Scientists at Harvard University and Bates College find female chimpanzees (黑猩猩) appear to treat sticks as dolls, carrying them around until they have children of their own. Young males engage in such behavior much less frequently.
The new work by Sonya M. Kahlenberg and Richard W. Wrangham, described this week in the journal Current Biology, provides the first evidence of a wild non­human species playing with dolls, as well as the first known sex difference in a wild animal’s choice of playthings.
The two researchers say their work adds to a growing body of evidence that human children are probably born with their own ideas of how they want to behave, rather than simply mirroring other girls who play with dolls and boys who play with trucks. Doll play among humans could have its origins in object—carrying by earlier apes (猿類), they say, suggesting that toy selection is probably not due entirely to socialization.
“In humans, there are obvious sex differences in children’s toy play, and these are remarkably similar across cultures,” says Kahlenberg. “While socialization by elders and peers has been the primary explanation, our work suggests that biology may also have an important role to play in activity preferences.”
In 14 years of data on chimpanzee behavior at the Kibale National Park in Uganda, Kahlenberg and Wrangham counted more than 100 examples of stick­carrying. Some young chimpanzees carried sticks into the nest to sleep with them and on one occasion built a separate nest for the stick. “We have seen juveniles occasionally carrying sticks for many years, and because they sometimes treated them rather like dolls, we wanted to know if in general this behavior tended to represent something like playing with dolls,” says Wrangham, a Professor at Harvard. “If the doll hypothesis (假設(shè)) was right, we thought that females should carry sticks more than males do, and that the chimpanzees should stop carrying sticks when they had their first child. We have now watched enough young chimpanzees to prove both points.”
小題1:What does a female chimpanzee do with sticks?
A.She gives them to her child to play with.
B.She treats them as dolls.
C.She makes useful tools from them.
D.She treats them as weapons.
小題2: What causes the different toy selection of chimpanzees, according to the passage?
A.Sex difference.B.Socialization.
C.Environment. D.Cultural difference.
小題3:We can infer from the fourth paragraph that ________.
A.socialization has nothing to do with human’s choice of playthings
B.sex difference is the only factor in human’s choice of playthings
C.the biology factor may also influence toy choice
D.people choose different toys in different cultures
小題4:It can be concluded from the passage that ________.
A.both humans and chimpanzees choose their playthings due to sex difference
B.different factors cause humans and chimpanzees to choose different playthings
C.only female chimpanzees have playthings
D.chimpanzees usually choose playthings for their children

小題1:B
小題2:A
小題3:C
小題4:A
文章介紹了再選擇玩具方面猩猩和人有很多相似之處。
小題1:細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)第一段第2行treat sticks as dolls。
小題2:細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)第二段最后一句as well as the first known sex difference in a wild animal’s choice of playthings.可知性別差異是選擇玩具的一個(gè)原因。
小題3:細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)第四段最后一句our work suggests that biology may also have an important role to play in activity preferences.可知C正確。
小題4:推斷題。根據(jù)文章特別的3,4段可知人類和動(dòng)物在選擇玩具方面都受到性別差異的影響。
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解


FreeRice.com is a non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP). It aims to provide education to everyone for free and help end world hunger. Join us and have fun with our vocabulary game. For each vocabulary word you get right, we donate free rice through UNWFP to those hungry people.
How do you play the vocabulary game?
Click on the answer that is closest in meaning to the word. If you get it right, you get a harder word. If wrong, you get an easier word. For each word you get right, we donate 20 grains of rice to UNWFP.
How does the vocabulary game help you?
This game may make you smarter. While learning new vocabulary, it can help you:
★Present your ideas better
★Write better papers, e-mails and business letters
★Speak more accurately and influentially
★Read faster because you understand better
★Get better grades in high school and college
★Perform better at job interviews
★Be more effective and successful at your job
After you have done FreeRice for a couple of days, you may notice a phenomenon. Words that you have never consciously used before will begin to pop into your head while you are speaking or writing. You will feel yourself using and knowing more words.
How does the FreeRice vocabulary program work?
FreeRice has a database containing thousands of words at different levels of difficulty. There are words proper for people just learning English and words that will challenge the most learned professors. In between are thousands of words for students, business people, doctors, truck drivers… everyone!
FreeRice adjusts to your level of vocabulary. It starts by giving you words at different levels of difficulty and then, based on how you do, designs a proper starting level for you. When you get a word wrong, you go to an easier level. When you get three words in a row right, you go to a harder level. There are 60 levels in all, but it is rare for people to get above Level 50.
Sign up now and you will have fun as well as help end world hunger.
小題1:According to the passage, the purpose of the vocabulary game is to ______.
A.combine English learning with helping hungry people
B.make it popular in English-speaking countries
C.encourage people to produce more rice
D.provide English learning for poor areas
小題2:Playing the vocabulary game enables you to ______.
A.develop some new ideas
B.increase chances of job interview
C.be admitted to a university
D.perform better in a speech competition
小題3:People of different vocabulary levels can play the game because ______.
A.it is free of charge
B.it offers fair chances to everyone
C.it changes levels with their performance
D.it meets the needs of people in different fields

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

BERLIN — With the crisis in Japan raising fears about nuclear power, Germany and Switzerland said on Monday that they would reassess the safety of their own reactors.
Doris Leuthard, the Swiss energy minister, said Switzerland would put off plans to build nuclear plants. She said no new ones would be permitted until experts had reviewed safety standards.
Germany will put off “the recently decided extension of the running time of German nuclear plants,” Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters. “This moratorium(延緩)will run for three months and it will allow for a thorough examination of the safety standards of the county’s 17 nuclear power plants.
The European Union called for a meeting on Tuesday of nuclear safety authorities to assess Europe’s preparedness.
Germany’s foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, called for a new risk analysis of the country’s nuclear plants, particularly regarding their cooling systems. He is the leader of the Free Democratic Party, which strongly supports nuclear power.
A previous government, led by the Social Democrats, passed a law in 2001 to close all the country’s nuclear plants by 2021. But Mrs. Merkel’s government changed that decision last year to extend the lives of the plants by an average of 12 years.
In Switzerland, Doris Leuthard said she had already asked to analyze the exact cause of the problems in Japan and draw up new or tougher safety standards “particularly in terms of seismic(地震的) safety and cooling.”
In Russia, the Prime Minister said his government would “draw conclusions from what’s going on in Japan.”
小題1:Where can you most likely read this passage?
A.In a newspaper.B.In a magazine.
C.In a science report. D.In a diary.
小題2:How will Germany react to Japan’s nuclear crisis?
A.Germany will close all the country’s nuclear plants.
B.Germany will hold a meeting of nuclear safety authorities.
C.Germany will change the decision made last year.
D.Germany will delay the extension of nuclear plants running time.
小題3:The author mentions all the following EXCEPT ______.
A.The moratorium in Germany will give time to examine the nuclear plants safety standards.
B.Switzerland will not build new nuclear plants unless they meet the experts’ safety standards.
C.The Social Democrats in Germany shares the same view with the Free Democratic Party.
D.Russia will try to learn something from the nuclear power crisis in Japan.
小題4:What is the best title of the passage?
A.Watch Out for the Danger of Nuclear Power
B.Europe Is against Building Nuclear Plants
C.Nuclear Plants in Europe Are Delayed
D.Opinions on Nuclear Power Are Opposite.

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

What would you do if Martians (火星人) kidnapped (綁架) your mom? In the 3-D animated movie Mars Needs Moms, a young boy named Milo finds himself in this exact difficult situation. The aliens want to steal Milo’s mother’s “momness” for their own young. Now it’s up to the 9-year-old to get his mom back before she is lost forever.
Every good action movie has a bad guy. The villain (反派角色) in this film is the Martian Supervisor, played by Mindy Sterling. The Supervisor has an icy cold heart. Remarkably, Sterling acted out almost all of her scenes in a special Martian language created just for the movie. “Learning Martian was a piece of cake,” Sterling said. “There wasn’t too much to learn; sometimes, I just made it up!”
Anyone who has a mother will be moved by this movie. In fact, anyone who loves someone will be moved by this movie. Maybe it is because the story was inspired by a real-life event. The movie is based on a novel by prize-winning cartoonist Berkeley Breathed. He wrote the book after a dinner-table incident between his wife and son, who was then 4 years old. That night, Breathed’s son had thrown his broccoli into the air and rushed out of the room angrily, yelling at his mother on the way out. Breathed told his son, “You might think differently about your mom if she were kidnapped by Martians.” He wrote the novel that same evening.
All kids get into arguments with their parents. The fights may be about homework, chores or eating vegetables. Mars Needs Moms tells us to look past these silly disagreements and to remember the importance of family and the things that really matter.
小題1:In the movie Mars Needs Moms the aliens want to _____.
A.kill Milo’s mother
B.take Milo as their kid
C.make Milo’s mother their kids’ mom
D.send their kids to Milo’s family
小題2:To Mindy Sterling, learning Martian language is _____.
A.simpleB.difficultC.interesting D.unacceptable
小題3:What made Breathed write the novel?
A.The movie producer’s idea.
B.His wife’s inspiration and help.
C.His good relationship with his mother.
D.His son’s bad behavior toward his mother.
小題4:In the last paragraph the author wants to _____.
A.a(chǎn)dvise children to help with the housework
B.encourage readers to learn something from the movie
C.stress the importance of doing something different
D.a(chǎn)sk parents to be good teachers of their children

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Why texting harms your IQ
The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana (大麻). That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user’s IQ. This rate of decline in intelligence compares unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as “infomania”. The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand. The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. At a microcellular level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship. 1100 adults were interviewed during the research. More than 62 per cent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they scrutinized work-related ones even when at home or on holiday. Half said that they always responded immediately to an email and will even interrupt a meeting to do so. It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one’s characteristics. Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London. “This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” he said. “We have found that infomania will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social life. Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.”
小題1:We can learn from the passage that “infomania” ______.
A.has a positive influence on one’s IQ
B.results in the change of part of the brain
C.lies in the problem of lack of concentration
D.is caused by too much use of modern technology
小題2:The research mentioned in the passage is most probably about ______.
A.the important function of advanced technology
B.the damage to one’s brain done by unhealthy habits
C.the relevance between IQ and use of modern technology
D.the relationship between intelligence and working effectiveness
小題3:The underlined word “scrutinized” probably means “______”.
A.examined carefullyB.copied patiently
C.corrected quicklyD.a(chǎn)dmitted freely
小題4:Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
CP: Central Point   P: Point   Sp: Sub-point (次要點(diǎn))   C: Conclusion

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

It is always hard for a small fish to live in a big pond. Pluto's recent departure from the classical planet family clearly proves that size really matters.
Astronomers voted on August 24 to create the first scientific definition of the word planet, and Pluto obviously didn't make the cut. It turned out to be only a "dwarf planet" (矮行星). After weeks of heated debate, over 2,500 astronomers from 73 countries voted on the definition of a "planet" at a conference of the international Astronomical Union (IAU). According to the definition, a planet must have a clear neighborhood around its orbit. Pluto has widely been considered a planet since its discovery in 1930. Unfortunately, it has a special orbit which overlaps with Neptune's. It is all because, compared with Neptune, Pluto is very small. It is attracted by Neptune's gravity when the two planets get closer.
According to IAU, a "dwarf planet" should have an orbit around the Sun. It will not have a clear neighborhood around its orbit, and must not be a satellite. The new classification means that the science textbooks will have to be updated. The solar system is now made up of the eight "classical planets," together with a number of dwarf planets. The classical planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. The debate over Pluto's status started in 1992. After an advanced telescope was sent into space, astronomers started find a belt of objects, which lies beyond Neptune. The belt contains nearly 1,000 objects, including Pluto. As they continued the exploration, scientists recently discovered at least 41 dwarf planets at the edges of the solar system. There are at least two objects of a similar size to Pluto.
It seems that even if the IAU had kept Pluto's status as a planet, the classical theory of nine planets in the solar system would have had to be changed, but the other way around. More dwarf, planets of a similar size to Pluto would join the family of planets. Scientists will probably find many more dwarf planets.
小題1:According to the passage, Pluto is          .
A.a(chǎn) planet which has a clear neighborhood around its orbit
B.a(chǎn) satellite of Neptune which was discovered in 1930
C.the smallest planet in the solar system
D.a(chǎn) planet which has an orbit around the sun
小題2:The sentence "It is always hard for a small fish to live in a big pond" quoted in the beginning of the passage is used to           .
A.tell us a small fish can hardly survive in the big pond
B.tell us the size of an object really matters
C.mean that a small planet can hardly exist in the solar system
D.explain the disappearanee of Pluto in the solar system
小題3:From the last paragraph we can infer that if IAU kept Pluto's status as a planet, the number of planets in the solar system would be        .
A.eightB.nineC.less than nineD.more than nine
小題4:Which of the following statements is NOT true aceording to the passage?
A.According to definition of a "planet", if Pluto were bigger it would not have left the classic planet family.
B.It's quite possible for dwarfs to lose if they compete with big men
C.Pluto has a special orbit which overlap with Neptune's, because it is so small as to be attraeted by Neptune's gravity when the two planets get closer
D.A "dwarf planet", which can not be a satellite without a clear neighborhood around its orbit, should have an orbit around the Sun.

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

How to Beat On-line Credit-card Thieves
The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site.
Web sites offering cheap services should be regarded with care. On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought.
The thieves then go shopping with your card number--- or sell the information over internet.
Computers hackers(黑客) have broken down security(安全) systems raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25,000 customers of CD Universe, and on-line music retailer(批發(fā)商), were not lucky. Their name, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157,828 to get back the information.
Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Master-card is working on plans for Web-only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated.
Ask about your credit-firm’s on-line rules. Under British law, cardholders are responsible for the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending.
And shop only at secure sites: Send your credit-card information only if the web site offers advanced secure system. If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The web site address may also start the extra “s” stands for secure.
If you still have any doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone.
Keep your password safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your password with care.
小題1:What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?
A.fraud on the InternetB.computer hackers
C.illegal web siteD.shopping on line
小題2:How many pieces of advice does the passage give to you?
A.1B.2C.3D.4
小題3:You are shopping on the web and you want to buy a TV set, what does this article suggest doing?
A.You can go to the website and buy it without doubt.
B.Send your credit card information as soon as the web asks you to do so.
C.Give your credit card information over telephone if you have doubt.
D.Don’t pay money until your TV set is sent to you.
小題4:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Computer hackers sold the retailer’s information to a web site to get money.
B.A reliable website offers you an advanced secure system.
C.You can depend on the password to protect your information.
D.The on-line credit-card thieves stole your credit-card and paid with it.

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

   In many parts of the world, cars play an important role in daily life and many societies would not exist without them. So the idea that in 20 years’ time, no one will own cars may be hard to believe. But this is the prediction made by a team of transport researchers who are taken seriously, not only by government but also by car manufacturers.
The Human Science and Advanced Technology Institute at Loughborough in the UK is part of an international research program. The team there believes that by 2020 all cars will be computerized, which will mean much saving, no accidents and better use of roads. The super-intelligent car of the 21st century will drive itself, and it will not be owned by one individual. Instead, we will have a choice of cars and change them as frequently as we change our clothing.
According to Dr. David Davis , who leads the research team, these predictions are based on the rising cost of the car culture, which has blocked up our cities, polluted our air , and caused more deaths than both world wars put together.
Davis says, cars will be fitted with some intelligent devices to regulate the distance between one car and another. The car will automatically speed up, or slow down, to match the speed of the car in front. Computers are much safer drivers than people, so cars in a road train will be able to drive much closer together than cars driven by people.
By 2010, Dr. David Davis believes, car technology will give motorists a clear view of the road, whatever the weather conditions, by projecting an image of the road ahead on to the car’s windscreen. And by 2020, cars will travel in convoy, linked to each other electronically. Cars will be connected by an electronic tow bar to the car in front to form “road–trains”. “The front vehicle in such a train burns the normal amount.” says Davis. “But all the others in the train would burn about ten percent of the normal amount, and so produce about ten percent of the pollution.”
小題1:We know from the passage that governments and car manufacturers _______
A.do not believe the prediction that no one will own cars by 2020
B.a(chǎn)re devoted to the technological revolution in car industry
C.consider the predictions seriously
D.have put the super-intelligent car into mass production
小題2:Which of the following will be the characteristic of the cars of 2020?
  1. The car will speed up out of control.
  2. We will own as many cars as we want.
  3. All cars will be driven by computers.
  4. Cars will produce more pollution than present ones.
小題3:The leader of the research team believes that the present car culture should change because_________.
  1. cars play a very important role in daily life
  2. many societies would stop functioning without cars
  3. cars should not be owned by one individual
  4. it causes many deaths to human society
小題4:The expression closest in meaning to the phrase “in convoy” in the last paragraph is________.
A.in lineB.sidelongC.side by sideD.shoulder to shoulder
小題5:What will happen if cars are joined to each other electronically in 2020?
  1. Motorists will get a clear view of the road.
  2. The weather condition will not have effect on motorists.
  3. There will be less pollution caused by car.
  4. All trains will burn less fuel than present.

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解


People who are hit by lightning and survive often have long-term effects. These may include memory loss, sleep disorders, muscle pain and depression(郁悶).
Experts tell people to seek(尋找) the safety of a building or a hard-top vehicle any time they hear thunder, even if it is not raining. They say lightning can strike as far as sixteen kilometers from any rainfall. Lightning can travel sideways. And at least ten percent of lightning happens without any clouds overhead that you can see.
People who are outdoors should make sure they are not the tallest thing around. Bend(屈身) low to the ground, but do not lie down. And do not stand near a tree or any tall object. Get away from water and anything made of metal. A car is safe, but do not touch any metal inside.
Safety experts say people in buildings should stay away from anything with wires or pipes that lead to the outside. The National Weather Service says if you plan to disconnect any electronic equipment, do so before the storm arrives. Do not use a wired telephone. Do not use water. All these can carry electricity.
Some people think a person struck by lightning carries an electrical charge (電荷) afterward. Experts say this is not true. It is safe to begin emergency treatment.
Each year about four hundred people in the United States are struck by lightning. Last year forty four people died. The average(平均) is close to seventy. The National Weather Service says that is more than the number of people killed by severe storms.
小題1:According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A.Lightning can happen even if there is no cloud.
B.Lightning won’t do harm to people’s health.
C.Lightning can travel sideways.
D.Lightning can strike very far.
小題2:The underlined word “disconnect” (in Paragraph 4) refers to “_______”.
A.cut outB.interrupt C.disturbD.cut off
小題3:Which of the following mustn’t you do in order to seek lightning safety?
A.Hide in a building.B.Sit in a car.
C.Bend low to the ground.D.Lie under a tall tree.
小題4:Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?
A.The latest information about lightning.
B.Some common knowledge about lightning safety.
C.How lightning comes into being.  
D.Where we should hide in case of lightning.

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