Humans might be the most highly-evolved species on the planet, but most animals
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Humans might be the most highly-evolved species on the planet, but most animals possess skills we can only dream of having. Imagine how much electricity we could save if we could see in the dark the way cats do. Imagine leaping from tree to tree like a monkey. Giraffes, which are otherwise calm and good-natured, sleep only 4.6 hours a day.
We realized a long, long time ago that nature provides the best blueprint for invention. We’ve borrowed canals from beavers and reflectors from cat’s eyes. Although the words “bionics”(仿生学) became popular only after the 1960s, history shows that nature has always provided ideas on solving everyday problems. Our archives(档案) don’t go back to the time of Leonardo da Vinci and his bird-like flying machines, but we can take you to the late 19th century, where we applied those same principles for building our first practical airplanes.
To prepare for their flight at Kitty Hawk, the Wright brothers studied the movements of pigeons to figure out how they stayed high up when they were heavier than air. Their success inspired scores of successors to improve on the airplane by studying various aspects of nature. One of Orville Wright’s pupils caught and stuffed seagulls to examine their wingspan. Meanwhile, two French inventors examined spinning sycamore(梧桐) seeds in an effort to apply those same motions, reversed, to a helicopter .
Some examples are more obvious than others. The outside of the airplane designed by the Wright brothers looks like a minimalistic(简单抽象艺术) structure. On the other hand, Barney Connett’s fish submarine actually looks like a fish.
Some bio-inspired concepts have yet to be invented. In the 1960s, the US Army commissioned several university professors to conduct research on the motor skills animals in hope of applying those same abilities to tanks. Tanks that run like horses or jump like grasshoppers(蚂蚱)-sounds shocking, doesn’t it? But imagine how life would change if we could achieve that.
小题1:“Cats”, “monkeys” and “giraffes” mentioned in paragraph 1 are examples to show______.| A．they are highly-evolved species as humans | | B．animals have skills that humans do not possess | | C．humans can learn animals’ skills | | D．they are skillful in different ways |
小题2:What happened after the Wright brothers’ success?| A．People carried out a systematic study on pigeons. | | B．People studied more animals and plants to develop the airplane. | | C．People could fly their airplane for fun. | | D．People kept their airplane at a French gallery. |
小题3:Which of the following is true about the research carried out by the US Army?| A．It has cost a large sum of money. | | B．It has changed our life. | | C．It has improved the abilities of tanks | | D．It has not succeeded yet. |
小题4:What does the writer want to tell in the passage?| A．many inventions get ideas from nature. | | B．Some animals possess unique skills. | | C．People should protect nature. | | D．Bionics is far from perfect |
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答案
小题1:B
小题2:B
小题3:D
小题4:A |
解析
试题分析：人类也许是地球上进化最高级的动物，但是，有许多动物都有着人类无法企及的技能。从莱特兄弟制造飞机开始，人类一直都在从大自然中探索发明创造，这些发明创造给人们的生活带来了很大的改变。
小题1:根据第一段“but most animals possess skills we can only dream of having.”可知，猫的夜视，猴子的跳跃，长颈鹿短的睡眠时间，许多动物有着人类没有的技能，故选B。
小题2:根据第三段“Their success inspired scores of successors to improve on the airplane by studying various aspects of nature.”可知，在莱特兄弟之后，许多人开始研究动植物来研制飞机，故选B。
小题3:根据最后一段“Some bio-inspired concepts have yet to be invented. ...sounds shocking, doesn’t it? But imagine how life would change if we could achieve that.”可知，一些仿生概念尚有待发明，如果美国军方的研究成功的话，会给我们的生活带来什么样的变化？由此可见，美国军方的研究还没有成功，故选D。
小题4:根据“history shows that nature has always provided ideas on solving everyday problems. ...the Wright brothers studied the movements of pigeons ...One of Orville Wright’s pupils caught and stuffed seagulls ...two French inventors examined spinning sycamore(梧桐) seeds”可知，文章讲的是，人类不断从大自然中获得启发，进而发明出许多解决日常问题的事物，故选A。 |
举一反三
Many parents take on the role of being their children’s preschool teacher and the responsibility of readying them for kindergarten. To achieve this goal, it is important for parents to introduce a variety of subjects in a positive and playful manner.
“Learning should not be forced,”says Marion Godwin, who has taught first grade in Moorestown, N. J. for more than 30 years.“ It should be taught according to what they know and do best—and that is‘ play’. When teaching them, play games and have fun with the subject. And parents should always be looking for‘teachable moments’.”
“You want a child to be a lifelong learner, so you want to show them learning is everywhere,”she says.“If parents take the time to lay a strong educational foundation, their children will keep building on it.”
Introduce children to science with hands-on activities that interest them, such as growing plants from seeds, discussing animals and how to care for pets, and observing the chemical changes that occur during cooking”, she says.
“Sorting activities, simple patterns and counting games are a great way to teach children the basics of math, and taking them on field trips, singing songs and reciting rhymes also are ways to prepare them for the first day of school”, she says.
“I think children are naturals when it comes to computers,” she says.“Let them play educational games on the computer and teach them how to type their first names using the keyboard. When they are more familiar with using the computer, let them find pictures of animals and places on the web. ”
“Don’t criticize the child,” she says. “You can’t force them to learn something. If they don’t get something right, so what? Smile and be happy and make the experience joyful. Parents need to understand that if a child gets something wrong, they may think something is wrong with them. Keep working with them and when they get the right answer make sure you tell them how hard they worked to get the correct answer. ”
小题1:Marion Godwin tells us that we should teach the children according to their_____ .| A．subjects and needs | | B．level and interest | | C．teachable moments | | D．strong educational foundation |
小题2:According to Godwin, children should ____________________ .| A．keep a pet each and care for it | | B．do some cooking every day | | C．learn science with interesting hand-on activities | | D．learn from the farmers and grow plants from seeds |
小题3:In Godwin’s opinion, children should be encouraged to_________ .| A．learn all by themselves | | B．play more computer games | | C．learn to type their first names | | D．learn online under instructions |
小题4:What’s the best title of the passage?| A．How to prepare your children for kindergarten | | B．Learning should not be forced | | C．How to be a lifelong learner | | D．Learning is everywhere |
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The increase in tuition fees(学费) has led to a “clear drop” in the number of English students applying for university places this autumn. There are 15,000 “missing” applicants this academic year, according to the Independent Commission on Fees. Chairman Will Hutton said: “We’re asking our young men and women to have more debt than any other country in the world — it’s higher than the average debt in the US. It’s not clear whether those lost students this year will return next year, or if it’s a storm warming of a worrying trend.”
But the commission’s report says there does not seem to be an impact on poorer communities. The commission found there was no significant change in the application rate to the key universities, such as Oxford or Cambridge. The decline （下降）in England has not been mirrored in other parts of the UK where fees have not been raised, and the drop can only partly be explained by falling numbers of young people in the population. Students from Scotland attending Scottish universities do not pay fees, while the Welsh Assembly says it will pay fees above ￡3,465 for Welsh students attending UK institutions.
The average tuition fee at English universities this year is ￡ 8,385, rising to ￡ 8,507 next year. UK and EU students have access to govemment-backed loans to pay the fees. And the survey of 1,000 pupils aged 15-18, carried out this April, found that the majority expected to go on to higher education as people continue to understand that university remains a good long term investment in their future.
A spokeswoman at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which is responsible for universities, said:“Students shouldn’t be forced to put off going to university for financial reasons. Most students will not have to pay in advance, and no one will have to start paying back their student loan until they start to earn at least ￡ 2l,000 per year.”
小题1:From the first paragraph, we know that __________________ .| A．it’s a trend that English students are dropping out of school | | B．the rising tuition fees have a great effect on English students | | C．the lost English students will find their way back | | D．many English students are missing the final examinations |
小题2:Why is there still a drop of applicants though fees have not been raised?| A．Because the students live in poor communities. | | B．Because Welsh students will pay fees above￡3,465. | | C．Because education is free for Scottish students. | | D．Because there are less young students in the area. |
小题3:What’s the students’ attitude to universities in the survey?| A．Most of them are willing to go to university. | | B．They feel universities takes up too much time. | | C．They will stop applying for university places this autumn. | | D．They are anxious to go to a key university. |
小题4:The spokeswoman in the last paragraph advises students to ______________| A．put off going to university | | B．reduce the anxiety about the rising fees | | C．pay for the fees in advance | | D．pay back their loan soon after graduation |
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In our world today, the media and entertainment industries are constantly focusing on beauty over brains. Movies, television shows, commercials, and magazines all make use of models and actors whose physical attributes(特性) will sell their product.
As our country is trying to reduce the obesity numbers, eating disorder statistics continue to increase due to the push for thinner people. While obesity is a serious medical condition that can lead to many health problems, many of us try to lose weight for appearance purposes. Children as young as elementary school age have begun to worry about the numbers that appear on the scale. In my opinion, it seems that “fat” has become the new“ugly”.
Two weeks ago, 37-year-old Wisconsin television reporter Livingston, who is 235 pounds, received an email from a man named Krause. In the email Krause attacked her, writing,“Your physical condition hasn’t improved for many years. Surely you don’t consider yourself a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular.”
Today, it seems that a vast majority of people care more about how they look and appear to their peers rather than what is inside. The truth is that every person is built differently; we all come in different shapes and sizes. Just because someone is heavier, that doesn’t mean they eat large amounts of junk food around the day. Likewise, even though a person is thin, that doesn’t mean they are necessarily healthy and fit.
If you are reading this and you struggle with your weight or your appearance, please recognize that you are beautiful and special in your own way. You are worth so much more than you realize, and even if I don’t know you, understand that I respect and support you. Beauty is not defined by size; it is defined by how we treat others and respect ourselves. In the words of the talented film actress Kirstie Alley, “There’s a lot more to life than how fat or thin you are.”
小题1:With so many people losing weight, it will end in .| A．models’ and actors’ appearance in ads | | B．the fall of media and entertainment industries | | C．more and more people becoming obesity | | D．more people’s suffering from eating disorder |
小题2:The underlined phrase “the numbers that appear on the scale” in the second paragraph may mean .| A．intelligence | B．weight | C．patience | D．strength |
小题3:The writer used the example of Jennifer Livingston to show .| A．people think “fat” looks ugly | | B．fat people are becoming cleverer | | C．physical condition is good | | D．young people never follow example |
小题4:What Kirstie Alley said means .| A．people should pay attention to the appearance | | B．there is no need for any people to go on diet | | C．people are beautiful when they concern others | | D．there’s always someone who understands and supports you |
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California, once regarded as a leader in the United States for its public higher education system, ranks next to the last in the U.S.for its number of adults with at least a high school diploma, according to the report, titled “California at the Edge of a Cliff,” released by the California Faculty Association.
Meanwhile, the state’s investment(投资) in public higher education has dropped over the past three decades, and now ranks 22nd in the country.That’s despite having the country’s largest public higher education system, the report said.
“It"s a collapse(衰退),” said Thomas Mortenson, author of the report, who is an independent analyst living in Iowa and a senior scholar at the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education in Washington, D. C. “Ranking 49th out of 50 states is an indication that shows the quality of the state’s educational has become much worse in recent decades.” Mortenson said in the report.As of 2007, California ranked 14th in the United States in terms of college educated members of the workforce over 25 years of age, a drop from eighth place in 1981, the report showed.
Mortenson said that California has never been the state of high status in education and economy while other states have made greater gains in building a college-educated workforce.
The California Faculty Association is using the report’s findings to criticize Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed funding cuts for education.
Struggling with a 14.8-billion-dollar state budget deficit(赤字), Schwarzenegger has proposed a combination of sales tax increases, borrowing and major budget cuts, including cutting billions of dollars from the state’s education budget.
小题1:The passage is mainly about __________.| A．California’s worse situation in higher education | | B．the dangerous situation in California | | C．California’s research on education and economy | | D．funding cuts for high education in California |
小题2:From the passage we can infer that __________.| A．investment in higher education has dropped in all states | | B．Thomas Mortenson works at California Faculty Association | | C．governor in California agreed to spend more money on education | | D．California had higher quality in higher education in the past |
小题3:The reason why California has a lower rank in education is that________.| A．the number of adults has decreased recently | | B．the result of report has been published late | | C．the money to invest in education has been cut | | D．the progress in other states has been made |
小题4:According to the report’s findings, ________ is to blame for the drop in rank of education.| A．Arnold Schwarzenegger | B．Thomas Mortenson | | C．the Pell Institute | D．California Faculty Association |
语篇解读 曾经在大学教育排行榜上位居第一的美国加州，现在的教育排名一下子跌落到倒数第二。这是怎么回事呢？ |
Swaying palm trees，turquoiseblue(青绿色的)water and sugarwhite sand make beach lovers sigh with delight.But not all beaches have those ingredients.The most interesting beaches come in different shapes，sizes and colors.
Those who want beauty and something unique can go to the Seychells" La Digue Island.Large granite(花岗岩)rock formations overlook beautiful，whitesand beaches.The pinkishgrey rocks look like sculptures that have been forgotten on the beach.Tourists traveling to La Digue Island to see the unique rocks will also discover one of the world"s most beautiful islands.
Hawaii"s Big Island has one of the rarest beaches of all—a beach made up entirely of green sand.The sand，which is formed by dark green crystals called olivine(橄榄石)，is deposited(堆积)by volcanic activity.Green Sand Beach lies on the slopes of the world"s largest active volcano，Mauna Loa.
One of the world"s most unusual beaches lies on the island of Santorini，Greece.The sand on Red Beach gets its reddish color from the red volcanic rocks that make up the cliffs(悬崖)around the beach.Tourists flock(蜂拥)to see the red sand，making Red Beach one of Santorini"s most popular beach destinations.
Black sand makes up the huge beach of Karakare.Through the years，volcanic sand mixed with iron ash to form this black beach on New Zealand"s wild，west coast.Many have seen Karekare in the movie The Piano and the TV show Xena：Warrior Princess.
With all the beautiful beaches in the world，beach lovers have lots of choices.But for those ready for something different，a unique beach vacation might be just the ticket!
小题1:What would be the best title of the passage?| A．One of the world"s most unusual beaches. | | B．Beach lovers having more choices. | | C．A unique beach vacation. | | D．Unique beaches around the world. |
小题2:According to the text，______ would be regarded as the general characteristics of beautiful beaches?| A．swaying palm trees，turquoiseblue water，sugarwhite sand | | B．rocks，white sand，pinkishgrey，sculptures | | C．green sand，slopes of an active volcano | | D．black sand，iron ash，wild coast |
小题3:Beaches on the island of Santorini is red because of ______.| A．the cliffs around the beach | | B．the large granite rocks | | C．the red volcanic rocks | | D．crystals called olivine |
小题4:If you want to see pinkishgrey rocks，then go to ______.| A．Santorini，Greece | B．Seychells" La Digue Island | | C．Hawaii"s Big Island | D．New Zealand |
小题5:What can we learn from the passage?| A．Different beaches have different colors. | | B．Different places have different beaches. | | C．White sand and the blue water is the main characteristics of beaches. | | D．People have many choices for beach vacations. |
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