2020 高考新冠病毒及其相关时事高考模拟命题阅读理解专题（二）
Passage 1：为什么年轻女性比男性更容易抑郁？词数 354 建议阅读时间 6 分钟
Social media anxiety
We say that technology is a double-edged sword –while it
brings convenience, it also brings new problems. The sword of
“social media” even has a gender preference in its damage: It cuts
deeper into girls than boys.
Earlier studies have shown that spending too much time on
social media is bad for teenagers’ mental health. Constantly watching their friends show off
“perfect” lives can hurt their own self-esteem (自尊). That’s not to mention the problems caused
by online shaming and bullying (霸凌).
Jean Twenge, a professor at San Diego State University in the US, recently discovered an
alarming trend: Since 2010, the number of teenage girls who suffer from major depression –
showing signs like self-harm and suicide (自杀) – has increased much faster than that of boys. In
an article she wrote at The Conversation, Twenge said social media, again, was to blame.
For starters, girls use social media more than boys. Boys tend to spend their screen time on
games, where they talk to their teammates through headphones. This counts as real human contact.
Girls, however, simply type and browse through posts, which is a much more isolated (孤立的)
experience. “They’re not having a real-time conversation with someone,” Mary Fristad,
psychologist at The Ohio State University, told NPR.
And when it comes to online shaming, girls are also more vulnerable than boys. “Girls face
more pressure about their appearance, which could be exacerbated (加重) by social media,” wrote
Twenge.
Shannon McLaughlin, for example, is an 18-year-old from Blackburn College in the US. She
shared with the Guardian how social media made her feel depressed. “I was constantly confronted
(面对) by women with skinny bodies who were praised for the way they looked. This was only made worse by the diet fixes and skinny culture,” she said. But McLaughlin found a solution. She
started volunteering with the National Citizen Service, where she made face-to-face contact with
people. “It’s so easy to forget the importance of real connections when we have hundreds of
people that we’re trying to impress at our fingertips,” she told the Guardian.
And she hopes that others “look up from their phones and focus more on the world around
them”.
1. What did Twenge find in her recent study?
A. Overuse of social media harms teenagers’ mental health.
B. Social media does more harm to girls than boys.
C. Girls suffered more from bullying than boys.
D. Online shaming and bullying are to blame for teenagers’ depression.
2. Why do girls tend to feel more isolated than boys online, according to Mary Fristad?
A. Girls have less real-time interaction with people.
B. Playing games allows boys to have more fun than girls.
C. Girls suffer more pressure on social media.
D. Girls usually desire more contact with others.
3. The underlined word “vulnerable” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to “_________”.
A. adjusting oneself well
B. fighting back bravely
C. being unconcerned about something
D. being likely to be at risk of something
4. What does McLaughlin advise teenage girls to do?
A. Ignore social media and stop following a diet.
B. Connect more with the real world.
C. Constantly take part in volunteer work.
D. Make better use of phones for socializing.
Passage 2：The world’s insects are going down the path of extinction ， threatening a “catastrophic
collapse of nature’s ecosystems”，according to the first global scientific review．More than 40％of
insect species are declining and third are endangered，the analysis found．The rate of extinction is
eight times faster than that of mammals，birds and reptiles．
“It should be of huge concern to all of us，for insects are at the heart of every food web．They
pollinate(授粉)the large majority of plant species，keep the soil healthy，recycle nutrients，control
pests ， and much more. Love them or 1oathe them, we humans cannot survive without
insects，”said Prof Dave Goulson at the University of Sussex in the UK．
The analysis ， published in the journal Biological Conservation, says intensive( 集 约
型 )agriculture is the main driver of the declines, particularly the heavy use of pesticides.
Urbanisation and climate change are also significant factors．
“If insect species losses cannot be stopped，this will have catastrophic consequences for both
the planet’s ecosystems and for the survival of mankind. It is very rapid. In 10 years you will have
a quarter less, in 50 years only half left and in 100 years you will have none, ”said review author
Francisco Sánchez-Bayo, at the University of Sydney, Australia．
One of the biggest impacts of insect loss is on many birds，reptiles, amphibians and fish that
eat insects. “If this food source is taken away, all these animals starve to death, ”he said. Such
effects have already been seen in Puerto Rico, where a recent study revealed a 98％fall in ground
insects over 35 years.
Matt Shardlow, at the conservation charity Buglife, said: “It is thoughtful to see this evidence
that shows the pitiful state of the world’s insect populations. It is increasingly obvious that the
planet’s ecology is breaking and there is a need for a strong and global effort to prevent and
change these terrible trends.”
1. Why are people worried about the insect decline?
A. They are vital to ecosystems． B. They provide food for pests．
C. They pollinate all plants． D. They enrich the soil．2. What is the main cause of insect losses?
A. More and more trees． B. Restrictions on pesticides．
C. Upgrading agriculture． D. Friendly environment．
3. Where can you find the exact time of insect losses?
A. In paragraph 1． B. In paragraph 2．C. In paragraph 3． D. In paragraph 4．
4. What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Humans can survive the punishment of nature
B. Insect declining is breaking nature’s ecosystems
C. Nature’s ecosystems are influenced by humans
D. Insects and animals are dying out in Puerto Rico
Passage1：为什么年轻女性比男性更容易抑郁？1-4：AADB
Passage2：1-4：ACDB
Passage 3:（为什么有些人不易被病毒感染）
Why are some people better able to fight off the flu than others? Part of the answer,
according to a new study, is related to the first flu strain we encounter in childhood.
Scientists from UCLA and the University of Arizona have found that people’s ability to fight
off the flu virus is determined not only by the sub types of flu they have had throughout their lives,
but also by the sequence (顺序) in which they have been infected by those viruses. Their study
was published in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens. The research offers an explanation for
why some people become much worse than others when infected with the same strain of the flu
virus.
In addition, UCLA scientists, including Professor James Lloyd-Smith, who was also a senior
author of the PLoS Pathogens research, recently completed a study that analyzed travel-related
screening for the novel coronavirus ( 冠 状 病 毒 ) 2019-nCoV. The researchers reported that screening travelers is not very effective for the 2019 coronavirus ― that it will catch less than half
of infected travelers, on average ― and that most infected travelers are undetectable, meaning that
they have no symptoms yet, and are unaware that they have been exposed. So stopping the spread
of the virus is not simply a matter of enhancing screening methods at airports and other travel
centers.
“This puts the onus (职责) on government officials and public health officials to follow up
with travelers after they arrive, to isolate them and trace their contacts if they get sick later,” said
Lloyd-Smith, a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. “Many governments have
started to impose quarantines ( 隔 离 ), or even travel bans, as they realize that screening is not
sufficient to stop the spread of the coronavirus.”
One major concern, Lloyd-Smith said is that other countries, especially developing nations,
lack the infrastructure and resources for those measures, and are therefore vulnerable to importing
the disease. “Much of the public health world is very concerned about the virus being introduced
into Africa or India, where large populations exist that do not have access to advanced medical
care,” he said.
1. What is the significance of the scientists’ research?
A. It explains the cause of the flu virus.
B. It reduces the risk of people being infected.
C. It analyzes people’s ability to fight off the virus.
D. It stops the spread of the flu virus all around the world.
2. What do we know about the novel coronavirus from Paragraph 3?
A. Travelers are at high risk of being exposed to it.
B. It is more difficult to stop its spread than expected.
C. Most travelers infected with it are detected by screening.
D. It spreads especially quickly at airports and railway stations.3. Why does the writer mention Lloyd-Smith’s words in Paragraph 4?
A. To persuade people not to travel.
B. To provide a method to kill the virus.
C. To show the harmful effects of the virus.
D. To stress the responsibilities of officials.
4. Which of the following best explains the underlined word “vulnerable” in the last paragraph?
A. Easy. B. Impossible. C. Responsible. D. Indifferent.
参考答案：1-4 C B D A
Passage 4:
This season, the bushfires in Australia have burned more than 12.35 million acres of land. At
least 25 people have been killed and 2000 homes destroyed. According to the BBC, this is the
most casualties （ 伤 亡 ） from wildfires in the country since 2009. The University of Sydney
estimates that 480 million animals have died in South Wales alone.
Zeke Hausfather, an energy systems analyst and climate researcher at Berkeley Earth, said
warmer temperatures and extreme weather have made Australia more susceptible to fires and
increased the length of the fire season. “The drier conditions combined with record high
temperatures in 2019 created main conditions for the disastrous fires. Australia’s fires were
worsened by the combination of those two. 2019 was the perfect storm for being the warmest year
on record for Australia and the driest year on record for Australia,” Hausfather added on Friday.
Kevin Trenberth, a senior scientist at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research, said
warmer ocean temperatures are also contributed to more variable weather around the world.
Trenberth believes that global warming contributed to energy imbalances and hot spots in the
oceans, which can create a wave in the atmosphere that locks weather patterns in places, causing
longer rain events in Indonesia, for example, and at the same time contributing to drought in
Australia. He said that once an area experiences drought conditions for two months or more, it increases the risk of fires catching and spreading. Those changing weather patterns due to global
warming make drought events longer.
Climate experts stress that climate change is not the only factor in the severity of wildfires.
How land is managed can also impact the amount of fuel available for fires. Practices like
controlled burns and other factors can impact the risk to people and property, such as warning
systems and the type of development in a given area. Changing those policies has great potential
to limit future damage from wildfires along with changes to how fire management resources are
dispatched（派遣）.
1. What are the numbers about in paragraph 1?
A. The causes of Australian fires. B. The results of Australian fires.
C. The damaged areas of Australian fires. D. The property destruction of Australian fires.
2. Which of the following best explains “susceptible to” in the second paragraph?
A. Very quickly to adapt to. B. Very seriously to focus on.
C. Very likely to be influenced by. D. Very easily to be protected against.
3. What can we infer from Trenberth’s research?
A. Global warming is the root cause of the bushfires.
B. Longer dry weather contributes to global warming.
D. Warmer ocean temperatures promote fires spreading.
C. The imbalanced energy leads to the temperature rising.
4. What does the author intend to do in the last paragraph?
A. To stress the effects of Australia fires.
B. To show the methods for controlling burns.
C. To predict the seriousness of Australia fires. D. To provide some advice about reducing damage.
【参考答案】B C A D
单词学习
1. estimate v. 估计
We estimate that 20 per cent of the harvest has been lost. 我们估计损失了 20%的收成。
2. susceptible adj. 易受影响的
Young people are the most susceptible to advertisements. 年轻人最容易受广告的影响。
3. disastrous adj. 灾难性的 a disastrous fire 严重火灾
4. contribute to sth. 是……的原因之一
The report says design faults in both the vessels contributed to the tragedy.
报道称这两艘船在设计上的缺陷是造成悲剧的原因。
5. dispatch v. 派遣；调遣
The goods are dispatched from a warehouse. 商品从仓库派送。
长难句分析
Trenberth believes that global warming contributed to energy imbalances and hot spots in the
oceans, which can create a wave in the atmosphere that locks weather patterns in places, causing
longer rain events in Indonesia, for example, and at the same time contributing to drought in
Australia.
【分析】宾语从句的主干为“global warming contributed to energy imbalances and hot
spots”。“which can create a wave…in Australia”为定语从句，修饰前面的“global warming…in the
oceans”。“that locks weather patterns in places”为定语从句，修饰先行词“a wave”。“causing longer
rain events in Indonesia, for example, and at the same time contributing to drought in Australia”为
非谓语动词作结果状语。
【翻译】Trenberth 认为由全球变暖导致的大气能量不平衡和海洋中炎热的地区可以在大气中形成一股浪，从而锁定某些地方的天气模式，比如在印度尼西亚造成更长时间的降雨，
同时又导致澳大利亚的干旱。
知识拓展
1. Berkeley Earth: 伯克利地球组织，是由理查德和伊丽莎白·穆勒在 2010 年初构想的。
他们组织了一个科学家团队分析地球表面的温度记录，并在 2012 年发表了他们的初步研究
结果。伯克利地球组织在 2013 年 2 月成为了一个独立的非盈利组织。
2. National Center for Atmospheric Research: 美国国家大气研究中心，简称 NCAR，是美
国大气科学的国家研究机构，下设计算和信息系统实验室、对地观测实验室、地球系统实验
室和研究应用实验室四个研究实体。
声明: 原文选自 ABC NEWS
Passage 5: 阅读短文并回答问题
Large ecosystems（生态系统）, such as the Amazon rainforest, will collapse and disappear
alarmingly quickly, once a crucial tipping point is reached, according to calculations based on
real-world data.
Writing in Nature Communications, researchers from Bangor University, Southampton
University and the University of London, reveal the speed at which ecosystems of different sizes
will disappear, once they have reached a point beyond which they collapse — transforming into an
alternative ecosystem. For example, once the “point of no return” is reached, the Amazon
rainforest could shift to a savannah-type ecosystem with a mix of trees and grass within 50 years,
according to the research. Some scientists argue that many ecosystems are currently teetering（摇
晃 ） on the edge of a cliff, with the fires and destruction of both the Amazon and Australian
rainforests.
“Unfortunately, what our paper reveals is that humanity needs to prepare for changes far
sooner than expected,” says joint lead author Dr Simon Willcock of Bangor University. “These
rapid changes to the world’s largest and most typical ecosystems would impact the benefits which
they provide us with, including everything from food and materials, to the oxygen and water we need for life.”
Ecosystems made up of a number of interacting species, rather than those dominated by one
single species, may be more stable and take longer to shift to alternative ecosystem states. “These
ecosystems provide opportunities to mitigate or manage the worst effects”, say the authors. For
example, elephants are termed a “key stone” species as they have a disproportionately（不成比
例地）large impact on the landscape — pushing over trees, but also dispersing seeds over large
distances. The authors state that the loss of key stone species, such as this, would lead to a rapid
and dramatic change in the landscape within our lifetime. “This is yet another strong argument to
avoid degrading our planet’s ecosystems; we need to do more to conserve biodiversity,” says Dr
Gregory Cooper, University of London.
1. What is the phenomenon described in paragraph 2?
A. Many ecosystems are in danger currently.
B. Large ecosystems have reached a tipping point.
C. A new ecosystem will appear in the Amazon forest.
D. Ecosystems are changed mainly due to natural disasters.
2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?
A. The benefits of large ecosystems.
B. The ways to prepare for the changes.
C. The introduction to typical ecosystems.
D. The influences of ecosystems’ changes on humanity.
3. Which of the following best explains “mitigate” in the last paragraph?
A. Cause. B. Ease. C. Increase. D. Judge.
4. Why does the author mention elephants in the passage?
A. To prove the destructive power of elephants.C. To present the great influences of large animals.
B. To explain the reason for the reducing grassland.
D. To stress the importance of conserving biodiversity.
【参考答案】ADBD
单词学习
1. savannah-type adj. 稀树草原型的
2. tipping point 引爆点，爆发点
3. teeter on the edge/brink of sth. 处在（灾难或危险）的边缘
The hotel is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. 这家旅馆正濒临破产。
4. disperse v. 散布；传播 The seeds are dispersed by the wind. 这些种子由风传播。
5. conserve v. 保护；保存 laws to conserve wildlife 保护野生动物的法令
长难句分析
These rapid changes to the world’s largest and most typical ecosystems would impact the
benefits which they provide us with, including everything from food and materials, to the oxygen
and water we need for life.
【分析】句子主干为“These changes would impact the benefits”。“to the world’s largest and
most typical ecosystems”为“changes”的后置定语；“which they provide us...water we need for
life”为定语从句，修饰先行词“benefits”；其中“we need for life”为省略了“that”的定语从句，
修饰先行词“the oxygen and water”。
【翻译】世界上最大、最典型的生态系统的这些快速变化将影响它们为我们提供的好处，
包括从食物和材料到我们生命所需的氧气和水。
知识拓展
1. Nature Communications 《自然通讯》杂志，是英国《自然》杂志周刊下的子刊，《自
然》周刊是世界上最早的国际性科技期刊，自 1869 年创刊以来，始终如一地报道和评论全球科技领域里最重要的突破。
2. Bangor University 班戈大学，建于 1884 年，位于威尔士北部，是英国的知名大学之
一。
3. Southampton University 南安普顿大学，建于 1862 年，主校区坐落于英国英格兰汉
普郡南安普顿，是英国的顶尖学府。
4. The University of London 伦敦大学，建于 1836 年，位于英国首都伦敦，是由十几所
高校和研究机构组成的大学联邦，也被称为“公立联邦制大学”。
Passage 6: 阅读短文并回答问题
“While animals can’t pick out precise numbers, they can understand that more is more.
Interestingly, we know now that numerical（数值的）competence is present on almost every
branch of the animal tree of life,” says Andreas Nieder, a neurobiologist from the University of
Tuebingen. “Different groups of animals obviously developed this trait independently from others
and that strongly indicates that it has to be of adaptive value.”
Honeybees, for instance, can remember the number of landmarks they pass when searching
for food in order to find their way back to the hive. The last common ancestor between honeybees
and primates lived about 600 million years ago. But still, they evolved numerical competence that,
in many respects, is comparable to vertebrate（脊椎动物的）numerical competence. Also, for
example, male frogs sing “advertisement” calls to attract females. The females, listening for the
complexity of their calls, choose the male that sings the most calls.
Wolves are more likely to hunt successfully if they have the right number of wolves in their
pack for the size of their prey（猎物）: With prey like deer, only around six to eight wolves are
needed, while hunting wild ox requires a pack of nine to thirteen. Their prey also uses this concept
to protect themselves from predators — deer tend to live in large herds to reduce the chance of any
individual becoming prey. So obviously they are assessing the number of individuals in their
groups for their everyday life situations.
Despite these many examples of numerical competence in animals, this subject has not gotten many first-hand studies. “Many of these behavioral findings in the wild have usually been
collected as by-products or accidental findings of other research questions,” says Nieder. He
argues that more research needs to be done to fully understand the numerical competence.
1. The phenomenon of animals having their own numerical competence shows that .
A. All groups of animals are related in some ways
B. Numerical competence must have a survival benefit
C. The intelligence of animals varies with different environments
D. Animals’ numerical competence is determined by their adaptability
2. What role does numerical competence play in wolves’ hunting?
A. It gives them more options to hunt. B. It helps them form hunting groups.
C. It makes them discover more prey. D. It offers them new skills to hunt.
3. What’s Nieder’s attitude to these instances to prove animals have numerical competence?
A. Positive. B. Indifferent. C. Doubtful. D. Negative.
4. How does the author mainly develop this text?
A. By listing figures. B. By asking questions.
C. By making comparisons. D. By giving examples.
【参考答案】BBCD
单词学习
1. neurobiologist n. 神经生物学家 2. hive n. 蜂箱 3. primate n. 灵长目动物
知识拓展
the University of Tuebingen
图宾根大学，是位于德国的世界百强大学，它建于 1477 年，至今已有超过 500 年的历史，
是欧洲最古老的大学之一。Passage 7:
With races delayed and outdoor exercise limited, the coronavirus pandemic（冠状病毒疫情）
has put the brakes on China’s previously booming marathon industry as event organizers struggle
to make ends meet during the crisis. The sparse turnout （ 到 场 人 数 ） of runners at Beijing’s
Olympic Forest Park these days bears witness to the decline.
Despite the successful containment of the outbreak in China, fears over the potential risks of
mass gatherings clearly remain within the running community, while the virus-enforced business
shutdown has created a severe challenge to organizers and promoters involved in the sport. Event
organizers are struggling to survive through the crisis with the majority of their source of income
dried up.
Last Thursday’s cancellation of the 2020 Chengdu Panda Marathon showed that local
governing bodies and organizers remain cautious against the virus despite a growing urge among
the running community to get back to normality. With this year’s emptied spring schedule,
industry experts expect that businesses face a daunting（令人生畏的）second half of the year
even if races are allowed to restart.
“Due to the delay of events originally scheduled in the first half, the number of races will
skyrocket in the second half if the government gives the green light,” said Chen Guoqiang, a
sports sociology researcher at Shanghai University of Sport. “Event organizers will have to
compete harder against each other to attract enough runners, sponsors and media exposure to
make their races profitable.”
Bao Mingxiao, director of the China Sports Economic Research Center, suggests that race
organizers and promoters should focus on improving race quality by providing more professional
services and better online interactions with participants whenever events restart. “The rising public
awareness of having a healthy lifestyle will only be strengthened after the coronavirus crisis,” Bao
said during an online forum earlier last month. “For the long term, the sport participation and
consumption will be very likely to bounce back.”
1. What problem does the author talk about in paragraph 1?A. People’s health is worsening. B. The marathon industry is suffering.
C. People are living beyond their income. D. The popularity of outdoor sport is declining.
2. What does the underlined word “containment” in paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. Recovery. B. Treatment. C. Control. D. Prediction.
3. What does the cancellation of the 2020 Chengdu Panda Marathon indicate?
A. Most industries are facing difficulties.
B. The coronavirus is still very serious.
C. Less and less runners are interested in the races.
D. The government is still careful about the coronavirus.
4. What’s Bao’s attitude towards the future of the market for running events?
A. Neutral. B. Positive. C. Negative. D. Doubtful.
5. Which of the following can be the best title of this text?
A. A Tough Road to Recovery B. The Development of Sport
C. The Importance of Exercise D. A Promising Future of Economy
【参考答案】BCDBA
单词学习
1. put the brakes on 限制 2. make ends meet 收支相抵
3. bear witness to sth. 证明 4. second half of the year 下半年
长难句分析
1. Despite the successful containment of the outbreak in China, fears over the potential risks
of mass gatherings clearly remain within the running community, while the virus-enforced
business shutdown has created a severe challenge to organizers and promoters involved in the
sport.【分析】本句主干为“fears remain within the running community”。“Despite the successful
containment of the outbreak in China”为让步状语；“while the virus-enforced business…involved
in the sport”为状语从句，从句中的主干为“the business shutdown has created a challenge”，
“involved in the sport”为过去分词作定语。
【翻译】尽管中国成功地控制了疫情，但对大规模集会潜在风险的担忧显然仍存在于跑
步社团中，而病毒导致的企业停摆给这项运动的组织者和推广者带来了严峻的挑战。
2. Last Thursday’s cancellation of the 2020 Chengdu Panda Marathon showed that local
governing bodies and organizers remain cautious against the virus despite a growing urge among
the running community to get back to normality.
【分析】“that local governing bodies and organizers…get back to normality”为宾语从句，
宾语从句中主干为“bodies and organizers remain cautious”；“despite a growing urge among the
running community to get back to normality”为让步状语。
【翻译】上周四，2020 年成都熊猫马拉松赛被取消。这表明，尽管越来越多的跑步爱
好者希望赛事恢复正常，但地方管理机构和组织者仍对该病毒保持警惕。
知识拓展
Marathon
马拉松是国际上非常普及的长跑比赛项目。全程距离 26 英里 385 码，折合为 42.195 公
里（也有说法为 42.193 公里）。马拉松分全程马拉松（Full Marathon），半程马拉松（Half
Marathon）和四分马拉松（Quarter Marathon）三种。一般提及马拉松，即指全程马拉松。
声明
原文选自 ScienceDaily
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