北京专版2020中考英语复习方案第一篇话题分层复习话题18科普与现代技术试题.docx

　话题18　科普与现代技术　
主题语篇阅读
Ⅰ.阅读理解
A [2018·东城一模]
　　It was a February afternoon in a Brooklyn classroom. Sixteen-year-old Taylor Engler came face to face with a cow. But it was all in her head. She was transported by a virtual(虚拟的) reality (VR) headset—it took Taylor and her classmates to a farm 250 miles away. For students, the technology means field trips are no longer limited by the length of a bus ride. “I was not expecting it to be right in my face!” That’s what Taylor said after taking off the headset and finding herself back in the classroom.
On any school day, students can take virtual reality “trips”. They are deep-sea diving. They are observing medical operations. They are visiting the Science Museum in London. Teachers say it’s another way to involve the iPhone generation(一 代人) into classroom learning and it can help with their understanding and improve their grades. Colin Jones, a science teacher, has walked students through the northern forest with a Google app called Expeditions. “It can be done in a period or two with the help of the new technology,” he said. “But it could take even a week sometimes to take a real expedition.”
“It’s different from watching videos. You can actually move,” Taylor said during the lesson on farm animals. “Not only move, but also feel,” said Richard Lamb. He studies how brains deal with information. “Your physiological responses(生理反应) in virtual reality are similar to what you get in doing the actual activity,” Lamb said. “Heart rate, breathing… everything.”
It is unknown how many classrooms will use the technology. But experts say it’s still rare. Each headset can cost as little as $20 or $30, but systems and software for classes run into thousands of dollars. And good software is in great need. Another problem we face is how to make sure the VR technology mimics(模仿) the real world closely. “But we have to say VR technology provides students with a huge learning opportunity,” said David Evans, director of the National Science Teachers Association.
John Miller, a chemistry teacher, agreed. “Too often in schools, students did something wrong in their chemistry experiments. But we don’t have enough materials for them to redo the experiments. In virtual reality, all they do is hit reset on the computer. We don’t have to actually use chemicals.”
Both Miller and Evans stressed the technology could enrich—not replace—real-world experiences. “We have to remain anchored(立足) in the real world,” Evans warned, “because that’s the one that we really need to study and explain.”
1.On a February afternoon, Taylor 　　　　. (　　) 
A.travelled to a farm on a bus
B.watched a video about a cow
C.had a virtual reality lesson in the classroom
D.played computer games with her classmates
2.What can we learn from the passage? (　　)
A.VR technology is widely used in schools.
B.Teachers think VR technology helpful for students.
C.Colin Jones’ students prefer a real trip to the forest.
D.Students breathe faster in VR activities than in actual ones.
3.Miller and Evans probably agree that 　　　　. (　　) 
A.people shouldn’t lose interest in the real world
B.people should develop more VR systems and software
C.VR technology won’t change students’ way of learning
D.VR technology will reduce students’ mistakes in experiments
B[2019·西城一模]
Over the past decade, an increasing stress has been placed on the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related classes in primary, middle and high school education in the U.S. The reason for this direction is well founded: research and test scores from the 1980s and 1990s showed that our students had fallen behind their international peers in all of these subject areas. Education officials, teachers and parents all felt that the situation needed to be changed, and quickly. However, in the rush to play catch-up in STEM-related areas, there’s one important aspect that is being neglected (忽略): the Fine and Performing Arts, particularly drama.
It’s long been understood that a study of drama at the primary, middle and high school level helps students improve in many areas, such as self-confidence, self-expression, communication skills, teamwork, and imagination. Most educators and parents agree that all of these are important for students to develop at any age, but it is difficult for the same parents and teachers to prioritize (优先安排) study time and classroom time to a subject like drama over subjects like Math, Physics or Computer Science. It’s even more difficult for policy makers and school officials to channel funds (资金) towards classes like drama, when the skills arts subjects develop are considered “soft skills”. When the modern world is calling out for “hard skills”, like those needed to succeed in the tech-driven 21st century, how can they possibly prove it is reasonable to spend their funds that are becoming smaller and smaller on anything but STEM subjects?
The short answer to the question “why spend time and money on drama?” is that drama education has been scientifically proven to improve students’ achievement, especially in communication skills that are very important to a STEM education. As we develop students with highly refined skills in STEM subjects, it’s equally important that we train the teachers that will support continued growth in these areas. An active, communicative teacher is the best way to get students on board in the study of STEM subjects, which can be unbearably dry. The best way to develop active communication skills? Drama. The next area in which the communication skills can be developed is publication and conference presentation. Drama improves students’ public speaking skills necessary for STEM students to effectively present papers in conferences and their writing skills necessary to publish papers. It’s also very important for students to be able to work well with one another. In the real STEM world, almost all scientific work happens in teams. Without the “soft” people skills necessary to navigate (导航) all of these interactions, no matter how technologically skilled one becomes, he or she will be at a disadvantage without the ability to communicate and work in teams.
While the nationwide trend (趋势) to focus on playing catch-up in STEM education is reasonable, practical, and absolutely necessary, it’s important not to forget the huge effect arts, specifically drama education, have on the overall education of our children. The question parents, educators, and policy makers should be asking themselves is not “can we afford to support arts education in schools?” but rather “can we afford not to?”
4.Why did Americans start to stress STEM related classes? (　　)
A.Because the world has moved into a tech-driven century.
B.Because STEM classes have long been neglected in America.
C.Because education officials prefer STEM classes to art classes.
D.Because U.S. students are expected to be at an advantage in these areas.
5.The underlined word “channel” in Paragraph 2 probably means “　　　　”. (　　) 
A.afford B.direct
C.create D.raise
6.The third paragraph is mainly about 　　　　. (　　) 
A.the benefits of drama education
B.the importance of STEM learning
C.the abilities needed for STEM learning
D.the reasons to improve drama education
7.The writer probably agrees that 　　　　. (　　) 
A.drama is more important than STEM classes
B.drama education has been the nationwide trend
C.the result of neglecting drama education is hard to bear
D.American students have made progress in playing catch-up
Ⅱ.[2019·门头沟一模] 回答问题
　　Pi (π) Day is a celebration of a Maths number, 3.14 (actually the number never ends, it continues after the .14) that is used in the measurement (测量) of circles. The Pi symbol (π) is also a letter in the Greek alphabet. The celebration is held on March 14th. This day is also the birthday of famous scientist Albert Einstein.
A scientist called Larry Shaw invented the celebration at the Exploratorium Museum in 1988.It was declared(宣布) a national holiday in 2009.Every year on Pi Day, people meet at the museum and walk around the Pi Shrine 3.14 times and sing “Happy Birthday” to Albert Einstein while a piece of music called “Pomp and Circumstance”, written by British composer(作曲家) Sir Edward Elgar, is played. Once they finish the march, they eat pies.
Maths and science lovers around the world also celebrate Pi Day. They often hold parties, wearing clothes with the Pi symbol (π). They talk about Pi, throw pies, play games, eat food which starts with the letters “pi”—pies, pizzas, pineapples, pine nuts and drink pineapple juice or a pint of beer!
Some of the games people play at the Pi parties are:
·A Pie eating contest(比赛)—the person who eats the most pies is the winner.
·A Pie treasure hunt—players have to find objects with the Pi symbol (π) hidden in the room.
·A Maths quiz—players answer 10 questions that use the Pi number, the loser gets hit with a pie in the face!
Children can also decorate the Pi symbol (π) using paper, colours, glue, shiny beads and other things.
People also have competitions to see who can remember the most digits(数字). Many teachers hold these memory contests in their classes. The Guinness World Record for reciting (背诵) the most digits is held by Lv Chao of China, who successfully recited Pi to nearly 67,890 decimal (小数的) places.
Above all, Pi Day is about having fun with numbers. Just like the number itself, the possibilities for Pi Day are truly endless.
8.What is Pi Day?

9.Whose birthday is on March 14th?

10.How can children decorate the Pi symbol (π)?

11.How many decimal places did Lv Chao recite about Pi?

12.What do you think of Pi Day?

【参考答案】
Ⅰ.A　1.C　2.B　3.A
B　[主旨大意]本文是一篇说明文。在过去的十年里,越来越多的人强调在美国中小学教育中与科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)相关的课程的重要性。但是现在他们注意到了美术和表演艺术,特别是戏剧教育的重要性。接受戏剧教育有助于学生在许多方面的进步,如自信、自我表达以及沟通技巧、团队合作和想象力等。最后提到了不要忘记戏剧教育对孩子整体教育的巨大影响。
4.D　细节理解题。根据“The reason for this direction is well founded: research and test scores from the 1980s and 1990s showed that our students had fallen behind their international peers in all of these subject areas.(这个方向的原因是有根据的:80年代和90年代的研究和考试成绩表明,我们的学生在所有这些学科领域都落后于他们的国际同行。)”可知,美国人开始强调与STEM相关的课程是因为美国学生在这些领域有优势。故选D。
5.B　词义猜测题。根据“It’s even more difficult for policy makers and school officials to channel funds towards classes like drama, when the skills arts subjects develop are considered ‘soft skills’.(对于政策制定者和学校官员来说,更难将资金直接用于戏剧类课程,因为艺术类课程的发展被认为是‘软技能’。)”可知,channel的意思是“直接的”。故选B。
6.A　
7.C　推理判断题。根据短文的最后几句话“…it’s important not to forget the huge effect arts, specifically drama education, have on the overall education of our children. The question parents, educators, and policy makers should be asking themselves is not ‘can we afford to support arts education in schools?’ but rather ‘can we afford not to?’”(但重要的是不要忘记艺术,特别是戏剧教育,对我们孩子的整体教育有巨大的影响。家长、教育工作者和政策制定者不应该问自己的问题是:我们能承担得起学校里的艺术教育吗?而是:如果不开展戏剧教育,我们能承受得起吗?)”可知,作者可能同意忽视戏剧教育的后果是难以承受的。故选C。
Ⅱ.8.A celebration of a Maths number, 3.14.
9.Albert Einstein’s.
10.Using paper, colours, glue, shiny beads and other things.
11.67,890.
12.Fun/Interesting.
6