Imagine you’re in a dark room, running your fingers over a smooth surface in search of a single dot the size of this period, How high do you think the dot must be for your finger to feel it?
Scientists have determined that the human finger is so sensitive it can detect a surface bump just one micron（l0－6m）"high． The human eye, by contrast, can't tell anything much smaller than100 microns．No wonder we rely on touch rather than eyesight when faced with a new roll of toilet paper．
Biologically, touch is the mother of all sensory（感觉的） systems．It is an ancient sense in evolution: even the simplest single-celled living things can feel when something brushes up against them and will respond by moving closer or pulling away． It is the first sense aroused during a baby’s development and the last to weaken at life's peak． Patients in a deep coma （昏迷）who seem otherwise lost to the world will show skin reaction when touched by a nurse．
“Touch ,is so central to what we are that we almost cannot imagine ourselves without it,” said Chris Dijkerman．“It's 'not like eyesight, where you close your eyes and you don't see anything． You can't do that with touch．It's always there．"
Long ignored in favor of the sensory heavyweights of eyesight and hearing, the study of touch lately:: has been gaining new concern among scientists．They're exploring the effects of recently reported false touch impressions, of people being made to feel as though they had three arms, for example, with the hope of gaining the true understanding of how the mind works．
Others are turning to touch for more practical purposes: to build better touch screen instruments and robot hands, a more well-rounded virtual life．。“There's a fair amount of research into new ways of offloading information onto our sense of touch," said Lynette Jones． "To have your cell phone buzzing （making a low sound） as opposed to ringing turned out to have a lot of advantages in．some situations．"
Touch is our most active sense, our means of seizing the world and experiencing it 'first hand． Dr．Susan Lederman pointed out that while we can become aware of something by seeing or hear,ing7;-．from a distance and without really trying, if we want to learn about something by means of touch, we must make a move．We must rub the cloth, or pet the cat． Touching is a two-way street, and that's not true for seeing or hearing． If you have a soft object and you squeeze it, you change its shape． The physical world reacts back．"
Our hands are smart and can do many tasks automatically - button a shirt, fit a key in a lock, play the; piano for others．Dr．Lederman and her colleagues have shown that blindfolded subjects can easily recognize a wide range of common -objects placed．in their hands．But on some feeling tasks, touch is all thumbs （very clumsy）． When people are given a raised line drawing of a common object, they're puzzled．“If all we've got is outline information;" Dr．Lederman said,．“no weight, no texture, no temperature information, well, we're very, very bad with that．"
Touch also turns out to be easy to fool, Among the sensory tricks now being investigated is something called the Pinocchio illusion． Researchers have found that if they shake the band of the biceps（二头肌）, many people report feeling that their forearm is getting 'longer, their hand floating ever further from their elbow（肘）． And if they are told to touch the forefinger of the shaken arm to the tip of their nose, they feel as though their nose was lengthening, too． Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Our eyes are more sensitive than our fingers． |
| B．Our fingers are more sensitive than our eyes． |
| C．Our eyes are more sensitive than our ears． |
| D．Our noses are less sensitive than our ears． |
The sense that is firstly awaked during a child's development is the sense of ．
| A．sight | B．taste | C．hearing | D．touch |
The underlined sentence “You can't do that with touch” here means “You can't ”．
| A．close your skin | B．close your eyes ' | C．touch anything | D．see anything |
Scientists are lately getting interested in the following except ．
| A．living a well-rounded virtual life |
| B．understanding how the mind works |
| C．favoring eyesight and hearing |
| D．building better 'touch screen objects |
In the view of , movement is needed when we want to know something by touching．
| A．the author | B．Chris Dijkerman |
| C．Lynette Jones | D．Susan Lederman |
Sheep, like turkeys and ostriches, are not considered the cleverest animals. British scientists said last Wednesday human may have underestimated(低估) the woolly creatures. They could be much smarter than we think.
Researchers at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, southern. England, have shown that animals have a good memory system and are extremely good at recognizing faces--which they think is a sure sign of intelligence.
Behavioral scientist Keith Kendrick and his friends trained 20 sheep to recognize and distinguish(区别) 25 pairs of sheep faces and used electrodes(电极) to measure their brain activity, which showed they could remember 50 faces for up to two years.
"If they can do that with faces, the fact is that they have to have reasonable intelligence, otherwise, what is the point of having a system for remembering anything else," Kendrick said in an interview.
So hours of seemingly mindless eating grass may not be so mindless after all.
Kendrick believes sheep got their reputation as dumb animals because they live in large groups and do not appear to have much ind
ividuality and are frightened of just about everything.
All animals, including humans, once they are frightened don't tend to show signs of intelligent action," he explained.
In research reported in the science journal Nature, Kendrick and his team showed that sheep, like humans, have a specialized system in the brain, which allows them to distinguish between many different faces that look extremely similar.
"The most important findings of the study is that they are able, both from a behavioral point of view and from looking at the way the brain is organized, to remember a large number of faces of individuals for a very long time," said Kendrick. "It is a very strange system. They are showing similar abilities in many ways to humans. " From the first paragraph we can find that ______.
| A．people used to think sheep are smarter than the other animals |
| B．people used to raise sheep in a wrong way |
| C．people don't consider sheep as clever animals |
| D．people have done a lot of research on sheep |
From what Kendrick said in the interview we learn that ________.
| A．scientists have learned a lot about sheep's intelligence |
| B．scientists have learned little about sheep's intelligence |
| C．scientists can't do anything more about sheep's memory |
| D．scientists don't have to research animals' memory |
As is shown in the passage _________.
| A．sheep are among the weak animals |
| B．it is not right for people to raise sheep in groups |
| C．when sheep eat grass in the fields their minds may be active |
| D．if people feel frightened, they may become more brave |
When scientists found that sheep show similar abilities in many ways to humans they may think it _____.
| A．worrying | B．moving | C．frightening | D．interesting |
When I opened my e-mail the other day, a pretty woman named Rachel appeared on my computer screen. She greeted me by name and started talking with great enthusiasm. Every now and then she stopped to smile at me or blow a kiss. She was reading to me an e-mail from my brother, and a lot of it was about his getting the phone company to give him a high-speed Internet connection. It was pretty cool.
Rache
l was there thanks to a new technology called Facemail. Facemail lets you send e-mail that gets ready to the receiver by an attractive male or female form or by a clown(小丑). The software, which is free, can be downloaded at www. Facemail.com.
Facemail faces are lifelike, and they simulate(模拟) emotions based on emotions that you put in your text. For example, type in-X, and Rachel blows a kiss.
LifeFX, the company that develops the Facemail, is sure there are broad business uses. The reason e-business is not popular, the company says, is that buying over the Internet lacks the human touch. But what if you went to the Nike website and Michael Jordan greeted you by name, waited on you and personally closed the sale? And it is talking with Whirl(惠而浦公司) about using the technology in a computer screen on a fridge. Then if Morn can't be home when the kids get back from school, she can leave a note with voice and image telling them what there is to eat.
Facemail could get hot fast. Personally, I'm a fan. But Facemail should be used with care. The clown looks lively and funny at first. But if you select the clown, put a few rude words in an e-mail and add some angry emotions, you've got a Psycho-mail(疯人型电子邮件).The pretty woman that appears on the writer's computer screen was ______.
A. a woman working on the Internet B. his brother's girlfriend
C not a real person D. the picture of his pen-friend The main advantage of Facemail is that ______.
| A．you can hire a beautiful woman to read the e-mail to you |
| B．you can see the person who sends you the e-mail |
| C．yon can send an e-mail free of charge |
| D．e-mail can be attractive in a more lovely way |
The writer mentioned Nike website and Michael Jordan to show that _______.
| A．Famous people like Michael Jordan also like to use Facemail |
| B．Facemail can make shopping on the Internet more interesting |
| C．Nike website will increase its sales by Jordan |
| D．Michael Jordan will serve you himself on Nike website |
What is the writer's attitude towards Facemail?
| A．He thinks it needs further improvement. |
| B．He thinks it cool and funny. |
| C．He thinks it a danger to the Internet. |
| D．He thinks people should be careful with Facemail. |
Ever since news of widespread food recalls caused by a carcinogenic dye broke, there has been confusion（混淆） over possible links to the country of the same name, but Sudan officials say there is no connection whatever.
Sudan1 is a red industrial dye that has been found in some chilli powder, but was banned in food products across the European Union (EU) in July 2003.
Since the ban was put in place, EU officials have been striving to remove some food products from the shelves. So far 580 products have been recalled.
Last week Sudan’s Embassy in the United Kingdom asked the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for clarification of the origin of the dye’s name.
Omaima Mahmoud Al Sharief, a press official at Sudan’s Embassy in China, explained the purpose of the inquiry was to clear up any misunderstanding over links between the country and the poisonous dye.
"We want to keep an eye on every detail and avoid any misunderstanding there," she said. "Our embassy to Britain asked them how the dye got that name and whether the dye had something to do with our country. But they told us there was no relationship."
The FSA, an independent food security watchdog in Britain, received a letter from the Sudanese embassy last week.
"They asked us why the dye is named Sudan, however, we also do not know how it got the name," she said. "People found the dye in 1883 and gave it the name. Nobody knows the reason, and we cannot give any explanation before we find out."
Sudan dyes, which include Sudan1 to 4, are red dyes（颜料） used for colouring solvents（溶剂）, oils, waxes, petrol, and shoe and floor polishes. They are classified as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. What does the underlined word mean in paragraph one?
| A．Causing cancer. | B．Having side effect. | C．Containing poison. | D．Poisonous. |
How did the Sudan1 get its name?
| A．The dye is often produced in Sudan. |
| B．The dye has something to do with the country named Sudan. |
| C．Nobody is sure of the origin of the name. |
| D．Many foods produced in Sudan contain the dye. |
We can infer from the passage that.
| A．the Sudan government is paying much attention to the food safety |
| B．Sudan1 is often used to be added to the food |
| C．people didn’t realize the danger of Sudan1 until 2003 |
| D．many food shops will be closed down |
Which of the following is the best title?
| A．Keep away from Sudan1 |
| B．No Sudan1 dye links to the country |
| C．How Sudan1 dye got its name? |
| D．Pay attention to the food safety |
A university is not just about careers and getting a well-paid job after graduation — it’s a place for learning about yourself and the world.
So how to select a suitable university is of great importance. How do you decide on a school when there are thousands of them to pick from? Start by asking yourself questions about your preferences:
What are my strengths?
1.Am I interested in liberal arts or science or business?
2.What kind of learning environment is best for me?
3.Would I be more comfortable in a small school or a large one?
4.Do I want to stay close to home or live far away?
5.Would I prefer to be in a city environment or a small college town?
6.Do I like being with people who are mostly like me or do I want to meet a different group?
Ask friends and older people who are in college about their schools and about other schools they’re familiar with. Talk to one of your teachers and go to college fairs when they visit your town.
Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, ask the schools to send you related materials and visit their websites. When you’ve cut your list down to a manageable number, make arrangements to visit. Try to do this when the schools are having regular classes, so you can get a good idea of what life is really like on campus.
And remember: you’re not the only one making a decision. Schools are picking from a large pool of students. They want to know how excellent you are and what makes you stand out from everyone else. They will look at your school performance, test scores, and so on, so it’s important to devote time and effort to all these things. According to the passage, when deciding on a college you need NOT consider ______.
| A．in which aspect you are superior to others |
| B．what kind of people you’d like to meet |
| C．what kind of college environment you like |
| D．whether the college has an exchange-student program |
When you have got a manageable number of choices, you’d better _______.
| A．visit the schools when they have regular classes |
| B．ask the schools to send you related materials |
| C．go to college fairs with your friends |
| D．discuss them with your teachers |
The underlined part in the last paragraph means that ______.
| A．you can’t make the decision all by yourself |
| B．schools are also judging whether you’re qualified for them |
| C．your school grades often play a role in choosing a college |
| D．making a decision all by yourself is really hard |
Imagine a training course that helps you in your specific job. Imagine tools and techniques that are so closely connected with your work that you can apply them directly to it. Imagine receiving an Open University (OU) certificate (证书) in a course which states what you have studied and achieved.
It may sound fantastic, but it’s a reality at the Open University’s CCPD, which is making learning while you work more flexible (灵活的) than ever before.
The courses are starting to change workplace learning completely. Paige, who took CCPD’s courses, said the study had changed her whole way of thinking. “It was excellent for so many reasons,” she said. “It developed me as a person and as an employee and taught me particular techniques. I was always able to bring what I’d learned into the office the next day and apply it to my job.”
Even better news for Paige was that her employer paid the full cost of her study. She became one of thousands of OU students whose fees were paid by employers who recognized the value of an OU education.
“These courses are designed for CCPD rather than as part of a formal certificate,” said Kathy, an OU teacher. “We pay more attention to development rather than assessment (评估). Our role is to give them personal developmental advice, not a mark.”
Paige is just one of 200,000 students who are learning at OU. CCPD itself is just a part of an organization that offers courses and qualifications in 360 subjects and has so far helped to develop the skills and knowledge of more than two million people.
“Education does not stop with getting a degree,” said Charles Edwards, CCPD’s director. “In a fast-moving economy you cannot afford to rely on the degree you got some time ago. You must keep updating your knowledge.”
For details on CCPD’s courses and to register with the 10% discount available to members, visit www.open.ac.uk.According to the passage, CCPD’s courses are ________.
| A．required courses for formal academic qualifications |
| B．training courses for professional development |
| C．special courses for a master’s degree |
| D．elective courses for university students |
The example of Paige is given to show ________.
| A．the benefits of lifelong learning |
| B．how completely learning has changed |
| C．the value of CCPD’s courses of the OU |
| D．the importance of hard work |
It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that ________.
| A．Paige has got promoted after learning CCPD’s courses |
| B．an OU education has been accepted by many employers |
| C．Paige is the best employee in her company |
| D．most employers care for their employees |
According to the passage, CCPD’s courses focus on ________.
| A．assessment of learners |
| B．learners’ personal development |
| C．the academic knowledge of learners |
| D．classroom learning |