1、2012届高考英语实战演练专题阅读理解（16-20） 附详析 (第16篇) Plants cant communicate by moving or making sounds, as most animals do. Instead, plants produce volatile compounds，chemicals that easily change from a liquid to a gas. A flower s sweet smell, for example, comes from volatile compounds that the plant produces to
2、attract insects such as bugs and bees.Plants can also detect volatile compounds produced by other plants.A tree under attack by hungry insects, for instance, may give off volatile compounds that let other trees know about the attack. In response, the other trees may send off chemicals to keep the bu
3、gs away or even chemicals that attract the bugs natural enemies.Now scientists have created a quick way to understand what plants are saying: a chemical sensor(传感器) called an electronic nose. The “enose” can tell compounds that crop plants make when theyre attacked.Scientists say the enose could hel
4、p quickly detect whether plants are being eaten by insects. But today the only way to detect such insects is to visually inspect individual plants. This is a challenging task for managers of greenhouses ，enclosed gardens that can house thousands of plants.The research team worked with an enose that
5、recognizes volatile compounds. Inside the device, 13 sensors chemically react with volatile compounds. Based on these interactions, the enose gives off electronic signals that the scientists analyze using computer software.To test the nose, the team presented it with healthy leaves from cucumber, pe
6、pper and tomato plants, all common greenhouse crops. Then the scientists collected samples of air around damaged leaves from each type of crop. These plants had been damaged by insects, or by scientists who made holes in the leaves with a hole punch (打孔器)The enose, it turns out, could identify healt
7、hy cucumber，pepper and tomato plants based on the volatile compounds they produce. It could also identify tomato leaves that had been damaged. But even more impressive, the device could tell which type of damage by insects or with a hole punch had been done to the tomato leaves.With some finetuning，
8、a device like the enose could one day be used in greenhouses to quickly spot harmful bugs, the researchers say. A device like this could also be used to identify fruits that are perfectly ripe and ready to pick and eat, says Natalia Dudareva, a biochemist at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
9、 who studies smells of flowers and plants. Hopefully, scientists believe, the device could bring large benefits to greenhouse managers in the near future.语篇解读植物会说话吗？植物如何“交流”？本文中的科学家们正在尝试用enose来测试植物受到伤害时的反应。5We learn from the text that plants communicate with each other by_.A. making some soundsB. wa
10、ving their leavesC. producing some chemicalsD. sending out electronic signals解析事实细节题。从文章第一段中的“Instead，plants produce volatile compounds，chemicals that.”可知，植物通过它本身所产生的一种化学物质来进行交流，所以答案选C。答案C6What did the scientists do to find out if the enose worked?A. They presented it with all common crops.B. They f
11、ixed 13 sensors inside the device.C. They collected different damaged leaves.D. They made tests on damaged and healthy leaves.解析逻辑推理题。从文章第五段可知，为了证实enose的效果，科学家用受到伤害的叶子与健康的叶子来测试。所以选D。答案D7According to the writer, the most amazing thing about the enose is that it can_.A. pick out ripe fruitsB. spot the
12、 insects quicklyC. distinguish different damages to the leavesD. recognize unhealthy tomato leaves解析事实细节题。从倒数第二段中的“But even more impressive，the device could tell which type of damage.”可知，最令人惊奇的是enose能够分辨叶子受到的不同的“伤害”。答案C8We can infer from the last paragraph that the enose_.A. is unable to tell the sm
13、ell of flowersB. is not yet used in greenhousesC. is designed by scientists at PurdueD. is helpful in killing harmful insects解析逻辑推理题。从文章最后一段中的“could one day be used in greenhouses to.”推断可知，enose还没有运用到greenhouses中，由此推断B是答案。答案B (第17篇)The year 2009 is the Year of Ox. The ox is a representative of the f
14、arming culture of China. In the farming economy (经济), oxen are the major animals pulling plows (犁)Of course, the good of oxen is not limited to plowing. In fact, they are seen as “boats_on_land” for their ability to carry loads. Besides, the whole body of an ox is full of treasures. Their meat and m
15、ilk are food full of nutrition, and their skin can be used to make clothes and shoes. With all these qualities, oxen are regarded as generous creatures.In the past, oxen played an important role in the spiritual life of the Chinese. Even today, oxen still play a special part in some folk activities.
16、 For example, some people who live in southwest China will cook cattle bone soup and share it among family members when holding the ceremony for children who reach 13. They believe that the cattle bone soup represents the blood relationship among family members. In order to express their love for ox
17、en, people in some other areas will run to shake off diseases on the 16th day of the first month by the lunar calendar (农历), and during their run they will take their oxen along，which indicates they regard the creature as human.Because of the contribution of oxen in their lives, the Chinese people a
18、re very grateful to the animal. In addition, the use of oxen in ceremonies and the thanks people owe to oxen help to develop various traditional customs, which becomes an important part of the folk culture of the Chinese nation.语篇解读牛年说牛，文章介绍了有关牛的一些民间文化。1The words “boats on land” underlined in Paragr
19、aph 2 refer to_.A. animals for taking goodsB. creatures for pulling plowsC. treasures of the folk cultureD. tools in the farming economy解析猜测词义题。由第二段中的“they are seen as.ability to carry loads”内容可以得出答案，介词for是对前面作解释说明：为什么牛被看成陆地之舟。答案A2From the third paragraph, we know that_.A. oxen are no more important
20、 today than in the pastB. ceremonies are held when people cook cattle bone soupC. oxen are treated as human in some areas of ChinaD. people run with oxen to shake off diseases every month解析理解判断题。由文章第三段的首句以及最后一句内容可得出答案。答案C3Which of the following helps to develop traditional customs?A. The special rol
21、e of oxen in farming.B. People s respect and love for oxen.C. The practical value of an oxs body.D. The contribution of oxen to the economy.解析细节判断题。由文章最后一段最后一句话可得出答案。答案B4Why does the author write the text?A. To stress the importance of oxen in farming.B. To introduce the Chinese folk culture.C. To d
22、escribe how to celebrate the Year of Ox.D. To explain how to develop agriculture with oxen.解析写作意图题。由文章内容可知，作者是为了介绍有关牛的一些民间文化。答案B (第18篇)Have you ever noticed the colour of the water in a river or stream after a heavy rainfall? What do you think caused this change in colour? It is soil that has been w
23、ashed into the river from the riverbank or from the nearby fields.Components of SoilSoil is made up of a number of layers (层) , each having its own distinctive colour and texture. The upper layer is known as the litter. It acts like a blanket，limiting temperature changes and reducing water loss. The
24、 topsoil layer is made up of small particles of rock mixed with rotten plant and animal matter called humus (腐殖质), which is black and gives the topsoil its dark colour. This layer is usually rich in nutrients, oxygen, and water. Below the topsoil is the subsoil, a layer that contains more stones mix
25、ed with only small amounts of organic matter. This layer is lighter in colour because of the lack of humus. Beneath the soil lies a layer of bedrock.Soil forms from the bottom up. Over time bedrock is attacked by rain, wind, frost, and snow. It is gradually broken down into smaller particles in a pr
26、ocess called weathering. Plants begin to grow，and rotten materials enrich the topsoil. Most of the soil in Eastern Canada ，for example ，was formed from weathered rock that was exposed when the ice disappeared 12,000 years ago.Water Beneath the SoilSurface water collects and flows above the ground in
27、 lakes ，ponds, and rivers. Once in the soil or rock, it is called groundwater. Gravity pulls groundwater through the soil in a process called percolation(渗透). Eventually the water reaches a layer called the water table. Under this is bedrock through which water cannot percolate.As water percolates d
28、ownward, it dissolves organic matter and minerals from the soil and carries them to deeper layers.This causes a serious problem because plants require these nutrients for growth.Soil pHSoil can be acidic, neutral, or basic. The pH of the soil is determined by the nature of the rock from which it was
29、 formed，and by the nature of the plants that grow and rot in it.The acidity of rain and snow can lower the pH of the groundwater that enters the soil. By burning fossil fuels such as coal ，oil and gasoline，humans have been contributing to higher levels of acidity in many soils. When fossil fuels are
30、 burned，gases are released into the air and then fall back to earth as acid rain. Acid soil increases the problem of carrying nutrients to lower soil levels. As nutrients are removed，soil is less fertile. Plants grow more slowly in acidic soil，and also become easily attacked by diseases.语篇解读本文是一篇科普文
31、，介绍了土壤的构成与土壤的pH对于植物生长的影响。5The layer of soil that provides necessary nutrients for plant growth is called_.A. litterB. topsoilC. humus D. subsoil解析考查细节理解。根据文章第二段中的“The topsoil layer is made up of small particles of rock mixed with rotten plant.which is black and gives the topsoil its dark colour.This
32、 layer is usually rich in nutrients”可知给植物提供必要营养的土层是topsoil layer。答案B6According to the text, which of the following is NOT true?A. Soil forms from weathered rock on the earth surface.B. The deeper layer of soil is darker in colour than the surface soil.C. Air pollution is partially responsible for ac
33、id soil.D. Groundwater tends to carry away nutrients for plant growth.解析考查细节判断。根据文章第二段中的“Below the topsoil is the subsoil，a layer that contains more stones mixed with only small amounts of organic matter.This layer is lighter in colour because of the lack of humus”可知，并不是土层深，它的颜色就深。答案B7We can infer f
34、rom the passage that the water table lies_.A. between the topsoil layer and the subsoil layerB. in the subsoil layer above bedrockC. between the subsoil layer and bedrockD. in the bedrock layer beneath the subsoil解析考查细节理解。根据文章第四段中的“Eventually the water reaches a layer called the water table.Under th
35、is is bedrock through which water cannot percolate”可知water table是位于bedrock之上的一个土层，它是独立存在的不属于其他层，因此选项C正确。答案C8The underlined word “dissolve” is used to express the idea that organic matter and minerals from soil are_.A. rushed away into the riverB. cleaned and purified by waterC. destroyed and carried
36、 away by waterD. mixed with water and become part of it解析考查词义猜测。根据本句中的“.and carries them to deeper layers”可知营养物质是在被水溶解之后才被带到更深的土层中去的。答案D (第19篇)The latest research suggests that the key factor separating geniuses from the merely accomplished is not IQ, a generally bad predictor of success.Instead, it
37、 s purposeful practice.Top performers spend more hours practising their craft. If you wanted to picture how a typical genius might develop, you d take a girl who possessed a slightly above average language ability. It wouldn t have to be a big talent, just enough so that she might gain some sense of
38、 distinction. Then you would want her to meet, say, a novelist, who coincidentally shared some similar qualities. Maybe the writer was from the same town, had the same family background, or, shared the same birthday.This contact would give the girl a vision of her future self.It would give her some
39、idea of a fascinating circle she might someday join.It would also help if one of her parents died when she was 12, giving her a strong sense of insecurity and fuelling a desperate need for success. Armed with this ambition, she would read novels and life stories of writers without end. This would gi
40、ve her a primary knowledge of her field.Shed be able to see new writing in deeper ways and quickly understand its inner workings.Then she would practise writing. Her practice would be slow, painstaking and errorfocused. By practising in this way，she delays the automatizing process. Her mind wants to
41、 turn conscious, newly learned skills into unconscious, automatically performed skills. By practising slowly, by breaking skills down into tiny parts and repeating, she forces the brain to internalize a better pattern of performance. Then she would find an adviser who would provide a constant stream
42、 of feedback, viewing her performance from the outside, correcting the smallest errors，pushing her to take on tougher challenges. By now she is redoing problems how do I get characters into a room dozens and dozens of times. She is establishing habits of thought she can call upon in order to underst
43、and or solve future problems.The primary quality our young writer possesses is not some mysterious genius. It s the ability to develop a purposeful, laborious and boring practice routine. The latest research takes some of the magic out of great achievement. But it underlines a fact that is often neg
44、lected. Public discussion is affected by genetics and what were “hardwired” to do. And its true that genes play a role in our capabilities. But the brain is also very plastic. We construct ourselves through behavior.语篇解读你依然认为天才由基因决定，认为自己不可能成为天才吗？一项新的研究表明：成功并不取决于人的IQ，而是通过后天有目的的训练得来的。1The passage main
45、ly deals with_.A. the function of IQ in cultivating a writerB. the relationship between genius and successC. the decisive factor in making a geniusD. the way of gaining some sense of distinction解析主旨大意题。这篇文章主要讲了决定成功的主要因素并不是IQ，而是些后天的、有目的的训练和努力。所以C项正确。A、B两项不符合文章意思；D项不具体。答案C2By reading novels and writer
46、s stories, the girl could_.A. come to understand the inner structure of writingB. join a fascinating circle of writers somedayC. share with a novelist her likes and dislikesD. learn from the living examples to establish a sense of security解析细节判断题。依据文章第二段的“This would give her a primary knowledge of h
47、er field.Shed be able to see new writing in deeper ways and quickly understand its inner workings.”可知A项正确。答案A3In the girl s long painstaking training process，_.A. her adviser forms a primary challenging force to her successB. her writing turns into an automatic pattern of performanceC. she acquires
48、the magic of some great achievementsD. she comes to realize she is “hardwired” to write解析细节理解题。根据文章第三段的“By practising in this way，she delays the automatizing process.Her mind wants to turn conscious，newly learned skills into unconscious，automatically perfomed skills.”可知B项正确。答案B4What can be concluded
49、 from the passage?A. A fuelling ambition plays a leading role in one s success.B. A responsible adviser is more important than the knowledge of writing.C. As to the growth of a genius, IQ doesn t matter, but just his/her efforts.D. What really matters is what you do rather than who you are.解析推理判断题。文
50、章主要讲述：一个人的成功并不是由IQ决定的而是通过后天的努力训练得来的。D项“重要的不是你是谁而是你做了什么”符合文章主旨大意。答案D (第20篇)(2009年江西，C)237 West Palmdale BoulevardFresno, California 93706AmToy CorporationSuite 15TransAm BuildingSan Francisco, California 94115November 20,2008Dear Sirs，As a concerned parent, I am writing to protest your recent adverti
51、sement for ElectroRobo seen in local media in California. Specifically, I am referring to newspaper and magazine ads (attached to this letter)published the week of November 15.Children respond to your type of advertising in an immature way；that is, they are unable to understand how expensive some to
52、ys are for middleclass parents. Further, your product is violent in nature. Your advertisement gives children the impression that its fine to have“two guns and laser eyes. ”You also suggest that children need your toy to protect them“when you go outside. ”This is not a healthy attitude for children
53、to have.I hope you will stop advertising your product in such a way that may harm our children.Sincerely yours，(Mrs.) Alma HernandezPresident, Parents for Nonviolent ToysEnc.Its Here ! Ready for You, Now ! Its ElectroRobo !Every boy dreams of being in control of a robot, and AmToy can make your drea
54、m come true! ElectroRobo is the worlds first fully automatic robot with radio control. Standing 80 centimeters tall, ElectroRobo is like a friend at home. He can walk, talk, and even shake your hand! He has two guns and laser eyes to help you defend yourself when you go outside with him. Every boy n
55、eeds ElectroRobo !Ask your Mom and Dad to buy ElectroRobo for your birthday or for Christmas, which is coming up soon. Imagine that you are in control of your friend for life, ElectroRobo!Available at all toy stores and department stores NOW! 语篇解读本文是家长写给一家玩具公司的一封抗议信，反对该公司有误导倾向的广告及有暴力倾向的产品。5What is t
56、he purpose of the letter?A. To complain about a broken toy.B. To oppose the advertising.C. To order a gift for Christmas.D. To apply for a job in a toy company.解析推理判断题。通读文章可知，写这封信的意图是反对这家公司所做的具有暴力倾向和有误导之嫌的广告，故选B。答案B6Why does the writer of the letter feel that ElectroRobo is violent?A. It is controll
57、ed by radio waves.B. It is expensive to buy.C. It is 80 centimeters tall.D. It bears arms.解析事实细节题。由第二部分第一段倒数第二句He has two guns and laser eyes.可知这玩具持有武器。答案D7What does“Enc. ”at the end of the letter mean?A. Something attached to the letter.B. A complaint to the toy company.C. A hidden message.D. An encouraging response.解析猜测词义题。由下面的附加广告可以推出该词的含义为“附文”。答案A8ElectroRobo can do all the following EXCEPT_.A. sitting downB. shaking handsC. talking D. walking解析事实细节题。由第二部分第一段倒数第三句描述该电动机器人的He can walk，talk，and even shake your hand！可知四个选项中只有A没有提及，故选A。答案A