题型：任务型阅读 题类：常考题 难易度：困难
江苏省扬州市2017-2018学年高二下学期英语期末考试试卷
It is easy to miss amid the day-to-day headlines of global economic recession, but there is a less obvious kind of social upheaval（剧变）underway that is fast changing both the face of the planet and the way human beings live. That change is the rapid growth in urbanization. In 2008, for the first time in human history, more than half the world's population was living in towns and cities. And as a recently published paper shows, the process of urbanization will only accelerate in the decades to come—with an enormous impact on biodiversity and potentially on climate change.
As Karen Seto, the lead author of the paper, points out, the wave of urbanization isn't just about the migration of people into urban environments, but about the environments themselves becoming bigger to provide enough room for all those people. The rapid expansion of urban areas will have a huge impact on biodiversity hotspots and on carbon emissions in those urban areas.
Humans are the ultimate invasive species-when they move into new territory, they often displace the wildlife that was already living there. And as land is cleared for those new cities—especially in the dense tropical forests-carbon will be released into the atmosphere as well. It's true that as people in developing nations move from the countryside to the city, the shift may reduce the pressure on land, which could in turn be good for the environment. This is especially so in desperately poor countries, where residents in the countryside slash and burn forests each growing season to clear space for farming. But the real difference is that in developing nations, the move from rural areas to cities often leads to an accompanying increase in income—and that increase leads to an increase in the consumption of food and energy, which in turn causes a rise in carbon emissions. Getting enough to eat and enjoying the safety and comfort of living fully on the grid is certainly a good thing-but it does carry an environmental price.
The urbanization wave can't be stopped—and it shouldn't be. But Seto's paper does underscore the importance of managing that transition. If we do it the right way, we can reduce urbanization's impacts on the environment “There's an enormous opportunity here, and a lot of pressure and responsibility to think about how we urbanize,” says Seto. “One thing that's clear is that we can't build cities the way we have over the last couple of hundred years. The scale of this transition won't allow that.” We're headed towards an urban planet no matter what, but whether it becomes heaven or hell is up to us.
Title | Urbanization |
Present | Throughout the world, over half population live in urban areas with the process of urbanization still up in the coming decade. |
Characteristics | ·People into urban environments. ·Environments become bigger to all those from rural areas. |
| Biodiversity hot-spots and carbon emissions in the areas will be . |
Means of urbanization | the wildlife away from where they used to live. ·Clear land to make for new cities. more food and energy, causing a rise in carbon emissions. |
Conclusion | We should the way we have built cities so as to manage the transition and reduce the impacts on environment. |
The art of growing dwarf trees, or "bonsai"（盆景） as their Japanese planters call them, is increasing in popularity in the United States. Growing bonsai can make a fascinating hobby for anyone who enjoys plants and creating beautiful effects with them.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}．
In growing bonsai, in fact, one must be careful in choosing the type of tree, as the growing conditions are unusual.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}．Varieties of pines with small needles and hardwood trunks are especially suitable.
{#blank#}3{#/blank#}This is necessary because the major growth of bonsai is kept confined(被限制) to the tree's trunk and leaves, not its root system-a process quite unlike what is done with other plants.
Another thing the bonsai-grower must do is to trim （修整） the roots and branches of the tree periodically （定期地）. Unless this is done, the plants will not have the proper proportions(比例) and will look unnatural.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}
The last thing one must do is to be careful to keep the tree well-watered. Because bonsai are grown in smaller-than-usual containers, they often need more water than ordinary houseplants do.
As can be seen from the above, the art of bonsai-growing is one which requires a certain amount of time and effort.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Imagine having such a tree in your living room and passing it down through several generations of your family. That is exactly what bonsai-growing is all about: establishing a tradition of beauty which lasts for years and years and is a symbol of the beauties of the natural world.
A. Then one must be careful in choosing the size of the container. B. How can we meet the goal of making such a kind of art? C. Why do so many people take a fancy to the art of bonsai-growing. D. But one must get well prepared before starting bonsai-growing. E. The satisfactions that growing bonsai brings can be great, however. F. The ideal for bonsai plants are trees just like normal trees in everything but size. G. Not all species of trees can be made into bonsai. |
China is making great effort to protect its cultural relics. In early May, State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) added 1,943 unmovable cultural relics sites to the list. So the number of these sites on this list will increase to 4,295.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}The newly added sites were reviewed(评审) by more than 130 experts. They spread around Shanxi, Henan, Hunan, Hebei and Jiangsu provinces, including 795 pieces of ancient architecture and 516 ancient ruins.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}In an interview, the head of the SACH said that new types of cultural relics sites have been newly listed to get protection at first, including industrial relics, rural architecture and cultural landscapes.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}For example, some are in the north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.Despite great achievements during the years of effort, problems still exist.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Historic relics get stolen and antiques are taken abroad secretly.The head of the SACH said that people has faced a challenge to the protection of cultural relics for a long time. So, balancing the relationship between economic development and protection of history is important. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} He also used good examples of protection, describing how some cultural relics sites have become education bases for young people and popular tourist places, where a lot of people spend their holiday.
A. All of them need protecting as quickly as possible. B. They also include outstanding modern architecture. C. The SACH has found a total of 4,295 cultural relics. D. Many relics have been destroyed in the process of urban construction. E. Cultural relics sites should become positive factors to improve economic development. F. When talking about protecting the cultural relics, the head of SACH ordered some to be saved. G. Moreover, many of the new sites also include valuable cultural relics from ethnic minority regions(少数民族地区). |
Brainstorming for Ideas
Try blind writing. When trying to get past a writing block or a brainstorming lag, take at least ten minutes to sit down and write. Force yourself to write for the full ten minutes, no matter what comes of it. The act of putting pen to paper will stimulate the part of your mind that generates ideas.
Make a mind map. Mind mapping is a brainstorming strategy that allows you to map out different tangents of thought to stimulate new ideas. Get a piece of paper, poster board, or whiteboard and write your goal in the center. Write subtopics and related thoughts around the goal, and continue branching out from them to develop your train of thought. For example, a mind map about the environmental goal “Going Green” could branch into subtopics such as “Reducing Waste”, “Eco-travel”, and “Global Warming”.
Attempt “rolestorming”. For a fresh perspective on a topic，attempt “rolestorming”. Picture yourself as someone else (e.g. a parent, friend, colleague, or partner) and imagine how you would approach a scenario as them. You can extend this brainstorming technique to famous people or historical figures (e.g. Albert Einstein, Bill Gates).
Try meditation. To open your mind to new ideas, try meditation. Find a peaceful place to sit quietly and focus on the question at hand (e.g. “How can I promote my new business on my limited budget?”). Bring a pen and paper to jot down ideas, and meditate for about 30 minutes, or until a good idea comes to you. To avoid worrying about the time, set an alarm on your phone to signal the 30 minute mark.
Remove limitations. Remove the limitations that may be hindering your brainstorming progress by approaching the subject as if there were no obstacles. While this process may not yield feasible solutions right away, it will open your mind to possibilities you would not look at otherwise. For instance, when planning a surprise party, you might overlook certain venues because of financial constraints, such as an expensive French restaurant that your friend would love to try. By allowing your mind to go there during brainstorming, you might get the idea to simulate the restaurant and meal for a house party.
Discuss things in a group. Group brainstorming sessions can allow you to develop your thoughts by feeding off of the ideas of others. If you are working on a group project or collaboration, schedule brainstorming time in a quiet location with no disturbance. If you are working on your own project, ask friends or colleagues if you can bounce ideas off of them and get their input.
Brainstorming for Ideas | |
Passage outline | Supporting details |
Try blind writing. | •Force yourself to write for the full ten minutes,{#blank#}1{#/blank#} comes of it. •The part of your mind that generates ideas will be {#blank#}2{#/blank#} by the act of putting pen to paper. |
Make a mind map. | •Mind mapping is a brainstorming strategy allowing you to find out different ways to stimulate new ideas. • Get a piece of paper, poster board, or whiteboard and write your {#blank#}3{#/blank#} in the center. • Branch out from subtopics and related thoughts to {#blank#}4{#/blank#} your train of thought. |
{#blank#}5{#/blank#} “rolestorming”. | •Picture yourself as someone else and imagine how you would approach a scenario as them. • This brainstorming technique can be {#blank#}6{#/blank#} to famous people or historical figures. |
Try meditation. | •Find a peaceful place to sit quietly and focus on the question at hand. •Bring a pen and paper to jot down ideas, and meditate for about 30 minutes, or until you {#blank#}7{#/blank#} up with a good idea. |
Remove limitations. | • {#blank#}8{#/blank#} the limitations that may be hindering your brainstorming progress by approaching the subject as if there were no obstacles. • While this process may not bring out practical solutions {#blank#}9{#/blank#}, it will open your mind to other possibilities. |
Discuss things in a group. | • When cooperating with others, remember to brainstorm quietly without being {#blank#}10{#/blank#}. |
试题篮
