When it comes to problem solving, many of us have heard of the skills of the crow (乌鸦) in Aesop’s Fables (《伊索寓言》).
In the story, a thirsty crow comes across a bottle of water, but the water level (水平面) is out of its reach. The bird then drops small stones into it until the water level rises enough for the bird to drink.
“Oh, it’s just a fable,” you may think. After all, it’s hard to imagine birds knowing about “problem solving”.
But new research has found that crows’ brains may sometimes be better than those of 6-year-old children.
In a recent experiment, US scientist Corina Logan and her team caught six crows to test them. There were two tubes (试管) of water, one wide and the other narrow (窄的). Each crow was given four stones, enough to help them get the water in the narrow tube, but not the wide one.
Surprisingly, the crows dropped all or most of the stones into the narrower tube and got the food reward! They had found out the cause-and-effect relationship.Using such brains, crows are making their lives easier. For example, some crows in cities have learned to use road traffic for breaking nuts, National Geographic News reported.
But how are their wits (智力) compared to humans’? Logan’s team did another experiment, this time on both crows and children.
Here, the crows and children had to choose between two sets of tubes.
With the red set, when they dropped a stone into a wide tube, the water level raised in a connected narrow tube that contained food.
The blue set of tubes, however, had no connection between them. So dropping a stone in the wide tube did not cause the water level to rise in the narrow tube.
Children aged 7 to 10 were able to learn the rule. Children aged 4 to 6, however, failed.
Five of the six crows failed the test. But Kitty, a 6-month-old crow, passed it. She put all or most of the stones into the red tube.
So, could a bird be more clever than a kindergartner? Don’t be too quick to say no.Why is Aesop’s Fables mentioned in the beginning of the article?
| A．To introduce the idea that crows are smart. |
| B．To show that fables about crows are wrong. |
| C．To explain why crows can solve problems. |
| D．To prove that crows can be better than babies at problem solving. |
What have Logan’s team found out from their recent experiments?
| A．Crows prefer to get their food reward from wider tubes. |
| B．Crows are able to understand or learn cause and effect relationships. |
| C．Crows can easily recognize the tubes with a food reward inside. |
| D．Some crows even make use of road traffic to help them break nuts. |
What can we learn from the experiment on crows and children?
| A．Five of the six crows threw stones into the red tube. |
| B．Children aged 6 did better than children aged 4. |
| C．One crow passed the test while the younger children didn’t. |
| D．Some crows proved to be more clever than children aged 10. |
DID you get a flu shot this year? For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US is recommending that all children aged from 6 months to 18 years receive the flu vaccine．
Vaccines battle diseases caused by bacteria and viruses．A weakened form of the germ （微生物） is introduced into the body．The body makes special substances called antibodies to fight the germs．If the actual germs were to attack, the antibodies would fight it．
Because there are many kinds of flu viruses, scientists must create a new vaccine formula （方程式） each year．Researchers must make a prediction．
It is like forecasting the weather．Sometimes they are right on, and sometimes they are off．But even when the vaccine does not closely match circulating flu types, it can make the illness less serious．
"The flu vaccine is not as effective as the polio （小儿麻痹症） vaccine or the measles vaccine," says Dr William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine．"It's not a great vaccine, but it is quite a good vaccine．"
But a flu vaccine doesn't work for everyone．There are certain people who should be careful about taking it．
Because the vaccine is produced in eggs, those who are allergic （过敏的） to eggs should not take it．If you have a fever, you should wait until you recover．
Some people are afraid that they might get the flu from the flu shot．Scientists say that it is not possible, because the viruses in the flu shot are inactivated．But some minor side effects such as low-grade fever and body ache could occur．If they do, they begin soon after the shot and usually last only one to two days．
Did you know?
Smallpox was the first disease people tried to prevent by putting a virus into a healthy person．In 1796, English scientist Edward Jenner placed some infected material under a boy's skin．
64．By saying "It's not a great vaccine, but it is quite a good vaccine", the author means the flu vaccine．
A．does help to make illness less serious
B．is not effective, compared with the polio and measles vaccines
C．is not as effective as the polio and measles vaccines
D．is quite good because it works for everyone
65．We can infer from the passage that．
A．those who are allergic to eggs should not take flu vaccine
B．you should go to a doctor if you have a fever or body ache after taking the flu vaccine
C．all the flu vaccines are not effective for everyone
D．it is possible that some people might get the flu from the flu shot
66．It is not advisable for everyone to take flu vaccine because．
A．there are many kinds of virus
B．the flu vaccine is not as effective as the polio and measles vaccines
C．it has some minor side-effects
D．someone may be allergic to it
67．What topic will be discussed in the following paragraph?
A．How the smallpox vaccine worked on the boy．
B．The side-effects of smallpox vaccine．
C．The origin of the flu vaccine．
D．What kind of people should be careful about taking smallpox vaccine．
第四部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A simple piece of clothesline hangs between some environmentally friendly Americans and their neighbors.
On one side stand those who see clothes dryers(干衣机) as a waste of energy and a major polluter of the environment. As a result, they are turning to clotheslines as part of the “what-I –can do environmentalism(环境保护主义).”
On the other side are people who are against drying clothes outside, arguing that clotheslines are unpleasant to look at. They have persuaded Homeowners Associations (HOAs) access the U.S. to ban outdoor clotheslines, because clothesline drying also tends to lower home value in the neighborhood. This had led to a Right-to-Dry Movement that is calling for laws to be passed to protect people’s right to use clotheslines.
So far, only three states have laws to protect clothesline. Right-to-Dry supporters argue that there should be move.
Matt Reck, 37, is the kind of eco-conscious(有生态意识的) person who feeds his trees with bathwater and reuses water drops from his air conditioners to water plants. His family also uses a clothesline. But on July 9, 2007, the HOA in Wake Forest, North Carolina, told him that a dissatisfied neighlzir had telephoned them about him clothesline. The Recks paid no attention to the warming and still dried their clothes on a line in the yard. “Many people say they are environmentally friendly but they don’t take matters in their own hands,” says Reck. The local HOA has decided not to take any action, unless more neighbors come to them.
North Carolina lawmakers are saying that banning clotheslines is not the right thing to do. But HOAs and housing businesses believe that clothesline drying reminds people of poor neighborhoods. They worry that if buyers think their future neighbors can’t even afford dryers, housing prices will fall.
Environmentalists say such worries are not necessary, and in view of global warming, that idea needs to change. As they say, “The clothesline is beautiful”. Hanging clothes outside should be encouraged. We all have to do at least something to slow down the process of global warming.”
56. One of the reasons why supporters of clothes dryers are trying to ban clothesline drying is that ____.
A. clothes dryers are more efficient
B. clothes dryers are energy-saving
C. clothesline drying reduces home value
D. clothesline drying is not allowed in most U.S. states
57. Which of the following best describes Matt Reck?
A. He is a kind-hearted man. B. He is an impolite man.
C. He is an experienced gardener. D. He is a man of social responsibility.
58. Who are in favor of clothesline drying?
A. Environmentalists. B. housing businesses.
C. Homeowners Associations. D. Reck’s dissatisfied neighbors.
59. What is mainly discussed in the text?
A. Clothesline drying: a way to save energy and money.
B. Opposite opinions on clothesline drying.
C. Clothesline drying: a lost art rediscovered.
D. Different varieties of clotheslines.
Just five one-hundredths of an inch thick, light golden in colour and with a perfect “saddle curl”( 马鞍状卷曲 ), the Lay’s potato chip seems an unlikely weapon for global domination. But its maker, Frito-Lay, thinks otherwise. “Potato chips are a snack food for the world,” said Salman Amin, the company’s head of global marketing. Amin believes there is no corner of the world that can resist the charms of a Frito-Lay potato chip.
Frito-Lay is the biggest snack maker in America owned by PepsiCo, and accounts for over half of the parent company’s $3 billion annual profits. But the U.S. snack food market is largely saturated( 市场基本饱和 ), and to grow, the company has to look overseas.
Its strategy rests on two beliefs: First, a global product offers economies of scale with which local brands cannot compete. And second, consumers in the 21st century are drawn to “global” as a concept. “Global” does not mean products that are consciously identified as American, but ones that consumers--- especially young people--- see as part of a modern, innovative( 创新的 ) world in which people are linked across cultures by shared beliefs and tastes. Potato chips are an American invention, but most Chinese, for instance, do not know that Frito-Lay is an American company. Instead, Riskey, the company’s research and development head, would hope they associate the brand with the new world of global communications and business.
With brand perception a crucial factor, Riskey ordered a redesign of the Frito-Lay logo. The logo, along with the company’s long-held marketing image of the “irresistibility” of its chips, would help facilitate the company’s global expansion.
The executives ( 行政主管 )acknowledge that they try to swing national eating habits to a food created in America, but they deny that amounts to economic imperialism(帝国主义). Rather, they see Frito-Lay as spreading the benefits of free enterprise across the world. “We are making products in those countries, we’re adapting them to the taste of those countries, building businesses and employing people and changing lives,” said Steve Reinemund, PepsiCo’s chief executive.
72. It is the belief of Frito-Lay’s head of global marketing that _____.
A. People over the world enjoy eating their company’s potato chips
B. Their company must find new ways to promote domestic sales
C. The light golden color enhances the charm of their company’s potato chips
D. Potato chips can hardly be used as a weapon to dominate the world market
73. One of the assumptions on which Frito-Lay bases its development strategy is that _______.
A. products identified as American will have promising market value
B. local brands cannot compete successfully with American brands
C. products suiting Chinese consumers’ needs bring more profits
D. consumers worldwide today are attracted by global brands
74. Why did Riskey have the Frito-Lay logo redesigned? ______
A. To suit changing tastes of young consumers.
B. To change the company’s long-held marketing image.
C. To promote the company’s strategy of globalization.
D. To compete with other American chip producers.
75. Frito-Lay’s executives claim that the promoting of American food in the international market ______.
A. won’t affect the eating habits of the local people
B. will be in the interest of the local people
C. will lead to economic imperialism
D. won’t spoil the taste of their chips
It could happen to you
Many people think there is no need to take special care over home safety.
“I’ all right, I’m insured(投保).”
Maybe-----if you’re fully insured. Even then you can never recover the value you place upon your possessions, because you can’t insure against the suffering of mind that we all feel if our homes are torn apart by some strangers, our windows and doors broken, or our possessions ruined.
“It won’t happen to me.”
Won’t it? A house is broken into every three minutes of the day. Loss of all kinds, including cars and things stolen from cars, happens every 35 seconds.
“I’ve nothing worth stealing.”
You may think not. But in fact everyone has something worth a thief’s attention. And we all have things of personal value, even if they’re worth little or nothing inn hard cash.
“I’m only a tenant(房客) here.”
The thieves don’t care whether you’re a tenant or an owner. You’re just as weak either way. Have a word with the owner if you think extra safety fittings are necessary.
“They all get in anyway.”
Most thieves are on the lookout for easy pickings. They are soon discouraged by houses they can’t get into quickly and easily. So do pay special attention.
“This booklet(小册子) will help you…”
It’s based on the practical experience of police forces throughout the country. Most of the suggestions will cost you only a few minutes and thought. A few may cost some expense, but this is small compared with the loss and sadness you might otherwise suffer.
If you are in any doubt, ask for free advice from the crime Prevention Office at your local police station.
60. The passage is mainly about _____.
A. how to protect your homeB. how to take special care of ourselves
C. how to hire a safe house in the country D. how to escape being caught 61. What does the sentence “A few may cost some expense” in the last two paragraphs mean?
A. You should pay for some of the suggestions.
B. Following the suggestions means you will have to spend some money on home protection.
C. some people are willing to pay for the suggestions.
D. Some of the suggestions are expensive.
62. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. It’s impossible to prevent a house from being broken into.
B. Few people would like to get advice from the local police station.
C. Some thieves are only interested in stealing things from houses protected well.
D. People should care more about home safety.
63. This passage is probably a (an) _____.
A. advertisement for selling safely-guarded houses
B. article on crime
C. booklet from the Crime Prevention Office
D. suggestion from insurance companies
Winston Churchill was born into a famous family. His father was a successful politician. However, as a boy, Churchill was considered a slow learner in school.
Later he entered the Army and saw action in various countries.
In October 1900, Churchill began his political career. For the next sixty years Churchill’s work as a great politician was both brighter and more difficult than his father had been.
In 1939, Germany attacked Poland. Churchill prepared to fight. In 1940 he became the Prime Minster of England.
France fell. The Germans fought their way through Western Europe. It looked as if Britain was about to lose the war. Was it not possible to ask for peace, and listen to Hitler?
Churchill spoke, “I have nothing to offer but blood, hard work, tears and sweat(汗)…. You ask what is our policy(政策)? I will tell you, it is to fight, by sea, by land and air, with all our force and with all the strength that God can give us. You ask what is our aim? I can answer in one word: victory.”
The Germans began moving their armies to the French coast and prepared to go round. Churchill gave the answer: “We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the coast, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills, we shall never give up.”
By his courage and hard work Churchill heartened his people and other nations fighting together against Hitler. Victory finally came when the Germans lost World War II.
Churchill died in 1965 and was given a State Funeral(国葬). This was a fitting payment to one of all the greatest men the world had ever seen.
57. Churchill ______ before he became a politician.
A. was a slow studentB. was an army man
C. helped his father in his career D. had little interest in politics
58. The Germans attacked Britain ________.
A. after France was defeatedB. before French fell
C. soon after Poland was attacked D. before Churchill became the Prime Minister
59. The underlined word “heartened” probably means ________ in this passage.
A. surprisedB. encouragedC. asked forD. called for
60. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. Churchill had worked as a politician for more than sixty years.
B. The writer admired and respected Churchill very much.
C. Churchill was not so clever as his father.
D. Churchill was one of the most inspiring, brave and wise leaders in the British history.