上海市部分区2023-2024高三上学期期末考试（一模）英语汇编：阅读理解（含答案）

上海市部分区
2023-2024学年高三上学期期末考试（一模）英语试题分类汇编
阅读理解
2024届上海市崇明区高三上学期第一次模拟考试英语试卷
Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
Most teachers assign novels for students to read not write. But many teachers nationwide are not only asking students to read novels but also giving them a month to write them.
Yes, you read that right: one month.
However, students participating in November’s National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) do not complain about being overworked. Instead, they have been known to ask, “Can we work on our novels today ” That’s because, above all, NaNoWriMo is meant to be fun. An exercise in “seat-of-your-pants” novel writing, it has almost no rules.
The Office of Letters and Light is the nonprofit behind the event. It believes this carefree approach encourages writers to take imaginative risks and truly enjoy their work. Founded in 1999, the adult version of the event requires only that you commit yourself to making an attempt at novel writing and submitting a novel of 50,000 words, no matter how good or bad they are, by the end of November.
Since 2005, NaNoWriMo has entered many classrooms, including those of National Writing Project teachers, through its Young Writers Program. In addition, teachers receive a classroom kit featuring a progress chart, stickers to mark word counts, and buttons for writers who cross the finish line.
About 1,800 classrooms and 45,000 kids and teens participated last year. The rules for under-18 writers are the same as those for adults. But there is one important exception: young writers can pick their own “reasonable yet challenging” word length. If a student elects to write, say, 18,000 words and achieves this goal in a month, he or she is a winner. Awards include a “handsome winner’s certificate” and a promotional code to receive a free bound proof copy of the finished novel.
The Young Writers Program also facilitates Script Frenzy, a similar scriptwriting (剧本写作) event that happens each April and challenges participants to write a 100-page script in 30 days.
While young writers work primarily as individuals, teachers are also encouraged to write along with them.
56. It can be inferred that students usually _____ after participating in NaNoWriMo.
A. enjoy themselves B. overload themselves C. look courageous D. become distracted
57. By “seat-of-your-pants” in paragraph 2, the author means _____.
A. the novel writing activity gives its participants pants as awards
B. the participants have to stick on their seats for long writing novels
C. the participants are free to write whatever novels they can imagine
D. the novel writing activity needs new rules for participants to follow
58. What can be learned about the rules for adolescent writers
A. They should cross the finish line before participating.
B. They can lengthen the duration of their writing process.
C. They can decide on their novels’ word counts themselves.
D. They should submit novels on their teachers’ recommendation.
59. The passage is mainly aimed at _____.
A. explaining the objectives of an event B. giving a general introduction to an event
C. illustrating the benefits of novel writing D. attracting teachers to join a writing program
(B)
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SUPPORT OUR WORK Tax-free gifts National Geographic Society is a tax-free organization, and we rely on the generosity of donors like you to support our Explorers’ work in science, exploration, education, and storytelling.
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60. The above webpage is aimed at _____.
A. appealing to people to preserve ancient heritage
B. guiding people to invest in a sustainable business
C. attracting donations to National Geographic Society
D. publicizing the mission of National Geographic Society
61. To make your contribution twice as much, you can _____.
A. support the most pressing employer B. reduce the tax attached to the donation
C. make it a gift in the name of your friend D. try your company’s matching gift programs
62. What can be learned about National Geographic Society
A. It needs no operating costs. B. It is dedicated to protecting nature.
C. Its mission hasn’t been recognized. D. Its employees needn’t pay income tax.
(C)
More than three billion people rely on the ocean to make a living, most of whom are in developing countries. As the global population increases, the demand for seafood is expected to rise, too.
Although ocean ecosystems are stretched to the limit by climate change, overfishing and more, studies nevertheless suggest that seafood can be expanded sustainably to meet future food demands. Success will depend on small-scale fisheries. These fisheries can be remarkably efficient. Almost everything that hand-to-mouth fisheries catch is consumed. By contrast, around 20% of the fish caught by industrial ships is estimated to be wasted, mainly because of unwanted by-catch.
Small fishers rarely have the right resources to expand their operations, or even to survive. If they do scale up, they might lose some of their current advantages or engage in the same harmful practices as do large commercial fisheries. Managed with care, however, small fisheries could provide win-wins for livelihoods and the environment.
Most nations already have management policies for marine ecosystems that provide for small-scale fisheries. But small-scale fishers’ rights to access are often poorly defined, ineffectively enforced or unfairly distributed (分配). Government subsidies (补贴) also require reform. One estimate found that large-scale fishers receive about 3.5 times more subsidies than small-scale fishers do. Instead, subsidies and other funds should be directed towards small-scale fishers to let them expand their access to markets, while keeping them from adopting the negative practices of large-scale operations.
The total global loss and waste from fisheries is estimated at between 30% and 35% annually primarily due to a lack of technology, good manufacturing practices, and infrastructure such as decent roads and cold storage. Public and private investment in cold-storage facilities and processing equipment could help. One promising strategy is to pair international or national funding with direct contracts for feeding programmes linked to schools, hospitals and similar facilities. Such arrangements would provide small fisheries with large, consistent markets and storage infrastructure that boosts local consumption and does not incentivize (刺激) overfishing.
Moreover, simple incentive programmes could be conducted by funders, managers and local governments trying to promote sustainable fisheries. For example, local markets could display a rating system for individual fishers or small fisheries. This could include various elements of sustainability other than environmental ones — such as providing information on the type of fishing equipment, location of the catch and freshness. Promoting the rating as a social responsibility concept would inform consumers of the need to support sustainable fisheries.
Anyway, only joint problem-solving efforts can deliver seafood protein, sustainably, to a world that increasingly needs it.
63. The passage mainly tells us that _____.
A. small fisheries can help the world if managed with care
B. the global demand for seafood is increasing dramatically
C. small-scale fisheries need to be commercialised urgently
D. people in developing countries are more reliable on fishing
64. Small-scale fisheries are more efficient because _____.
A. what they catch is hardly wasted B. their by-catch accounts for a larger share
C. they catch fish by industrial means D. their operation is limited within a small area
65. What can be inferred about small fisheries’ current situation
A. They gain no support from governments. B. They are expanding to meet local demands.
C. They have little access to good resources. D. They impact marine ecosystems negatively.
66. To promote sustainable fisheries, which of the following is one of the author’s suggestions
A. To initiate a rating system for small fishers to evaluate the local markets.
B. To provide technology for small fisheries to boost their fishing efficiency.
C. To inspire a sense of social responsibility in large-scale fishers and consumers.
D. To facilitate direct cooperation between small fisheries and feeding programmes.
2024届上海市虹口区高三上学期一模英语试卷
Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
I was always a reader
As a kid, I walked to the library several times a week and checked out so many books and returned them so quickly that the librarian once snapped, "Don' t take home so many books if you' re not going to read them all!”
“But I did read them all, ”I said.
But I had stopped reading gradually. I joined book clubs that I never attended. I requested a library book. Everyone was reading, only to return it a week late, unread, with fines.
Then I met David. When I asked him about his last book, his face lit up and his fingers danced.
David read much more than I did, about a book or two a week. He preferred history and nonfiction, while I loved fiction writers.
On our seventh date, David and I visited the library.
"I have a game, "he said, pulling two pens and Post-its out of his bag. "Let' s find books we've read and leave reviews in them for the next person. "
"We wandered in the library for an hour. In the end, we sat on the floor among the poetry, and I
read him some. He listened, then asked, “What is it you like about that one ”
That summer, as we picnicked outside, I said, "If I tell you something, will you not judge me "David paused and raised his eyebrows.
"I've only read one book this year, ”I said.
“But it's June, ”he said.
“I know. "
“Well, read a book!”
The next time I visited a bookstore, his charge to "read a book” echoed in my head. I picked up a book solely for its poetic title.
Thad a hard time getting into it. The narrator was an old man. Whenever I was tempted to give up on it, I thought of David. I pushed through the first two chapters and discovered a new narrator in the third. I loved the alternating points of view. I carried the book to work. I read at lunch and on my walk home
“How' s your day ”David texted.
Good. A little tired, ”I replied. "I stayed up late and finished my book. "
I tried to make it sound casual, but I was proud of myself. It was not a competition, but I felt him pushing me to be more of the person I used to be and more of who I wanted to be.
I asked David once what he liked about me
He paused, then said. "I see the world as a more wonder-filled place with you. "
By the end of that year, David suggested we visit the library again. He asked if I remembered the game we played on our first visit.
"I remember, ”I said.
He pulled a book from the shelf, dropped to one knee, and opened it. Inside, his Post-it read:
“Karla, it has always been you. Will you marry me "
His proposal had rested between the pages of The Rebel Princess for over a year.
"Yes, ”I said.
56. The word “snapped” (paragraph 2)most probably means" .
A. talked to someone voluntarily
B. spoke to someone impatiently
C. gave someone a suggestion
D. laughed at someone heartlessly
57. Which of the following may best illustrate the author' s reading habit when she first met David
A. Carrying books around without opening them.
B. Only reading the books everyone recommended.
C. Avoiding sharing books when going to book clubs.
D. Often forgetting to return the books already read
58. According to paragraph 19, why was the author proud of herself
A. She finished reading a book she didn’t like.
B. She had read more books than David did.
C. She did what she thought to be difficult.
D. She had kept to her taste in poetic titles.
59. What was the main change that David brought into the author' s life
A. He introduced a new library and a fun game to the author.
B. He encouraged the author to read more fiction and poetry.
C. He helped the author finish reading an entire book in a day.
D. He motivated the author to rediscover her love for reading.
(B)
Just 15 minutes a day of practice can be beneficial, but do more if you have time Starting earlier helps: try the exercises below on a hard, level surface.
Easy Level: Standing on one leg—with your hands resting on a work surface if you' re feeling unsteady — see how long you can maintain your balance. Do this one while you' re brushing your teeth.
Medium Level: For this movement, start from standing and take a big step forwards, bending your front leg until your trailing knee just brushes the floor. Then push off your front leg and return to a standing position.
Hard Level: Try step-ups on to a step or box:put one foot on to a box and push through that heel to step up so both feet end up together. To ensure you aren't using your trailing leg to help, keep your toes off the ground on that foot.
Can you stand on one leg for 10 seconds
Balance could be a matter of life and death. The World Health Organization estimates that 684, 000 fatal falls occur each year, making falling the second leading cause of unintentional injury death. Some of these falls are caused by more serious conditions -but many aren't. According to George Locker, a long-term practitioner of tai chi, a loss of balance is a medical problem that can' t be treated with drugs or surgery, despite its effects
Increasingly, efforts are being made to remedy(补救) the balance problem among the groups already most affected by it. Tai chi, practiced by an estimated 50 million people in China, is an option. Studies have shown that as little as eight weeks of practice can improve older adults' scores on the Tinetti test —a commonly used measure of competence in basic tasks such as rising from a chair and walking—as well as reducing fear of falling. Longer periods of study show further benefits.
Whatever activity you choose the lesson is to work on your balance before you need to. not after it becomes an issue. As Locker puts it everyone's told to save money for their retirement and nobody's taught to save their balance. But both are difficult to get back once they' re gone.
56. What does George Locker think of a lack of balance
A. It is costly to get treated with drugs and surgery.
B. It is a minor issue that doesn’t affect one’ s overall health.
C. It is a problem without any medical solution.
D. It is a problem that can be easily fixed by exercising.
57. Which of the following best illustrates the Medium Level practice
58. What is the lesson conveyed in the passage regarding balance and health
A. Balance is the top leading cause of sudden death from injuries.
B. It is essential for those affected by balance issues to seek help.
C. Taichi is the most effective way to improve one' s balance.
D. It is wiser to work on balance as early as possible.
(C)
The concept of dynamic pricing is simple—and easy for businesses to implement. Whether it's a Friday-evening fight, a hotel during the holidays, or a taxi ride in a downpour, we have all been burned by higher-than-normal prices due to excess demand. Raising costs when businesses are busiest is the norm across the travel industry Perhaps the most well-known example of this is within ride-share companies, which have used surge pricing for years to charge riders when demand for cars rockets relative to the number of drivers available.
Outside travel, online stores are increasingly using this dynamic pricing, too, says Vomberg. "On Amazon. com alone, millions of price changes occur within a day, corresponding to a price change of about every ten minutes for each product. "While consumers might not always pick up on these variations in price, Vomberg says time-based dynamic pricing will likely become a competitive standard at least in online markets. "AI-enabled tools can suggest the best prices via machine learning algorithms( 算 法 ). They can also track and learn competitor and customer responses to price changes, "he says.
Now, surge pricing is happening in stores including bars and supermarkets as well. "Physical businesses are adopting electronic shelf labels that enable real time price adjustment depending on the time of day. stock levels and whether items are approaching their sell-by date, "says Sarwar Khawaja, chairman of the Oxford Education Group. He says this technology is likely to cause prices in bars that use these signs to increase during the rushes of dinner, weekends or holidays, or for supermarkets to adjust prices throughout the day or week, depending on volume of shoppers.
The current economic climate is also driving the need for these pricing technologies. While creating competitive prices is always key to healthy profit margins. Khawaia says dynamic pricing enables businesses to optimise their pricing depending on the financial situations of their customer base. "Businesses can offer discounts during downturns. while increasing prices in better off areas, "he says.
The changes, however, may not sit well with consumers. "Dynamic and surge pricing will likely expand to more industries and more companies in the long term, but just because a product may be popular does not mean that customers are willing to turn a blind eye to being charged more, "says Khawaja. He adds surge pricing can cause customers to lose faith in a company if they believe they are being overcharged. "Perhaps dynamic pricing of a drink in your favourite pub might be a step too far for loyal customers. "
56. Which of the following best explains "dynamic pricing" in paragraph 1
A. A system of deciding what the prices should be.
B. A means for companies to find target customers.
C. A method that helps promote sharing economy
D. A strategy of offering discounts to attract clients.
57. It can be inferred from Arnd Vomberg' s comments that online stores .
A. offer the most competitive prices
B. make profits by changing prices in real time
C. confuse customers by changing prices
D. rely too much on machine learning algorithms
58. According to the passage, why do physical businesses adopt dynamic pricing
A. To match supply and demand during peak hours.
B. To lift customer experience and encourage loyalty.
C. To maintain consistent pricing across all products.
D. To compete with online stores and businesses.
59. Which of the following best predicts how customers may react to the expansion of dynamic pricing
A. Turn to whatever offers the lowest prices.
B. Protest against it for being too annoying.
C. Refuse to give in and are likely to resist.
D. Take it for granted and accept it altogether.
上海市宝山区2023~2024学年高三上学期期末教学质量监测试卷英语试卷
Section B
Directions: Read the following four passages. Each passage is followed by several questions. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
During the Second World War, Dr. William Walsh served on a U.S. Navy ship in the South Pacific. While serving there, Walsh observed the poor health conditions in which the people of the South Pacific lived.
After the war ended in 1945, Walsh founded an organization called Project Hope. Its goal was to bring health education and care to people in poor countries around the world. In 1958, Walsh convinced U.S. President Eisenhower to allow Project Hope to rent a U.S. Navy hospital ship for just one dollar a year. Many companies and ordinary people donated money to Project Hope. The organization used the funds to turn the navy ship into a civilian hospital ship called the SS Hope.
During the next 14 years, the SS Hope traveled to every region of the world. Wherever it went, it provided health care for needy people and helped poor countries establish their own health care systems. In 1974, the SS Hope was retired from service, and Project Hope began to provide health care on land instead.
The story of the SS Hope inspired Don and Deyon Stephens to buy a passenger ship in 1978 and transform it into another hospital ship. Since then, their organization, called Mercy Ships, has sent ships equipped with medical supplies and hospital beds around the world. Doctors volunteer to travel on these vessels or ships and perform free surgeries on people who need them. They can correct people's vision, straighten bent limbs, remove facial tumors (肿块) and more. Mercy Ships also provides medical equipment for local health clinics and builds medical facilities. In addition, it teaches local people how to farm their land more effectively and more sustainably.
What happened to the SS Hope in 1974
It sank unexpectedly.
It was fully repaired.
It launched new services.
D. It ceased operations.
57. Who gave Walsh permission to use a ship for one dollar
A. An entertainer in America.
B. Two American accountants.
C. An America's top politician.
D. Smart American investors.
58. What does the article indicate about surgeries on Mercy Ships' vessels
A. They put physicians and nurses at risk.
B. They're done at no charge to patients.
C. They mainly benefit wealthy individuals.
D. They've resulted in serious infections.
59. According to this article, what do local people learn to do with the aid of Mercy Ships
A. Make a good living from tourism.
B. Grow crops with greater success.
C. Manufacture popular electronics.
D. Establish education institutions.
(B)
From: Bridget Pecolini
To: Anson Wong
Re: Questions about online math contest
Date: June 18, 2023
Dear Mr.Wong,
Thank you for your email. We're so glad your children are signed up to participate in our math contest. I hope it will be a rewarding and enriching experience for them.
You can access the training session and practice tests by logging into our website at www.. Once you're signed in, you will see several tabs on the left-hand side.
One of them will say "Enrolled." If you click on the drop-down menu there, you'll find the names of the children you registered. If you click on each name, you'll be given the option of joining a training session or doing practice tests.
I hope that answers your question!
Please let me know if you need any further help.
Sincerely,
Bridget Pecolini
(
www./studentinformation
MATH CONTEST 2023
We're glad you've decided to participate in this year's math contest.
This is our 37th year running this
contest,
and our 3rd with an online option.
We hope to be able to offer in-person contests next
year!
Gary Wong
3rd Grade
Access to the contest
Sample test 2023
2018-2022 Practice
(available August 14 at
11
am)
(available August 7-12)
tests/contests
Emily Wong
)
60. What can Gary do at the beginning of August
A. He can take a class to learn how to succeed.
B. He can do the contests from two years ago.
C. He can contact the contest organizers.
D. He can try the most recent practice contest.
61. Why did Bridget contact Anson
A. She was checking in on him.
B. She was responding to his email.
C. She was looking for information.
D. She was asking him to pay.
62. When does the official contest take place
A. It takes place on June 18. B. It takes place on August 7.
C. It takes place on August 12. D. It takes place on August 14.
(C)
You constantly find yourself apologizing to a friend when you've done nothing wrong. You feel you must obey someone's demands, or they will be upset with you or even harm you or themselves. An unclear or specific threat is made that causes you to fear that someone will reveal a secret or weakness, so you do what that person wants. Or perhaps a relative is trying to make you feel obliged to do something by saying,"That's what friends or family do for each other." They arouse feelings of guilt in you for not meeting their needs.
If you have had experience with any of these cases, then you are the victim of emotional blackmail (勒索). This style of handle controls you through your emotions. Fear, obligation and guilt - FOG - are used by an emotional blackmailer to get what they want from people.
Anyone - a friend, colleague, parent, partner or other family members - could be that person. Their demands are intended to control their victim's behavior in unhealthy methods. Intentional or unintentional, if your needs are always brushed aside in favor of the other person's, things need to change.
Dr. Susan Forward identifies six stages in emotional blackmail. Implied or obvious demands come first. "I don't think you should do things with that person. They're not good for you." After this kind of statement, the ball is in the victim's court, so stage two is resistance. The victim often avoids the blackmailer or suggests alternatives instead of saying no. Stage three is persistent pressure by the blackmailer: "If we were really friends, you'd do it." Stage four involves threats: "If you don't do this...then I will ..." The victim doesn't want the blackmailer to make good on their threats, so obedience, which is stage five, often leaves the victim feeling guilty or resentful. In stage six the blackmailer backs off until the next demand.
What can you do First, recognize if you are being pressured, threatened or controlled. Stay calm, and stop so you can consider other possibilities. Identify your triggers; don't be pressured into an immediate response. Offer a compromise (妥协). Tell the blackmailer how you feel, and give them a chance to acknowledge their behavior and change. If they won't, walk away from the relationship. Under no circumstances should you let your fears be used against you.
According to the passage, emotional blackmail means ______.
a kind of emotion that can be mailed to others online
a kind of action to influence others by means of emotion
a colour that can greatly influence others' emotion
a situation where emotion can be stored and given out freely
What is the purpose of using Dr. Susan Forward's six stages in emotional blackmail
To illustrate the process of emotional blackmail.
To explain the origin of emotional blackmail.
To prove the existence of emotional blackmail.
To demonstrate the theory of emotional blackmail.
The word resentful in the last paragraph but one most probably means ______.
amazed B. frightened C. indifferent D. angry
We can conclude from the passage that ______.
wherever you are, it is impossible to avoid emotional blackmail in life
whenever you're emotionally blackmailed, just let it be with no response
it's an advisable way to give a proper response when emotionally blackmailed
it's a correct response to sincerely negotiate with emotional blackmailer then
上海市静安区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末教学质量调研考试英语试题
Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B,C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have read.
(A)
Montessori was born in Italy in 1870 with progressive parents, who frequently communicated with the country's leading thinkers and scholars. This enlightened family environment provided Montessori with many advantages over other young girls of the time.
Her mother's support was vital for some important decisions, such as her enrolment in a technical school after her elementary education. Her parents' support also proved to be essential for her decision to study medicine, a field that was dominated by men.
Soon after graduating, in 1896, Montessori began work as a voluntary assistant in a clinic at the University of Rome, where she cared for children with learning difficulties. The rooms were bare, with just a few pieces of furniture. One day, she found that the children were enthusiastically playing with breadcrumbs(面包屑) that had dropped on the floor. It then occurred to her that the origin of some intellectual disabilities could be related with poverty. With the right learning materials, these and other young minds could be nurtured, Montessori concluded.
The observation would lead Montessori to develop a new method of education that focused on providing optimal stimulation during the sensitive periods of childhood.
At its centre was the principle that all the learning materials should be child-sized and designed to appeal to all the senses. In addition, each child should also be allowed to move and act freely, and use their creativity and problem-solving skills. Teachers took the role of guides, supporting the children without press or control.
Montessori opened her first Children's House in 1907. When the Fascists(法西斯主义者)first came into power in Italy in 1922, they initially embraced her movement. But they soon came to oppose the emphasis on the children's freedom of expression. Montessori's values had always been about human respect, and the rights of children and women, but the Fascists wanted to use her work and her fame.
Things reached a breaking point when the Fascist tried to influence the schools' educational content, and in 1934 Montessori and her son decided to leave Italy. She didn't return to her homeland until 1947, and she continued to write about and develop her method until her death in1952, at the age of 81.
56. The primary reason for Montessori to develop a new educational method was .
A. her family's supportive influence on her education
B. her experience as a voluntary assistant in a clinic
C. her observation of children playing with breadcrumbs happily
D. her decision to study medicine, a field dominated by men
57. What was a central principle of Montessori’s educational method as described in the passage
A. Providing standardized, one-size-fits-all learning materials.
B. Encouraging strict discipline and control over children's actions.
C. Focusing on rote memorization and competition.
D. Creating a free and children-centered learning environment.
58. Montessori decided to leave Italy in 1934 because .
A. she wanted to explore other countries and cultures
B. she wanted to avoid the Fascist's influence on her work
C. she was offered a better job in a different country
D. she wanted to retire and enjoy a peaceful life in another country
59. Which of the following words can best describe Montessori in this passage
A. Observant and innovative. B. Traditional and emotional.
C. Progressive and dependent. D. Open-minded and indifferent.
(B)
Reducing the workweek to four days could have a climate benefit. In addition to improving the well-being of workers, cutting working hours may reduce carbon emissions. But those benefits would depend on a number of factors, experts emphasize, including how people choose to spend nonworking time.
Commuting and travel
Transportation is the biggest contributor to greenhouse emissions. A November 2021 survey of 2,000 employees and 500 business leaders in the United Kingdom found that if all organizations introduced a four-day week, the reduced trips to work would decrease travel overall by more than 691 million miles a week.
But the climate benefits of less commuting could be eliminated, experts said, if people choose to spend their extra time off traveling, particularly if they do so by car or plane.
Energy usage
Shorter working hours could lead to reductions in energy usage, experts said. According to a 2006 paper, if the United States adopted European work standards, the country would consume about 20 percent less energy.
Energy could also be conserved if fewer resources are needed to heat and cool large office buildings, reducing demands on electricity. For example, if an entire workplace shuts down on the fifth day, that would help lower consumption—less so if the office stays open to accommodate employees taking different days off.
Lifestyle changes
It's possible that fewer working hours may lead some people to have a larger carbon footprint, but experts say research suggests that most people are likely to shift toward more sustainable lifestyles.
One theory is that people who work more and have less free time tend to do things in more carbon-intensive ways, such as choosing faster modes of transportation or buying prepared foods. Convenience is often carbon-intensive and people tend to choose convenience when they're time-stressed. Meanwhile, some research suggests that those who work less are more likely to engage in traditionally low-carbon activities, such as spending time with family or sleeping.
“When we talk about the four-day workweek and the environment, we focus on the tangible, but actually, in a way, the biggest potential benefit here is in the intangible,” experts said.
60. What is identified as the leading cause of greenhouse emissions according to the passage
A. The well-being of employees.
B. The conservation of energy.
C. Commuting and travel.
D. The European work standard.
61. What can be inferred from the underlined sentence “the biggest potential benefit here is in the intangible” in the last paragraph
A. People will have big potential in achieving intangible benefits while working.
B. People are more likely to engage in carbon-intensive activities due to time constraints.
C. People may shift toward more sustainable lifestyles and lower carbon footprints.
D. People may travel more frequently by car or plane during their extra time off.
62. The passage is mainly written to .
A. highlight the importance of shortening working time in the context of well-being
B. provide an overview of transportation emissions worldwide
C. analyze the impact of reduced working hours on mode of business
D. illustrate factors affecting the climate benefits of a shorter workweek
(C)
The cultivation of plants by ants is more widespread than previously realized, and has evolved on at least 15 separate occasions.
There are more than 200 species of an t in the Americas that farm fungi(真菌) for food, but this trait evolved just once sometime between 45 million and 65 million years ago. Biologists regard the cultivation of fungi by ants as true agriculture appearing earlier than human agriculture because it meets four criteria: the ants plant the fungus, care for it, harvest it and depend on it for food.
By contrast, while thousands of ant species are known to have a wide variety of interdependent relationships with plants, none were regarded as true agriculture. But in 2016, Guillaume Chomicki and Susanne Renner at the University of Munich, Germany, discovered that an ant in Fungi cultivates several plants in a way that meets the four criteria for true agriculture.
The ants collect the seeds of the plants and place them in cracks in the bar k of trees. As the plants grow, they form hollow structures called domain that the ants nest in. The ants defecate(排便) at designated absorptive places in these domain, providing nutrients for the plant. In return, as well as shelter, the plant provides food in the form of fruit juice.
This discovery prompted Chomicki and others to review the literature on ant-plant relationships to see if there are other examples of plant cultivation that have been overlooked. “They have never really been looked at in the framework of agriculture,” says Chomicki, who is now at the University of Sheffield in the UK. “It's definitely widespread.”
The team identified 37 examples of tree-living ants that cultivate plants that grow on trees, known as epiphytes(附生植物). By looking at the family trees of the ant species, the team was able to determine on how many occasions plant cultivation evolved and roughly when. Fifteen is a conservative estimate, says Campbell. All the systems evolved relatively recently, around 1million to 3 million years ago, she says.
Whether the 37 examples of plant cultivation identified by the team count as true agriculture depends on the definitions used. Not all of the species get food from the plants, but they do rely on them for shelter, which is crucial for ants living in trees, says Campbell. So the team thinks the definition of true agriculture should include shelter as well as food.
63. According to biologists, why is ant-fungus cultivation considered as a form of true agriculture
A. Because it occurred earlier than human agriculture.
B. Because it fulfills the standards typical of agricultural practices.
C. Because it redefines the four criteria for true human agriculture.
D. Because it is less common than previously thought.
64. What motivated Chomicki and others to review the literature on ant-plant relationships
A. They determined on new family trees of the ant species.
B. They overlooked some tree-living ants that provided nutrients for the plants.
C. They never studied the ant-plant relationships within the context of agriculture.
D. They never identified any an t species that engaged in cultivation of fungi.
65. Which of the following statements is supported by the team's findings according to the passage
A. Ants’ cultivation of plants is limited to a few specific species.
B. The cultivation of fungi by ants is considered the earliest form of agriculture.
C. True agriculture in ants involves only food-related interactions with plants.
D. Ants have independently cultivated plants on at least 15 distinct occasions.
66. What is the passage mainly about
A. The evolution of ants in the plant kingdom.
B. The widespread occurrence of ant-plant cultivation.
C. The discovery of a new ant species engaging in agriculture.
D. The contrast between ant agriculture and human agriculture.
上海市青浦区2023~2024学年高三上学期期末教学质量监测试卷英语试卷
Section B
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
I write this on a spring morning, in the van I have called home for two years now.
From one small window, I have a view of joggers pounding the sunny path by the Oxford Canal, and the other looks onto the busy railway line along which trains travel from Southampton Docks to Birmingham.
The woods where I’ve parked my van have grown up between them. This ancient van, a vehicle designed for freedom and the open road, has proved a stable solution for surviving the current housing crisis.
I became a travel writer after my studies ended, committing to brief “residencies” with museums and art centres—where temporary accommodation is often provided in exchange for producing new work about a community. Over the years that followed, living and working on location in the polar regions or Scandinavia or the Alps, not settling down for very long, meant wherever I landed was always “home”.
During the pandemic it was necessary to adopt a more permanent engagement with locality. Oxford had often drawn me back. It’s a crossroads of reality and the imagination, the perfect city for a writer.
It takes a surprising amount of work to keep a tiny home in order: buying a used van online; ensuring the smooth running of a gas cooker and car batteries; fetching water and emptying the mobile toilet. I began to enjoy taking care of my immediate surroundings. Over the summer, I worked to turn waste-ground into a wild garden, replacing weeds with wild plants.
I made friends with the self-sufficient boaters living nearby, always ready to share knowledge on the low-carbon simplicity of life without electricity. I’ve learnt that comfort can be found away from the bright infrastructure of urban life: in watching the birds that nest in the tree and the foxes playing in the woods at dawn, in making a cup of coffee on a spring morning.
My step away from conventional housing has been a necessary act of personal economy, but the benefits include taking nothing for granted, and unexpected delight.
56. Why did the writer make the van his home
A. Because the feature of the van and that of his occupation are matching.
B. Because the van is equivalent to a crossroads of reality and the imagination.
C. Because the views of joggers and trains outside the van can relieve his pressure.
D. Because living and working on location in the polar regions are appealing to him.
57. What does “immediate surroundings” in Paragraph 6 refer to
A. a used van B. a gas cooker C. a wild garden D. a mobile toilet
58. Which of the following is the benefit of unconventional housing
A. Joining joggers to do exercise. B. Keeping a tiny home in order easily.
C. Improving the economy of Oxford. D. Embracing delightful surprises.
59. What’s the writer’s attitude towards living in the van
A. Cautious. B. Ironical. C. Favorable. D. Neutral.
(B)
Keep Cool Next Summer with These 3 Devices
As we prepare for what could be another hot summer, you may already be feeling the heat. Luckily a range of unusual and clever devices are now available to help make hot summer days more bearable.
The breeze-blowing umbrella
Umbrellas serve a double function, protecting us from rain and sunlight; they also serve as a sort of personal ozone layer. The Fanbrella, which looks and feels just like a conventional umbrella, is perfect for keeping the rain at bay but boasts a delicate fan located underneath the cover, so that you can enjoy fresh cool air while you walk through the summer showers. The fan is small and quiet enough to be unnoticeable yet powerful enough to reduce humidity. Operated by a switch on the handle of the umbrella, it can be activated only when you need it most.
Air conditioned beds
Humid nights are a horrible experience for most people, causing much discomfort and making sleep impossible. Unfortunately, a conventional fan in your bedroom will do little to mitigate your suffering, as humid air is simply blown around the room. An air conditioned bed is the perfect solution! This revolutionary furniture boasts quiet fans at the foot of the bed that help to circulate cool air from the opposite end, so you’re effectively sleeping on an air conditioned bed. With low running costs, summer nights without sleep could be a thing of the past.
The iPhone fan
iPhones are known for getting pretty hot to the touch when you’re using one, but now your smartphone could be the perfect device to help keep the summer heat at bay when you’re working at your desk or on the move. The small plastic fan fits onto the top of your iPhone and plugs into your phone’s charging socket (充电插座), so you need not worry about running out of batteries. With a quiet motor, you can be confident that colleagues won’t be disturbed and, if you remember to keep your iPhone charged, you can take the fan anywhere, from a sweaty train ride home to a walk in the local park with family.
With a range of inventive accessories to help make hot days more bearable, all we need now is a summer!
60. What makes a breeze-blowing umbrella superior to a conventional umbrella
A. It creates a personal ozone layer to avoid sunlight.
B. It boasts unconventional and luxurious appearance.
C. It can be activated by voice when you need it most.
D. It has a fan to give off cool air and reduce humidity.
61. Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “mitigate”
A. claim B. relieve C. intensify D. sustain
62. What do we know about the iPhone fan
A. It can prevent your iPhone from temperature rise in summer heat.
B. You’d better use it outdoors to avoid noise despite the quiet motor.
C. It is portable and can function well without limitation of locations.
D. Batteries with high-capacity should be prepared to keep it charged.
(C)
In the roughly 250 years since the Industrial Revolution, the world’s population, like its wealth, has exploded. Before the end of this century, however, the number of people on the planet could shrink for the first time since the Black Death. The root cause is not an increase in deaths, but a drop in births. Across much of the world the fertility rate, the average number of births per woman, is collapsing. Although the trend may be familiar, its extent and its consequences are not. Even as artificial intelligence (AI) leads to optimism in some quarters, the baby bust (婴儿荒) hangs over the future of the world economy.
Whatever some environmentalists say, a shrinking population creates problems. The world is not close to full and the economic difficulties resulting from fewer young people are many. The obvious one is that it is getting harder to support the world’s pensioners. Retired folk draw on the output of the working-aged, either through the state, which requests taxes on workers to pay public pensions, or by cashing in savings to buy goods and services or because relatives provide care unpaid. But whereas the rich world currently has around three people between 20 and 64 years old for everyone over 65, by 2050 it will have less than two. The implications are higher taxes, later retirements, lower real returns for savers and, possibly, government budget crises.
Low proportion of workers to pensioners are only one problem resulting from collapsing fertility. Younger people have more of what psychologists call “fluid intelligence”, the ability to think creatively so as to solve problems in entirely new ways. This youthful energy adds to the accumulated knowledge of older workers. It also brings change. Patents filed by the youngest inventors are much more likely to cover breakthrough innovations. Older countries and their young people are less enterprising and less comfortable taking risks. Because the old benefit less than the young when economies grow, they have proved less keen on pro-growth policies, especially housebuilding. Creative destruction is likely to be rarer in ageing societies, restricting productivity growth in ways that compound into an enormous missed opportunity.
Eventually, therefore, the world will have to make do with fewer youngsters—and perhaps with a shrinking population. With that in mind, recent advances in AI could not have come at a better time. A productive AI economy might find it easy to support a greater number of retired people. Eventually AI may be able to generate ideas by itself, reducing the need for human bined with robotics, AI may also make caring for the elderly less labour-intensive. Such innovations will certainly be in high demand.
If technology does allow humanity to overcome the baby bust, it will fit the historical pattern. Unexpected productivity advances meant that demographic time-bombs (人口定时炸弹) failed to explode. Fewer babies mean less human genius. But that might be a problem human genius can fix.
63. What can be learned from the first paragraph
A. The collapsing fertility rate is to blame for the shrinking population.
B. Black Death marked the shrinking number of people for the first time.
C. Industrial Revolution weakened the increase of the world’s population.
D. The public are familiar with the extent and the influence of the baby bust.
64. What makes it harder to support the world’s pensioners
A. Close relatives have refused to take care of the old without being paid.
B. The output of the working-aged which the old can draw on is shrinking.
C. The old have cashed in savings to cover expenses of goods and services.
D. The government has requested taxes on younger employees to pay pensions.
65. Why does “fluid intelligence” (in Paragraph 3) suffer in ageing societies？
A. Because older workers boast more accumulated knowledge.
B. Because the old benefit less than the young in creative destruction.
C. Because collapsing fertility results in low proportion of workers to pensioners.
D. Because restricting productivity growth compounds into a missed opportunity.
66. The best title for the passage is probably _____.
A. The Old Pensioners Make a Comeback
B. Artificial Intelligence Leads to a Bright Future
C. The Measures to Overcome the Baby Bust
D. The Effect of the Baby Bust on Economy
答案：
2024届上海市崇明区高三上学期第一次模拟考试英语试卷
56. A 57. C 58. C 59. B 60. C
61. D 62. B 63. A 64. A 65. C 66. D
2024届上海市虹口区高三上学期一模英语试卷
56-59: BACD 60-62: CBD 63-66: ABAC
上海市宝山区2023~2024学年高三上学期期末教学质量监测试卷英语试卷
56-59 DCBB 60-62 DBD 63-66 BADC
上海市静安区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末教学质量调研考试英语试题
56-59 CDBA 60-62 CCD 63-66 BCDB
上海市青浦区2023~2024学年高三上学期期末教学质量监测试卷英语试卷
56-59 ACDC 60-62 DBC 63-66 ABBD