For some reason, it takes constant reminders that we primates（灵长目）need nurturing.
In a recent study of 46 baby chimpanzee（黑猩猩）orphans, Kim Bard of the University of Portsmouth in England and her colleagues demonstrated that primate babies that have tight relationships with mother figures do much better on cognitive（认知）tests than babies who receive only food, shelter, and friendship with peers. But this is not breaking mews. In fact, it’s old news.
In the 1950s, Harry Harlow conducted a series of experiments with baby monkeys that showed, without doubt, that lack of love and comfort makes for a crazy monkey.
Harlow constructed a cage that included a wire monkey “mother” topped with a plastic face. In this wire he fixed Mom with a milk bottle. The cage also held another wire mother covered with terry cloth. The baby monkeys spent all their time with the cloth mother and only went to the wire mother to feed, demonstrating that a soft touch beat something to eat any day.
Harlow’s monkey work was important because, at the time, child care “experts” and everybody’s grandmother had a “no touch, no comfort” policy toward children. They advised parents not to respond to crying babies, felt babies should sleep alone to grow up independent, and for God’s sake put those kids down. But Harlow’s work changed all that. Mothers were soon permitted to have their newborns next to them in the hospital.
The current chimp research based on Harlow’s work shows that mother love not only makes for a psychologically well-adjusted child, but also makes for a smart kid. Bard and her colleagues evaluated the abilities of the chimps when they were 12 months old with standard human tests for children of that age, tests that ask little kids to imitate some action.
The highly raised chimps did better than the ones that were not loved, and what do you know, the well-raised chimps did even better than human kids on this small IQ test.
So we hear it once again. We are primates, social animals which need care and love. We need to be held and talked to and made to feel that at least one person wants to be with us all the time. And if we get that kind of connection, we are sure to be fine, even better than fine.The study Kim Bard and his colleagues did ______.
| A．included 46 baby and mother monkeys |
| B．was nothing new to people about the findings |
| C．showed that many chimpanzees lacked love when they were young |
| D．showed that many chimpanzees had good relationships with their mothers |
Why was Harlow’s monkey work important?
| A．Because the “no touch, no comfort” policy toward children was quite right. |
| B．Because parents were advised not to respond to babies’ crying. |
| C．Because Harlow’s work changed people’s former belief in child care. |
| D．Because mothers were not allowed to have their newborns next to them in the hospital. |
Harlow built two “mothers” for baby monkeys to ______.
| A．make them live comfortably | B．let them have more choices |
| C．give them more love | D．make a comparison |
Which of the following is TURE according to the text?
| A．Well-raised chimps always do even better than human kids. |
| B．A 12-month chimps is far cleverer than a child of that age. |
| C．The newborns were not allowed to be with their mothers in the past in the hospital. |
| D．Constantly touching the baby can make it feel safer. |
D
The eruption of a volcano in the Canary Islands could trigger a “mega-tsunami”（巨大海啸）that would hit Atlantic coastlines with waves as high as 330 feet, scientists said on Wednesday. They said an eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palma, part of the Spanish island chain off West Africa, was likely to cause a massive chunk（大块）of rock to break off, crashing into the sea and kicking up huge walls of water higher than any other in recorded history. The tsunami would be capable of traveling huge distances at up to 500 miles an hour, the scientists said in a research paper to be published soon.
Simon Day, of the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre at the University College of London, said that as the volcano was not erupting at present, the short-term and medium-term risks were “negligible”. But Cumbre Vieja should be monitored closely for any signs of activity so that emergency services could plan an effective response, he said. “Eruptions of Cumbre Vieja occur at intervals of decades to a century or so and there may be a number of eruptions before its collapse（倒塌）,” said Day, who cooperated on the research with Steven Ward of the University of California. “Although the year-to-year probability of a collapse is therefore low, the resulting tsunami would be a major disaster with indirect effects around the world.”
The effects would spread north, west and south of the Canaries, with the west Sahara bearing the worst of the wave’s energy. The energy released by the collapse would be equal to the electricity consumption of the entire United States in half a year.
Immediately after the landslide（山崩）,a huge wave of water 93,000 feet high and tens of miles wide would form. As the landslide rocks moved deeper under water, a tsunami would develop. Within 10 minutes, the tsunami would have moved a distance of almost 155 miles. On the west Saharan shore, waves would probably reach heights of 330 feet.
Florida and the Caribbean, the final north Atlantic destinations to be affected by the tsunami, would have to brace themselves for 165-foot waves some eight to nine hours after the landslide. Wave heights toward Europe would be smaller, but substantial waves would hit the coasts of Britain, Spain Portugal and France. The research paper estimated water would penetrate several miles inland and that the devastation would cause trillions of dollars in damage.
76. What would be the result of a big chunk rock falling into the sea?
A. Waves would be very high. B. The volcano would stop.
C. Walls of water would kick up a storm. D. An earthquake would take place.
77. The word “negligible”(Line 3, Paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to ______.
A. unimportant B. small C. predictable D. avoidable
78. From the passage we may learn that the volcano erupts ______.
A. every year B. every 5 to 9 years
C. every 10 to 100 years D. every 5 to 10 months
79. All of the following are true EXCEPT ______.
A future eruption of Cumbre Vieja volcano may experience a massive collapse
Waves generated by the landslide could even reach the coasts of the United States
The landslide-released energy is equal to half a year’s electricity consumption in the US
American scientists have managed to utilize the volcanic energy for civil purposes
C
I don’t ever want to talk about being a woman scientist again. There was a time in my life when people asked constantly for stories about what it’s like to work in a field dominated by men. I was never very good at telling those stories because truthfully I never found them interesting. What I do find interesting is the origin of the universe, the shape of space-time and the nature of black holes.
At 19, when I began studying astrophysics, it did not bother me in the least to be the only woman in the classroom. But while earning my Ph.D. at MIT and then as a post-doctor doing space research, the issue started to bother me. My every achievement--- jobs, research papers, awards --- was viewed through the lens of gender（性别）politics. So were my failures. Sometimes, when I was pushed into an argument on left brain versus right brain, or nature versus nurture（培育, I would instantly fight fiercely on my behalf and all womankind.
Then one day a few years ago, out of my mouth came a sentence that would eventually become my reply to any and all provocations: I don’t talk about that anymore. It took me 10 years to get back the confidence I had at 19 and to realize that I didn’t want to deal with gender issues. Why should curing sexism be yet another terrible burden on every female scientist? After all, I don’t study sociology or political theory.
Today I research and teach at Barnard, a women’s college in New York City. Recently, someone asked me how many of the 45 students in my class were women. You cannot imagine my satisfaction at being able to answer, 45. I know some of my students worry how they will manage their scientific research and a desire for children. And I don’t dismiss those concerns. Still, I don’t tell them “war” stories. Instead, I have given them this: the visual of their physics professor heavily pregnant doing physics experiments. And in turn they have given me the image of 45 women driven by a love of science. And that’s a sight worth talking about.
72. Why doesn’t the author want to talk about being a woman scientist again?
She feels unhappy working in male-dominated fields.
She is not good at telling stories of the kind.
She finds space research more important.
She is fed up with the issue of gender discrimination.
73. From Paragraph 2, we can infer that people would attribute the author’s failures to ______.
her over-confidence as a female astrophysicist
the very fact that she is a woman
her involvement in gender politics
the burden she bears in a male-dominated society
74. Why does the author feel great satisfaction when talking about her class?
Her students’ performance has brought back her confidence.
Her female students can do just as well as male students.
More female students are pursuing science than before.
Female students no longer have to bother about gender issues.
75. What does the image the author presents to her students suggest?
A. Women students needn’t have the concerns of her generation.
Women have more barriers on their way to academic success.
Women now have fewer problems pursuing a science career.
Women can balance a career in science and having a family.
B
Escaping a fire is a serious matter: knowing what to do during a fire can save life. It is important to know the way you can use and show them to everyone in the family, such as stairs and fire escapes, but not lifts. From the lower floors of building, escape through windows is possible. Learn the best way of leaving by window with the least chance of serious injury.
The second floor window is usually not very high from the ground. A person of average height, hanging by the fingertips will have a drop of about 6 feet to the ground. It is about the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way than to stay in a burning building.
Windows are also very useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed before opening the window. Otherwise, smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get enough fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked into the room.
On a second or third floor, the best windows for escape are those which open onto a roof. From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely. Dropping onto the cement might end in injury. Bushes and grass can help to break a fall.
69. Which of the following people seldom use when trying to escape a fire?
A. Windows. B. Doors. C. Fire escapes. D. Lifts.
70. How far from the ground to the second floor window?
A. About 12 feet. B. About 3 feet.
C. Nearly 10 feet. D. About height of an average man.
71. The writer tells us that ______.
breathing in smoke might not be harmful
smoke will enter the room by an open window
fresh air can’t reach the second floor
to keep your head low will help you escape a fire
Part B: Reading Comprehension 20%
A
Backpacks are convenient. They can hold your books, your lunch, and a change of clothes, leaving your hands free to do other things. Someday, if you don’t mind carrying a heavy load, your backpack might also power your MP3 player, keep your cell phone running, and maybe even light your way home.
Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., have invented a backpack that makes electricity from energy produced while its wearer walks.
The backpack’s electricity-creating powers depend on springs used to hang a cloth pack from its metal frame. The frame sits against the wearer’s back, and the whole pack moves up and down as the person walks. A mechanism with gears(传动装置) collects energy from this motion and transfers it to an electrical generator.
Surprisingly, the researchers found, people walk differently when they wear the springy packs. As a result, wearers use less energy than when carrying regular backpacks. Also, the way the new packs ride on wearers’ backs makes them more comfortable than standard packs.
The backpack could be especially useful for soldiers, scientists, mountaineers, and emergency workers who typically carry heavy backpacks. These people often rely on global positioning system(GPS) receivers, night-vision goggles(夜视镜), and other battery-powered devices to get around and do their work. Because the pack can make its own electricity, users don’t need to give up space in their packs to lots of extra batteries.
For the rest of us, power-generating backpacks could make it possible to walk, play video games, watch TV, and listen to music, all at the same time. Electricity-generating packs aren’t on the market yet, but if you do get one eventually, just make sure to look both ways before crossing the street!
65. The passage introduces a new kind of ______ backpack.
| A．electronic | B．electricity-producing |
| C．electron-generating | D．electricity-controlling |
66. The new backpack makes use of ______ to produce power.
batteries placed at the bottom of the frame
the motion of the pack while the wearer walks
energy the wearer consumes for carrying the pack
the collective motion of a mechanism and some gears
67. From the passage, we can infer that ______.
the backpacks of mountaineers may become smaller in the future
the new backpack can hardly be produced due to its potential danger
the new backpack will someday replace MP3 players and cell phones
the backpack will also provide electricity for lighting our houses
68. An enormous disadvantage of power-generating backpacks might be that ______.
they may stop working at any time
it takes quite a while to have the energy transferred
they may distract the wearer’s attention from road safety
they will be extremely heavy with the mechanism
D
Here's a scene：a village where the sun always shines，crops always grow and your friends drop by to sweep your yard to the sound of guitar music．Animals do what they are told，there is no disease，and lendin’ folks a helpin’hand makes you richer and wiser．Welcome to FarmVille—
Current population 69m and rising fast．
“It reminds me of my childhood，”says one player, Lia Curran，37，a nurse from London．“Right now I'm growing wheat and flowers. I've got a small garden, and I'm raising some chickens and some cows. I like having the animals. It's relaxing.” Curran's animals, however, is nothing more than a collection of cartoons. FarmVille is an online computer game built into the social networking site Facebook and is described by its players as “addictive”. Launched last June by Zynga Game Network, FarmVille now has many players—more than the population of the UK. The players are largely women over the age of 35.
FarmVille unites the worlds of social networking and gaming．Players are given a ground with six fields，“cash”，a few seeds and a plough and have to build up wealth，skills and neighbors to create bigger，better，richer farms．Inviting your online friends to play means you earn more and get flee gifts；you rise rapidly through the first levels but，once hooked，have to work harder and harder with no final level or goal in sight．
“Games like this draw people into a fantasy world that's separate from real life where there are no issues，and where things are simple and controllable，” Brian Dudley says．In November，he opened the UK's first computer games addiction clinic，treating online gamers who stayed at the keyboard for up to eight hours a day—“the tip of the iceberg”，he says．Two weeks ago，a group of US players launched a class action against Zynga and Facebook．“Most，if not all，of the online advertisements presented through Zynga are scams(骗局)，”the lawsuit states．“The advertisements are highly misleading and often result in users ordering goods or services that they do not want or need．”
According to Nick O'neill from the social media site All Facebook，Zynga is making $500，000(￡304，000)a day，from its Facebook games，in turn spending some $50m(￡30m)a year on Facebook ads．
If all that weren't enough，FarmVille doesn't even function like a proper farm：in FarmVille，wheat grows in two days—in real life，it takes months．But play continues nevertheless．
68．If you want to create a better and richer farm，you should do the following EXCEPT that ____．
A．you have to work harder and harder
B．you should pay real—world money to advance in the game
C．you should invite your online friends and neighbors to play
D．you should develop your skills and befriend FarmVille neighbors
69．Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．Most young girls are fascinated by the farming game．
B．Money Zynga has made is mostly spent on advertising campaign．
C．There is potential threat to the players and some players are misled by the advertisements．
D．The UK's first computer games addiction clinic was opened to help treat online players．
70．The purpose of the class action against Zynga and Facebook was to_____．
A．show that Zynga has an extremely tight relationship with Facebook
B．try to stop Zynga and Facebook from putting advertisements
C．attract more people to FarmVille game to plant crops
D．appeal to the public to order more goods or services