Which are the better pets, cats or dogs? Staff from New Horizon network team have carried out a study which lasted a fortnight and they published their conclusion on their home page last Friday — dogs are better pets than cats by a whisker.
Staff from New Horizon first listed the areas where cats fared better. These included having bigger brains compared to their body size, which is said to make them do better in complex functions such as memory and attention than dogs. Cats’second point was given for being more popular, with 204 million living in the top ten cat-owning nations compared to 173 million dogs in the ten countries where dogs are favored. Cats also get more attention from humans, with purrs (呼噜声) and miaows easily to be noticed. Although dogs can vary their barks, they cannot match the attention-seeking of cats. Additionally, cats can see in lower light than dogs and have a far wider hearing range and a sharper sense of smell. They are also said to be “greener” pets because their smaller appetites mean less area of land required to farm the food.
But in the other six categories examined — many of which related to getting on with humans — dogs had the edge.
Dogs have a longer shared history with humans, maybe as long as 135,000 years. Cats are relative newcomers to our homes. Similarly, dogs have a greater ability to bond with the 订masters. Even four-month-old puppies choose a human companion over another dog. Dogs scored a third point for their better powers of understanding and following human gestures. One study found that a dog called Rico had mastered the meaning of more than 200 words. The ab 山 ty to perform roles such as being a guide dog for the blind meant dogs were rated better than cats when it came to their problem-solving abilities. And they are easier to train.
With the scores tied at five-all, the deciding point fell on usefulness — with dogs coming out on top.
Dogs, studies show, help cut human stress, while taking them for walks keeps their owners fit and helps them meet new people. New Horizon says: “Dogs can hunt and guard. They can sniff out drugs and bombs; they guide blind and deaf people, find someone buried in ruins, and possibly even predict earthquakes.”
The study conducted by the staff and their conclusion went viral the moment it was released and has caused a heated discussion among pet owners. Some frowned at it, arguing that it had only involved character, intelligence and usefulness.
1. Which of the following is cats’advantage?| A．They are better at grasping their owners’ instructions. |
| B．They have larger brains than dogs. |
| C．They have a sharper sense of taste. |
| D．They affect the environment less. |
| A．considerably | B．in some aspects |
| C．a little bit | D．exactly the same |
| A．the study lasted a week |
| B．four-month-old puppies are more capable of picking a human companion |
| C．all the pet owners didn’t agree with the conclusion |
| D．people pet dogs to predict earthquakes |
| A．Cats beat dogs | B．Fight like cat and dog |
| C．Befriend with cats and dogs | D．Cats versus dogs |
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【推荐1】Overuse of land and warming temperatures are putting insect diversity in danger in some parts of the world, scientists reported Wednesday.
The study, published in the journal Nature, confirmed for the first time a clear and alarming link between warming temperatures and large-scale agriculture and showed that where there are more farmlands, there is a greater decrease in insects.
“These findings lead to huge concerns,” said Charlotte Outhwaite, the lead author of the study and researcher at the University College London, adding that losing insects could threaten human health and food supply.
“Three quarters of our crops depend on insect pollinators(授粉),” Dave Goulson, a professor of biology at the University of Sussex in the UK, previously told CNN. “Without insects, crops will die. We won’t have things like strawberries. We can’t feed 8 billion people.”
Outhwaite said their findings “may only show the tip of the iceberg(冰山一角),"because of the limited amount of evidence in some areas. “But I think there are also a lot of results that we probably don’t really know because there are so many different kinds of insects.” Outhwaite told CNN.
Scientists say, overuse of land has a link with warming temperatures. Destroying natural habitats for agriculture can make the temperature rise sharply. Researchers found great decreases in insect populations in areas of the world that are much warmer. They concluded that in areas with small-scale agriculture, less temperature warming, and more natural habitats, insects only dropped by 7%, compared to the 63% decrease in areas with large-scale agriculture, more temperature warming and less natural habitats. So what can we do to help prevent this?
1. What did the study find?| A．More farmlands lead to a greater decrease in insects. |
| B．Three quarters of our crops depend on insect pollinators. |
| C．Overuse of land is threatening insect diversity all over the world. |
| D．There is little link between warming temperatures and large-scale agriculture. |
| A．To suggest solutions to people’s concerns. | B．To explain the process of insect pollinators. |
| C．To prove the importance of insects to humans. | D．To provide evidence for the decrease in insects. |
| A．Insect pollinators | B．Overuse of land |
| C．Warming temperatures | D．Less natural habitats |
| A．His opinions of the study. | B．Studies of natural habitat. |
| C．The ways to stop the decrease. | D．The causes of warming temperatures. |
【推荐2】Wolves once ranged over most of North America. But they were nearly wiped out by the early 20th century in the neighbor U. S. by widespread hunting and trapping. Much of them were funded by government , and only a small population were hanging on in the Great Lakes region. They were put on the Endangered Species List in the 1970s, and in 1995 and 1996 the federal government reintroduced wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Idaho. But wolves still don’t have stable numbers in Colorado. Voters narrowly(勉强地)approved a proposal, giving the way for gray wolves to be reintroduced into Colorado, where they nearly died out by the 1940s.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will lead the effort to establish a sustainable (可持续的)population of the animals in the western part of the state, beginning in 2022 or 2023. The Southern Rocky Mountains contain millions of acres of suitable habitat land that could support several hundred wolves or more, biologists say.
Those who were against the proposal admitted they lost, but the vote was close. As of Thursday afternoon, with 90 percent of the votes in, there were 1,495,523 votes for and 1,475,235 against. “Reintroducing wolves will help thin out sick animals, keeping healthy populations of deer, and thus protecting the grass and reducing erosion (土壤侵蚀). ”says Jonathan Proctor.
People in rural areas are against the reintroduction proposal, including farmers, who worry that wolves will kill their cattle. Many don’t agree to leave the question of reintroduction to voters.
Supporters point to the successful reintroduction of wolves to the Northern Rockies in the 1990s, where only one in 10, 000 cattle in wolf-occupied counties is killed by the hunters, Proctor says. The Colorado proposal will also fund a program to make up for the farm animals being killed.
1. What’s the function of Paragraph 1?| A．Finding typical examples. |
| B．Introducing wildlife research. |
| C．Giving the reason for the proposal. |
| D．Discussing the numbers about migration. |
| A．kill their cattle | B．cause erosion |
| C．thin out sick animals | D．protect the grass |
| A．To increase the farmers’ interests. |
| B．To keep Colorado’s natural balance. |
| C．To contribute to gradual soil erosion. |
| D．To cause concern about the climate change. |
| A．Suggestions from biologists. |
| B．Extra fund for losing farm animals. |
| C．Knowledge of raising farm animals. |
| D．The right to reclaim their valuable land. |
【推荐3】A genetic change known as the Himalayan gene has made this breed’s fur extra sensitive to temperature — but also leaves them easy to get certain diseases.
With 73 cat breeds recognized by the International Cat Association, it can be difficult to discern a Ragdoll from a Ragamuffin. Most of us, though, can pick out a Siamese cat. Known for their dark eye masks, nose, and tail — called “points” that stand out against their cream-colored bodies and sparkling blue eyes, the Siamese is one of the world’s easily recognized breeds.
Those trademark points stem from a genetic change known as the Himalayan gene, which was discovered in the breed in 2005. This hidden gene; passed down from both parents, also gives the felines (猫科动物) temperature-sensitive fur that can change color.
In the mother’s body, Siamese kittens develop at temperatures of about 101 Fahrenheit, a cat’s normal temperature. Once born, all-white kittens eventually begin to cool at their extremities (端点), such as their tail, legs, ears , and face. These lower temperatures cause the Himalayan gene to activate the body’s melanin (黑色素), also found in people. That’s why a Siamese cat’s warmer bodies stay light, but their cooler parts become darker as they mature.
“You can see them change,” says Betsy Arnold, a vet who runs a cats-only practice in Rochester, New York, and started breeding Siamese when she was in her teens.
At about two weeks old, Arnold says, dark color begins to spread to their limbs. By about a month old, their final color emerges, which may be one of several varieties, among them blue point, lilac point, chocolate point, and seal point, which has a light, cream-colored coat with dark brown color on its paws, tail, nose, and ears.
1. What may the underlined part in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Take care of those sick cats. | B．Tell the difference between them. |
| C．Take them back to the rescuer center. | D．Evaluate their health conditions. |
| A．It stands out against other cream-colored cats. | B．Its fur is sensitive to the temperature outside. |
| C．It has a genetic change — the Himalayan gene. | D．Its extremities are all dark-colored with blue eyes. |
| A．The color change of a Siamese is a gradual process. | B．An elderly Siamese can change its color. |
| C．A Siamese can only change its color to black. | D．Siamese cats are sensitive to climate change. |
| A．How Siamese Cats Change Their Colors | B．How a Mysterious Gene was Found in Nature |
| C．What Scientists Found in Himalaya | D．Why a Siamese Cat Looks Strange |
【推荐1】There’s more evidence that what’s good for your heart is good for your head. A new study shows that people who run, swim or do other moderate intensity(中等强度) exercise have brains that look, on average, 10 years younger than the brains of couch potatoes.
“Our study showed that for older people, getting moderate intensity exercise may be protective, helping them keep their brains work better,” said Dr. Clinton Wright of the University of Miami, who led the study. But it’s not necessarily easy. Walking, golf, bowling and yoga don’t count, and people need to start before they begin showing memory loss, Wright’s team reported in the journal Neurology.
The study of nearly 900 people who exercise regularly showed that 90 percent fell into the low-intensity group. These people are part of a larger group taking part in a bigger study called Northern Manhattan Study. They were asked how long and how often they exercised during the past two weeks. Five years later, they were tested for memory and thinking skills and got a brain MRI(核磁共振). Seven years after that, they took the memory and thinking tests again. The 10 percent who said they took part in moderate intensity exercise scored better on the tests. These included running, climbing, swimming, riding bicycles and so on.
“We found that those with moderate intensity activity had higher scores and slower memory decline(下降) than inactive people when comparing the results,” the study team wrote.
Many studies have shown that exercise may not prevent Alzheimer’s disease but may delay it. The findings fit in with a study that found two years of exercising, eating healthier food and brain training can promote people’s memory function.
1. What can we learn from the study?| A．High-intensity exercise is better. |
| B．Ten people scored best on the tests. |
| C．Only 900 people took part in the bigger study. |
| D．Most people surveyed took low-intensity exercise. |
| A．By using examples. | B．By doing a brain MRI. |
| C．By making a comparison. | D．By observing people exercise. |
| A．The findings fit in with the study of healthy food. |
| B．Exercise can put off the beginning of memory decline. |
| C．Exercise will definitely strengthen people’s memory. |
| D．Alzheimer’s disease may be held back by exercise. |
| A．To exercise or not remains to be seen. |
| B．How to keep healthy is very important. |
| C．There are many ways to make your brain work better. |
| D．Moderate intensity exercise keeps your brain younger. |
【推荐2】Almost every machine with moving parts has wheels, yet no one knows exactly when the first wheel was invented or what it was used for. We do know, however, that they existed over 5,500 years ago in ancient Asia.
The oldest known transport wheel was discovered in 2002 in Slovenia. It is over 5,100 years old. Evidence suggests that wheels for transport didn’t become popular for a while, though. This could be because animals did a perfectly good job of carrying farming tools and humans around.
But it could also be because of a difficult situation. While wheels need to roll on smooth surfaces, roads with smooth surfaces weren’t going to be constructed until there was plenty of demand for them. Eventually, road surfaces did become smoother, but this difficult situation appeared again a few centuries later. There had been no important changes in wheel and vehicle design before the arrival of modern road design.
In the mid-1700s, a Frenchman came up with a new design of road—a base layer(層) of large stones covered with a thin layer of smaller stones. A Scotsman improved on this design in the 1820s and a strong, lasting road surface became a reality. At around the same time, metal hubs（the central part of a wheel） came into being, followed by the Wheels were invented in 1967, sixty years after the appearance of tracked roads(柏油路). As wheel design took off, vehicles got faster and faster.
1. What might explain why transport wheels didn’t become popular for some time？| A．Few knew how to use transport wheels. |
| B．Humans carried farming tools just as well. |
| C．Animals were a good means of transport. |
| D．The existence of transport wheels was not known. |
| A．It was easier than wheel design. |
| B．It improved after big changes in vehicle design. |
| C．It was promoted by fast-moving vehicles. |
| D．It provided conditions for wheel design to develop. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following the chronological order. | D．By making classifications. |
【推荐3】The ability to use the left hand is referred to as left-handedness. Left-handedness is actually more common in the male population than in females. There is an amount of untrue information about them.
It is difficult for left-handed children to learn writing of the alphabet, without personal guidance. Not true at all. Take the left-handed kids for example. Everyone else is more bothered about his left-handedness than he himself is. The left-handed child adapts to writing, drawing and all other activities that require him to hold a writing tool as early as the right-handed. In fact, many left-handed people display neater handwriting than their right-handed partners.
Left-handed people have a lesser chance of surviving a hand-to-hand fight. This is anything but true. History has witnessed the advantage left-handedness had during hand-to-hand fights and even within the boxing ring. In fact, a common sight is that the left-handed fighter is able to attack their opponents by surprise on the open, unprotected right side.
Left-handed people are many a time at the disadvantage of using tools designed for the right-handed. Well, this is true, but today, there is a whole range of tools and equipment being designed for left-handed people. Many right-handed tools too are available, such that they can be changed to suit the needs of the left-handed craftsman (工匠). Even the computer mouse has been changed in use and the touch pad provides a left-handed professional equal opportunity.
Research shows that left-handed people are in fact high achievers. This is because their brains are structured to widen their abilities. A number of mathematical, artistic and sporting masters were and are left-handed. However, most left-handed people over the world, might have, at some stage in their life, been on the receiving end of an uncomplimentary (贬损的) remark or comment regarding their choice of hand. I am sure this list and discussion above would be reasonable enough to be proud of being left-handed.
1. In comparison with right-handed children, what can we learn about left-handed ones?| A．Left-handed children find it hard to learn writing. |
| B．Left-handed children are tired of the left-handedness. |
| C．Left-handed children are used to writing tools too late. |
| D．Plenty of left-handed children can write more beautifully. |
| A．They could start a surprise attack with their left hands. |
| B．They could attack their partners’ left sides surprisingly. |
| C．They have a better chance to beat their partners in history. |
| D．They are good at fighting especially within the boxing ring. |
| A．Left-handed people are in fact high achievers. |
| B．Left-handed people have many disadvantages. |
| C．Many tools are designed for the left-handed people. |
| D．Many left-handed people receive bad remarks daily. |
| A．History of left-handed people. |
| B．Advantages of left-handed people. |
| C．False facts about left-handed people. |
| D．Discussion about left-handed people. |
