山东省威海市2015届高三第二次高考模拟

researchers were able to determine its age by studying the surrounding rocks and soil. The skull indicates that the animal was about the size of a clouded leopard, which can grow up to 50 pounds. In 2012, the team returned to unearth more cat bones.

David Polly from Indiana University told the Associated Press that the fossil is

―convincingly older than the current record holder‖. He added that there could be even older big cat fossils in the Tibetan plateau to uncover. 24. What does the newly unearthed skull prove?

A. Big cats might have their origins in Asia. B. The oldest fossil is 4.4 million years old. C. The snow leopard is the oldest big cat. D. The skull is of big cats’ direct ancestor. 25. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 3 mean?

A. relatives.

B. enemies.

C. partners.

D. protectors

26. How do the researchers know the skull’s age?

A. By measuring its size and forehead. B. By examining other bones around it. C. By studying its chemical composition.

D. By exploring the rocks and soil around it.

27. Where was ―the current record holder‖ in the last paragraph found?

A. Asia.

B. Africa.

C. America. C

British planning experts are heading to China to advise on building cities that do not damage the environment. They will address mayors on the need to avoid U.S. Model by building dense(稠密的) cities with low-carbon buildings and good public transport. Their visit follows a report warning that the road-based U.S. Model could make climate change impossible to control. Europe’s densely-populated cities, with strong public transport links, are held up as an example for China to follow. By good planning and spending a little more, livable new cities could be built with low-carbon infrastructure(基础设施). In China many institutions are taking the climate more seriously than before and the traveling group from Britain’s Town and Country Planning Association will meet officials from the Chinese government’s economic research agency in a workshop on low-carbon buildings.

They will also meet officers in fast-growing Shenyang, which has more than six million inhabitants(居民). On another day they will present their ideas at the National Academy. Several of China’s major cities suffer heavy traffic jams. Some of their leaders are now looking for new

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D. Australia.

ideas to make cities more densely-populated, while the mayors of some fast-growing cities are hoping to build in a less energy-consuming way.

China also suffers a crisis of agricultural land, so high-density planning has many benefits. Kate Henderson said ―As more and more people across the world move from rural to urban areas we must guarantee our cities grow stably.‖ This means delivering schools, parks and public transport alongside employment areas and housing. ―We look forward to sharing our thinking on how Garden City principles can be applied—both to creating new cities and to renewing existing ones.‖

28. Why does the writer mention U.S. Model in the passage?

A. To show the advantages of Europe’s Model. B. To enrich our knowledge about City Model. C. To tell us its disadvantages and give us a warning. D. To convey American experts’ views on city planning. 29. What is unique for Europe’s densely-populated cities?

A. The road-based Model is good for the environment. B. It can speed up the growth of the newly-built cities. C. Its inhabitants enjoy the convenience of the wide roads. D. Its designs focus on low-carbon buildings and public transport. 30. What does the underlined word ―they‖ in Para3 refer to? A. British planning experts. C. Officers from Shenyang.

B. Mayors from China’s major cities. D. Leaders from Chinese institutions.

31. What is the best way to make Chinese cities grow stably?

A. By saving more agricultural lands. B. By building apartments near working areas. C. By persuading people to move to rural parts. D. By building environment-friendly dense cities.

D

Run, swim, lift weights, do yoga—do something, because it’s good for you. Many studies tell us that regular exercise not only helps our bodies but improves memory, and eases anxiety. But what is happening to the mind during workout to create all these benefits?

A new study from Sweden suggests that a specific protein found in trained muscles might

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contribute to exercise's mental benefits. This protein, the researchers found, might help our bodies process molecules that, if out of balance, can stress us and contribute to depression(萎靡不振). The findings were published in the journal Cell.

To test this, the researchers kept attacking some mice with flashing lights, loud noises and interrupting their sleep for weeks. Predictably, this treatment makes the mice show signs and biochemical markers of depression.

But not all the mice showed those signs. One group, specially raised to have high levels of a protein called PGC-1alpha1 (the one in trained muscles), did not show those depression signs. PGC-1alpha1 increases production of an enzyme that breaks down a chemical called kynurenine. Kynurenine helps the body respond to an activated immune system(活性免疫系统), but it also plays a role in depression.

―Our original research assumption was that trained muscle would produce a substance(物质) with beneficial effects on the brain,‖ Jorge Ruas of the Karolinska Institute told Forbes.com. ―We actually found the opposite: well-trained muscle produces an enzyme that removes harmful substances away from the body.‖

This study was in mice, but it lines up nicely with all the other lines of evidence that exercise is good for mental health.

32. According to the study, which of the following is bad for your mental health?

A. Protein.

B. Molecule.

C. Enzyme.

D. Kynurenine

33. What conclusion have the researchers drawn from the study? A. Unbalanced exercise leads you to depression. B. Well-fed mice survive better though being ill-treated. C. Trained muscle produces a substance good for brain. D. Regular exercise helps to clear rubbish away from body. 34. According to the last paragraph, the result of the study is _____. A. reliable

B. doubtful

C. predictable

D. ambiguous

35. What’s the main idea of the passage? A. Why do you need regular exercise? C. How does exercise help your brain?

B. What matters most for your body? D. Why are mice chosen for the study?

第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10 分）

根据短文内容，从短文后的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。

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I believe the very nature of writing is to set the writer free, not to impress readers. I encourage my students to write freely. By now we taste the goodness of free writing and enjoy it very much. And I imagine you may have tons of questions about free writing.

First, how to improve my logic?

36 The power of writing has to do with its emotion, and logic, and therefore we try extra hard to be logical—but this kind of forced logic is not something we can force on ourselves, or on our writings. When we let our emotional voice come out freely, our logical voice will also come out—that is the charm of free writing. Read your own free writings, you will find many free writings are quite logical indeed. You are not that illogical as you thought of yourself.

37

Yes, sometimes our ideas are boring, sometimes we are boring people—so what? Who says we have to be amazing all the time? Let’s respect our human reality. The good thing we need to do is to continue to write patiently. Persistence wins the battle. Sometimes the idea may seem boring to us, but as we continue to write, something else will come up. 38 Our writing does not have to be immortal or amazing. Writing is just one way to express ourselves. Please don’t worship writing.

Now, what if my writing often shows my dark side that I don’t want to see at all?

39 As human beings we all have our dark sides; what is the right way for us to become better people? To face them honestly or to hide them and pretend they never exist? Honesty is always the best policy. Our dark sides need to be expressed, and free writing is a perfect outlet. The miracle is, after you express yourself truthfully, you will have less negative emotions, you will be more at peace with yourself, and have more compassion(同情) toward others. 40 Many of my students have experienced the healing effects of free writing. And I believe you will experience the same wonderful healing.

A. This is a very honest question. B. Logic is only one aspect in writing. C. Then, what if my ideas are boring? D. And free writing is exactly the opposite. E. We write to free ourselves, and also to free others. F. Have you ever wondered why free writing sets us free? G. Our goal is not to amaze people, but to express ourselves.

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