【备战2024年高考】（全国通用）英语 04 阅读理解之说明文 试卷

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阅读理解突破之说明文
一、考情分析
近3年全国高考说明文题量统计
年份
卷名

2020
2021
2022
新高考I卷
2
1
1
全国卷I（乙卷）
1
2
2
全国卷II（甲卷）
2
1
1
全国卷III
1
2
2
说明文类阅读理解在2022年新高考全国卷Ⅰ、2021年新高考全国卷Ⅰ中均有一篇，在2022年新高考全国卷Ⅱ中有两篇，且侧重人与社会这一主题语境。新高考新动向，以说明文为主，多为指导性或者介绍性说明文。
命题取向
说明文是用平实的语言客观地解说事物、阐明事理，给人以知识的文体。题材涉及科技、社会和文化生活等各个领域。
说明文的结构特点：
1、新闻报道类：总体——细节或过程说明。
2、科普类：社会现象或变化——细节（运作原理或原因阐述）——社会效应和相关启示。
3、研究调查类：引出话题——调查结果——调查过程（方法、步骤、人员等）——对现实的影响和未来的展望。
4、说明呈现类：总体呈现——细节描述（中心句一般在段首）——总结。
二、技巧点拨
1、关键是抓住说明对象的本质特征。阅读时也要注意说明的顺序，说明的顺序有时间顺序（如事物的发展变化）、空间顺序（如建筑结构）、逻辑顺序（因果、现象与本质）。
2、掌握说明文的说明方法：举例子、作比较——举例子、作比较（对比说明相异、类比说明相似）、列数字、作诠释、下定义、作引用、打比方等。
3、把握文章的脉络和长难句的分析。
三、典题例析
典题例1
（2023春·重庆长寿·高三重庆市长寿中学校校考阶段练习）The sky turned orange and the hospitals were in chaos. Thousands of Iraqis came to emergency rooms complaining that they could not breathe. Some had to be put on respirators. Schools closed and airports cancelled flights. Life came to a stop amid a cloud of dust.
Such scenes have occurred almost weekly in Iraq since April. In decades past, two or three big sandstorms were expected every year. This spring, Iraq has already recorded at least eight. Sandstorms have always been a fact of life in the Middle East, and are now growing more frequently and intensely.
Scientists say dust storms are complex and poorly understood, but their main causes are natural. In 2015, some people blamed a fierce summer storm in the Levant on Syria’s civil war thinking that military vehicles travelling through fields kicked up enough dust to blanket the region. Researchers at Princeton University later cited a more ordinary mix of unusual heat and strong winds as its reason, not gunners.
Still, people plainly contribute to the problem. Demand for water is making a dry region even drier. A World Bank study in 2019 found that human actions, such as over-exploiting rivers and lakes, produce a quarter of the Middle East’s dust. Iran has drained wetlands for farming. Turkish dams on the Tigris and Euphrates mean drier riverbeds downstream. All of this means more dust needs to be swept up by the wind. The decrease of the region’s forests because of fires and cutting down trees means there is less vegetation to hold it back. Syria, for example, has lost an estimated 25% of its woodland and since 2001, most of it to summer fires. Climate change will make the problem worse.
For those who work outside, sandstorms make life unbearable. Sandstorms bring tiny particles that travel deep into the lungs. The World Bank estimates that air pollution causes 30,000 premature deaths a year in the Middle East — and rising.
Economic costs will mount, too. Workers stay at home. Crops are buried under dust. The UN puts the direct economic cost in the Middle East at $13 bn a year, with indirect costs many times bigger.
1．What do the scenes described in Paragraph 1 show?
A．The seriousness of sandstorms in Iraq. B．The high frequency of sandstorms in Iraq.
C．The steps taken to address Iraq’s sandstorms. D．The Iraqis’ negative response to sandstorms.
2．How does Paragraph 3 mainly develop?
A．By offering analyses. B．By giving an example.
C．By providing research results. D．By challenging a general view.
3．What does the underlined part “All of this” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A．A drier climate.
B．Water shortage in the Middle East.
C．The impact of human activities on water resources.
D．Decrease of forest areas across the Middle East.
4．What’s the author’s attitude towards the Middle East’s sandstorm problem?
A．Puzzled. B．Worried. C．Doubtful D．Optimistic.
【答案与解析】
【解题导读】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了伊拉克沙尘暴的严重性以及科学家对沙尘暴的了解和造成沙尘暴的原因进行了说明。
1．A推理判断题。根据第一段“The sky turned orange and the hospitals were in chaos. Thousands of Iraqis came to emergency rooms complaining that they could not breathe. Some had to be put on respirators. Schools closed and airports cancelled flights. Life came to a stop amid a cloud of dust.(天空变成了橙色，医院一片混乱。成千上万的伊拉克人来到急诊室，抱怨他们无法呼吸。一些人不得不戴上呼吸器。学校停课，机场取消航班。生活在一片沙尘中戛然而止)”以及第二段“Sandstorms have always been a fact of life in the Middle East, and are now growing more frequently and intensely.(沙尘暴一直是中东地区生活中的一个事实，现在变得更加频繁和强烈)”可推知，第一段描述的场景说明了伊拉克沙尘暴的严重性。故选A。
2．B推理判断题。根据第三段“Scientists say dust storms are complex and poorly understood, but their main causes are natural. In 2015, some people blamed a fierce summer storm in the Levant on Syria’s civil war thinking that military vehicles travelling through fields kicked up enough dust to blanket the region. Researchers at Princeton University later cited a more ordinary mix of unusual heat and strong winds as its reason, not gunners.(科学家们表示，沙尘暴很复杂，人们对它的了解也很少，但其主要原因是自然的。2015年，一些人将黎凡特的一场猛烈的夏季风暴归咎于叙利亚战争，认为军车在田野上行驶时扬起的灰尘足以覆盖该地区。普林斯顿大学的研究人员后来指出，这是由于异常的高温和强风造成的，而不是使用武器造成的)”可推知，第三段主要是通过举例说明展开。故选B。
3．C词句猜测题。根据第四段“Still, people plainly contribute to the problem. Demand for water is making a dry region even drier. A World Bank study in 2019 found that human actions, such as over-exploiting rivers and lakes, produce a quarter of the Middle East’s dust. Iran has drained wetlands for farming. Turkish dams on the Tigris and Euphrates mean drier riverbeds downstream.(然而，人们显然是造成这个问题的原因之一。对水的需求使干旱地区更加干旱。世界银行2019年的一项研究发现，过度开发河流和湖泊等人类行为产生了中东四分之一的沙尘。伊朗将湿地抽干用于农业。底格里斯河和幼发拉底河上的土耳其大坝意味着下游的河床更加干燥)”可知，上文主要列举了人类活动对水资源的影响意味着更多的灰尘需要被风吹起。故画线词意思是“人类活动对水资源的影响”。故选C。
4．B推理判断题。根据最后一段“Economic costs will mount, too. Workers stay at home. Crops are buried under dust. The UN puts the direct economic cost in the Middle East at $13 bn a year, with indirect costs many times bigger.(经济成本也会上升。工人们呆在家里。庄稼被埋在尘土下。联合国估计，中东地区每年的直接经济成本为130亿美元，间接成本则高出许多倍)”可推知，作者对中东沙尘暴问题的态度是担忧的。故选B。
典题例2
（2023春·湖北·高三统考阶段练习）With almost all big employers in the United States now using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in their hiring processes, the public is considering some urgent questions: How can you prevent discrimination in hiring when a machine is keeping the discrimination? What kind of methods might help?
Some 83% of employers, including 99% of Fortune 500 companies, now use some form of automated tools as part of their hiring process, said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) chair Charlotte Burrows at a hearing on Tuesday. She said everyone needs to speak up on the debate over these technologies. “The risks are simply too high to leave this topic just to the experts. ”
Last year, the EEOC issued some guidance around the use of cutting-edge hiring tools, noting many of their shortcomings. The agency found that resume (简历) scanners that prioritize keywords and programs that evaluate a candidate’s facial expressions and speech patterns in video interviews can create discrimination. Take, for example, ‘a video interview that analyzes an applicant’s speech patterns to determine their ability to solve problems. A person with a speech problem might score low and automatically be screened out. The problem will be for the EEOC to root out discrimination-or stop it from taking place.
The EEOC is considering the most appropriate ways to handle the problem. It’s agreed that inspections are necessary to ensure that the software used by companies avoids intentional or unintentional discrimination. But who would conduct those inspections is a more challenging question. Each option presents risks, Burrows pointed out. A third party may turn a blind eye to its clients, while a government-led inspection could potentially stop innovation.
In previous remarks, Burrows has noted the great potential that AI decision-making tools have to improve the lives of Americans, but only when used properly. “We must work to ensure that these new technologies do not become a high-tech pathway to discrimination,” she said.
5．What does Burrows suggest, people do?
A．Make their own voice heard.
B．Follow the experts’ suggestions.
C．Stop using AI in hiring processes.
D．Watch debates about technologies.
6．How might programs in video interviews select employees?
A．By scanning keywords.
B．By evaluating resumes.
C．By analyzing personalities.
D．By interpreting speech patterns.
7．What is a possible consequence of third-party inspections?
A．High expense.
B．Unfair results.
C．Age discrimination.
D．Innovation interruption.
8．What is Burrows’s attitude to AI decision-making tools?
A．Favorable. B．Disapproving.
C．Objective. D．Doubtful.
【解题导读】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要讲的是由于美国几乎所有的大雇主都在招聘过程中使用人工智能和自动化，公众正在考虑一些紧迫的问题：当机器保持歧视时，如何防止招聘时的歧视以及什么方法会有所帮助。
5．A细节理解题。根据文章第二段“She said everyone needs to speak up on the debate over these technologies. “The risks are simply too high to leave this topic just to the experts.”(她说，每个人都需要就有关这些技术的辩论进行公开发言。“风险实在是太高了，不能把这个问题只留给专家们。”)”可知Burrows建议人们就有关这些技术的辩论进行公开发言，即Burrows建议人们让人听到他们自己的声音。故选A项。
6．D细节理解题。根据文章第三段“The agency found that resume (简历) scanners that prioritize keywords and programs that evaluate a candidate’s facial expressions and speech patterns in video interviews can create discrimination. Take, for example, ‘a video interview that analyzes an applicant’s speech patterns to determine their ability to solve problems. (该机构发现，在视频面试中，优先考虑关键词和程序的简历扫描仪可能会造成歧视。例如，“一个视频面试，分析申请人的语言模式，以确定他们解决问题的能力。)”可知视频采访中的程序通过分析申请人的语言模式来选择员工。故选D项。
7．B推理判断题。根据文章第四段“It’s agreed that inspections are necessary to ensure that the software used by companies avoids intentional or unintentional discrimination. But who would conduct those inspections is a more challenging question. Each option presents risks, Burrows pointed out. A third party may turn a blind eye to its clients, while a government-led inspection could potentially stop innovation.(大家一致认为有必要进行检查，以确保公司使用的软件能够避免故意或无意的歧视。但谁来进行这些检查则是一个更具挑战性的问题。Burrows指出，每一种选择都存在风险。第三方可能会对其客户视而不见，而政府主导的检查也可能会阻止创新。)”可知第三方会对客户视而不见，所以可以推测第三方的检查结果可能会带来不公平的结果。故选B项。
8．C推理判断题。根据文章最后一段“In previous remarks, Burrows has noted the great potential that AI decision-making tools have to improve the lives of Americans, but only when used properly. “We must work to ensure that these new technologies do not become a high-tech pathway to discrimination,” she said.(在之前的讲话中，Burrows指出，决策工具使用恰当的话具有改善美国人生活的巨大潜力。她说：“我们必须努力确保这些新技术不会成为导致歧视的高科技途径。”)”可知Burrows认为人工智能决策工具如果使用恰当的话具有可以改善美国人生活的潜力，所以Burrows对于人工智能决策工具的态度是客观的。故选C项。
典题例3
（2023·广东深圳·统考一模）From cottages surrounded by impressive gardens to days spent exploring sandy beaches and deep woods filled with wildlife, in My Family and Other Animals, English writer Gerald Durrell provided a vivid account of his family’s time on the Greek island of Corfu in the 1930s.
Come for the arresting descriptions of Corfu landscapes and stay for Durrell’s laugh-out-loud tales of his unusual family. This book, Durrell wrote humorously in the introduction, “was intended to be a nostalgic(怀旧的)account of natural history, but in the first few pages, I made the mistake of introducing my family. ”
Durrell, later known for his zoo keeping and the preservation of wildlife, was just a child during his family’s five-year stay in Corfu. He is 10-year-old Gerry in the book — curious, passionate about animals and a detailed storyteller of his strange family: his imaginative elder brother Larry with his literary ambitions, lovestruck sister Margo, sporty brother Leslie and his ever-calm, loving mother.
Durrell’s attention to detail is what makes the book so winning, with every sight, sound and smell of the island brought to life. One minute you’ll be laughing as Larry’s clever literary friends walk down to the daffodil-yellow cottage, the next you’ll be catching your breath as Durrell describes swimming at night in the Ionian Sea: “Lying on my back in the silky water, staring at the sky, only moving my hands and feet slightly, I was looking at the Milky Way stretching like a silk scarf across the sky and wondering how many stars it contained. ”
My Family and Other Animals is quite difficult to classify, being one part travel, one part autobiography, one part natural history, and one part comedy, with a thread of descriptive language running throughout that sometimes raises it nearly to poetry.
As a real delight to read, it’s the perfect literary escapism for any adult or older teenager who is currently walking down a tough road in life.
9．Which word best describes Durrell’s life in Corfu?
A．Risky. B．Busy. C．Tough. D．Diverse.
10．What does the underlined sentence mean in paragraph 2?
A．I introduced my family by mistake.
B．I shouldn’t have introduced my family.
C．I couldn’t help introducing my family.
D．I gave wrong information about my family.
11．What are paragraph 4 and 5 mainly about?
A．The book’s writing feature.
B．Durrell’s rich imagination.
C．Some interesting plots of the book.
D．Some vivid descriptions of the island.
12．What is the purpose of this text?
A．To share an experience.
B．To recommend a book.
C．To introduce a writing style.
D．To describe an unusual place.
【解题导读】本文是一篇说明文。文章推荐了英国作家Gerald Durrell的一本书——《我的家人和其他动物》。
9．D推理判断题。根据第二段中“From cottages surrounded by impressive gardens to days spent exploring sandy beaches and deep woods filled with wildlife, in My Family and Other Animals, English writer Gerald Durrell provided a vivid account of his family’s time on the Greek island of Corfu in the 1930s. (从被令人印象深刻的花园包围的小屋，到探索沙滩和充满野生动物的深林的日子，在《我的家人和其他动物》一书中，英国作家Gerald Durrell生动地描述了20世纪30年代他的家人在希腊科孚岛的时光。)”可知，Durrell在科孚岛的生活是多样的。故选D项。
10．C词义猜测题。根据语境和划线句前文“was intended to be a nostalgic(怀旧的)account of natural history, but in the first few pages,(本想成为一本关于自然史的怀旧书，)”可知，作者原本想写一本关于自然史的怀旧书，从而推知，划线词句“but in the first few pages, I made the mistake of introducing my family. (但在前几页，我错误地介绍了我的家人。)”其中划线部分应为“我情不自禁地介绍了自己的家人”的意思。故选C项。
11．A细节理解题。根据第四段中“Durrell’s attention to detail is what makes the book so winning, with every sight, sound and smell of the island brought to life. (Durrell对细节的关注使这本书如此引人入胜，岛上的每一个景象、声音和气味都栩栩如生。)”和第五段“My Family and Other Animals is quite difficult to classify, being one part travel, one part autobiography, one part natural history, and one part comedy, with a thread of descriptive language running throughout that sometimes raises it nearly to poetry. (《我的家庭和其他动物》很难归类，一部分是游记，一部分是自传，一部分是自然历史，一部分是喜剧，一种描述性的语言贯穿始终，有时几乎把它提升到诗歌的境界。)”可知，这两段主要介绍了这本书的写作特点。故选A项。
12．B 推理判断题。通读全文，根据最后一段“As a real delight to read, it’s the perfect literary escapism for any adult or older teenager who is currently walking down a tough road in life. (作为一种真正的阅读乐趣，对于任何目前正走在艰难人生道路上的成年人或年龄较大的青少年来说，这是一种完美的文学逃避。)”可知，这篇文章的目的是为了推荐这本《我的家庭和其他动物》。故选B项。
四、课堂精练
A
(2023江苏省苏锡常镇四市高三教学情况调研) A human heart is so much more than an organ. No one says they left their pancreas (胰腺) in San Francisco, for example, or that two kidneys (肾脏) beat as one. Yet most of us believe that two hearts can beat as one, and that the heart reveals our real emotions. Now there’s some evidence that such folk wisdom is true.
When people listen to the same story-each alone in their own home-their heart rates rise and fall together, according to a new study published last month in Cell Reports. Professor Lucas Perra, a senior author of the study, said, “It’s the story that drives the heart.”
This finding corresponds with a mountain of research showing that our brains synchronize (同步) when we interact in the same location or participate in the same activity. The new study goes one step further; it tests whether our heart rates become synchronized while taking in the same narrative - even though we’re not in the same room nor even listening at the same time as other listeners.
Marcel Proust wrote at the turn of the 20th century, “the heart does not lie.” Data tells us much the same: the heart’s connection to the brain is so tight that when we hear the same story, our heart rates synchronize. Subjects in the same group produced synchronized heart rate patterns that rose and fell at roughly the same times during the narrative.
The results are “heartwarming,” said Prof. Perra. “Heart rat correlation (关联) between subjects does not require them to actually be interacting, or even be in the same place. It’s not the interaction between people but the story itself that does the trick.”
The point, he said, is that when we listen to the same radio program or watch a Netflix show, our hearts beat together, showing that “we’re not alone.”
1. What does the underlined expression “folk wisdom” refer to in the first paragraph?
A. Kidneys beat like hearts. B. Hearts are important organs.
C. A human heart conveys feelings. D. Organs have close links with emotions.
2. What can we learn from the new study in Cell Reports?
A. People like listening to the same story in separate places.
B. Human’s brains synchronize when driven by different stories.
C. People tested in the same group have the same heart rates.
D. The same story can make listeners have the same heart rates.
3. What’s the author’s purpose of writing this article?
A. To report a research finding. B. To argue against an opinion.
C. To tell readers a moving story. D. To call for immediate action.
4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. The Way Human Hearts Work B. The Same Story, the Same Heartbeat
C. The Heart’s Connection to Brain D. The Importance of Heart Rates
B
(2023江苏省七市高考二模英语考前适应卷) Almost everyone has heard the expression, “the calm before the storm”. It is usually used to describe a peaceful period just before a very stressful situation or a tense argument.
British sailors coined the phrase in the late 1600s; they noted that before certain storms the seas would seem to become static and the winds would drop.
But why is it often so calm before a storm?
Science has given us the answer. According to US infotainment (资讯娱乐) website How Stuff Works, a calm period occurs because many storms, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, draw in all the warm and humid air from the surrounding area. As this air rises into the storm clouds, it cools and acts as “fuel for the storm, like petrol in a car”.
Once the storm has taken all the energy it can from the air, it is pushed out from the top of the storm clouds and falls back down to ground level. As the air descends, it becomes warm and dry. Warm, dry air is stable, so once it covers an area, it causes a calm period before the storm.
This same process also causes the “eye of the storm” in hurricanes and tornadoes. In these conditions, the calm occurs in the center of the storm because of the strong rotating winds.
The Weather Network has a tip for working out how far away a storm is. First, count how many seconds there are between a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. Roughly three seconds equal one kilometer. So, for example, if you count nine seconds, the storm is about 3 kilometers away. A good evaluation is that if your count is below 30 seconds, you should seek shelter straight away.
However, due to the complexity of storm system, not all storms are preceded by calm. Given the right conditions, some storms announce themselves with heavy rain and chilling winds.
So, your best bet is to keep yourself updated with weather reports for any predictions regarding a coming storm in your area. That’s the most reliable and sensible way to predict the next display of nature’s temper.
5. The underlined word “static” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. violent B. quiet C. fast-changing D. warm
6. What is the main idea of Paragraphs 4 and 5?
A. To explain how a storm comes into being.
B. To support previous research on storm clouds.
C. To explain why a peaceful period occurs before a storm.
D. To show how dangerous a storm can be in certain situations.
7. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A. Storms have a big influence on life.
B. It is not always quiet before a storm.
C. Weather reports may fail to predict a storm.
D. Heavy storms don’t usually last for a long time.
C
(2023江苏省盐城市、南京市高三年级第一次模拟考试) Virtual reality can improve brain activity that may be crucial for leaning, memory and even treating Alzheimer’s, a study on rats has found.
After monitoring the rats’ brain activity, researchers from the University of California Los Angeles discovered electrical activity in a region known as the hippocampus neurons (海马体神经元) differed depending on whether the rats were placed in real-world or VR environments. The new findings are significant as the hippocampus is a primary driver of learning and memory in the brain.
When rats walk around in real life, electrical activity in the hippocampus appears to synchronize (同步发生) at a rate of eight heartbeats per second. Heartbeats at this frequency are generally known as “theta (Ѳ) waves”, with stronger Ѳ waves seeming to improve the brain's ability to learn and keep sensory information. When placed in a VR environment, the rat’s Ѳ waves became stronger.
“It turns out that amazing things happen when the rat is in virtual reality” said Prof Mayank Mehta from UCLA. The scientists also found that VR environments could change different electrical rhythms (节律) in different parts of the neurons, which indicates that scientists may be able to control human brain rhythms.
“This is a new technology that has great potential,” Mehta said. The study also indicates why VR may stimulate these unique brain waves. A big part of it, Mehta puts, may be down to the very different set of stimuli presented in VR.
Imagine that you’re approaching a doorway in real life. Your eyes see the door getting larger. But how do you know that you’re moving forward and the door isn’t coming to you? The answer is that your brain uses information such as the acceleration of your head through space or the shift of weight from one foot to the other-information that may not be present during a VR experience.
8. According to the passage, why are the new findings important?
A. VR’s contributions to learning have finally been identified.
B. VR can affect electrical activity in the hippocampus neurons.
C. VR produces the same effects on brains as real environments.
D. VR is likely to become another driver for learning and memory.
9. What can we learn about Ѳ waves?
A. They don’t respond to different brain rhythms.
B. They remain stable in different environments.
C. They affect how human perceive knowledge.
D. They have lite to do with the rate of heartbeats.
10. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
A. The potential of the new technology.
B. The control of human brain rhythms.
C. The change in different parts of neurons.
D. The stimulation of the unique brain waves.
11. How does the author introduce VR’s different set of stimuli?
A. By conducting further tests on rats. B. By comparing different environments.
C. By providing a detailed analysis D. By explaining the theory of VR.
【答案与解析】
A
【语篇解读】这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了一项研究成果：当人们在自己家里听同样的故事时，他们的心率是相同的，表明心脏与人的情感有直接的联系。
1. C词义猜测题。根据上文“ Yet most of us believe that two hearts can beat as one, and that the heart reveals our real emotions. Now there’s some evidence that such folk wisdom is true.(然而，我们大多数人都相信，两颗心可以同时跳动，而且心脏揭示了我们真实的情感。现在有证据表明这种民间智慧是正确的)”可知，folk wisdom指代上文提到的“人的心传达感情”。故选C。
2. D细节理解题。根据文章第二段“When people listen to the same story — each alone in their own home — their heart rates rise and fall together, according to a new study published last month in Cell Reports. Professor Lucas Perra, a senior author of the study, said, “It’s the story that drives the heart.”(根据上个月发表在《细胞报告》(Cell Reports)上的一项新研究，当人们在自己家里听同样的故事时，他们的心率会同时上升和下降。该研究的资深作者卢卡斯·佩拉教授说，“故事驱动着心脏。”)”可知，从Cell Reports的研究中可以知道同样的故事可以让听众有相同的心率。故选D。
3. A推理判断题。根据文章第二段“When people listen to the same story — each alone in their own home — their heart rates rise and fall together, according to a new study published last month in Cell Reports.(根据上个月发表在《细胞报告》(Cell Reports)上的一项新研究，当人们在自己家里听同样的故事时，他们的心率会同时上升和下降)”可知，作者写这篇文章的目的是为了报告一项研究发现。故选A。
4. B主旨大意题。根据文章第二段可知，文章主要讲述了人们在自己家里听同样的故事时，他们的心率是相同的。由此可知，The Same Story, the Same Heartbeat(同一个故事，同样的心跳)适合作本文最佳标题。故选B。
B
【语篇解读】本文是一篇说明文。文章对“暴风雨前的宁静”这一情况做出了科学的解释，说明了一种计算暴风雨距离的窍门，并且提到实时更新天气预报才是预测天气最可靠的方法。
5. B。词义猜测题。根据第一段中的“It is usually used to describe a peaceful period just before a very stressful situation or a tense argument.(它通常用来描述在一个非常紧张的情况或争论之前的一段平静的时期)”，以及划线词后的“the winds would drop. But why is it often so calm before a storm?(风力会减弱。但是为什么暴风雨前总是那么平静呢?)”可知，在某些暴风雨来临之前，海水是静止的。由此可知划线词意为“静止的”，故选B。
6. C。主旨大意题。根据第四段“Science has given us the answer. According to US infotainment (资讯娱乐) website How Stuff Works, a calm period occurs because many storms, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, draw in all the warm and humid air from the surrounding area. As this air rises into the storm clouds, it cools and acts as “fuel for the storm, like petrol in a car”.(科学已经给了我们答案。据美国娱乐资讯网站How Stuff Works称，由于龙卷风和飓风等风暴会将周围地区温暖潮湿的空气吸走，所以会出现一段平静期。当这些空气上升到风暴云中，它就会冷却并起到“风暴的燃料，就像汽车里的汽油”的作用。)”和第五段“Once the storm has taken all the energy it can from the air, it is pushed out from the top of the storm clouds and falls back down to ground level. As the air descends, it becomes warm and dry. Warm, dry air is stable, so once it covers an area, it causes a calm period before the storm.(一旦风暴从空气中吸收了它所能吸收的所有能量，它就会从风暴云的顶部被推出来，并回落到地面水平。随着空气下降，空气变得温暖干燥。温暖干燥的空气是稳定的，所以一旦它覆盖了一个地区，它就会在暴风雨前造成一段平静期。)”可知，在这两段内容中，科学家们给出了关于“暴风雨前的宁静”的答案，从科学角度解释暴风雨前的平静，所以C项“解释为什么暴风雨前会有一段平静的时期。”为第四段和第五段内容的中心主旨，故选C。
7. B。细节理解题。 根据倒数第二段中的“However, due to the complexity of storm system, not all storms are preceded by calm. （然而，由于风暴系统的复杂性，并不是所有的风暴都会在风平浪静后突然爆发。)”可知，并不是所有的暴风雨都会在平静之后爆发，结合最后一段“So, your best bet is to keep yourself updated with weather reports for any predictions regarding a coming storm in your area. That’s the most reliable and sensible way to predict the next display of nature’s temper.(所以，你最好的办法是随时更新天气预报，了解你所在地区即将到来的暴风雨的预测。这是预测下一次大自然脾气的最可靠、最明智的方法。)”可知，预测暴风雨最好的办法是更新天气预报，由此可知，暴风雨前并不总是平静的。故选B。

C
【语篇解读】本文是一篇说明文。一项对老鼠的研究发现，VR(虚拟现实环境)可以改善大脑活动，这可能对学习、记忆甚至治疗阿尔茨海默症至关重要。
8. B。细节理解题。根据第二段“After monitoring the rats’ brain activity, researchers from the University of California Los Angeles discovered electrical activity in a region known as the hippocampus neurons (海马体神经元) differed depending on whether the rats were placed in real-world or VR environments. The new findings are significant as the hippocampus is a primary driver of learning and memory in the brain. (在监测老鼠的大脑活动后，来自加州大学洛杉矶分校的研究人员发现，海马神经元区域的脑电活动因老鼠被置于真实世界或虚拟现实环境而有所不同。这项新发现意义重大，因为海马体是大脑学习和记忆的主要驱动力)”可知，海马体是大脑学习和记忆的主要驱动力，新发现很重要是因为VR可以影响海马神经元的脑电活动。故选B。
9. C。细节理解题。根据第三段“When rats walk around in real life, electrical activity in the hippocampus appears to synchronize (同步发生) at a rate of eight heartbeats per second. Heartbeats at this frequency are generally known as “theta (Ѳ) waves”, with stronger Ѳ waves seeming to improve the brain’s ability to learn and keep sensory information. When placed in a VR environment, the rat's Ѳ waves became stronger.(当老鼠在现实生活中四处走动时，海马体的脑电活动似乎以每秒8次心跳的速度同步。这种频率的心跳通常被称为“θ (Ѳ)波”，更强的Ѳ波似乎可以提高大脑学习和保存感官信息的能力。在VR环境中，老鼠的Ѳ波变得更强)”可知，强烈的Ѳ波似乎可以提高大脑学习和保存感官信息的能力，由此可知，Ѳ波影响着人类感知知识的方式。故选C。
10. D。语义指代题。根据指代关系和第五段“The study also indicates why VR may stimulate these unique brain waves. A big part of it, Mehta puts, may be down to the very different set of stimuli presented in VR.(这项研究还揭示了为什么VR会刺激这些独特的脑电波。Mehta认为，其中很大一部分原因可能是VR中呈现的一系列截然不同的刺激)”可知，下文中指示代词it指代的是上一句中的“独特脑电波的刺激”，故选D。
11. B。推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段最后一句“A big part of it, Mehta puts, may be down to the very different set of stimuli presented in VR. (Mehta认为，其中很大一部分原因可能是虚拟现实中呈现的一系列截然不同的刺激)”和最后一段“Imagine that you’re approaching a doorway in real life. Your eyes see the door getting larger. But how do you know that you’re moving forward and the door isn’t coming to you? The answer is that your brain uses information such as the acceleration of your head through space or the shift of weight from one foot to the other－information that may not be present during a VR experience.(想象一下，你正在接近现实生活中的一个门口。你的眼睛看到门越来越大。但是你怎么知道你在向前走，而那扇门不会向你走来呢?答案是，你的大脑使用的信息，比如你的头部在空间中的加速度，或者从一只脚到另一只脚的重心转移——这些信息在虚拟现实体验中可能不存在)”可知，作者通过对比现实环境与虚拟现实环境所带来的不同效果，来介绍VR所带来的不同刺激，故选B。