专题08 说明文阅读
（一）
（2025·安徽蚌埠市·一模）
C
At one point or another, you’ve probably heard someone speak with confidence on a topic that they actually
know almost nothing about. Psychologists have studied this topic and suggested a somewhat surprising explanation
known as the Dunning-Kruger effect.
In a set of studies testing this effect, researchers Justin Kruger and David Duming asked participants to
complete tests of their skills in a particular domain (such as humor or logical reasoning). Then, participants were
asked to guess how well they had done on the test. They found that participants had the tendency to overestimate
their abilities, and this effect was most pronounced among participants with the lowest scores on the test.
Why does it happen? In an interview, David Dunning explains that “the knowledge and intelligence that are
required to be good at a task are often the same qualities needed to recognize that one is not good at that task. ” In
other words, if someone knows very little about a particular topic, they may not even know enough about the topic
to realize that their knowledge is limited.
Importantly someone may be highly skilled in one area, but be susceptible to the Dunning-Kruger effect in
another domain. This means that everyone can potentially be affected by the Dunning-Kruger effect. Dunning
explains in an article that “You may think this doesn’t apply to you. But the problem of unrecognized ignorance is
one that visits us all. ”
What can people do to overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect? The researchers found that training made a
difference. After completing a short training session on logical reasoning, the participants who scored in the bottom
25 percent lowered their estimate of how well they thought they had done on the previous test. In other words, one
way to overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect may be to learn more about a topic.
However, when learning more about a topic, it’s important to make sure that we avoid confirmation bias (偏
差), which is “the tendency to accept evidence that confirms our beliefs and to reject evidence that contradicts
them.” As Dunning explains, overcoming the Dunning-Kruger effect can sometimes be a complicated process,
especially if it forces us to realize that we were previously misinformed.
28. What did Justin Kruger and David Dunning find in their studies?
A. The Dunning-Kruger effect had no impact on experts.
B. Most participants predicted accurately about their test scores.
C. People who knew little were more likely to overestimate their competence.
D. People affected by the Dunning-Kruger effect had the lowest intelligence.
29. What is the cause of the Dunning-Kruger effect?
A. Overconfidence.
B. Illogical reasoning.
C. Lack of experience.
D. Insufficient knowledge.
30. What does the underlined phrase “be susceptible to” probably mean?
A. Be untrained in.
B. Be doubtful about.
C. Be not familiar with.
D. Be easily influenced by.
31. What is emphasized by Dunning in fighting off the Dunning-Kruger effect?
A. The effect is hard to overcome.
B. Training is the most effective way.
C. Opposing views should be taken into account.
D. People are often misinformed in their interview.
（二）
（2025·安徽滁州市·一模）
C
The twelve new restaurants added to the New York Michelin Guide this month will be casting their
success. Being included in the handbook is the first step towards receiving a Michelin star, the most desirable
award in the cuisine industry. Yet according to a study recently published in the Strategic Management
Journal, restaurants might be better off remaining starless.
Daniel Sands of University College London's school of management tracked the fortunes of restaurants
that opened in New York in 2000 - 2014 and won the honor of being included in the guide. He found that, of
this promising group, restaurants which went on to get a Michelin star were more likely to close down in the
years that followed than those which did not. The relationship remained even when factors such as location,
price and type of cuisine were taken into account. All considered, 40% of restaurants awarded Michelin stars
in 2005 - 2014 had closed by the end of 2019.
A Michelin star boosts publicity: the study found that Google search rose by over a third for newly -
starred restaurants. But that fame comes at a price. First, Mr. Sands argues, the restaurants' customers change.
Being the focus of public attention raises diners' expectations and brings in tourists from farther away.
Meeting guests' greater demands adds to new costs. Second, businesses the restaurants deal with, such as
ingredient suppliers and landlords, use the opportunity to charge more.
Food is not the only industry where awards are a mixed blessing. Several studies have shown that
companies run by award - winning bosses underachieve relative both to their previous performance and to
their opponents. In publishing, too, awards bring disaster. Prize - winning books are reviewed more severely
than before their success, and worse than runners - up.
For restaurants that are in the industry for the glory, Michelin's top award will probably remain too
inviting not to pursue. But for those simply wanting to stay in business, it may be safer to not quite meet the
criterion.
28. What can be learned about winning a Michelin star from paragraph 1?
A. It does not necessarily benefit winners.
B. It has not been fully appreciated.
C. It leads to being included in the guide.
D. It is a huge success worth celebrating.
29. What is true about the restaurants researched by Daniel?
A. 40% of them suffered close down by the end of 2019.
B. They have been in business for at least two decades.
C. All of them were New York - based establishments.
D. Some went out of business due to the unfavorable location.
30. What does the author intend to show by mentioning prize - winning books?
A. Critics review them unfairly.
B. Runners - up are better written.
C. Competition in publishing is fierce.
D. Fame seldom comes without a price.
31. What's the author's suggestion for restaurants?
A. Pursue the top award at all costs.
B. Be aware of the potential danger.
C. Decide based on their own needs.
D. Follow suit in the cuisine business.
（三）
（2025·安徽合肥市·一模）
C
Scientists with the BrainGate research center have developed a breakthrough brain-computer interface (BCI).
The system aims to restore communication for individuals with speech disabilities caused by conditions like
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which lead to the gradual loss of mobility and speech. It uses implanted
sensors to interpret brain signals when a user attempts to speak, transforming them into text that is read aloud by a
computer. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine on August 14, was led by David
Brandman and Sergey Stavisky, faculty members at UC Davis Health.
ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, affects nerve cells controlling muscle movement. BCI technology
can restore communication for those affected. In this study, Casey Harrell, a 45-year-old man with ALS, regained
the ability to communicate effectively within minutes of using the system. Harrell described the experience as life-
changing, saying, “My past condition was so demoralizing. Not being able to communicate seems as if you were
trapped. Something like this technology will help people get back into life and society.”
The BrainGate clinical trial, led by Dr. Leigh Hochberg from Brown University, has made major progress in
interpreting brain signals to help people with paralysis (瘫痪) communicate. In July 2023, the UC Davis team
implanted a BCI device into Harrell’s brain, focusing on the left precentral gyrus, a part of the brain that controls
speech. The system translates brain activity into phonemes (音素) and words, enabling real-time communication.
Harrell’s BCI generated speech with a voice similar to his own, using software trained with existing voice samples
of his voice before he developed ALS. This allowed him to connect with his loved ones in a deeply personal way.
Over 32 weeks and 248 hours of use, the system achieved remarkable results, with 99.6% acéuracy for a 50-
word vocabulary in 30 minutes of training and 90.2% accuracy for a 125,000-word vocabulary after 1.4 additional
training hours. “This is transformative technology,” Brandman said. “It provides hope for people who want to speak
but can’t.” Dr. John Ngai, director of the NIH’s BRAIN Initiative, highlighted the milestone as a major step in
restoring communication for individuals locked in by paralysis.
8. What do we know about the BrainGate BCI?
A. It is used to treat speech disabilities.
B. It translates brain signals into speech.
C. It helps people with ALS move and speak.
D It connects brains to make computers smarter.
9. What does the underlined word “demoralizing” in paragraph 2 mean?
A. Discouraging.
B. Demanding.
C. Comforting.
D. Eye-opening.
10. Why was the speech composed in Harrell’s pre-ALS voice?
A. To enable his communication in real time.
B. To make his speech emotionally meaningful.
C. To improve the accuracy of speech translation.
D. To help interpret his brain signals more easily.
11. What is Dr. John Ngai’s attitude towards the BrainGate BCI?
A. Favourable.
B. Unclear.
C. Cautious.
D. Dismissive.
（四）
（2025·安徽合肥市·一模）
D
It might surprise you to learn that dogs are playing an increasingly important role as conservationists. For
centuries, they have been known as man’s best friends. Now, their unique. abilities are being made use of to help
protect some of the world’s most threatened species.
Quick and loyal, dogs possess many qualities that make them ideal for fieldwork, but it’s their extraordinary
sense of smell that makes them invaluable for conservation work. With around 220 million olfactory receptors (嗅
觉受体) compared to just 5 million in humans, dogs can detect scents (气味) and analyze them with astonishing
accuracy, devoting 40 times more of their brain to scent analysis than we do.
Thanks to this incredible ability, some dogs are now being trained to save at-risk animals by sniffing (嗅) out
their droppings. At the University of Washington’s Conservation Cannes facility,20specially trained dogs have
successfully tracked killer whale droppings, which only float briefly on the ocean’s surface. Analyzing these
samples enables scientists to monitor the health of killer whale populations, which are under significant stress from
food shortages, pollution, and boat traffic.
Beyond tracking animal droppings, conservation dogs are also trained for live animal detection, further
showcasing their abilities. They can locate rare species in their natural habitats. Additionally, they are now used to
tackle the non-native species that threaten the survival of the local wildlife. Dogs also take on other important roles.
For example, at Kenya’s Mombasa port, dogs sniff out illegal wildlife products such as rhino horns and ivory.
Across Africa, they work on the frontlines against illegal hunting, serving as a powerful security force enhancer.
While dogs may not be the ultimate solution to every conservation challenge. their incomparable abilities
make them invaluable companions in the fight to protect our planet’s biodiversity.
12. Why are the figures mentioned in the second paragraph?
A. To highlight the superiority of dogs’ sense of smell.
B. To suggest the amazing accuracy of dogs’ analysis.
C. To recognize the importance of conservation work.
D. To show dogs’ impressive achievements in fieldwork.
13. How do dogs help protect killer whales?
A. By tracking their movements.
B. By detecting their droppings.
C. By monitoring their populations.
D. By analyzing the collected samples.
14. What can we learn from the example given in paragraph 4?
A. Wildlife products are popular in African countries.
B. Non-native species affect the survival of local wildlife.
C. Dogs are used to detect and prevent illegal wildlife trade.
D. Dogs can accurately locate the natural habitats of rare species.
15. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A. To appeal to people to protect biodiversity.
B. To report various environmental challenges.
C. To introduce dogs’ roles in conservation efforts.
D. To prove the conventional claim of dogs’ qualities.
（五）
（2025·安徽芜湖市·一模）
C
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) had been billions of dollars over budget and years behind
schedule before it was launched on December 25th, 2021. It was a key part of an international mission
to launch this huge telescope a million miles from Earth. Scientists said the telescope would be able to
detect any galaxy in the universe.
The telescope is fitted with a Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) (中红外仪器), which is one of four
key detectors. MIRI can look back in time to just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang (宇宙
大爆炸) - thought to have happened more than 13.5 billion years ago.
This ability to look back in time is based on the fact that even light has a speed limit. It bowls
along at 186,000 miles per second. That means that the natural light reaching us now left the Sun more
than eight minutes ago. However, the larger the distance that you observe in the universe, the more time
has passed since the light you are observing set off on its journey toward you. So if you look at a star
that is 30 light years away, that is what it looked like 30 years ago. The same applies to stars that are
millions of light years away.
The telescope is perfect for studying those worlds and distant planets that orbit other suns known as
exo-planets because they exist outside our solar system. The existence of the first exo-planet was
confirmed in 1995. Now we know of more than 5,000 of them. MIRI allows astronomers to look at them
in greater detail, including looking through their atmospheres for signs of extra-terrestrial (外星的) life.
With a 6.5-meter mirror, which is several times larger than that of the Hubble Space Telescope, the
JWST is too big for any rocket. So, unlike Hubble, it must be unfolded in space. The telescope had been
thoroughly tested here on Earth before it was going where no one can fix it.
28. What do we know about the James Webb Space Telescope?
A. It is possible to explore galaxy with it.
B. It was launched into space as planned.
C. It is used to confirm the Big Bang theory.
D. It travels away from Earth further and further.
29. What is paragraph 3 of the text mainly about?
A. The movement of the stars.
B. The purpose of the observation.
C. The inner structure of the telescope.
D. The working principle of the telescope.
30. What can be inferred about JWST from the last paragraph?
A. It is similar to Hubble in size.
B. It's perfect for studying solar system.
C. It is impossible to be repaired in space.
D. It confirmed the existence of the first exo-planet.
31. What can be the best title for the text?
A. The JWST: Look Toward the Future
B. A New Telescope: Look Back in Time
C. Exo-planets: Where Aliens Are Expected
D. A Delayed Mission: Why Budget Matters
（六）
（2025·安徽六校·春季素质检测考试）
C
At dusk and dawn, the sky dances with three phases of in-between light. When the sun has just set in the west,
the sky changes from the vibrant blue of afternoon to a more relaxed tone, as if it’s settling down for the evening.
Soon the east will darken even as the west goes through an abundance of reds, oranges and yellows. And then, at
last, the black of night will reign once again. Astronomers are so familiar with twilight (黄昏) that we’ve
classified its various stages.
The first that occurs after sunset is called civil twilight, so named because when the sun is just below the
horizon, the sky is still bright enough for people to conduct typical “daytime” outdoor activities. This is also when
you’re likely to see the most colors in the sky toward the west. Those same molecules (微粒) that distribute
sunlight don’t do so randomly; the angle of distributing depends on the color of the light. All the blue light from the
sun is sent away in all directions, leaving only the redder colors to shine through, thus creating those breathtaking
sunsets.
The next phase is nautical twilight, when the sun is between 6 and 12 degrees below the horizon. The sky
maybe a deep purple, and stars begin to appear. The term “nautical twilight” came about because sailors used the
stars to get their bearings, and it’s at this time of the early evening that celestial navigation (天文导航) becomes
possible.
After that comes astronomical twilight. This is when the sun is 12 to 18 degrees below the horizon and the sky
finally appears black, with the stars truly shining. We call it astronomical twilight because it may look dark to your
eye, but through a telescope, the sky is still bright enough to intervene in some observations.
This last phase of twilight concludes once the sun drops below 18 degrees; the sky becomes fully dark, and it
is time for astronomers to enjoy the beginning of their work night.
28. What does the underlined word “reign” in paragraph 1 mean?
A. Fade away.
B. Draw near.
C. End up.
D. Take over.
29. What causes breathtaking sunsets during the civil twilight?
A. The standout of red colors.
B. The absence of artificial light.
C. The reflection of colorful tones.
D. The distribution of all colors of light.
30. What can we learn about the three phases of twilight?
A. Each twilight is characterized by the sun’s position.
B. Each twilight allows for various scientific researches.
C. Nautical twilight is too bright to use celestial navigation.
D. Astronomical twilight is ideal for telescope observations.
31. What will the author introduce next?
A. The impacts of twilight.
B. The interpretations of twilight.
C. The process of observing stars.
D. The working conditions of astronomers.
（七）
（2025·江南十校·第一次联考）
C
It has become as much a part of our daily life as getting our to- go coffee: the screen turn. It’s the moment
when you’ve ordered your coffee, and the barista (咖啡师) turns the payment screen toward you with a dialog box
asking you for a tip.
Tipping is on the rise across the U. S. as more and more businesses have started asking for a little extra: fast
food restaurants, grocery stores, online stores, stadiums, and even self- checkout machines are now asking for a tip
these days.
Social media is filled with people who are confused about tipping. One woman posted a video online after
being asked to tip for her Subway sandwich. “Do we tip at Subway?” she asks. Is that a thing? Tell me!" Another
woman has also expressed shock over being asked to tip at a self- checkout station at an airport. “I don’t want to
be the person who doesn’t tip,” she says. “But who am I tipping?”
Sean Jung, a professor at Boston University, realized tipping had fundamentally changed when he was
grabbing a take- out burrito (玉米馅饼) one afternoon. Jung was getting ready to pay, when the cashier turned the
screen around, asking for a tip. “Suddenly, I’m looking at this screen, and I’m literally pressing a 20% tip for a
burrito,” Jung recalls. “I remember thinking this is strange. You would never expect to pay a tip at a quick
service restaurant.”
How, exactly, did we get to the place where we’ re tipping 20% for our takeout burritos? “It goes back to the
pandemic,” says Shubhranshu Singh, a professor at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. He says during the
pandemic, we started tipping more than usual as a way to support essential workers at a time of crisis. “The
pandemic went away,” says Singh, “but the tips didn’t.”
28. The barista’s purpose of turning the screen is __________.
A. to show some commercials B. to promote new coffee options
C. to speed up the ordering process D. to require extra money
29. What caused the two women’s confusion about tipping in para.3?
A. They were not used to tipping. B. They didn’t know how much to tip.
C. They failed to see the point of tipping. D. They didn’t want to tip for fast food.
30. Why did the pandemic make people tip more?
A. Customers had more available money. B. Customers used more remote payments.
C. Customers were more grateful for the service. D. Customers expected the crisis to be over soon.
31. What would be a suitable title for the text?
A. Tipping culture going out of control B. Online videos about tipping
C. An academic look into tipping culture D. Reasons why we should típ more
（八）
（2025·江南十校·第一次联考）
D
Chicago’s Lyric Opera is aiming to make its performances more accessible via the SoundShirt.
In October, Lyric became the first opera company to offer the shirts to audience members who are deaf or hard
of hearing. The device comes from a London- based wearable tech brand called CuteCircuit. Each shirt costs about
$1,900, but interested guests can reserve one for special performances at $20a ticket.
Audience members who intend to use the shirts will sit in seats with a view of both the conductor and Lyric’s
sign language interpreter.
The SoundShirt is worn like a lightweight jacket and features 16 small motors throughout. Microphones are
placed around the orchestra on stage to record specific instruments and send a live signal to start vibrations(振动)
in the shoulders, forearms and upper and lower back.
Rachel Arfa, commissioner of Chicago’s Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, recently tested the
SoundShirt at a production of West Side Story.
“When Lyric approached me with this shirt, I was highly skeptical, ” She tells The Washington Post’s Michael
Andor Brodeur. “There are often technical solutions designed by people without disabilities for people with
disabilities that do not solve barriers that we have.”
The technology certainly isn’t for everyone. The Chicago Sun- Times’ Stefano Esposito says wearing a
SoundShirt feels like “your body has become home to an entire hive (蜂巢) of non- stinging bees.”
“It’s not an unpleasant sensation,” he writes, “just odd, very odd.”
But for Arfa, the shirt exceeded expectations. “At live theater, it is difficult for me to discriminate between
different sounds, so I rely on access provided for equal access,” she tells The Washington Post. “I began to
understand that the motors on the SoundShirt vibrated in conjunction with the orchestra sounds ... I am not able to
hear this sound, but I could feel it. It was such a surprise and a thrill.”
Tina Childress, an audiologist and advocate for accessibility in the arts, is excited by the variety of
accessibility services now available to hard- of- hearing theatergoers. “It’s important to remember that you can use
two or three of these choices at the same time,” she tells The Washington Post after testing the shirt. “With the
SoundShirt, having that tactile( 触觉的) feedback for what I don’t hear was instrumental in me enjoying the
performance.”
32. What can we learn about the SoundShirt?
A. It looks like a common T- shirt. B. It is created by Chicago’s Lyric Opera.
C It is expensive for people to purchase. D. It is promoted by Rachel Arfa.
33. How does the SoundShirt work?
A. By stimulating users’ brains. B. By changing sounds into touches.
C. By interpreting music as visual images. D. By linking users’ bodies with instruments directly.
34. What’s Stefano’s opinion on wearing the SoundShirt?
A. Useful. B. Strange. C. Innovative. D. Surprised.
35. What does the underlined word “discriminate” mean in paragraph 9?
A. Feel. B. Choose. C. Distinguish. D. Transmit.
（九）
（2025·安徽马鞍山市·一模）
C
Making fabric from waste potato plants could offer a more sustainable alternative to pure cotton, as pressure
grows on the fashion industry to reduce its environmental impact.
Potatoes pose a headache for farmers. The tubers (块茎) are harvested and eaten, but the above-ground plant
contains solanine, which is poisonous, so it can’t be used for animal feed. Farmers usually remove this matter
before potatoes are harvested.
Now, a UK startup company, Fibe, wants to avoid this waste by extracting (提取) fibres from potato stems
(茎) to make a sustainable fabric. In April, it introduced the world’s first potato thread (线), a mixture of 75 per cent
cotton and 25 per cent potato fibres.
The approach began as a project by a group of design engineering students, including Gal-Shohet, at Imperial
College London. Tasked with designing a sustainable business concept, the group investigated using waste plants to
create a more sustainable alternative to cotton. The students chose potato plants because they are mass-produced all
over the world, are rich in fibres and their leaves have no other practical use. They turned their idea into a business
after graduating in 2022.
Fibe primarily uses non-biological process to extract the fibres. “Once raw fibres are extracted, they are
cleaned and graded to produce soft balls. The potato fibres are similar in quality to cotton,” says Gal-Shohet.
However, because the land is already being used to grow potatoes, potato fibres require 99.7 per cent less water and
produce 82 per cent fewer carbon emissions (排放), as well as needing no additional land, according to Fibe’s
internal analysis.
Muhammad Tausif at the University of Leeds, UK, who has worked with Fibe, says industry demand for
sustainable fibres is growing, but the company will need to prove its potato fibres have the“length, fineness and
strength” to compete with cotton. “For a fibre to be successful and to be made into a product, these are the key
factors,” he says.
8. What do the underlined words “this matter” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Pure cotton.
B. The poisonous tuber.
C. Animal feed.
D. The above-ground plant.
9. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 4?
A. Summarize the previous paragraphs.
B. Add some background information.
C. Provide some advice for the students.
D. Introduce a new topic for discussion.
10. What does Fibe’s internal analysis highlight about using potato fibres?
A. Its standard requirements.
B. Its environmental advantages.
C. Its technical barriers.
D. Its wide applications.
11. What does Tausif expect of Fibe?
A. It should demonstrate its fibres’competitive qualities.
B It should secure business partners as soon as possible.
C. It should make a big difference to the fibre industry.
D. It should launch appealing products into the market.
（十）
（2025·安徽淮北市和淮南市·一模）
D
There’s a name for that feeling you get after spending too long scrolling aimlessly, and Oxford University
Press (OUP) has chosen it as its word for the year for 2024. “Brain rot” took the title in a vote in which more than
37, 000 people participated, as well as public commentary and analysis of OUP’s language data. In a statement
released Monday, OUP, which publishes the Oxford English Dictionary, defined “brain rot” as the supposed decline
in a person‘s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of over-consumption of material (now
particularly online content) considered to be shallow or unchallenging.
While the use of “brain rot” rose 230% this year, it was actually first introduced more than a century ago.
According to OUP, it was first used by author Henry David Thoreau in his book Walden as he criticized society’s
tendency to devalue complicated ideas in favour of simple ones. All these years later, it seems brain rot is well and
truly established. The term has gained attention over the past year, however, especially as worries grow about the
impact of over-consuming low-quality content online.
Earlier this year, a behavioral healthcare provider in the United States began offering treatment for brain rot,
describing it as a condition of confusion, tiredness, lack of focus, and weakened mental ability. The healthcare
company cited endless scrolling and social media addiction as examples of brain rot behavior, which could be
prevented by setting limits on screen time or doing a digital cleansing.
“ ‘Brain rot’ speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time, ” said
Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages. “I also find it fascinating that the word ‘brain rot’ has been
adopted by Gen Z and Gen Alpha. These communities have promoted the expression through social media
channels, the very place said to cause ‘brain rot’, ” he added. “It demonstrates a somewhat humorous self-
awareness in the younger generations about the harmful impact of the social media that they’ve received. ”
12. What does “brain rot” refer to according to Oxford University Press?
A. A headache caused by too much screen time.
B. Mental decline from meaningless viewing.
C. Low-quality online information.
D. Addiction to social media.
13. Why did Thoreau use the term “brain rot” in his writing?
A. To warn people about overusing the Internet.
B. To encourage readers to watch shallow content.
C. To challenge society’s preference for simple ideas.
D. To praise mental health advancements of his time.
14. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
A. Brain rot is caused by social media and can be treated.
B. Social media causes most mental health issues.
C. Screen time has no impact on mental health.
D. Brain rot is not a real mental condition.
15. Why does Casper Grathwohl describe the younger generation as humorous?
A. Because they openly laugh at the mental state of older generations.
B Because they treat low-quality online content purely as entertainment.
C. Because they completely avoid discussing brain rot and see it as a joke.
D. Because they admit the harm of social media with self-critical humor.
（十一）
（2025·安徽淮北市和淮南市·一模）
C
Dutch startup Nuwa claims to have invented the “world’s most advanced pen” that digitizes (数字化) notes
written by hand. The Groningen-based company today announced a fresh cash injection of €1. 5 million to
promote the development of the product, which uses an inbuilt camera system, motion sensors, and artificial
intelligence to capture text written on paper.
“Just write, and Nuwa Pen digitizes, ” Marc Tuinier, Nuwa's CEO, told us. All the notes are then stored on the
startup’s app. They can then be organized, shared, and integrated with other apps. A particularly fascinating feature
is intelligent notes, which scans and identifies rich text items such as dates, to-dos, and phone numbers from the
notes. Users can then link the data with, for instance, their calendar, to-do app, or phone book. The feature is
integrated with over 50 apps. Nuwa compares it to a personal assistant that puts you on top of your schedule.
Nuwa is targeting the product at people who still enjoy writing with a pen and notebook. While many smart
pens only work on screens or digital writing systems, Nuwa promises adaptability with every type of paper. The
product also uses regular ink refills. “Other smart pen brands rely on special dotted paper to recognize what the
user is writing, so you’ll also be stuck buying their paper, ” Tuinier said. “Nuwa Pen can be used on any paper. ”
The Nuwa system is built around tiny design. The device weighs just 28 grams — about as much as a single
AA battery — but provides enough power for two hours of continuous writing. Three tiny cameras are used to
digitize the text with 2 mm×2 mm sensors. All the data is then processed directly on the device. “Capturing
handwriting from these sensors in the pen itself, while a pen is constantly moving, is an extremely difficult task to
get right — and we’ve done it, ” Tuinier said. By combining the trusty old ballpoint pen with the digital world,
Nuwa hopes that it can solve one of those needs. The device is now available for pre-order.
8. What is the primary function of the Nuwa Pen?
A. Intergrating pens with other apps.
B. Organizing handwritten notes digitally.
C. Combining all apps into a single platform.
D. Providing a solution for personal schedules.
9. Who is the Nuwa Pen’s main target buyer?
A. People who prefer typing over handwriting.
B. People who show interest in smart ink refills.
C. People who have an extra budget for paper purchase.
D. People who appreciate traditional pen and paper writing.
10. Why does the author list a series of numbers in the last paragraph?
A. To show how portable the device is.
B. To explain the structure of the cameras.
C. To demonstrate the device’s operating time.
D. To describe the materials used in the device.
11. What is the author’s attitude towards the Nuwa Pen?
A. Doubtful.
B. Uncertain.
C. Neutral.
D. Enthusiastic.
（十二）
（2025·安徽马鞍山市·一模）
D
Pompeii’s plaster cast (石膏模型) human figures aren’t who they were assumed to be, genetic tests have
revealed, highlighting the way idealised stories can be projected onto archaeological (考古的) evidence. The
analysis also reveals that the demography (人口学) of Pompeii was far more complicated and diverse than
previously thought.
When Vesuvius erupted in AD 79 many of Pompeii’s residents were covered and died, and as their bodies
were destroyed gradually by natural processes, cavities (窟窿) formed that perfectly preserved their positions in
their final moments. In the 19th century, archaeologists developed a method of pouring plaster into the cavities to
make life-like casts. Since then, more than 100 of these casts have been made, preserving the victims’ shapes along
with any remaining bones. However, it has long been known that many of the plaster casts were arranged into
different poses and sometimes placed together to add to the drama of the Pompeii story, says Valeria Amoretti at the
Archaeological Park of Pompeii in Naples, Italy.
To learn more about who these people were, Amoretti and her teammates examined 14 of the plaster casts and
extracted DNA from bones in five of them.
What they found has completely changed the established interpretations of who they were. An adult wearing a
golden bracelet (手镯) with a child on the lap was long believed to be the child’s mother. The DNA analysis shows
the adult is actually a male who is biologically unrelated to the child. A nearby figure, formerly interpreted as being
the father, was also unrelated to the supposed mother and child.
Alissa Mittnik at Harvard University says the study highlights the importance of applying science before
interpreting archaeology at face value. “Ultimately, it reminds us that the most obvious, dramatic or sensational
explanations do not always hold true, encouraging us to stay aware of and question our assumptions, ” she says.
12. What is stressed about the analysis in paragraph 1?
A. It has solved a complicated social issue.
B. It is based on well-documented stories.
C. It challenges a long-held assumption.
D. It needs further supporting evidence.
13. What can be learned about the plaster casts according to Amoretti?
A. They have fallen victim to the wear of time.
B. They were repositioned to enhance dramatic effects.
C. They had mostly been made before the 19th century.
D. They represented advanced workmanship at the time.
14. What does paragraph 4 mainly tell us about the DNA analysis?
A. Its findings.
B. Its methods.
C. Its samples.
D. Its motivations.
15. How does Mittnik find the study?
A. Conventional.
B. Inspirational.
C. Complicated.
D. Prejudiced.
（十三）
（2025·安徽蚌埠市·一模）
D
Have you ever joyously stepped out to your backyard garden, freshly brewed (冲泡) coffee in hand, only to
find your attentively cared-for plants dying? Was the soil too dry? Did pests find their way in? During times like
these, some frustrated (沮丧的) gardeners may wish their plants would just tell them what it needs. A new
Microsoft-partnered project in the UK is trying to see if that concept can be demonstrated in the real world.
Next year, the Royal Horticultural Society in England will show off an “intelligent garden” that uses an AI
model to monitor the garden’s environment and tell gardeners when it needs care. Visitors will be able to walk up to
virtual platforms and ask the intelligence garden questions about its current environmental state. The AI language
module will then interpret the data and give answers to the visitors in a coherent, conversational dialogue.
The technical components of the garden are the product of a partnership between AI start-up Avande and
Microsoft. The garden will rely on a network of sensors placed throughout the garden measuring environmental
factors like soil condition and nutrient levels. All of that data is then sent to a specially designed AI model housed
in a pavilion (亭阁) at the back of the garden. The model, powered by Microsoft’s Azure Open AI Service, can then
analyze those factors and inform gardeners on proper feeding or watering.
In theory, insights provided by such models could help gardeners allocate resources efficiently and avoid over-
watering plants before rainfall, both of which can aid in sustainability efforts. It’s unclear, however, whether even
the best models can account for abnormalities and individual plant tendencies with the same level of care as
experienced gardeners.
Massey and fellow designer Je Ahn wanted to avoid falling into the trap of making the AI garden feel overly
artificial. Though the new technology plays a critical role in maintaining the plants, the actual physical design of
the space was left up to humans. Once the exhibit concludes, the garden will reportedly live on as an accessible
community space. “AI hasn’t designed the garden, AI is assisting the gardeners looking after it, ” Massey said in an
interview with The Independent.
32. What can an AI model in the “intelligent garden” do?
A. Interact with visitors to entertain them.
B. Inform gardeners of their plants’ demand.
C. Show visitors around the intelligent garden.
D. Comfort gardeners when they are frustrated.
33. What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A. The surroundings of the intelligent garden.
B. The working principle of the intelligent garden.
C. The advantages of the garden’s technical components.
D The technical cooperation between Avande and Microsoft.
34. What is the designers’ attitude to the AI technology?
A. Cautious.
B. Unconcerned.
C. Contradictory.
D. Disapproving.
35. What is the best title for the text?
A. AI brings your garden back to life again.
B. AI helps plants tell you when they are thirsty.
C. “Intelligent garden” beautifies the environment.
D. “Intelligent garden” displaces experienced gardeners.
（十四）
（2025·安徽滁州市·一模）
D
Scientists have studied gossip defined as talking about someone not present for decades. That's not
surprising given the activity's near universality in any social group, big or small. People in modern societies
spend about an hour a day immersed in chin - wagging, one study reports. But investigators are now
approaching this fixture of social life from a new perspective.
In past decades, researchers focused primarily on the damage arising from gossiping, and they zeroed in
on either the gossip spreader or the target - the person being talked about. Now, they have changed course by
looking more at the benefits of gossip and the dynamics of a three - part network that involves a gossiper, a
listener and a target.
So what, if anything, can be good about gossip? Whenever someone confides something to you about
someone you both know - whether the information is positive, negative or neutral - it brings the two of you
closer, creating a social bond. According to one study, it even increases your liking for the spreader of the
information. Plus, it enforces group norms. For example, complaints about a co - worker who puts smelly
banana peels in the paper trash are likely to get back to them and let them know that the conduct is not
acceptable.
Another experiment was led by social psychologist Terence Cruz, then at Free University Amsterdam.
Cruz and his team recruited 300 people in a community in the Netherlands and asked them to list 15 people
with whom they had frequent contact. Four times each day for 10 days, the subjects were asked to report on
any information that someone in their social network told them, or that they told someone, about a third
person.
The experiment showed that the gossiper passed on true information when they had no conflict of interest
with the target. When they had a rivalry or other conflict with the target, however, they were likelier to pass
on things that were self - serving or absolutely false. Nevertheless, one of the most surprising results of gossip,
Cruz says, is that it helps people better understand the behavior of others. For example, a co - worker shows
up late every day, but if they learn through gossip that the offending colleague is in the middle of a divorce or
the like, they are less likely to complain. Perhaps more importantly, they sympathize with the co - worker and
feel motivated to help the miserable guy.
32. What is the new perspective investigators now adopt?
A. Analyze the new feature of social life.
B. Focus on the benefits of chin - wagging.
C. Investigate the potential risks of gossip.
D. Look at either the spreader or the target.
33. What impact might gossip have according to paragraph 3?
A. It fuels the popularity of the target.
B. It betters the workplace environment.
C. It offends the privacy of co - workers.
D. It enhances the overall social bond.
34. What does Cruz's research find?
A. An average person contacts 15 people frequently.
B. Gossips tend to spread incorrect information.
C. One can never keep their privacy from colleagues.
D. Workplace relationships can benefit from gossip.
35. Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A. Bad Name, Not Necessarily Bad Thing
B. Double - Edged Sword, Aid Plus Harm
C. The Bitter Truth about Chin - Wagging
D. The Unsaid Intention behind Gossip
（十五）
（2025·安徽芜湖市·一模）
D
A bitter argument arose after it was reported that the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) - southern
Oregon's 80-year-old annual theatrical festival - would be authorizing playwrights (剧作家) to "translate"
all of Shakespeare's plays into modern English.
The project drew anger from Shakespearean professors, artists and others who believe firmly in the
power of Shakespeare's original texts and are against any attempt to simplify their language.
As an educator and lover of Shakespearean drama, I believe in the value of presenting Shakespeare's
plays in their original language. I require my students to read Shakespeare's plays in their original form,
and through my work on the World Shakespeare Project, I've witnessed undergraduates (本科生) in places
such as India, Uganda and Argentina enthusiastically respond to the challenge.
Yet the anger over the OSF's new modernization project is misguided. The organization - which is
known for experimentation - is simply taking part in a centuries-long tradition of adapting Shakespeare's
original texts.
Among those criticizing the new project is Columbia University Professor James Shapiro, a well-
known Shakespearean scholar who maintains that "with the language changed in this modernizing way the
work just doesn't have the excitement and the quality of the original language." Earlier this month, before
an audience at Shakespeare's Globe, he added, "It's a really bad idea." Noticeably, however, Shapiro,
along with many others, responded quite differently to the translation of a different classic text - On
Nobel Prize winner Seamus Heaney's often-praised 1999 rewriting of Beowulf, Shapiro wrote in The New
York Times: "Examples like this add up to a translation that manages to achieve what before seemed
impossible: a faithful translation that is meanwhile an original and fascinating poem in its own right." In
this example, at least, Heaney's talent apparently overcame Shapiro's opposition to the concept.
The playwrights the company has authorized to "modernize" the language of Shakespeare's works may
or may not achieve the same success as Seamus Heaney's Beowulf did, but for whatever reason, changing
the language of Shakespeare remains to be unacceptable, while the setting, costuming and theoretical
conceptualization of his plays are fair game for innovation.
32. Why does the author mention some undergraduates?
A. To clear up their misunderstanding about Shakespeare.
B. To show their interest in Shakespeare's original works.
C. To stress their key role in the World Shakespeare Project.
D. To show their anger over the OSF's modernization project.
33. What can we say about James Shapiro?
A. He always keeps his word.
B. He thinks little of Beowulf.
C. He remains true to his work.
D. He has contradictory views.
34. What does the author say about Shakespeare's works?
A. Innovations in them in some aspects are acceptable.
B. The language modernization of them won't be successful.
C. They have a greater influence on playwrights than Beowulf.
D. Their setting and costuming are as important as the language.
35. What is the main purpose of the text?
A. To report a breakthrough in Shakespeare's plays.
B. To discuss a project that is linked to Shakespeare.
C. To advise Shakespeare lovers to stand up in protest.
D. To awaken people's interest in Shakespeare's works.
（十六）
（2025·安徽六校·春季素质检测考试）
D
More than 2,000 years after Plato died, the towering figure of classical antiquity and founder of the Academy,
regarded by many as the first university in the west, can still make front-page news. Researchers this week claimed
to have found the final resting place of the Greek philosopher, a plot in the garden of his Athens Academy, after
scanning an ancient papyrus scroll (纸草卷轴) recovered from the library of a Herculaneum villa that was buried
when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.
The project belongs to a new wave of efforts that seek to read, restore and translate ancient and even lost
languages with cutting-edge technologies. Equipped with modern tools, many powered by artificial intelligence,
scholars are starting to read what had long been considered unreadable. “There will be scrolls that will be read with
these new techniques that contribute to our knowledge of antiquity, and to our knowledge of literature in general.”
said Dr Kilian Fleischer, a papyrologist who worked on The History of the Academy.
But it’s no easy task when the scroll is in pieces from being unrolled and the papyrus as black as the ink
written on it. Substantial portions of text are faded, indistinct or missing. Prof Graziano Ranocchia, project leader at
the University of Pisa, used hyperspectral imaging (高光谱成像) to light up the scroll fragments. The images
reveal letters on the scroll that are invisible to the naked eye, giving scholars crucial clues as to the final resting
place of Plato.
Armed with the scans, the team reconstructed 20% to 30% more of the text, with the additional words fitted
into place amounting to 1,000 extra letters. Fleischer compares it to completing a crossword: sometimes it takes
only a single letter to be confident of the answer. “It’s a wonderful feeling, this moment of reading something new
and knowing this was information other researchers have wanted for decades or centuries,” Fleischer said. “This
might be a second Renaissance.”
32. Why did the author introduce Plato’s historical position in paragraph 1?
A. To illustrate the influence of Renaissance.
B. To show the background of the discovery.
C. To introduce the revival of the philosophy.
D. To highlight the importance of the finding.
33. The expert’s words in paragraph 2 imply that ______.
A. he is cautious about the new techniques
B. he just focuses on solving current problems
C. he is optimistic about the project’s potential
D. he stresses the ancient civilization preservation
34. What can be inferred about the project?
A. It focuses on locating Plato’s resting place.
B. It applies technology to reading ancient texts.
C. It has restored the content in the papyrus scroll.
D. It has reconstructed the texts with crosswords.
35. What is the best title for the text?
A. Scientists Locate Herculaneum’s Villa.
B. Scientists Explore Plato’s Academy Garden.
C. Technology Uncovers Plato’s Secrets.
D. Technology Casts Light on Plato’s Works.
