湖南省2019-2020学年高二下学期期中考试英语试卷

一、阅读理解

1. 难度：中等

    Downey's mother spent one year studying abroad through an international exchange program with a French school. She often talked about how exciting and interesting the experience was. So, even before finishing high school, Downey had decided to follow suit one day.

Downey began studying architecture at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 2004. Near the end of her second year, she started to feel unhappy with her school and decided it was time to study abroad.

U. S. colleges and universities commonly have joint programs with foreign schools that permit student exchanges. These programs usually last half a school year or sometimes a whole school year. The classes students take abroad usually give them credits toward their degree. In a four­year degree program, the third year is the most common time for American college students to study abroad. Many students think they need a change before what is usually their final and most difficult year of study.

Downey said her school did not want her to go at first. The architecture program at Lehigh was very intense, and her professors were worried she might miss learning important material. However, she was eventually able to get special permission to study internationally for a whole year. During the fall term in 2006, she attended a Danish international school in Copenhagen, Denmark, explaining she did so because Danish architects are well known for their housing design.

Young adult as she was, she had to deal with travel documents and many other issues (问题) on her own. Overcoming the language barrier is the biggest challenge of studying abroad. However, she had a lot of emotional (情感的) and financial support from her family. She learned life lessons and made friendships and memories that have lasted to this day. She said, “The more you're out of your comfort zone, the more rewarding the experience is in the end.”

1.What does Downey's mother mean to Downey?

A.A friend. B.A dreamer.

C.An example. D.An expert.

2.What made Downey choose the Danish international school?

A.The famous learned professors.

B.The casual learning environment.

C.The impressive academic reputation.

D.The favorable geographical location.

3.What can we infer according to the last paragraph?

A.It was not easy for Downey to study abroad.

B.The comfortable life is likely to ruin the future life.

C.Downey was too young to take care of herself.

D.Downey's parents could hardly afford her education.

2. 难度：中等

    When you start working on something but don't finish it, thoughts of the unfinished work continue to jump into your mind even when you've moved on to other things. Psychologists refer the phenomenon as the Zeigamik effect. The effect was first observed by a Russian psychologist named Bluma Zeigamik. While sitting in a busy restaurant in Vienna, she noted the waiters had better memories of unpaid orders. Once the bill was paid, however, the waiters had difficulty remembering the exact details of the orders.

In one of her studies, participants were asked to complete simple tasks such as putting together puzzles, or solving math problems. Half of the participants were interrupted halfway through these tasks. After an hour-long delay, Zeigamik asked the participants to give an account of what they'd been working on. She discovered that those who had their work interrupted were twice as likely to remember what they had been doing as those who had actually completed the tasks.

We can use this effect to our advantage. For example, if you're struggling to memorize something important, momentary interruptions might actually work to your advantage. Rather than simply remember the information over and over again, review it several times and then take a break. While you're focusing on other things, you'll find yourself mentally returning to the information you were studying.

We often put off tasks until the last moment, only completing them in a rush at the last possible moment. Unfortunately, this tendency can lead to heavy stress and even poor performance. One way to overcome this is to put the Zeigamik effect to work. Start by taking the first step, no matter how small. Once you have begun — but not finished — your work, you'll find yourself thinking of the task until, at last, you finish it. You might not finish it all at once, but each small step you take puts you closer to your final goal.

1.What does the Zeigamik effect refer to?

A.Waiters tend to have good memories.

B.Once interrupted, one will forget things easily.

C.Most people can't focus on one thing for a long time.

D.People remember unfinished tasks better than completed ones.

2.How should we study according to the Zeigamik effect?

A.Repeat over and over again.

B.Divide our study session.

C.Focus on several tasks at a time.

D.Have enough rest before studying.

3.What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?

A.How to get rid of heavy stress.

B.Why we should set a final goal.

C.How to break the habit of delaying work.

D.Why we always complete tasks in a rush.

3. 难度：中等

    More than 5, 000 species of birds manage annual round-trip migrations（迁徙）. These journeys can be thousands of miles, with many birds often returning to the exact same nesting and wintering place from year to year.

Migration is very important in the life cycle of birds, and without this annual journey many birds would not be able to raise their young. Birds migrate to find the richest and most abundant food that will provide adequate energy to raise young birds. If no birds migrated, competition for adequate food during breeding（繁殖）seasons would be fierce and many birds would starve.

Of course, not all birds migrate. Some birds can take advantage of different food sources（来源）as seasons change, allowing them to stay in one place all year round. Other birds are better adapted to cold climates with thicker fat reserves and better feathers, and they can survive long cold seasons while they forage for winter food. For more than half the world's birds, however, migration is necessary to stay alive.

When the timing is right for their migrating needs, birds will begin their journey. Food, weather, temperature and illness or injury are several minor aspects that may affect migration by a day or two, but most bird species follow precise migration "schedule". While migration is at its finest during spring and fall, birds migrate all throughout the year. Migration is actually an ongoing process and there are always birds at some stage of their journeys. The distance the birds must fly, the length of time it takes to mate and the amount of young birds all affect when any one species is migrating.

Migratory birds have several changes before the journey. Among them is hyperphagia, the process of migration-related weight gain. As daylight changes and migration times near, a bird's hormone levels will change and they will build a greater fat supply. Besides, old, ragged feathers create more wind drag and air resistance, which requires a bird to use more energy in flight, so many birds replace old feathers with new ones.

1.Without migration, many birds would          .

A.stop reproducing during breeding seasons

B.abandon young birds for lack of food

C.be unable to find places for nesting

D.be in danger of starvation

2.What does the underlined phrase "forage for" mean in Paragraph 3?

A.Run out of. B.Cut down on.

C.Search for. D.Wait for.

3.What can we learn about birds' migration?

A.Most birds begin their journey at the arrival of spring.

B.Warm temperature usually advances it by a day or two.

C.There is almost little migration of birds in winter.

D.Birds' migration is affected by various aspects.

4.How will migratory birds benefit from the process of hyperphagia?

A.They will tend to use less energy in flight.

B.They will store enough energy for travelling.

C.They will replace old feathers with new ones.

D.They will better sense the changes of daylight.

二、七选五

4. 难度：中等

    We see big lies.1.We think we're fundamentally different from those big liars like Bernie Madoff or Tiger Woods.

But behind big lies are a series of small tricks or lies. Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economies, writes about this in his book The Honest Truth about Dishonesty.2.

These small lies are quite common. There are many of us who might go a little too fast on the highway, or pocket extra change at a gas station. As humans, it seems we are natural liars.3.

But still, we want to look in the mirror and see ourselves as good, honest people, though we benefit from our lying. That's why Ariely describes honesty as something of a state of mind. He thinks the IRS（税务局）should have people promise to be honest when they start working on their taxes, not when they 're done.4.

Ariely says the research about honesty isn't all negative（消极的）.5.But we usually don't take those chances. "There's a lot of good in us." he said.

A.Most people tell some kind of lies every day.

B.When talking about dishonesty, we always think of something big.

C.But when we think to ourselves, we believe we could never do that.

D.We have plenty of chances to lie and cheat, without getting caught.

E.Some of the most common lies are white lies, which are typically considered to be harmless,

F.He found what separates honest people from not honest people is not necessarily character, but chance.

G.Setting the stage for honesty is more effective than asking someone after the fact whether or not they lied.

三、完形填空

5. 难度：中等

On June 23, 1970. I had just left the Army after completing my one-year duty in Vietnam. I was on ____ returning home in Texas. I had been warned about the ____ of our fellow countrymen. There was no ____ welcome for us when we came home from that unpopular war.

I sat, in uniform, in a window seat, ____ eye contact with my fellow passengers. NO one was sitting next to me, which added to my _____. A little girl suddenly appeared in the passage. She ____ and, without saying a word, ____ handed me a magazine. I accepted her ____, her quiet “welcome home.” All I could say was, “Thank you.” Her small gesture of ____ was the first I had experienced in a long time.

I always believe in the connection between ____ when they reach out to one another.

That girl ____ has no memory of what happened years ago. She might have been told to do that by her mother. It doesn’t matter ____ she gave me the magazine. The ____ thing is that she did.

Since then, I have followed her example and tried. in different ways for different people, to ____ for them. Like me on that plane ride long ago, they will ____ know why a stranger gave a hand. But I absolutely know that my ____ since then are all because of that little girl. Her kindness of offering a magazine to a ____, scared and lonely soldier has been ____ throughout my life. I have to believe that my small ____ have the same effect on others. And to that little girl, now a ____, I would like to say again: thank you.

1.A. bus    B. train    C. plane    D. boat

2.A. stories    B. difficulties    C. unfriendliness    D. enthusiasm

3.A. hometown    B. school    C. cold    D. immediate

4.A. seeking    B. noticing    C. keeping    D. avoiding

5.A. pride    B. loneliness    C. anger    D. excitement

6.A. smiled    B. listened    C. turned around    D. bent down

7.A. naturally    B. proudly    C. shyly    D. worriedly

8.A. offer    B. donation    C. accompany    D. contact

9.A. invitation    B. sympathy    C. agreement    D. inspiration

10.A. soldiers    B. strangers    C. families    D. girls

11.A. similarly    B. finally    C. immediately    D. undoubtedly

12.A. when    B. how    C. why    D. where

13.A. memorable    B. satisfactory    C. important    D. valuable

14.A. do the same    B. find a seat    C. get things ready    D. pass a magazine

15.A. always    B. never    C. happily    D. obviously

16.A. feelings    B. ideas    C. models    D. attempts

17.A. busy    B. young    C. excited    D. tired

18.A. accepted    B. spread    C. honored    D. neglected

19.A. actions    B. benefits    C. donations    D. sacrifices

20.A. stranger    B. wife    C. mother    D. woman

四、语法填空

6. 难度：中等

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Though he has only two published works, Lu Yao (1949 — 1992) is one of the most celebrated Chinese 1. (write) of the 20th century.

His stories focus 2. every ordinary young person in the great transformation of Chinese society. In his book Life, we read about the life of a young man named Gao Jialin. 3. (graduate) from high school in the 1980s, Gao wants to work hard in the city for a better life. However, due to his identity as a poor and powerless man from a small village, he loses his job and 4. (eventual) has to return to his hometown.

Lu’s 5. (work) not only feature the fates of young people but also “the heartbeat of the time”, CGTN noted. As a realistic piece of work, the story in Ordinary World 6. (span) from early 1975 to 1985. In this book, Lu presents what he saw in that era: the conflict between the new ideas of city life and the 7. (tradition) views of village life as society developed.

Nowadays, young people 8. leave their hometowns to follow their dreams in a big city face similar dilemmas (困境). “His works inspire many 9. (walk) ahead, out of passion for life, with the trends of the time, and provide 10. sense of meaning to their lives.”

五、提纲类作文

7. 难度：简单

如今，游泳已成为各校争相开展的体育活动。假定你是李华，你校组建了游泳俱乐部。请给在我校留学的朋友Peter写信，邀请他加入。内容包括:

1.组建俱乐部的目的； 2.俱乐部的主要活动；  3.报名的时间和地点；

注意:

1.词数100左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Peter,

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

六、读后续写

8. 难度：困难

阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

Sally had trouble speaking in social situations. I’m a registered nurse and I love kids and dogs. I wanted to use Bella to bring her joy, comfort and confidence the way only a dog can.

That morning in January, her teacher led us to a room by the school office. “Sally hasn’t spoken outside her home in two years,” she told me. “Her parents have taken her to doctors, but nothing has worked.” A little girl stood shyly just inside the doorway. Her eyes brightened when noticing my dog.

“This is Isabella Rose. I call her Bella,” I said. “Would you like to pet her? She doesn’t know anyone here and she’d like to meet you. She does tricks. Would you like to see?”

Sally nodded. I motioned with my hand. Bella lay down and then rolled over. Sally’s eyes cheered up. “She’ll do it for you too,” I said. “I can teach you.”

I showed Sally the hand signals for various commands. She was a natural with Bella. Soon Sally was able to take Bella at her pace all on her own. I could see her standing taller, more sure of herself each time we met.

One morning, when she was working with Bella, I heard a tiny voice, barely a whisper: “Good dog.” Sally didn’t take her eyes off Bella, but I wanted to jump for joy. Sally spoke a little more each week, only to Bella at first, but then to me. Later, she started giving voice commands with her hand signals and her confidence rose. Still, she hadn’t spoken in her classroom.

“Could you bring Bella to my class and show the other kids her tricks?” Sally asked me one day. An idea struck me. “Why don’t you do it?” I said. “I know you can. You’re as good with Bella as I am.” Now, Sally stood nervously in front of her kindergarten class, with Bella sitting calmly by her side. Her classmates focused on Sally, waiting for her to speak.

注意:

1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；

2.应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；

3.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；

4.续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。

Paragraph 1:

But not a word came out.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2:

The next week, she told me she wanted to try again, looking up at me with determination.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________