《2025年天利38套五年高考真题汇编详解英语》

B
　　The United States rose to global power on the strength of its technology, and the lifeblood of that technology has long been electricity. By providing long - distance communication and energy, electricity created the modern world. Yet properly understood, the age of electricity is merely the second stage in the age of steam, which began a century earlier.
　　“It is curious that no one has put together a history of both the steam and electric revolutions,” writes Maury Klein in his book The Power Makers: Steam, Electricity, and the Men Who Invented Modern America. Klein, a noted historian of technology, spins a narrative(叙述) so lively that at times it reads like a novel.
　　The story begins in the last years of the 18th century in Scotland, where Watt perfected “the machine that changed the world”. Klein writes, “America did not invent the steam engine, but once they grasped its possibilities they put it to more uses than anyone else. ”
　　Meanwhile, over the course of the 19th century, electricity went from mere curiosity to a basic necessity. Morse invented a code for sending messages over an electromagnetic circuit. Bell then gave the telegraph a voice. Edison perfected an incandescent bulb(白炽灯泡) that brought electric light into the American home.
　　Most importantly, Edison realized that success depended on mass electrification, which he showed in New York City. With help from Tesla, Westinghouse's firm developed a system using alternating current(交流电), which soon became the major form of power delivery.
　　To frame his story, Klein creates the character of Ned, a fictional witness to the progress brought about by the steam and electric revolutions in America during one man's lifetime. It's a technique that helps turn a long narrative into an interesting one.
24.What is Klein's understanding of the age of electricity?
A. It is closely linked to the steam age.
B. It began earlier than people thought.
C. It is a little - studied period of history.
D. It will come to an end sooner or later.
25.What can be inferred about Ned?
A. He was born in New York City.
B. He wrote many interesting stories.
C. He created an electricity company.
D. He lived mainly in the 19th century.
26.What is the text?
A. A biography.
B. A book review.
C. A short story.
D. A science report.

答案： 24.A 推理判断题 [解析]根据第二段第一句中的“It is curious that no one has put together a history of both the steam and electric revolutions”可知,Klein在书中写道,奇怪的是,没有人将蒸汽革命与电力革命的历史结合起来。由此可推知,Klein认为电力时代和蒸汽时代密切相关。故选A。
25.D 推理判断题 [定位句]①Meanwhile, over the course of the 19th century, electricity went from mere curiosity to a basic necessity. (第四段第一句)
译文:与此同时,在19世纪期间,电从罕见的事物变成了基本必需品。
②To frame his story, Klein creates the character of Ned, a fictional witness to the progress brought about by the steam and electric revolutions in America during one man's lifetime. (最后一段第一句)
译文:为了构建他的故事,Klein创造了Ned这个虚构的人物,Ned见证了在一个人的一生中美国的蒸汽革命和电力革命所带来的进步。
[解析]根据定位句可推知,Ned见证了蒸汽革命和电力革命,主要生活在19世纪。故选D。
26.B 推理判断题 [定位句]①Klein, a noted historian of technology, spins a narrative(叙述) so lively that at times it reads like a novel. (第二段第二句)
译文:著名的技术史学家Klein对故事的叙述如此生动,以至于它有时候读起来像一部小说。
②It's a technique that helps turn a long narrative into an interesting one. (最后一段第二句)
译文:这是一种有助于将长篇故事变得有趣的技巧。
[解析]通读全文尤其是定位句可推知,本文是一篇书评。故选B。