41. What does the underlined word “embodies” in Paragraph 4 probably mean? A. Be an example of.B. Be the reason for. C. Be similar to.D. Be modeled after.
42. Which of the following is Changing Gears’ duty? A. Making bike donations. B. Offering help to the poor people. C. Improving bike-riding techniques.
D. Drawing people’s attention to bike enterprises.
C
“When I grow up, I want to be a runner.” These words are spoken bythousands of Kenyan children. 50 percent of the Kenyan top runners are members of Kalenjin, one minority race of the country. They make up less than two percent of Kenya’s population.This fact has puzzled sports scientists. They have spent considerable time and effort trying to answer one question: What enables the Kalenjin people to run so fast?
Although the question seems simple, ?nding the answer has proven to be difficult and controversial. A team of Danish sports scientists spent 18 months and discovered the Kalenjins had remarkably slow heart rates even when running long distances. Kalenjins live in high-elevation（高海拔） villages in the Rift Valley in western Kenya. People living at high elevations produce more red blood cells, which aid in the transport of oxygen throughout the body. Because the air is thinner and contains less oxygen at high elevations, the body produces more red blood cells. Scientists believe there is a connection between increased red blood cells and low heart rates and that both may enable high-altitude athletes to outperform those who train at low altitudes. The Danish scientists also studied the bodies of the Kalenjins and compared them to those of the Danes. They found that the Kalenjins have longer “birdlike” legs. The Kalenjins also have lower body mass indexes (a measure of body fat based on weight and height) and shorter bodies than Danish people.
As a result of the Danish study, some scientists made theconclusion that the Kalenjins possess what is called a “speed gene（基因）.” However, Kenyan runners were offended by this conclusion. They credited their success to hard work and endless hours of training.
Although the controversy over the “speed gene” remains unsolved, British runner Mo Farah’s experience offers an interesting perspective on the subject. In 2005, he realized he wasn’t meeting his potential as a runner. A group of Kenyan runnerswere training in England then. After he accidentally observed the Kenyans’ strict training routines and dedication to their sport, Farah said it was like a switch had been turned on in his head. He began eating healthy foods, going to bed early, and training harder than he had ever trained in his life. As a result, Farah’s running career exploded. He has won seven world and Olympic titles in the 5000m and regularly beats Kenya’s top runners!
Farah’s story proves what Kenyans have known all along. Regardless of genetics, their
6
success would not be possible without hard work, dedication, sacri?ce, and mental toughness. Their “secret” is simple. Train hard, run fast, and never give up. 43. What interested the sport scientists? A. Kenyan sport history. B. Kanlenjins’ running ability. C. Kanlenjins’ training methods. D. Kenyans’enthusiasm for sport.
44. According to Danishscientists, what leads to Kanlenjins’ success? A. Physical condition.B. Living style. C. Hard training.D. Strong will.
45. How did Kenyan runners think about Danish research result? A. Convincing.
B. Unacceptable.
C. Astonishing.
D. Important.
46. Why is Mo Farah’s story mentioned in the passage? A. To show running methods count. B. To encourage British athletes. C. To prove effort pays off. D. To support gene theory.
D
Earth is experiencing its sixth mass extinction: somewhere between 30 and 159 species（物种） disappear every day, and more than 300 types of animals have died out since 1500. This is not good for the future of life on our planet, but what if we could make some of the extinct species come back to life? Thanks to ongoing advances in DNA recovery and cloning technology, de-extinction may soon be realized, and we may see Tasmanian Tigers, or Dodo Birds back into existence in the near future.
Some scientists are confident and optimistic about de-extinction. They think that the best reasons for de-extinction have more to do with ecology than tourism. “If this is always going to be a zoo animal, then stop,” saysBen Novak, the lead researcherat Revive & Restore—a foundation devoted to rescuing endangered and extinct species in San Francisco, California. “The goals have to be about ecological restoration and function.”
Take passenger pigeons for example. Their numbers reached nearly 5 billion at the start of the 19thcentury, and they played an important role in shaping the forests they inhabited（居住）. After their extinction, the forests have never been the same. “The passenger pigeon is a very important ecological species if we want their original habitat back.” Novak says.
However, we need to think twice about Novak’s idea. Any new scientific initiative is bound to have risks, so is de-extinction. Although some assume that de-extinction may help the environment, we can’t be so sure. The de-extinct animals would now be strangers to their habitats. As the habitat is no longer what it was, the species role within the ecosystem may have also changed. This could be actually a threat to the other species within the environment as the
7
de-extinct animals enter the area and compete for food sources. Once again we’re trying to force nature to act in a certain way, rather than letting it remain natural.
Many scientists also believe that priorities（优先权） would change within the conservation of currently endangered species. Would we still put in the effort to preserve living animals if we knew we could just magically bring them back from the dead? Douglas McCauley, an ecologist at University of California, Santa Barbara, stresses this worry. “Honestly, the thing that scares me most is that the public absorbs the misimpression that extinction is no longer scary. The general attitude becomes: Deforest, no worry, we can reforest. If we drive something extinct, no worry, we can de-extinct it.” said McCauley.
It seems that with the subject of de-extinction, we must look at our reasons for doing such a thing. Yes, we may, in the near future, be able to de-extinct the extinct species. But does that mean we should? Are the risks really worth it? Does it make sense to focus on the dead than the living? And who are we truly benefiting in the end? 47. Ben Novak probably agrees that ___________. A. the value of de-extinctionlies in tourism B. de-extinct animals are unfit to live in the zoo C. de-extinction results from the change of ecosystem D. de-extinction aims to bring back former environment 48. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 5? A. People’s impressions on lost species.
B. Change of public attitude towards de-extinction. C. Importance of the conservation of living animals.
D. Effects of de-extinction on the protection of endangered species. 49. What is the author’s attitude toward de-extinction? A. Optimistic.
B. Doubtful.
C. Neutral.
D. Supportive.
50. Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
I: Introduction P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion
8
第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，共10分）
根据短文内容，从短文后的七个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
It is sometimes thought that the longing for material goods, the need to buy things, is a relatively modern invention. 51 Trade or shopping is certainly an ancient desire, and existed before our ancestors invented writing, laws, cities or farming, even before they used metal to make tools.
Humans are born to trade. 52 Evidence from hunter-gatherers suggests that the exchange of food and other necessary things comes naturally, as well as the ability to keep a record of the credits involved. And once trade begins, the benefits are hard to resist.
Ancient local coastal people in northern Australia traded fish hooks, along a chain of trading partners, with people living 400 miles inland, who cut and polished local stone to make axes（斧子）. 53 Finally, both groups of“producers”,by concentrating on things theycould produceand exchanging them for other things they needed, benefited as a result.
Trade in the necessities of life, such as food and simple tools, is not really surprising, considering the link between these basic items and survival. What is surprising, though, is that our taste for unnecessary expensive objectsalso goes back a long way.
In South Africa, 100,000-year-old decorative dyes（染料） have been found in an area where none were produced. 54 Small round pieces of glass 76,000 years old were also found at the same place. The earliest jewellery known to us were not just random findings—they were grouped together in size and had holes like those used for threading onto a necklace.
Archaeologists argue that trade prepared the way for the complex societies in which we live today. 55 However, their modern equivalents—fast cars and expensive clothes—hold the same attraction for us as “trade goods” did for people 100,000 years ago.
A. And we don’t need shops or money to do it. B. These are powerful evidence for cash purchase. C. In fact, its roots go back to the beginning of humanity. D. However, first trade began from the exchange of objects.
E. Modern-day shoppers may not be impressed by ancient glass pieces. F. It is thought that these goods were bought at least 30 kilometres away.
G. Every individual along the chain made a profit,even if he produced neither himself.
9
第三部分：书面表达（共两节，35分） 第一节（15分）
你的英国朋友Jim来信邀请你高考后去英国度假。请你给他回信，内容包括： 1、表示感谢； 2、对邀请做出回复； 3、说明做出该回复的理由。 注意：1. 词数不少于50。 Yours, Li Hua
（请务必将作文写在答题卡指定区域内）
第二节（20分）
假设你是红星中学高三学生李华。请根据以下四幅图的先后顺序，写一篇英文日记，记录你陪美国朋友Mike游览颐和园的全过程。
注意：词数不少于60。
2. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Jim,
May 1st, Tuesday Fine
（请务必将作文写在答题卡指定区域内）
10
第一部分： 知识运用（共两节，45分）
第一节 单项填空（共15小题；每小题1分，共15分） 1．C
2．D
3．D
4．A 13．A
5．A 6．D 7．B 14．B
15．C
23．B24．D25．D
8．C
9．B
10．C11．B 12．B
第二节 完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，共30分） 16. B 17. A 18. B 19. D 20. A21．A 22．C 26．A 27．B
28．C
第二部分：阅读理解（共两节，40分） 第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，共30分） 36．C 37．C 46．C 51．C
38．D
39．C 40．C41．A 42．B 48．D
49．B 53．G
43．B
44．A
45．B
47．D
50．A
54．F
55．E
29．B 30．D31．D 32．B 33．C 34．A 35．C
第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，共10分）
52．A
第三部分：书面表达（共两节，35分） 第一节（15分） Dear Jim,
Thank you very much for inviting me to the UK.
To tell the truth, I have been thinking about travelling abroad after the entrance examinations, so I’m glad to accept your invitation. The UK is the country I’ve longed to visit since I started to learn English. Apart from the language, the long history and beautiful scenery of your country also attract me greatly. And it’s a long time since you came to Beijing last time. I’m looking forward to seeing you again!
I just can’t wait to meet you in the UK! I’m sure we will have a great time together during the vacation! Yours Li Hua
第二节（20分）二、内容要点：1．到达公园 2．游园爬山 3．划船赏景 4．游园感受 May Fine
Today I accompanied Mike to the Summer Palace. It is unforgettable for both of us. Early in the morning, we arrived at the park, thrilled and delighted. Seeing the grand gate of the Summer Place, Mike felt quite amazed. As soon as we entered the park, Mike was attracted by the ancient buildings. Then we decided to climb to the top of the hill to enjoy the wonderful view.All the way up the hill, I told Mike the history of the Summer Palace. He was deeply absorbed in the stories and impressed by the beauty of the palaces and the scenery of the park.
Later, we went boating on the Kunming Lake. Mike was interested in the long bridge over the lake and took a lot of photos. Meanwhile, I explained to him why the bridge was constructed like this.
Before we knew it, the sun was setting. It was time to leave. Mike couldn’t help expressing his admiration at Chinese architecture. When I heard what he said, I was filled with pride!
11
1st,
Tuesday