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Gorillas are born with an international sign language of gestures that they use to communicate,says a new study from the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
From beating their chests to putting objects on their heads,shaking their arms,and even bouncing on all fours,the animals use more than 100 gestures to communicate with each other
Professor Richard Byrne,a psychiatrist involved in the research,says it was hard to figure out the meanings of the gestures.
“We don't really know what the animals are thinking. Often the gestures have more than one meaning,depending on the context,”says Byrne.
The study showed that the gorillas did not learn the gestures from each other,as had been expected,but performed them instinctively (本能地).
“Everyone had assumed different groups of gorillas would learn different gestures,”he says. “But that's not what we found. The more sites we went to ,the more we saw the same gestures being used. They seem to be naturally equipped with a pretty complex system of communication.”
The study also found that gestures were performed with close attention to the potential audience,so that silent signals,for example, were only given when other apes could see them. Other gestures,such as the "disco arm shake" were only ever seen directed towards humans.
Byrne believes that the findings may explain how the human language developed.
“There has always been speculation(猜测)that the origins of the human language might lie in gestures,”he says.
“Many researchers have therefore studied the gestural communication of the great apes for clues to the evolutionary origins of human gestures,”he adds.
Several studies have shown that great apes are capable of imitating gestures. However,the scientists found that what appeared to be copies of human actions were actually gestures the apes were already able to make themselves. They're “reusing” gestures from their own repertoire,not learning new ones.
64.According to the passage,Richard Byrne's research has found      .
A. different groups of gorillas would learn different gestures
B. gorillas know the sign language from birth
C. how gorillas learn from each other
D. gorillas develop a variety of languages when growing up
65.Why can't the researchers really know the meanings of gorilla gestures?
A. Because gorillas possess the ability of making many kinds of gestures.
B. Because they haven't made deep research into the animal.
C. Because a gorilla gesture may have different meanings.
D. Because gorillas can't exactly express their thoughts.
66.If a gorilla wants to make a silent gesture towards another gorilla,he      .
A. needs to know how many other gorillas are watching him
B. needs to make noise first in order to draw attention
C. will first make sure his gesture can be seen
D. will first consider whether he can carry out his gesture
67.According to the passage,many scientists study the sign language of great apes in order to      .
A. find the origins of the human language
B. find ways for people to communicate with apes
C. learn how animals communicate
D. discover the meanings of animal gestures

科目 英语   题型 阅读理解   难度 较易
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As you grow older, you’ll be faced with some challenging decisions—like whether to cut class or try cigarettes. Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. People who are your age, like your classmates, are called peers(同龄人). When they try to influence how you act, to get you to do something, it’s called peer pressure.
Peers can have a positive influence on each other. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in the solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book, and now everyone’s reading it. These are examples of how peers positively influence each other.
Sometimes peers influence each other in negative ways. For example, a few kids in school might try to get you to cut class with them; your soccer friend might try to convince you to be mean to another player and never pass him the ball.
It is tough to be the only one who says “no” to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do.
You’ve probably had a parent or teacher advising you to “choose your friends wisely.” Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don’t cut class, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won’t do these things either, even if other kids do.
If you continue to face peer pressure and you’re finding it difficult to handle, talk to someone you trust. Don’t feel guilty if you’ve made a mistake or two.
What is the topic of the passage?

A.Friendship. B.Self-confidence C.Peer pressure D.Making decisions

In the last three paragraphs, the author mainly_____.

A.explains why friendship is so important
B.discusses how peers influence us
C.shows how to make more good friends
D.gives advice on how to deal with peer pressure

Which of following may help handle peer pressure?

A.Spending more time with classmates. B.Choosing friends with no bad habits.
C.Taking up more relaxing hobbies. D.Helping others who are in trouble.

Walking down a path through some woods in Georgia, I saw a small pool of water ahead on the path. I angled my direction to go around it on the part of the path that wasn't covered by water or mud. As I reached the pool, I was suddenly attacked!
Yet I did nothing for the attack. It was so unpredictable and from somewhere totally unexpected. I was surprised as well as unhurt though I had been struck four or five times. I backed up a foot and my attacker stopped attacking me. Had I been hurt I wouldn't have found it amusing. And I was laughing. After all, I was being attacked by a butterfly!
  Having stopped laughing, I took a step forward. My attacker rushed me again. He charged towards me at full speed, attempting to hurt me but in vain. For a second time, I took a step backwards while my attacker paused. I wasn't sure what to do. After all, it's just not everyday that one is attacked by a butterfly. I stepped back to look the situation over. My attacker moved back to land on the ground. That's when I discovered why my attacker was charging me only moments earlier. He had a mate and she was dying.
  Sitting close beside her, he opened and closed his wings as if to fan her. I could only admire the love and courage of that butterfly in his concern for his mate. He had taken it up on himself to attack me for his mate's sake , even though she was clearly dying and I was so large. He did so just to give her those extra few precious moments of life, should I have been careless enough to step on her. His courage in attacking something thousands of times larger and heavier than himself just for his mate's safety seemed admirable. I couldn't do anything other than reward him by walking on the more difficult side of the pool. He had truly earned those moments to be with her, undisturbed.
  Since then, I've used that butterfly’s courage as an inspiration and to remind myself that good things are worth fighting for.
The writer changed his direction while walking down a path because he want__________.

A.To get close to a butterfly. B.To escape a sudden attack.
C.To look over the bad situation. D.To avoid getting his shoes dirty.

What made the man feel funny?

A.Making the attacker pause. B.Being stepped on by his mate.
C.Discovering the angry butterfly. D.Being attacked by a butterfly.

Which of the following words can best describe the butterfly?
  A. careless B. amusing D. aggressive D. courageous
From this experience the man learned_____.

A.how he should deal with attacks
B.how to deal with challenges in his life
C.people should protect butterflies
D.people should show sympathy to the weak

This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths.
It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend(超越) it. Once we truly know that life is difficult---once we truly understand and accept it---then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.
Most do not fully see this truth. Instead they complain about their problems and difficulties as if life should be easy. It seems to them that difficulties represent a special kind of suffering especially forced upon them or else upon their families, their class, or even their nation.
What makes life difficult is that the process of facing and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending on their nature, cause us sadness, or loneliness or regret or anger or fear. These are uncomfortable feelings, often as painful as any kind of physical pain. And since life causes an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.
Yet, it is in this whole process of solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the serious test that tells us success from failure. When we desire to encourage the growth of human spirit, we encourage the human ability to solve problems, just as in school we set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of meeting and working out problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said, those things that hurt, instruct. It is for this reason that wise people learn not to fear but to welcome the pain of problems.
From the passage, it can be inferred that ______.

A.everybody has problems
B.we become stronger by meeting and solving the problems of life
C.life is difficult because our problems bring us pain
D.people like to complain about their problems

The writer probably used just one short sentence in the first paragraph to ______.

A.save space B.persuade readers
C.get readers’ attention D.make readers laugh

According to the passage, we give school children difficult problems to solve in order to______.

A.teach them to fear the pain of solving the problem
B.encourage them to learn
C.help them learn to deal with pain
D.teach them how to respect from problems

The main idea of Paragraph 3 is that ______.

A.most people feel life is easy
B.most people complain about how hard their lives are
C.the writer feels life is easy
D.the writer likes to complain about his problems

In the Ituri forest of America live many tribes,one of which is Pygmy. Most of the Pygmies in the tribe are not taller than four feet. They weigh only about eighty pounds each.
In spite of their small size, they are the best hunters among all the jungle people. Even the great elephant can be caught by them.
Since they do not plant any crops, Pygmies are constantly moving around. They seldom sleep in one camp for more than a few days. In their camps there is not furniture at all except for some weapons such as spears, bows and arrows. There are no cooking pots either. Food is eaten uncooked or smoked over a lire. So when the tribe moves to a new camp there is nothing to carry except these weapons and babies too small to walk.
Pymies can move on the tree tops almost as skillfully as monkeys. Often they travel great distances through the branches without touching the ground.
One of the surprising facts about these small men and women is their great appetite(食欲). A Pygmy can eat up sixty bananas at a single meal besides quantities of meat. After eating, they will lie on their hard earth bed and groan(呻吟)in all night. But in the morning, they are ready to eat the same amount of food or fight among themselves.
Pygmies are small in size, but they are brave in ______.

A.hunting B.shooting C.eating D.fighting with their enemies

Pygmies are so skillful that _____.

A.they never walk on the ground B.they can move on the top of trees
C.they always walk with sticks D.they can hang from the branches

The writer wrote this article so as to ______

A.ask people to learn from Pygmies
B.help Pygmies go out of the forests
C.let us know the local condition and customs of the Pygmies
D.tell us the world is big and wide

Why do Pygmies move from place to place continuously? The main reason is that _____.

A.that want to look after wild animals B.they always walk with sticks
C.they plant no crops D.they don’t sleep in one camp

As you grow rapidly through your teenage years, you will experience a lot of changes. The changes may seem difficult. 71 . Don’t panic! You will deal successfully with them! You are a young adult now!
With more responsibility, you will find more freedom to make your own choices. This is a time to be well informed about making choices. In this way you can make healthy balanced decisions. 72You may already know your career path or you may have no idea at all what you want to do. Both situations are fine! Work hard and the right opportunity will present itself to you.
Young adulthood means greater freedom and more choices. 73But try not to shut your family out of your life. You should learn to think of others even though you are old enough to look after yourself.
It is also perfectly natural at this time for you to spend more time with your friends than your family 74A true friend will stand by you no matter what happens.
This period is a part of the life cycle. These are some people who will be with you throughout life’s journey. There will be some people with whom you part and go separate ways. Leaving school can be hard. The reality is that you may not even see all of your classmates again.
You are a young adult. It is your life. No one can live it for you. 75So making the right choices will be important to you. Life is for living. Enjoy your life wisely!

A.Choose your friends wisely.
B.They will help shape the future.
C.They may seem to happen quickly.
D.You will probably want to be independent.

E. You may appreciate what you have in your own life.
F. The choices that you make from now on will be your choices.
G. Your family has been with you since you came into this world

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