It is believed that a period of mass extinction,
which happened between 234 and 232 million years ago during the Triassic period, enabled the booming of dinosaurs. This extinction is thought to have been caused by a period of unstable climate called the Carnian Pluvial Episode (CPE), in which the climate went from dry, to wet, to dry again four times over the course of 2m years. The earliest fossil remains that are widely agreed to be those of a dinosaur come from Tanzania and date from about 245m years ago. For the next 10m years or so, however, dinosaurs are nothing special. In collections of the bones of land animals they form about 5% of the total. But then the percentage starts to rise and within 5m years or less they dominate (处于首要位置) such collections, while other groups of creatures decrease and eventually disappear. The bones show a huge turnover of species, and that this coincides with the CPE. The bone evidence, however, is restricted mainly to what are now Argentina and Brazil. Massimo Bernardi of the Museum of Sciences in Trento, Italy sought to prove it elsewhere, and with a different type of evidence—the tracks they left behind. Dr Bernardi and his colleagues identified more than 20 sets of such tracks, called ichno-associations, in Dolomite rocks laid down during the relevant part of the Triassic. The Dolomite ichno-associations, they found, fall into three groups. The oldest show no signs of dinosaur tracks. In those of middling age, about 40% of the tracks have been laid down by dinosaurs. In the most recent, that proportion is 90%. The relative ages of rock layers are easy to see. Unless a rock formation has been turned upside down by movement of Earth’s crust, young layers will be at the top and old ones at the bottom. That is how Dr Bernardi knew which tracks were older and which younger. Working out absolute ages, though, is harder. The Dolomites’ rocks were formed at a time when the sea’s level, relative to the land, was going up and down. Such movements mean that marine (海的) and land sediments (沉积物) are sandwiched in these mountains, and the marine sediments provided the information needed. Most obviously, those sediments show how far, at the time they were laid down, the turnover of species had continued at sea. On top of this, some of them contain layers of volcanic ash that can be dated from radioactive isotopes within. The result was that Dr Bernardi and his colleagues were able to establish accurate dates for the various ichno-associations they had catalogued, confirming that those associations precisely run through the Carnian Pluvial Episode, thus matching the bone evidence in South America. That is clear evidence the dinosaurs were indeed the beneficiaries of the CPE, though why they did better than other groups is not yet understood.
61. By studying the tracks of dinosaurs, Dr Bernardi wants to prove that ______. A. climate changes led to a period of mass extinction B. the CPE helped the growth of dinosaurs’ population C. dinosaurs make up the most part of bone collections D. the bone evidence can be found in other places 62. From the passage we can know that _______. A. first dinosaurs appeared during the CPE period B. Dolomite rocks also contain other animals’ tracks C. upper rock layers are younger than those beneath D. land sediments don’t provide clues to absolute ages
63. The underlined word “beneficiaries” in paragraph 7 refers to animals that _______ the CPE.
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A. gained from B. suffered from C. survived in D. appeared in 64. Which can be the most suitable title for the passage? A. The rise of Dinosaurs B. Seeking new evidence of CPE C. Footprints in the Mud D. Tracking down the truth
D
In 1845, as the Industrial Revolution gathered pace, Benjamin Disraeli published a novel, “Sybil”, which mourned that Britain was dividing into “two nations between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy”. Today, as the information revolution gathers pace, Britain suffers from the same problem, with the rich strengthening their power and people who are born in the wrong class or region seeing their chances of getting ahead declining. Social mobility is essential to the working of an advanced capitalist society. For one thing, citizens will accept the inequalities that capitalism generates only if they think they have a fair chance of getting ahead. Secondly, advanced economies can grow only if they make a reasonable job of discovering the hidden Einsteins who might be able to produce the next great invention if they were given the chance. Unfortunately, Britain is failing badly on both fronts. As social mobility has become more important it has become more difficult to promote. In the first half of the 20th century, when the old establishment ruled the country, opening up opportunities was relatively simple. You forced the establishment to abandon obvious prejudices, such as the fact that the best Oxbridge colleges were reserved for men. You also forced it to build a ladder of opportunity for the poor: the 1944 Education Act raised the school-leaving age to 15, then 16, and the expansion of universities in the 1960s made higher education more available. Today opening up opportunities is much more difficult, precisely because meritocracy (精英制度) has been so successful. The meritocratic elite (精英) have proved remarkably good at guarding opportunities. Successful people tend to marry each other. Couples devote themselves to giving their children the best education possible, starting in the nursery. Private schools have also proved to be more successful than state schools at adapting to the meritocratic spirit. Institutions that once turned out both flannelled (穿法兰绒衣服的) and muddied fools are now enthusiastic about exam results. To make matters worse, the knowledge economy is a winner-takes-most economy. Superstar firms are pulling ahead of average ones. Superstar cities are pulling ahead of second-tier ones. This problem is more striking in Britain than almost anywhere else. The London effect is obviously good for London-based professionals who can provide their children with bed and board as they get their feet on the career ladder. But it is also good for poorer people who live within the outer city limits. London’s state schools are better than the national average, jobs are plentiful and you can get almost anywhere, at a squeeze, by public transport. The result is a calcified (钙化) society. 71% of senior judges, 62% of senior officers in the armed forces and 55% of civil service department heads attended private schools, which educate only 7% of the population. In Barnsley only10% of disadvantaged young people make it to university, compared with 50% of similarly disadvantaged youngsters in Kensington and Chelsea. Changing this calcification will take a lot of innovative thinking. The Social Mobility Commission produced a series of excellent reports which suggested sensible solutions such as better early education for disadvantaged children. This columnist would support a combination of reaching into Britain’s past and
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looking into its future. Britain has a distinguished history of elite institutions doing their bit for mobility: Oxbridge colleges creating feeder schools (直属学校), and private schools setting aside places for poor scholars. Given that so many private schools have forgotten their social responsibilities in their enthusiasm for fees from rich Russians and Chinese, it is time to remind them that they need to earn their charitable status. Meanwhile, the very technology that is widening class divisions can also be used to close them. The Israel Defence Forces respond to the lost-Einstein problem by watching over children’s performance in video games, as well as more routine academic tests. But Britain’s two main parties are failing to give this growing problem the energy it requires. Thanks to its commitment to intelligent reform, Disraeli’s Britain became the most peaceful, as well as the most successful, country in Europe. The political class may well be about to demonstrate that what intelligence and reform can do.
65. The result of the information revolution is that _______. A. Britain split into two countries B. people accept social inequalities C. there will be no great scientists D. people find it harder to get ahead 66. Why does the author say today opening up opportunities is much more difficult than in the past? A. Because today’s social inequalities are less obvious. B. Because fewer people can receive higher education. C. Because meritocratic elite won’t give up opportunities. D. Because schools attach more importance to exam results.
67. By giving London as an example, the author intends to say _______. A. London is the biggest and most important city in Britain B. it’s easier for people in London to make a comfortable living C. resources are more concentrated in the knowledge economy D. superstar cities are more advanced than second-tier cities
68. Which of the following can be a solution to the calcification problem? A. The government provides free education for poor children. B. Elite colleges should admit more disadvantaged students. C. Private schools cut down the number of foreign students. D. Schools give tests on their students’ technological abilities. 69. The author is _______ about Britain’s future. A. optimistic B. pessimistic C. doubtful D. confused 70. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage? A. To warn people of Britain’s lack of mobility. B. To criticize the government for not doing its job. C. To explain the consequences of the meritocracy. D. To urge society to reform the education system.
第Ⅱ卷 (两部分 共35分)
第四部分：任务型阅读（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意：每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。
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AI-spy
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into business. As a report explains, firms of all types are using AI to forecast demand, hire workers and deal with customers. In 2017 companies spent around 22 billion dollars on AI related mergers and acquisitions, about 26 times more than in 2015. AI will bring enormous profits and efficiency. The McKinsey Global Institute, a consulting agency, believes that just applying AI to marketing, sales and supply chains could create 2.7 trillion dollars over the next 20 years. Less familiar, but just as important, is how AI will transform the workplace. Using AI, managers can gain extraordinary control over their employees. Amazon has patented a wristband that tracks the hand movements of warehouse workers and uses vibrations (振动) to urge them to be more efficient. Humanyze, a start-up, sells smart ID cards that can track employees around the office and reveal how well they interact with colleagues. Spying on employees at work is nothing new. Factory workers have long clocked in and out; bosses can already see what workers do on their computers. But AI-spy is especially worthwhile, because every bit of data is potentially valuable. Where does all this lead? AI ought to improve productivity. Some employees will appreciate more feedback on their work and welcome a sense of how to do better. In addition, machines can help ensure that pay rises and promotions go to those who deserve them. Algorithms (计算程序), if designed correctly, can be more neutral. But what if their programmers are prejudiced? Algorithms can also have unintended consequences. The length of a commute (通勤时间) may predict whether an employee will quit a job, but this focus may harm poorer applicants. Older staff might work more slowly than younger ones and could risk losing their positions if all AI looks for is productivity. And AI-spy may feel Orwellian—a sensitive matter now that people have begun to question how much Facebook and other tech giants know about their private lives. Firms can use AI to examine not just employees’ professional communications but their social-media profiles, too. The clue is in Slack’s name, which stands for “searchable log of all conversation and knowledge”. As regulators and employers weigh the pros and cons of AI in the workplace, three principles ought to guide its spread. First, personal information should not be included in data where possible. Microsoft, for example, has a product that shows individuals how they manage their time in the office, but gives managers information only in collective form. Second, the use of AI ought to be transparent (透明的). Employees should be told what technologies are being used in their workplaces and which data are being gathered. Last, countries should let individuals request their own data, whether they are ex-workers wishing to doubt a dismissal or jobseekers hoping to demonstrate their ability to prospective employers. AI-spy The size of corporative (71) ▲ in AI multiplies rapidly. Spread of AI AI will bring huge (72) ▲ value to corporations. Firms begin using AI to (73) ▲ employees’ performance in the workplace. ·24· Algorithms may not be (75) ▲ of prejudice.
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