高考英语阅读理解练习(1)Humans are naturally drawn to other life forms and the worlds outside of our own. We take delight in the existence of creatures and even whole societies beyond our everyday lives.This sense of wonder is universal. Look at the efforts that scientists have made to find out whether life of some kind exists on Mars, and the popularity of fantasy literature or movies like The Lord of the Rings. This sense of wonder draws us to each other, to the world around us, and to the world of make-believe. But have we gone so far in creating worlds of fantasy that we are missing the pleasure of other worlds that already exist all around us?Human beings, as biologists have suggested, possess an inborn desire to connect with and understand other life forms. However, people, especially in big cities, often lead rather isolated lives. In a study of British school children, it was found that children by age eight were much more familiar with characters from television shows and video games than with common wildlife. Without modern technology, a small pond could be an amazing world filled with strange and beautiful plants, insects, birds, and animals. When we lack meaningful interaction with the world around us, and sometimes even with our families and friends, we seek to understand and communicate with things that exist only in our imaginations or on a computer screen.The world of make-believe is not necessarily bad. But when the world of fantasy becomes the only outlet(出路) for our sense of wonder, then we are really missing something. We are missing a connection with the living world. Other wonderful worlds exist all around us. But even more interesting is that if we look closely enough, we can see that these worlds, in a broad sense, are really part of our own.1. The popularity of The Lord of the Rings proves__________.A.the close connection between man and the fantasy worldB.the wonderful achievements of fantasy literatureC.the general existence of the sense of curiosityD.the fine taste of moviegoers around the world2.What can we infer from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3?A.People are far less familiar with the world of fantasy.B.The world around us could serve as a source of wonder.C.The world of fantasy can be mirrored by a mall and lively pond.D.Modern technology prevents us from developing our sense of wonder.3.If our sense of wonder relies totally on the world of make-believe, we will _________.A.fail to appreciate the joy in our livesB.be confused by the world of make-believeC.miss the chance to recognize the fantasy worldD.be trapped by other worlds existing all around us4.What is the main purpose of the passage?A.To show us the hidden beauty in our world.B.To warn us not to get lost in the fantasy world.C.To argue against the misuse of the sense of wonder.D.To discuss the influence of the world of make-believe(2)Cagan Sekercioglu is an ornithologist(鸟类学家) who works to document and prevent bird extinction. He’s also a professor in the U.S. who runs an awar d-winning conservation(保护) group in his native Turkey. All those pursuits require flexibility --- and each involves big risks.Why do you do what you do? Who inspired you?I’ve always been drawn to nature. When other kids were playing soccer, I was bring ing home insects and other animals. My mom took me to a child psychologist! But my beloved dad is my biggest inspiration. During tough economic times he left a safe accounting job to start Turkey’s first model-airplane company. It lasted 30 years.What are the physical dangers of your work?A whole range of dangers. While surveying birds I’ve been attacked by a brown bear in Alaska and an elephant in Tanzania. I’ve been faced with a poisonous snake in Uganda. I’ve been caught between the military and terrorists, mistaken for a spy, held at gunpoint, kidnapped in Ethiopia, and attacked by a masked man in Costa Rica. Honestly, I’m often more afraid of people and traffic than I am of wildlife.Is it politically difficult to be an environmentalist in Turkey?It is when I criticize the institutions that grant my research permits. But it’s my duty as a scientist to tell the truth. The government talks about conservation, but its priority is to turn nature into cash. So it uses double standards. They are reforesting while cutting down old-growth forests. Actually every river is dammed, and the organization building those dams is responsible for regulating them. I’m trying to stop one that will destroy the Aras River wetlands, where half of Turkey’s bird species live. Yet if I speak out too much, I’ll be punished for a seemingly official, legal reason. Revenge in Turkey is usually indirect.You spend many hours on advocating conservation. Does that hurt your academic career?Some academics see it as a distraction. So far my school, the University of Utah, has been very understanding and appreciative. But I have to walk a fine line.Do you ever feel scared by all the risks you face?Well, I don’t actively seek risk. But I don’t avoid it either. Taking a risk mean s you can fail. But if you fail, at least you tried. And that’s all I can do. If I fail in the end, I fail fighting.1. The interviewee’s father inspired him to _________.A.take risksB. pursue his own goalsC. love natureD. develop his unique character2.Which of the following experiences has the interviewee NOT encountered?A.Being suspected of collecting secret information.B.Being chased by wild beasts.C.Being punished for a legal reason.D.Being pointed at by a gun.3.By saying “I have to walk a fine line,” the interviewee means that _________.A.he should make a balance between the Turkish government and the University of UtahB.he should spend more time on research work than on advocacy.C.he should cope with the difficult situation with care.D.he should not do anything against the law.(3)The definition of the standard kilogram is fundamentally imperfect. Getting the definition right is a challenge that has tried the patience and intelligence of scientists for decades.Scientists use just seven basic units to define all the other quantities we use --- quantities such as speed, density, or electric power. All of those basic units except the kilogram are themselves defined in terms of natural properties that are beyond human control.For example, the standard second (time) is defined as a specific number of vibration(震动) of a type of radiation released by atoms of a special metal. The standard meter (length), in turn, is defined as the length of the path light travels in a vacuum(真空) during a specific fraction of a second(瞬间).Not so the kilogram. This orphan of the basic unit family is simply the mass of a small platinum-iridium alloy cylinder(铂-铱合金筒) locked away by the international Bureau of Weighs & Measures in France.Embarrassingly, the last time the copies were brought for a checkup in the 1980s, officials found that some copies had gained about 20 parts per billion in weight compared to the master cylinder since the previous checkup in the 1940s. This implies that the master cylinder itself may be an inconstant standard.No one knows what causes the weight changes. But the uncertainty can’t be tolerated when precision(精密度) in research and some manufacturing now demands accuracy to a few parts per billion.Several efforts in several different countries are under way to redefine the kilogram in terms of basic physical quantities such as counting the actual number of atoms of a specific substance in a kilogram or the electromagnetic force that balances a kilogram mass against gravity.A project of the latter type at the NIST laboratories in Gaithersburg hopes eventually to define mass in terms of electrical units. So far, none of these redefinition projects has borne fruit.They require precision of measurement and control of experimental conditions. The slightest pollution, tiny vibrations, or other influences --- even changes in weather --- can ruin results. You’ve got to hand it to scientists who are willing to devote many years to such painstaking but fundamentally important research.1. Which of the following best paraphrases the sentence “Not so the kilogram.” In paragraph 4?A.The kilogram is not as accurate as the standard second.B.The kilogram is not universally accepted in the world.C.The kilogram is not defined in terms of natural properties.D.The kilogram is not well defined as time and length.2.Which of the following can NOT be concluded from the passage?A.Experiments are being carried out to redefine the kilogram.B.The uncertainty in the standard kilogram can seriously affect some research.C.The redefinition of the standard kilogram is quite complicated.D.Scientists will achieve success in redefining the kilogram in the near future.3.According to the passage, to define the weight of mass in terms of electrical units _______.A.is one of the best methods to redefine the kilogramB.has been accepted as the only possible redefinition projectC.is not as simple as what people can understandD.has been considered by some scientists as a better approach4.We can know from the passage that the redefinition of the kilogram is _________.A.more important in keeping market honestyB.worth years of scientists’ painstaking researchC.the urgent requirement of business and manufacturingD.bring about important and fruitful results(4)For anyone who thinks of themselves as a leader—or an effective manager of their career—accepting a degree of fear when faced with high-stakes decisions may be necessary. Therese Huston, author of a new book about decision-making, urges those who suffer to enjoy it. Tell yourself this isn’t anxiety, this is excitement, she says. Research shows that facing these workplace difficulties with relish（享受）is better than trying to be calm. Forcing yourself to think about a high-pressure situation as an exciting challenge enables you to screen out the negative judgments of others and focus.If you’re not seeing threats everywhere, then you’ll make better decisions, says Ms Huston, a cognitive psychologist who advises companies on how to improve heir decision-making. In How Women Decide, which contains advice for everyone, she draws on research from Alison Wood Brooks of Harvard Business School, who found that trying to calm down can be counterproductive. Studying performance anxiety, Ms Wood Brooks discovered that reassessing stress as excitement can boost results. And the stress brought on by a dilemma needs to be tackled, for the sake of making good and balanced decisions.Ms Huston recommends exploring other options when facing a choice, rather than obsessing about a yes versus no—a binary choice with risks attached piles on the pressure. You should pause and introduce another alternative. Therefore, as to such questions as ‘Should I take this job or not?’, ‘or stay where I am but ask for a new role?’ Ms Huston mai ntains that decisions based on a simple two-way choice turned out to be more problematic half of the time.Considering more than two options resulted in a more positive verdict（评判）on the decision a year or so later. Ms Huston advises practising the art of generating more than one option in everyday choices when you are calm and relaxed. Make it a habit, she suggests, because when you are stressed, you usually want to move quickly from ‘What am I going to do?’ to ‘At least I’m doing something’.1. Ms Huston believes that ________________.A. accepting fear to some extent is necessary when leaders are making decisionsB. keeping cool is better than feeling anxious when making decisionsC. negative judgments are helpful when leaders are making decisionsD. reassessing stress as excitement can boost results2. In paragraph 1, the underlined phrase “screen out” probably means ____________.A. acceptB. reflectC. eliminateD. broadcast3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?A. Suppose you believe threats are everywhere, you’ll make better decisions.B. It’s better to remain calm down when you are faced with obstacles.C. Facing a choice, you should stick to “yes” or “no” questions.D. It’s advised to avoid a simple two-way choice when making decisions.4. Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?A. Threats are everywhere.B. Stay calm when making decisions.C. Enjoy it when facing high pressure.D. Make it a rule to consider more than two options.（5）1. If you suffer from insomnia _________________.A. midday shut-eye may be helpfulB. a short afternoon nap is probably a good thingC. napping during the day is considered a good habitD. a little bit of a power nap decreases your night time sleep desire2. A quick nap can be beneficial for common people except those ______________.A. who have a problem falling into sleep at nightB. whose memory is not good enoughC. who suffer from shift-work syndromeD. whose blood pressure is too high3. It can be inferred from the passage that _____________.A. naps are helpful for those who have obstructive sleep apneaB. more oxygen through your nose might improve sleep qualityC. a 45-minute daytime nap can be beneficial for those with insomniaD. a quick nap can pull everyone through a sleep-deprived day(6)Human activities are largely responsible for climate change, which is already having an observable effect on our planet. Particularly emissions from the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and gas have led to an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Key indicators of climate change-including rising average temperatures, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels-are expected to have devastating consequences for humans and environments. Tackling the challenge posed by climate change will require a coordinated and global effort.Acknowledging that climate change is a common concern of humankind, delegations from 195 states successfully negotiated a new and binding international agreement to protect the global climate at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change（UNFCCC）held in Paris in December 2015, The successful adoption of the Paris Agreement was also due to the hard work of a host of non-state actors, including NGOs and research institutions working to address the challenges of climate change.With the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol due to expire in 2012, governments agreed to begin negotiations on an emissions reductions treaty for the post-Kyoto era at the 2007 Conference of Parties（COP）in Bali. In line with the agreement reached by the parties to the UNFCCC at the 2011 COP in Durban to negotiate a new climate protection treaty, this process was concluded successfully with the adoption of Paris Agreement in late 2015.One of the key innovations of the Paris Agreement is the adoption of a clearly defined target to limit global warming. The signatory states have agreed to limit the rise in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. In order to achieve this, the agreement requires parties to prepare, communicate and maintain so-called“Nationally Determined Contributions”（NDCs）that they intend to achieve. These national commitments represent a further departure from the model of Kyoto Protocol.The Paris Agreement does not include any language on precisely what states should include in these commitments. While the emissions reduction targets specified for each country under the terms of the Kyoto Protocol were the outcome of multilateral negotiations, under the Paris Agreement states are invited to determine their national contributions as they see fit. The NDCs submitted so far under the Paris Agreement will not be sufficient to keep global warming below the two degree target. However, the agreement also requires that states review the implementation of their NDCs and update their pledges every five years. The first evaluation of the implementation of the Paris Agreement is scheduled for 2023.1. Which of the following is not the result of greenhouse effect?A. Average temperature risesB. Glaciers meltC. Human beings burn fossil fuelsD. Sea levels rise2. In what aspect is Paris Agreement different from Kyoto Protocol?A. National contributions are not stated clearly in Paris AgreementB. Kyoto Protocol were the outcome of multilateral negotiationsC. Paris Agreement acknowledges and climate change is a common concern of humankindD. Specified targets each state should achieve are not included in Paris Agreement3. It can be concluded from the passage that ___________.A. Kyoto Protocol is still working nowB. With Paris Agreement, human beings needn’t worry about climate change anymoreC. Paris Agreement will probably not achieve the goal of keeping global warming below 2°CD. National commitments in Paris Agreement agree with the model of the Kyoto Protocol4. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?A. The Cause of Climate ChangeB. The Paris Agreement and Global Climate PolicyC. Kyoto Protocol Replaces the Paris AgreementD. The outcome of Paris Agreement(7)Hell for most of us, yes, but all in a day’s work for Charlotte Uhlenbroek. She moves as elegantly through the hall of London’s Savoy as she does through the Amazon jungle. But while she loves the adventure, she is also glad to be back in “civilization”, at least for the moment.Sh e’s just finished filming a TV series called jungle – a demanding 19-week job that involved her exploring the dense jungles of the Congo, the Amazon and Borneo. She says that it was fascinating, but daunting as well. So what was her most challenging experience? “Definitely climbing an 80-meter-high tree in Borneo, when I’m scared of heights! I had to keep going up and up, when a voice inside me was saying, “Down! Down!” I kept thinking the ropes were going to break and send me plummeting down below.”And “down below”was where the bugs were. Apart from the usual mosquitoes, in the Amazon rainforest she was troubled by sand-fly bites. “I’ve had some horrible bites but these really are the itchiest（最痒的）bites I’ve ever had. At one stage, I counted 70 bites on one arm,”she says. “Just as annoying were the sweat bees in the Congo. They try to drink the sweat on your face and even the tears from your eyes. The most horrible thing, though, was trying to pull the slimy leeches（水蛭）off your skin. The more I pulled, the more they stretched and the tighter their jaws clung to my leg. I kept shouting, “Get them off!” and the film crew kept saying, “Just a minute … this makes a really good shot!”Charlotte’s journey into the heart of the world’s most significant rainforests was an inspiring experience. “The rainforest really is like a city. Each tree is like an urban highrise building with hundreds of residents. If you knock it down, you cause just as much disturbance and damage as if those residents were human. The jungle is extraordinary because although it only covers about 6 percent of the world, it contains over 50 percent of all known animal and plant species, plus lots more that are unknown, too.”Back in London, what has she been enjoying since her return to “civilization”? “I’ve beenhaving lots of nice, long showers,” she says. “In the Congo, the possibility of using up our water supplies was always a worrying thought. And I find that when I’ve been in hot, uncomfortable conditions for a while, the things I look forward to more than anything else are being with my family and enjoying my favorite meal.”1. The underlined word “daunting” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.A. frighteningB. excitingC. encouragingD. satisfying2. When bitten by ______, a person will feel unbearably itchy.A. usual mosquitoesB. sand fliesC. sweat beesD. leeches3. A tree in the rainforest is compared to a highrise building because ______.A. many people come to explore the jungleB. the trees are 80 metres high on averageC. many trees have been knocked downD. there are so many living things in it4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?A. The film crew gave Charlotte a shot to prevent infection.B. Charlotte looks and feels “out of place” in the Savoy Hotel.C. Water supply was always a big concern for Charlotte in the jungle.D. The jungle contains half of all the animal and plant species in the world.1.How do schools enquire about the free resource pack?A. Contact A-Theatre at 6333 2222B. Contact SISTIC hotline at 6123 4567C. Email enquiries to grimms@D. Visit any SISTIC authorized agents island-wide 2.Which of the following is NOT a suggested learning point of this musical?A. Thinking creatively.B. Combining stories together.C. Knowing the importance of teamwork.D. Solving problems. 3. Which of the following statement is TRUE?A. Grimm’s Fairy Tales is recommended only for children above 4 years of age.B. The stories, subtext and performances are designed mainly to attract children.C. People can buy tickets more than one month ahead of the show date.D. Bang Wenfu is the writer, director and music composer of the event.4.According to the discount rules, ______. A. NTUC Card members can enjoy 15% off early bird rates before 15 November. Enjoy Early Bird discount of 10% off regular ticket prices before 15 November 2015 Cat 1 Cat 1 (Early Bird) Cat 2 Cat 2 (Early Bird) Single Child/Adult $30.00 $27.00 $25.00 $22.50 Family package of 4 $108.00 $97.20 $90.00 $81.00 15% Discount – Passion Card members, NTUC Card members 10% Discount –Students (Local &International), Senior Citizens (Above 55 years old) *Applicable for bookings after 14 November 2015 Tickets are on sale through SISTIC website: .sg. SISTIC hotline: 6123 4567 and SISTIC authorized agents island-wide. A FREE resource pack will be given to schools that make a group booking. Contact A-Theatre at 6333 2222 for more details.B. international students who buy their tickets on 1 Nov. can have 10% discount.C. a Passion Card member who is above 55 years old can enjoy 25% discount.D. a NTUC Card member should pay $25.50 if he buys a Cat 1 ticket on 15 Nov.(9)One of the common arguments of homeschooling opponents is that homeschooled kids aren’t prepared for life in the real world. The idea is that homeschoolers are sheltered with limited interaction outside of their immediate family.However, contrary to the imagined picture of homeschooled kids crowded around the dining room table for hours on end with only their brothers and sisters for companionship, homeschooled kids tend to be communicating with a variety of people in a wide range of ages. Most homeschooled children regularly accompany their parents on outings and errands, providing them the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of settings.They learn to graciously answer the elderly gentlemen why they aren’t in school today or the nosy cashier who want s to quiz them on their math’s levels.And it is quite common for homeschooled kids to be part of cooperation, to take classes outside the home with other homeschooled kids, or to participate in sports, providing them with plenty of occasions to interact with children and adults outside their immediate family.Parents of children are responsible for guiding their children while homeschool parents are in a position to do so on a much more regular basis. Many people consider this sheltering, but actually it falls more under the heading of mentoring.Because they are being mentored by adults, rather than same-aged peers, homeschooled kids often have the opportunity to learn better coping and interpersonal skills at an earlier age. But being able to guide our children doesn’t mean taking them as our appendant commanding them about. It doesn’t mean covering up for them or jumping in to fight their battles. It does mean that we must offer them a more mature horizon on developing skills to deal with difficult situations than their same age peers might offer.Many traditionally-schooled teens graduate with the expectation of entering college to pursue their future career without having much time to explore their passions. While the high school years do offer many opportunities for teens in a traditional school setting, homeschooling often provides more time and opportunity to delve into areas of interest more fully. This is due to the fact that a homeschooled teen’s education can be highly tailored to their skills and interests.In essence, coupling a well-designed education with the time management skills that homeschooling can provide often results in teens more prepared and better equipped for real world experiences than public perception may expect.1. Homeschooled kids have enough interpersonal experience by _______.A. learning communicating abilities from their brothers and sistersB. maintaining close relationship with their parents at homeC. dealing with embarrassing questions raised by people of various backgroundsD. establishing close link with former classmates from different schools2. What should parents do while guiding homeschooled kids?A. Parents should judge for kids what people to have contact withB. Parents should help kids to form a developed attitude toward conflictsC. Parents should participate more in various activities with kidsD. Parents should monitor how kids command their affairs3. Homeschooled kids are more suitable for real world life because of _____.A. more work introduction they get during the age of high schoolB. enough work training they receive during home schoolingC. well-planned education and good time management abilityD. more interests and good habits they have developed4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?A. Homeschooling: its pros and consB. Homeschooling: its history and futureC. Questions you may ask about homeschoolingD. Homeschooling: a well-working form of education答案:（1） CBAB （2） BCC （3） CDDB （4）CABDB （5）ADCAB （6）CDABD （7）ABDC (8 )ABCD (9) CBCD。