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
D
Knowing the best way to study will help you to be a better student. By using your time properly, you can do your homework more quickly. Learning to study is not difficult.
The first thing to remember is that you must be willing to learn. It doesn’t mean that you must always like the subject. It does mean, however, that you must be willing to do whatever is necessary to learn. Try to understand why it is important and how it will help you now and later to do and learn other things. Knowing mathematics facts will be useful in your whole life. Knowing how to spell makes any kind of writing easier. Sometimes subject that you think is going to be uninteresting will be exciting when you begin to work at it and understand it more clearly. Learning things can be fun if you are willing to work with them.
Here’s some advice for you: have a certain time each day and a quiet place with good lighting for study, so that you can concentrate on your study without interruptions(中断); have everything ready before you sit down to study, a dictionary, paper, a pen and books; be sure you understand what you should learn before you start; read carefully and pay special attention to the most important things; when memorizing, first find out the main parts and then recite the whole thing; check your homework after you finish it; never forget the importance of review and preview.The main purpose of the article is______
A.to prove that learning is not difficult |
B.to make the readers be interested in study |
C.to tell the importance of self teaching |
D.to tell the students how to study well |
We learn things because______
A.our parents want us to learn |
B.every student learns at school |
C.we may use these things in the future |
D.we like the subjects |
Which of the following is NOT the advice given in the article?
A.To put a pen, paper and books beside you before study. |
B.To study at any possible time and place. |
C.To review and preview. |
D.To pay attention to the most important things. |
New research shows sheep are clever
People often make jokes about how dull sheep are, but new research shows they may be cleverer than we think. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that Welsh mountain sheep have brainpower that equals rodents (啮齿动物). Tests found that the sheep can map the area they live in, and some may even be able to plan ahead.
Young fish prefer noisy neighbors
A new study has shown that young fish like to live on reefs with noisy neighbors! Researchers from the universities of Auckland and Bristol found that young fish looking for a home choose areas where other noisy fish live. The scientists produced all kinds of sounds which had been recorded in different natural environments. The young fish seemed to prefer the sounds of natural reefs, complete with noisy animals! The scientists compared the choice to a music fan wandering around at a music festival, choosing to set up a tent closest to the music they like best!
Butterflies are disappearing
A new study has shown that 17 species (物种) of butterfly found in Europe have dropped by 70% in the last 20 years. The information collected from 3,000 sites across 15 countries shows it may be caused by the loss (减少) of grasslands covered with flowers. You can encourage butterflies to come into your garden by planting flowers. What is the passage mainly about?
A.Some new studies about animals. |
B.People’s wrong ideas about animals. |
C.Why the number of animals has dropped. |
D.The importance of protecting animals. |
According to the first paragraph, we may infer that sheep _____.
A.are less clever than rodents | B.can find their home |
C.can read maps | D.are good planners |
Which seems to have to do with the number of butterflies?
A.The species of grass in grasslands. |
B.The species of trees in grasslands. |
C.The number of flowers in grasslands. |
D.The number of animals in grasslands. |
In which part of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?
A.Geography. | B.Culture. | C.Travel. | D.Nature. |
B
Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let’s have a look.
People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies.We sometimes say that people who are nervous have ants in their pants.Sometimes,people may get caught with their pants down.They are found doing something they should not be doing.And,in every family,one person takes contro1.Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do.Then we say she wears the pants in the family.
Pants usually have pockets to hold things.Money that is likely to be spent quickly can bum a hole in your pocket.Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants.If you have less money than usual,you may have to tighten your belt.
I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. l really take my hat off to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it at the drop of a hat, which means I immediately spend it.
Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are too big for their boots think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people.
My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him will think he is too serious and never shows his feelings openly. But I know that my father wears his heart on his sleeve.What is this passage mainly about?
A.What pants mean in English. |
B.Some special English expressions. |
C.Some funny English expressions. |
D.Some expressions related to clothes. |
Which of the following expressions can show someone is nervous?
A.Get caught with one's pants down. | B.Have ants in one's pants. |
C.Wear the pants in the family. | D.Bum a hole in one's pocket. |
If we say someone has to tighten his belt, we probably mean he
A.has done something wrong | B.used to live a rich life |
C.has put on the wrong pants | D.doesn’t have enough money |
Someone who spends his money at the drop of a hat most probably_
A.doesn’t save money | B.earns much money |
C.never wastes his money | D.spends more than he earns |
A
My friend Robert started a new job this week and he’s been in the training class for two days. The employer has a very strict dress code—dark blue shirts and pants.
On the first day, an older gentleman in his class did not have the proper clothes and he was strictly told that he would be fired if he didn’t have the right clothes the next day. He explained, “Sir, I had not been told about this. Because of my larger size, it’s sometimes difficult to find the right clothing for a price I can afford.”
Last night, Robert and I decided that this old man shouldn’t lose the chance of work simply because he couldn’t afford the clothes. I had some cash on hand and Robert took it with him this morning just in case it was needed.
When training started this morning, the trainer was ready to fire the older gentleman. “You have 10 minutes to be in proper clothes,” he was told. At this point, Robert spoke up and asked if he could have 10 minutes to get him the clothes. He then ran out to the store and bought the proper-sized pants and a shirt; he returned with both and gave them to the older man.
The older gentleman began to cry and told him that he couldn’t accept such a gift from a stranger. Robert told him he had to because he had lost the receipt(收据) and couldn’t return them—a little white lie. The pants were a perfect fit, the shirt was a bit tight but he was able to keep his job.
“My wife and I tried to gather together some money last night, but we didn’t have enough to buy the clothes,” he told Robert. “It’s unbelievable to me that anybody would do such a thing for only knowing me a day!”
More unbelievable is how good it has made Robert and me feel to do this.If the older man did not have the proper clothes, he would _____
A.be punished | B.be offered another job |
C.put off the training class | D.lose his job |
The money which was paid for the clothes belonged to _____
A.the trainer | B.the older man |
C.the writer | D.Robert |
How did Robert persuade the older man to accept the clothes?
A.He told the older man that he would lose his job if he did not take them. |
B.He told a lie that the clothes didn’t fit himself. |
C.He told the older man that he could save money and return it later. |
D.He told the older man that he had no way to send them back. |
What might be the best title for the passage?
A.Proper clothes for a stranger | B.Fight against strict rules |
C.A strange employer | D.An unbelievable thing |
(二) 66Scientists and experts have proved the uniqueness of finger-prints and discovered that no exactly similar pattern is passed on from parents to children, though nobody knows why this is the case.
The ridge (隆起) structure on a person's fingers does not change with growth and is not affected by surface injuries. Burns, cuts and other damage to the outer part of the skin will be replaced in time by new one, which bears a reproduction of the original pattern.67Some criminals make use of this fact to remove their own finger-prints but this is a dangerous and rare step to take.
Finger-prints can be made very easily with printer's ink. They can by be recorded easily. 68 Because of the simplicity and economy of this system, finger-prints have often been used as a method of solving criminal case. A suspected man may deny a charge but this may be in vain. 69 . When a suspect leaves finger-prints behind at the scene of a crime, they are difficult to detect with the naked eye. 70 Some of the marks found are incomplete but identification is possible if a print of a quarter of an inch square can be obtained.
A.Special techniques are used to "develop" them. |
B.A fingerprint is an impression of the friction ridges of all part of the finger. |
C.It is only when the inner skin is injured that the arrangement will be destroyed. |
D.With special methods, identification can be achieved successfully within a short time. |
E. A latent print is the chance reproduction of the friction ridges deposited on the surface of an item.
F. His finger-prints can prove who he is even if his appearance has been changed by age or accident.
G. Every human being has a unique arrangement of the skin on his fingers and this arrangement is unchangeable.