Around 200 million years ago, the earth was 18 degrees warmer than it is now. T
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Around 200 million years ago, the earth was 18 degrees warmer than it is now. That might be a bit hot for humans, but it was just right for the giant dinosaurs that wandered about the earth during the Mesozoic (中生代的) era. A new study found that planteating dinosaurs may have contributed to the warming of the earthby releasing significant amounts of methane (甲烷)．
The study, published in science journal Current Biology, focused on sauropods, longnecked herbivores (食草动物) that munched (用力咀嚼) on the top of trees. They were the largest of the dinosaurs; food broke down in their stomachs for long periods of time. The researchers estimate that a sauropoda released 2,675 liters of methane per day—adding up to a large amount of the greenhouse gas being pumped from dinosaur"s gut into the atmosphere.
Plant eaters naturally release methane as part of their digestive process. The larger the animal, the more methane it produces. Methane, a greenhouse gas, traps heat and remains in the atmosphere for approximately 915 years, which warms the atmosphere.
Today, some animals, such as cattle, goats and sheep, produce large amounts of methane as a byproduct to their food digestion. Methane is also released from human—influenced sources such as landfill, agricultural activities, coal mining and other industrial practices—which all contribute to today"s climate change, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The researchers estimate that earth"s sauropods would have produced about 520 million tons of methane per year—similar to the total amount of methane produced today by natural and manmade sources. However, the researchers warn that their numbers are estimates based on multiple assumptions about the digestive systems and populations of dinosaurs.
The author of the study David Wilkinson says the emission of methane from dinosaurs would have been just one of the causes of warm climate during the Mesozoic era. Other causes include gases produced from volcanoes, swamps, shallow seas and so on. Still, Wilkinson says，“ The amount of methane from dinosaurs is large enough to have a measurable effect.”
小题1:Scientists think dinosaurs may have led to the global warming because ________.| A．they ate everything they found | | B．they usually had a good appetite | | C．they released a lot of methane | | D．there were too many dinosaurs on earth |
小题2:What do we know about dinosaurs from Paragraph 2?| A．Sauropods fed on plants. | | B．Sauropods were of medium size. | | C．Dinosaurs used to live on trees. | | D．Dinosaurs digested food quickly. |
小题3:Which of the following activities doesn"t produce methane?| A．Coal is dug out by machine. | | B．Trees and flowers are planted. | | C．Goats digest grass under the tree. | | D．Food is being processed in the factory. |
小题4:How does the author make his writing reliable?| A．By listing some facts. | | B．By making predictions. | | C．By citing figures. | | D．By using mind pictures. |
小题5:David Wilkinson seems to believe that ________.| A．methane had little effects on the earth | | B．many other factors contributed to warm climate | | C．other causes for warm climate were worth considering | | D．dinosaurs were mainly to blame for global warming |
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答案
小题1:C
小题2:A
小题3:B
小题4:C
小题5:B |
解析
文章大意：一项研究发现，中生代全球变暖很可能是因为恐龙释放出了大量的甲烷。
小题1:答案：C 细节理解题。根据第一段的最后一句可知，恐龙导致全球变暖是因为它们释放出了大量的甲烷。
小题2:答案：A 细节理解题。根据第二段的内容可知，蜥脚类恐龙是长脖子食草动物，体形硕大。故A项正确。
小题3:答案：B 细节理解题。根据第四段可知，动物消化食物时，会释放出甲烷。而且，在废物填埋、农业活动、煤矿开采以及其他工业生产过程中，都会产生甲烷。因此B项符合题意。
小题4:答案：C 推理判断题。作者在文中多次引用数字，以提高文章内容的可信度。
小题5:答案：B 推理判断题。根据最后一段的内容可知，David Wilkinson认为除了恐龙排放的甲烷之外，还有其他一些因素导致全球变暖。 |
举一反三
As we know, the earth"s climate has changed over time.The present rate of climate change depends, in large part, on human activities.Today, people all over the world are making everyday choices that help the environment.Small actions matter.In other words, climate change is your business.
A woman in Nicaragua buys fluorescent (荧光的) light bulbs that are 80 percent more energysaving than traditional ones. Many governments are now subsidizing energysaving lights to encourage people to turn to them.Consumers are discovering that the newgeneration bulbs help them save money in the long run.
Agriculture accounts for about 14 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions (排放) , and transporting the food around adds to the environmental cost.There is a team of young vegetable growers in the United Kingdom who want to encourage kids to start planting their own fruit and vegetables.
A young lawyer wearing business clothes rides her bicycle to work in a large U．S.city.She"s been biking to work every day for the past two years and says it"s a lot easier than many people think.A recent study shows that more Americans bike or walk to work today than before.
A university student from southeastern China carries a reusable shopping bag to cut back on disposable (一次性的) plastics.Some large shopkeepers have removed paper and plastic bags, and consumers are responding.
In Canberra, Australia, summers are hot and winters cold.To save electricity, Adam Wilson in Canberra uses an energysaving heating system, and he keeps the temperature lower than he did in years past.He still makes it through the summer without air conditioning.
小题1:The passage mainly tells us that________.| A．climate change is concerned with everyone | | B．the global warming is getting worse | | C．saving energy is of great necessity | | D．human is to destroy the environment |
小题2:The underlined word “subsidizing” in Paragraph 2 probably means “________”．| A．charging | B．producing | | C．giving allowance to | D．taking advantage of |
小题3:According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?| A．The governments don"t expect consumers to use the newgeneration bulbs. | | B．Agriculture should be responsible for part of the global gas emissions. | | C．Many people in Nicaragua go to work on foot or by bike. | | D．University students from China always carry disposable shopping bags. |
小题4:We can learn from the last paragraph that________.| A．the climate in Canberra is mild all the year round | | B．an energysaving heating system will come into use | | C．Adam Wilson has a good habit of saving energy | | D．Adam Wilson is skilled in inventing the energysaving equipment |
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We can make all the jokes we want about taking baths ourselves, but if we are ill in bed and can"t get up, we"ll be thankful to the nurses who help us get clean. While I am not a nurse, and have never given anyone a bath, I would imagine that it would take a lot of sympathy (同情) and patience to do so.
Yet those who attended the International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems last month were introduced to Cody, a robot that can bathe human beings.
The robot has a base that can be turned to all directions, two humanlike arms, and movable wrists (腕). It uses a camera to locate parts of the human body. It then uses bath gloves to clean with a little pressure.
The robot was designed at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Charles Kemp of the Healthcare Robotics Lab is the senior researcher for the project. In a test run, Cody was able to remove 96% of a test subject"s dirt—not bad for a robot.
But don"t go asking for Cody yet—he"s still a model. Yet researchers believe that one day Cody may take the place of nurses for this task. Researchers say that Cody will give patients dignity and protect their personal information. I suppose that would depend on the patient. I"m not sure whether a robot using a camera would make me feel very dignified.
Even so, I can appreciate the need. We don"t have enough nurses to go around, and those places that are the most shorthanded, for example, nursing homes, are those that have the most patients who are unable to bathe themselves. Still, before I get there, I hope they think of a better way to solve the problem.
小题1:The writer thinks bathing others must ________.| A．be a lot of fun | | B．make you feel thankful | | C．take a lot of patience | | D．make you feel dignified |
小题2:What is the third paragraph mainly about?| A．Why and where Cody was designed. | | B．What Cody looks like and who designed it. | | C．What Cody can do and where it will work soon. | | D．How Cody works and what has made that possible. |
小题3:We know from the fourth and fifth paragraphs that ________.| A．Cody can bathe patients better than a real nurse can | | B．robots like Cody are being produced in large numbers right now | | C．Cody can take the place of nurses completely in hospitals | | D．researchers think Cody can protect patients" personal information |
小题4:There is a need for Cody because ________.| A．people are becoming lazier | | B．it can bring down the cost of nursing | | C．there are not enough nurses | | D．there are too many nursing homes |
小题5:In the writer"s opinion, Cody is ________.| A．acceptable but not perfect | | B．strange but not creative | | C．clever and strong | | D．lovely and careful |
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Research shows that much of our predisposition (倾向) towards determination, sociability and selfcontrol and sense of purpose is in our genes. In fact, our DNA plays a bigger role in influencing these traits (characteristics) than our upbringing (儿童期的教养) and the company we keep. Taken together, these aspects of personality can make the difference between success and failure, say the Edinburgh University researchers.
They questioned more than 800 pairs of twins about their attitudes to life to tease apart the influences of nature and nurture. Comparing identical twins, who share all their DNA and their upbringing, with nonidentical twins, who have a shared background but are no more genetically alike than other brothers and sisters, is a technique often used by researchers to quantify the influence of genetics.
The results, published in the Journal of Personality, showed that genes play a much bigger role than lifestyle, with selfcontrol particularly etched (铭刻) into our DNA.
Our genes also largely determine how determined and persistent we are. This is important in terms of success, as someone who refuses to give up is more likely to achieve their dreams than someone_who_throws_in_the_towel_at_the_first_hiccough.
Researcher Professor Timothy Bates said, “Ever since the ancient Greeks, people have debated the nature of a good life and the nature of a virtuous life. Why do some people seem to manage their lives, have good relationships and cooperate to achieve their goals while others do not? Previously, the role of family and the environment around the home often controlled people"s ideas about what affected psychological wellbeing. However, this work emphasizes a much more powerful influence from genetics.”
However, those who haven"t been dealt a helpful hand of genes shouldn"t be too depressed. The professor says a sense of purpose is the key and advises those who are eager for success to focus their thoughts on making a difference.
小题1:What does the result of the research indicate?| A．Our DNA is the only factor to decide our traits. | | B．Our DNA plays a decisive role in achieving success. | | C．Education plays little part in the formation of our character. | | D．Society has little effect on us in our personality. |
小题2:The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to someone who ________.| A．is born successful | | B．determines to make a difference | | C．makes great effort | | D．admits defeat easily |
小题3:Timothy Bates mentions the ancient Greeks in order to indicate that ________.| A．some people can live a good life because they can manage their lives | | B．people haven"t made it clear yet what is the key personality trait to be a success | | C．in ancient Greece the role of family and the environment was ignored | | D．the relationship between personality and success has always been people"s concern |
小题4:According to the passage, the key personality trait is ________.| A．determination | B．kindness | | C．politeness | D．sociability |
小题5:What is the best title for the passage?| A．How do people work hard? | | B．Why can some people succeed? | | C．DNA determines success or failure. | | D．Several factors determine personality. |
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Here I"d like to talk about how to develop your curiosity and make use of it to make discoveries. Asking questions is the first step to make discoveries and find interesting answers when you are curious about something and want to know more about it.
Firstly, write down the subject that you are interested in on a note card or piece of paper. Just put the main idea down, such as “Discover more about dinosaurs.”
Next, think for a moment about what you already know about your subject and list information like the sentences below：
1. Dinosaurs lived long before human beings appeared.
2. Dinosaurs lived on the earth for more than 150 million years.
3. Some dinosaurs fed on plants, some on meat.
Thirdly, ask yourself “What can I do with what I want to learn？” On your paper, start writing down questions about the dinosaurs as you think of them：
1. What"s the best weather for dinosaurs to live in?
2. How many kinds of dinosaurs are there?
3. Have dinosaurs really disappeared?
Fourthly, armed_with_your_list_of_questions,_you can now visit the nearest library or turn to computer to begin your research. As you learn more about your subject, you"ll probably discover some new questions.
For example, you might discover that dinosaurs disappeared about 65 million years ago. Why? What happened? Asking new questions can help you research your subject more deeply.
The next time you find something interesting to research, take time to organize your thinking by asking good questions. And remember—learning more always bring more questions.
小题1:While doing some research, you should take the following steps________.
①list what you want to know
②choose a research subject
③list what you already know
④discover new problems| A．①④③② | B．①②④③ | | C．②③①④ | D．②①④③ |
小题2:What does the underlined sentence “armed with your list of questions” mean?| A．Taking your list of questions with you to do more research. | | B．Writing down your list of questions before turning to the computer. | | C．Discussing your questions with your classmates for solution. | | D．Putting your questions aside before going to the library. |
小题3:According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?| A．You can find all the answers online. | | B．Learn more, and you"ll have no questions. | | C．Asking questions is the only way for research. | | D．During the research, more questions may arise. |
小题4:The best title for this passage is________.| A．Discovering Dinosaurs | | B．Asking Good Questions | | C．Finding Suitable Subjects | | D．Having Interesting Answers |
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Archaeology, like many academic words, comes from Greek and means, more or less, “the study of old things”. So, it is really a part of the study of history. However, most historians use paper evidence, such as letters, paintings and photographs, but archaeologists learn from the objects left behind by the humans of long ago. Normally, these are the hard materials that don"t break down or disappear very quickly—things like human bones and objects made from stone and metal.
It is very unusual to find anything more than the hard evidence of history—normally, the bacteria in the air eat away at soft materials, like bodies, clothes and things made of wood. Occasionally, things are different.
In 1984, two men made an amazing discovery while working in a bog called Lindow Moss, in the north of England. A bog is a very wet area of earth, with a lot of plants growing in it. It can be like a very big and very thick vegetable soup—walk in the wrong place and you can sink and disappear forever. The men were working when one of them saw something sticking out—a human foot! Naturally, the men called the police, who then found the rest of the body. Was it a case of murder? Possibly—but it was a death nearly two thousand years old. The two men had found a body from the time of the Roman invasion of Britain. Despite being so old, this body had skin, muscles, hair and internal organs—the scientists who examined him were able to look inside the man"s stomach and find the food that he had eaten for his last meal!
Why was this man so well preserved? It was because he was in a very watery environment, safe from the bacteria that need oxygen to live. Also, the water in the bog was very acidic. The acid preserved the man"s skin in the way that animal skin is preserved for leather coats and shoes.
How did he die? Understandably, archaeologists and other scientists wanted to know more about the person that they called “Lindow Man”. His hands and fingernails suggested that he hadn"t done heavy manual work in his life—he could have been a rich man. They found that he hadn"t died by accident. The archaeologists believe that he was sacrificed to three different gods.
小题1:The underlined word “these” in the first paragraph refers to ________.| A．letters | B．photographs | | C．paintings | D．objects |
小题2:Which of the following helped to preserve “Lindow Man”？| A．Ice and low temperature | | B．Acid and water | | C．Soil and energy | | D．Bacteria and oxygen |
小题3:According to the passage, which of the following statements is right?| A．“Lindow Man” was named after the person who first found him. | | B．Historians usually use paper evidence, while archaeologists use hard evidence. | | C．“Lindow Man” was found by two archaeologists in the south of England. | | D．“Lindow Man” was good at work by hand. |
小题4:Which is the best title for the passage?| A．An Amazing Archaeological Discovery | | B．Archaeology and History | | C．What Is Archaeology? | | D．The Death of “Lindow Man” |
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