文档内容
选择性必修第二册 Unit 2 Bridging Cultures
Ⅰ.阅读理解
A
Tina Leverton was 62 when she bought her first pair of ballet shoes.She said putting her feet
into the soft leather was very emotional.She said，“I’ve waited a long time for it.”
A few days later，Leverton took her first ballet class after seeing an advertisement in a
newspaper.It showed older women dancing in a class near Leverton’s house.“As I came in the
door，I found a big smile on my face.From the minute I started，I felt like coming home.”
Leverton had longed to dance as a child.Sadly，her parents couldn’t afford ballet classes，
for they were first-generation Indian immigrants，struggling to make a living in the UK.Her father
was a train driver on the underground in London and her mother held two cleaning
jobs.Nonetheless，she harboured her dream of being a ballerina(芭蕾舞女演员)．
At her present age，a grand plie—lowering to the floor with bent knees—seemed to be out of
the question.It took her three months to master the move: leaping and landing on one foot.“I love
the struggle and the challenge of learning something new.People in their 60s have a lot of self-
limiting beliefs：‘I can’t do it，’ ‘I’m not good enough.’ And maybe they’re not good
enough.But it doesn’t matter，”she said.
Ballet has been transformative.At a medical appointment a few months after Leverton’s first
class，a nurse measured her at 163cm，half an inch taller than she had thought.She attributes(归
因) the difference to improved posture.Her muscle tone has improved and her lower back pain has
stopped.Dancing has also brought new friends.She met a group of older，more independent
women and worked together towards a team award with the Royal Academy of Dance.And then，
of course，there is the joyful feeling.“Ballet is all the therapy(治疗) I’ll ever need，”said
Leverton.
1．How did Leverton feel after taking her first dance lesson?
A．Tired. B．Confused.
C．Shocked. D．Thrilled.
2．Why didn’t Leverton learn to dance when she was young?
A．Her family was badly off.
B．She wasn’t able to leap high.
C．Her family laughed at her dream.
D．She had to focus on classes.
3．What did dancing bring to Leverton?
A．A team award. B．Money and fame.C．Friendship and joy. D．A medical treatment.
4．What can we learn from Leverton’s story?
A．Hard work pays off.
B．Never too old to pursue dreams.
C．Interest is the key to success.
D．Money isn’t everything.
B
(2023·湖南衡阳联考)
Everything you know is in your brain.For what you don’t，you can ask the web.However，
as you can imagine，in the past there were no computers and no web at all.Think about people
living 3,500 years ago，in places where pyramids towered above them.The lack of explanations
about how things worked inspired the ancients to make discoveries and feed their curiosity.
But do not think they knew nothing：In fact，we still wonder how the Egyptians could build
the pyramids using their own，rather rudimentary equipment.They wrote down their knowledge
on books(called papyrus scrolls) so that later people could benefit from their skills.
Living safer and healthier was a top priority for the ancients：When they hurt their heads in
battles，they used to heal their wounds using the cures，some of which were recorded on a
papyrus now known as the Edwin Smith Papyrus.Interestingly ， this is the oldest written
evidence of the word “brain”we have on Earth，and it dates back to 3,500 years ago!
However，writing the word “brain”on a papyrus did not solve all the questions about
it.Around 2,500 years ago，for example，ancient Greeks wondered whether mind and soul lay in
the brain or in the heart.
2,000 years ago，Roman physician Galen of Pergamon was sure he had solved the question：
It was the brain，not the heart，that was the center of mental life.However，Galen had to
convince the people around him that what he had discovered was true.It was not easy，mostly
because people held their earlier beliefs.Every neuroscientist，just like Galen did，has to carefully
observe reality，focus on something that is really interesting，think about how it can work，
perform experiments，and discuss the data they get.This way，they can obtain convincing
evidence to be shared with others.
5．What encouraged the ancients to make discoveries?
A．The hope for keeping curiosity.
B．The need for writing books.
C．The search for explanations.
D．The wish to work faster.
6．Which word can best replace“rudimentary”underlined in paragraph 2?
A．Complicated. B．Primitive.C．Electrical. D．Protective.
7．What can be learned about the Edwin Smith Papyrus?
A．It was probably a medical text.
B．It was finished 2,500 years ago.
C．It was considered useless at first.
D．It was written by Galen of Pergamon.
8．How did Galen convince people of his discovery?
A．By finding evidence from papyrus scrolls.
B．By asking many scientists to support him.
C．By following strict scientific methods.
D．By teaching people to do experiments.
C
What’s more important in determining life success—book smarts or street smarts？This
question gets at the heart of an important debate contrasting the relative importance of cognitive(认
知) intelligence(CI) and emotional intelligence(EI)．
Cognitive intelligence is still recognized as an important element of success，particularly
when it comes to academic achievements.People with high cognitive intelligence typically do well
in school，often earn more money，and tend to be healthier in general.
But today experts recognize that cognitive intelligence is not the only determining factor of
life success.Instead，it is part of a complex range of influences—one that includes emotional
intelligence.Many companies now provide emotional intelligence training and use emotional
intelligence tests as part of the hiring process.Research has found that individuals with strong
leadership potential also tend to be more emotionally intelligent，suggesting that high emotional
intelligence is an important quality for business leaders and managers.According to a survey of
hiring managers，almost 75% of the responders suggested that they valued an employee’s
emotional intelligence more than his cognitive intelligence.
Now that emotional intelligence is so important，can it be taught or strengthened？According
to one meta-analysis that looked at the results of social and emotional learning programs，the
answer to that question is definitely yes.Strategies for teaching emotional intelligence include
character education modeling positive behavior，encouraging people to think about how others are
feeling，and finding ways to be more empathetic(有同理心的) toward others.
All in all，life success is a result of many factors.Both cognitive intelligence and emotional
intelligence play roles in overall success, as well as health，wellness，and happiness.Rather than
focusing on which factors have a prior influence，the greatest benefit may lie in learning to
improve skills in multiple areas.In addition to strengthening cognitive abilities，such as memory
and mental focus，you can also acquire and improve social and emotional skills.
9．People with book smarts tend to .A．debate with other people
B．deal with various situations
C．be outstanding in academic research
D．be good at gaining real life experience
10．Why does the author mention the data in paragraph 3?
A．To indicate the strictness of the hiring process.
B．To prove the importance of emotional intelligence.
C．To explain the result of emotional intelligence tests.
D．To show the influence of cognitive intelligence on success.
11．What can be learned concerning emotional intelligence?
A．Evaluating how others feel.
B．One’s extreme behavior.
C．One’s academic performance.
D．Controlling others’emotions.
12．Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A．Do Book Smarts Matter?
B．Is CI or EI More Important?
C．What Counts Most in Life?
D．Mental Health or Physical Health?
Ⅱ.七选五
Convincing teenagers to put down their phone and dig in the flowerbeds may seem like a long
shot.But if provided the opportunity，the right tools and encouragement，they might find they
love gardening. 1 Many plants can grow in containers.Here are some benefits of gardening for
teenagers.
2 Whether flowers or vegetables ， caring for plants helps teenagers develop
responsibility.They also gain a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence as they raise new
green shoots into full blooming beauties.Teen gardeners will get to experiment and learn what is
best for each plant，experiencing the benefits of their efforts over time.
Gardening is good for psychological well-being. 3 Gardens have been shown to reduce
stress and depression，as well as promote productivity.Taking a break from electronics and social
media can also improve teenagers’ attention.Research shows that spending just a few minutes
outdoors，surrounded by grass，trees，and other plants can boost a teenager’s ability to focus
and concentrate.
Outdoor time promotes exercise.Gardening offers fresh air，sunshine，and exercise. 4
Sowing seeds，planting seedlings，and deadheading flowers require movement which translates
to some exercise.Teenagers are likely to become so absorbed in their work that they don’t even
realize the physical aspect of gardening.Growing food encourages healthier eating habits.Teenagers that grow their own food are more
likely to enjoy eating healthily.Tasting the fruits of their own efforts often inspires them to eat more
of the items they grow themselves.Teaching teenagers about the nutritional benefits of the plants
they grow will empower them to make wise and tasty food choices for life. 5
A．Plant care builds up responsibility.
B．And gardening doesn’t need much space.
C．A sense of responsibility matters to teenagers.
D．Plants are often used as a tool to help improve mental health.
E．Parents may find that their couch potato enjoys growing actual potatoes.
F．These benefits are especially good for teenagers who avoid physical activity.
G．And harvesting is an excellent way to help teenagers know the source of their food.
