At Marine Mammal Laboratory, laboratory director Herman put a dolphin through its paces. Using hand signals, Herman asked, “Is the ball in the pool?” The dolphin correctly pressed a lever for “YES”. Herman asked it to push the ball to a basket. It did. Then he signaled his pupil to do it again, but he removed the basket. Herman expected the dolphin to be confused. Instead, it carried the ball to the NO lever and stopped there. Herman was astonished. “This is a totally untrained, invented response,” he said, “We never dreamed the animal would ‘think’ the problem through like that.”
To get a closer look at these amazing creatures, Herman and his team spent a week on board the Jennifer Marie. Whenever they heard the cry “Dolphins!” they slipped into the water. The dolphins approached, curious about them, observing them with dark, liquid eyes. Dolphins love to imitate. If they swam on their backs, Dolphins did too. If they dived, Dolphins followed. This talent can be carried to extraordinary lengths. In one instance, a trainer blew a puff of cigarette smoke against the window of an observation tank. A young dolphin rushed to its mother, nursed briefly, and spat out a cloud of milk against the glass.
Herman said “We’re still in the early stages of learning about the intelligence of these animals and our ability to communicate with them.” Scientists are amazed at dolphins’ intelligence, but fear for the future of these trusting ocean creatures.
Dolphins’ trouble could be sharks, killer whales or, worse yet, a fishing vessel. Indeed, in the past three decades, commercial fishing, especially the biggest threat—the drift net fishing, has greatly decreased the world’s dolphin population. Every night in the North Pacific, hundreds of Asian fishing vessels put out these “curtains of death,” each up to 50 miles long. Floating with the currents, they sweep up all sea life in their path. People wonder what the world would be without dolphins.
1. Why did the dolphin stop at the NO lever?| A．It was confused. | B．It was unable to do the task. |
| C．It refused to listen to the order. | D．It found the basket wasn’t there. |
| A．To copy human behavior. | B．To threaten its playmate. |
| C．To show off its talent. | D．To drive the trainer away. |
| A．Further research on dolphins is essential. |
| B．Intelligent Dolphins could tackle their troubles. |
| C．Some measures should be taken to protect dolphins. |
| D．Drift nets are the biggest trouble for marine animals. |
| A．Dolphins: clever, naughty | B．Dolphins: intelligent, threatened |
| C．Dolphins: humans’ best friends | D．Dolphins: smartest marine animals |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Pets are popular. They're good listeners, they encourage us to exercise, and they're always on our side when we argue with others. They can bring people comfort and pleasure.
But it is important to keep in mind that pets can carry diseases that can make you sick. Washing your hands often - especially after you touch, feed, or clean up a pet - is the best way to keep yourself healthy and prevent the spread of disease. Be sure to clean your fingernails carefully every time you wash. You also can protect your health by wearing gloves while cleaning animal cages or cat litter boxes. Avoid washing your pet in the bathtub (浴缸) , but if you do, always disinfect(消毒) the tub immediately afterward.
Be sure to bring your pet to the hospital for examinations every two weeks or a month and whenever your pet is sick or injured.
You can do a few other things to keep yourself and your pet healthy. Only give your pet food that has been planned ahead for them. It's not a good idea to share your food with your pet. Human food (like chocolate) can make animals sick. Never feed your pet raw(生的) meat because it can carry germs(细菌) that cause serious illness.
And funny as it can be to see your dog or cat drinking from the toilet, don't let pets do this. It's bad for your pet's health! Give them clean, fresh water to drink at all times.
Never give milk to cats. The only milk an animal should drink is from its mother. Cow's milk is not for pets, especially for cats, as it makes them sick.
Finally, some animals aren't pets. Don't take in a wild or abandoned(被抛弃的) animal as a pet because it may have diseases that could make you or your family sick. Instead, turn to an animal rescue group that is trained in helping sick or abandoned animals.
1. The first paragraph mainly tells us that pets can ________.| A．be great friends | B．bring us pleasure |
| C．help us keep healthy | D．do harm to us |
| A．the cow | B．the mother cat |
| C．cow’s milk | D．mother cat’s milk |
| A．call an animal rescue group | B．bring it back to your home |
| C．give it first aid(急救) in time | D．help to find its owner |
【推荐2】Three months from retirement (退休), I was anything but excited. Retirement felt more like an end than a new beginning.
A new beginning didn’t come until I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a little dog. I called to see if I could just have a look. To my surprise, they agreed. Within seconds of laying eyes on that small black-and-white fur ball, there was no way I went home without her. I named her Kelly.
I kept her in a large box, with some toys. She was very energetic. Even after a long walk, she still required attention and care until I played a game with her, which almost drove me crazy. So I turned to my cousin. “Get her into a good dog school. A dog like Kelly is in need of friendship with other dogs,” he replied.
It was amazing to watch Kelly run around a yard with other dogs. Best of all, I noticed how well-behaved Kelly was after the play. One day, a strange woman called, “Would you be able to watch my dog for the weekend? I’ll be happy to pay.” Word spread until I was making money from nursing dogs. Kelly loved the friend, and I had to admit I did, too.
I set up the Hot Dggity Doggie Camp company in 2007. At first people didn’t quite understand what I was doing. Gradually, word got around that you could drop off your dogs and picked them up after work at Hot Diggity Doggie. Business was growing rapidly. Every day the dogs were there to greet me. They needed me. And I needed them. Nowadays dog day care isn’t unfamiliar around here. In fact, now I have quite a few competitors in town. The more happy dogs, the better.
1. How did the author first feel after she retired?| A．Excited. | B．Disappointed. | C．Encouraged. | D．Moved. |
| A．She was lost in thought. | B．She thought for a long time. |
| C．She felt confused. | D．She liked her at once. |
| A．Good food. | B．Toys. | C．Friends. | D．Competitions. |
| A．Her Hot Diggity Doggie is still a new try. |
| B．Many people don’t understand her job. |
| C．The author is fond of her present work. |
| D．The author doesn’t like competition. |
【推荐3】Rabbits are a popular symbol of Easter and there is usually an increase in owning rabbits at this time.
Rabbits need a lot of space
They are active animals that need to be able to hop, jump, run and explore. A pair of rabbits should be provided with a space that is no less than three metres by two metres by one metre high.
Rabbits are social creatures and need the company of their own kind. Keep at least two together and you’ll never look back — watching rabbits interact with each other is a joy. The best combination is a neutered (绝育的) male and neutered female, but neutered same sex siblings can work too.
All paws on the floor
Rabbits are thought of as an “easy” introduction to owning a pet and are often bought for small children. Of course, children can enjoy learning about rabbits and interacting with them.
Always give the right food
| A．A single rabbit is a lonely rabbit |
| B．Adopt rabbits from a rescue shelter |
| C．Children’s playhouses are often a cost-effective choice |
| D．But it’s important to think twice before deciding if they are right for you |
| E．Rabbits have a complex digestive system and teeth that grow continuously |
| F．Rabbits can reproduce from four months, so it’s important to get them neutered |
| G．Unfortunately, they don’t enjoy being picked up and they are easily frightened |
Eating a big breakfast could help you burn double the amount of calories than if you eat a larger meal at dinner.
It could be the key to losing weight while also keeping blood sugar levels steady, researchers at Lübeck University in Germany said. Their study found filling up in the morning boosts a metabolism (新陈代谢) process known as diet-induced thermogenesis(DIT). DIT refers to the number of calories the body expends to heat the body and digest food. It was shown to be twice as high for those who ate more at breakfast than at dinner. On the other hand, a low-calorie breakfast increases appetite(食欲), especially for sweets, the researchers admitted.
The findings published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism were based on a laboratory experiment of 16 men. They consumed a low and high calorie breakfast and dinner one day—and then vice versa (反过来) on another. The study also showed increases in blood sugar and insulin concentrations, caused by eating a meal, was reduced after breakfast, but not so much after dinner. The results also showed eating a low-calorie breakfast caused sweet desires with a higher appetite. This suggests those saving all their calories for the end of the day may face consequences because they snack more.
The study adds to increasing evidence that the best way of losing weight is to eat your largest meal in the morning—and your smallest in the evening. Dr Richter, a neurobiologist at Lübeck University, said, “Eating more at breakfast instead of dinner could prevent obesity(肥胖) and high blood sugar.” Both obesity and high blood sugar can lead to many life-threatening illnesses including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Previous research has shown DIT is lower in people with obesity. It’s seen as a measure of how well our metabolism is working.
DIT can differ depending on mealtime and is generally slower in the evening and at night due to our body clocks. Dr Richter said, “We recommend that patients with obesity as well as healthy people eat a large breakfast rather than a large dinner to reduce body weight and prevent metabolic diseases.”
Professor Daniela Jakubowicz, author of The Big Breakfast Diet, found that those who piled on the calories in the morning were more likely to feel satisfied, preventing snacking throughout the day. And another study by Professor Jakubowicz found that eating chocolate in the morning, when our metabolism is at its highest, prevented desires for sweet things later on.
1. We can learn from the passage that DIT ________| A．is usually slower in the evening than during the daytime. |
| B．refers to the number of calories needed to heat the body. |
| C．has been found by the researchers in a Germany university . |
| D．may become twice lower when people eat a big breakfast. |
| A．cause diabetes | B．lead to obesity |
| C．keep appetite | D．lower blood sugar |
| A．The observation of blood sugar changes. |
| B．Basic theories about diet-induced thermogenesis. |
| C．The data collected from a laboratory experiment. |
| D．Different experiments on people with different appetite. |
| A．DIT: lower in the morning or evening? | B．A low or high calorie dinner |
| C．A big breakfast, or a large dinner? | D．Less calories, better health |
【推荐2】It happens from time to time that after a whole morning of studying, you are tired in the afternoon. It’s then that you might want to eat something sweet, perhaps a cake or a chocolate bar to lift your mood. After all, it’s popularly believed that a “sugar rush” gives us energy.
But a study published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews in April suggests that sugar can make us feel worse rather than boost our moods.
The German and UK researchers studied the effect of sugar on various aspects of mood, including anger, alertness (警惕性), depression and tiredness.
They found that people who have too much sugar become more tired and less alert within an hour, and that these feelings become more intense (强烈的) over time.
According to the researchers, when people take in sugar, their blood sugar levels rise rapidly, leading to a burst of energy and a short “feel good” period. However, as they begin to digest (消耗) the sugar, their blood sugar levels decrease quickly, leading to a bad feeling.
To remain on a “high”, people are likely to eat more and more sugar until they become addicted to it. As with caffeine, this prevents the body from relaxing, leaving people feeling tired and less alert.
But the study findings needn’t make us think we must give up sweet food altogether. According to the World Health Organization, it is healthy to have the sugars found naturally in fruit, vegetables and milk, so long as these make up less than 5 percent of daily total energy intake.
So the next time you feel tired and can’t concentrate, perhaps you should think twice before you bite into a chocolate bar. Maybe a spot of exercise at midday would be a better idea!
1. What does the underlined word “boost” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．improve | B．harm | C．control | D．change |
| A．They felt relaxed. | B．They felt more tired. |
| C．They were more alert. | D．They felt energetic. |
| A．Our mood is connected to our blood sugar levels. |
| B．Taking in more sugar benefits mental health. |
| C．Getting caffeine is another way to relax. |
| D．Sugar and caffeine have the same effects. |
| A．Give up sweet food. | B．Have a bar of chocolate. |
| C．Do some exercise at midnight. | D．Eat proper foods with natural sugars. |
【推荐3】In recent years, studies have suggested how the bisphenol A (BPA) in some food-packaging plastics has been linked to various health problems including heart disease and developmental difficulties in children. Scientists are thus developing a more harmless alternative, and it’s made from tomato waste which would otherwise be got rid of.
However, BPA is still widely used in the plastic coatings which are applied to the inside of metal food packaging such as cans. These smooth waterproof coatings help protect the metal from corrosion (腐蚀), plus they keep the food from sticking to the inside of the container.
Building on previous studies, an international team has researched a type of agricultural waste known as tomato pomace. This material typically consists of tomato skins, seeds and stems, which are left over after the fruits have been processed for use in foods such as sauces or juices. Ordinarily, the pomace is simply dumped in a landfill, burned, or at best composted. It may also be used in animal feed, although it doesn’t have much nutritional value.
The scientists started by drying tomato pomace — first in the sun for three days, then in a 60℃ oven for 16 hours — after which they grounded it into a powder. That powder was subsequently mixed with a sodium hydroxide solution (溶液), which was then heated at 100℃ for four hours. After repeatedly filtering that solution to remove the sodium hydroxide, the researchers were left a lipid. That lipid was then mixed into an ethyl alcohol solution which was sprayed onto samples of some metal. Once the spray had dried and the samples had been heated in a 200℃ oven for 10 to 60 minutes, the result was a polymerized lacquer coating which proved to be very effective at protecting the metal.
The scientists now plan on testing the coating on actual cans. “We would take tomato sauce, and other foods that are usually sold in cans, and we would sterilize them, put them in tins and check if they withstand real conditions,” said a scientist.
1. Which of the following is the most likely to use the plastic coating?| A．A pot full of water. |
| B．A cup filled with coffee. |
| C．A tin containing apple juice. |
| D．An iron box stuffed with packaged food. |
| A．It’s used as animal’s food with rich nutrition. |
| B．It has been used in the plastic coatings. |
| C．People use it to make sauce or juice. |
| D．People usually treat it in many ways. |
| A．How the new coating is created. | B．Why heating is important. |
| C．Why high temperature is needed. | D．What other materials are included. |
| A．To present a scientific study. | B．To introduce a new material. |
| C．To show a complex process. | D．To teach an actual test. |
