2021年北京卷
D
Early fifth-century philosopher St.Augustine famously wrote that he knew what time was unless someone asked him.Albert Einstein added another wrinkle when he theorized that time varies depending on where you measure it.Today's state-of-the-art atomic(原子的) clocks have proven Einstein right.Even advanced physics can't decisively tell us what time is, because the answer depends on the question you're asking.
Forget about time as an absolute.What if，instead of considering time in terms of astronomy,we related time to ecology?What if we allowed environmental conditions to set the tempo(节奏) of human life?We're increasingly aware of the fact that we can't control Earth systems with engineering alone，and realizing that we need to moderate(调节)our actions if we hope to live in balance.What if our definition of time reflected that?
Recently，I conceptualized a new approach to timekeeping that's connected to circumstances on our planet，conditions that might change as a result of global warming.We're now building a clock at the Anchorage Museum that reflects the total flow of several major Alaskan rivers，which are sensitive to local and global environmental changes.We've programmed it to match an atomic clock if the waterways continue to flow at their present rate.If the rivers run faster in the future on average，the clock will get ahead of standard time.If they run slower，you'll see the opposite effect.
The clock registers both short-term irregularities and long-term trends in river dynamics.It's a sort of observatory that reveals how the rivers are behaving from their own temporal frame(时间框架)，and allows us to witness those changes on our smartwatches or phones.Anyone who opts to go on Alaska Mean River Time will live in harmony with the planet.Anyone who considers river time in relation to atomic time will encounter a major imbalance and may be motivated to counteract it by consuming less fuel or supporting greener policies.
Even if this method of timekeeping is novel in its particulars，early agricultural societies also connected time to natural phenomena.In pre-Classical Greece，for instance，people“corrected”official calendars by shifting dates forward or backward to reflect the change of season.Temporal connection to the environment was vital to their survival.Likewise，river time and other timekeeping systems we're developing may encourage environmental awareness.
When St.Augustine admitted his inability to define time， he highlighted one of time 's most noticeable qualities：Time becomes meaningful only in a defined context.Any timekeeping system is valid，and each is as praiseworthy as its purpose.
31 What is the main idea of paragraph 1?
A. Timekeeping is increasingly related to nature.
B. Everyone can define time on their own terms.
C. The qualities of time vary with how you measure it.
D. Time is a major concern of philosophers and scientists.
32. The author raises three questions in Paragraph 2 mainly to________.
A. present an assumptionB. evaluate an argument
C. highlight an experimentD. introduce an approach
33. What can we learn from this passage?
A. Those who do not go on river time will live an imbalanced life.
B. New ways of measuring time can help to control Earth systems.
C. Atomic time will get ahead of river time if the rivers run slower.
D. modern technology may help to shape the rivers’ temporal frame.
34. What can we infer from this passage?
A. It is crucial to improve the definition of time.
B. A fixed frame will make time meaningless.
C. We should live in harmony with nature.
D. History is a mirror reflecting reality.
答案解析：
31. B. 根据第一段最后一句可知，即使是先进的物理学也不能决定性地告诉我们时间是什么，因为答案取决于你要问的问题，以及上文列举的哲学家St.Augustine和爱因斯坦对于时间的定义可推断，第一段主要讲述每个人都可以用自己的话来定义时间。故选B项。
32. D. introduce an approach. 第二段中作者提出了三个问题，这是为了引出一种新的时间观念，即与环境条件相关的时间观念。选项D中的"introduce an approach"与这个目的相符。
33. C. Atomic time will get ahead of river time if the rivers run slower. 根据第三段，如果河流的平均流速变慢，原子时钟将会超过河流时间。选项C与这个描述相符。
34. C. We should live in harmony with nature. 整篇文章都在强调与自然和谐相处的重要性，特别是在提到阿拉斯加平均河流时间时，作者强调了这一点。选项C与文章的整体信息相符。其他选项虽然可能在文章中有提及，但不是文章的主要推论。
