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专题 13 阅读理解议论文（原卷版）
全国各地历年高考真题全收录
一、2023 年高考真题
（一）2023 全国乙卷 D
If you want to tell the history of the whole world, a history that does not privilege one part of
humanity, you cannot do it through texts alone, because only some of the world has ever had texts, while
most of the world, for most of the time, has not. Writing is one of humanity’s later achievements, and until
fairly recently even many literate (有文字的) societies recorded their concerns not only in writing but in
things.
Ideally a history would bring together texts and objects, and some chapters of this book are able to do
just that, but in many cases we simply can’t. The clearest example of this between literate and non-literate
history is perhaps the first conflict, at Botany Bay, between Captain Cook’s voyage and the Australian
Aboriginals. From the English side, we have scientific reports and the captain’s record of that terrible day.
From the Australian side, we have only a wooden shield (盾) dropped by a man in flight after his first
experience of gunshot. If we want to reconstruct what was actually going on that day, the shield must be
questioned and interpreted as deeply and strictly as the written reports.
In addition to the problem of miscomprehension from both sides, there are victories accidentally or
deliberately twisted, especially when only the victors know how to write. Those who are on the losing
side often have only their things to tell their stories. The Caribbean Taino, the Australian Aboriginals, the
African people of Benin and the Incas, all of whom appear in this book, can speak to us now of their past
achievements most powerfully through the objects they made: a history told through things gives them
back a voice. When we consider contact (联系) between literate and non-literate societies such as these,
all our first-hand accounts are necessarily twisted, only one half of a dialogue. If we are to find the other
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】half of that conversation, we have to read not just the texts, but the objects.
12. What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A. How past events should be presented. B. What humanity is concerned about.
C. Whether facts speak louder than words. D. Why written language is reliable.
13. What does the author indicate by mentioning Captain Cook in paragraph 2?
A. His report was scientific. B. He represented the local people.
C. He ruled over Botany Bay. D. His record was one-sided.
14. What does the underlined word “conversation” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. Problem. B. History. C. Voice. D. Society.
15. Which of the following books is the text most likely selected from?
A. How Maps Tell Stories of the World B. A Short History of Australia
C. A History of the World in 100 Objects D. How Art Works Tell Stories
二、2022 年高考真题
（二）
【2022 全国乙卷】
B
In 1916, two girls of wealthy families, best friends from Auburn, N. Y. — Dorothy Woodruff and
Rosamond Underwood — traveled to a settlement in the Rocky Mountains to teach in a one-room
schoolhouse. The girls had gone to Smith College. They wore expensive clothes. So for them to move to
Elkhead, Colo. to instruct the children whose shoes were held together with string was a surprise. Their
stay in Elkhead is the subject of Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the
West by Dorothy Wickenden, who is a magazine editor and Dorothy Woodruff’s granddaughter.
Why did they go then? Well, they wanted to do something useful. Soon, however, they realized
what they had undertaken.
They moved in with a local family, the Harrisons, and, like them, had little privacy, rare baths, and a
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】blanket of snow on their quilt when they woke up in the morning. Some mornings, Rosamond and
Dorothy would arrive at the schoolhouse to find the children weeping from the cold. In spring, the snow
was replaced by mud over ice.
In Wickenden’s book, she expanded on the history of the West and also on feminism, which of course
influenced the girls’ decision to go to Elkhead. A hair-raising section concerns the building of the
railroads, which entailed (牵涉) drilling through the Rockies, often in blinding snowstorms. The book
ends with Rosamond and Dorothy’s return to Auburn.
Wickenden is a very good storyteller. The sweep of the land and the stoicism (坚忍) of the people
move her to some beautiful writing. Here is a picture of Dorothy Woodruff, on her horse, looking down
from a hill top: “When the sun slipped behind the mountains, it shed a rosy glow all around them. Then a
full moon rose. The snow was marked only by small animals: foxes, coyotes, mice, and varying hares,
which turned white in the winter.”
24. Why did Dorothy and Rosamond go to the Rocky Mountains?
A. To teach in a school. B. To study American history.
C. To write a book. D. To do sightseeing.
25. What can we learn about the girls from paragraph 3?
A. They enjoyed much respect. B. They had a room with a bathtub.
C. They lived with the local kids. D. They suffered severe hardships.
26. Which part of Wickenden’s writing is hair-raising?
A. The extreme climate of Auburn. B. The living conditions in Elkhead.
C. The railroad building in the Rockies. D. The natural beauty of the West.
27. What is the text?
A. A news report. B. A book review. C. A children’s story. D. A diary entry.
（三）【2022 全国乙卷】 B
In 1916, two girls of wealthy families, best friends from Auburn, N. Y. — Dorothy Woodruff and
Rosamond Underwood — traveled to a settlement in the Rocky Mountains to teach in a one-room
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】schoolhouse. The girls had gone to Smith College. They wore expensive clothes. So for them to move to
Elkhead, Colo. to instruct the children whose shoes were held together with string was a surprise. Their
stay in Elkhead is the subject of Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the
West by Dorothy Wickenden, who is a magazine editor and Dorothy Woodruff’s granddaughter.
Why did they go then? Well, they wanted to do something useful. Soon, however, they realized
what they had undertaken.
They moved in with a local family, the Harrisons, and, like them, had little privacy, rare baths, and a
blanket of snow on their quilt when they woke up in the morning. Some mornings, Rosamond and
Dorothy would arrive at the schoolhouse to find the children weeping from the cold. In spring, the snow
was replaced by mud over ice.
In Wickenden’s book, she expanded on the history of the West and also on feminism, which of course
influenced the girls’ decision to go to Elkhead. A hair-raising section concerns the building of the
railroads, which entailed (牵涉) drilling through the Rockies, often in blinding snowstorms. The book
ends with Rosamond and Dorothy’s return to Auburn.
Wickenden is a very good storyteller. The sweep of the land and the stoicism (坚忍) of the people
move her to some beautiful writing. Here is a picture of Dorothy Woodruff, on her horse, looking down
from a hill top: “When the sun slipped behind the mountains, it shed a rosy glow all around them. Then a
full moon rose. The snow was marked only by small animals: foxes, coyotes, mice, and varying hares,
which turned white in the winter.”
24. Why did Dorothy and Rosamond go to the Rocky Mountains?
A. To teach in a school. B. To study American history.
C. To write a book. D. To do sightseeing.
25. What can we learn about the girls from paragraph 3?
A. They enjoyed much respect. B. They had a room with a bathtub.
C. They lived with the local kids. D. They suffered severe hardships.
26. Which part of Wickenden’s writing is hair-raising?
A. The extreme climate of Auburn. B. The living conditions in Elkhead.
C. The railroad building in the Rockies. D. The natural beauty of the West.
27. What is the text?
A. A news report. B. A book review. C. A children’s story. D. A diary entry.
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】三、2021 年高考真题
（四）2021 年全国甲卷之 D 篇
Who is a genius? This question has greatly interested humankind for centuries.
Let's state clearly: Einstein was a genius. His face is almost the international symbol for genius. But
we want to go beyond one man and explore the nature of genius itself. Why is it that some people are so
much more intelligent or creative than the rest of us? And who are they?
In the sciences and arts, those praised as geniuses were most often white men, of European origin.
Perhaps this is not a surprise. It's said that history is written by the victors, and those victors set the
standards for admission to the genius club. When contributions were made by geniuses outside the club—
women, or people of a different color or belief—they were unacknowledged and rejected by others.
A study recently published by Science found that as young as age six, girls are less likely than boys
to say that members of their gender(性别)are “really, really smart.” Even worse, the study found that girls
act on that belief: Around age six they start to avoid activities said to be for children who are “really,
really smart.” Can our planet afford to have any great thinkers become discouraged and give up? It doesn't
take a genius to know the answer: absolutely not.
Here's the good news. In a wired world with constant global communication, we're all positioned to
see flashes of genius wherever they appear. And the more we look, the more we will see that social
factors(因素)like gender, race, and class do not determine the appearance of genius. As a writer says,
future geniuses come from those with “intelligence, creativity, perseverance(毅力), and simple good
fortune, who are able to change the world.”
12. What does the author think of victors' standards for joining the genius club?
A. They're unfair. B. They're conservative.
C. They're objective. D. They're strict.
13. What can we infer about girls from the study in Science?
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】A. They think themselves smart.
B. They look up to great thinkers.
.
C They see gender differences earlier than boys.
D. They are likely to be influenced by social beliefs
14. Why are more geniuses known to the public?
A. Improved global communication.
B. Less discrimination against women.
C. Acceptance of victors' concepts.
D. Changes in people's social positions.
15. What is the best title for the text?
A. Geniuses Think Alike B. Genius Takes Many Forms
C. Genius and Intelligence D. Genius and Luck
（五）2021 年 3 月天津卷之 D 篇
There is something to be said for being a generalist, even if you are a specialist. Knowing a little
about a lot of things that interest you can add to the richness of a whole, well-lived life.
Society pushes us to specialize, to become experts. This requires commitment to a particular
occupation, branch of study or research. The drawback to being specialists is we often come to know
more and more about less and less. There is a great deal of pressure to master one's field. You may pursue
training, degrees, or increasing levels of responsibility at work. Then you discover the pressure of having
to keep up.
Some people seem willing to work around the clock in their narrow specialty. But such commitment
can also weaken a sense of freedom. These specialists could work at the office until ten each night, then
look back and realize they would have loved to have gone home and enjoyed the sweetness of their family
and friends, or traveled to exciting places, meeting interesting people. Mastering one thing to the
exclusion （排 除）of others can hold back your true spirit.
Generalists, on the other hand, know a lot about a wide range of subjects and view the whole with all
its connections. They are people of ability, talent, and enthusiasm who can bring their broad perspective
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】（视角）into specific fields of expertise （专长）.The doctor who is also a poet and philosopher is a
superior doctor, one who can give so much more to his patients than just good medical skills.
Things are connected. Let your expertise in one field fuel your passions in all related areas. Some of
your interests may not appear to be connected but, once you explore their depths, you discover that they
are. My editor Toni, who is also a writer, has edited several history books. She has decided to study
Chinese history. Fascinated by the structural beauty of the Forbidden City as a painter, she is equally
interested to learn more about Chinese philosophy. "I don't know where it will lead, but I'm excited I'm on
this pursuit."
These expansions into new worlds help us by giving us new perspectives. We begin to see the
interconnectedness of one thing to another in all aspects of our life, of ourselves and the universe.
Develop broad, general knowledge and experience. The universe is all yours to explore and enjoy.
51. To become a specialist, one may have to_____.
A. narrow his range of knowledge
B. avoid responsibilities at work
C. know more about the society
D. broaden his perspective on life
52. The specialists mentioned in Paragraph 3 tend to______.
A. treasure their freedom
B. travel around the world
C. spend most time working
D. enjoy meeting funny people
53. According to the author, a superior doctor is one who_____.
A. is fully aware of his talent and ability
B. is a pure specialist in medicine
C. should love poetry and philosophy
D. brings knowledge of other fields to work
54. What does the author intend to show with the example of Toni?
A. Passion alone does not ensure a person's success.
B. In-depth exploration makes discoveries possible.
C. Everyone has a chance to succeed in their pursuit.
D. Seemingly unrelated interests are in a way connected.
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】55. What could be the best title for the passage?
A. Be More a Generalist Than a Specialist
B. Specialist or Generalist: Hard to Decide
C. Turn a Generalist into a Specialist
D. Ways to Become a Generalist
四、2020 年高考真题
（六）2020 年天津卷之 D 篇
After years of observing human nature, I have decided that two qualities make the difference
between men of great achievement and men of average performance curiosity and discontent. I have never
known an outstanding man who lacked either. And I have never known an average man who had both.
The two belong together.
Together, these deep human urges (驱策力) count for much more that ambition. Galileo was not
merely ambitious when he dropped objects of varying weights from the Leaning Tower at Pisa and timed
their fall to the ground. Like Galileo, all the great names in history were curious and asked in discontent,
“Why? Why? Why?”
Fortunately, curiosity and discontent don’t have to be learned. We are born with them and need only
recapture them.
“The great man,” said Mencius (孟子), “is he who does not lose his child’s heart.” Yet most of us do
lose it. We stop asking questions. We stop challenging custom. We just follow the crowd. And the crowd
desires restful average. It encourages us to occupy our own little corner, to avoid foolish leaps into the
dark, to be satisfied.
Most of us meet new people, and new ideas, with hesitation. But once having met and liked them, we
think how terrible it would have been, had we missed the chance. We will probably have to force
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】ourselves to waken our curiosity and discontent and keep them awake.
How should you start? Modestly, so as not to become discouraged. I think of one friend who couldn’t
arrange flowers to satisfy herself. She was curious about how the experts did it. How she is one of the
experts, writing books on flower arrangement.
One way to begin is to answer your own excuses. You haven’t any special ability? Most people don’t;
there are only a few geniuses. You haven’t any time? That’s good, because it’s always the people with no
time who get things done. Harriet Stowe, mother of six, wrote parts of Uncle Tom’s Cabin while cooking.
You’re too old? Remember that Thomas Costain was 57 when he published his first novel, and that
Grandma Moses showed her first pictures when she was 78.
However you start, remember there is no better time to start than right now, for you’ll never be more
alive than you are at this moment.
51. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ________.
A. propose a definition
B. make a comparison
C. reach a conclusion
D. present an argument
52. What does the example of Galileo tell us?
A. Trial and error leads to the finding of truth.
B. Scientists tend to be curious and ambitious.
C. Creativity results from challenging authority.
D. Greatness comes from a lasting desire to explore.
53. What can you do to recapture curiosity and discontent?
A. Observe the unknown around you.
B. Develop a questioning mind.
C. Lead a life of adventure.
D. Follow the fashion.
54. What can we learn from Paragraphs 6 and 7?
A. Gaining success helps you become an expert.
B. The genius tends to get things done creatively.
C. Lack of talent and time is no reason for taking no action.
D. You should remain modest when approaching perfection.
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】55. What could be the best tile or the passage?
A. Curious Minds Never Feel Contented
B. Reflections on Human Nature
C. The Keys to Achievement
D. Never Too Late to Learn
五、2019 年高考真题
（七）2019 年全国卷 III 之 B 篇
For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
"It's no secret that China has always been a source(来源)of inspiration for designers," says Amanda
Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest
fashion(时尚)shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces
of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the
influence of Chinese aesthetics(美学)on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable
imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in
Chinese influences.
"China is impossible to overlook," says Hill. "Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion
campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just
consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement. "Of course, only are today's top Western
designers being influenced by China-some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves
Chinese." Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galiano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs-and beating
them hands down in design and sales," adds Hil.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. "The
most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers," she says. "China is no
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you
are talking about China-its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and
models are finally acknowledging that in many ways."
24. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?
A. It promoted the sales of artworks.
B. It attracted a large number of visitors.
C. It showed ancient Chinese clothes.
D. It aimed to introduce Chinese models.
25. What does Hill say about Chinese women?
A. They are setting the fashion. B. They start many fashion campaigns.
C. They admire super models. D. They do business all over the world.
26. What do the underlined words "taking on" in paragraph 4 mean?
A. learning from B. looking down on
C. working with D. competing against
27. What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Young Models Selling Dreams to the World
B. A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York
C. Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics
D. Chinese Culture Fueling International Fashion Trends
（八）2019 年天津卷之 D 篇
Would you BET on the future of this man？He is 53 years old. Most of his adult life has been a
losing struggle against debt and misfortune. A war injury has made his left hand stop functioning，and he
has often been in prison. Driven by heaven-knows-what motives，he determines to write a book.
The book turns out to be one that has appealed to the world for more than 350 years. That former
prisoner was Cervantes，and the book was Don Quixote（《堂吉诃德》）. And the story poses an
interesting question: why do some people discover new vitality and creativity to the end of their days，
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】while others go to seed long before？
We've all known people who run out of steam before they reach life's halfway mark. I'm not talking
about those who fail to get to the top. We can't all get there. I'm talking about people who have stopped
learning on growing because they have adopted the fixed attitudes and opinions that all too often come
with passing years.
Most of us，in fact，progressively narrow the variety of our lives. We succeed in our field of
specialization and then become trapped in it. Nothing surprises us. We lose our sense of wonder. But，if
we are willing to lean，the opportunities are everywhere.
The things we learn in maturity seldom involve information and skills. We learn to bear with the
things we can't change. We learn to avoid self-pity. We learn that however much we try to please，some
people are never going to love us-an idea that troubles at first but is eventually relaxing.
With high motivation and enthusiasm，we can keep on learning. Then we will know how important
it is to have meaning in our life. However，we can achieve meaning only if we have made a commitment
to something larger than our own little egos（自我），whether to loved ones，to fellow humans，to
work，or to some moral concept.
Many of us equate（视……等同于）“commitment” with such “caring” occupations as teaching
and nursing. But doing any ordinary job as well as one can is in itself an admirable commitment. People
who work toward such excellence whether they are driving a truck，or running a store-make the world
better just by being the kind of people they are. They've learned life's most valuable lesson.
51. The passage starts with the story of Cervantes to show that_________.
A. loss of freedom stimulates one's creativity
B. age is not a barrier to achieving one's goal
C. misery inspires a man to fight against his fate
D. disability cannot stop a man's pursuit of success
52. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 probably mean？
A. End one's struggle for liberty.
B. Waste one's energy taking risks.
C. Miss the opportunity to succeed.
D. Lose the interest to continue learning.
53. What could be inferred from Paragraph 4？
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】A. Those who dare to try often get themselves trapped.
B. Those who tend to think back can hardly go ahead.
C. Opportunity favors those with a curious mind.
D. Opportunity awaits those with a cautious mind.
54. What does the author intend to tell us in Paragraph 5？
A. A tough man can tolerate suffering.
B. A wise man can live without self-pity
C. A man should try to satisfy people around him.
D. A man should learn suitable ways to deal with life
55. What is the author's purpose in writing the passage？
A. To provide guidance on leading a meaningful adult life.
B. To stress the need of shouldering responsibilities at work.
C. To state the importance of generating motivation for learning.
D. To suggest a way of pursuing excellence in our lifelong career.
（九）2019 年江苏卷之 C 篇
Who cares if people think wrongly that the Internet has had more important influences than the
washing machine? Why does it matter that people are more impressed by the most recent changes?
It would not matter if these misjudgments were just a matter of people's opinions. However, they
have real impacts, as they result in misguided use of scarce resources.
The fascination with the ICT(Information and Communication Technology) revolution, represented
by the Internet, has made some rich countries wrongly conclude that making things is so "yesterday" that
they should try to live on ideas. This belief in "post-industrial society" has led those countries to neglect
their manufacturing sector(制造业) with negative consequences for their economies.
Even more worryingly, the fascination with the Internet by people in rich countries has moved the
international community to worry about the "digital divide" between the rich countries and the poor
countries. This has led companies and individuals to donate money to developing countries to buy
computer equipment and Internet facilities. The question, however, is whether this is what the developing
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】countries need the most. Perhaps giving money for those less fashionable things such as digging wells,
extending electricity networks and making more affordable washing machines would have improved
people's lives more than giving every child a laptop computer or setting up Internet centres in rural
villages, I am not saying that those things are necessarily more important, but many donators have rushed
into fancy programmes without carefully assessing the relative long-term costs and benefits of alternative
uses of their money.
In yet another example, a fascination with the new has led people to believe that the recent changes
in the technologies of communications and transportation are so revolutionary that now we live in a
"borderless world". As a result, in the last twenty years or so, many people have come to believe that
whatever change is happening today is the result of great technological progress, going against which will
be like trying to turn the clock back. Believing in such a world, many governments have put an end to
some of the very necessary regulations on cross-border flows of capital, labour and goods, with poor
results.
Understanding technological trends is very important for correctly designing economic policies, both
at the national and the international levels, and for making the right career choices at the individual level.
However, our fascination with the latest, and our under valuation of what has already become common,
can, and has, led us in all sorts of wrong directions.
61. Misjudgments on the influences of new technology can lead to __________.
A. a lack of confidence in technology
B. a slow progress in technology
C. a conflict of public opinions
D. a waste of limited resources
62. The example in Paragraph 4 suggests that donators should __________.
A. take people's essential needs into account
B. make their programmes attractive to people
C. ensure that each child gets financial support
D. provide more affordable internet facilities
63. What has led many governments to remove necessary regulations?
A. Neglecting the impacts of technological advances.
B. Believing that the world has become borderless.
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】C. Ignoring the power of economic development.
D. Over-emphasizing the role of international communication.
64. What can we learn from the passage?
A. People should be encouraged to make more donations.
B. Traditional technology still has a place nowadays.
C. Making right career choices is crucial to personal success.
D. Economic policies should follow technological trends.
四、2018年高考真题
（十）【2018·浙江卷，B】
Steven Stein likes to follow garbage trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that
he’s an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce litter, including things that fall off garbage
trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of Stein's jobs is defending
an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.
Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many end up in tree
branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them at checkouts(收银台) . The
bags are prohibited in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Eyeing these headwinds,
plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Stein to make the case that their products are not as bad for
the planet as most people assume.
Among the bag makers' argument: many cities with bans still allow shoppers to purchase paper bags,
which are easily recycled but require more energy to produce and transport. And while plastic bags may
be ugly to look at, they represent a small percentage of all garbage on the ground today.
The industry has also taken aim at the product that has appeared as its replacement: reusable
shopping bags. The stronger a reusable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels
out. However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make. One study found that a
cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the planet than plastic.
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】Environmentalists don't dispute（质疑） these points. They hope paper bags will be banned
someday too and want shoppers to use the same reusable bags for years.
24. What has Steven Stein been hired to do?
A. Help increase grocery sales. B. Recycle the waste material.
C. Stop things falling off trucks. D. Argue for the use of plastic bags.
25. What does the word “headwinds”in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Bans on plastic bags. B. Effects of city development.
C. Headaches caused by garbage. D. Plastic bags hung in trees.
26. What is a disadvantage of reusable bags according to plastic-bag makers?
A. They are quite expensive. B. Replacing them can be difficult.
C. They are less strong than plastic bags. D. Producing them requires more energy.
27. What is the best title for the text?
A. Plastic, Paper or Neither B. Industry, Pollution and Environment
C. Recycle or Throw Away D. Garbage Collection and Waste Control
（十一）【2018·浙江卷，C】
As cultural symbols go, the American car is quite young. The Model T Ford was built at the
Piquette Plant in Michigan a century ago, with the first rolling off the assembly line（装配线）on
September 27, 1908. Only eleven cars were produced the next month. But eventually Henry Ford would
build fifteen million of them.
Modern America was born on the road, behind a wheel. The car shaped some of the most lasting aspects
of American culture: the roadside diner, the billboard, the motel, even the hamburger. For most of the last
century, the car represented what it meant to be American—going forward at high speed to find new
worlds. The road novel, the road movie, these are the most typical American ideas, born of abundant
petrol, cheap cars and a never-ending interstate highway system, the largest public works project in
history.
In 1928 Herbert Hoover imagined an America with “a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.”
Since then, this society has moved onward, never looking back, as the car transformed America from a
farm-based society into an industrial power.
The cars that drove the American Dream have helped to create a global ecological disaster. In America
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】the demand for oil has grown by 22 percent since 1990.
The problems of excessive（过度的）energy consumption, climate change and population growth
have been described in a book by the American writer Thomas L. Friedman. He fears the worst, but hopes
for the best.
Friedman points out that the green economy（经济）is a chance to keep American strength. “The
ability to design, build and export green technologies for producing clean water, clean air and healthy and
abundant food is going to be the currency of power in the new century.”
28. Why is hamburger mentioned in paragraph 2?
A. To explain Americans’ love for travelling by car.
B. To show the influence of cars on American culture.
C. To stress the popularity of fast food with Americans.
D. To praise the effectiveness of America’s road system.
29. What has the use of cars in America led to?
A. Decline of economy. B. Environmental problems.
C. A shortage of oil supply. D. A farm-based society.
30. What is Friedman’s attitude towards America’s future?
A. Ambiguous. B. Doubtful. C. Hopeful. D. Tolerant.
资料收集整理【淘宝店铺：向阳百分百】
