1、2021高考英语说明文类阅读专项练习(一)Facing increasing pressure to raise students scores on standardized tests,schools are urging kids to work harder by offering them obvious encouragements. Happy Meals are at the low end of the scale. With the help of businesses, schools are also giving away cars, iPods, best seat
2、s for basketball games, andin a growing number of casescold, hard cash. The appeal of such programs is obvious, but the consequences of tying grades to goods are still uncertain. Its been a common tradition in middle-class families to reward top grades with cash as a way to teach that success in sch
3、ool leads to success in life. But for many disadvantaged minority children, the long-term benefits of getting an education are not so clear, according to experts.No one knows for sure how well cash and other big-ticket rewards work in education in the long run. But there are plenty of concerns that
4、this kind of practice could have negative effects on kids. Virginia Shiller, a clinical psychologist, says that its worth experimenting with cash encouragements but that tying them to suc- cess on a test is not a worthwhile goal. Id rather see rewards based on effort and responsibilitythings that wi
5、ll lead to success in life, she says.Even if rewards dont lead to individual achievement on a test, they could have a meaningful effect in the school. Charles cVean, a businessman and philanthropist (慈善家), started a tutoring program which pays higher-achieving students $10 an hour to tutor strugglin
6、g classmates and divides them into teams. During the course of the year, students bond and compete. The team posting the highest math scores wins the top cash prize of $100. cVean calls the combination of peer (同龄人) tutoring, competition, and cash encourage- ments a recipe for nothing less than magi
7、c.For its part, the Seminole County Public Schools system in Florida plans to continue its report card en- couragement program through the rest of the school year. The local McDonalds restaurants help the poor dis- trict by paying the $1,600 cost of printing the report card. Regina Klaers, the distr
8、ict spokeswoman, says most parents dont seem bothered by the Happy eals rewards. There are many ways we try to urge students to do well, and sometimes its through the stomach, and sometimes its the probability of students winning a car, she says. One size doesnt fit all.1.According to the text, it i
9、s a common practice for schools to .A.offer free meals to students with high scoresB.tie students grades to material rewardsC.educate students to form a business sense D.cooperate with business to improve teaching2.According to the text, the long-term results of giving students cash as rewards in ed
10、ucation are .A.negative B.optimisticC.uncertain D.disappointing 3.The tutoring program run by Charles cVean .A.hires some excellent teachers to teach the struggling studentsB.has a meaningful effect in inspiring students enthusiasm on studyC.is a program combining tutoring, competition and future jo
11、b offersD.rewards the student with the highest scores with cash prize of $100 4.We can learn that in Seminole County .A.there are various ways to inspire students to study hardB.many parents are not satisfied with the Happy Meals rewardsC.the local McDonalds restaurants provide the rewards for poor
12、studentsD.people are searching for a good-for-all method to urge students to do well(二)For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.Its no secret that China has always been a source (来源) of inspiration for designers, says Amanda Hill, chief cre
13、ative officer at AE Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fash- ion (时尚) shows.Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring
14、the influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学) on estern fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centu- ries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.China is impossible to overlook, says Hill. Chinese models are the faces of
15、beauty and fashion cam- paigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashionthey are central to its movement. Of course, only are todays top Western designers being influ- enced by Chinasome of the best designers of contemporary fashion are
16、 themselves Chinese. Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason u are taking on Galiano, Albaz, Marc Jacobsand beating them hands down in design and sales, adds Hill.For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. The most famous designers are Chinese,so are t
17、he models, and so are the consumers, she says. China is no lon- ger just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about Chinaits influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknow
18、ledging that in many ways.1.What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?A.It promoted the sales of artworks.B.It attracted a large number of visitors.C.It showed ancient Chinese clothes.D.It aimed to introduce Chinese models.2.What does Hill say about Chinese women?A.They are setting the fash
19、ion.B.They start many fashion campaigns.C.They admire super models.D.They do business all over the world.3.What do the underlined words taking on in paragraph 4 mean?A.learning from B.looking down on C.working with D.competing against 4.What can be a suitable title for the text?A.Young Models Sellin
20、g Dreams to the WorldB.A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York C.Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics D.Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends(三)Marian Bechtel sits at West Palm Beachs Bar Louie counter by herself, quietly reading her e-book as she waits for her salad.
21、What is she reading? None of your business! Lunch is Bechtels me time. And like more Americans, shes not alone.A new report found 46 percent of meals are eaten alone in America. More than half (53 percent) have breakfast alone and nearly half (46 percent) have lunch by themselves. Only at dinnertime
22、 are we eating to- gether anymore, 74 percent, according to statistics from the report.I prefer to go out and be out. Alone, but together, you know? Bechtel said, looking up from her book. Bechtel, who works in downtown est Palm Beach, has lunch with coworkers sometimes, but like many of us,too ofte
23、n works through lunch at her desk. A lunchtime escape allows her to keep a boss from tapping her on the shoulder. She returns to work feeling energized. Today,I just wanted some time to my- self, she said.Just two seats over, Andrew azoleny, a local videographer, is finishing his lunch at the bar. H
24、e likes that he can sit and check his phone in peace or chat up the barkeeper with whom hes on a first-name basis if he wants to have a little interaction (交流). I reflect on how my days gone and think about the rest of the week, he said. Its a chance for self-reflection. You return to work recharged
25、 and with a plan.That freedom to choose is one reason more people like to eat alone. There was a time when people may have felt awkward about asking for a table for one, but those days are over. Now, we have our smartphones to keep us company at the table. It doesnt feel as alone as it may have befo
26、re all the advances in technolo- gy, said Laurie Demeritt, whose company provided the statistics for the report.1.What are the statistics in paragraph 2 about?A.Food variety. B.Eating habits.C.Table manners. D.Restaurant service.2.Why does Bechtel prefer to go out for lunch?A.To meet with her cowork
27、ers. B.To catch up with her work. C.To have some time on her own.D.To collect data for her report.3.What do we know about azoleny?A.He makes videos for the bar.B.Hes fond of the food at the bar. C.He interviews customers at the bar.D.Hes familiar with the barkeeper.4.What is the text mainly about?A.
28、The trend of having meals alone. B.The importance of self-reflection. C.The stress from working overtime.D.The advantage of wireless technology.(四)In the United States, a company is working on a project that could change the way we think about public transportation. Its planned system would move peo
29、ple around in steel tubes. Those passengers would be traveling at speeds of up to 1,200 kilometers per hour. The transportation system is called Hyperloop. Work- ers plan to test the system next year in a specially built community called Quay Valley. The town will be powered entirely by energy from
30、the sun.The Hyperloop transportation system is the idea of businessman Elon usk. Dirk Ahlborn is head of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies. He says his company has taken Mr Musks idea and is developing a system that will be safe, environmentally friendly and fast. Its 100 percent solar powered .
31、 were not going to get up to 760 miles per hour, but we believe we can actually break the records that are existing right now. This means that a four-hour drive from Los Angeles, California to Las Vegas, Nevada, could someday take only 30 minutes by Hyperloop.The system involves a series of capsules
32、 that float inside a long tube. These containers wouldnt need to travel along a pathway or track. The system has been designed to operate above or below ground. Inside the tube you create a low pressure environment very similar to an airplane thats at high altitudes. So now the capsule traveling ins
33、ide the tube doesnt meet with as much resistance, and therefore can travel really fast with very little energy.Dick Ahlborn and his company will use an eight-kilometer track in Quay Valley to find the best way to set up passenger traffic and repair capsules. A larger system will cost an estimated $
34、6 billion to $10 billion to build. If Mr Ahlborn and his company succeed, we may one day see these very fast Hyperloop capsules speed- ing through tubes around the world.1.What probably makes Quay Valley special?A.It is powered by solar energy.B.It is a visitor-friendly town. C.Hyperloop will be tes
35、ted there.D.Many steel tubes are built there.2.How far will a person travel from Los Angeles to Las Vegas by Hyperloop?A.About 380 kilometers. B.About 450 kilometers.C.About 600 kilometers. D.About 780 kilometers.3.The transportation system will .A.mainly run above the ground B.travel along a pathwa
36、y or track C.float on water inside a long tubeD.be both very fast and energy-saving4.Building an eight-kilometer track in Quay Valley is probably to .A.test the solar energyB.advertise the companyC.find out ways of repairing capsulesD.estimate the expenses of the project(五)California has lost half i
37、ts big trees since the 1930s, according to a study to be published Tuesday and cli- mate change seems to be a major factor (因素).The number of trees larger than two feet across has declined by 50 percent on more than 46 , 000 square miles of California forests, the new study finds.No area was spared
38、or unaffected, from the foggy northern coast to the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the San Gabriels above Los Angeles.In the Sierra high country, the number of big trees has fallen by more than 55 percent; in parts of southern California the decline was nearly 75 percent.Many factors contributed to the
39、decline, said Patrick McIntyre, an ecologist who was the lead author ofthe study.Woodcutters targeted big trees.Housing development pushed into the woods.Aggressive wildfire control has left California forests crowded with small trees that compete with big trees for resources (资源). But in comparing
40、a study of California forests done in the 1920s and 1930s with another one between 2001 and 2010 ,McIntyre and his colleagues documented a widespread death of big trees that was evident even in wildlands protected from woodcutting or development.The loss of big trees was greatest in areas where tree
41、s had suffered the greatest water shortage.The researchers figured out water stress with a computer model that calculated how much water trees were getting in comparison with how much they needed, taking into account such things as rainfall, air temperature, dampness of soil, and the timing of snowm
42、elt (融雪).Since the 1930s,McIntyre said, the biggest factors driving up water stress in the state have been rising temperatures, which cause trees to lose more water to the air, and earlier snowmelt, which reduces the water supply available to trees during the dry season.1.What is the second paragrap
43、h mainly about?A.The seriousness of big-tree loss in California.B.The increasing variety of California big trees.C.The distribution of big trees in California forests.D.The influence of farming on big trees in California.2.Which of the following is well-intentioned but may be bad for big trees?A.Eco
44、logical studies of forests. B.Banning woodcutting.C.Limiting housing development. D.Fire control measures.3.What is a major cause of the water shortage according to McIntyre?A.Inadequate snowmelt. B.A longer dry season.C.A warmer climate. D.Dampness of the air.4.What can be a suitable title for the
45、text?A.Californias Forests:Where Have All the Big Trees Gone? B.Cutting of Big Trees to Be Prohibited in California SoonC.Why Are the Big Trees Important to California Forests?D.Patrick cIntyre:Grow ore Big Trees in California(六)Bacteria are an annoying problem for astronauts. The microorganisms (微生
46、物) from our bodies grow uncontrollably on surfaces of the International Space Station,so astronauts spend hours cleaning them up each week. How is NASA overcoming this very tiny big problem? Its turning to a bunch of high school kids. But not just any kids. It is depending on NASA HUNCH high school
47、classrooms, like the one science teachers Gene Gordon and Donna Himmelberg lead at Fairport High School in Fairport, New York.HUNCH is designed to connect high school classrooms with NASA engineers. For the past two years, Gordons students have been studying ways to kill bacteria in zero gravity, an
48、d they think theyre close to a solution (解决方案). e dont give the students any breaks. They have to do it just like NASA engineers, says Florence Gold, a project manager.There are no tests, Gordon says. There is no graded homework. There almost are no grades, other than.Are you working towards your go
49、al?Basically, its .Ive got to produce this product and then, at the end of the year, present it to NASA. Engineers come and really do an in-person review, and. its not a very nice thing at times. Its a hard business review of your product.Gordon says the HUNCH program has an impact (影响) on college a
50、dmissions and practical life skills. These kids are so absorbed in their studies that I just sit back. I dont teach. And that annoying bacteria? Gordon says his students are emailing daily with NASA engineers about the problem , readying a workable so- lution to test in space.1.What do we know about
51、 the bacteria in the International Space Station?A.They are hard to get rid of. B.They lead to air pollution. C.They appear in different forms. D.They damage the instruments.2.What is the purpose of the HUNCH program?A.To strengthen teacher-student relationships.B.To sharpen students communication s
52、kills.C.To allow students to experience zero gravity.D.To link space technology with school education.3.What do the NASA engineers do for the students in the program?A.Check their product. B.Guide project designs.C.Adjust work schedules. D.Grade their homework.4.What is the best title for the text?A.NASA: The Home of AstronautsB.Space: The Final Homework Frontier C.Nature: An Outdoor ClassroomD.HUNCH:A College Admission Reform参考答案：一：BCBA二：BADD三：BCDA四：CCDC五：ADCA六：ADAB
