江苏省苏州市2020届高三上学期期期初调研英语试题和答案
苏州市2019～2020学年第一学期高三期初调研试卷英语2019.9注意事项：1．本试卷分为第一卷(选择题)和第二卷(非选择题)，满分120分。
考试时间120分钟。
2．请将第一卷的答案填涂在答题卡上，第二卷请直接在答题卡上规定的地方作答。
答题前，务必将自己的学校、姓名、考试号等相关信息写在答题卡上规定的地方。
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 result.5. 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 machine.B. The machine owed him 25 cents.C. The machine owner refused to help him.9. 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 poor.B. Well done.C. So-so.11. Where is Ted going now?A. The gym.B. The library.C. The bookstore.12. 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. Art.15. What do the woman’s parents expect her to be?A. A restaurant manager.B. A politician.C. A teacher.16. 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 Monday.19. 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。
21. 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 putting22. Many Chinese parents are willing to spend money on camp education and study tours for theirchildren, ______ the industry a booming market with great potential.A. to makeB. makingC. having madeD. made23. Many programmers criticized the “996 work schedule”, ______ employees work from 9 am to 9 pm,6 days a week, with the possibility of ending up in hospital.A. whenB. whereC. thatD. what24. Traveling by subway ______ sometimes be quite an adventure, especially during the rush hour.A. mustB. canC. shallD. should25. A recent survey shows that Chinese has become ______ British parents most want theirchildren tolearn.A. whichB. thatC. whyD. what26. The younger generation is turning its back on the traditional holiday routes of museums andshopping malls ______ adventurous experiences.A. in recognition ofB. in defence ofC. in terms ofD. in favor of27. She found listening to the voicemail friends had left her a great _____ in getting through the toughmonths.A. comfortB. compromiseC. commitmentD. criterion28. — I want to do business via online platforms like Alibaba.— _____ it work out, I am sure, your products may go all over the world.A. CouldB. ShallC. WouldD. Should29. ______ the price of food and oil hit the headline, perhaps we should be worried more about water.A. UnlessB. WhileC. AsD. If30. ______ with the feedback my students had given me, I began to make a plan for the next term.A. ArmingB. Having armedC. Being armedD. Armed31. ______ teaching children how to deal with the daily stress, experts agree there’s a need tocoach them in how to protect themselves.A. But forB. Except forC. Apart fromD. Far from32. It is not difficult to ______ between a person’s handwriting and that of the writing robot because therobot’s writing appears perfect.A. distinguishB. polishC. abolishD. accomplish33. The wildlife researcher had just ______ supplies at a feeding spot when he became aware of a bearstanding just about 20 meters away.near the riverbank.A. paid offB. showed offC. dropped offD. put off34. With no shortage of gamers, China’s e-sports industry ______ needs to fill positions in roles such asmanagement, coaching and broadcasting.A. frequentlyB. deliberatelyC. desperatelyD. fundamentally35. — Tidying up can change our lives and it will open up our life to true joy.—______.A. I’m with you on thatB. I’d love toC. It’s up to youD. It’s my pleasure第二节完形填空(共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分)请认真阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的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。
2020年江苏省苏州中学高三英语上学期期中试题及答案
2020年江苏省苏州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A阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The opening ceremony for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games was held at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 23, 2021 after a year of waiting due to the pandemic. Let's take a look at the highlights which make this opening ceremony unique.No spectatorsThere are no spectators during the opening ceremony in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infections. About 950 people, including officials and journalists, will watch in the main stadium, organizers said. Fewer athletes are expected to attend the ceremony because many are not allowed to stay for the entire Games due to COVID-19 restrictions.Male and female flag-bearersThe International Olympic Committee has actively encouraged all delegations toselect two flag-bearers at the opening ceremony, including one woman, as women's participation in the Tokyo Games reaches 48.8 percent, making it the most gender-balanced Olympics in the history of the event.Oath (宣誓) session updatedOne of the most symbolic parts of the opening ceremony—the Olympic oath—has been significantly adapted in order to “highlight the importance of solidarity, inclusion, non-discrimination and equality”. The number of oath-takers is also extended from three to six—two athletes, two coaches and two judges.Simplified ceremonyIn the 30-second video showing the rehearsal of the opening ceremony released to the public, the performances are integrated with dances, scenery and other display elements used in Japanese traditional festival activities.In order to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic and manage the cost, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee said that the performances of the ceremony will be greatly simplified, with more light and shadow technology used instead of real decorations at the scene.1.Why isn't there any spectator during the opening ceremony?A.To limit the number of people present.B.To highlight the spirit of the Olympic Games.C.To control the spread of an infectious disease.D.To make room for the athletes all over the world.2.Why is each delegation encouraged to select one woman as a flag-bearer in Tokyo Olympics?A.Women will be in a leading position in sports.B.Women athletes make up a larger percentage than ever.C.Women will play a more important part in society.D.More and more women will take part in the Olympic Games.3.Which of the following statements is True according to the passage?A.Oath-takers are made up of six athletes.B.Tokyo uses more real decorations to cut the cost.C.About 950 people watch the entire games in the Tokyo Games.D.The opening ceremony presents the traditional culture of Japan.BImust have always known reading was very important because the first memories I have as a child deal with books. There was not one night that I don’t remember mom reading me a storybook by my bedside. I was extremely inspired by the wonderful way the words sounded.I always wanted to know what my mom was reading. Hearing mom say, “I can’t believe what’s printed in the newspaper this morning,” made me want to grab it out of her hands and read it myself. I wanted to be like my mom and know all of the things she knew. So I carried around a book, and each night, just to be like her, I would pretend to be reading.This is how everyone learned to read. We would start off with sentences, then paragraphs, and then stories. It seemed an unending journey, but even as a six-year-old girl I realized that knowing how to read could open many doors. When mom said, “The C-A-N-D-Y is hidden on the top shelf,” I knew where the candy was. My progress in reading raised my curiosity, and I wanted to know everything. I often found myself telling my mom to drive more slowly, so that I could read all of the road signs we passed.Most of my reading through primary, middle and high school was factual reading. I read for knowledge, and to make A’s on my tests. Sometimes, I would read a novel that was assigned, but I didn’t enjoy this type of reading.I liked facts, things that are concrete. I thought anything abstract left too much room for argument.Now that I’m growing and the world I once knew as being so simple is becoming more complex, I find myself needing a way to escape. By opening a novel, I can leave behind my burdens and enter into a wonderful and mysterious world where I am now a new character. In these worlds I can become anyone. I don’t have to write down what happened or what technique the author was using when he or she wrote this. I just read to relax.We’re taught to read because it’s necessary for much of human understanding. Reading is an important part of my life. Reading satisfies my desire to keep learning. And I’ve found that the possibilities that lie within books are limitless.4. Why did the author want to grab the newspaper out of mom’s hands？A. She wanted mom to read the news to her.B. She couldn’t wait to tear the newspaper apart.C. She couldn’t help but stopmom from reading.D. She was eager to know what had happened.5. According to Paragraph 3, the author’s reading of road signs shows___________.A. her own way to find herselfB. her eagerness to develop her reading abilityC. her growing desire to know the world around herD. her effort to remind mom to obey traffic rules6. The author takes novel reading as a way to___________.A. explore a mysterious landB. develop an interest in learningC. get away from a confusing worldD. learn about the adult world7. What could be the best title for the passage？A The Pleasure of Reading B. Growing Up with ReadingC. The Magic of ReadingD. Reading Makes a Full ManCKenyan mother Beth Mwende heard her sleeping child cry out, but did not worry after the three-year-old quickly quietened down. The next morning, however, she found her daughter, Mercy, nearly unconscious with two bite marks in the neck. “I didn’t know that it was a snake,” Mwende said.Although snakebites are common in her hometown, antivenom medication is difficult to get. Mwende livesabout 160 kilometers east of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. So she took her daughter to a traditional healer. He placed stones over the bites. Mercy died within hours. She was one of about 700 Kenyans killed by snakebites each year, notes a report in the scientific publicationToxicon.The Kenya Snakebite Research and Intervention Center (KSRIC) is working to change that. The KSRIC hopes to have East Africa’s first antivenom medication on the market within five years. It estimates the cost will be about 30 percent of an imported product, which often sells for about US $ 30.More than 70, 000 people are bitten in East Africa each year. Climate change and deforestation are worsening the problem as snakes get pushed out of natural surroundings into populated areas.Nearly 100 snakes live at the research center in a forest near Nairobi. Researchers take venom from snakes and study it before injecting small amounts into other animals, such as sheep. The animals then create antibodies that can be made into antivenom.“Up to now, no one has made any kind of antivenom in Kenya,’’ said Geoffrey Maranga Kepha, a senior snake handler.Two effective antivenoms are available in Kenya, from India and Mexico, the center says.The center is teaching communities that using antivenom immediately after receiving a snakebite can save lives, said head researcher George Adinoh.“After seeing how people died in Kenya from snakebites I decided to devote my life to coming up with a rescue measure that will help or prevent people from dying from snakebites,” snake handler Kepha added.8. How does the author introduce the topic of the text?A. By telling a story.B. By listing figures.C. By referririg to documents.D. By making a comparison.9. Why did Mwende take her daughter to a traditional healer?A. She couldn’t afford any modern treatment.B. She lived where antivenom medication is not available.C. The traditional way is very effective to treat snakebites.D. She believed a traditional healer could cure her daughter.10. What is causing more snakebites to happen in East Africa?A. Lack of antivenom medication.B. Environmental damage and climate change.C. People’s low awareness of the danger of snakes.D. People’s pursuit of traditional cures for snakebites.11. What do we know about antivenom in Kenya from the text?A. Itis taken from antibodies of sheep.B. There is only one effective antivenom available.C. KSRIC is trying to develop a local antivenom now.D. People refuse to use antivenom after being bitten by snakes.DThe 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.12. 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.13. 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.14. 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.15. 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.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年江苏省苏州中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及参考答案
2020年江苏省苏州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AMany workers have had no choice but to adapt to working from home in recent months since offices shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic (新冠疫情). And the noisy situation and endless housework may result in a terrible emotion. A new option is waiting foryou. That is WFH: work from a hotel.Hotel FigueroA special program titled Work Perks aims to reposition some of 94-year-old Hotel Figuero’s 268 rooms as day-use offices.According to Managing Director Connie Wang, the set-up launched in June and is a great opportunity to get out of their houses with high-speed Wi-Fi, unlimited printing privileges and free parking. The 350-square-foot rooms sell for $ 129 per day, with an option to extend to an overnight stay for an additional $ 20.The WytheA boutique hotel inBrooklyn. The hotel recently announced a partnership with co-working office space company Industrious through which it is recycling 13 second-story guest rooms to serve as offices for up to four people.Each of the rooms has a small outdoor platform, and dogs are welcome. Pricing starts at $ 200 and goes up to $ 275, depending on how many people use the space.The SawyerThe Sawyer, in Sacramento, California, is offering pool cabanas (更衣室) for use as outdoor offices, complete with fast Wi-Fi, free parking and catered lunch for $ 150 per day.HotelsByDayYannis Moati founded HotelsByDay back in 2015. That company has grown to include more than 1,500 hotels, and has seen a significant increase in the number of inquiries for day-use bookings lately.Moati said the current situation will force hotels to upgrade themselves to stay alive, and he predicted that offering rooms for day-use only is one of the directions they will go.1. How much should one pay for a 24-hour stay in Hotel Figuero?A. $ 129.B. $ 149.C. $ 150.D. $ 200.2. Which hotel allows pets in?A. The Wythe.B. The Sawyer.C. HotelsByDay.D. Hotel Figuero.3. What do we know about Yannis Moati?A. He started a program titledWork Perks.B. He has upgraded at least 1,500 rooms.C. He usually predicts everything correctly.D. He is optimistic about the WFH trend.BThe English language is changing, and you are responsible! Whether we consider changes in grammar, spelling, pronunciation, or the very vocabulary of the language, you have played your part and continue to do so.When we first learned basic grammar and spelling, perhaps in elementary school, we might have gotten the impression that these things were sacred. The rules that apply to such things might have been presented as unchanging and unchangeable. While this way might be helpful for teaching children, it is far from accurate.The English language, like many others, is a living, growing, ever-evolving thing. Like it or not, you are involved in this change. These changes take many forms. Grammar and spelling have changed greatly over the years and centuries, with the spelling differences in different countries today a reflection of this. While the language of a thousand years ago might be called English, most of us would hardly recognize it today as the same language.The first involves changes in the pronunciation of words. Many are familiar with the differences between the British and American ways of pronouncing certain words. In addition to these differences, the pronunciation of many words has changed over the years because of how you have decided to pronounce them. For example, consider the word "err." The traditional pronunciation of this word rhymes with the word "her." Older dictionaries show this to be the primary or only pronunciation. However, in recent years, more and more people have been pronouncing it so that it sounds like "air." Another change in the language involves the addition and removal of words. The makers of dictionaries decide which words deserve to be officially adopted as part of the English language. Through the centuries, many words have come from other languages. In fact, English has probably done this more than any other language in the world, which is why spelling and pronunciation rules for English have so many exceptions.Of course, many slang words have been just short-lived fashions that have died out quickly. Others, though,have been adopted by mainstream society and become respectable, as have many technical terms. So then remember, the next time you repeat the newest expression to hit the street, or make up your own words, you may be contributing to the future of the English language.4. When we begin to learn English, we think _________.A. it is interesting to pick up a new languageB. English rules are wrongly presented in factC. grammar and spelling rules are unchangeableD. only adults have the ability to affect a language5. From paragraph 3 we can know that_________.A. we can change the English languageB. many languages are changing over yearsC. English has changed little in the past 1,000 yearsD. there were main changes in grammar and pronunciation6. Why is the pronunciation of words changing?A. people speak in different waysB. people have adopted foreign wordsC. it has been affected by American EnglishD. makers of dictionaries often change them7. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?A. Foreign words involved in English.B. The British speaks differently from Americans.C. English language is changing over years.D. You can change the English language.CHidden beneath the surface in the roots of Earths astonishing and diverse plant life, there exists a biological superhighway linking together the members of the plant kingdom in what researchers call the "wood wide web".The network is comprised of thin threads of fungus (真菌) that grow outwards underground up to a few meters from its partnering plant, meaning that all of the plant life within a region likely connected to one another. The partnership is beneficial for both parties involved, plants provide carbohydrates (碳水化合物) to the funguses and in exchange, the funguses aid in gathering water and providing nutrients to its partnering plant.A study conducted by Rensen Zeng of theSouthChinaAgriculturalUniversityfound that this also allowed for plants to warn one another of potential harm. The study showed Broad Beans used the fungal network to spy on one another for upcoming danger.Like our Internet, this fungal connectivity is also full of crime. Some plants, such as Golden Marigolds have been found to release poisons into the network to slow down the growth of surrounding plants in the fight for water and light. Other plants, such as the Phantom Orchid, do not have the chlorophyll (叶绿素) and must get thenecessary nutrients from surrounding plants.Research suggests that animals such as insects and worms may be able to detect slight exchanges of nutrients through the network, allowing them to more easily find delicious roots to feed on; however, this has not been conclusively made clear in experimentation. The more we learn about this phenomenon, the more our understanding of the plant life of our planet will continue to change. Perhaps one day, we may be able to map out these complex networks entirely.8. What is the function of the first paragraph?A.To explain the aim of the web.B. To introduce the main topic.C. To give definition of diverse life.D. To show the importance of plants.9. The criminal behavior of plants can be seen as a way to________.A. compete for survivalB. gather more waterC. take in sunlightD. break natural rules10. What does the last paragraph suggest?A. Animals can also feed on the fungus.B. Nutrient exchanges are too slight to detect.C. No experiment can prove the phenomenon.D. More needs to be done to work out the network.11. Which can be the best title for the text?A. The Partnership between PlantsB. The Unknown Roots of the EarthC. The Superhighway Linking the PlantsD. The Mysterious Map Changing the WorldDBrown cows may not actually make chocolate milk, but pink silkworms（蚕）do produce pink silk, a team of scientists has discovered. To see if they could produce pre-dyed silk-silk that comes color1 ed, straight from the source-the team fed ordinary silkworms mulberry（桑树）leaves that had been sprayed（喷洒）with fabric（织物）dyes（染色剂）. Out of seven tested dyes, only one worked, producing a thread that reminded me of pink-dyed hair.And yes, the worms themselves take on some color1 before they produce silk. Their color1 ful diets did not affect their growth, the team, which included engineers and biologists from the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory in India, reports in the journalACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. (The researchers didn't look too deeply into how the dyes affected the silkworms' health. After all, silkworms die when people harvest their silk.)The team made dyeing silk this way because color1 ing fabric normally uses large amounts of fresh water. The water gets polluted with dangerous chemicals in the process, requiring costly treatment before factories can send it back into waterways. Dyeing silk directly by feeding silkworms would avoid those water-washing steps. Scientists are just starting to study this idea. However, it remains to be seen if it's commercially successful. In this experiment, the Indian team tested seven dyes, which are cheap and popular in the industry.The scientists found different dyes moved through silkworms' bodies differently. Some never made it into the worms' silk at all. Others color1 ed the worms and their silk but the color1 disappears before the silk is turned into fabric. Only one dye, named "direct acid fast red", showed up in the final, washed silk threads. By the time it made it there, it was a pleasant, light pink.12. The text is most probably a(n) ________.A. science reportB. tourist guideC. animal experimentD. fashion advertisement13. Silkworms can produce pink silk because ________.A. they are born pinkB. they are dyed pinkC. they grow in pink waterD. they are fed dyed food14. Where is the experiment carried out?A. In America.B. In India.C. In Israel.D. In China.15. How many dyes have been proved successful in the experiment?A. One.B. Three.C. Five.D. Seven.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届江苏省苏州实验中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案
2020届江苏省苏州实验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AFour remarkable inventionsFor more than half a century, the Consumer Electronics Show(CES) has been the place for companies and inventors to display their newest and coolest gadgets.Here are our picks for some of the most interesting and creative inventions.The Sweet Little Rolling RobotSamsung has released Ballie, a tennis-sized robot that can follow you around the house, answer your questions, and entertain your pets. Since it's equipped with a camera, it can keep an eye on your home while you're away. It's like a smart assistant that goes wherever you do, rolling into your bedroom to ring your wake-up alarm, rolling to the kitchen to turn on the toaster and giving you the weather report as you brush your teeth.The Insoles to Pick Up Your PactAny runner knows the right shoes are key to your speed. But Nurvv insoles promise more than mere cushioning. The insoles transmit data to a coaching app, which offers information on your technique and performance. It measures your foot strike and assesses your injury risk. The app then generates personalized workouts to set targets and help you beat your best speeds. Half marathon, here you come!The No-Studio-Needed Yoga ClassCan't keep up your commitment to a yoga studio membership? The Yoganotch personal yoga assistant lets you drop into a virtual class any time you want. Follow along with a set series while 3-D sensors tell you whether you need to straighten your legs a bit more. The idea it that it improves your form while reducing the risk of injury.The Dau-Enhanced GrillWhile working by sight, smell and feel, a chef may appreciate Weber's new Smart Grilling Hub. It can monitor your pork and turkey while an app gives advice about cooking technique and safe temperatures.1. What can the Sweet Little Rolling Robot do?A. Feed your pets.B. Hay tennis with you.C. Take you wherever you want.D. Assist you to do your housework.2. Which of the following is suitable for a runner?A. Ballie.B. Nurvv.C. Yoganotch.D. Smart Grilling Hub.3. What do we know about the Weber’s invention?A. It uses virtual reality.B. It is convenient for cooking.C. It makes meals for you automatically.D. It helps you do well in your yoga exercises.BExperts are warning about the risks of extremely picky(挑剔的)eating after a teenager living on a diet of chips and crisps developed lasting sight loss. Eye doctors inBristolcared for the 17-year-old after his sight had gone to the point of blindness. Tests showed he had serious vitamin deficiency(缺乏). Dr. Denize Atan, who treated him at the hospital, said, “His diet was basically a portion of chips from the local fish and chip shop every day. He also used to snack on crisps and sometimes white bread and ham, and not really any fruit and vegetables.”The teenager saw his doctor at the age of 14 because he had been feeling tired and unwell. At that time he suffered from vitamin B12 deficiency, but he did not stick with the treatment or improve his poor diet. Three years later, he was taken to theBristolEyeHospitalbecause of progressive sight loss.He was not overweight or underweight, but he had lost minerals from his bones, which was really quite shocking for a boy of his age. In terms of his sight loss, he met the standards of being blind. “He had blind spots right in the middle of his sight,” said Dr Denize Atan, “That means he can’t drive and would find it reallyarduousto read, watch TV or recognize faces.”Dr Denize Atan said that parents should learn about the harm that can be caused by picky eating, and turn to experts for help. For those who are concerned , she advised, “It’s best not to be anxious about picky eating , and instead calmly introduce one or two new foods with every meal.” She said multivitamin tablets can supplement(补充) a diet, but cannot take the place of eating healthily. “It’s much better to take in vitamins through a varied and balanced diet,” she said, adding that too manycertain vitamins , including vitamin A, can be harmful ,“so you don’t want to overdo it.”4. What does Dr Denize Atan imply in paragraph 1?A. The diet of the boy is not balanced.B. Fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins.C. Picky eating is common among teenagers.D. The cause of the boy’s disease is unknown.5. Why did the boy go to see his doctor at the age of 14?A. To improve his poor diet.B. To get some help to lose weight.C. To be treated for his discomfort.D. To slow down his progressive sight loss.6. What does the underlined word “arduous” in paragraph 3 probably mean?A. Important.B. Easy.C. Necessary.D. Difficult.7. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?A. Reasons why the boy is seriously ill.B.Suggestions for the boy’s family to care for him.C. Advice for parents worried about picky eating.D. Waysof taking in enough vitamins and minerals.CKids ages 6 to13 inCape Town,South Africa, really do dig learning at school! With the help of the Earthchild Project, which is offered in schools in two townships, students make worm(蠕虫) farms. The worms break down food waste and make the soil richer. Kids grow seedlings(幼苗) in containers and learn about the importance of good nutrition.The school program also offers yoga(瑜伽). Teachers find that the exercises help students focus better. The students enjoy Earthchild activities. “The children gets so excited”, says teacher Vuyelwa Rola.“The society we are in has a lot of noise. When students are taking part in the Earthchild Project, they feel calm.”Director Janna Kretzmar came up with the idea for the project in 2005. She read about schools inIndiathat involved kids in yoga and learning outside the classroom. She developed the Earthchild Project to offer similar activities inCape Townschools.“We hope the Earthchild Project can help students find solutions to all the challenges they are facing in the world today,” Kretzmar said. “The best place to create change is with the youth, through education.”The Earthchild Project combines schoolwork with hiking, gardening, healthy living, and yoga. “We need more than just math and science to become happy, healthy, inspired, and active citizens of our communities,” says Kretzmar. In some communities inCape Town, children live in poverty. They must walk long distances to get clean drinking water. Life is hard. But according to the Earthchild Project’s Carly Appleby, the project works to give hope to everychild. “Students who have hope,” she says, “aim for bigger goals”.8. What do students benefit from yoga?A. It helps them calm down.B. It helps them concentrate.C. They can learn some living skills.D. They can learn about the importance of nutrition.9. What are students’ attitude towards the Earthchild Project?A. Uncaring.B. Doubtful.C. Supportive.D. Negative.10. What do you know about the Earthchild Project?A. It was founded in 2005.B. It only offers outside activities.C. The idea came up by Vuyelwa Rola.D. It is aimed at helping students find solutions to challenges.11. What’s the best title of the passage?A. Hard Life inSouth Africa.B. Students’ school life inCape Town.C. Hope from Earthchild Project inCape Town.D. The differences between traditional lessons and Earthchild Project.DA lot of us lose life’s tough battles by starting a frontal attack—when a touch of humor might well enable us to win．Consider the case of a young friend of mine，who hita traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum about beinglate on the job．Although there was a good reason for Sam’s a being late—serious illness at home—he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn’t work any longer．His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech．Yes，the boss was．Sam entered the office at 9：35．The place was as quiet as a locker room；everyone was hard at work．Sam’s supervisor came up to him．Suddenly，Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand．“How do you do！” he said．“I’m Sam Maynard．I’m applying for a job，which，I understand，became available just 35 minutes ago．Does the early bird get the worm？”The room exploded in laughter．The supervisor“clamped off”a smile and walked back to his office．SamMaynard had saved his job—with the only tool that could win，a laugh．Humor is a most effective，yet frequently neglected，means of handling the difficult situations in our lives．It can be used for patching up differences，apologizing，saying “no”，criticizing，getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losingface．For some jobs，it’s the only tool that can succeed．It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialog may start a quarrel．For example，many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerancethan people in any other forum．12. Why was Sam late for his job？A. Because he was ill．B. Because he got up late．C. Because he was caught in a traffic jam．D. He was busy applying for a new job．13. The main idea of this passage is ________．A. Sam Maynard saved his job with humorB. humor is important in our livesC. early bird gets the wormD. humor can solve racial discriminations14. The phrase “clamped off” in Paragraph 3 means ________．A tried to hold back B. tried to setC. chargedD. gave out15. Which of the following statements can we infer from the passage？A. Many lose life’s battles for they are lacking in a sense of humor．B. It wasn’t the first time that Sam came late for his work．C. Sam was supposed to come to his office at 8：30．D. Humor is the most effective way of solving problems．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届苏州市第一中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及答案解析
2020届苏州市第一中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AThe 2021 Weibo Movie Night—an award ceremony jointly organized by Sina Weibo and China Movie Channel—was held on June 12, gathering around 100 filmmakers and A-list stars. Following are some upcoming films.BipolarCast: Dou Jingtong, Tian Zhuangzhuang and Wang ZhiwenDirector: Li MengqiaoAudience will follow a young woman’s unusual trip across China,who wishes to send a stolen lobster (龙虾) back to the sea. Li said that it’s a sort of experiment, examining the line between dreams and reality. Andthis is singer-actress Dou Jingtong’s first leading role.On Your MarkCast: Wang Yanhui and Zhang YouhaoDirector: Chiu Keng Gua (Malaysia)Inspired from a true story,On Your Markis about a taxi driver and his son, a marathon enthusiast who’s struggling with a visually-impaired disease. In order to help his son to realize his dream, the father joins a marathon training group to serve as his son’s personal “competition assistant”. This film is expected to tug the heartstrings of moviegoers near Father’s Day.TheBattleatLakeChangjinCast: Wu Jing, Hu Jun, Li Chen and Zhang HanyuDirector: Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante LamThe film centers on how the Chinese People’s Volunteers fearlessly fought against foreign invaders during an extremely cold winter. The battle destroyed around 13,000 enemies of US troops, becoming a turning point to lay the foundation for the final victory.Chinese DoctorsCast: Zhang Hanyu, Yuan Quan, Zhu Yawen and Li ChenDirector: Liu WeiqiangAdapted from true stories, it is about Chinese medical staff’s battle to rescue lives during the COVID-19 outbreak last year inWuhanJinyintanHospital.1. Who plays the leading role inBipolar?A. Dou Jingtong.B. Yuan Quan.C. Li Mengqiao.D. Zhang Hanyu.2. Which film focuses on the war betweenChinaand theU.S.?A.Bipolar.B.On Your Mark.C.Chinese Doctors.D.TheBattleatLakeChangjin.3. What doOn Your MarkandChinese Doctorshave in common?A. They both star Zhang Hanyu.B. They are based on true stories.C. They reflect the efforts to rescue lives.D. They are directed by Chinese directors.BTOKYO—Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told the media on Monday if any places hosting events of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics declare a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 epidemic during the games, the events will continue to beheld but without spectators (观众). With one month to go before the games are due to begin on July 23, Suga is again showing his administration’s determination to hold the Olympic Games as planned, despite so much pressure from various parties urging it tocancel the event.Although the Japanese government regards the Tokyo Olympics as an important opportunity to improve its soft power, the Japanese people’s enthusiasm for the Games has been continuously dented (挫伤) since they were postponed last year. The resurgence (再猖獗) of the novel coronavirus in some places is Japan in recent months has cast a shadow over people’s confidence that the Olympics will not give rise to new clusters (群) of infections, and there are fears that the Games will provide new channels for the virus’ global transmission.Some torchbearers from Japan have withdrawn from the Olympic torch relay in the country. And the latest survey indicates only 34 percent of Japanese people support holding the games as scheduled. Predictably, the Suga administration will do all it can to try to ensure the games go ahead. But it remains to be seen whether it can stand the tests of the uncertainties related to epidemic prevention and control that might happen during the Games.Since it has not yet got the virus under control at home, the people have reasons to question is ability to dealwith the prevention and control work when large numbers of participants will be flocking to Japan from around the world in a short time. It is to be hoped that Japan can draw lessons from the organization of epidemic prevention and control work during the ongoing UEFA European Championship, carry out strict epidemic prevention and control measures, and be prepared for emergencies to guarantee the safety and success of the Olympics at this special time.It should be a common wish of the whole world that the Tokyo Olympics can become a stage showing unity and resolve of human beings in their fight against the virus. That willendowthe games with special meaning beyond sports.4. What is the second paragraph mainly about?A. The virus’ global transmission.B. People’ worry about the infections.C. The resurgence of the novel coronavirus.D. The benefit of holding the Tokyo Olympics.5. How do about one third of Japanese people like holding the games as planned?A. Uncertain.B. Negative.C. Approving.D. Indifferent.6. Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “endow” in the last paragraph?A. Compare.B. Equip.C. Provide.D. Charge.7. What can be the best title for the news report?A. Japan can ensure Olympics go aheadB. Olympics big test for Japanese governmentC. Japanese people’s enthusiasm for the GamesD. Japan to carry out strict epidemic prevention during the GamesCWhat will future schools look like in 100 years? Imagine future schools in which students are totally engaged in a class. They are concentrating on working together to solve real-world problems. They are self-driven and are coming up withamazing ideas on the spot. They are concerned with each other’s well-being as part of a team. Their concerns reach far beyond the classroom to others all over the globe.The school of the future will be an amazing melting pot of different peoples coming together to solve real-world problems.Will they even be called “schools” in the future?The teacher-student relationship is changing. Teachers are acting more as helpers rather than keepers of all knowledge. Students are driving their own education to the path that they feel best fits them. In the future, employers may not be as concerned with a diploma. They’ll look more at cases and examples of how students contribute to solving real-world problems. They’ll want to know how well they work in a team.What will problem-solving look like in the future?Information from the Internet is accessible everywhere and at unimaginable speeds. Kids are connected to news around the world in real time. Imagine someone could put out a request to the global community to help solve an issue in their own community! Classes can adopt an issue and work with other classes around the world in real time to create solutions.What will information look like in the future?It’s already everywhere. Users can get flooded by the constant flow of information. The need to understand what is true and what is not is important. The flipped classroom (翻转课堂) has already completely changed lecture-based lessons. It presents interesting content to students before they even come to class. They can access the Internet as many times as they want to review the lessons.8. What is the key message of the first paragraph?A. The things students will do in the future school.B. The situation where students will be in the future.C. The attention students will pay to in the classroom.D. The methods students will use to study in the classroom.9. What will be thought highly of when students solve real-world problems?A. Respect.B. Patience.C. Teamwork.D. Concern.10. What can we infer from the fourth paragraph?A. Teachers encourage students to develop leadership.B Students are really relaxed with their heavy study.C. The employers value students’ diplomas most.D. Students have the right to choose the most suitable lessons.11. What’s the purpose of the flipped classroom?A. To help students to improve the problem-solving ability.B. To provide the lessons for students to study before or after class.C. To help students to keep in contact with the outside world.D. To help students to understand the most difficult content.DThe AI research arm of Alibaba created a machine learning model that received a higher score on the Stanford Question Answering Dataset than humans. The database consists of more than 100,000 questions to test reading comprehension.In early January this year the Alibaba AI software machine scored 82.44 on the test while humans scored 82.304. Besides, computers and AI have already defeated humans, for example in games such as chess. However, it seemed that language skills were superior in humans as machines find languages hard to master.A large number of call center employees, often in developing countries, may be out of work soon if the AI robots are cheaper and as effective as human labor. Soon when you phone a company for information the conversation will go like this: “ We are sorry but all our robots are busy right now. We value your call. Please stay on the line until a robot is free to serve you. There are just 12 callers ahead of you.” A robot will serve you some popular tunes while you wait.Si Luo, who is a chief scientist of natural language processing at Alibaba’s AI research group noted that questions such as “What causes rain?” can now be answered with a high degree of accuracy by robots. Si Luo said, “ We believe the foundational technology can be gradually applied to a lot of applications such as customer service, museum tutorials, and online responses to inquiries from patients, freeing human efforts in a new way.”Si Luo’s team is working closely with Ali Xiaomi, a mobile customer service chatbot. Ali Xiaomi can be customized to be used on Alibaba’s platforms such as Taobao and Tmall. The new AI robots could answer consumers’ questions as they did the Stanford questions. The robots would look for the answers from prepared information. However, there are limits to what the system will be able to do. If questions do not have clear-cut answers, or the questions asked are too unclear or ungrammatical, the robot may not be able to deal with them.12. What can we learn about the Alibaba AI software machine?A. It has been tested in some areas.B. It has become popular since January.C. It has offered a special learning style.D. It has made people interested in reading.13. What does the example in paragraph 3 show about the AI robots?A. They should have better language skills.B. They may replace humans in some fields.C. They need to be customized to serve customers.D. They will be widely used in developing countries.14. How does Si Luo feel about the foundational technology?A. Doubtful.B. Worried.C. Curious.D. Confident.15. What can we infer from the lastparagraph about Ali Xiaomi?A. It needs to improve in some ways.B. It is connected with another system.C. It is a platform to show good service.D. It can answer any questions accordingly.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年江苏省苏州中学高三英语上学期期中试卷及答案解析
2020年江苏省苏州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ACitisport inNewportWe at Citisport aim to improve sports training and facilities inNewport, giving you more opportunities to try both new and traditional sports.GolfWe are pleased to be able to offer lessons at Kingsway Golf Centre just outsideNewport. These are run by experienced golf professionals, and are held on an all-weather practice area. The adult lessons are open to anyone aged 13 and over, and are suitable for all levels from beginners upwards. These take place on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 4:00 pm over a period of six weeks. Children’s lessons for 7-12 year old are held from 2:00 to 3:00 pm on Saturdays during term time.TennisThe Citisport tennis courses provide an opportunity for local people to develop their skills on the brand-new indoor tennis court at Newport Leisure Centre. All equipment can be provided, but please feel free to use your own racket (球拍) if you prefer. Our Starter course is held on Mondays from 7:00 to 8:00 pm, and is for beginners of 12 years and over. Our Improver course, which takes place on Tuesdays from 8:00 to 9:00 pm, is for players with some experience.Football for girlsBy popular request, Citisport is holding another one-day girls-only football course. This aims to give local girls the chance to learn essential skills and develop more advanced ones. The course will take place on Saturday, 9th November from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and is open to all girls aged 10-14 years living in theNewportarea.GymnasticsThis course is for beginners aged 8-14 and will provide an introduction to basic skills. There is a maximum of six pupils per coach in each class. At the end of the course there is a demonstration for friends and family of all the skills learnt there. The course will take place on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.1. What can we know about the Citisport golf lessons?A. You can take lessons at Kingsway Golf Centre insideNewport.B. The golf lessons can take place only in good weather.C. Teenagers can attend golf lessons on Wednesday afternoons.D. Children’s lessons usually last 2 or 3 hours on Saturday afternoons.2. Which of the following statements is true about the Citisport tennis courses?A. You can get the skills in an open-air court.B. You must take your own racket during the course.C. You can take the Monday course if you are a green hand.D. You can become an experienced player after the courses.3. Which course lasts only one day according to the text?A. Golf.B. Tennis.C. Football for girls.D. Gymnastics.BI don’t want to talk about being a woman scientistagain. There was a time in my life when people asked constantly for stories about what it’s like to work in a field dominated (controlled) by men. I was never very good at telling those stories because truthfully I never found them interesting. What I do find interesting is the origin of the universe, the shape of space, time and the nature of black holes.At 19, when I began studying astrophysics (天体物理学), it did not bother me in the least to be the only woman in the classroom. But while earning my Ph.D. at MIT and then as a post-doctor doing space research, the issue started to bother me. My every achievement — jobs, research papers, awards — was viewed through the lens (镜片) of gender (性别) politics. So were my failures. Sometimes, when I was pushed into an argument on left brain versus (相对于) right brain, or nature versus nurture (培育), I would instantly fight fiercely on my behalf and all womankind.Then one day a few years ago, out of my mouth came a sentence that would eventually become my reply to any and all provocations (挑衅): I don’t talk about that anymore. It took me 10 years to get back the confidence I had at 19 and to realize that I didn’t want to deal with gender issues. Why should curing sexism be yet another terrible burden on every female scientist? After all, I don’t study sociology or political theory.Today I research and teach at Barnard, a women’s college in New York City. Recently, someone asked me how many of the 45 students in my class were women. You cannot imagine my satisfaction at being able to answer, 45.I know some of my students worry how they will manage their scientific research and a desire for children. And I don’t dismiss those concerns. Still, I don’t tell them “war” stories. Instead, I have given them this: the visual of their physics professor heavily pregnant doing physics experiments. And in turn they have given me the image of45 women driven by a love of science. And that’s a sight worth talking about.4. Why doesn’t the author want to talk about being a woman scientist again?A. She is fed up with the issue of gender discrimination (歧视).B. She feels unhappy working in male-dominated fields.C. She is not good at telling stories of the kind.D. She finds space research more important.5. From Paragraph 2, we can infer that people would attribute (把……归因于) the author’s failures to ________.A. the burden she bears in a male-dominated societyB. her involvement in gender politicsC. her over-confidence as a female astrophysicistD. the very fact that she is a woman6. What did the author constantly fight against while doing her Ph.D. and post-doctoral research?A. Lack of confidence in succeeding in space science.B. Unfair accusations from both inside and outside her circle.C. People’s fixed attitude toward female scientists.D. Widespread misconceptions about nature and nurtured.7. What does the image the author presents to her students suggest?A. Women students needn’t have the concerns of her generation.B. Women can balance a career in science and having a family.C. Women have more barriers on their way to academic success.D. Women now have fewer problems pursuing a science career.CHappiness is not a warm phone, according to a new study exploring the link between young life satisfaction and screen time. The study was led by professor of psychology Jean M. Twenge at San Diego State University (SDSU).To research this link, Twenge, along with colleagues Gabrielle Martin at SDSU and W. Keith Campbell at the University of Georgia, dealt with data from the Monitoring the Future (MtF) study, a nationally representative survey of more than a million U. S. 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders. The survey asked students questions about how often they spent time on their Phones, tablets and computers, as well as questions about their face-to-face social interactions and their overall happiness.On average found that teens who spent more time in front of screen devices — playing computer games, using social media, texting and video chatting — were less happy than those who invested more time in non-screen activities like sports, reading newspapers and magazines, and face-to-face social interactions."The key to digital media use and happiness is limited use," Twenge said. "Aim to spend no more than two hours a day on digital media, and try to increase the amount of time you spend seeing friends face-to-face and exercising — two activities reliably linked to greater happiness."Looking at historical trends from the same age groups since the 1990s, it's easy to find that the increase of screen devices over time happened at the same time as a general drop-off in reported happiness inU. S.teens. Specifically, young peopled life satisfaction and happiness declined sharply after 2012. That's the year when the percentage of Americans who owned a smartphone rose above 50 percent. By far the largest change in teens' lives between 2012 and 2016 was the increase in the amount of time they spent on digital media, and the following decline in in-person social activities and sleep.8. Which method did Twenge's team use for the study?A. Calculating students' happiness.B. Asking students certain questions.C. Analyzing data from a survey.D. Doing experiments on screen time.9. How does the author develop the finding of the study in paragraph 3?A. By making a comparison.B. By giving an example.C. By making an argument.D. By introducing a concept.10. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?A To draw a conclusion from the study.B. To offer some advice to the readers.C. To prove social activities' importance.D. To support the researchers' finding.11. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?A. Quitting Phones Equals HappinessB. Screen Time Should Be BannedC. Teens' Lives Have Changed SharplyD. Screen-addicted Teens Are UnhappierDThefirst thing we notice about new people are their faces. The next time we see these people, we remember them because we remember their faces. This seems like a simple process. However, scientists found that it is not such a simple process. The section of the brain that is responsible for face recognition seems to work differently for different people. Some people have great difficulty remembering and recognizing faces, while others almost never forget a face.Normal babies are born with a natural ability to recognize faces. In fact, their face recognition abilities are much better than their parents. Babies are most highly skilled at face recognition at six months. But by nine months, they lose this skill. By nine months, a baby’s face-recognition skills are about the same as an adult’s.Unfortunately, some people are not born with this ability to recognize faces. The part of the brain that is responsible for face recognition doesn’t work for them. This condition is called face blindness. People with very severe face blindness cannot even recognize their own faces. In fact, people with this condition can sometimes be frightened when they look in the mirror. They don’t recognize their own face, so for a second they are startled when they see this unfamiliar face.Face blindness is not always severe. Scientists believe up to 10 percent of the population may be affected by face blindness to some degree, yet many people with mild face blindness might not even know they have it. They have no reason to know they are different from anyone else until someone points it out. This is similar to people with color1 blindness. Colorblind people can’t see the difference between certain color1 s such as red and green, until someone tells them that green and red are two different color1 s.There is no cure for face blindness. So for the time being, people with face blindness need to find simple techniques to compensate for their problem. They can try to recognize people by their hairstyle, their voice, or their glasses. Hopefully, in the future as scientists learn more about this condition, they may find a cure.12. What is the first paragraph mainly about?A. The way to improve one’s face-recognition skills.B. The simple process of the brain to recognize others’ faces.C. The fact that some people have face-recognition problems.D. The importance of face recognition in human communication.13. When do children have the best face-recognition skills?A. At birth.B. Half a year old.C. Nine months old.D. In adolescence.14. What does the underlined word “startled” in the 3rd paragraph probably mean?A. Depressed.B. Confused.C. Embarrassed.D. Surprised.15. What does the author think of the problem of face blindness?A. People need to take it seriously.B. Certain techniques can make up for it.C. It will be cured in the near future.D. It has the same effect with color1 blindness.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届江苏省苏州中学高三英语上学期期中试卷及参考答案
2020届江苏省苏州中学高三英语上学期期中试卷及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AChina has 410K5Gbase stationsChina built 257,000 new 5G base stations in the first half of the year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).Shipments of 5G phones reached 8623 million unis in China, with 5G package users hitting 66 million by the end of June, said Wen Ku, head of information and communication at the ministry.To give full play to the commercialization of 5G, more policies should be implemented to boost the vitality of the market, Wen said, adding that international cooperation in 5G technology, industry and application should be strengthened.AG600 seaplane’s test flightKunlong, China’s homegrown AG600 large amphibious aircraft, conducted its first sea-based test flight on Sunday morning, marking a new milestone in the program.The AG600 is China’s second amphibious aircraft, after the SH-5, which was developed in the 1970s for military purposes and has been retired for a long time.These specifications make it the world’s biggest amphibious aircraft, surpassing Japan’s ShinMaywa US-2 and Russia’s Beriev Be-200.Once in service, it will put an end to the absence of a large rescue aircraft in China and will be very useful in the national emergency rescue and disaster relief systems.Beidou products land abroadAccording to Ran Chengqi, director general of China Satellite Navigation Office, Beidou has been constantly deepening its compatibility, interoperability and cooperation with the US’ GPS, Russia’s GLONASS and the EU’s Galileo. It has also entered international organizations of civil aviation, maritime affairs, search and rescue satellites and mobile communication.BDS-based services have been successfully applied in land mapping, precision farming, digital development and smart port construction in member countries of ASEAN, South Asia, Eastern Europe, West Asia and Africa.1. What can we learn from this passage?A. The total number of 5G phones has reached a new level.B. Kunlong, unlike SH-5, is not just for military purposes.C. Technologies mentioned above need more cooperation with others.D. BDS-based services have been provided for users in many countries.2. Which of the following is most probably related to agriculture?A. 5G phonesB. BDS-based servicesC. AG600 seaplaneD. Beriev Be-2003. If your friend did a course in marketing management, he may choose a job in a ________.A. 5G technology related marketB. large amphibious aircraftC. BDS-based projectD. China Satellite Navigation OfficeBImaginary friends in childhood refer to the invisible beings that a child gives a personality to and plays with for over three months.Crabbycrab（蟹）appeared on a holiday in Norway by running out of my four-year-old son Fisher's ear after a night of tears from an earache. Like other childhood imaginary friends, Crabby should be a sign thatFisher's mind is growing and developing positively. Indeed, research shows that imaginary friends can help develop children's social skills.Research has shown that the positive effects of having imaginary friends as a child continue into adulthood. Adolescents who remember their imaginary playmates have been found to use more activecoping（应对）styles, such as seeking advice from loved ones rather than bottle things up inside. Even adolescents with behavioral problems who had imaginary friends as children have been found to have better coping skills through the teenage years.Scientists thinkthis could be because these teens have been able to adjust themselves to the social world with imagination rather than choose to be involved in relationships with more difficult classmates. It could also be because the imaginary friends help to reduce these adolescents,loneliness.These teens are also more likely to seek out social connections -they tend to turn to others for advice. Current research by Tori Watson is taking this evidence and looking at how adolescents who have imaginary friends as children deal withbullying（欺凌）at school. It is found that teens who remember their imaginary friends are better at dealing with bullying.While we know a lot about childhood imaginary friends such as Crabby Crab and the positive effects they canhave, there is still a lot to learn about imaginary friends.4. What is Crabby crab?A. It is a crab Fisher caught inNorway.B. It is Fisher's imaginary friend.C. It is a toy Fisher like much.D. It is a cause of earache.5. Why do children with imaginary friends have better coping skills?A. Imaginary friends help improve their adjustment.B. Having imaginary friends makes them smarter.C. They have rich imagination.D. They are no longer alone.6. What will a child with imaginary friends probably do if he is bullied?A. Escape from the bully.B. Fight with the bully bravely.C. Keep silent about being bullied.D. Ask a parent or a teacher for help.7. What is the author's attitude towards the effect of imaginary friends?A. Concerned.B. Doubtful.C. Optimistic.D. Indifferent.CAfter almost an entire year of not going shopping and vacationing, you find the numbers reflected by your bank account meet your heart's desire.Now the most important question comes, what to do with the earnings? Should you fulfill dreams of the present, invest in preserving the future or perhaps keep saving it for a rainy day?Our elders always try to teach us the value of money and its moral weakness. One may be on a winning streak（连续成功）now，but it will not always be so. One will have days when there will be no sunshine but only rain. and their luck will hide behind those thick grey clouds. Save for those rainy days,they say.Do not spend too much,live within a budget,refrain fromcredit no matter how small and save for the future.Since the very first time we earn our own money from a summer job or earning our first salary, the lessons start. In fact, the pocket money that we receive when we are children begins the process of learning how to bestmanage one's money.People often think like this-one day when I have enough money, I will travel the world. Then, once we do earn enough money, tomorrow's plans start shadowing our present ones. However, is it wise to keep living for that future? Will we still enjoy or even be able to backpack in -our 50s? How will we ever enjoy our present if we are constantly living for the future?Good questions, aren't they? 1 say travel but don' t let yourself run dry, treat yourself to some luxuries but also keep enough for your necessities, and enjoy your present but with a plan for the foreseeable future.Life is for the living. so live it sensibly.8. Why do elders teach us to save money?A. Because there are more rainy days in life.B. Because no one can win streak.C. Because good days may end.D. Because money can't buy everything.9. What does the underlined phrase "“refrain from" mean in Paragraph 3?A. select fromB. hold backC. rely onD. prefer to10. What can we infer from the passage?A. We should enjoy ourselves at the right time.B. We should wait to travel until we have enough money.C. We should live for the future no matter what.D. We should enjoy ourselves to the fullest when we have money.11. What is the main idea of the passage?A. Money is something but not everything.B. One should save for rainy days.C. Live in the moment before you live for the future.D. Live the present wisely for your life.DThink ofJapanin the spring and the image that comes to mind is likely the country’s famous cherry blossoms, also known as “Sakura” — white and pink flowers, blooming across cities and mountains.The flowers, which experience a “peak bloom” that only lasts a few days, have been loved inJapanfor more than a thousand years. Crowds celebrate with viewing parties,flockingto the most popular locations to take photosand have picnics underneath the branches.But this year, cherry blossom season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, in one of the earliest blooms on record. Scientists warn it’s a symptom of the larger climate crisis threatening ecosystems everywhere.Yasuyuki Aono, a researcher atOsakaPrefectureUniversity, has gathered records fromKyotoback to 812 AD from historical documents and diaries. In the central city ofKyoto, cherry blossoms peaked on March 26, the earliest in more than 1,200 years, Aono said. And in the capitalTokyo, cherry blossoms reached full bloom on March 22, the second-earliest date on record.The peak bloom dates shift every year, depending on numerous factors including weather and rainfall, but have shown a general trend of moving earlier and earlier. InKyoto, the peak date stayed around mid-April for centuries, but began moving into early April during the 1800s. The date has only dipped into late March a handful of times in recorded history.“Sakura blooms are very temperature sensitive,” said Aono. “Flowering and full bloom could be earlier or later depending on the temperature alone,” he said. “The temperature was low in the 1820s, but it has risen by about 3.5 degrees Celsius to this day.”This year’s seasons in particular influenced the blossom dates, he added. The winter was very cold, but the spring came fast and unusually warm.12. What is the best title of the passage?A. Cherry blossom celebrations.B. Warning of a climate crisis.C. A strong love for cherry blossom.D. Cherry blossom season coming earlier.13. What does the underlined word “flocking” mean?A. Blocking.B. Flooding.C. Running.D. Following.14. What can we infer from paragraph 5?A. The peak blossom dates fall on a fixed date.B. The cherry blossom rarely peaks in March.C. The peak bloom dates mainly depend on weather and rainfall.D. Cherry blossom peaks around mid-April inTokyo.15. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?A. To inform people the date of cherry blossom.B. To show a study on cherry blossom dates.C. To present a Japanese tradition of cherry blossom celebration.D. To make people aware of the influence of climate change on cherry blossom.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。
江苏省常熟中学2020届高三上学期期初调研英语试题 Word版含解析
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。
2020届苏州市景范中学校高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案解析
2020届苏州市景范中学校高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AArtificial intelligence (Al) is practically everywhere today. There are so many products out there which use Al. Some are being developed, some are already in use, and some failed and are being improved, so it’s very difficult to name a few of them and regard them as the best.ViIt is an Al personal trainer which is mainly concerned with fitness and coaching. It, however, requires the use of bio-sensing earphones and other fitness tracking equipment! It can play your favourite music while you work out and all you have to worry about is the exercise you're doing.Deep TextDo you ever wonder how an ad appears suddenly just when you are looking for something similar? This is because of Deep Text. It uses real-time consumer information to produce data which in turn is used to target consumers. Thus, if you search online for flight tickets fromBangaloretoDelhi, it is very likely that an ad relating to hotels inDelhiwill soon follow.Hello EggIf you live alone and miss your mother because you always miss your breakfast or don’t know what to eat for dinner, then Hello Egg is exactly what you are looking for. A very healthy choice of the 2-minute noodles and oats, Hello Egg provides you with a detailed weekly meal plan about the needs of your body. It is truly a modern AI-powered home cooking tool for the young.WordsmithYou can put Mr. Smith into your Microsoft Excel using their free API, and let it write up detailed analysis of the stories behind your numbers. It can produce detailed reports on thousands of pages of spreadsheets in seconds.1. What can we learn about Vi from the text?A. It is an AI music player.B. It is a bio-sensing earphone.C. It doesn't work without bio-sensing earphones.D. It can make you more energetic while you work out.2. Which can help you improve cooking skill?A. Deep Text.B. Vi.C. Wordsmith.D. Hello Egg.3. What can Wordsmith do for us?A. Produce a detailed report.B. Provide us with a detailed meal plan.C. Book a ticket ahead of time.D. Offer us information on hotels for traveling.BTofight for the conservation of forest ecosystem, several ecologists including Daniel Janzen convinced Del Oro, an orange juice producer, to donate part of their forestland to a national park. In return, Del Oro was allowed to throw large amounts of waste in the form of orangepeels(皮) on a 3-hectare piece of land within the national park at no cost. Dealing with tons of leftover peels usually involved burning them or paying to have them poured into a landfill, so the proposal was very attractive.But a year later, another juice company challenged the deal in court, arguing that their competitor was "polluting a national park". They ended up winning, and the deal between Del Oro and the national park fell through.Then in 2013, while discussing possible research avenues（途径，手段）with Timothy Treuer, Daniel Janzen mentioned the orange story. Feeling interested, Treuer decided to stop by that piece of land that had been covered with fruit waste 15 years earlier. What he found shocked him."While I would walk over exposed rock and dead grass in the nearby fields, I'd have to climb through undergrowth and cut paths through walls ofvines(藤) in the orange peel site itself," said Timothy Treuer.Treuer and his team spent months picking upsamples(样品), analyzing and comparing them. They found great differences between the areas covered with orange peels and those that were not. The area withorange waste had richer soil.The effect that the orange peels had on the land is probably not that surprising to people familiar withcomposting(施肥), but what is really shocking is that a judge actually thought the waste of orange "mined" a national parkand stopped it from going forward. Now that Timothy Treuer's study has received worldwide attention, this type of "ruining" is being seriously considered as a way of bringing forests back to life.4. What did Del Oro usually do with orange peels?A. Add them to fuel.B. Feed them to animals.C. Burn or bury them.D. Make them into cakes.5. What can we know about the deal between Del Oro and the national park?A. It lasted 15 years.B. It was signed by Treuer.C. It was made in about 1998.D. It was broken by Del Oro.6. What was Treuer's finding?A. Orange peels contain much fibre.B. Orange peels can make soil richer.C. Orange peels rot away in a short time.D. Orange waste ruined the national park.7. What is the author's attitude toward the judge mentioned in the last paragraph?A. Disapproving.B. Positive.C. Worried.D. Admirable.CWhen I was 9, we packed up our home in Los Angeles and arrived atHeathrow, London on a gray January morning. Everyone in the family settled quickly into the city except me. Without my beloved beaches and endless blue—sky days, I felt at a loss and out of place. Until I made a discovery.Southbank, at an eastern bend in the Thames, is the center of British skateboarding, where the continuous crashing of skateboards left your head ringing .I loved it. I soon made friends with the local skaters. We spoke our own language. And my favorite: Safe. Safe meant cool. It meant hello. It meant don't worry about it. Once, when trying a certain trick on the beam（横杆）, I fell onto the stones, damaging a nerve in my hand, and Toby came over, helping me up: Safe, man. Safe. A few minutes later, when I landed the trick, my friends beat their boards loud, shouting: “Safe! Safe! Safe!” And that's what mattered—landing tricks, being a good skater.When I was 15, my family moved to Washington. I tried skateboarding there, but the locals were far less welcoming. Within a couple of years, I'd given it up.When I returned to London in 2004, I found myself wandering down to Southbank, spending hours there. I've traveled back several times since, most recently this past spring. The day was cold but clear: tourists and Londoners stopped to watch theskaters. Weaving（穿梭）among the kids who rushed by on their boards, I found my way to the beam. Then a rail—thin teenager, in a baggy white T—shirt, skidded（滑）up to the beam. He sat next to me. He seemed not to notice the man next to him. But soon I caughta few of his glances. “I was a local here 20 years ago,” I told him. Then, slowly, he began to nod his head. “Safe, man. Safe.”“Yeah,” I said. “Safe.”8. What can we learn about the author soon after he moved to London?A. He felt disappointed.B. He gave up his hobby.C. He liked the weather there.D. He had disagreements with his family.9. What do the underlined words “Safe! Safe! Safe!” probably mean?A. Be careful!B. Well done!C. No way!D. Don't worry!10. Why did the author like to spend time in Southbank when he returned to London?A. To join the skateboarding.B. To make new friends.C. To learn more tricks.D. To relive his childhood days11. What message does the author seem to convey in the text?A. Children should learn a second language.B. Sport is necessary for children's health.C. Children need a sense of belongingD. Seeing the world is a must for children.DFirefighters in Florida this week helped rescue a bald eagle with a fishing hook stuck in its beak（嘴）and the attached line wrapped around its wing and beak. Firefighters at Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 21 on Thursday were greeted by two children holding the injured bald eagle and seeking help, according to the station’s Facebook page.The firefighters called Owl’s Nest Sanctuary（保护区）for Wildlife in Odessa for assistance and a volunteer came out to help. "It appears that the eagle was wrapped in the line for about two days, was underweight, and thirsty,” the post said.Floridahas one of the densest concentrations of nesting bald eagles in the lower 48 states with an estimated 1 ,500 nesting pairs according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.PascoCountyis located in the state's west central coast north ofTampa.After the eagle was examined, it was placed in a container and taken to the sanctuary for treatment where Kris Potter, the sanctuary's director, successfully removed the hook.The sanctuary posted on its Facebook page that the eagle is making up for lost time when it comes to food. "He's eating all his meals with great enthusiasm and doesn't leave a crumb（碎屑）behind,“ the post said. "In the meantime, this big guy is resting and recovering ——he's already looking so much better!”After the eagle is considered stable, it will be taken toBuschGardensinTampafor further treatment, according to the post.“ Thankfully the eagle appears in good health and veterinarians（兽医）believe that the eagle will fullyrecover," the post said.When the eagle is cleared for return to the wild, it will be released in the area around Station 21 , the station said in its post.“A big thank-you to everyone who helped save this bald eagle's life! We are thankful for this happy outcome!” the post concluded. The sanctuary used the story to remind those who enjoy fishing to properly dispose of their garbage.12. Who initially found the injured bald eagle?A. Firefighters.B. Two children.C. The sanctuary's founder.D. A volunteer.13. Where will the eagle be set free?A. AtPascoCounty Fire Rescue Station 21.B. In the neighborhood around Station 21.C. In the sanctuary inOdessa.D. InBuschGardensinTampa.14. Why did the sanctuary post the story?A. To win a good reputation.B. To praise those firefighters.C. To appeal to people to protect bald eagles.D. To remind fishing lovers to deal with rubbish properly.15. What can we know about the outcome of the event?A. It's unexpected.B. It's beautiful.C. It's humorous.D. It's discouraging.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年11月江苏省苏州市2020届高三上学期期中调研考试英语试题及答案
绝密★启用前江苏省苏州市2020届高三年级上学期期中调研考试英语试题2019年11月本试卷分第Ⅰ卷(选择题)和第Ⅱ卷(非选择题)两部分。
满分120分，考试时间120分钟。
第Ⅰ卷(选择题共80分)第一部分：听力(共两节，满分15分)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 is the man planning to do?A. Make some cheese.B. Go on a trip.C. Find a job in Paris.()2. What's the reason for the headache according to the woman?A. Lack of sleep.B. Too much aspirin.C. Too much sunlight.()3. What does the man want to do?A. Reserve a cheap hotel.B. Go to Mexico on business.C. Relax and enjoy himself.()4. What will the woman get?A. Carpet cleaner.B. A paper towel.C. A glass of wine.()5. Where is the Blue Ocean Restaurant?A. Beside the Blue Sky Restaurant.B. Opposite the Blue Sky Restaurant.C. Opposite the Blue Bay Restaurant.第二节(共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分)听下面4段对话或独白。
2020届江苏省苏州实验中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及参考答案
2020届江苏省苏州实验中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AF the Art World competition.Prize -The winner of each type will get the chance to display their artworks in a week-long exhibition inChelsea,New York..Eligibility - Open to artists all over the world..Entry Fee(参赛费)-$24 for a maximum of 3 submitted(提交的)photos..Date of Exhibition - From 25thApril to 2ndMay.F the Art World is an international art competition organized by which is quite unusual, compared to other competitions. The artworks are not judged on the basis of creativity and skill. Instead, they're judged by the depth of the subject matter. The subject this year is “A Competition About Change”, where artists can try and show how they'd like to change humanity in a good way.Notes*For this competition, there are three types for submissions, namely: street art, fine art, and digital art.*Each type will have a winner as chosen by the organizers and all the winners will have the wonderful chance to exhibit their works at the Unarthodox Gallery inNew Yorkin a week-long exhibition.*All the winners will also receive 100% of the sale price when any of their artworks are sold!Winners will also be displayed on the website and the entrants' artworks will also be displayed in the opening ceremony(仪式)as well.1.What is special about F the Art World Competition?AIt is free to attend.B.It lasts for over a week.C.It is open to artists inNew York.D.It centers on the depth of the artworks.2.What will the winners get?A.Prize money.B.A chance to visit an exhibition.C.A written judgement of their artworks.D.Money from the sale of their artworks.3.Where will the entrants' artworks be shown?A.In the street.B.In the opening ceremony.C.On the website.D.At the market.BThere is no such thing as a “safe" level of drinking, with increased consumption of alcohol associated with poorer brain health, according to a new study.In an observational study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, researchers from the University of Oxford studied the relationship between the self-reported alcohol intake of some 25,000 people in the UK, and their brain scans. The researchers noted that drinking had an effect on the brain's gray matter-regions in the brain that make up "important bits where information is processed," according to leadauthor Anya Topiwala, a senior clinical researcher at Oxford.“The more people drank, the less the volume of their gray matter,“ Topiwala said via email. "Brain volume reduces with age and more severely with dementia(痴呆症).Smaller brain volume also predicts worse performance on memory testing,“ she explained. "While alcohol only made a small contribution to this(0. 8%), it was a greater contribution than other "modifiable" risk factors," she said, explaining that modifiable risk factors are “ ones you can do something about, in contrast to aging.”The team also investigated whether certain drinking patterns, beverage types and other health conditions made a difference to the impact of alcohol on brain health. They found that there was no "safe" level of drinking-meaning that consuming any amount of alcohol was worse than not drinking it. They also found no evidence that the type of drink— such as wine, spirits or beer—affected the harm done to the brain. However, certain characteristics, such as high blood pressure, obesity or binge-drinking, could put people at higher risk, researchers added.The risks of alcohol have long been known：Previous studies have found that there's no amount of liquor, wine or beer that is safe for your overall health. Alcohol was the leading risk factor for disease and premature death in men and women between the ages of 15 and 49 worldwide in 2016, accounting for nearly one in 10 deaths, according to a study published in The Lancet in 2018.“It has been known for decades that heavy drinking is bad for brain health," Sadie Boniface, head of research at the UK's Institute of Alcohol Studies, said via email. "We also shouldn't forget alcohol affects all parts of thebody and there are multiple health risks. ”4. What is the function of gray matter?A. Control the mount of alcoholB. Process informationC. Scan the brainD. Predict the performance on memory5. Which is NOT true in the following statements according to the study?A. Drinking alcohol is worse than not drinking.B. With people getting older, brain volume reduces.C. Alcohol was the major risk factor for disease and premature death.D. The less people drink alcohol, the more the volume of their gray matter.6. Which is one of the "modifiable" risk factors?A. SmokingB. AgingC. DeathD. Disease7. What is the main idea of the text?A. The mount of alcohol is not related to people's health.B. People drinking alcohol do harm to their brain health.C. People drinking alcohol lead to dementia.D. Theresa great deal of liquor, wine or beer that is safe for health.CIt's a popular belief that a fish's memory lasts for only seven seconds. It may seem sad to think that they don't remember what they've eaten or where they’ve been, and they don't identify you or any of their friends--every moment intheir life would be like seeing the world for the first time.But don't be so quick to feel sorry for them. A new study has found that fish have a much better memory than we used to think. In fact, certain species of fish can even remember events from as long as 12 days ago. In the study, researchers from Mac Ewan University in Canada trained a kind of fish called African cichlids to go to a certain area of their tank to get food.They then waited for 12 days before putting them back in the tank again. Researchers used computer software to monitor the fish’s movements.They found that after such a long break the fish still went to the same place where they first got food. This suggested that they could remember their past experiences.In fact. scientists had been thinking for a long time that African cichlids might have a good memory. An earlier study showed that they behaved aggressively(挑衅地) in front of certain fish, perhaps because they remembered their past "fights".But until the latest findings, there was no clear evidence.Just as a good memory can make our lives easier, it also plays an important part when a fish is trying to survivein the wild. "If fish are able to remember that a certain area contains safe food, they will be able to go back to that area without putting their lives at risk,"lead researcher Trevor Hamilton told Live Science.For a long time, fish were placed far below chimpanzees, dolphins and mice on the list of smart animals.But this study has given scientists a new understanding of their intelligence.8. According to the text, people commonly believe that ______.A. fish don't recognize any of their friendsB. a fish's memory lasts for only seven minutesC. fish can only remember part of their past experiencesD. fish can remember things that happened long ago9. How can fish benefit most from a good memory?A. They can remember their enemies and fight.B. They can remember where to get food and survive.C. They can remember their friends and help each other.D. They can remember where to go when in danger.10. What can we learn from the text?A. Only African cichlids have a good memory.B. African cichlids can remember things for 12 days.C. African cichlids always treat other fish aggressively.D. African cichlids don't belong to the list of smart animals.11. What is the text mainly about?A. What we can learn from fish.B. Fish having a very bad memory.C. How fish improve their memory.D. Fish being smarter than we thought.DIn Japan many workers for large corporations have a guarantee of lifetime employment. They will not be laid off during recessions or when the tasks they perform are taken over by robots. To some observers, this is capitalism at its best, because workers are treated as people not things. Others see it as necessarily inefficient and believe it cannot continue if Japan is to remain competitive with foreign corporations more concerned aboutprofits and less concerned about people.Defenders of the system argue that those who call it inefficient do not understand how it really works. In the first place not every Japanese worker has the guarantee of a lifetime job. The lifetime employment system includes only “regular employees.” Many employees do not fall into this category, including all women. All businesses have many part time and temporary employees. These workers are hired and laid off during the course of the business cycle just as employees in the United States are. These “irregular workers” make up about 10 percent of the nonagricultural work force. Additionally, Japanese firms maintain some flexibility through the extensive use of subcontractors. This practice is much more common in Japan than in the United States.The use of both subcontractors and temporary workers has increased markedly in Japan since the 1974-1975 recession. All this leads some people to argue that the Japanese system really is not all that different from the American system. During recessions Japanese corporations lay off temporary workers and give less business to subcontractors. In the United States, corporations lay off those workers with the least working experience. The difference then is probably less than the term “lifetime employment” suggests, but there still is a difference. And this difference cannot be understood without looking at the values of Japanese society. The relationship between employer and employee cannot be explained in purely contractual terms. Firms hold on to the employees and that employees stay with one firm. There are also practical reasons for not jumping from job to job. Most retirement benefits come from the employer. Changing jobs means losing these benefits. Also, teamwork is an essential part of Japanese production. Moving to a new firm means adapting to a different team and at least temporarily, lower productivity and lower pay.12. According to the passage, a woman in Japan _________.A. cannot get a lifetime jobB. is impossible to get a part time jobC. will be employed for lifeD. is among the regular workers13. Which of the following is NOT the reason why Japanese workers stay with one firm?A. They don’t want to lose their retirement benefits.B. They are not adaptable people.C. Any change of jobs will make them less paid.D. They get used to the teamwork.14. It can be inferred from the passage that _________.A. those who want to change jobs frequently in Japan should think twiceB. those who are first laid off by American corporations are temporary workersC. the use of subcontractors makes Japanese firms less flexibleD. the Japanese system is totally different from the American system15. What does the passage mainly discuss?A. The extremely hard situation during recessions.B. The extensive use of subcontractors in Japan.C. The characteristics of corporations in the United States.D. The features of lifetime employment in Japan.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。