devices fill the air. All of this happens in the dark of night. Barred owls dislike other birds in their territory, so they will fly down and chase other owls out. That is when Wiens and his team try to shoot them.8. What's the main problem with spotted owls?A. They are being starved to death.B. They have more babies each year.C. They are invaded by another bird.D. They are hunted by man.9. Why are barred owls being killed?A. They are eating the spotted owls.B. They are killing each other to survive.C. They are putting the spotted owls in danger.D. They are destroying large areas of forests.10. Why did the officials release the bird sounds?A. To kill barred owls.B. To puzzle barred owls.C. To protect barred owls.D. To frighten barred owls.11. What can be the best title for the text?A. Killing One Animal to Save Another.B. Keeping the Balance of Nature.C. Protecting Birds in Danger.D. Preventing Birds from Playing Fair.DWhy 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 withthese issues so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.12. Why may problems with friendships appear?A. One is selfish.B. One is alone.C. One is too anxious.D. One is too busy.13. 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.14. What is the text mainly about?A. The Meaning of FriendshipsB. The Importance of FriendshipsC. The Advantages of FriendshipsD. The Problems with Friendships15. 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.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
2020-2021学年江苏省常熟中学高三英语上学期期中试题及答案
2020-2021学年江苏省常熟中学高三英语上学期期中试题及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AThe “laugh out loud” face is officially the world’s most popular emoji, according to researchers from Adobe (ADBE) who surveyed 7,000 users across the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, and South Korea.The “thumbs up” emoji came in second, followed by the “red heart” emoji. The flirtatious “wink and kiss” and “sad face with a tear” emojis respectively rounded out the top five.The software maker on Thursday released the findings from its 2021 Global Emoji Trend Report ahead of World Emoji Day on Saturday.Adobe’s latest Emoji Trend report also examined the three most misunderstood emojis in the world. The “eggplant” symbol edged out the “peach” and the “clown” emojis respectively as the most confusing for users.The vast majority of emoji users (90%) believe the modern —day hieroglyphs make it easier for them to express themselves. Eighty — nine percent of respondents said emojis simplify communicating across language barriers. And 67% said they think people who use emojis are friendlier, funnier and cooler than those who don’t. A slight majority of respondents said they are more comfortable expressing emotions through emojis than talking on the phone or in —person. More than half of global emoji users (55%) said using emojis in communications has positively impacted their mental health. Seventy — six percent of those surveyed said emojis are an important communication tool for creating unity, respect and understanding. And 88% said they feel more empathetic toward people who use emojis.1.What are the three most popular emojis according to the passage?A.clown thumbs up laugh out loudugh out loud thumbs up wink and kissugh out loud thumbs up red heartD.thumbs up red heart sad face with a tear2.Which emoji is the most confusing one for users?A.Peach.B.Eggplant.C.Clown.D.Wink and kiss.3.Which of the following best describes the attitude of most people surveyed to emojis?A.Favorable.B.Passive.C.Indifferent.D.Doubtful.BMost animals living in crowded conditions have particularly strong immune systems, so it long puzzled researchers that honeybees do not.Part of the answer, discovered in 2015, is that queen bees vaccinate their eggs by moving parts of proteins from disease-causing pathogens to them before they are laid. These act as antigens totriggerthe development of a protective immune response in the developing young. But that observation raises the question of how the queen receives her antigen supply in the first place? Dr. Harwood wondered if the nurse bees were taking in parts of pathogens and passing them to royal jelly they were producing while eating the food brought to the hive.To test this idea, he teamed up with a group at theUniversityofHelsinki, inFinland, led by Dr Heli Salmela. Together, they collected about 150 nurse bees and divided them among six queenless mini hives equipped with baby bees to look after. Instead of honey, they fed the nurses on sugar water, and for three of the hives they added P. larvae, a bacterium causing a hive-killing disease, to the sugar water.In this case, to stop such an infection happening, Dr Harwood and Dr Salmela heat-treated the pathogens and so killed them in advance. They also labelled the dead bacteria with a fluorescent dye, to track them easily. And, sure enough, it was confirmed that parts of P. larvae were getting into royal jelly released by those bees which had been fed with the sugar water containing that.All told, these findings suggest that nurse bees are indeed, through their royal jelly, passing antigens onto the queen for vaccinating her eggs. They also mean the nurses are vaccinating baby bees as well, because baby bees, too, receive royal jelly for the first few days after they come out.4. What does the underlined word “trigger" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?A. Cut out.B. Set off.C. Slow down.D. Put off.5. Which is the main experimental subject in Paragraph 3?A. Queen bees.B. Nurse bees.C. Bee eggs.D. Baby bees.6. Why was P. larvae added to the sugar water?A. To test if it would cause a hive-killing disease.B. To check how the bacterium would affect the hive.C. To see whether the target bees would favor the taste.D. To confirm the bees would pass pathogens to royal jelly.7. What is the text mainly about?A. How bees multiply.B. How antigens function.C. How bees get vaccinated.D. How immune system works.CRemember when your mom told you not to eat too many candy bars or sweets because they can cause tooth decay (蛀牙)? However, it turns out that chocolate can be moresalutaryto your teeth than you might expect. Recent studies show that chocolate can effectively fight against tooth decay, as if we need another excuse to eat chocolate.Chocolate offers protection like fluoride, a main ingredient in most household toothpastes. Not only does chocolate protect our teeth, but it can do so very effectively. Studies show that chocolate has compounds that provide strong protection for teeth. One of the compounds in chocolate, CBH, is shown to protect even more effectively than fluoride.Tooth decay happens when bacteria work to turn sugar into acids in our mouth. This is why eating foods with high sugar content can lead to more tooth decay. The compounds in chocolate, however, are anti-bacteria and can fight against bacteria in your mouth. The CBH compound in particular also works to strengthen tooth enamel (牙釉质), andprotects against tooth decay.Does this mean you can cat as much chocolate as you want without worrying about your teeth? It depends on the types of chocolate that you like. The protective effect of chocolate is most effective when you chew on cocoa beans. Of course, this option is not very appealing to; most people. A more tasty option is to choose dark chocolate with little sugar content, ideally no more than 6 to 8 grams per serving. For other types of chocolate with higher sugar content, the effect will be lessened. However, because of the protective compounds, it is still better for your teeth than other sweets and desserts containing the same amount of sugar.8. The word “salutary” in paragraph 1 means?A. Beneficial.B. Harmful.C. Familiar.D. Useless.9. What can we know about the compound CBH in chocolate?A. It can help chocolate cure tooth decay.B. It can effectively stop teeth from decaying.C. It may protect teeth better than toothpastes do.D. It may soon replace most household toothpastes.10. How does chocolate fight tooth decay?A. By breaking down acids.B. By building up compounds.C. By fixing up tooth enamel.D. By fighting against bacteria.11. What's the main idea of the text?A. Chocolate plays the role of toothpaste.B. Chocolate protects against tooth decay.C. Chocolate is the best choice for teeth protection.D. Chocolate is healthier to teeth than other sweets.DAs artificial intelligence(AI) systems become more advanced, we can expect them to be used more often in the world of human medicine and healthcare. AI is designed to imitate(模仿）the human brain in decision making and learning, so with the computing power to learn tasks in days or even hours, it is possible to create medical AIs that rapidly outperform doctors in certain tasks.Data plays a hugely important role in helping AI systems learn about human medicine. AI systems are trained on large data sets gathered from real-life cases. Providing detailed patient information in quantities is a crucial factor for their success.One of the most important areas for influencing global health is in the field of epidemiology(流行病学）。
2020届常熟市中学高三英语期中试题及答案解析
2020届常熟市中学高三英语期中试题及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AThank you. It’s my great honor to be given this award.You cannot imagine that I have always been a late starter. Years ago, when I was 16, I took an important exam — GCE(General Certificate of Education), which turned out to be a failure. My dad was reading my report card and saw that my position in class was 29th, but the number in class was 29. It meant that I had achieved the distinction of being bottom of my class.I wasn’t lazy, and I was really trying. You can picture how I felt. Dad put his hand on my shoulder and said, “You can only do the best you can, but whatever you decide to do, make sure you love it.” He was a really sweet guy and a great man. I knew his attempt to hide his disappointment with some of his encouraging words. I was depressed for a week, but his advice was a wake-up call.Fortunately I love working with my hands, and I was good at two things: woodwork and art, and I really loved to draw and paint. I was quite talented. Dad strongly encouraged me to go to art school, which in those days wasn’t the obvious place that a father would suggest.So I got into Hartlepool College of Art. The college was a revelation (出乎意料), the passionate teachers there, who were extremely interested in the students, not just tolerating them but actually engaging with them. It was a world apart from my schooling until then. It’s extraordinary what an enthusiastic teacher can do, drawing the student out, lighting independence, and encouraging a design of your own future, rather than waiting for something to happen. I’m honored to have become one of these passionate teachers years later.My teachers inspired me, and thanks to my dad, here I am tonight. I think I should mention all the talents I have worked with over time, and to my kids and my wife Giannina, thank you.Thank you for this great award. I shall find a very special place for it.1. How did the author feel after taking GCE?A. Happy.B. Upset.C. Tired.D. Relieved.2. What didHartlepoolCollege of Art impress the author most?A. The teachers were strict with students.B. The students set good examples for each other.C. The teachers inspired students’ passion for learning.D. The students got prepared for their lessons independently.3. The author gave this speech to ________.A. share his career choiceB. explain his teaching methodsC. describe his life experienceD. show his appreciationBIn May this year, as part of our 150th anniversary, we asked readers aged between18 and 25 to enter an essay competition. The task was to tell us, in no more than 1,000 words, what scientific advance they would most like to see in their lifetimes, and why it mattered to them.The response was phenomenal: we received 661 entries. Some entrants hoped that science would make their lifetimes much longer than they can currently expect. Many looked forward to work that will end climate change. Others wanted to see advances in our understanding of human history, crop growth, space exploration, and medical technologies. The ideas were inspiring.The winner is a compelling essay by Yasmin Ali, a PhD student at the University of Nottingham, UK. Ali submitted a piece on Beethoven, her brother’s hearing loss and the science which she hoped would one day cure it. It stood out to the judges as a reminder of why many scientists do research: to make the world better tomorrow than it is today.All essays were judged by a group of Nature editors. The top ten submissions were then ranked by three members of a separate judging group: Magdalena Skipper, editor-in-chief of Nature; Faith Osier, a researcher; and Jess Wade, a physicist. All submissions were kept anonymous throughout the process.We also selected two runners-up(非冠军的获奖者).Physicist Robert Schittkoat Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, proposes that nuclear fusion(核聚变) could offer a solution to the climate crisis, in a piece that effortlessly mixes grand ambition with gentle humour. And chemist Matthew Zajac at the University of Chicagoin Illinois wrote a powerful personal account of why he wants to see advances in the field of same-sex reproduction.The results show that today’s young scientists have a wealth of ideas, talent and conviction that research can transform their world. We look forward to seeing what they do next.4. What’s the essay competition about?A. The scientific expectation.B. The fantastic scientific ideas.C. The dreams of future life.D. The celebration of anniversary.5. Why Yasmin Ali was chosen the winner?A. She showed great talent in music.B. She found the cure for the loss of hearing.C. She appealed for people to care about hearing loss problem.D. She reminded people to remember the meaning of science development.6. What can we learn about the result of the essay competition?A. Robert Schittko won the second place.B. There were two winners in the essay competition.C. Matthew Zajac presented his view of same-sex reproduction.D. The two runners-up were selected for the same field they chose.7. What isthe author’s attitude to the competitors’ ideas about science expectations?A. Doubtful.B. Favorable.C. Impossible.D. Ignorant.CThe early life of the green sea turtle (海龟) is full of danger. Only one in 1,000 baby sea turtles survive to adulthood (成年). From its home in the sand, it breaks its egg with an egg tooth. Its mother is not there to help it. Instead, it is greeted by crabs, coyotes,and dogs waiting to eat it for dinner. To survive, the baby turtle must hide in the sand until night. Then, it moves slowly to the sea.The small turtle must swim hard to reach the ocean waters. In the sea, it tries hard to find food. It must also keep itself from being food for fish.As dangerous as the sea turtle’s life is in the natural world, its most dangerous enemies are humans. The rubbish left by humans in the ocean causes problems for the small green sea turtle. A little turtle might eat a piece ofplastic (塑料) in the sea. It might also eat oil on the ocean’s surface. Young turtles also get caught in fishing nets. There are laws against hunting sea turtles. Still, many are hunted, both for their meat and for their shells (壳). Allof these dangers must be prevented.Sea turtles that do survive to grow into adulthood go through many changes. For example, adult green sea turtles weigh about 500 pounds. They stop eating jellyfish and other meat and eat only plants. And they may plan a trip to go back home again. A mother sea turtle goes back to the beach where she was born. This is the only place where she will lay eggs. Even if it has been forty years since she was a baby, she always knows her way back home.8. Why do baby turtles move to the sea at night?A. They dislike sunshine.B. They prefer lower temperatures.C. They can find food easily then.D. They need to avoid enemies.9. What does the author think of the young turtles in Paragraph 3?A. Pitiful.B. Careless.C. Interesting.D. Courageous.10. What can we learn about sea turtles?A. They mainly feed on fish and meat.B. They always produce eggs at their birthplaces.C. They can live for around forty years.D. They visit their beach homes several times a year.11. What is the text mainly about?A. The homes of green sea turtles.B. How sea turtles find their food.C. The dangers faced by sea turtles.D. How young turtles become adults.DParents and math teachers regularly asked by their school-aged charges whether math matters inreal life now have an answer.In a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research this week, Harvard Kennedy School Policy Professor Joshua Goodman took a look at what happened to students whose high schools were required in the 1980s to increase the minimum level of coursework required to graduate. What he found is that the students weremore likely to increase the number of math courses they took as a result of the change in standards and that translated into higher earnings down the line.Put simply: About 15 years after they graduated, the high school graduates who went to school when these changes took effect saw their average earnings increase about 10% for every extra year of math coursework. The findings may add fuel to the steady drum of education experts, policy makers and others calling for an increased focus on science and math education.The increase in required math courses didn’t necessarily produce rocket scientists, Goodman notes, because the extra coursework wasn’t at a particularly high level. But becoming familiar with and practicing ly basic math skills allowed high school graduates to pursue and excel at jobs that required some level of computational knowledge, he said.Goodman acknowledged that the earnings boost for the students connected with the up tick （上升）in math education may be dependent on the state of the economy. When Goodman checked in the late 1990s and early 2000s on the earnings of the students who graduated in the late 1985，he found that their earnings increased significantly if they took more math.12. What does Joshua Goodman’s study find?A. High school graduates earn more.B. High school students prefer math.C. Math matters a lot in one’s income.D. Math is a compulsory course in school.13. Why is increase in required math courses useful?A. It produced rocket scientists.B. It makes high school students smarter.C. It meets the requirements of the government.D. It enables high school graduates to get better jobs.14. What might be the author’s purpose in writing the text?A. To give a warning to policy makers.B. To seek help for high school students’ problems.C. To show the great importance of learning math.D. To tell a struggling history of high school students.15. What could be the best title for the text?A. Efforts matter mostB. Math makes moneyC. Earnings of different graduatesD. Changes of high school courses第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
2020-2021学年常熟市中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及参考答案
2020-2021学年常熟市中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AWelcome to Oxford University MuseumsAshmolean MuseumEstablished in 1683, the Ashmolean Museum is the oldest museum in the UK and one of the oldest in the world. It houses the University’s extensive collections of art and antiquities, ranging back over four millennia.Location: Beaumont Street Tel: 01865278000Open: Tue. Sun. 10: 00-17: 00.Charge: Admission is free; special exhibitions are ticketed and a charge may applyNote: For group bookings Tel:01865278015Oxford University Museum of Natural HistoryThe University Museum of Natural History houses the University’s collections of zoological, entomological, paleontological and mineral specimens. With 4. 5 million specimens it is the largest collection of its type outside of the national collections.Location: Parks Road Tel: 01865 272950Open: 10: 00-17: 00 dailyCharge: Admission is freeNote: Groups must book in advanceMuseum of the History of ScienceThe Museum of the History of Science is housed in the world’s oldest surviving purpose-built museum building. It contains the world’s finest collection of historic scientific instruments.Location: Broad Street Tel: 01865277280Open: Tue.Sun.12: 00-17:00Charge: Admission is freeNote: Booking required for groups of 15 or morePitt Rivers MuseumThe Pitt Rivers Museum holds one of the world’s finest collections of anthropology and archaeology, withobjects from every continent and from throughout human history.Location: Parks Road enter via the Oxford University Museum of Natural HistoryTel:01865270927Open: Tue Sun. and Bank Holiday Mondays: 10: 00-16: 30Charge: Admission is freeNote: Groups must book in advance1.If a group of 20 students want to visit the oldest museum in the UK, they should call_______A.01865277280B.01865278015C.01865270927D.018652729502.Which of the museums can visitors go to any day of the week?A.Ashmolean Museum.B.Museum of the History of Science.C.Oxford University Museum of Natural History.D.Pitt Rivers Museum3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?A.Ashmolean Museum is on the Broad Street.B.Pitt Rivers Museum contains the world’s finest collection of historic scientific instruments.C.We don’t have to book in advance if our group want to visit the University Museum of Natural History.D.We can enter the Pitt Rivers Museum through the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.BA team of researchersfrom theUniversityofColorado Boulderhave created a revolutionary type of robotic muscles. They are strong and flexible at the same time, can feel the movements they perform and, whenever they suffer damage, they can self-heal. However, what is best about them is probably the fact that they are extremely cheap to manufacture.The robotic muscles have been called actuators, and have drawn inspiration from real-life muscles. By creating robots equipped with this kind of actuators, researchers would allowthem to perform movements just like human muscles.To make the robotic muscles work, they filled some flexible material with electrodes(电极)and with liquid and oil. Then, they applied some electricity, and the liquid and oil started moving around the electrodes and powered them. This way, the robotic muscles started contracting and relaxing just like real muscles, but a lot quicker.Researchers also took inspiration from the variety of human muscles, and created more types of actuators,each of them performing a different movement. They called these robotic muscles HASEL ( Hydraulically-Amplified Self-healing Electrostatic). However, they are superior to biological muscles as they are stronger, faster, and more flexible.Even the researchers were amazed they could develop such technology. Eric Acome, the author of one of the studies, explained what is unique about the robotic muscles.“The ability to create electrically powered soft actuators that lift a gallon of water at several times per second is something we haven't seen before.”These muscles are special because they are also self-healing. This property is given by the liquid placed inside of them, which also gives them a lot more advantages than those mechanisms (机械)using solids. In the end, the material which keeps the liquid, the oil and the electrodes is extremely cheap. It is a type of polymer (聚合物)similar to the one used for potato chips bags, and can be manufactures for only 10 cents.4. What can we learn about actuators?A. They can heal on their own.B. They are biological muscles.C. They can not move like human muscles.D. They are slower to react than real muscles.5. What do actuators use to directly power electrodes?A. Solids.B. Liquid and oil.C. A type of polymer.D. Potato chips bags.6. What is the last paragraph mainly about?A. The origin of actuators.B. The opinions on actuators.C. The advantages of actuators.D. The significance of actuators.7. In which part of a newspaper will the textmost probably appear?A. Health.B. Culture.C. Education.D. Technology.CWhena person in the United States gets the COVID-19 vaccine (疫苗), the person receives a small piece of paper called a “COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card”.It is a piece of paper with the logo of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, and the name and date of the vaccine. Because it is so simple, it could be easy to fake.Many people in theU.S.are still unsure about getting the vaccine. As universities, workplaces and other places are requiring proof of vaccination, some people are now buying fake vaccination cards without getting a shot.The Associated Press reports that students and teachers at universities around theU.S.are worried about fakecards. Sellers are using social media apps like Instagram to advertise fake vaccination cards. The prices range from $25 to $200. The AP notes that many college students seem interested in buying the cards. On the site Reddit, one person wrote, “I need one, too, for college. I refuse to be a guinea pig.”It is reported that more than 700 universities and colleges require proof of vaccination. Most schools simply ask their students to take a photo of their card and send it to a school website. Benjamin Mason Meier is a professor at theUniversityofNorth CarolinaatChapel Hill, UNC. He studies international health policy. He said, unlike some countries, theU.S.is not using a digital system to record vaccine status. He said theU.S.is depending on “aflimsypaper card”, and students have told him they knew of others who had used fake vaccination cards. Rebecca Williams also works at UNC. She is a researcher at the school’s Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. She said she was not surprised that people were worried about fake vaccination cards. “This is why I think the development of a reliable national digital vaccine passport app is very important,” she said.There is a law that should prevent people from making false vaccination cards. If someone uses the CDC logo without permission, they can be lined and punished by up to five years in prison. The U.S. Department of Justice recently charged a person inCaliforniawith making fake vaccination cards.College students who already have the vaccine are criticizing those who would rather spend money to buy a fake than get a free shot. Maliha Reza is an electrical engineering student atPennsylvaniaStateUniversity, She called those students “dumb”. “I’m angry about that,” she said. “Like, there is more anger than I could describe now.”8. Why do some college students buy fake vaccination cards?A. They are easy to get.B. Many Americans are still uncertain about getting the vaccine.C. Students have an interest in the fake vaccination cards.D. To get a vaccine shot is expensive.9. Which of the following measures can NOT be used to stop the fake cards?A. Having a law that should prevent people from making false vaccination cards.B. Developing a reliable national digital vaccine passport app.C. Using a digital system to record vaccine status.D. Having all the students take a photo of their vaccination card and send it to the school website.10. What does the underlined word “flimsy” probably mean?A. Weak.B. Effective.C. Detailed.D. Professional,11. What might be the writing purpose for the news report?A. To promote a digital system to record the vaccination shots.B. To explain why theU.S.should prevent making the fake vaccination cards.C. The stress the influence of the COVID-19 vaccination.D. To reduce theU.S.university leaders’ worry about fake vaccination cards.DMost animals living in crowded conditions have particularly strong immune systems, so it long puzzled researchers that honeybees do not.Part of the answer, discovered in 2015, is that queen bees vaccinate their eggs by moving parts of proteins from disease-causing pathogens to them before they are laid. These act as antigens totriggerthe development of a protective immune response in the developing young. But that observation raises the question of how the queen receives her antigen supply in the first place? Dr. Harwood wondered if the nurse bees were taking in parts of pathogens and passing them to royal jelly they were producing while eating the food brought to the hive.To test this idea, he teamed up with a group at theUniversityofHelsinki, inFinland, led by Dr Heli Salmela. Together, they collected about 150 nurse bees and divided them among six queenless mini hives equipped with baby bees to look after. Instead of honey, they fed the nurses on sugar water, and for three of the hives they added P. larvae, a bacterium causing a hive-killing disease, to the sugar water.In this case, to stop such an infection happening, Dr Harwood and Dr Salmela heat-treated the pathogens and so killed them in advance. They also labelled the dead bacteria with a fluorescent dye, to track them easily. And, sure enough, it was confirmed that parts of P. larvae were getting into royal jelly released by those bees which had been fed with the sugar water containing that.All told, these findings suggest that nurse bees are indeed, through their royal jelly, passing antigens onto the queen for vaccinating her eggs. They also mean the nurses are vaccinating baby bees as well, because baby bees, too, receive royal jelly for the first few days after they come out.12. What does the underlined word “trigger" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?A. Cut out.B. Set off.C. Slow down.D. Put off.13. Which is the main experimental subject in Paragraph 3?A. Queen bees.B. Nurse bees.C. Bee eggs.D. Baby bees.14. Why was P. larvae added to the sugar water?A. To test if it would cause a hive-killing disease.B. To check how the bacterium would affect the hive.C. To see whether the target bees would favor the taste.D. To confirm the bees would pass pathogens to royal jelly.15. What is the text mainly about?A. How bees multiply.B. How antigens function.C. How bees get vaccinated.D. How immune system works.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。
2019-2020学年江苏省常熟市梅李中学高三英语上学期期中试卷及答案解析
2019-2020学年江苏省常熟市梅李中学高三英语上学期期中试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项APlan Your Visit to the British MuseumWe've made a few changes to ensure you can safely enjoy your visit:How to book tickets·Tickets for the permanent collection can only be hooked online in advance.·To book tickets for exhibitions, visit our exhibition pages. If you want to guarantee your visit to the permanent collection as well as the exhibition on your visit, you will need to book a separate ticket.·We are limiting numbers of people in the museum to ensure there is room for you to safely enjoy your visit. Everyone, including members and volunteers, will therefore need to book a free, timed ticket in advance.Important information about your ticket booking·You can book up to six tickets for people who live in the same family.·We will email yourticket to you, and you will need to show it either printed out or on your device (设备) when you arrive.·Please arrive at the time stated on your ticket-we cannot guarantee admission before or after it.Following the routeWe have created a new one-way route through the museum which will allow you to safely explore world cultures from the Mediterranean to the Middle East and from the Americas to Africa.·View a map of the route (Open in a new window).·Our audio guides (音频指南) are not available. However, youcan pay to download the audio introductions from iTunes (Open in a new window) or Google Play (Open in a new window) to each of the galleries and listen on your own device. Please remember to bring along your own headphones.1.Why does the museum offer timed tickets?A.To earn more money.B.To hire more volunteers.C.To save room for collections.D.To control the number of visitors.2.How can a visitor learn about the new route in advance?A.View an online map.B.Buy a new headphone.C.Buy audio guides from the museum.D.Download video introductions from iTunes.3.Where can you probably find the text?A.In a newspaper.B.In a magazine.C.On a website.D.In a report.BThe market for tourism in remote areas is booming as never before. Countries all across the world are actively promoting their wilderness regions-such as mountains, Arctic lands, deserts, small islands and wetlands— to high-spending tourists. The attraction of these areas is obvious: by definition, wilderness tourism requires little or no initial investment. But that does not mean that there is no cost.Once a location is established as a main tourist destination, the effects on the local community are profound. Hill-farmers can make more money from foreign travellers than working in their fields. It is not surprising that many o£ them give up their farm-work. In some hill-regions, this has led to a serious decline in farm output and a change in the local diet, because there is lacking labour to maintain terraces and irrigation systems. The result has been that many people in these regions have turned to outside supplies of rice and other foods.InArcticand desert societies, year-round survival has traditionally depended on hunting animals and fish and collecting fruit over a ly short season. However, as some inhabitants become involved in tourism, they no longer have time to collect wild food; this has led to increasing dependence on bought food and stores. What should they do if these new sources of income dry up?The physical impact of visitors is another serious problem associated with the growth in adventure tourism. Much attention has focused on erosion along major roads, but perhaps more important are the forest destruction and impacts on water supplies arising from the need to provide tourists with cooked food and hot showers. In both mountains and deserts, slow-growing trees are often the main sources of fuel and water supplies may be limited through heavy use.4. Why are some countries promoting the wilderness regions to tourists?A. The wildness regions are accessible to tourists.B. The landscapes there are beautiful and unique.C. Developing tourism there doesn't need much investment.D. Lots of high-spending tourists prefer such remote regions.5. What is the effect of tourism on the local community?A. Many hill farmers have turned to outside supplies of foods.B. There is enough labour to maintain terraces and irrigation systems.C. Farm output there has increased and local diet has changed.D. The local people's new sources of income will dry up soon.6. Which might be the best title of the passage?A. The future of wilderness tourism.B. The impacts of wilderness tourism.C. The destruction of wilderness tourism.D. The disadvantages of wilderness tourism.7. If there is one more paragraph following the last paragraph, what will it talk about?A. The effects on local people.B. The solutions tothese problems.C. The choices of adventure tourists.D. The reasons for visiting remote areas.CCycling has long been a sport where a competitive edge is pursued, often at any cost. Cycling shorts, however, were an area that technology had yet to enter. Little was added to them apart from, perhaps, some padding to protect a rider.Now, however, new cycling shorts are being equipped with sensors to help riders defeat opponents easily. A British start-up has created a pair of shorts that uses electric sensors and artificial intelligence to shape and strengthen cyclists' muscles while they are moving. It plans to also adapt this product next year for joggers and people at the gym.The shorts, created by Devon Lewis, a PhD student at theUniversityofSouthampton, are able to send out tiny electric currents into a user's muscles to improve their cycling technique. Mr Lewis, 27, came up with the idea after studying a connection between the brain and muscles that sends chemical signals from motor neurons to muscle fibres to make the muscle contract and strengthen.The shorts, created by Mr Lewis's start-up bypass this connection using electric cur rents to build muscle strength directly, without relying on the brain to send out signals. “We have a limited ability to control our muscles naturally,” Mr Lewis said. “You can control them more exactly, get more from your muscles and contract them more strongly, if you stimulate them directly with electricity.” Electric wires in the shorts send out currents that activate the muscle. “For those worried about getting a shock while cycling,” Mr Lewis said, “It's sort of the same thing as when you have spicy food and you get that little rush. It feels strange when you first start using it but then you adapt to it quite quickly.”His idea has received support from Future Worlds, a start-up accelerator atSouthamptonUniversity. Theproduct is being shown next week at the technology conference CES, held digitally this year.8. What's the strength of the newly invented cycling shorts ?A. They help cyclists perform better.B. They last longer than normal ones.C. They can keep a balanced comfort.D. They have tools to make good figures.9. Why can the cycling shorts help the runners and joggers?A. They are made of quality cotton materials.B. They are created by world-top designers.C. They can make running or jogging less boring.D. They are made intelligently with electric sensors.10. What may be some people's worry about the shorts?A. They may spend more than they can afford.B. They get little help from the new shorts.C. They may get shocked by the electricity.D. The new shorts can't function well enough.11.What's the best title of the text?A. The Special CyclingShortsB. Waysto Be a Good RunnerC. How Shorts Benefit YouD. Some Tips about Running FastDA satellite is about to demonstrate a new way of capturing space junk with magnets for the first time. With the frequency of space launches dramatically increasing in recent years, the potential for a disastrous collision above Earth is continually growing. Now, Japanese orbital clean-up company Astroscale is testing a potential solution.The firm's End-of-Life Services by Astroscale demonstration mission is scheduled to lift off on 20 March aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. It consists of two spacecraft: a smal “client” satellite and a larger “servicer” satellite, or “chaser”. The smaller satellite is equipped with a magnetic (磁力的) plate which allows the chaser todock withit.The two stacked spacecraft will perform three tests once in orbit, each of which will involve the servicer satellite releasing and then recapturing the client satellite. The first test will be the simplest, with the client satellite drifting a short distance away and then being recaptured. In the second test, the servicer satellite will set the client satellite tumbling before catching up with it and matching its motion to grab it.Finally, if those two tests go well, the chaser will live up to its name by letting the client satellite float a few hundred metres away before finding it and attaching to it. All of these tests will be performed autonomously, withlittle to no human input once they are set in motion.“These kinds of demonstrations have never been done before in space - they are very different to, say, an astronaut controlling a robotic arm on the International Space Station,” says Jason Forshaw at AstroscaleUK.“This is more of an autonomous mission.” At the end of the tests, both spacecraft will burn up in Earth's atmosphere.If companies wanted to use this capability, they would have to attach a magnetic plate to their satellites so they could be captured later. Because of the growing space garbage problem, many countries now require firms to have a way to bring back their satellites once they run out of fuel or fail, so this could be a fairly simple likely plan, Forshaw says. Right now, each chaser can only nab one satellite, but Astroscale is working on a version that could drag three or four out of orbit at once.12. Which of the following can replace the underlined word "dock with" in Paragraph 2?A. Deal with.B. Keep up with.C. Join together.D. Crash.13. Why many countries now require firms to have a way to bring back their satellites?A. Because of the growing space waste problem.B. Because the frequency of space launches are dramatically increasing.C. Because they can earn large profits from it.D. Because Astroscale has found a new method of capturing the space garbage.14. What will Astroscale do to solve the space junk problem?A. An astronaut controls a robotic arm on the International Space to capture the “client” satellite.B. Through a magnetic plate remotely controlled by humans on the ground to catch the “client” satellite.C. Finding the "client "satellite and attaching to it with a magnetic plate automatically.D. Tumbling to match the motion of “client satellite the drag three or four satellites out of its orbit into atmosphere.15. What can we infer from the passage?A. People will bum the space junk up in Earth's atmosphere in the future.B. Japan andRussiawill conduct space debris cleanup experiment together.C. These kinds of demonstrations have never been done before.D. The demonstration mission will be divided into three phases.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
2020届常熟市中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案
2020届常熟市中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项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.BWhen Rich Jean wanted to help his daughter, Abigail, learn to read, he took her to the library near their home in Brooklyn, N. Y. That's where they met Hasina Islam, who Jean says arose her interest in reading and the library.“You see what you started? You see that spark that you put in this child?” Jean told Hasina Islam at aStoryCorpsconversation in 2016. At the time, Abigail was 7 and Islam was 27. Their friendship began when Abigail was 3. Through the years, Islam has offered book suggestions that Abigail has read with great enthusiasm. “What's cool is that Hasina has recommended a lot of books that I, at the time, thought might be a little too advanced for you," Jean told Abigail. “Like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Abigail said.Islam's own love of the library was sparked when she was in the third grade. She lived near the main branch of the Queens Public Library in New York City, and she went there to research Henry Hudson, an English explorer, for a school project."The librarian made me feel so special. She remembered my name, and my favorite thing was that she gave me book recommendations," she said." When I was graduating from college, I thought about how I was going to make a difference in the world. And I remembered my librarian，and I remembered that feeling that she gave me every single time I went to the library. ”4. When might Abigail and Hasina Islam first meet?A. In 2012.B. In 2016.C. In 2018.D. In 2020.5. What do we know about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from the text?A. It was Islam's favorite book.B. It might be hard for Abigail.C. It was a best seller at that time.D. It was important for Abigail.6. How did Hasina Islam help Abigail?A. By offering books to her.B. By reading together with her.C. By giving advice on books.D. By introducing great libraries.7. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?A. Islam's special college life.B. Islam's working experiences.C Islam's living conditions. D. Islam's reasons for loving library.CFor as long as I can remember, my body and I have shared a relationship of discontent. Growing up, I was skinnier than the other kids and at five I was told I wasn't attractive and that I must put on some weight. But no matter how much I ate, I stayed thin for years until adolescence. Then I started putting on weight almost immediately. I remember feeling happy as I began to fill out. However, my joy didn't last long.I was thirteen when I was first called fat. Friends and neighbours would make jokes on my big size. As I entered my late teens, I had completely lost confidence in my body and, subsequently, in myself. Having failed to live up to conventional beauty standards, I was convinced that if I wanted to be loved, I needed to offer more, doing anything to please everyone around.I entered adulthood thinking I wasn't “enough”—an idea that was seeded not only by the fact that “skinny” is celebrated, but also by the language associated with accounts of losing weight—selfimprovement, discipline—all virtues. Being fat quickly categorizes you as lazy and undisciplined. Consumed by thoughts of the way my body looked, I didn't notice the other ways my body needed attention. I failed to realize, for example, that my period was much heavier and more painful than ever before. Actually I developed a rare disease and later I had two surgeries.I was always made to feel that my weight was the root of a lot of problems in my life; I have learnt this is not true. After a lot of selfreflection and some professional help, I realized I never learnt to like myself. While two decades of selfhatred cannot be undone overnight, I have taken first steps to acceptance.I am now much lighter than before, in body and mind. There are days I find voices on social media saying I am too fat to be loved or to be worthy, but I am learning not to focus on that thought for long. As long as I like myself, just the way I am, opinions at the end of the day are just water off a duck's back.8. What can we learn about the author from the first two paragraphs?A. She could change her weight at will.B. She had different beauty standards from others.C. She tried to love others to build her confidence.D. She was greatly influenced by others' opinions.9. Why did the author think she wasn't “enough”?A. She was poorly disciplined.B. She failed to celebrate “skinny”．C. She was labelled as lazy for her weight.D. She put on more weight after entering adulthood.10. What caused the author to make a change?A. Her lighter body.B. A troublesome illness.C. Popular beauty standards.D. Others' critical comments.11. What is the best title for the text?A. Beauty matters.B. Opinions vary.C. Worth your weight.D. Beyond your limits.DGlobal food demand will double by 2050, according to a new projection, and the farming techniques used to meet that unprecedented(空前的) demand will significantly determine how severe the impact is on the environment, researchers said.The study researchers warned that meeting the demand for food would clear more land, increase nitrogen(氮) use and significantly add to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.“Agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions could double by2050 if current trends in global food production continue,” study researcher David Tilman, of theUniversityofMinnesota, said in a statement. “This would be a major problem, since global agriculture already accounts for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions.”The researchers studied various ways in which the increasing food demand could be mentioned. They found that the most environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach would be for more food producers to adopt the nitrogen-efficient “intensive” farming method, which involves the heavy use of labor and the production of more crops per acre.This approach was shown to be more effective than the “extensive” farming currently practiced by many poor nations, a method that includes clearing more new land to produce more food.Different farming methods produce significantly different yields, the researchers found — in 2005, the crop yields for the wealthiest nations were more than 300 percent higher than what the poorest nations produced.According to their analysis of the effects of extensive farming, if poorer nations continue using this method,by 2050theywill have cleared an area larger than theUnited States, about 2.5 billion acres. However, if wealthy nations help poorer nations to improve food yields by incorporating(吸收) intensive farming practices, that number could be reduced to half a billion acres.The researchers stress that the environmental effects of meeting future food demand depend on how global agriculture expands and develops.“Our analyses show that we cansave most of the Earth’s remaining ecosystems by helping the poorer nations of the world feed themselves,” Tilman said.12. What is the best title of this passage?A. The World Will Need Double Food by 2050B. Man Will Face the Risk of Lacking Food in the FutureC. Future Farmers Hold Environment’s Fate in Their HandsD. Different Farming Methods Produce Significantly Different Yields13. The character of the extensive farming is ________.A. very cost-effectiveB. to produce more crops per acreC. at cost of more new land to produce more foodD. very environmentally friendly14. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.A. poorer nations mainly use the intensive farmingB. wealthy nations mainly use the extensive farmingC. the intensive farming needs less food producersD. the extensive farming has a worse effect on ecosystems15. According to the passage, the underlined word “they” in the 7th paragraph refers to “________”.A. poorer nationsB. the effects of extensive farmingC. wealthy nationsD.future food demand第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
2020届常熟市中学高三英语期中试卷及答案解析
2020届常熟市中学高三英语期中试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AIt's time to put your two-wheeler to good use on these fun bike paths — each varying in distance and difficulty. Just choose one fit for you.• Paulinskill Valley TrailCheck out Paulinskill Valley Trail, filled with forests, wetlands, and small townsalong this 25- mile route. While the trail is mostly flat, you can do a quick ride. You're likely to catch sight of beautiful birds, considering more than 100 species find a home in the land near the path. Check out the trail in the fall - prime time for pretty sights.•AlaHele MakalaeOn theislandofKaui, you'll find a bike path with lots of beachy views that'll leave you feeling accomplished yet calm. The name translates to “The Path that Goes By Coast,” and, as you might guess, the seven-mile path hugs the shoreline. Start early enough and you'll witness an incredible sunrise to make it even more amazing,• TheCheaha RouteThis ride covers up to 126 miles, with steep climbs and extreme downhills along the way. So prepare for a thrilling ride - one that’s not necessarily for the inexperienced or those looking for an easy, casual ride. Along the route, you'll pedal through five towns. The journey is worth it, though, because you get some of the most scenic views in the state.• The Whitefish TrailFamous for its countless route options, whether you’re a new biker looking for smooth tracks or you have more experience and want to play around on rocky, more technical land, this bike path brings in lots of visitors. The 43-mile route offers beautiful green scenery. Around every comer, you’ll see a new jaw-dropping landscape, from glassy lakes to green mountains.1. When is the best time to visit Paulinskill Valley Trail?A. In Autumn.B. All year round.C. On early mornings.D. On sunny days.2. Which route is not fit for someone new to cycling?A. The Whitefish Trail.B. Ala Hele Makalae.C. Paulinskill Valley Trail.D. TheCheaha Route.3. What's the common feature of the four routes?A. They are full of challenges.B. Various route options are offered.C. They have beautiful scenery.D. Different species can be found there.BWe have most friends at the age of 26 afterhaving spent the first quarter of our lives building up our friendship circle, new research has claimed.The research into friendship shows that our social circle peaks at 26 years and 7 months, at which we typically have five close friends. Women are most popular at 25 years and 10 months, with men hitting the highest friendship point a little later at 27 years and 3 months.The research, by Forever Friends, shows that about a third of adults meet their closest friends while at school, with about a fifth saying they meet them at work.Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter now also play a major role in building new friendship. The research points out that 25 to 34-year-olds make 22 friends via Facebook, compared to 18 to 24-year-olds who make 12, and 35 to 44-year-olds who make just four.Forever Friends' relationship coach Sam Owen says, “It is no coincidence that over a third of us meet our best friends at school. It is a key time in our lives when friendship is growing through sharing notes, giving gifts, seeing each other regularly and laughing a lot. As adults we can often forget how powerful these small things are and how the little things can make a difference."Later in life we find ourselves losing friends. Over half of us lose friendship through moving, while 36% say that over time they grow apart from close pals. Having children also causes 19% todrift away fromchildhood friends.With growing pressure being put on friendship these days, it's important to make time for our friendship.4. How many friends can a 20-year-old college student make via Facebook?A. 22.B. 18.C. 12.D. 4.5. In Paragraph 5, the author is trying to tell the readers ________.A. how important making friends isB. school time is an important period to develop friendshipC. how much has been done to keep friendshipD. that friendship is not easy to keep6. The underlined phrase "drift away from" in Paragraph 6 means ________.A. make sense ofB. make up withC. feel sorry forD. lose touch with7. This passage is mostprobably taken from ________.A. a newspaperB. an advertisementC. a textbookD. Facebook or TwitterCDogs are often called as “man's best friend”, MacKenzie, a four-pound Chihuahua（吉娃娃）, was named winner of the 2020 American Hero Dog Competition on October 19, 2020.In its tenth year in 2020 the annual contest is the brainchild of American Humane, the country's first national charitable organization founded for the safety and well-being of animals. Often called the “Oscars for dogs”, the award recognizes dogs who make extremely great contributions to society.The competition of 2020 attracted over 400 entries（参赛者）from across the country. These heroic dogs have gone above the call of duty, saving lives, comforting the ill and aged and reminding us of the powerful, age-old ties between animals and people. While all were impressive, it was tiny MacKenzie who wonthe judges' hearts.MacKenzie's growth was not easy. Born with a mouth disability, she had to be fed through a tube（管子）for the first year of her life. Despite her own struggles, she always seemed to think more of other animals in need. “Never have I seen such a will to live. Though sick, she carefully looked after the baby animals at the rescue（救助）center,” said her caretaker.A life-saving operation performed in 2014 gave MacKenzie the ability to eat independently. The seven-year-old chihuahua is now working for the Mia Foundation, an organization that rescues and nurses animals with inborn disabilities. The chihuahua does an excellent job and has raised various animals. She plays nurse, cleans, comforts and hugs them, acting as their mother and teaching them how to socialize, play and have good manners.In addition to her role as an animal caretaker, MacKenzie also visits schools to educate kids about the importance of accepting physical differences in both animals and people. Her heartwarming and inspiring story makes MacKenzie a worthy receiver ofAmerica's top dog honor.8. What can we infer about the American Hero Dog Competition?A. It was first held in 2010B. It was held to honor caretakers of dogs.C. It takes place every ten years.D. It was started by a charitable organization.9. With what quality did MacKenzie win the award?A. Talent and braveryB. Friendliness and care.C. Courage and selflessness.D. Confidence and independence.10. In which aspect can students benefit from MacKenzie's visits?A. Learning from failures.B. Understanding the disabled.C. Valuing physical health.D. Developing practical ability.11. What's the best title for the text?A. Dogs Are Man's Best Friends.B. Treat Dogs the Way We Want to Be Treated.C. Touching Stories between MacKenzie and PeopleD. 2020 American Hero Dog: A TinyChihuahua.DFollowing the Famous Silk RoadsThe Silk Roads were a networkof ancient trade routes that extended from East Asia all the way to theMediterranean. A key section of the Silk Roads is the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor（走廊）, whichstretchesover a distance of around 5,000 kilometres through China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, covering a total of 8,700 kilometres of trade routes. The three countries jointly pursued an application for UNESCO World Heritage (遗产) status which contained detailed research on the 33 sites along the corridor. This made history as the first successful multinational World Heritage application.The starting point of the corridor and the entire Silk Roads network isXi’an, inShanxiProvince. Further west on the Silk Roads, the geography gradually changes from wild deserts to high, snow-capped mountains to vast grasslands as the routes pass through theTianshanMountainsand emerge in the valleys ofCentral Asia. Although the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor of the Silk Roads ends here, the network continues westwards until it reaches theMediterranean.The corridor began to develop in the 2nd century. Assigned by the emperor, the ambassador Zhang Qian journeyed from Chang’an toCentral Asia, seeking to build bridges between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions. Following Zhang’s efforts, trade routes took shape and relationships were strengthened between the major powers of the time, with the routes network reaching as far as theRoman Empire.Economic activities along the routes network were not limited to trade in silk. They contributed many other items to the marketplace of goods. The routes were busy with camels carrying loads of goods and businessmen selling everything imaginable.China’s exports included silk, porcelain, ironware and tea, while horses, jewellery,spices and grapes were all imported over vast distances from the West.In addition to trade exchange, the network served as a bridge for cultural exchange which shaped the evolution of science, art, technology and many other areas in societies along the network. Astronomy and mathematics were introduced toChinafromIndiaandArabia; important Chinese inventions such as papermaking and printing were brought to the West.All of these activities contributed to a great age of expansion as trade and cultural exchanges gave people access to new goods,knowledge and ideas. These routes connected Eastern and Western civilizations, which achieved a shared development. The addition of the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor to the UNESCO World Heritage List is a milestone in recognition of the Silk Roads as a crucial part of humanity’s common heritage.12. The key section of the Silk Roads is________.A. the MediterraneanB. Xi’an, inShanxiProvinceC.KazakhstanandKyrgyzstanD. the Chang’an-Tianshan corridor13. The underlined word “stretches” in Paragraph 1 is close in meaning to________.A. standsB. spreadsC. movesD. flies14. Zhang Qian travelled from Chang’an toCentral Asiato________.A. export silk, porcelain, ironware and teaB. purchase horses, jewellery, spices and grapesC. seek help from the most powerful western countriesD. build bridges between his country and other countries15. What was the role of the Silk Roads according to the passage?A. It helped to change the wild deserts to grasslands.B. It was recognized by the UNESCO asChina’s heritage.C. It speeded up the development of the countries involved.D. It started a trade competition between countries along the way.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
2020年苏州市常熟市实验中学高三英语上学期期中试题及答案解析
2020年苏州市常熟市实验中学高三英语上学期期中试题及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AIt’s the time of year when we start hiking. As you pack, remember to bring your smartphone. Whether you’re going on a short walk or a long trip, there are a handful of apps that can help.MapMyHikeThis app tracks where you're hiking so you have a mapof your route at the end of the hike. It can also track other fitness information like the distance traveled, speed, pace, and even calories burned. You can save the data for your hike, so you can always access the route you look as well as track improvements to your workout. GaiaGPSYou don't always have cellphone service when hiking, but you always want to know where you are. The GaiaGPS app provides that information. Download maps of different parts of the world, and access the GaiaGPS app in the middle of even the most remote trails. The GPS function makes using the maps simple, and the app will also point to areas of interest.Backpacking ChecklistOne of the worst things is being way out on a trail only to discover you left behind something important. That's why checklists are the best. This checklist app helps you build a customized(定制的) list of things to take with you. Organize different lists based on trail lengths or requirements. Track all your essential items by weight and where you can find them.WildObsUsing WildObs, you can record your observations of plants and animals and add them to the database. You can ask the community to help you identify something and keep track of everything you've met, and most importantly, you can become a citizen scientist. By recording what you've seen with this app, you're helping scientists keep track of what's happening to the natural world.1. What can you do with MapMyHike?A. Record your walking speed.B. Design a suitable hiking route.C. Locate popular tourist attractions.D. Store the data of your daily activities.2. What is WildObs intended to do?A. To provide survival skills.B. To lead the way.C. To identify wildlife.D. To help make preparations.3. Which app is most useful before hiking?A. GaiaGPS.B. MapMyHike.C. WildObs.D. Backpacking Checklist.BWhen the COVID-19 hit and supermarket shelves were empty, Chris Hall and Stefanny Lowey decided they no longer wanted to rely on others for food. The couple, who live on Pender Island in BritishColumbia, Canada, decided to start a year-long challenge where they wouldn't buy a single thing to eat. Instead they would grow, raise or catch everything—right down to sugar, salt and flour. Now, five months in, they say the challenge has changed their lives.Chris, 38, said, “It has always been something that we have wanted to do. We have had a garden and grown vegetables for a long time already. When the COVID-19 hit, it gave us that extra push that we needed to do it. We were both out of work when we started, and with the reality check of grocery stores running out of items, it gave us even more motivation to see if we could look after ourselves.”The pair spent the months before building a house for chickens, ducks and turkey as well as studying as much as possible to figure out where they would get all the things they needed. Chris adds, “We had to learn so many new things like how to grow mushrooms, process our Stevia plants, and harvest salt from the ocean. We spent a lot of time reading and studying online to figure out all the things we were going to need to do.”Now after five months, they both feel its been going well but Chris admits the first few weeks were difficult. “The first three weeks were very challenging as our bodies adjusted to cutting out coffee, wine and sugar all on the same day,” he says. “After three weeks our energy levels balanced out and our wishes reduced and now we feel great.” Now February has ended. As they come through winter, they feel positive about continuing with this way of living, with their challenge officially ending in August.4. Why did the pair decide to produce foods on their own?A. They were isolated by Pender Island.B. They couldn't afford to buy them because they were out of work.C. They believed it's good for their health.D. They could hardly buy them in shops.5. Which words can be used to describe the couple?A. Rich and generous.B. Helpful and positive.C. Optimistic and self-dependent.D. Motivated and brave.6. What can we learn from the last paragraph?A. Their challenge may last about eleven months in total.B. They were discouraged by the difficulty at first.C. They had difficulty because they wanted more.D. They couldn't adjust their bodies to the hard work after three weeks.7. In which column may you read such a passage?A. Sports.B. Agriculture.C. Lifestyle.D. Business.CA student had to get his long hair cut off in a middle school in GuangDong Province. It was talked a lot among teachers and students.In fact, all schools have their own rules. In most schools, boy students are not allowed to have long hair while girls are not allowed to dye their hair. And most school rules say that students should wear their school uniforms at school. And students must obey these rules so that they can get healthy development at school.But some students have disagreements. They think that boy students having long hair doesn't mean that they are not good students. They want to show their own personality. They think that they would look cool too if they had long hair and the hairstyles like their favorite stars.A girl student thought that she would look much more beautiful if she had brown hair. So she had her dark hair dyed brown one day. When she went back to school the next day, the teacher was very angry with her. She said that she worked hard at her lessons and did well in every subject. She just didn't know why the teacher didn't allow her to dye her hair while women teachers can.It is not wrong for teenagers to love stars' hairstyles or wear their favorite clothes. However, a school has its own rules for all the students to obey so that the school can be in good order. Students should not break the rules at school.8. What aren't boy students allowed to do in most middle schools according to this passage?A. To have long hair.B. To wear uniforms.C. To like famous stars.D. To show their own personalities.9. Why did the girl make her hair brown?A. Because she wanted to be cool.B. Because she thought that she would look much more beautiful.C. Because she wanted to make her teacher angry.D Because women teachers dyed their hair.10. What does the writer think of these school rules?A. The students should be against them.B. They are bad for students.C. They can make schools in good order.D. They can't make students grow healthily.11. What is the passage mainly about?A. Hair styles and clothes.B. Schoolboys and schoolgirls.C. Students and famous stars.D. School rules.D"Long time no see." is a very interesting sentence. When I first read this sentence from an American friend's e-mail, I laughed. I thought it was a perfect example of Chinglish.Obviously, it is a word-by-word literal translation of the Chinese greeting with wrong English grammar and structure! Later on, my friend told me that it is a standard American greeting. I was too surprised to believe her. Her words were unbelievable at all. So I did research onGoogle. com. To my surprise, there are over 60 thousand web pages containing "Long time no see." Though it is sort of informal, it is part of the language that Americans use daily. Interestingly, if you type this phrase in Microsoft Word, the software will tell you that the grammar needs to be corrected.Nobody knows the origin of this Chinglish sentence. Some people believe that it came from Charlie Chan's movies. In the 1930s, Hollywood moviemakers successfully created a worldwide famous Chinese detective named "Charlie Chan" on wide screens. Detective Chan liked to teach Americans some Chinese wisdom by quoting Confucius. "Long time no see." was his symbol. Soon after Charlie Chan, "Long time no see." became a popular expression in America thanks to the popularity of these movies.Some scholars compare America to a hugemelting pot. All kinds of cultures are mixed in the pot together, and they change the colour and taste of each other. Language is usually the first thing to be influenced in the mixed pot.You can have some examples from other countries such as pizza from Italian, sushi from Japanese, and déjàvu from French etc. There is a long list! Since Americans admire Chinese culture more and more nowadays, I believe more Chinese words will become American English in the future. In this way, the American's melting pot keeps adding richness and flavour.12. What did the writer himself feel surprised at?A. The Chinglish expression "Long time no see."B. So many literal translations of the expressions used in America.C. "Long time no see." is used as a standard American English greeting.D. Finding out Americans use the expression every day.13. What do the underlined words "melting pot" in Paragraph 4 probably mean?A. Confucius's words.B. Culture mixture.C. A kind of cooked dish.D. American changing cultures.14. According to the passage, what can be inferred?A. Detectives translated the phrase "Long time no see."B. Cultures cannot be changed in the huge melting pot.C. The huge melting pot greatly affects all kinds of languages.D. Hollywood made "Long time no see." popular.15. What is the main idea of the passage?A. Some Chinese expressions are introduced into English.B. You'll not be surprised at a tofu and peanut butter hamburger in a restaurant in America.C. Some American expressions can be used in China.D. American English keeps being enriched by different cultures.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
2020届常熟市中学高三英语期中试卷及答案
2020届常熟市中学高三英语期中试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ASahara Marathon 2021-Around the WorldThe Sahara Marathon is organized by the Saharawi Ministry of Youth and Sports and a group of volunteers from different countries. During the last twenty years, thousands of runners from all continents have traveled to the Algerian desert to live the experience provided by this race and to bond with refugee families. In this unique edition of 2021, the experience will be different. The race will be held in a virtual way and the donations collected through the event will go to the most needy families in the Saharawi Camps of Tindouf.Rules of the 2021 Sahara MarathonParticipationAll those people over 16 years of age (16 included) may take part in this virtual competition, as long as they are correctly registered, both in time and in form. The registered runner must download the Official Sahara Marathon APP to take the race.Distance and TravelThe distance options selectable in the APP are: 5k, 10k, 21k and 42k. As it is a virtual test, it is very important to make sure that the chosen route allows good mobile coverage for the correct functioning of the GPS. RegistrationRegistration has a cost of 15 euros, which includes participation in the race and a donation of 5 euros to refugee families. Participants can, if they choose, purchase the official pack of the test (T-shirt, scar, and bib) for the price of 25 euros.AcceptanceRegistration is personal and non-transferable and implies acceptance of these regulations. Runners who are not registered or run without the APP will not be admitted.1. What can we learn about the 2021 Sahara Marathon?A. It is a big family event.B. It provides a virtual tour.C. It raises money for charity.D. It will be held in the desert.2. How much should a runner pay if he wants to register for the race?A. 15 euros.B. 20 euros.C. 25 euros.D. 40 euros.3. What are runners required to do in the race?A. Choose safe routes.B. Wear casual clothes.C. Run with the official app.D. Transfer registration in time.BWe use what is known as inner speech, where we talk to ourselves, to evaluate situations and make decisions. Now, a robot has been trained to speak aloud its inner decision-making process, giving us a view of how it responds to contradictory demands.Arianna Pipitone and Antonio Chella at the University of Palermo, Italy, programmed a humanoid robot named Pepper, with software that models human cognitive(认知的)processes, which allowed Pepper to retrieve (检索)relevant information from its memory and find the correct way to act based on human commands, as well as a text — to — speech processor. It allowed Pepper to voice its decision-making process while completing a task, "With inner speech, we can better understand what the robot wants to do and what its plan is," says Chella.The researchers asked Pepper to set a dinner table according to etiquette (礼仪)rules they had programmed into the robot. Inner speech was either enabled or disabled to see how it affected Pepper's ability to do what was instructed.When instructed to place a napkin on a fork with its inner speech enabled, Pepper asked itself what the etiquette required and concluded that this request went against the rules it had been given. It then asked the researchers if putting the napkin on the fork was the correct action. When told it was, Pepper said, "OK, I prefer to follow your desire," and explained how it was going to place the napkin on the fork.When asked to do the same task with inner speech disabled, Pepper knew this contradicted etiquette rules, so it didn't perform the task or explain why.With the potential for robots to become more common in the future, this type of programming could help the public understand their abilities and limitations, says Sarah Sebo at theUniversityofChicago. "It maintains people's trust and enables cooperation and interactions between humans and robots," she says. However, this experiment only used a single human participant, says Sebo. "It's unclear how their approach would compare across a wide range of human participants," she says.4. Why does the author mention how people make decisions in the first paragraph?A. To introduce the topic.B. To make comparisons.C. To provide an example.D. To support his argument.5. How did Pepper react to the contradictory instruction with its inner speech enabled?A. It failed to complete the task.B. It followed the etiquette rules.C. It made a random decision.D. It communicated with the researchers.6. What did Sarah Sebo think of the research?A. It was creative but worthless.B. It was a good try but the result was a failure.C. It was inspiring but needed further evidence.D. It was carefully designed but poorly performed.7. Which of the following is the best title for the text?A. Robot Taught To Be PoliteB. Robot Can Explain Its DecisionC. Robot Making Decisions: No Longer A DreamD. Robot-Human Communication: No Longer A ProblemCJake Oldershaw and his daughter Mollie from Birmingham, Britain have asthma (哮喘). Mollie, 11, has required hospital treatment several times while Jake Says he always finds breathing more difficult when there is heavy traffic. Air quality has an enormous impact on their lives and both noticed a marked improvement during the spring lockdown because of the epidemic (疫情). Jake said, “During lockdown there was a noticeable difference in air quality. I didn't suffer any asthmatic attacks during that period. These days you can feel the effects.”However, under current COVID-19 restrictions in the UK this winter, many people probably will have to work from home. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) says while emissions (排放) have dropped this year because we've been travelling less and doing less, the expected use ofgas boilers to provide heating and hot water could rise by more than half.Heating accounts for nearly 37% of the UK's total carbon emissions. Modelling by the ECIU suggests a 56% increase in boiler usage this winter resulting in a 12% increase in emissions of carbon. The ECIU says that's enough to offset the last two years' worth of progress on reducing traffic emissions.Jess Ralston, author of the analysis for the ECIU, said, “Working from home and having increased gas use inthe home could be really critical for air pollution and also climate change. The way we heat our homes needs to change if we are to get to net zero by 2050.”Jess Ralston said, “The increase in pollution from gas boilers expected this winter provides a graphic illustration (图解) of their forgotten role in air pollution. And it is a role set to continue without practical policies to decarbonize home heating. ”The government is set to publish its Heat and Buildings Decarbonisation Strategy in a few weeks which is expected to give details on plans to try to switch British homes to cleaner sources of heat.8. How did the spring lockdown in the UK affect Jake?A. He was cured of his asthma.B. He had to go to hospital for retreatment.C. He suffered a noticeable difficulty in study.D. He didn't suffer any asthmatic attacks during that period.9. What is concerning the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit?A. The epidemic will become worse.B. Air pollution will get worse this winter.C. People may have to work from home longer.D. There is less energy for gas boilers in winter.10. What would Jess Ralston agree with?A. People prefer to work from home in winter.B. The government failed to protect the environment.C. People tend to ignore the harmful effect of home heating.D. The climate has suffered a lot from the epidemic this year.11. How to improve air quality during winter according to Jess Ralston?A. A warmer winter season.B. Less and less gas boilers.C. Practical plans from the government.D. Improved awareness of cutting down pollution.DHi, Momis a hit inChina. Since its release in early February the movie has earned more than 5 billion yuan at the box office. It is currently the second-highest-grossing film ever released in the country, and may yetovertakeWolf Worrior2, an action film from 2017.Written and directed by Jia Ling, the film is adapted from her comedy routine from 2016 which explored her relationship with her mother, who died in an accident when Ms. Jia was 19. At a time when many people have been separated from their families, the themes of grief and filial piety (孝道) inHi, Mombring agreement.The film’s impressive box office income is also a reminder of the health of the industry inChinacompared withHollywood. In the West cinemas remain closed due to lockdown or operate at limited capacity; inChina, where many restrictions have been lifted, between 50% and 75% of seats are available to book. During the Spring Festival, Chinese cinemas made an estimated $1.5 billion in ticket sales – 71% of takings at the American box office in all of 2020.With cinemas shut, film-sales agent stopped bringingHollywoodmovies to market. That has given locally made films a chance to excel. Since 2013, domestic films have taken around 60% of total box office earnings. In 2021, that number may get closer to 100%.12. What can be inferred from the first paragraph aboutHi, Mom?A. It will be a success.B.Wolf Worrior2 will be released after it.C. It is better than Wolf Worrior 2.D. It may be the first-highest-grossing film inChina.13. Which statement is NOT true according to the text?A. The film industry inChinais developing better than that inHollywood.B. The film is based on a real story.C. You can’t go to cinema because there are many restrictions.D. Many people can’t see their families often nowadays.14. What is the author’s attitude towards local films?A. NegativeB. PositiveC. IndifferentD. Skeptical15. What can be a suitable title for the text?A. Local Movies Arise.B. China Film Industry.C. Comedy Time.D.Hi, Mom-China’s Latest Hit.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
2020-2021学年江苏省常熟中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及答案
2020-2021学年江苏省常熟中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AWhat are you waiting for? A new series of movies shown this year can’t be missed. Have you enjoyed them already?Frozen IIFrozen was the highest grossing (票房) animated film ever. In Frozen II Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Krist left off Arendelle to seek thesource of Elsa’s icy magic. Although the millions of children who loved the first film are older now, they might give it a reception.Last ChristmasA festive romantic comedy, Emilia Clarke stars in Last Christmas as Bridget Jonesy , a shop assistant, whose life in London is a mess, and Henry Golding as the eligible bachelor(黄金单身汉)who tidies it up. The film’s director, Paul Feig, and co-writer, Emma Thompson, promise that the film is worth expecting.A Beautiful Day in the NeighborhoodTom Hanks stars in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood as the only American celebrity(名人) more famous than he is. As the host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for more than 30 years, Fred Rogers is a legend of pre-school children’s television, which appeals to a large audience.Charlie’s AngelsHollywoodaction movies starring women are rare. But have you seen a movie starred, written and directed by women, too? Charlie’s Angels is one of the first. A reboot (翻拍) of the 1970s TV series, not to mention the two films from 2000 and 2003, the new version is directed by Elizabeth Banks. She also plays Bosley, one of the female detectives who are employed by Charles Townsend to go on global adventures.1. Which moviebecame the most popular cartoon film this year?A. Frozen II.B. Last Christmas.C. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.D. Charlie’s Angels.2. Which character works on a TV station?A. Krist.B. Emilia Clarke.C. Fred Rogers.D. Bosley.3. Which action movie was directed and starred by a woman?A. Frozen II.B. Last Christmas.C. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.D. Charlie’s Angels.B“One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.” That’s a common expression, but the next time you throw something away, think about a twist on the old saying. What if your trash could become your own treasure? Many creative, thrifty, and environmentally minded people have come up with a way to makethathappen. It’s called upcycling. Our world would be a better place if everyone would begin upcycling.Upcycling is the practice of taking an unwanted item and turning it into something useful. For example, how about that pair of jeans with a hole in one knee? It could become a new pillow for your bedroom.Upcycling is not the same as recycling. Upcycling is actually much better for the environment. Recycling takes an item made of glass, paper, metal, or plastic, breaks it down to its base material, and then uses that material to make another product. This requires a great deal of energy. On the other hand, when you choose to upcycle, the only energy you use is your own. And upcycling not only reduces the amount of trash that goes into our landfills, but it also protects natural resources, such as oil and gas. Recycling is good for the environment, but upcycling is even better.Upcycling also makes a family’s budget stretch further. Of course, the idea of reusing items to save money is not new. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, many families lived on a tight budget. People had to use what they already had in order to meet their needs.As responsible citizens, we should all be concerned with protecting our environment and budgeting our resources. Upcycling is a fun and creative way to help. The next time you go to toss something into the trash can, stop and think about what it could become. Chances are, there’s a brand-new item in your hand just waiting to be upcycled.4. Why does the author mention an old saying in the first paragraph?A. To arise reader’s awareness of upcycling.B. To stress the importance of upcycling.C. To lead in the topic of upcycling.D. To show the idea of upcycling.5. Which one below belongs to upcycling?A. An old ladder is transformed into a bookshelf.B. Old tin cans are transported to landfill.C. A broken wooden door is chopped up.D. Old cloth is made into a paper bed.6. What is the difference between recycling and upcycling?A. Upcycling is much more creative.B. Recycling is much easier to achieve.C. Recycling is much more cost-saving.D. Upcycling is much more energy-efficient.7. What can be inferred from the text?A. Upcycling is popular at present.B. Upcycling is replacing recycling.C. Upcycling is worth recommending.D. Upcycling is a tradition in daily life.CMany teens may feel anxious sometimes. It’s the kind of nervousness that makes you bite your nails before a big test. We spend more time online than we should. We feel good about ourselves or bad based on how many Likes and Followers we get on social media. Young people are developing a false view of life.On the screen, we see what people want to show us. People usually only post photos where they are looking their best. They are surrounded by friends and seem that they are having a great time. No one seems sad or lonely. In short, life isfabulous. But sooner or later, our young people compare their real life to it. They find that theirs doesn’t seem as fun or exciting and grow worried that they may be missing out.No wonder teachers are reporting more anxious students. It’s reported that a lot more college students feel ―overwhelming anxiety. The percentage jumped from 50% in 2011 to 62% in 2016. Anxiety is now the most common mental-health problem in my country. It affects nearly one-third of teens and adults.Certainly, we can’t blame it on social media alone. We expect toomuch from our children and a lot of these expectations aren’t reasonable. Their schedules are packed with sports, clubs and homework. They don’t have enough free time. We want our children to succeed, and we don’t care how much it costs.As parents, we must have more balance. On one hand, we push too hard, and on the other hand, we make life too easy for children. We shouldn’t and can’t promise our children that they will always be happy. We shouldn’t try to protect them from the problems of everyday life. Let them solve the problems in person.8. What is the text mainly about?A. What causes teens’ nervousness.B. How to deal with teens’ anxiety.C. What a view of life means to people.D. How to treat social media appropriately.9. What does the underlined word “fabulous” in paragraph 2 mean?A. Wonderful.B. Encouraging.C. Anxious.D. Doubtful.10. Why does the author mention the numbers in paragraph 3?A. To draw teachers’ attention.B. To show teachers’ mental problems.C. To present the seriousness of teens’ anxiety.D. To show adults have more problems than teens.11. What should parents do to help their children out?A. Try to meet their expectations.B. Help them with their homework.C. Give them more free time to play sports.D. Allow them to solve their own problems in life.DFor decades, an organization, called Ulum Dalska, based in a small Swedish town called Alvdalen, hasbeen working hard to help save a language called EIfdalian. Elfdalian sounds nothing like the country's national language, Swedish, which press secretary Bjorm Rehnstrom said affected the language about 100 years ago. At that point, Elfdalian declined. Ulla Schitt, also a Ulum Dalska member, experienced the change while growing up in Alvdalen.“My parents spoke Efdalian with each other, and with my grandma and my aunts and uncles and everyone around,”Schit said. “But when they turned to me, they spoke Swedish.” Schitt said her parents spoke Swedish with her because that's what was spoken in schools.But people are getting creative in the fight to change that trend. Musicians are creating new songs with Elfdalian. Several children's books were also translated into EIfdalian, including Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Additionally, Bjorm Rehnstrom helps run a popular Facebook group that offers courses in the Elfdalian language, where he offers lessons to the group's 1,800 global members from America, Australia, South America, Indonesia, Haiti and Cape Verde.The local government supports the teaching and preservation of Elfdalian. Bjom Rehnstrom said they eagerly paid for a sign that reads: “Welcome to Alvdalen” in Elfdalian. But the national government of Sweden is a different story. They currently consider Eidalian a dialect of Swedish, not its own language.Schitt said every time a language dies it is a sad moment. To her, losing Elfdalian would be an especially tragic (悲剧的) loss. “It's a part of our identity. It's part of our culture,” she said. “And if part of your identity and culture dies, a part of yourself dies.” Getting Elfdalian recognized as a language by the Swedish government, she added, is key to making sure that death doesn't come.12. Why was Ulum Dalska founded?A. To teach Swedish.B. To save Elfdalian.C. To improve Alvdalen.D. To help schools.13. Why Schitt's parents spoke Swedish with her?A. They could only speak Swedish fluently.B. Schitt longed to speak Swedish at home.C. Swedish was the language of schools.D. It was required by her school teachers,14. What can we infer from paragraph 4?A. Many people are trying to help to save Elfdalian.B. Songs in Elfdalian are becoming more popular.C. Le Petit Prince was translated into various languages.D. Courses in Eldalian are provided to the world freely.15. What does Schitt think of preserving Elfdalian?A. Satisfactory.B. Vital.C. Dangerous.D. Meaningless.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。