《2025年高考模拟试题汇编高中英语》

C
High in the Swiss Alps and the Arctic, scientists have discovered microbes(微生物) that can digest plastics—importantly, without the need to apply extra heat. Their findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology, could one day improve plastic recycling.
It's no secret that plastic pollution is still a big, global issue. Since its production exploded during and after World War Ⅱ, humans have created more than 9.1 billion tons of plastic—and researchers estimate that less than one tenth of the resulting waste has been recycled. To make matters worse, the most common recycling option—when plastic is washed, processed and turned into new products—doesn't actually reduce waste: The recycled materials are often of lower quality and might later end up in a landfill all the same.
So, researchers are looking for solutions to the plastics problem that go beyond conventional recycling—and one process they've experimented with is breaking down plastics using microbes. But the known plastic - digesting microbes can only do so at warm temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. When done at an industrial scale, the amount of energy needed to generate that much heat makes the process give off more carbon—and cost more money.
But the microbes found in the Arctic and Swiss Alps can function at cooler temperatures: They were able to break down biodegradable(可生物降解的) plastics at 59 degrees Fahrenheit. In the new study, co - author Joel Rüthi and his colleagues discovered that of the total 34 types of microbes examined, 19 were successfully able to break down a form of plastic called polyester - polyurethane, and 17 could break down two types of biodegradable plastic mixtures.
Unfortunately, the plastics that the microbes partially degraded represent a “really small amount of plastics in circulation”, said Gavin Lear, an environmental microbiologist, who was not involved in the study. Lear acknowledged that using natural microbes can provide a head start when it comes to designing a strategy for bio - recycling. “If we move away from the conventional nonbiodegradable materials, and we start to use more of these biodegradable plastics, then it's good that we know how to degrade them more quickly so they're less of an environmental problem,” he concluded.
28.What do we know about the conventional recycling?
A. It does not live up to expectations.
B. It contributes to more waste.
C. It is not as popular as before.
D. It ensures new product quality.
29.Which best describes the method of using the microbes in the previous studies?
A. Impractical.
B. Pioneering.
C. Reliable.
D. Invaluable.
30.Why is the new study mentioned in Paragraph 4?
A. To prove the microbes have an obvious taste preference.
B. To show the finding opens doors to a more efficient system.
C. To clarify how the process of breaking down plastics works.
D. To explain why bio - recycling is better than conventional recycling.
31.What do the underlined words “head start” in Paragraph 5 mean?
A. Reward.
B. Criterion.
C. Protection.
D. Advantage.

答案： C
28.A 细节理解题
【定位句】To make matters worse, the most common recycling option—when plastic is washed, processed and turned into new products—doesn't actually reduce waste: The recycled materials are often of lower quality and might later end up in a landfill all the same.（第二段最后一句）
译文：更糟糕的是，最常见的回收方式——将塑料清洗、加工和转化成新产品——实际上并不能真正减少废弃物：回收的材料通常质量较差，之后可能最终还是会进入垃圾填埋场。
【解析】该题问的是我们对传统的回收（方式）了解到什么。根据定位句可知，传统回收方式并没有达到人们的预期。故选A。
29.A 推理判断题
【定位句】But the known plastic - digesting microbes can only do so at warm temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit.（第三段第二句）
译文：但已知的能消化塑料的微生物只能在85华氏度以上的暖和温度下才能这样做（降解塑料）。
【解析】该题问的是哪一项最能描述之前研究中使用微生物的方法。A项意为“不切实际的”；B项意为“开拓性的”；C项意为“可靠的”；D项意为“极有用的”。根据定位句可推知，之前研究中使用微生物的方法是不切实际的。故选A。
30.B 推理判断题
【定位句】But the microbes found in the Arctic and Swiss Alps can function at cooler temperatures: They were able to break down biodegradable(可生物降解的) plastics at 59 degrees Fahrenheit.（第四段第一句）
译文：但在北极和瑞士阿尔卑斯山发现的微生物可以在较低的温度下发挥作用：它们能在59华氏度的温度下分解可生物降解的塑料。
【解析】该题问的是为什么在第四段提到了这项新研究。根据定位句可推知，提到这项新研究是为了证明这一发现为一种更高效降解塑料的方法打开了大门。故选B。
31.D 词义猜测题
【定位句】“If we move away from the conventional non - biodegradable materials, and we start to use more of these biodegradable plastics, then it's good that we know how to degrade them more quickly so they're less of an environmental problem,” he concluded.（第五段最后一句）
译文：他推断，“如果我们不再使用传统的不可生物降解材料，转而开始更多地使用这种可生物降解塑料，好的方面是我们会了解如何更快地降解它们，从而减少其对环境造成的问题。”
【解析】A项意为“奖励”；B项意为“标准”；C项意为“保护”；D项意为“优势”。根据定位句可知，画线短语所在句表示Lear认为在提到设计生物回收策略时，利用天然微生物可以提供一个良好的开端。由此可推知，画线短语应意为“有利的开端”，与D项意思相近。故选D。