1、课时跟踪练(一) Warming Up & Reading Prereading.阅读理解AThere are robot cleaners and robot mops to help us around the house, so why not a robot to build our homes？Wait no longer. Now there is a set of electronics to do just that, build a house from scratch, and fast.Forget weeks to find a builder and months f
2、or house construction; a machine developed in the United States can build a 232 sqm home layer by layer in a single day. University of Southern Californias Professor Behrokh Khoshnevis has designed the giant robot that replaces construction workers with a mouth on an arm of crane (起重机), which spits
3、out concrete (混凝土) and can quickly build a home according to a computer pattern. The technology, known as Contour (轮廓) Crafting, could revolutionize the construction industry.Contour Crafting could greatly decrease the cost of homeowning, making it possible for millions of displaced people to_get_on
4、_the_property_ladder. It could even be used in disaster relief areas to build emergency and replacement housing. As Prof Khoshnevis points out, if you look around you almost everything is made automatically these days “your shoes, your clothes, home appliances, your car. The only thing that is still
5、 built by hand is these buildings.”The Contour Crafting system is a robot that automates ageold tools normally used by hand. These are applied by a robotic crane that builds a threedimensional object. The nature of the technology means it will also be possible to create curved walls and architecture
6、 that is both “exotic (异国情调的) and beautiful” according to Prof Khoshnevis. As a result, it could be ideal to print out expensive homes according to customers demands.Furthermore, Prof Khoshnevis believes that the technology could be applied beyond our planet. “Contour Crafting technology has the pot
7、ential to build safe, reliable, and affordable structures, habitats, laboratories, and other facilities on the moon and Mars before the arrival of human beings，” his website reads.According to the International Labour Organisation construction employs nearly 110 million people worldwide and “plays a
8、 major role in fighting the high levels of unemployment and in absorbing extra labour from the rural areas”. What the implications are for builders is, of course, a major concern. But Khoshnevis says “the reality is that a lot of new jobs can be created in this field as well”. Instead of building th
9、e house workmen are used to maintain the machine.语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。随着科技的发展，巨型机器人可用于建设房屋，而且具有时间短、成本低等优势，并且能够满足不同收入的人们的实际购房需求。1Which advantage does the giant robot have for the consumers?AIt saves a great deal of time.BIt decorates houses beautifully.CIt provides energysaving apartments.DIt builds environ
10、mentally friendly houses.解析：选A细节理解题。根据第二段第一句可知，巨型机器人的明显优势是它可以节省大量的时间。2The underlined part “to get on the property ladder” (in Paragraph 3) means “_”Ato print objectsBto purchase a houseCto predict disasters Dto accumulate wealth解析：选B词义猜测题。根据第三段画线部分之前的内容“Contour Crafting could greatly decrease the co
11、st of homeowning, making it possible for millions of displaced people .”中的“decrease the cost of”并结合选项可推知，由于建房成本大大降低了，所以许多人可以买得起房子了。因此B项与画线部分意思相近。3The new construction technology can satisfy the needs of _.Alowincome residentsBpeople at different income levelsCmiddleincome peopleDwealthy immigrants解析
12、：选B推理判断题。根据第四段最后一句“As a result, it could be ideal to print out expensive homes according to customers demands.”可知，它可以根据客户的需要建设出豪宅。由此结合第三段第一句可推知，新的建设技术能满足不同收入水平的人们的需求。4What influence will Contour Crafting have on construction industry?AMany construction workers will lose jobs.BProfessionals will be h
13、ired to make robot builders.CMore rural people will engage in construction.DConstruction workers will update their skills.解析：选D推理判断题。根据最后一段最后两句可知，随着巨型机器人技术的发展，在建筑业会有新的就业机会，而建筑工人的主要任务是维护机器。由此可推知，建筑工人将会更新自己的技能。BScience fiction writers create imaginary worlds. The way things work in your imaginary worl
14、ds will be based on actual science. So its important for you to be familiar with the scientific principles and inventions that are related to your creation. For example, if youre writing about human living on a planet with zero gravity, then you need to know the effects of zero gravity on the human
15、body.Then you have to figure out the exact rules of your imaginary worlds. And you have to follow them. If humans are able to breathe underwater in Chapter 1, your character cant drown in a swimming pool in Chapter 3. The issue here is maintaining your readers trust. That means the reader is willing
16、 to pretend along with you. If you start out with an ordinary detective novel and then throw in someone breathing underwater in the 6th chapter, you will pull the readers out of their imagination. The same thing happens if you change the rules halfway.Part of your preparation work for the novel is t
17、o map out its worlds in great detail. You should decide the following issues: the history of the world, the geography, what possibilities it offers, how everything works in this new reality, and how all of these factors affect the way your characters think, feel, and react to things. You dont have t
18、o tell your readers all the rules in the first chapter.But you have to let readers know enough to understand whats going on. This also allows you to work out logical problems and contradictions (矛盾) before you start writing.When you are writing, remember to make it feel real. You are inviting reader
19、s to visit a new world. They will want to be able to see, hear, feel, smell, and even taste what its like. Whether your novel is about a world without disease or an undiscovered planet, help your readers feel like theyre actually there.语篇解读：很多人对科幻小说充满兴趣，你是否想写科幻小说呢？5Whats the relationship between act
20、ual science and science fiction?AScience fiction promotes the development of actual science.BScience fiction often reflects the development of actual science.CActual science limits the imagination described in science fiction.DActual science provides basic principles for science fiction.解析：选D推理判断题。从
21、第一段的“The way things work in your imaginary worlds will be based on actual science.”即幻想世界事物产生的过程和方式基于现实科学，可知D项正确。6The second paragraph is mainly developed by _.Amaking comparisonsBgiving examplesCfollowing the time orderDanalyzing causes解析：选B写作手法题。第二段主要是通过举例的方式阐述了观点。7Which of the following statements
22、 is TRUE?AIt is necessary to do some scientific experiments before writing science fiction.BIt is more difficult to write science fiction than ordinary detective novels.CReaders of science fiction actually pretend the writers rules are true.DIt is great to leave some contradictions in your science f
23、iction.解析：选C推理判断题。从第二段的“The issue here is maintaining your readers trust. That means the reader is willing to pretend along with you.”可知C项正确。8The target readers of the passage are _.Ayoung scientistsBscience fiction writersCcollege studentsDprofessional journalists解析：选B推理判断题。文章多处出现第二人称，如“The way thi
24、ngs work in your imaginary worlds .”，由此可推断出作者在与写科幻小说的人交流。CThe summer before my senior year of high school, I was eating in a cafeteria with some other high school students, and one girl asked me, “Do you live in a teepee (圆锥形帐篷)？” It was such a silly question that, at first, I thought she was joking
25、! I said, “Are you serious？” She said, “Oh, wait, Im sorry. Is that something I shouldnt ask？” She wasnt trying to be rude, so it didnt bother me. I just said, “No, I have a house with electricity and running water. Im not disconnected from the world！” But the truth is, I did grow up differently.Im
26、a Native American, and Im from a reservation in California. A reservation is a place thats reserved for Native American tribes (部落) by the federal government.People often have misconceptions about what living on a reservation means. In reality, though, my life probably looks a lot like yours. But th
27、ere are ways that my life has been different. The reservation is an hour from town, and theres a big connection to the land. Our house is surrounded by a mountain, a river, and a farm. We have 23 animals including 10 chickens. Its not just for show! We collect eggs from the chickens, use manure (粪肥)
28、 from the animals to fertilize soil, and pick fruits and vegetables from our garden.Ive also learned how to hunt and fish. When hunting for deer, my tribe has two rules：1) Never shoot a female deer, because she might be pregnant, and 2) If you kill a deer, find a way to use all of it.Going to colleg
29、e has been a big change for me. There were only 25 people in my graduating class, and now I go to school with thousands. On my reservation, I was surrounded mostly by Natives, and at college, the Native population is only 0.07%. Its intimidating but also exciting.Im studying to become a vet there ar
30、ent any on my reservation. If an animal gets sick, you have to drive an hour to get them help. My goal is to open a veterinary clinic that will help my reservation develop.9Why did the girl ask the author if she lived in a teepee?ABecause she was silly.BBecause she liked teepees.CBecause she was jus
31、t curious.DBecause she was being rude to the author.解析：选C推理判断题。由第一段中女孩所说的“Oh, wait, Im sorry. Is that something I shouldnt ask？”可推断，她只是出于好奇才问作者这个问题。10Life on the reservation where the author grew up is _.Apretty hardBvery boringCclose to nature Djust like city life解析：选C推理判断题。由第三段中的“theres a big conn
32、ection to the land. Our house is surrounded by a mountain .our garden”可推断，作者生长的地方的生活比较亲近自然。11The two rules mentioned in Paragraph 4 are _.Aquite ecofriendlyBfrequently brokenCvery unreasonableDdifficult to understand解析：选A推理判断题。由第四段中的“Never shoot a female deer, because she might be pregnant”及“If you
33、kill a deer, find a way to use all of it”可推断，这两条规定非常注重对生态环境的保护。故A项正确。12The underlined word “intimidating” in Paragraph 5 can best be replaced by “_”Atiring BannoyingCinteresting Dfrightening解析：选D词义猜测题。由倒数第二段中的“Going to college has been a big change for me”及下文提到的学校人数变得很多、身边的土著人所占比例极小可推断，这种与以往截然不同的生活对
34、作者来说有点“恐怖”但也很令人兴奋。故画线词的意思应是frightening。.阅读七选五The Internet can do so much more than just bringing your favorite show to your bigscreen TV. Its more than just a place to pay your electric bills. _1_ Here are four ways to make the Internet work for your selfimprovement and growth：Searching for informat
35、ionEnter any topic of interest into your favorite search engine and immediately, you will have a large amount of information at your fingertips. _2_ But how to know whether the information youre reading is believable or complete nonsense? Check your sources. Find out who published the information. C
36、heck the publishers motivation.Online education and trainingIf youve always wanted to further your education but havent had the time, online courses may be the answer. Unlike traditional schools, Internetbased learning excludes the need for attending classes at the specific time. Ask yourself what y
37、our educational goals are: Do you want to get a degree or certificate, or just expand your knowledge? _3_Join an influential communityEvery community has its main organizers from whom others look for inspiration and direction. _4_ Besides, you can even form relationships with them.Organize your thou
38、ghtsWhen youre marching onto the path of selfimprovement, a journal or notebook can help you keep track of what youve learned. _5_ For example, its fairly easy to start your own blog, which is a great way to keep track of your thoughts.AWe can benefit a lot from online education.BThe Internet has be
39、come an important part of daily life.CThe Internet makes it easy to connect with these leaders.DThis incredible invention is also a powerful tool for selfimprovement.EWhat a great way to further your knowledge on an endless variety of subjects!FThe Internet offers dozens of tools and applications to
40、 help you organize your notes.GNo matter what your objective is, there is probably an online education program to help you achieve it.1选D本空位于首段，总领全文。前两句谈到网络带给人们的好处和便捷。此空，话题一转，网络这个惊人的发明还是自我提升的绝好途径。下一句紧接着讲：我们一起看看可以利用网络进行自我提升的四种方法吧。2选E上一句讲：对任何一个你感兴趣的话题进行一下搜索，瞬间就会掌握大量这方面的信息。所以此空选E：把自己的知识延展到不同的学科多棒呀！3选GG项中的objective和上一句中的goals呼应。4选CC项中的leaders和上一句中的organizers呼应。5选FF项中的organize your notes和小标题呼应。