2024届高三新高考适应性考试专项训练阅读理解(三)
————编写者：2024届高三英语备课组
A
Sitting on the edge of the world, Sydney is considered as one of the world's greatest cities. Here are some things you should do and see in Sydney.
1. Explore Sydney's hottest neighborhood
Many big-ticket attractions can be found in or around the Circular Quay area, right by the port. Here, you can get on ferries (渡轮) to faraway islands or go exploring on foot with the Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Gardens and Museum of Contemporary all nearby.
2. Take side trips
Popular among outdoor types, the rough Blue Mountains—about two hours by train west of the city —
promises winter skiing, excellent hiking and kangaroo sightings. Walking through the national park, travelers will watch forests, waterfalls, natural caves, small villages and rock formations.
The Hunter Valley, just a two-hour drive north of Sydney, is Australia's oldest wine region. Most vineyards (葡萄园) are family-owned, focusing on small production. Wine is more personal here.
3. Stay in style
The classic Langham Hotel is located just west of Circular Quay, offering easy access to the famous port. As you explore its beautiful corridors (走廊), look for contemporary artworks from around the world— The Langham Hotel has the largest art gathering (more than $1 million worth) in Australia.
Meanwhile, those seeking a more relaxed experience can go camping on Cockatoo Island-just a quick boat ride from Circular Quay.
4. Travel tips
·Leaving tips at the bar or for a taxi isn't expected, but it's appreciated. ·When riding in a taxi alone, it's customary to sit in the front seat. ·Bring sun cream, sunglasses and hat—whatever the season.
·On Sundays, families enjoy discounted fares on Sydney's ferries and trains. 1．What can you do in the Blue Mountains? A．Explore the artificial caves. C．Taste locally produced wine.
B．Watch the lovely kangaroos. D．Admire the unique corridors.
- 1 -
2．What makes the Langham Hotel special? A．Its ideal location.
C．Its big collection of artworks.
B．Its first-class service. D．Its modern architectural style.
3．Which of the following is strongly suggested about touring Sydney? A．Ensure sun protection. C．Sit behind the driver in a taxi.
B．Offer bar tips. D．Travel by train.
B
Experts have long predicted that 3D printing will revolutionize (变革) the construction industry. The world's first two-story home printed in a single piece emerged in Antwerp, Belgium.
“What makes this house so unique is that we printed it with a fixed 3D concrete printer,” said Emiel Ascione, project manager at Kamp Construction Company, which pioneered the project. “Other houses that were printed around the world only have one floor. In many cases, the components were printed in a factory and were fitted together on-site. We, however, printed the entire building envelope in one piece on-site.”
The construction process began in November 2024 and took only 3 weeks, with the delivery of a massive 32-foot x 32-foot cement (水泥) 3D printer, known as BOD2. While it needed some human help to set up, once in operation, BOD2 was fully autonomous, requiring just one person to monitor the work from a nearby computer. The two-story, 986-square-foot home, which has a small kitchen, two living rooms and a bathroom, as well as many human-installed eco-friendly features, such as underfloor heating and solar panels, was open from July 2024 to the end of September. It is aimed to encourage the construction industry to adopt emerging 3D printing technologies in its construction techniques.
“The 3D printed structure cost about 60 percent less than a typical brick home and was also much stronger,” Ascione said. “It shows the construction industry the accessibility and potential of this technique.”
This is not the only 3D printed housing project in the works. In Tabasco, Mexico, the world's first 3D printed neighborhood has been built. The two-bedroom homes, designed to accommodate the homeless, are strong enough to withstand natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes. At this rate, 3D printers may soon become a fixture at construction sites worldwide. 4．What is BOD2 used for? A．Producing concrete.
C．Making engineering drawings.
B．Printing building outlines. D．Putting together house components.
5．What does the underlined word \ A．The construction process. C．The cement 3D printer.
B．The two-story house. D．The nearby computer.
- 2 -
6．Why was the two-story house open to the public?
A．To shelter the homeless. B．To attract more investment.
C．To demonstrate its multi-functions. D．To promote 3D printing in the building industry. 7．What can be the best title for the text?
A．3D Printing: A Solution to Housing Problems B．BOD2: New Trend of the Construction Industry C．Mexico's 3D Printed Neighborhood Is Well Received D．World's First Two story Home Was Wholly-printed in Belgium
C
In the past few decades, parental fears over their children's “fragile” egos (脆弱的自我) have dominated thinking. Rather than using failure to improve, participation and effort have become what is celebrated. Parents now see failure as a terrible disaster with negative consequences as opposed to something their children could recover and grow from.
In a recent study, administrators at Harvard observed that despite awesome grades, the kids entering college seem unable to take care of themselves and think for themselves. The study points to the fact that for all their lives their parents have taken care of every need, told them what path to follow and if any difficulty occurs, have made sure to fix it for them. As a result, children have lost the ability to feel competent and to be in charge of their own lives.
I was a baseball player. When the opportunity to coach my son's team came up, I was in two minds. I wanted my kids to do activities without their dad hanging around. But an old friend happened to be the head coach and he convinced me to help out. I coached it well, rarely having a hand in training my son. I found out the learning opportunities on and off the field were even better than I had imagined.
Last season, our team lost 0-13. In the post-game meeting, my message was, “You have to learn how to lose if you ever want to win.” When saying this to the team, I was met with blank stares. When I said it to the parents, there was some nodding but not everyone was on board. Shouldn't I be praising the kids for their every action? Why didn't I put only the best players at the “important” positions? How come I didn't replace kids who were struggling with players who could do better?
Luckily, the parents eventually got my message and I didn't get any push-back at all. They desired to learn more about life lessons that failure could teach their kids. And the team began to win games after early losses. 8．What does children's failure mean to parents? A．Children's self-reflection. B．Destructive effects on children. C．A steppingstone to children's success.
- 3 -
高中英语 高三新高考适应性考试专项训练阅读理解(三)
