-
What will our world be like in 2050?
There are two features in the growth of world population. First, the annual increase in population in 15 European countries, in the past few years, has been only 300,000. The United Nations estimates (估计)that by 2050, the population of European countries will decrease from the current 0.72 billion to 0.63 billion. Second, the population in developing countries is growing rapidly. By 2050，the population of Africa is expected to reach 1.8 billion, 0.9 billion more than its current population.
A recent research report published by the United Nations indicates that it is quite possible that the Earth's temperature is rising well above the previous estimate. The Antarctic ice sheet, which contains 90% of the world's ice, has lost significant mass in the past few years. The discovery comes as a surprise to scientists, who thought that the continent would gain ice this century because of increased snowfall in a warming climate. A research team from the University of Colorado used satellite data to estimate that the ice sheet will lose up to 48 cubic miles by 2050.
Africa's rivers face great change that will leave a quarter of the continent severely short of water by the middle of the century, according to a global warming study published today. Even modest decreases in rain in western Africa will see rivers lose as much as 80% of their water and a rise of what the scientists call "water refuges(难民)”. "In those areas where there is already a water shortage, it's going to have a destructive effect," the study says,.“If you're already walking 5 km to the nearest stream, by 2050,it's going to mean walking 30 km or moving your whole household closer to the water source."
1.Which of the following situations in 2050 is NOT mentioned in the text?
A.Population change.
B.Economic decline.
C.Global warming.
D.Water shortage.
2.What surprises the scientists according to Paragraph 3?
A.The Antarctic ice sheet has decreased.
B.The Earth's temperature is going down.
C.Global warming is destroying the Earth.
D.Snowfall increases in the Antarctic area.
3.What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph stress (强调) ?
A.The ill fate of Africa's rivers.
B.The importance of doing exercise.
C.The hard life of the African refugees.
D.The seriousness of the water problem.
4.What was the most possible feeling of the author when he wrote this text?
A.Happy.
B.Angry.
C.Worried.
D.Calm.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
-
CHICAGO--- Airplanes are polluters. They're as noisy as a rock concert, and send out poisons into the air as well as dump millions of pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. By 2050, emissions (排放) from planes are expected to become one of the largest contributors to global warming.
That’s why researchers at MIT are designing a completely new type of airplane for NASA that will enable greener airplanes to take flight before 2050.
The 180-passenger D “double bubble” series was designed to replace the Boeing 737 class aircraft, the most popular jetliner in the world right now. The design is called a “double bubble” because it uses two partial cylinders (气缸) placed side by side. Those two cylinders create a wider structure that looks like two soap bubbles joined together.
In today’s commercial airplanes, air flows directly into the engines located on the plane’s wings. That high-speed air flow drags on the plane, and requires more fuel to overcome the design inefficiency.
MIT’s design changes all that. By moving the engines to the plane’s tail, they take in slower moving air present in the wake of the fuselage (机舱). Less drag means less fuel is needed to get the plane the same distance.
Burning less fuel can help passengers’ wallet as well as the environment. The environmental implications of saving energy are as just as clear: the fewer emissions that planes spout（喷射） into the atmosphere, the healthier our planet.
But for passengers, we still have a couple decades to wait before any of these planes make it onto the runway. NASA’s goal is to make sure the planes that MIT has designed can take off by 2035.
1.The best feature of the double bubble flight is that _____.
A.it will make no noise B.it will hold more passengers
C.it is designed to save fuel D.it needs no runways to take off
2.Which of the following is NOT true according to the text?
A.It's expected that NASA’s goal will be realized by the year 2035.
B.Airplanes are very noisy for the environment
C.MIT’s new design will save passengers’ money
D.Emission from planes are contributing the most to the global warming now.
3.What’s the main idea of the text?
A.Here is Boeing 737's end
B.Passengers will enjoy lower prices
C.Researchers are designing greener aircraft
D.Airlines attract passengers with new planes
4.The passage comes from a ____.
A.Science textbook B.News report
C.Travel guide D.Environment research
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
-
On April 12th, two African American men walked into a Starbucks in Philadelphia, and sat down to wait for their friend.Because they had not bought anything, an employee asked them to leave.When the two men refused, the employee called the police, and in minutes, they were arrested.It was not until later that day that they were let go.
The video of this incident posted on Twitter went viral.People across the US were outraged.Unfortunately, these practices are not uncommon today.This incident is just one example of implicit bias(内隐偏见), something that is a part of human nature.
Most of the time, implicit bias refers to people showing negative associations towards people of a different race.Starting from a young age, these feelings develop unconsciously and naturally, because our brain draws associations based on our background, cultural environment and personal experiences.
Implicit bias affects our everyday speech and actions and these unconscious decisions can be harmful to our society.There have been many examples of blacks unfairly killed by white officers, such as in the cases of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, which happened only two years ago.Implicit bias affects the justice system, our medical system where studies show minorities are less likely to be taken seriously, and job placements where white males are likely to be judged as more capable compared to women and other minorities.
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson and the police have publicly apologized to the two men, and Starbucks will be holding an anti-bias training meeting on May 29th. All Starbucks stores will be closed on that day.However, critics and experts have said that such training is done "for show" rather than to promote change.
To address this issue, many experts agree that what the world needs is a long-term program that targets the root cause.It also starts with promoting diversity in children from an early age when they have friends and playmates from different races and cultures.
1.What does the underlined word "outraged" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Very angry. B.Quite curious. C.Very delighted. D.Quite puzzled.
2.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.The nature of implicit bias. B.The examples of implicit bias.
C.The basic concepts of implicit bias. D.The negative effects of implicit bias.
3.What might experts think of the anti-bias training meeting?
A.It will be a shame for Starbucks B.lt will be a meaningless practice.
C.It will raise the police's reputation. D.lt will raise public awareness of anti-bias.
4.What might many experts agree with?
A.Starbucks should be closed.
B.Implicit bias should be ignored.
C.Children should be taught to avoid implicit bias.
D.Implicit bias should be dealt with by the policemen.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
-
Are people happier in nature with blue skies overhead and fresh green grass underfoot? Could noisy streets, crowded with cars and people, make us unhappy?
The possible mental health problems of city living affect a lot of people. The World Health Organization estimates(估计)that 56 percent of the world's population lived in urban areas in 2019. The WHO adds that that amount will increase to 66 percent by 2050. People often move to cities for better jobs and more cultural activities. But are they putting themselves at risk? Maybe. Experts at the American Psychiatry Association say that “natural environments or green spaces” do much good to our mental health.
Many studies have shown that nature can calm us and make us feel happy. Nature, experts say, can also help us learn better. And experiencing nature helps people recover from the mental tiredness that comes from day-to-day work. On the other hand, mental health experts say some research suggests that city living might hurt our mental health. But they cannot say exactly why.
What are the specific aspects of the urban environment which causes some people to develop mental illness? Andrea Mechelli, a doctor at Kings College, London, states, “There have been studies where people were literally taken out of an urban environment into a rural (乡村的) environment and their symptoms would improve. And we also see that the greater the city is, the greater the risk is.” Mechelli say that someone who lives in a city is three times more likely to develop psychological problem than someone living in the country.
Kings College researchers, along with city planners, land and building designers and others wanted to learn more about city living and mental illness. So, they created a smartphone app called Urban Mind. They say they wanted to understand how different parts of the urban environment affect mental wellbeing(健康).
The researchers found that being outdoors, seeing trees, hearing birdsong, seeing the sky, and feeling in contact with nature were associated with higher levels of mental well-being. They also found that these seeming effects of nature were especially strong in those individuals at greater risk of mental health problems. The Urban Mind Project team says it hopes “the results will inform future urban planning and social policy aimed at improving design and health.”
1.Why is the question raised in the first paragraph?
A.To introduce the topic of the text.
B.To show the background of the text.
C.To ask the readers to learn the study.
D.To raise the readers' interest in happiness.
2.What does Mechelli find during his study?
A.People are attracted by the blue skies and green grass.
B.People are more content with their city life.
C.More and more people are interested in taking risks in cities,
D.City people are more likely to develop mental problems than country people.
3.What is expected of the Urban Mind research result?
A.More people will choose to live in the countryside.
B.It will bring more concern about people s mental health.
C.It will contribute to future urban planning and social policies.
D.People will be helped to improve their mental illness.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A.Urban Mind measures the level of mental wellbeing.
B.City living may be harmful to people’s mental health.
C.Living in the countryside is better than in the city.
D.Different scientists hold different opinions on the effects of city living.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
-
Bill Gates’ body might live in the present, but his brain lives in the future. He has made a career out of predicting what will happen in matters of computing, public health and the environment. He correctly predicted the rise of smartphones and social media, and his latest predictions could come true, too. Here’s what Gates predicts for the future of our world.
In his Annual Letter 2015, Gates made the prediction that Africa’s agriculture industry would increase productivity by 50% by 2030. Now the continent buys about $50 billion worth of food from other countries each year, although 70% of people in Africa are farmers. “In the next 15 years，however，creations in farming will solve the food problem in Africa,” Gates wrote. “The world has already developed crops that are more productive; with all the technologies, African farmers could possibly double their harvests.”
By 2035, there could be almost no poor countries. In his Annual Letter 2014, Gates bravely predicted that continued levels of foreign help could mean there would be almost no more poor countries by 2035. “Almost all countries will be what we now call lower-middle income or richer,” Gates explained. “Countries will learn from their most productive neighbors and benefit from things like better seeds and the digital revolution. ”
By 2030, the world will discover a clean-energy breakthrough to power our world. One of Gate’s more hopeful predictions which came in 2016 said that wind, solar, or some other renewable resources would power most of the world within 15 years. “The difficulty we face is big, perhaps bigger than many people imagine,” he wrote in his letter. “But so is the chance to make things better.” Many of the poor countries he visited had no running water or electricity. At night this meant they couldn’t light or power their homes, and keep businesses open.” If the world can find a type of cheap, clean energy, it will do more than prevent climate change,” he wrote. “It will change the lives of millions of the poorest families.”
1.What does the author think of Gates’ predictions?
A.They sound quite unreal. B.They are mainly about computers.
C.They will probably come true. D.They haven’t produced any end result.
2.How is the agriculture in Africa?
A.It is losing its workforce. B.It is in need of productivity.
C.It can satisfy the local needs. D.It is as backward as Africa’s industry.
3.What should poor countries do according to Gates?
A.Use expensive seeds. B.Expect less foreign help.
C.Rely on the digital revolution. D.Learn from the experience of other countries.
4.What’s Gates’ attitude to clean-energy development?
A.It’s no easy task. B.It’s hard to imagine.
C.It can put climate change to an end. D.It has little to do with poor families.
高二英语阅读选择简单题查看答案及解析
-
Have you ever wanted to feel like you were in a western film? Or maybe you wanted to feel like you were a pioneer traveling the west? It is possible to experience such things during a Wild West vacation! Here are four of the best Wild West vacation locations available:
Walk the Lewis and Clark Trail
Walk some or all of the 3,700 miles trail that was traversed by Mariwether Lewis and William Clark, two of the world's greatest explorers. Though not all the trails are marked, there are various stops that have been preserved by various historic societies. There is also a coach (长途客车)that makes a 16-day trek following the trail. This begins in St. Louis, Missouri, and ends in Astoria, Oregon.
Venture Route 66
Take a tour or go to see it yourself-ride on the famous Route 66. The road is nearly 2, 500 miles long. Harley Davidson offers motorcycle tours that last two weeks. Route 66 will provide an experience that may only be found on the open road. The historic road is still well taken care of.
Visit the Grand Canyon
Visit the most immense (巨大的)canyon in the world, located in Northern Arizona. Raft down the Colorado River, or hike the various trails that run throughout the canyon. If walking is not your thing, there are donkey and horse riding adventures available. In addition, there are motorized boats that float down through the canyon in a week's time.
Visit Deadwood
Located in South Dakota, Deadwood is a historic landmark. It is the kind of town that comes to mind when one thinks of an old western film. Actors who act as gunslingers (杀手）will often be seen in the streets playing their roles. Winter activities are popular in this old town, and there is always something to do.
1.What do we know from the passage?
A.None of the trails in the west are marked.
B.A number of historic stops aren't preserved well.
C.Western films are the most popular among Americans.
D.William Clark was a pioneer who explored the west.
2.The underlined word "trek" in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by" .
A.long and hard journey B.traveling information
C.beautiful scenery D.pleasant holiday
3.Which of the following riding adventures can tourists take on Route 66?
A.A horse riding adventure.
B.A coach riding adventure.
C.A motorcycle riding adventure.
D.A donkey riding adventure.
高二英语阅读选择简单题查看答案及解析
-
Is there anybody out there? For centuries human beings have been wondering. As we've gained greater understanding of the universe, however, our searches have taken on a more concrete form. Questions about aliens have become a subject for science rather than science fiction and philosophy.
Now a new cooperation(合作)between the Very Large Array observatory in New Mexico and the privately funded Seti Institute in California could mean that our curiosity about aliens is closer than ever before to being satisfied. Data from the VLA's 28 giant radio telescopes will be fed through a special supercomputer that will search for distant signals. Scientists who work at the Seti Institute said the announcement means their research is now “almost mainstream".
How likely it is that a signal will be found, and what this might mean, are hard questions to answer. Seti's existing projects haven't detected any life signals from other planets so far. But recent discoveries in space and Earth sciences have provided some encouragement to those who are enthusiastic about the likelihood, however remote, of detecting other civilizations.
While once it was thought that our solar system could be unique, since the discovery of the first exoplanet (a planet in another solar system) in the 1990s, thousands more have been located(确定位置). Around one in five stars are now thought to have a planet in their orbit in a so-called “habitable zone"—that is at a distance from the star where the temperature(neither too hot nor too cold) means that life is theoretically feasible.
If there is another life form somewhere, could it be as intelligent as us? Or cause a risk to us, as the physicist Stephen Hawking once warned? As investigations of Mars continue, our interest in the possibility of alien life appears clear—especially when conditions in our own earth appear even more unstable.
1.What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?
A.Global cooperation helps to study aliens.
B.Searching for aliens is becoming a trend.
C.Aliens have caught wide attention globally.
D.There are many uncertainties about aliens study.
2.What is the encouraging news to searchers for distant civilizations?
A.VLA has developed new radio telescopes.
B.Seti has detected signals from other planets.
C.More and more exoplanets have been found.
D.Other civilizations have been located in a habitable zone.
3.What does the underlined word “feasible" in paragraph 4 most probably mean?
A.Possible. B.Tough.
C.Easy. D.Certain.
4.In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?
A.Literature. B.Health.
C.Education. D.Science.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
-
New Scientist Live
What is it?
New Scientist Live is the world’s greatest science festival, which has won gold in the “event of the year” category at the British Media Awards three years in a row. This year’s event will run at the ExCel Center in London from 10 to 13 October, featuring over 140 talks and a huge range of interactive experiences, workshops and performances.
Who are the speakers?
The main stage lineup features such amazing names as Lee Berger, the discoverer of our ancient human relatives Homo Naledi, biological anthropologist Alice Roberts, the Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, and Christiana Figueres, who led the United Nations climate negotiations from 2012 to 2016.
Then there are 5 more stages with different themes: universe, humans, Earth, technology and engineering. Here you’ll find architect Roma Agrawal, geneticist Giles Yeo, ocean explorer Jon Copley, engineer Mark Miodownik and many more. Plus, you can see TV stars like Konnie Huq and Maddie Moate on our performance stage.
What else is going on?
On top of that, there’re over 150 exhibits including a virtual reality roller coaster, rocket building, the operating room of the future, and a huge moon installation.
Can school groups come?
Absolutely—we have schools’ tickets available on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 October. On Thursday we have a special schools’ program with dedicated content around the curriculum.
Can I come just for the evening?
Yes—On Friday 11 October, we’re open until 9 pm. Friday night tickets allow access from 5 pm onwards for drinks, discussions and after-dark entertainment, like Julia Shaw’s talk on the science of evil.
How can I get tickets?
Head over to the New Scientist Live website—you’ll find much more information there about what’s on and how to get there.
1.How can you benefit from the event?
A.Make friends with many visitors present
B.Have chances to interview many famous stars
C.Learn about different fields of scientific knowledge
D.Develop special habits of making scientific discoveries
2.What do you have to do to attend the festival?
A.Buy a ticket online
B.Join a school group
C.Make an appointment with the speakers
D.Arrive at the ExCel Center in advance
3.When can you listen to Julia Shaw’s presentation?
A.On Oct 10 B.On Oct 11
C.On Oct 12 D.On Oct 13
高二英语阅读选择简单题查看答案及解析
-
The Kendama World Cup
Old-fashioned fun is making a comeback!
Many kids are putting down their electronic devices and picking up an ancient toy. It is called a kendama, and it possibly dates back to the 16th century.
The kendama is a small wooden hammer with three cup-shaped ends and a spike on top. A wooden ball with a center hole is attached by string to the hammer. The goal is to make the ball land in a cup or on the spike. It sounds simple, but there are over 1,000 kendama techniques and tricks to master.
The game’s popularity began to grow after the Japan Kendama Association was started in 1975. Today all ages participate in various competitions, including the Kendama World Cup(KWC).
The two-year-old event, which opens in Hatsukaichi, attracts people from all over the world. Players choose 10 different tricks from an approved list. They are then awarded points corresponding to the level of each trick.
A new Kendama World Cup winner will be named tomorrow in this popular sporting event.
1.What does “old-fashioned fun” in Paragraph 1 refer to?
A.An old cup. B.An ancient game.
C.A clever trick. D.An electronic device.
2.What does a Kendama look like?
A.
B.
C.
D.
3.What does the last but one paragraph imply?
A.Every KWC lasts two years. B.The KWC is held every two years.
C.Players can choose tricks freely. D.Different tricks get different points.
4.What do we know from the last paragraph?
A.A new KWC is being on. B.The winner of this KWC is very popular.
C.The Kendama is newly-born. D.KWC will be named after the new winner.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
-
The virus,COVID-19 has brought us health and economic challenges.Our major concern is strengthening the importance of family,community,health care and food security.But the good news is that while society adapts to a new normal,nature is continuing to provide us with vital services.Wetlands are filtering(过滤)drinking water and holding back floods.The roots of cottonwoods are binding soil and keeping it from being washed away along rivers and streams. Urban trees will soon multiply their service of purifying air and shading our streets and homes. All point to nature’s important role in our well-being,and that we need nature’s services now more than ever.
Perhaps the most important service that nature provides is how contact with the natural world can benefit us.There is clear evidence that spending time in nature improves our well-being.Even just looking at pictures of wildlife,virtually exploring nature and making plans to visit natural areas once it is safe to do so can help to improve our mental health.
If there is a silver lining in our current situation,it may be that this time of physical distancing represents an opportunity to renew our connections to the people we love,our communities and to nature.In every community across the country,birds are still migrating, wildflowers are blooming and many animals are preparing for their next generation.This time offers an opportunity to learn about the extraordinary wildlife that shares our country and communities.Nature is the foundation of our society.Discovering,knowing and sharing your relationship with nature is significant.Use this time to connect with nature.Help your children to find this connection and a love for the natural world.This relationship will change you.And you can change the world.
1.What do the first and second paragraphs mainly talk about?
A.The adaptation to a new normal.
B.The importance of our well-being.
C.The services nature has offered us.
D.The challenges the virus has brought.
2.What does the underlined phrase in paragraph 4 probably mean?
A.A hot potato. B.A bright side. C.A turning point. D.A stepping stone.
3.In this time of physical distancing,the author advises us to
A.purify air and drinking water
B.conserve wetlands and wildlife
C.participate in community gatherings
D.reflect on our relationship with nature
4.What is the author’s attitude towards the current situation?
A.Positive. B.Hopeless. C.Fearful. D.Cautious.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析