As much as it’s a time for growing and learning, childhood is also a time for joy. But the joys of playtime aren’t just reserved for human kids—animal offspring are just as likely to get into the act as well, and some of their activities are similar to our own.
Scientists believe that for certain animal species, some fun is play for the sake of play, but like humans, other forms of entertainment are preparing youngsters for adulthood. Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. This holds true in the animal kingdom as well.“Horses are known to engage in play almost as soon as they are born. Once they can walk, they immediately start to gallop, frolic and buck, developing the motor skills they may need when they’re mature,” notes BBC Earth.
But along with motor skills, play also teaches animals essential hunting and survival skills. Natural-born predators, such as kestrels, use play to develop their hunting skills by practicing with targets that look like real prey when they’re young. In the oceans, dolphins chase underwater air rings to fine-tune their sonar (声呐) skills. And while it’s unclear why bear cubs are so playful, zoologists believe at least some of their funny behaviors have a more serious purpose that aids in their survival as adults.
One of the most important teaching aspects of play is socialization. These days, for human kids, that usually means the basics like learning to share, teamwork, and knowing boundaries. For animals, especially those that live in packs, play gives an understanding of where each animal fits into the community hierarchy (等级). In ways that are remarkably similar to the training which children of traditional tribal cultures receive, it is through the rules of play that lion cubs, kangaroo joeys, and wolf pups discover and establish the roles they’ll be expected to perform as adults.
So whether it’s chasing in the pasture or hanging from a tree, it seems that play will always be an inner and fun part of both human and animal development.
1. What does BBC Earth say about horses?A.Horses often play in different groups. |
B.Newborn horses like to play with their parents. |
C.Horses can gain some skills while playing. |
D.Play is vital for baby horses’ social development. |
A.Dolphins leap out of water. | B.Young kestrels follow their real prey. |
C.Bear cubs play in a funny way. | D.Wolf pups stay with their human friends. |
A.They have a strong desire to make friends. |
B.They get socialized in a similar way. |
C.They change their social roles through play. |
D.They gain their social ranks through competition. |
A.What Are the Benefits of Play? | B.Why Do Animals Play? |
C.How Do Animals Develop Skills? | D.Why Are Humans and Animals So Similar? |
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【推荐1】For thousands of years, humans have used names to communicate with one another. We also give names to animals, especially ones we love, such as pets. Until now there has been little evidence of animals naming one another, but a new study suggests that elephants use specific noises to identify other elephants.
A few animals, including parrots and dolphins, have been known to use sounds that are similar to names. Each dolphin invents a signature whistle that is unique to it, and other members of its species communicate with it by simulating this special call. The new study, led by Michael Pardo of Colorado State University, shows that wild African elephants use names in a way that is not just copying sounds and is much closer to the way humans use names.
For the study, the researchers recorded 625 sounds made by wild African elephants in Kenya that they called "rumbles (隆隆声)”. This is the most common type of call produced by elephants, and it can travel long distances-as far as 3. 7 miles. It takes place at a very low frequency, which means humans can't hear it.
The researchers analyzed the sounds using computers and found that certain rumbles were directed at specific elephants to get their attention They found that all the elephants in the herd used the identical call to get a particular elephant's attention -these calls were not just nicknames used by one of the elephant's friends. Also. unlike the way dolphins communicate. the rumbles were not just imitations of the elephant they were trying to communicate with.
The researchers then played back some of the recorded rumbles to the elephants. They found that elephants responded more to their own name than to other calls. coming toward it more quickly or calling back faster. Cartlin O'Connell-Rodwell, an elephant expert, said, "The study shows that elephants can still keep in touch with one another even across a large area. "She told Live Science, "The rumbles ere magical, which allow them to spread out much further and still have very close tabs(密切关注) on individuals. "
1. What does the underlined word "simulating" in paragraph 2 probably mean?A.Copying. | B.Inventing | C.Transforming. | D.Receiving. |
A.By making certain rumbles heard by people. |
B.By using specific languages like people’s. |
C.By making specific noises with a high frequency |
D.By using names in a way closer to people’s. |
A.It records 625 sounds from several species. |
B.It is subjective in the analysis of sounds. |
C.It is carried out with the help of computers. |
D.It shows dolphins' calls travel long distances. |
A.Elephants communicate with noses across a large area. |
B.Rumbles are important in elephants’ communication |
C.Elephants may be last on the way to their habitats |
D.Rumbles enable elephants to stand nr play closer. |
Why Cats Scratch TingsIn has long been assumed that when cats scratch objects with their front paws (爪子) that they are sharpening their claws.
A.It turns out that this is only a secondary reason. |
B.This is why the tree next door looks so scratched up. |
C.Cats use other parts of their bodies to communicate as well. |
D.Small pieces of bark have accumulated on the ground underneath. |
E.Scratching can result in considerable damage, owner dissatisfaction. |
F.Declawed cats may still be leaving scent marks on objects they scratch. |
G.It could be a defensive warning or just a marker that announces its existence. |
【推荐3】While CCTV’s educational show Animal World is well known, few big screen wildlife documentaries have been made by China’s film industry.
But Born in China, which came out on Aug 2, may be important for Chinese filmmakers who want to get into nature -themed films. The movie, directed by Chinese filmmaker Lu Chuan, was shot in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and shows the animals’ lives during different seasons.
Born in China not only brings to audiences the lives of animals that are rarely seen in the wild—giant pandas, snow leopards, and golden monkeys, but also shows Chinese traditional culture.
A symbol of China, the giant panda is both black and white. Its body is thought to show yin and yang, which ancient Chinese ideas were based on. The panda’s gentle nature shows how yin and yang lead to peace. It can be seen in the film when a panda mother guides her baby to look for independence and explore the world.
Unlike the shy pandas, monkeys always have strong personalities. The Monkey King in China’s most famous novel Journey to the West has many conflicting traits(特点). It stands for not only impatience but also cleverness and energy. Born in China follows a 2-year- old golden monkey who leaves his family, but then returns and understands the meaning of responsibility.
Just as the golden monkey, a mother snow leopard also faces difficulty in raising her babies in the wild. The leopards, known for their rapid attacks and quick footwork(脚步), have inspired a form of pictographic(象形拳) in Shaolin martial arts(武术).
“Born in China is a means to show off Chinese traditional culture,” director Lu told the reporter. “Chinese people have learned a lot from wild animals since ancient times. This is why I shot this nature -themed documentary.”
1. How is Born in China special according to the article?A.It shows Chinese traditional culture through the lives of animals. |
B.It’s considered the best nature-themed film to come out of China. |
C.It’s the first big screen wildlife documentary ever made in China. |
D.It shows audiences the lives of rare animals. |
A.the story of the giant pandas shows the importance of exploring the world |
B.the story of the golden monkeys was inspired by the Monkey King |
C.the stories show how animals grow up to be independent |
D.the story about snow leopards shows what people can learn from animals |
A.The stories of 3 animal families | B.Symbols of China |
C.Wildlife born in China | D.Nature shows culture |
A common design is a tall box with several shelves inside. The shelves are pieces of metal with many small holes through them. The sides of the box are covered with pieces of thick cloth. Containers of water are placed at the top and bottom of the cooler. The ends of each piece of cloth lie in the water so the cloth stays wet.
Put the cooler in the open air but not in the sun. Air will pass through while the inside of the box will stay several degrees cooler than the outside. This can keep foods fresh for a short time.
The best way to prepare foods for storage (储存) is at harvest time. Place the harvested items on a clean surface, but not on the ground. Fruits and vegetables must be cool from field heat before they are stored. A good idea is to harvest foods either early or late in the day, then leave them to cool naturally. Do not remove outer leaves from fruits and vegetables before storage.
Some fruits and vegetables must be stored at zero to four degrees Celsius. Any colder, and they might be damaged. Others need four to eight degrees, and still others above eight degrees. Cover the items in plastic once they reach the right “
1. What is an evaporative cooler?
A.An ice box used to contain things. |
B.An electrical container to hold things. |
C.A small box made of cloth to contain food. |
D.A tall box used to cool food without ice or electricity. |
A.the several uses of an evaporative cooler |
B.the working principle of an evaporative cooler |
C.the way an evaporative cooler is made |
D.ways on how to use an evaporative cooler |
A.Put the harvested items on a clean surface. |
B.Remove outer leaves from vegetables and fruits. |
C.Harvest foods either early or late in the day. |
D.Cool fruits and vegetables before storage. |
A.zero to four degrees | B.four to eight degrees |
C.at least eight degrees | D.the suitable degrees |
【推荐2】New research suggests that even a simple exercise program might help older people with light memory problems. Doctors have long advised patients to do physical activity to help keep their brains healthy. But the U.S. government-supported research marks the longest study of whether exercise makes any difference once memory starts to decline.
Researchers found around 300 inactive older adults with memory changes called mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (轻度认知障碍). In the research, the participants were divided into two groups and half of them did aerobic exercises, while the rest did stretching and balance movements that raised their heart rates a little. After a year, testing of mental activity showed neither group had worsened, said lead researcher Laura Baker of Wake Forest School of Medicine. By comparison, similar MCI patients in another long-term study of brain health — but without exercise — experienced cognitive decline over a year.
Maria Carrillo is the Alzheimer’s Association chief scientific officer. She said earlier research has found regular physical activity of any kind may reduce damaging inflammation and increase blood flow to the brain. She added that the new study is especially interesting because the COVID-19 pandemic began halfway through the study. That meant the study participants became socially isolated. Social isolation has long been known to increase people’s risk of memory problems.
It is a difficult time for dementia (痴呆症) research. Doctors are not sure about prescribing (开处方) a high-priced new drug called Aduhelm. The drug is supposed to be the first to slow the progression of dementia but it is not yet clear if it really helps patients. Researchers last month reported another drug that works similarly failed in an important study. There is growing urgency to find whether exercise might offer at least some protection. Baker will lead an even larger study of older adults to see if adding exercise to other steps such as a healthy diet, brain games and social activities may reduce the risk of dementia.
1. What does the new study focus on?A.Ways to slow the aging process. | B.Effective medicines for elders with MCI. |
C.The influence of exercise on elders’ memory. | D.The causes of declining memory in older adults. |
A.Diet plan. | B.Exercise type. |
C.Professional background. | D.Previous physical condition. |
A.It is meaningful. | B.It is impractical. |
C.It is controversial. | D.It is time-consuming. |
A.Find out how to lower the price of Aduhelm. |
B.Develop a new drug to help patients with brain diseases. |
C.Organize a wide variety of social activities for older people. |
D.Conduct further research on how to reduce the risk of dementia. |
【推荐3】Many harmless species can copy a harmful one to escape from their enemies. But most recorded examples of the phenomena are visual. For instance, the harmless king snakes have evolved (进化) to look like a poisonous species, while the flower-loving flies have adopted the appearance of wasps(黄蜂). Now, for the first time, researchers found bats could copy too. However, what they copy is sound.
Danilo Russo first found out bats’ talent while working on his report on bats. “I noticed that when we took the bats out of the net or processed them, they buzzed (嗡嗡叫) like wasps,” he said.
Later, Russo and his team set out to investigate if the sound happened by chance or was a way to frighten enemies. The researchers recorded the buzzing cries of the bats when they were being caught. They then compared the sounds to those of two wasps and two bees. The similarities in the sounds convinced the scientists the bats were copying the insects to scare off enemies.
Russo and his team tested their theory on eight owls (猫头鹰). Half of them were wild, while the rest were raised at home. When the scientists played normal bat sounds, all the owls flew toward the speaker in search of food. However, the birds instantly flew away when exposed to the bat’s bee-like buzzing.
The researchers observed that the wild birds showed greater fear than the ones brought up at home. This indicated that the owls had previously been hurt by the insects and knew to clear away when they heard the buzzing.
But behavioral ecologist Matthew Bulbert isn’t convinced this is a case of copying. He argues that owls meet stinging (蜇人的) insects and bats in different circumstances — the former, when they are resting, and the latter, when they are actively hunting for food. Therefore, it is unlikely that the owls are fooled. Instead, Bulbert believes the buzzing just surprises the owls suddenly, increasing the bats’ chances of escaping being caught.
1. What do flower-loving flies and king snakes have in common?A.They copy the buzzing of wasps. | B.They can both pretend to be harmless. |
C.They copy a feature of a harmful species. | D.They can take on their enemies’ visual feature. |
A.To show bats’ ways to escape. | B.To find out the truth of bats’ buzzing. |
C.To prove bats can make sounds like bees. | D.To compare the sounds of different bats. |
A.Frightened. | B.Excited. | C.Uninterested. | D.Confused. |
A.Owls are as clever as bats. | B.Resting bats are easier to catch. |
C.Wasps and bats live in the same place. | D.Buzzing from bats is a means of self-protection. |
【推荐1】One of my all time favorite holiday destinations is the Gold Coast. With its beautiful beaches, mountain hinterland and theme parks, the variety from one location to another is fantastic! And it’s also important that its like a playground for my children.
The Gold Coast certainly offers something for every member of our family. We all love heading down to the beach for an early morning swim or surf. The beaches feature some of the softest golden sand and pumping waves, making them ideal for surfing. Safety is important especially when I'm out with the kids, and I feel better knowing that lifeguards are continually on patrol(巡逻). The long coas also offer the perfect setting for a leisurely walk at sunset-a favorite activity of mine.
Then, of course, there’s the bargain-hunting in the city’s center. For shoppings goers there are amazing shopping centers boutiques and the usual chain stores. I always pick up loads of goodies at Pacific Fair.
The Gold Coast is popular for its theme parks-Sea World, Wamer Bros Movie World and Dream World. The seal and dolphin presentations at Sea World keep both children and adults on the edge of their seats as the sea creatures go through a series of complicated jumps, flips and rolls. It’s great entertainment and an educational window to the underwater world for the kids. Our kids also enjoy meeting the characters at Movie World and watching how real movies are made.
Night-time is equally fun, as we usually set off to find the best local restaurants and cafes. The mix of cultures and influences has given the Gold Coast a wide variety of choices, including modem Australian, Italian, Asian and seafood, although sometimes nothing beats fish and chips!
A visit to the Gold Coast in the Sunshine State is worthwhile and fun.
1. Why does the author consider the Gold Coast as her ideal holiday destination?A.There are a lot of shopping centers. |
B.The whole family can have fun there |
C.It’s a safe and interesting place for kids |
D.The author can walk leisurely along the coast. |
A.Theme parks | B.Beautiful parks |
C.Small shop | D.Local restaurants |
A.What the theme parks offer |
B.How popular the Gold Coast is |
C.Why kids love theme parks so much |
D.What people can do in the Gold Coast |
A.The presentations | B.The entertainments |
C.The shopping centers | D.Various choices of food |
【推荐2】Along Route 1, in Thomas-tomatines a store filled with handicrafts—birdhouses and dollhouses, salad bowls and sailing ships — all made in Maine state prisons. Ted and Barbara Waylayer have been shopping here for decades. “We found the quality to be excellent,” said Ted.
Prisoners have been making things in Maine since the 1800s. Charlie Jones came here when he was 20, sentenced to 75 years in a state where there is no parole(假释). In the workshops, he discovered he had a talent for carving. One of Jones’ earlier projects was a golden eagle, which he learned to carve from a book.
“It’s amazing to see the amount of talent that the residents have here,”said Randall Liberty, commissioner(局长)of Maine’s Department of Corrections.“We have more than 100 residents working here daily. They do about US $1.6 million worth of work. “One of Maine’s programs allows residents to earn a college degree. The money for it was donated by Doris Buffet, who lived in Dockland, Maine. “She gave us an initial US $2 million donation,” said Liberty. “And that’s the best money I’ve ever seen invested in anyone.”
Charlie Jones is one of the graduates. “The college program is incredible,” Jones laughed. “When we used to walk to dinner, we could hear people talking about their former crimes. But now when going to dinner, you’ll hear somebody talking about their philosophy class or their history class.”
Liberty said, “The individuals that graduate have about a 5% recidivism(再犯) rate, as opposed to a 60-65% nationally. That means 95% of the people who go through this program don’t go back.”
When Doris Buffet died in 2020, Charlie Jones made a table, with legs made of books, to honor her. It’s also carved with the names of courses open to prison residents, and the professors who teach them. On the table was a book telling Daris Buffet’s story, and a thank you note.
1. What does paragraph 2 tell us about Charlie Jones?A.He has a gift for carving. | B.He has earned a master degree. |
C.He is only expert in carving eagles. | D.He has been in prison for about 20 years. |
A.To show how the prisoners tried to reform. |
B.To reveal what led those like Charlie Jones to prison. |
C.To list some courses included in the college program. |
D.To highlight the positive effect of the college program. |
A.Prisoners in Maine create little value. |
B.Few prisoners in Maine are hardworking. |
C.The handicrafts made in Maine state prisons are of high quality. |
D.Prisoners graduating from college have a lower recidivism rate. |
A.How Doris Buffet died in 2020. |
B.What the table made by Charlie Jones is like. |
C.Charlie Jones’ sorrow over the death of Doris Buffet. |
D.Why there was a book telling Doris Buffet’s story on the table. |
【推荐3】There will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans by 2050. That is what a new report from the World Economic Forum and Ellen MacArthur Foundation warns. If the current trend continues, the report said, oceans will contain one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish in 2025. By 2050, plastics will weigh more than fish. The problem is that each year at least 8 million tons of plastics end up in oceans around the world. This is the same as dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute.
Not all plastic ends up in the ocean because someone throws a plastic bottle into the water. Plastic containers and other trash thrown onto streets and sidewalks often are swept into oceans. Unlike other types of trash in the ocean, the plastic never bio-degrades. There is a way to slow the amount of plastics going into the oceans — people can recycle more. Currently only about 14 percent of plastics are recycled. Research in Europe shows as much as 53 percent of plastic could be recycled using available technology. The report says that another solution is using less plastic for packaging products. But that is not likely to happen.
“Given plastic packaging’s many benefits, both the possibility and desirability of an across-the-board dramatic reduction in the volume of plastic packaging used is clearly low, ”the report said. But the authors note reducing the use of plastics should be tried“where possible. ”For decades, scientists warned that plastics are killing fish. Research shows that fish are dying from choking after eating plastics. Another cause of death is that plastics cause“intestinal blockage and starvation, ”the environmental group said.
1. Why is the garbage truck mentioned in Paragraph 1 ?A.To explain how plastics end up in the ocean. |
B.To warn people against the ocean pollution. |
C.To clarify the seriousness of the problem. |
D.To point out some details of the report. |
A.There is too much of it. | B.It poisons the ocean water. |
C.It is from different sources. | D.It is hard to break down. |
A.Pessimistic. | B.Curious. | C.Unconcerned. | D.Terrified. |
A.People are not aware of the problem. | B.Recycling is limited by lack of technology. |
C.Plastic packaging has become part of our life. | D.Fish in the ocean will be replaced by plastics. |