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第 13 讲 阅读理解主旨大意题 （测）
时间 ：45分钟 满分：50分
姓名__________ 得分________
阅读理解(每题2分，共50分)
A
（2018·上海·高考真题）Bitcoin and other so-called cryptocurrencies （加密货币）have been all over the
news lately. Apparently, the idea of money that's not tied to a specific bank—or a specific country—is appealing to
many. But it's worth remembering that the banking system that we now all live with is just that： A modern
invention. Not so long ago, money was almost always created and used locally, and bartering was common. （In
fact, it still is common among many online local networks, like the Buy Nothing Project.）.
In the past, money's makeup varied from place to place, depending on what was considered valuable there. So
while some of the world's first coins were made from a naturally occurring hybrid of gold and silver called electrum
（银金矿），objects other than coins have served as currency, including beads, ivory, livestock, and cowrie shells.
In West Africa, bracelets of bronze or copper were used as cash, especially if the transaction was associated with
the slave trade there. Throughout the colonial period, tobacco was used to replace coins or paper bills in Virginia,
Maryland and North Carolina, even though it was used elsewhere in the colonies and extensively throughout
Europe and the U. K.
Today, on an island in the Pacific, a specific type of shell still serves as currency—and some people there are
even hoarding（贮存）it, just like Bitcoin moguls, convinced that one day, it will make them wealthy beyond
imagination. On Malaita, the most-populated island that's part of the Solomon Islands, shells are accepted at most
places in exchange for goods.
"How much tuna（金枪鱼）you can get for your shells depends on their color and shape," Mary Bruno, a
shop owner from the small town of Auki, on Malaita, told Vice. "One strip of darker shells might get you about two
cans of smaller tuna, but the red ones are worth more. For the red ones, one strip might get enough tuna to feed a
big family for a long time."
Just like a mint that creates coins, there's only one place on the island where the shells, which are polished
and strung together to form 3-foot-long ropes, are made. The strips of red, white, and black shells all come from
Langa Langa Lagoon, where artificial islands were long-ago built by locals to escape from the island-dwelling
cannibals. Once marooned（困住）out on their islands, locals needed a currency to use among themselves, and sothe shell currency was born.
Using shells for money was common throughout the Pacific islands as late as the early 1900s, but Malaita is
unique in that they are still used today. And just like cryptocurrencies, there are those who think the islanders are
smart to invest in this type of money, which is reported to have risen in value over the last three decades. It might
seem strange to hoard a bunch of processed, strung-together shells, but what is a pile of dollars? Just a specially
printed piece of paper and hemp that we've assigned value to—and probably less durable over time than those
shells.
1．According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A．Money was created and was widely used in the world.
B．Tobacco was used as coins or paper bills in American in the past.
C．The ingredients of world’s first coins may be the combination of gold and silver.
D．Using shells for money has been out of date in the world.
2．The word "mint" in paragraph 5 is closest in the meaning to .
A．a kind of money that can exchange
B．the leaves of a mint plant used fresh or candied
C．a place to produce and polish shells
D．a factory that produces currency
3．What's opinion of the author towards shells for money?
A．Reasonable. B．Imaginary.
C．Convenient. D．Inventive.
4．Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A．The History of Bitcoin
B．Shells Still Money
C．The Currency Is of Great Use
D．Some Shells
【语篇解读】本文是说明文。文章介绍了在太平洋的一些小岛上，贝壳至今被当作货币使用的情况。
1．C 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第二段中“ some of the world's first coins were made from a naturally
occurring hybrid of gold and silver called electrum ”可知，世界上最早的一些硬币成分是一种天然的金银混合
物。故选C。
2．D【解析】词句猜测题。第五段中mint所在句的下一句提到“there's only one place where the shells… are
made.” 岛上只有一个制作贝壳的地方；根据“just like（就像）”可知，“a mint”应该是指一个地方；定语从句“that creates coins”修饰a mint，由此可以猜测，a mint是制造货币的地方。故选D。
3．A 【解析】推理判断题。文章最后一段中提到“but what is a pile of dollars? Just a specially printed piece
of paper and hemp that we've assigned value to—and probably less durable over time than those shells.（但一堆美
元又是什么呢?只是一张特殊印制的纸和麻，我们赋予其价值——但随着时间的推移，可能比这些贝壳更
不耐用）”。由此可以推断， 作者认为将贝壳当作货币是合理的。故选A。
4．B【解析】主旨大意题。通读全文，文章第一段提到“money was almost always created and used locally,
and bartering was common.”，说明不久以前，货币几乎都是在当地创造和使用的，物物交换很普遍；第三
段提到“a specific type of shell still serves as currency”，在太平洋的小岛上，人们仍然在用特定类型的贝壳
当作货币；第四、五段说明这些贝壳货币如何使用和制作的。由此可知，文章是介绍在太平洋的一些小岛
上，至今仍然使用贝壳货币。因此文章标题应该为“Shells Still Money”。 故选B。
B
（2021·浙江·高考真题）Researchers say they have translated the meaning of gestures that wild chimpanzees
(黑猩猩) use to communicate. They say wild chimps communicate 19 specific messages to one another with a
"vocabulary" of 66 gestures. The scientists discovered this by following and filming groups of chimps in Uganda,
and examining more than 5,000 incidents of these meaningful exchanges.
Dr Catherine Hobaiter, who led the research, said that this was the only form of intentional communication to
be recorded in the animal kingdom. Only humans and chimps, she said, had a system of communication where they
deliberately sent a message to another group member.
"That's what's so amazing about chimp gestures," she said. "They're the only thing that looks like human
language in that respect. ”
Although previous research has shown that apes and monkeys can understand complex information from
another animal's call, the animals do not appear to use their voices intentionally to communicate messages. This
was a significant difference between calls and gestures, Dr Hobaiter said.
Chimps will check to see if they have the attention of the animal with which they wish to communicate. In one
case, a mother presents her foot to her crying baby, signaling:" Climb on me. " The youngster immediately jumps
on to its mothers back and they travel off together. "The big message from this study is that there is another species
(物种) out there. that is meaningful in its communication, so that's not unique to humans," said Dr Hobaiter.
Dr Susanne Shultz, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Manchester, said the study was
praiseworthy in seeking to enrich our knowledge of the evolution of human language. But, she added, the results
were "a little disappointing"."The vagueness of the gesture meanings suggests either that the chimps have little to communicate, or we are
still missing a lot of the information contained in their gestures and actions," she said. "Moreover, the meanings
seem to not go beyond what other animal convey with non-verbal communication. So, it seems the gulf remains. "
5．What do chimps and humans have in common according to Dr Hobaiter?
A．Memorizing specific words. B．Understanding complex information.
C．Using voices to communicate. D．Communicating messages on purpose.
6．What did Dr Shultz think of the study?
A．It was well designed but poorly conducted.
B．It was a good try but the findings were limited.
C．It was inspiring but the evidence was unreliable.
D．It was a failure but the methods deserved praise.
7．What does the underlined word "gulf" in the last paragraph mean?
A．Difference. B．Conflict. C．Balance. D．Connection.
8．Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A．Chimpanzee behaviour study achieved a breakthrough
B．Chimpanzees developed specific communication skills
C．Chimpanzees: the smartest species in the animal kingdom
D．Chimpanzee language: communication gestures translated
【语篇解读】这是一篇说明文。主要介绍了科学家们通过跟踪和拍摄乌干达的黑猩猩群，翻译出了黑猩猩
用来交流的手势含义。
5．D【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Only humans and chimps, she said, had a system of
communication where they deliberately sent a message to another group member.（她说，只有人类和黑猩猩有
一个交流系统，他们故意向其他成员发送信息）”可知，根据Dr Hobaiter，黑猩猩和人类的共同点在于故
意传递信息，故选D。
6．B【解析】推理判断题。根据第六段中的“Dr Susanne Shultz, an evolutionary biologist from the University
of Manchester, said the study was praiseworthy in seeking to enrich our knowledge of the evolution of human
language. But, she added, the results were“a little disappointing”（曼彻斯特大学的进化生物学家苏珊娜·舒尔茨
博士说，这项研究是值得称赞的，它试图丰富我们对人类语言进化的知识。但是，她补充说，结果“有点
令人失望”）”可知，这项研究是一个好的尝试，但是发现的结果是有限的。故选B。
7．A【解析】词义猜测题。首先根据第三段中的“They’re the only thing that looks like human language in
that respect.（在这方面，它们是唯一看起来像人类语言的东西）”可知，黑猩猩的手势交流很像我们人类语言的交流方式。但是根据最后一段中的“Moreover, the meanings seem to not go beyond what other animals
convey with non-verbal communications.（此外，这些含义似乎并不超越其他动物通过非语言交流所传达的
信息）”可知，黑猩猩手势的交流方式还是和我们语言的交流方式存在不同的，也就是“So, it seems the
gulf remains.（所以，看来差异依然存在）”，故gulf的意思是difference，故选A。
8．D【解析】主旨大意题。根据第一段的“Researchers say they have translated the meaning of gestures that
wild chimpanzees use to communicate.（研究人员表示，他们已经翻译出了野生黑猩猩用来交流的手势的含
义）”以及文章对这方面的讨论可知，文章主要讲科学家们对黑猩猩手势的研究及一些成果，所以D项：
黑猩猩语言：翻译出来的交流手势，这一题目涵盖文章的内容。故选D。
C
（2017·全国·高考真题）Cloud computing will be in use by about 80 percent of about 600 companies. The
trend suggests that data management and storage are moving to cloud computing sellers on a large scale.
Touting(兜售)cloud computing as a way to get rid of the costs of buying and maintain in on-site information-
technology equipment, sellers offer it in the form of Software AsA．Service(SAAS), a delivery model in which
software applications are delivered to customers over a web-based network. SAAS can serve the needs of entire
companies through huge, web-based platforms. As cloud computing rapidly bccomes the delivery channel for
software developers of all shapes and sizes to get their products to market, offering applications in a cloud is now
the rule not the exception. A．relatively small number of sellers are able to offer SAAS to big companies that want
company-wide cloud computing, and only the sellers need apply. Although market-share data are hard to come by,
the list of company’s large enough to offer cloud-computing on this scale is short: Microsoft, Amazon, Google,
Salesforce, Rackspace and not many others.
The concentration of data and virtual (虚拟)computing in the hands of relatively few sellers raises an
important risk for their customers if the Internet-based systems of any one seller are hacked, the result could be
security problems across entire industries in which their customers do
Can this small group of cloud-computing sellers effectively respond to the needs of their customers to quickly
fix such a problem and, most importantly, cut off the damage to these companies' own customers? Don't think such
things can't happen. If hackers can penetrate the Department of Defense, the risk that they will penetrate Microsoft
or google cannot be ruled out Compromise of just one of these sellers---even one with a modest market share---
possibly could shut down, at least temporarily, a sizable part of the U. S. economy.
9．What can cloud computing do？
A．Reduce the cost of computers.B．Provide software service.
C．Market various products.
D．Help companies design websites.
10．What do we know about cloud computing？
A．It works under SAAS.
B．It covers a large part of market-share.
C．Most companies can provide it.
D．Most sellers apply for it.
11．Why is the Department of Defense mentioned in the last paragraph？
A．To warn people of the hackers' power.
B．To show relationship between it and microsoft.
C．To give an example of the country's loss.
D．To present the real picture of the U.S.economy.
12．What might be the best title for the text？
A．The Unthinkable risks of the cloud.
B．Cloud Computing and Smart Sellers.
C．SAAS and changing Companies.
D．The Cloud Computing Age.
【语篇解读】这是一篇说明文，文章介绍了云计算时代的到来，云计算将占据很大的市场份额，给人们提
供网络服务，但是也会带来一系列的问题。
9．B【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第二段的句子“Touting(兜售) cloud computing as a way to get rid of the
costs of buying and maintainin on-site information-technology equipment, sellers offer it in the form of Software
AsA Service(SAAS).”可知，云计算可以提供网络服务. 省去了购买相关设备的成本，以软件（Software AsA
Service）的形式提供，故选B。
10．B【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第一段的句子“Cloud computing will be in use by about 80 percent of
about 600 companies. The trend suggests that data management and storage are moving to cloud computing sellers
on a large scale.”可知，云计算覆盖很大的市场份额（大约600家公司中约80%的公司将使用云计算），在
很大范围内数据处理与储存将交给云计算销售商去完成，这是一个目前的趋势，故选B。
11．A【解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段的句子“If hackers can penetrate the Department of Defense, the
risk that they will penetrate Microsoft or google cannot be ruled out Compromise of just one of these sellers---even
one with a modest market share---possibly could shut down, at least temporarily, a sizable part of the US economy.”可知，如果黑客能够入侵美国国防部，那么不能排除黑客入侵微软或谷歌的风险，即使是市场份额不大的
其中一家销售商（遭到入侵），也有可能导致美国经济的相当大一部分遭遇暂时瘫痪。分析语境，最后一
段提到国防部是为了借此警告人们黑客的力量（巨大破坏力），故选A。
12．D 【解析】主旨大意题。根据全文和第一段的句子"Cloud computing will be in use by about 80 percent
of about 600 companies. The trend suggests that data management and storage are moving to cloud computing
sellers on a large scale.”（大约600家公司中约80%的公司将使用云计算。这一趋势表明，数据管理和存储
正在大规模地转向云计算销售商）可知，文章开头提出云计算时代的美好未来，全文主要介绍云计算时代
的方方面面。The Cloud Computing Age是最恰当的标题，故选D。
D
（2012·辽宁·高考真题）If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28
birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will
give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own
national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that
foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities.
More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools
teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history
and
philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese
wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time,
are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United
States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their
Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and
Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
13．The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.
A．provide some key facts about ConfuciusB．attract the readers' interest in the subject
C．show great respect for the ancient thinker
D．prove the popularity of modem birthday celebrations
14．We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students___________.
A．have a great interest in studying Chinese
B．take an active part in Chinese competitions
C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams
D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese
15．What is the best title for the passage?
A．Forgotten Wisdom in America
B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language
C．Chinese Culture for Westerners
D．Old Thinker with a Big Future
16．The passage is likely to appear in__________.
A．a personal biography B．a history paper
C．a cultural newspaper D．a philosophy textbook
【语篇解读】本文是说明文。文章介绍了西方学生热烈学习中国文化的现象，并告诉我们中国古代伟大的
思想家——孔子的思想仍然受到人们的追捧。
13．B【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段“If Confucius(孔子) were still alive today and could celebrate his
September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a strong wind to help him put
them out.(如果孔子仍然活着并能用一个很大的蛋糕庆祝他9月28日的生日的话，将会有很多的蜡烛。他需
要很大的风才能吹灭)”可知，作者是以孔子生日这个话题，吸引读者的兴趣，引出本文要讨论的真正话题。
故选B。
14．A【解析】推理判断题。根据第四段中的In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have
gained huge popularity in Western universities.(在过去的20年里，中国的研究项目在西方大学里非常受欢迎)
和Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese.(与此同时，美国的学生也在竞相
学习中文)可知，美国学生对中国文化很感兴趣。故选A。
15．D【解析】主旨大意题。本文主要向我们介绍了孔子思想对西方的影响，以及将来可能产生的影响。
由此可知，D项Old Thinker with a Big Future(前程远大的老思想家)适合作本文最佳标题。故选D。
16．C【解析】推理判断题。文章主要讲的是中国的思想家孔子及其所代表的东方文化仍然被西方所推崇，
而并没有讲孔子这个人具体如何，也没有谈及历史或者哲学内容，由此可推断这篇文章更可能出现在报纸上，故正确答案为C。
E
（2020·全国·高考真题）When “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was first shown to the public last month, a
group of excited animal activists gathered on Hollywood Boulevard. But they weren’t there to throw red paint on
fur-coat-wearing film stars. Instead, one activist, dressed in a full-body monkey suit, had arrived with a sign
praising the filmmakers: “Thanks for not using real apes (猿)!”
The creative team behind “Apes” used motion-capture (动作捕捉) technology to create digitalized animals,
spending tens of millions of dollars on technology that records an actor’s performance and later processes it with
computer graphics to create a final image (图像). In this case, one of a realistic-looking ape.
Yet “Apes” is more exception than the rule. In fact, Hollywood has been hot on live animals lately. One
nonprofit organization, which monitors the treatment of animals in filmed entertainment, is keeping tabs on more
than 2,000 productions this year. Already, a number of films, including “Water for Elephants,” “The Hangover Part
Ⅱ” and “Zookeeper,” have drawn the anger of activists who say the creatures acting in them haven’t been treated
properly.
In some cases, it’s not so much the treatment of the animals on set in the studio that has activists worried; it’s
the off-set training and living conditions that are raising concerns. And there are questions about the films made
outside the States, which sometimes are not monitored as closely as productions filmed in the States.
17．Why did the animal activists gather on Hollywood Boulevard?
A．To see famous film stars.
B．To oppose wearing fur coats.
C．To raise money for animal protection.
D．To express thanks to some filmmakers.
18．What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?
A．The cost of making “Apes.”
B．The creation of digitalized apes.
C．The publicity about “Apes.”
D．The performance of real apes.
19．What does the underlined phrase “keeping tabs on” in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A．Listing completely.
B．Directing professionally.
C．Promoting successfully.D．Watching carefully.
【语篇解读】这是一篇新闻报道。短文报道了电影“猩球崛起”上个月首次与公众见面。动物爱好者聚集
在好莱坞前，感谢电影制作者，在电影拍摄时，没有使用真的类人猿。现在的动物拍摄使用的是数字化人
猿的创造技术，而一些电影的拍摄却存在着虐待动物的现象，这让一个非盈利的组织密切关注此事。但有
些拍摄也是不能够被监测到的。
17．D【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段“Instead, one activist ,dressed in a full -body monkey suit ,had arrived
with a sign praising the filmmakers:“Thanks for not using real apes”可知，相反，一名身穿全套猴服的活动人士
来到现场，手里拿着一块牌子，称赞电影制作人:“感谢你们不用真正的猿猴。所以动物保护者聚集在好莱
坞大道是为了向电影制作者表示感谢。故选D项。
18．B【解析】主旨大意题。根据第二段“The creative team behind "Apes" used motion-capture (动作捕捉)
technology to create digitalized animals, spending tens of millions of dollars on technology that I records an actor’s
performance and later processes it with computer graphics to create a final image (图像). ”可知，“人猿”背后的
创作团队利用动作捕捉技术创造数字化的动物，在记录演员表演的技术上，花费数千万美元，然后用电脑
图形处理，以产生最终的影像。由此可知，第二段主要是关于数字化人猿的创造。故选B项。
19．D【解析】词句猜测题。根据第三段划线前的句子“One nonprofit organization, which monitors the
treatment or animals in filmed entertainment”（一个非营利组织，监控动物在电影娱乐中的待遇）以及下文
Already, a number of films, including "Water for Elephants," "The Hangover Part Ⅱ" and "Zookeeper," have drawn
the anger of activists who say the creatures acting in them haven’t been treated properly.（许多电影,包括“大象
的眼泪”,“宿醉Ⅱ”和“管理员”,引起了动物保护人士的愤怒，他们说影片中的动物没有遭到很好的对
待。）由此可知，其中一家监控动物待遇的非营利组织，今年正密切关注着2000多部影片。由此判断出，
划线词的意思是“密切关注”。故选D项。
F
（2020·全国·高考真题）We are the products of evolution, and not just evolution that occurred billions of
years ago. As scientists look deeper into our genes (基因), they are finding examples of human evolution in just the
past few thousand years. People in Ethiopian highlands have adapted to living at high altitudes. Cattle -raising
people in East Africa and northern Europe have gained a mutation (突变) that helps them digest milk as adults.
On Thursday in an article published in Cell, a team of researchers reported a new kind of adaptation - not to
air or to food, but to the ocean. A group of sea-dwelling people in Southeast Asia have evolved into better divers.
The Bajau, as these people are known, number in the hundreds of thousands in Indonesia, Malaysia and the
Philippines. They have traditionally lived on houseboats; in recent times, they’ve also built houses on stilts (支柱)in coastal waters. “They are simply a stranger to the land,” said Redney C．Jubilado, a University of Hawaii
researcher who studies the Bajau.
Dr. Jubilado first met the Bajau while growing up on Samal Island in the Philippines. They made a living as
divers, spearfishing or harvesting shellfish. “We were so amazed that they could stay underwater much longer than
us local islanders,” Dr. Jubilado said. “I could see them actually walking under the sea.”
In2015, Melissa Ilardo, then a graduate student in genetics at the University of Copenhagen, heard about the
Bajau. She wondered if centuries of diving could have led to the evolution of physical characteristics that made the
task easier for them. “it seemed like the perfect chance for natural selection to act on a population,” said Dr. Ilardo.
She also said there were likely a number of other genes that help the Bajau dive.
20．What does the author want to tell us by the examples in paragraph 1?
A．Environmental adaptation of cattle raisers. B．New knowledge of human evolution.
C．Recent findings of human origin. D．Significance of food selection.
21．Why was the young Jubilado astonished at the Bajau?
A．They could walk on stilts all day. B．They had a superb way of fishing.
C．They could stay long underwater. D．They lived on both land and water.
22．What can be a suitable title for the text?
A．Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea B．Highlanders’ Survival Skills
C．Basic Methods of Genetic Research D．The World’s Best Divers
【语篇解读】这是一篇说明文。最近一项对人类基因的研究发现，人类的进化不仅仅发生在数十亿年前，
而且最近几千年也有。Bajau人因为靠海为生，他们的身体已经进化成更能适应海洋生活。
20．B【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段的we are the products of evolution, and not just evolution that
occurred billions of years ago. As scientists look deeper into our genes, they are finding examples of human
evolution in just the past few thousand years.(我们是进化的产物，而且不仅仅是数十亿年前的产物。当科学家
更深入的研究我们的基因时，他们发现了人类在过去几千年进化的例子)可知，作者列举第一段的例子是为
了告诉我们关于人类进化的一个新信息，那就是人类在最近几千年也在进化。B. New knowledge of human
evolution.(人类进化的新知识)符合以上说法，故选B项。
21．C【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段的we were so amazed that they could stay underwater much longer
than us local islanders.(我们很惊讶，他们在水下待的时间比我们当地的岛民要长的多)可知，让Jubilado感
到吃惊的是Bajau人能在水下待更长的时间。C. They could stay long underwater. (他们能在水下待很长时间)
符合以上说法，故选C项。
22．A【解析】主旨大意题。根据文章的主要内容，尤其是第二段的On Thursday in an article published inCell, a team of researchers reported a new kind of adaption-not to air or to food, but to the ocean.(周四，在《细
胞》杂志上发表的一篇文章中，一群研究人员报道了一种新的适应——不是空气也不是食物，而是海洋)可
知，本文主要讲述了一种新的进化，即长期生活在海边，靠海为生的生活方式，让Bajau人的身体进化成
更适应海洋生活。A. Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea.(身体为适应海洋生活而重塑)可以作为本文标题，故
选A项。
G
（2020·北京·高考真题）For the past five years, Paula Smith, a historian of science, has devoted herself to
re-creating long-forgotten techniques. While doing research for her new book, she came across a 16th-century
French manuscript（手稿）consisting of nearly 1,000 sets of instructions, covering subjects from tool making to
finding the best sand.
The author's intention remains as mysterious（神秘）as his name; he may have been simply taking notes for
his own records. But Smith was struck mainly by the fact that she didn't truly grasp any of the skills the author
described. "You simply can't get an understanding of that handwork by reading about it," she says.
Though Smith did get her hands on the best sand, doing things the old-fashioned way isn't just about playing
around with French mud. Reconstructing the work of the craftsmen（工匠）who lived centuries ago can reveal
how they viewed the world, what objects filled their homes, and what went on in the workshops that produced
them. It can even help solve present-day problems: In 2015, scientists discovered that a 10th-century English
medicine for eve problems could kill a drug-resistant virus.
The work has also brought insights for museums, Smith says. One must know how on object was made in
order to preserve it. What's more, reconstructions might be the only way to know what treasures looked like before
time wore them down. Scholars have seen this idea in practice with ancient Greek and Roman statues. These
sculptures were painted a rainbow of striking colours. We can't appreciate these kinds of details without seeing
works of art as they originally appeared-something Smith believes you can do only when you have a road map.
Smith has put the manuscript's ideas into practice. Her final goal is to link the worlds of art and science back
together: She believes that bringing the old recipes to life can help develop a kind of learning that highlights
experimentation, teamwork, and problem solving.
Back when science—then called “the new philosophy”—took shape, academics looked to craftsmen for help
in understanding the natural world. Microscopes and telescopes were invented by way of artistic tinkering（修补）,
as craftsmen experimented with glass to better bend light.
If we can rediscover the values of hands-on experience and craftwork, Smith says, we can marry the best ofour modern insights with the handiness of our ancestors.
23．How did Smith, feel after reading the French manuscript?
A．Confused about the technical terms.
B．Impressed with its detailed instructions.
C．Discouraged by its complex structure.
D．Shocked for her own lack of hand skills.
24．According to Smith, the reconstruction work is done mainly to _____________.
A．restore old workshops B．understand the craftsmen
C．improve visual effects D．inspire the philosophers
25．Which would be the best title for this passage?
A．Craftsmen Set the Trends for Artists
B．Craftsmanship Leads to New Theories
C．Craftsmanship Makes Better Scientists
D．Craftsmen Reshape the Future of Science
【语篇解读】本文是一篇记叙文。主要讲述科学家Paula Smith致力于对古代手工技能的研究，认为科学家
如果能够把古代的手工技能和现代的科学方法结合起来，就能够创造更大成就。
23．D【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第二段“But Smith was struck mainly by the fact that she didn't truly
grasp any of the skills the author described. "You simply can't get an understanding of that handwork by reading
about it," she says.” 让史密斯震惊的主要是，她并没有真正掌握作者所描述的任何技能。她说:“你根本无法
通过阅读来了解这些手工作品。” 由此可知读完这份法国手稿，这种手工技能让史密斯感到震惊，故选
D。
24．B【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第三段“Reconstructing the work of the craftsmen（工匠）who lived
centuries ago can reveal how they viewed the world, what objects filled their homes, ” 重建几个世纪前工匠的作
品，可以揭示他们如何看待世界，他们的家里有什么物件。由此可知，重建工作主要是为了了解工匠。故
选B。
25．C【解析】主旨大意题。根据文章最后一段“If we can rediscover the values of hands-on experience and
craftwork, Smith says, we can marry the best of our modern insights with the handiness of our ancestors. ”史密斯
说，如果我们能重新发现实践经验和工艺的价值，我们就能将现代的最好见解与我们祖先的灵巧结合起来。
由此可知本文的中心思想就在于如果科学家能把古代的手工技巧同现代的理论结合起来，就能够获得更多
的成就。C选项Craftsmanship Makes Better Scientists工艺造就了更好的科学家，符合文章主题，适合做标
题，故选C。
