阅读理解之说明文类限时练
（2023·云南·云南师大附中校考模拟预测）Lately, it’s felt like technological change has entered an incredible panies like OpenAI and Google have unveiled new Artificial Intelligence systems with incredible capabilities, making what once seemed like science fiction an everyday reality. It’s an era that is raising big, existential questions for us all, about everything from the future of human existence to the future of human work.
“Things are changing so fast,” says Erik Brynjolfsson, a leading, technology-focused economist based at Stanford University. As he notes, this new wave of technological change looks like it could be pretty different. Unlike before, experienced and skilled workers benefited mostly from AI technology. In this new wave, it’s the less experienced and less skilled workers who benefit the most. “And that might be helpful in terms of closing some of the inequality that previous technologies actually promoted,” Brynjolfsson says. So one benefit of intelligence machines is—maybe —they will improve the know-how and smarts of low performers, thereby reducing inequality.
But it’s also possible that Al could lower the profit of the experienced, smart, or knowledgeable ones. AI could reduce inequality by bringing the bottom up, and it could also reduce inequality by bringing the top and middle down.
Of course, as Erik put, it’s also possible that Al could end up increasing inequality even more. For one, it could make the Big AI companies, which own these powerful new systems, wildly rich. It could also empower business owners to replace more and more workers with intelligent machines. And it could kill jobs for all but the best of the best in various industries, who keep their jobs because maybe they’re superstars or because maybe they have seniority.
The effects of AI, of course, are still very much being studied-and these systems are evolving fast — so this is just an assumption. This machine intelligence could upend much of the previous thinking on which kinds of jobs will be affected by automation.
1．What do the underlined words “the know-how and smarts” mean in paragraph 2
A．Experience and intelligence. B．Skills and potential.
C．Abilities and experience. D．Outlook and talents.
2．Who will gain more in this new AI era
A．The senior with high rank. B．The new with little experience.
C．The learned with great credit. D．The poor with practical skills.
3．Which statement will Erik probably agree with
A．The fast development of AI will promote the division of inequality.
B．The best of all walks of life will survive the competition against AI systems.
C．Giant Al companies will be the winner in the future world of new AI systems.
D．Lower rank workers with little knowledge are bound to be abandoned by employers.
4．Which of the following is the best title for the text
A．The Fast Growth of the World B．The Influence of the Inequality
C．The Impact of the AI System D．The Future of the AI Generation
【答案】1．A 2．B 3．C 4．C
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了经济学家Erik就OpenAI等新兴人工智能公司所触发的新人工智能对人类未来可能产生的影响的研究。
1．词义猜测题。根据第二段“In this new wave, it’s the less experienced and less skilled workers who benefit the most.”（在这股新浪潮中，经验不足、技术含量较低的工人受益最大。）可知，智能机器的一个益处就是提升较低的工作表现者的经验和智力，从而推断出划线短语the know-how and smarts在句中意为“经验和智力”，和A项“经验和智力”意思相同。故选A项。
2．细节理解题。根据第二段“In this new wave, it’s the less experienced and less skilled workers who benefit the most.”（在这股新浪潮中，经验不足、技术含量较低的工人受益最大。）可知，在新的人工智能时代受益最多的是经验不足的新人。故选B项。
3．推理判断题。根据第四段“Of course, as Erik put, it’s also possible that Al could end up increasing inequality even more. For one, it could make the Big AI companies, which own these powerful new systems, wildly rich.”(当然，正如Erik所说，人工智能最终也有可能进一步加剧不平等。首先，它可以让拥有这些强大新系统的大型人工智能公司变得非常富有。）可知，Erik赞同的观点是巨型人工智能公司将成为未来新人工智能系统世界的赢家。故选C项。
4．主旨大意题。根据第二段“So one benefit of intelligence machines is—maybe —they will improve the know-how and smarts of low performers, thereby reducing inequality.”（因此，智能机器的一个好处是——也许——它们将提高低绩效者的专业知识和智慧，从而减少不平等。）及第三段“Of course, as Erik put, it’s also possible that Al could end up increasing inequality even more.”（当然，正如Erik所说，人工智能最终也有可能进一步加剧不平等。）及最后一段“The effects of AI, of course, are still very much being studied-and these systems are evolving fast — so this is just an assumption.”（当然，人工智能的影响仍在研究中，这些系统正在快速发展——所以这只是一个假设。）可知，本文主要通过人工智能对工作者和加剧了社会不平等两个方面讲述了人工智能的影响，C项“人工智能的影响”符合题意。故选C项。
（2023·陕西宝鸡·统考二模）A new study released in the journal Plant and Cell Physiology suggests that ethanol —or alcohol —can help plants survive in times of drought, even for as long as two weeks without water.
To come up with their finding, the researchers grew wheat and rice plants, regularly watering them, and then added ethanol to the soil in one group of plants over three days. They then kept both groups deprived of(中断) water for two weeks and found that drunk plants grew better than untreated ones. Around 75% of the drunk wheat and rice plants survived after rewatering, while less than 5% of the untreated plants did.
The study also looked at how ethanol protected a plant. Using arabidopsis, a small plant commonly used in experiments, the researchers discovered that when ethanol-treated specimens (样品) were deprived of water, tiny openings on the leaves’ surface closed up to preserve water and heat.
The team studied arabidopsis’ gene (基因) expression and found that the ethanol-treated plants started behaving if they were experiencing drought, even before they were actually deprived of water. This gene expression gave the plants an advantage in preparing for a drought.
The researchers said, “The finding is not just useful for the world’s gardens, but also for farms growing vital crops like rice and wheat. Drought-resistant crops could help achieve sustainable food security, which is an issue affecting many parts of the world right now.” They added that ethanol was a useful and simple way to increase food production all over the world in times of drought. “The application of ethanol to plants would be a potent agricultural method to enhance drought resistance in various plants,” said Motoaki Seki, the study’s lead author. But, he warned that the ethanol needed to be used reasonably as higher concentration of ethanol prevented plants growing. Seki added, “We will soon begin testing ethanol on plants in real fields. ”
5．What did the researchers find in their study
A．Plants produce ethanol in times of drought. B．Drunk plants could live longer without water.
C．There is no need to water house plants every day. D．It requires more water to grow wheat in the field.
6．What do the researchers expect of the finding
A．It will cut the cost of food production. B．It will bring about the change of diet.
C．It will help maintain global food security. D．It will generate increases in food price.
7．What does the underlined word “potent” in the last paragraph mean
A．Difficult. B．Effective. C．Similar. D．Primary.
8．What does Seki want to stress about ethanol in the text
A．It would fit all kinds of plants. B．It has been applied to real fields.
C．It should be used in proper amount. D．It enables wheat plants to grow fast.
【答案】5．B 6．C 7．B 8．C
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。最新研究表明，在土壤中加入乙醇（酒精）可以帮助植物在干旱时期存活更长时间。
5．细节理解题。根据第一段“A new study released in the journal Plant and Cell Physiology suggests that ethanol — or alcohol — can help plants survive in times of drought, even for as long as two weeks without water.(发表在《植物与细胞生理学》杂志上的一项新研究表明，乙醇（酒精）可以帮助植物在干旱时期存活下来，甚至可以在没有水的情况下存活长达两周)”及第二段“To come up with their finding, the researchers grew wheat and rice plants, regularly watering them, and then added ethanol to the soil in one group of plants over three days. They then kept both groups deprived of (中断) water for two weeks and found that drunk plants grew better than untreated ones.(为了得出他们的发现，研究人员种植了小麦和水稻，定期浇水，然后在一组植物的土壤中添加乙醇三天。然后，他们让两组植物都不喝水两周，发现喝了乙醇的植物比没有喝的植物长得更好)”可知，研究人员发现乙醇(（酒精）可以帮助植物在缺水条件下存活更长时间。故选B。
6．细节理解题。根据第五段““Drought-resistant crops could help achieve sustainable food security, which is an issue affecting many parts of the world right now.” They added that ethanol was a useful and simple way to increase food production all over the world in times of drought.(“抗旱作物有助于实现可持续粮食安全，这是目前影响世界许多地区的一个问题。”他们补充说，在干旱时期，乙醇是增加世界各地粮食产量的一种有用而简单的方法)”可知，研究人员希望他们的发现可以在干旱时期提高全世界的粮食产量，从而有助于维护全球粮食安全。故选C。
7．词句猜测题。根据画线词上文“They added that ethanol was a useful and simple way to increase food production all over the world in times of drought.(他们补充说，在干旱时期，乙醇是增加世界各地粮食产量的一种有用而简单的方法)”以及后文“agricultural method to enhance drought resistance in various plants”可推断，他们补充说，在干旱时期，乙醇是增加世界各地粮食产量的一种有用而简单的方法，所以将乙醇应用于植物将是一种有效的农业方法，可以增强各种植物的抗旱性。故画线词意思是“有效的”。故选B。
8．推理判断题。根据最后一段“But, he warned that the ethanol needed to be used reasonably as higher concentration of ethanol prevented plants growing.(但是，他警告说，乙醇需要合理使用，因为高浓度的乙醇会阻碍植物生长)”可推断，Seki想强调的是在土壤中加入乙醇应当适量。故选C。
（2023·贵州遵义·统考三模）Joseph Dituri hasn’t seen the sun for days. And he won’t see it again for months. Since March 1, the bio-medical engineer has been underwater, with the goal of spending 100 days there—for science.
The underwater living, if successful, will also break the current world record for time spent living underwater, which was set by two Tennessee biologists in 2014 when they stayed beneath the surface for 73 days.
Dituri, who uses the nickname Dr. Deep Sea, is living in Jules’ Undersea Lodge (小屋) in Key Largo, Florida—the same underwater spot where the previous record was set. The 100-square-foot hotel, which sits 30 feet below the surface, is his intended home until June 9, where he’ll be carrying out research and giving virtual lectures for his students at the University of South Florida.
As part of this research, Dituri is researching the effects of living in a high-pressure environment for an extended period. To keep water from entering the lodge, air must constantly be pumped into the space, which creates a pressure about 1.6 times that of Earth’s surface.
“The human body has never been underwater that long, so I will be monitored closely,” Dituri says in a press release. “This study will examine every way this journey affects my body.” Before taking the dive, Dituri had psychosocial, psychological and medical tests. He will continue to have testing during and after his 100 days at the lodge. He’s also taking doses of Vitamin D and keeping regular psychological appointments.
Beyond research, the project is also a chance to promote ocean protection and encourage young scientists. “The oceans are in a bit of trouble―the coral reefs are under attack, and the fishing industry is collapsing,” Thane Milhoan, habitat operations manager for Jules’ Undersea Lodge, says in a video. “We wanted to make use of the attention that the 100-day mission would demand to inspire the youth, more so than anybody, to get involved and start taking action.”
9．What is the reason for Joseph Dituri’s living underwater
A．To enjoy a unique hotel. B．To do scientific research.
C．To break the world record. D．To promote an undersea lodge.
10．How do the researchers keep water out of the lodge
A．By pumping air into the lodge. B．By increasing the water pressure.
C．By changing the underwater spot. D．By extending the surface of the hotel.
11．Why is Dituri always taking tests
A．To keep a positive mood. B．To adapt to the environment.
C．To see the effects of the study on him. D．To examine the change of the surroundings.
12．What does the underlined word “collapsing” in the last paragraph mean
A．Breaking down. B．Coming out.
C．Operating well. D．Growing fast.
【答案】9．B 10．A 11．C 12．A
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍了一项科学家挑战水下空间生活的一项科学研究，介绍了其主要研究人、研究目的和开展过程与方式。
9．细节理解题。根据第一段第二句“Since March 1, the bio-medical engineer has been underwater, with the goal of spending 100 days there—for science. (自3月1日以来，这位生物医学工程师一直在水下，目标是在那里呆100天——为了科学)”可知，约瑟夫·迪图里生活在水下是为了做科学研究。故选B。
10．细节理解题。根据第四段第二句“To keep water from entering the lodge, air must constantly be pumped into the space, which creates a pressure about 1.6 times that of Earth’s surface. (为了防止水进入小屋，必须不断向太空中注入空气，这将产生大约是地球表面压力的1.6倍的压力)”可知，研究人员把空气抽进小屋来将水排除在小屋之外。故选A。
11．细节理解题。根据倒数第二段““The human body has never been underwater that long, so I will be monitored closely,” Dituri says in a press release. “This study will examine every way this journey affects my body.” (迪图里在一次新闻发布会上说：“人体从来没有在水下呆过那么久，所以我会受到密切监视。这项研究将检验这段旅程对我身体的每一种影响。”)”可知，总是做检查的原因是监测水下生活对人体的影响。故选C。
12．词句猜测题。根据划线词上文“The oceans are in a bit of trouble-the coral reefs are under attack, and the fishing industry is”可知海洋处于麻烦中，珊瑚礁造破坏，渔业在崩溃。海洋需要保护，这也是本项研究的另一目的。故划线词意思是“崩溃”。故选A。
（2023·重庆·重庆一中校考三模）If you’ve ever emerged from the shower or returned from your walk with a clever idea or a solution to a problem you had been struggling with, it may not be a surprise. Rather than constantly concentrating on a problem, research from the last 15 years suggests that people may be more likely to have creative breakthroughs when they’re doing a habitual task that doesn’t require much thought.
“People always get surprised when they realize they get interesting, novel ideas at unexpected times,” says Kalina Christoff, a scientist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, “because our culture tells us that we should do it through hard work.”
Now researchers begin to understand why these clever thoughts occur during more passive activities and what’s happening in the brain. They have found that the key is a series of brain activities—within what’s called the default mode (DM) network—that occur while an individual is resting or performing habitual tasks that don’t require much attention.
“Simply put, it is a state that your brain returns to when you’re relaxed,” explains Christoff. “By contrast, when you’re working on a demanding task, the brain’s executive control (EC) systems keep your thinking focused, analytical, and logical.”
Researchers find that the DM network is also involved in the early stages of idea generation, drawing from past experiences and knowledge about the world. When your mind wanders, you’re allowing thoughts to playfully cross your mind, which helps you combine information and ideas in new ways and something clicks.
“A cautionary note: While the DM network plays a key role in the creative process, it is the EC systems that help you to evaluate and apply the creative ideas effectively to your problems in the real world,” Christoff says. “So it’s unwise to place blind faith in the discovery that creative ideas can be generated in the shower or during any other kinds of mind wandering. Instead, you have to do the work to set the groundwork for creative ideas to emerge in the first place.”
13．What is the most unlikely function of the EC systems
A．To start your thinking process. B．To help you analyze.
C．To let you get novel ideas D．To keep you focused.
14．What do the underlined words “something clicks” in paragraph 5 probably mean
A．A clever idea occurs. B．Something drops down.
C．A memory disappears. D．A funny thought happens.
15．What is Kalina Christoff’s attitude to the culture of hard work
A．Disapproving. B．Positive. C．Doubtful. D．Unconcerned.
16．Which statement might the author agree with
A．Practice makes perfect.
B．Where there is a will, there is a way.
C．Everything comes to him who waits.
D．All work and no break makes Jack a dull boy.
【答案】13．C 14．A 15．B 16．D
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了创意经常会在放松状态下出现的心理机制。
13．细节理解题。根据第四段“‘By contrast, when you’re working on a demanding task, the brain’s executive control (EC) systems keep your thinking focused, analytical, and logical.’”（“相比之下，当你在处理一项要求很高的任务时，大脑的执行控制系统(EC)会让你的思维保持集中、分析性和逻辑性。”）”可知，EC系统主导的是有意识的思维活动而不是无意识的创意思维活动，让你开始思维过程，帮助你分析，保持你集中，不能让你获得新的想法。故选C。
14．词义猜测题。根据画线词前“Researchers find that the DM network is also involved in the early stages of idea generation, drawing from past experiences and knowledge about the world.（研究人员发现，DM网络也参与了想法产生的早期阶段，从过去的经验和对世界的了解中汲取知识。）”结合划线句“When your mind wanders, you’re allowing thoughts to playfully cross your mind, which helps you combine information and ideas in new ways and something clicks.( 当你走神的时候，你允许一些想法在你的脑海中嬉戏，这有助于你以新的方式结合信息和想法，并something clicks。)”可推断，something clicks与idea generation所表达的意思相近，即当走神时，想法在我们的脑海中嬉戏，有助于我们以新的方式将信息和想法结合起来，这样一个聪明的想法就产生了。故划线部分与A项“一个聪明的想法产生”意思相符。故选A。
15．推理判断题。根据最后一段“So it’s unwise to place blind faith in the discovery that creative ideas can be generated in the shower or during any other kinds of mind wandering. Instead, you have to do the work to set the groundwork for creative ideas to emerge in the first place.”（盲目相信创造性的想法可以在淋浴或任何其他类型的走神过程中产生是不明智的。相反，你必须先做一些工作，为创意的出现打下基础）”可知，Kalina Christoff认为不能盲目相信在走神过程中会产生是不明智的，还是要努力为创意的出现打好基础，因此推断他对努力工作这一文化持正面态度的。故选B。
16．推理判断题。通读全文，再根据第一段“If you’ve ever emerged from the shower or returned from your walk with a clever idea or a solution to a problem you had been struggling with, it may not be a surprise. Rather than constantly concentrating on a problem, research from the last 15 years suggests that people may be more likely to have creative breakthroughs when they’re doing a habitual task that doesn’t require much thought.（如果你曾经洗完澡或散步回来，想到了一个聪明的主意或解决了你一直在纠结的问题，这可能并不奇怪。过去15年的研究表明，人们在做一项不需要太多思考的习惯性任务时，可能更有可能取得创造性突破，而不是一直专注于一个问题）”可知，大脑机制决定了只有劳逸结合才能富有创意。由此推知，作者可能会同意D项“只工作不休息，聪明孩子也变傻”的说法。故选D。
（2023·湖北·开滦第二中学校考模拟预测）Whales are threatened by a variety of human activities off the West Coast of the United States, including fishing, ship traffic, and pollution. They have bad effects on whale populations, but are rarely addressed by current whale-protection policies in California, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.
The study, published for open access this week in the journal Marine Policy, examines the main causes of death for nine whale species in the California Current Ecosystem, which stretches from British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico. The whales considered in the study include gray, blue, fin, minke, North Pacific right, and killer whales.
“We find that it is people that deem fishing causes whale death,” said co-leading author Eliza Oldach. “But a number of human activities have made the modern ocean a really tough environment for whales to survive. We’re excited about efforts that look broadly to rebuild healthy oceans.”
The report found that main contributors to whale death are currently, targeted with relevant policy responses: noise, water quality and marine (海洋的) rubbish. But three other threats-nutritional stress, disease and predation (捕食) -need to also be considered to provide a more whole approach toward managing whale deaths.
“Gray whales migrate (迁徙) over 5,000 miles between their breeding grounds at either end of the California Current,” said co-leading author Helen Killeen. “Throughout their journey, they must pass through a large number of human activities, fighting with changes to their environment caused by climate change.”
The study comes as the California Ocean Protection Council (COPC) aims to develop a plan for achieving zero death for whales in the California Current Ecosystem this year. Achieving such a goal requires understanding the key drivers of whale deaths and opportunities for policy change, the report said.
17．Which activity will lead to whales’ death
A．Going fishing with your friends in a river. B．Playing with your friends beside the sea.
C．Going sailing with your family on weekends. D．Throwing rubbish in the sea as you are playing.
18．What’s meaning of the underlined word “deem” in Paragraph 3
A．Catch. B．Complain. C．Think. D．Describe.
19．What can we learn from Helen’s words
A．Gray whales are fond of travelling. B．Gray whales’ migration is full of danger.
C．Human being is the only killer of whales. D．Whales’ death is mainly caused by climate.
20．What should COPC do prevent whales’ death
A．Get rid of the present policy. B．Plant more trees along the sea.
C．Know what actually leads to it. D．Find a right place for them to live.
【答案】17．D 18．C 19．B 20．C
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了鲸鱼受到美国西海岸各种人类活动的威胁，包括捕鱼、船舶交通和污染。根据加州大学戴维斯分校的一项研究，它们对鲸鱼种群有不良影响，但加州目前的鲸鱼保护政策很少解决这些问题。
17．细节理解题。根据第四段“The report found that main contributors to whale death are currently, targeted with relevant policy responses: noise, water quality and marine (海洋的) rubbish.(该报告发现，造成鲸鱼死亡的主要原因目前是相关政策应对的目标：噪音、水质和海洋垃圾)”可知，边玩边往海里扔垃圾会导致鲸鱼死亡。故选D。
18．词句猜测题。根据划线词上文“it is people that”以及后文“fishing causes whale death”可知，此处为强调句，强调主语people，即人们认为捕捞导致了鲸鱼的死亡，故划线词意思是“认为”。故选C。
19．细节理解题。根据倒数第二段“Throughout their journey, they must pass through a large number of human activities, fighting with changes to their environment caused by climate change.(在整个旅程中，它们必须经过大量的人类活动，与气候变化引起的环境变化作斗争)”可知，海伦告诉我们，灰鲸的迁徙充满了危险。故选B。
20．细节理解题。根据最后一段“Achieving such a goal requires understanding the key drivers of whale deaths and opportunities for policy change, the report said.(报告称，实现这一目标需要了解鲸鱼死亡的主要驱动因素以及政策变化的机会)”可知，COPC应该知道导致鲸鱼死亡的原因来阻止这种情况。故选C。
（2023·福建泉州·泉州五中校考一模）Every 40 days a language dies. This “catastrophic” loss is being intensified by the climate crisis, according to linguists. If nothing is done, conservative estimates suggest half of all the 7000 languages currently spoken will be extinct by the end of the century.
Speakers of minority languages have experienced a long history of persecution (迫 害), with the result that by the 1920s half of all indigenous (土著的) languages in Australia, the US, South Africa and Argentina were extinct. The climate crisis is now considered the “final nail in the coffin” for many indigenous languages and the knowledge they represent.
“Languages are already endangered,” says Anastasia Richl, director of the Strathy language unit at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Huge factors are globalization and migration, as communities move to regions where their language is not spoken or valued, according to Richl. “It seems particularly cruel, ” she says, “ that most of the world’s languages are in parts of the world that are growing unpleasant to people. ” Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation measuring 12, 189 km2, has 110 languages, the highest density (密度) of languages on the planet. It is also one of the countries most at risk of sea level rise. “Many small language communities are on islands and coastlines easily subject to hurricanes and sea level rise,” she says. Others live on lands where rising temperature threatens traditional farming and fishing practices, leading to migration.
In response to the crisis, the UN launched the International Decade of Indigenous Languages in 2022. Promoting and conserving languages of indigenous communities is “ not only important for them, but for all humanity, ” said Csaba Korosi, the UN general assembly president, urging countries to allow access to education in indigenous languages.
21．What does the underlined phrase “final nail in the coffin” in paragraph 2 mean
A．The last straw.
B．The last challenge.
C．The last possibility.
D．The last opportunity.
22．Why is Vanuatu mentioned in paragraph 3
A．To explain the main reason for language density.
B．To show the common features of endangered languages.
C．To stress the impact of geographical position on migration.
D．To illustrate the situation of minority language communities.
23．What does the International Decade of Indigenous Languages aim to do
A．Support migrants to access local education.
B．Discourage people from massive migration.
C．Improve the living conditions of minority groups.
D．Preserve the languages of indigenous communities.
24．Which of the following is the best title for the text
A．Faced with Disasters: Communities Have to Leave
B．Lost for Words: Climate Crisis Brings Threat of Catastrophe
C．Upset at Extinction: UN Urges International Cooperation
D．Involved in Action: Experts Seek Solutions to Climate Crisis
【答案】21．A 22．D 23．D 24．B
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了气候危机加剧了语言的消失，解释了语言消失背后的种种原因以及联合国对土著语言的保护措施。
21．词义猜测题。根据前文“Speakers of minority languages have experienced a long history of persecution (迫 害), with the result that by the 1920s half of all indigenous (土著的) languages in Australia, the US, South Africa and Argentina were extinct.(说少数民族语言的人经历了漫长的迫害历史，结果到20世纪20年代，澳大利亚、美国、南非和阿根廷的土著语言中有一半已经灭绝。)”介绍了少数民族语言消亡的情况，因此推断划线句“The climate crisis is now considered the “final nail in the coffin” for many indigenous languages and the knowledge they represent.( 气候危机现在被认为是许多土著语言及其所代表的知识的final nail in the coffin。)”也是讲述对土著语言的影响，说明气候危机现在被看作是许多土著语言和相关知识的致命一击，与A项“最后一根稻草；最后一击”意思相近，故选A。
22．推理判断题。根据第三段“Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation measuring 12,189km2, has 110 languages, the highest density (密度) of languages on the planet. It is also one of the countries most at risk of sea level rise, she says. “Many small language communities are on islands and coastlines easily subject to hurricanes and sea level rise.” Others live on lands where rising temperature threatens traditional farming and fishing practices, leading to migration.(瓦努阿图是一个南太平洋岛国，面积12189平方公里，拥有110种语言，是地球上语言密度最高的国家。她说，它也是海平面上升风险最大的国家之一。“许多小语言社区位于岛屿和海岸线上，容易受到飓风和海平面上升的影响。”另一些人生活在气温上升威胁到传统农业和渔业的土地上，导致迁徙。)”可推知，第3段提到瓦努阿图是为了说明少数民族语言社区的情况。故选D。
23．细节理解题。根据最后一段“Promoting and conserving languages of indigenous communities is “not only important for them, but for all humanity”, said Csaba Korosi, the UN general assembly president, urging countries to allow access to education in indigenous languages.(联合国大会主席Csaba Korosi表示，促进和保护土著社区的语言“不仅对他们很重要，对全人类也很重要”。他敦促各国允许用土著语言进行教育。)”可知，“土著语言国际十年”的目标是保护土著社区的语言。故选D。
24．主旨大意题。根据第一段“Every 40 days a language dies. This “catastrophic” loss is being intensified by the climate crisis, according to linguists. If nothing is done, conservative estimates suggest that half of all the 7000 languages currently spoken will be extinct by the end of the century.(每40天就有一种语言消亡。气候危机加剧了这种“灾难性”损失,根据语言学家的说法。保守估计，如果不采取任何措施，到本世纪末，目前使用的7000种语言中有一半将灭绝)”并通读全文，文章主要说明了气候危机加剧了语言的消失，解释了语言消失背后的种种原因以及联合国对土著语言的保护措施。因此推断B选项“语言的丧失：海平面上升带来灾难的威胁”最符合文章标题。故选B。
19阅读理解之说明文类限时练
（2023·云南·云南师大附中校考模拟预测）Lately, it’s felt like technological change has entered an incredible panies like OpenAI and Google have unveiled new Artificial Intelligence systems with incredible capabilities, making what once seemed like science fiction an everyday reality. It’s an era that is raising big, existential questions for us all, about everything from the future of human existence to the future of human work.
“Things are changing so fast,” says Erik Brynjolfsson, a leading, technology-focused economist based at Stanford University. As he notes, this new wave of technological change looks like it could be pretty different. Unlike before, experienced and skilled workers benefited mostly from AI technology. In this new wave, it’s the less experienced and less skilled workers who benefit the most. “And that might be helpful in terms of closing some of the inequality that previous technologies actually promoted,” Brynjolfsson says. So one benefit of intelligence machines is—maybe —they will improve the know-how and smarts of low performers, thereby reducing inequality.
But it’s also possible that Al could lower the profit of the experienced, smart, or knowledgeable ones. AI could reduce inequality by bringing the bottom up, and it could also reduce inequality by bringing the top and middle down.
Of course, as Erik put, it’s also possible that Al could end up increasing inequality even more. For one, it could make the Big AI companies, which own these powerful new systems, wildly rich. It could also empower business owners to replace more and more workers with intelligent machines. And it could kill jobs for all but the best of the best in various industries, who keep their jobs because maybe they’re superstars or because maybe they have seniority.
The effects of AI, of course, are still very much being studied-and these systems are evolving fast — so this is just an assumption. This machine intelligence could upend much of the previous thinking on which kinds of jobs will be affected by automation.
1．What do the underlined words “the know-how and smarts” mean in paragraph 2
A．Experience and intelligence. B．Skills and potential.
C．Abilities and experience. D．Outlook and talents.
2．Who will gain more in this new AI era
A．The senior with high rank. B．The new with little experience.
C．The learned with great credit. D．The poor with practical skills.
3．Which statement will Erik probably agree with
A．The fast development of AI will promote the division of inequality.
B．The best of all walks of life will survive the competition against AI systems.
C．Giant Al companies will be the winner in the future world of new AI systems.
D．Lower rank workers with little knowledge are bound to be abandoned by employers.
4．Which of the following is the best title for the text
A．The Fast Growth of the World B．The Influence of the Inequality
C．The Impact of the AI System D．The Future of the AI Generation
（2023·陕西宝鸡·统考二模）A new study released in the journal Plant and Cell Physiology suggests that ethanol —or alcohol —can help plants survive in times of drought, even for as long as two weeks without water.
To come up with their finding, the researchers grew wheat and rice plants, regularly watering them, and then added ethanol to the soil in one group of plants over three days. They then kept both groups deprived of(中断) water for two weeks and found that drunk plants grew better than untreated ones. Around 75% of the drunk wheat and rice plants survived after rewatering, while less than 5% of the untreated plants did.
The study also looked at how ethanol protected a plant. Using arabidopsis, a small plant commonly used in experiments, the researchers discovered that when ethanol-treated specimens (样品) were deprived of water, tiny openings on the leaves’ surface closed up to preserve water and heat.
The team studied arabidopsis’ gene (基因) expression and found that the ethanol-treated plants started behaving if they were experiencing drought, even before they were actually deprived of water. This gene expression gave the plants an advantage in preparing for a drought.
The researchers said, “The finding is not just useful for the world’s gardens, but also for farms growing vital crops like rice and wheat. Drought-resistant crops could help achieve sustainable food security, which is an issue affecting many parts of the world right now.” They added that ethanol was a useful and simple way to increase food production all over the world in times of drought. “The application of ethanol to plants would be a potent agricultural method to enhance drought resistance in various plants,” said Motoaki Seki, the study’s lead author. But, he warned that the ethanol needed to be used reasonably as higher concentration of ethanol prevented plants growing. Seki added, “We will soon begin testing ethanol on plants in real fields. ”
5．What did the researchers find in their study
A．Plants produce ethanol in times of drought. B．Drunk plants could live longer without water.
C．There is no need to water house plants every day. D．It requires more water to grow wheat in the field.
6．What do the researchers expect of the finding
A．It will cut the cost of food production. B．It will bring about the change of diet.
C．It will help maintain global food security. D．It will generate increases in food price.
7．What does the underlined word “potent” in the last paragraph mean
A．Difficult. B．Effective. C．Similar. D．Primary.
8．What does Seki want to stress about ethanol in the text
A．It would fit all kinds of plants. B．It has been applied to real fields.
C．It should be used in proper amount. D．It enables wheat plants to grow fast.
（2023·贵州遵义·统考三模）Joseph Dituri hasn’t seen the sun for days. And he won’t see it again for months. Since March 1, the bio-medical engineer has been underwater, with the goal of spending 100 days there—for science.
The underwater living, if successful, will also break the current world record for time spent living underwater, which was set by two Tennessee biologists in 2014 when they stayed beneath the surface for 73 days.
Dituri, who uses the nickname Dr. Deep Sea, is living in Jules’ Undersea Lodge (小屋) in Key Largo, Florida—the same underwater spot where the previous record was set. The 100-square-foot hotel, which sits 30 feet below the surface, is his intended home until June 9, where he’ll be carrying out research and giving virtual lectures for his students at the University of South Florida.
As part of this research, Dituri is researching the effects of living in a high-pressure environment for an extended period. To keep water from entering the lodge, air must constantly be pumped into the space, which creates a pressure about 1.6 times that of Earth’s surface.
“The human body has never been underwater that long, so I will be monitored closely,” Dituri says in a press release. “This study will examine every way this journey affects my body.” Before taking the dive, Dituri had psychosocial, psychological and medical tests. He will continue to have testing during and after his 100 days at the lodge. He’s also taking doses of Vitamin D and keeping regular psychological appointments.
Beyond research, the project is also a chance to promote ocean protection and encourage young scientists. “The oceans are in a bit of trouble―the coral reefs are under attack, and the fishing industry is collapsing,” Thane Milhoan, habitat operations manager for Jules’ Undersea Lodge, says in a video. “We wanted to make use of the attention that the 100-day mission would demand to inspire the youth, more so than anybody, to get involved and start taking action.”
9．What is the reason for Joseph Dituri’s living underwater
A．To enjoy a unique hotel. B．To do scientific research.
C．To break the world record. D．To promote an undersea lodge.
10．How do the researchers keep water out of the lodge
A．By pumping air into the lodge. B．By increasing the water pressure.
C．By changing the underwater spot. D．By extending the surface of the hotel.
11．Why is Dituri always taking tests
A．To keep a positive mood. B．To adapt to the environment.
C．To see the effects of the study on him. D．To examine the change of the surroundings.
12．What does the underlined word “collapsing” in the last paragraph mean
A．Breaking down. B．Coming out.
C．Operating well. D．Growing fast.
（2023·重庆·重庆一中校考三模）If you’ve ever emerged from the shower or returned from your walk with a clever idea or a solution to a problem you had been struggling with, it may not be a surprise. Rather than constantly concentrating on a problem, research from the last 15 years suggests that people may be more likely to have creative breakthroughs when they’re doing a habitual task that doesn’t require much thought.
“People always get surprised when they realize they get interesting, novel ideas at unexpected times,” says Kalina Christoff, a scientist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, “because our culture tells us that we should do it through hard work.”
Now researchers begin to understand why these clever thoughts occur during more passive activities and what’s happening in the brain. They have found that the key is a series of brain activities—within what’s called the default mode (DM) network—that occur while an individual is resting or performing habitual tasks that don’t require much attention.
“Simply put, it is a state that your brain returns to when you’re relaxed,” explains Christoff. “By contrast, when you’re working on a demanding task, the brain’s executive control (EC) systems keep your thinking focused, analytical, and logical.”
Researchers find that the DM network is also involved in the early stages of idea generation, drawing from past experiences and knowledge about the world. When your mind wanders, you’re allowing thoughts to playfully cross your mind, which helps you combine information and ideas in new ways and something clicks.
“A cautionary note: While the DM network plays a key role in the creative process, it is the EC systems that help you to evaluate and apply the creative ideas effectively to your problems in the real world,” Christoff says. “So it’s unwise to place blind faith in the discovery that creative ideas can be generated in the shower or during any other kinds of mind wandering. Instead, you have to do the work to set the groundwork for creative ideas to emerge in the first place.”
13．What is the most unlikely function of the EC systems
A．To start your thinking process. B．To help you analyze.
C．To let you get novel ideas D．To keep you focused.
14．What do the underlined words “something clicks” in paragraph 5 probably mean
A．A clever idea occurs. B．Something drops down.
C．A memory disappears. D．A funny thought happens.
15．What is Kalina Christoff’s attitude to the culture of hard work
A．Disapproving. B．Positive. C．Doubtful. D．Unconcerned.
16．Which statement might the author agree with
A．Practice makes perfect.
B．Where there is a will, there is a way.
C．Everything comes to him who waits.
D．All work and no break makes Jack a dull boy.
（2023·湖北·开滦第二中学校考模拟预测）Whales are threatened by a variety of human activities off the West Coast of the United States, including fishing, ship traffic, and pollution. They have bad effects on whale populations, but are rarely addressed by current whale-protection policies in California, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.
The study, published for open access this week in the journal Marine Policy, examines the main causes of death for nine whale species in the California Current Ecosystem, which stretches from British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico. The whales considered in the study include gray, blue, fin, minke, North Pacific right, and killer whales.
“We find that it is people that deem fishing causes whale death,” said co-leading author Eliza Oldach. “But a number of human activities have made the modern ocean a really tough environment for whales to survive. We’re excited about efforts that look broadly to rebuild healthy oceans.”
The report found that main contributors to whale death are currently, targeted with relevant policy responses: noise, water quality and marine (海洋的) rubbish. But three other threats-nutritional stress, disease and predation (捕食) -need to also be considered to provide a more whole approach toward managing whale deaths.
“Gray whales migrate (迁徙) over 5,000 miles between their breeding grounds at either end of the California Current,” said co-leading author Helen Killeen. “Throughout their journey, they must pass through a large number of human activities, fighting with changes to their environment caused by climate change.”
The study comes as the California Ocean Protection Council (COPC) aims to develop a plan for achieving zero death for whales in the California Current Ecosystem this year. Achieving such a goal requires understanding the key drivers of whale deaths and opportunities for policy change, the report said.
17．Which activity will lead to whales’ death
A．Going fishing with your friends in a river. B．Playing with your friends beside the sea.
C．Going sailing with your family on weekends. D．Throwing rubbish in the sea as you are playing.
18．What’s meaning of the underlined word “deem” in Paragraph 3
A．Catch. B．Complain. C．Think. D．Describe.
19．What can we learn from Helen’s words
A．Gray whales are fond of travelling. B．Gray whales’ migration is full of danger.
C．Human being is the only killer of whales. D．Whales’ death is mainly caused by climate.
20．What should COPC do prevent whales’ death
A．Get rid of the present policy. B．Plant more trees along the sea.
C．Know what actually leads to it. D．Find a right place for them to live.
（2023·福建泉州·泉州五中校考一模）Every 40 days a language dies. This “catastrophic” loss is being intensified by the climate crisis, according to linguists. If nothing is done, conservative estimates suggest half of all the 7000 languages currently spoken will be extinct by the end of the century.
Speakers of minority languages have experienced a long history of persecution (迫 害), with the result that by the 1920s half of all indigenous (土著的) languages in Australia, the US, South Africa and Argentina were extinct. The climate crisis is now considered the “final nail in the coffin” for many indigenous languages and the knowledge they represent.
“Languages are already endangered,” says Anastasia Richl, director of the Strathy language unit at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Huge factors are globalization and migration, as communities move to regions where their language is not spoken or valued, according to Richl. “It seems particularly cruel, ” she says, “ that most of the world’s languages are in parts of the world that are growing unpleasant to people. ” Vanuatu, a South Pacific island nation measuring 12, 189 km2, has 110 languages, the highest density (密度) of languages on the planet. It is also one of the countries most at risk of sea level rise. “Many small language communities are on islands and coastlines easily subject to hurricanes and sea level rise,” she says. Others live on lands where rising temperature threatens traditional farming and fishing practices, leading to migration.
In response to the crisis, the UN launched the International Decade of Indigenous Languages in 2022. Promoting and conserving languages of indigenous communities is “ not only important for them, but for all humanity, ” said Csaba Korosi, the UN general assembly president, urging countries to allow access to education in indigenous languages.
21．What does the underlined phrase “final nail in the coffin” in paragraph 2 mean
A．The last straw.
B．The last challenge.
C．The last possibility.
D．The last opportunity.
22．Why is Vanuatu mentioned in paragraph 3
A．To explain the main reason for language density.
B．To show the common features of endangered languages.
C．To stress the impact of geographical position on migration.
D．To illustrate the situation of minority language communities.
23．What does the International Decade of Indigenous Languages aim to do
A．Support migrants to access local education.
B．Discourage people from massive migration.
C．Improve the living conditions of minority groups.
D．Preserve the languages of indigenous communities.
24．Which of the following is the best title for the text
A．Faced with Disasters: Communities Have to Leave
B．Lost for Words: Climate Crisis Brings Threat of Catastrophe
C．Upset at Extinction: UN Urges International Cooperation
D．Involved in Action: Experts Seek Solutions to Climate Crisis
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