C
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
Census Bureau (人口普查局) data released Thursday show that 48 of the 50 most populous (人口稠密的) U.S. cities have grown since 2010, compared with only 40 of the top 50 in the first two years after the 2000 Census. Of the top 100, 93 have grown since 2010, compared with just 72 a decade ago.
Many of the biggest, such as New York, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego and Dallas, are outpacing the nation’s 1.7% growth rate since 2010.
“Urban America is recovering faster than more remote places,” said Robert Lang, a professor of urban affairs.
Only two big cities - Detroit and Cleveland - lost population between 2010 and 2012.
The urban recovery is led by mid-sized cities including Austin and Fort Worth and Charlotte. Austin grew 6.6% in two years, becoming the USA’s 11th-largest city. In 2000, it was No. 17.
Other trends:
• New York City grew 2%, adding about 161,500 people since 2010. By far it is the USA’s most populous city.
• The population of New Orleans continues to grow. In 2005 a terrible natural disaster happened to the city, causing the population to decrease. Now it has a population of three hundred and sixty-nine thousand. The number has grown by 7.4% since 2010.
• Government budget crunches (紧缩) have put state capitals in difficulty. Half are behind the growth rate of their regions.
Perhaps the biggest exception to the capital crunch is Austin. It has grown more than 26% since 2000. Population expert William Frey says Austin enjoys a number of qualities that make it attractive. It’s a high-tech city with a state university. And it’s in Texas, an attractive place for newcomers. “In some ways it’s a model of what other cities would like to become,” he says.
Frey notes that Charlotte, which grew 5.4% since 2010 has grown into a high-tech and financial center whose industries do business not just with those in other U.S. cities but with the rest of the world.The statistics in Paragraph 1 suggest that _____.
A.there were fewer cities in the USA a decade ago |
B.remote areas in the USA have more people now |
C.the population in the USA has grown since 2010 |
D.many big cities in the USA face population problems |
William Frey thinks Austin’s growth _____.
A.is due to its education |
B.is the steadiest in the USA |
C.attracts well-educated people |
D.deserves the attention of other cities |
According to the text, Charlotte _____.
A.is a political center |
B.has grown slowly since 2010 |
C.is the USA’s 11th-largest city |
D.does business at home and abroad |
Sam Allred suffers from a rare and incurable kidney (肾脏) disease. One day, when his sister was playing a song repeatedly, Sam sang along. His sister thought it was funny so she recorded it and posted the video online. The video — and Sam — became a hit. Only 8 years old at the time, he couldn’t have expected the response.
“(The television show) The Doctors called and wanted me on their show so they paid for me to go to California,” says Sam, now 13, “and we got to stay in a hotel where all the movie stars stayed.”
During that visit to California, Angie Allred, Sam’s mother, had an idea about Sam writing a children’s book. Together, she and Sam wrote Opening Hearts, which tells Sam’s experience of living with a chronic (慢性的) illness.
“I wrote the book to teach people to be kinder to people,” Sam says.
Moreover, Sam wanted to send pillows to sick children staying in hospitals around the country to make their stay more comfortable, an idea that came from a time when he was in the hospital.
“A few kind boys came in with pillows and they gave me one and it meant a lot to me that someone cared about kids in the hospital,” says Sam.
Angie thought of starting a nonprofit organization to provide a way for people to contribute money to realize Sam’s ideas. She named the nonprofit Kindness for Kids.
Since then, Sam has taken pillows to children staying at Providence Hospital in Anchorage.
Sam’s father, Scott Allred, owns a small business that contracts (承包) shipping services with FedEx Ground. He asked the company for help.
“FedEx Ground learned about Sam’s pillow project,” says Erin Truxal, manager of public relations for FedEx Ground. “We thought, ‘What a perfect way for us to get involved.’”
The company provided shipping services for Sam to ship about 5,000 pillows to hospitals.
Sam wants to send more pillows to all of the children’s hospitals in every state. His goal is simple: “Kids in the hospital as happy as they were before they got sick,” he says.We can learn from the text that Sam Allred _____.
A.was a healthy boy |
B.was popular at an early age |
C.sang the song with his sister |
D.worked in his father’s company |
Opening Hearts is a book that _____.
A.is a best seller |
B.is about Sam’s sister |
C.was published when Sam was 13 |
D.was written by Sam and his mother |
What is FedEx Ground’s attitude towards Sam’s career?
A.Doubtful. | B.Surprised. |
C.Approving. | D.Uninterested. |
Which of the following can best describe Sam Allred?
A.Optimistic and warm-hearted. |
B.Honest and responsible. |
C.Unusual and confident. |
D.Friendly and brave. |
Hidden in our subconsciousness (潜意识) is a perfect mental picture. We see ourselves on a long trip that goes across the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we think in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle feeding on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, or row upon row of corn and wheat, of flat lands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw(拼图玩具) puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles(通道), condemning the minutes for loitering --waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
“When we reach the station, that will be it!” we cry. “When I’m 38.” “When I buy a new 450SL Mercdes Benz!” “When I put the last kid through college.” “When I have paid off the loan!” “When I get a promotion.” “When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after! ”
Sooner or later, we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
“Relish(appreciate) the moment” is a good motto, actually it isn’t the burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.
So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough.Why does the author describe the mental picture?
A.To lead us into a perfect world. |
B.To let people enjoy the scenery. |
C.To introduce an actual trip of his. |
D.To compare it to our life’s journey. |
How do people feel when they’re on their trip?
A.Puzzled. | B.Happy. | C.Relaxed. | D.Impatient. |
What does the author mean by “Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today” in Line 2 Paragraph 5?
A.Regret and fear are responsible for the loss of today. |
B.We must be careful of the two thieves: regret and fear. |
C.regret and fear stop us from enjoying our present life. |
D.We’re frequently challenged by the two : regret and fear. |
Why does the author write the passage?
A.To teach us a good lesson. |
B.To tell us the right attitude to life. |
C.To advice us to forget our worries. |
D.To stop us wandering along the aisles. |
If you are a sleep deprived(被剥夺) teacher, you may not be aware of the term woodpeckering(啄木鸟式点头), but you’ve probably done it. It happens the day following a bad night’s sleep. You’re sitting in a long meeting and you can barely keep your eyes open, so you support your head up with your hand. Next thing you know, you are moving your sleeping head back to its upright position. Do this a few times and you are woodpeckering.
I thought I knew sleep deprivation when I did my medical internship in hospital. That year I frequently went 36 hours with no sleep. When I finished my stay in neurology(神经内科), I welcomed the promise of full nights of sleep ever after. It went pretty well for the next 10 years until I became a school teacher and experienced a whole new level of sleep deprivation.
Teachers’ working hours go far beyond the 8 am to 5 pm schedule of kids in school. There are hours spent at staff meetings, correcting homework, preparing for the next day and then there is the worrying. What I did in a hospital emergency room required no more intensive mental energy than what is need to keep 30 kids attentive enough to learn what I was teacher.
Good teachers are like magicians keeping a dozen balls in the air to come at right time, with alarm set for 6 am to finish grading papers, memories of the day that’s gone- including the students who didn’t understand something, forgot their lunch or were embarrassed by wrong angers. All these will become sleep-resistant barriers. And also with some financial stress, you’ll have a cycle of insomnia(失眠) with unwelcome consequences.
With inadequate sleep comes irritability(易怒), forgetfulness, lower tolerance of even minor annoyances, and less efficient organization and planning. These are the very mental muscles that teachers need to meet the challenges of the next day. In wanting to do a better job the next day, the brain keeps bringing up the worries that deny the rest it needs.After a bad night’s sleep, usually the direct effect for the next day is to ______.
A.keep one’s eyes open all the time |
B.move head back and forth |
C.raise one’s head in upright position |
D.keep nodding like a woodpecker |
Good teachers’ sleep problems are mainly due to the _____.
A.common sleep-resistant barriers |
B.embarrassment for wrong answers |
C.diligence and devotion to teaching |
D.misunderstanding of their students |
What does the writer really want to tell us in the last paragraph?
A.Unfavorable effects of inadequate sleep are various |
B.Lay down worries and sleep well first for the next day. |
C.Teachers should often practice mental muscles. |
D.Better job has nothing to do with inadequate sleep. |
Babysitter(保姆) Wanted
I am seeking a babysitter for my 6-month-old son. A few hours on Saturdays and Sundays to help me and then other times as needed. He or she should be over 18, responsible, loving, warm, and have some experience in caring for babies. This position also suits a college student with experience looking for a part-time job. The pay is $10 an hour.
If this sounds like a good job to you, please reply to rebecharv@aol.com or call 800-4964.
Office Manager Wanted
Our company is looking for a full-time experienced manager to run the business. Strong skills in organization and business management are required for this position. The office manager will be responsible for keeping financial (财务的) records, so he or she should be familiar with computers.
Please reply to jim@californiaaquatics.com or call 800-6978 to apply.
Waiter/ Waitress Wanted
A restaurant is looking for an experienced waiter / waitress. Knowledge of wines and experience in dining are necessary. Must work well under pressure and understand the basics (基本要素) of fine dining and customer service.
If you’re interested, please contact us at job-tkupe-1329358152@craigslist.org to apply.
This is a part-time job.
Office Cleaner Wanted
Looking for a Part-time job? A position in the Mississauga area needs an office cleaner! Part-time 4 hours a day from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.
Duties include:
●Cleaning the washrooms
●Cleaning the furniture
●Sweeping the floors
●Other general cleaning experience is necessary. Pay: $15 per hour
Reply to:job-p3b7u-1365632206@craigslist.org or call 800-8197.Which of the following position is a full-time job?
A.Babysitter. | B.Office manager. |
C.Waiter / waitress. | D.Office cleaner. |
If a college girl with some experience caring for children wants to apply for a job, where should she send an email?
A.job-p3b7u-1365632206@craigslist.org |
B.job-tkupe-1329358152@craigslist.org |
C.jim@californiaaquatics.com |
D.rebecharv@aol.com |
What can we learn from the passage?
A.The office cleaner has to work three hours each day. |
B.One can apply for a waiter or waitress by telephone. |
C.A babysitter earns $5 more than an office cleaner per hour. |
D.Experience is necessary for all these four jobs. |
Which of the following is necessary for a waiter / waitress?
A.Being familiar with computers. |
B.Having knowledge of wines. |
C.Knowing more about menus. |
D.Working well with others. |