Do you like spicy food?
What’s your opinion on spicy food? Some people cannot handle even the smallest amount of chili-red pepper-in their dinner while others can’t get enough of it.
Scientists have long been puzzled by why some people love chili while others loathe it. Plenty of research has been done on the subject, dating as far back as the 1970s. Previous results showed that a love of chili is related to childhood experiences, and cultural influences affect our taste buds too. But the latest study has found that a person’s love of spicy food may be linked to his or her personality more than anything else, CBC News reported.
“We have always assumed that liking drives intake-we eat what we like and we like what we eat. But no one has actually directly bothered to connect these personality traits with intake of chili peppers,”said Professor John Hayes from Pennsylvania State University, who led the study.
But before you look at the study, you should first know that “spicy” is not a taste, unlike sour, sweet, bitter and salty. It is, in fact, a burning sensation that you feel on the surface of your tongue. This got scientists thinking that maybe a love of spicy food is brought about by people’s longing for thrill, something they usually get from watching action movies or riding a roller coaster.
In the study, 97 participants, both male and female, were asked to fill out questionnaires about certain traits of their personality, for example, whether they like new experiences or tend to avoid risks. They were then given a glass of water with capsaicin, the plant chemical that makes a chili burn, mixed into it.
By comparing the answers to the questionnaire and what participants said they felt about the spicy water, researchers found that those who tended to enjoy action movies or take risks were about six times more likely to enjoy the spicy water.
Interestingly, we used to believe that the reason some people can withstand spicy food is that their tongues have become less sensitive to it. However, this latest study has found otherwise. “It’s not that it doesn’t burn as badly, it’s that you actually learn to like the burn,” Hayes explained.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “loathe” in the second paragraph?| A．dislike | B．fear |
| C．put up with | D．adapt to |
| A．what we eat actually helps to develop our personalities |
| B．Males are more likely to enjoy spicy food than females |
| C．Those trying to avoid risks tend to be less interested in spicy food |
| D．People are wrong to treat spicy as a kind of taste rather than a feeling |
| A．Because their taste buds have become less sensitive |
| B．Because they love the burning sensation |
| C．Because they want to challenge themselves |
| D．Because the more they try spicy food, the less it burns |
| A．What he or she likes to eat mainly decides on his or her personality |
| B．That a person enjoys spicy food depends largely on the personality |
| C．His or her childhood experiences decide on his or her personality |
| D．His or her cultural background decides on his or her personality |
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【推荐1】However exciting space exploration sounds, there’s a necessary and important point about it that needs to be considered: food supplies. Right now, astronauts typically rely on dry food in airtight bags and cans, since there are strict weight limits on items taken into space. Foods that we take for granted, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, are out of the question for space explorers.
For those who’ve made an effort to try to grow food during space flights, they’ve faced many difficulties, including the absence of gravity, and a lack of soil, air and humidity (湿度). However, growing food to add and minimise (最小化) the food that must be carried to space will be increasingly important on long-duration flights into space. Great efforts have been made to explore the idea of space farming. Recently, a team led by Federico Maggi at the University of Sydney in Australia have worked out how plants can absorb nutrients from human urine (尿) , as was reported by New Scientist on March 27.
After over 20 years of experiments, the results suggested that human urine could supply three to four out of the six nutrients that plants need. The researchers also found out that urine-fertilised plants produce no harmful by-products, such as carbon dioxide or ammonia.
According to New Scientist, human urine is 95 percent water, with the other 5 percent made from nutrients which are harmful to the human body but not to plants. The advantage of this urine fueled life support system is obvious: By recycling liquid waste and producing food, an efficient cycle will be created.
And most importantly, said New Scientist, the duration of space flights will be greatly extended to “20 years of flight”, meaning we may be soon sending astronauts on flights to Mars, or even beyond.
1. What does the underlined part “out of the question” in the first paragraph probably mean?| A．Uncertain. | B．Doubtless. |
| C．Impossible. | D．Unnecessary. |
| A．Human urine is harmless to plants. |
| B．Human urine provides six necessary nutrients for plants. |
| C．Urine fertiliser is safer and more productive than chemical fertiliser. |
| D．Urine-fertilised plants only release a small amount of carbon dioxide. |
| A．It does little harm to the environment in space. |
| B．It will greatly reduce the cost of farming in space. |
| C．Urine-fertilised plants are healthier and taste better. |
| D．It could create conditions for long-term space flights. |
| A．The significance of space farming. |
| B．A possible new way to grow food in space. |
| C．How to use human urine to produce food in space. |
| D．Problems faced by astronauts on long-term space flights. |
【推荐2】The earliest simple computer, the Chinese abacus dates back to thousands of years ago, consisting of rows of beads on a wooden frame used for counting. The modern computer dates back to 1946, when the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator (ENIAC) was invented. The U.S. Department of Defense developed the Internet so all of its own computers could be connected; in 1990 the World Wide Web was born. The rapid development of technology has resulted in the computers we use today, and those are changing as we speak too.
You can do many things on a computer. You can create and print letters or reports for school, and save those documents in case you need them later; you can watch movies, listen to music and play video games. The Internet allows people to visit different websites, send e-mails, shop online and pay bills electronically. Some people even work or receive schooling through their home computers.
The most common types of computers used are the desktop, the laptop and the handheld computer. Desktop computers stay in one place, and their parts are contained in a case that is placed beneath the monitor. Laptop computers are lightweight and small enough to be carried by users who need computers and the Internet access to them in different places. Handheld computers include personal digital assistants, small video gaming devices and mobile phones.
While computers make life convenient and are considered positive to society, there are negative aspects of computer use that kids and their family should consider. Computer viruses are harmful programs that damage information and can stop your computer from working properly. The Internet presents risks for young people, too. The information you share is not private. Some kids use their computers so much that they don’t want to do anything else.
1. The earliest simple computer was invented ________.| A．in 1946 | B．in 1990 | C．by Chinese | D．by Americans |
| A．The desktop. | B．The laptop. |
| C．The mobile phone. | D．The personal digital assistant. |
| A．Functions→Types→History→Warnings. | B．History→Warnings→Types→Functions. |
| C．History→Types→Functions→Warnings. | D．History→Functions→Types→Warnings. |
| A．computers do more harm than good to kids. |
| B．kids shouldn’t be allowed to use computers. |
| C．parents should limit the time of their kids using computers. |
| D．people should stay away from computers so as not to get viruses. |
【推荐3】The most hated day of the week is misunderstood. When the Boomtown Rats, an Irish band, released “I Don’t Like Mondays” in 1979, the song became an instant hit.
What many do recognise all too well is the difficulty of gathering the energy to get out of bed on Monday mornings in order to face the week ahead. Many bosses argue that starting off the week in person in the office creates good energy. However, plenty of employees beg to differ.
A paper published by the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that people tend to be more ill-mannered on Mondays, and grow more polite as the week unfolds. The authors have diagnosed a new condition, Mondayitis, which is defined. as “a systemic illness with collections of symptoms including tiredness, light-headedness, dry mouth and headache”. These symptoms typically appear on the first working day after a period off work, which could be a weekend or a longer holiday. They can lead sufferers to call in sick, decide to work from home or, if they do show up in the office, come across as detached (冷漠的) and unavailable. Mondayitis appears to be infecting other days of the week.
However, the covid-19 pandemic has led many people to re-evaluate their work-life balance. A lawyer in London who spends weekends working on cases likes to ease into the formal workweek with an elegant breakfast in a fancy restaurant. A broader movement is promoting the idea of a four-day work week, one arrangement of which would make Monday part of the weekend. Less ambitiously, and more realistically, asocial-media campaign for “bare-minimum Mondays” argues for a gentle start to the week.
You may have prepared or merely enjoyed a more elaborate meal than a sandwich. You may have gone for a walk in the park or simply lay in bed. Either way, you almost certainly cleared your head. When revived and spirited, you will have a fresh start.
1. What does the underlined part “beg to differ” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Approve. | B．Object. | C．Submit. | D．Complain. |
| A．They are ill-mannered but ready to help others. |
| B．They may suffer from tiredness or light-headedness. |
| C．They tend to infect others with their bad performance. |
| D．They want to come to the office rather than work from home. |
| A．Start to work early. | B．Grab a quick meal. |
| C．Take a walk in the park. | D．Have a tight schedule. |
| A．To tell us ways to tackle Mondayitis. | B．To explain how to gain work-life balance. |
| C．To offer tips on how to keep fit on weekdays. | D．To persuade us not to work too hard on Mondays. |
【推荐1】If you’ve ever felt “butterflies in your stomach” when nervous, you’re likely getting signals from an unexpected source: your second brain. Hidden in the walls of the digestive system, this “brain in your gut (肠道) ” is revolutionizing medicine’s understanding of the links between digestion, mood and health. Scientists call this little brain the enteric nervous system (ENS 肠神经系统).
The ENS is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gut. Unlike the big brain in your head, the ENS can’t calculate or compose a love note. “Its main role is controlling digestion,” explains Jay Pasricha, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Center. “The enteric nervous system doesn’t seem capable of thought as we know it, but it communicates back and forth with our big brain.” For decades, researchers and doctors thought that anxiety and depression contributed to gut problems. But Pasricha’s research shows that it can also be the other way around.
Our two brains “talk” to each other, so treatments that help one may help the other. In a way, doctors who treat digestive conditions are like advisors looking for ways to comfort the second brain. Psychological approaches also help to improve communications between the big brain and the brain in our gut.
Pasricha says the research suggests that digestive-system activity may affect thinking skills and memory, too. “This is an area that needs more research, something we hope to do here at Johns Hopkins,” he says.
1. Why does the author mention “butterflies in your stomach” in paragraph 1?| A．To show the power of the ENS. |
| B．To prove the origin of the idiom. |
| C．To explain why you’re very nervous. |
| D．To engage the readers with the topic. |
| A．The main role of the ENS has changed. |
| B．Depression contributes to gut problems. |
| C．The ENS affects what happens in the brain. |
| D．Gut problems are different from what they were. |
| A．It helps to prevent stomach problems. |
| B．It leads to further brain improvement. |
| C．It creates new treatment opportunities. |
| D．It gives a guide for better communication. |
| A．The research proves quite fruitful. |
| B．There is still more to learn about mind-gut link. |
| C．Digestive-system activity has other bad influence. |
| D．Pasricha is determined to improve people’s memory. |
【推荐2】Dr. Paul Kelley, a sleep expert and his colleagues, including well-known Oxford sleep researcher, Professor Russell Foster, presented an interesting theory at the British Science Festival in Bradford. They said that school days should start at 10: 00 and university at 11: 00 to better match the biological rhythms of adolescents and young adults.
Dr. Kelley said most people wake up to alarms because they have to go to work. In fact the body clock of most people between the ages of 10 and 55 is not well suited to rising early. This means insisting on an early start can lead to a lack of sleep, which in turn can affect learning and health. Adolescents in particular are the most affected, which is “a huge society concern”.
Dr. Kelley and his colleagues are leading a project called Teensleep, which is currently looking for 100 schools from around the UK to test the idea. The Teensleep experiment, which is funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Education Endowment Fund, will randomly divide its 100 schools into four groups. One group of schools will shift their school days for 14-16 year olds to a 10: 00 start. Another group will offer “sleep education” to their students. This involves helping students and staff “realize wise ways of making their sleep good sleep”, such as avoiding screen-based activity in the evening. The third group of schools will introduce both a later start and sleep education, while the fourth will make no such changes. The experiment will start in the 2016—2017 academic year, and the researchers plan to report their results in 2018.
Dr. Dijk, a professor of sleep and physiology at the University of Surrey, cautioned that shifting the school day might be of limited use without changing other habits that affect our sleep, especially nighttime light exposure. But be will observe the experiment with interest.
1. According to Dr. Kelley, delaying school starting time can ________.| A．match students’ body clock | B．change students’ body clock |
| C．lead to a lack of students’ sleep | D．improve students’ sleep quality |
| A．The experiment will last three years. | B．One group will have sleep education. |
| C．Two groups will start school at 10 o'clock. | D．The experiment will be sponsored by Dr. Kelley. |
| A．neutral | B．doubtful | C．supportive | D．indifferent |
【推荐3】There are so many rabbits across Australia that it may be surprising to learn that they are a non-native species. A few rabbits arrived with British settlers in 1788, but it was not until 1859, when a British-born farmer named Thomas Austin brought 24 European rabbits to his land for hunting, that they began to live there. They are an excellent example of an invasive (侵入的) species, a non-native species that does harm to its new environment.
Rabbits have lived well in many different environments within Australia, such as grasslands, coastal areas, farmland, and even in towns or cities. Their activities have destroyed crops and plants. They compete directly with other wildlife for food and shelter, including taking over burrows (地洞) of other animals. They have led to dangerously reduced populations of many plant and animal species.
Efforts to control the rabbit population have had mixed success. The first main effort was the Rabbit-Proof Fence. In 1901, the government started building a knee in the state of Western Australia to protect farmland from rabbits. By the time it was finished in 1907, the Rabbit-Proof Fence ran some 2,000 miles from north to south. The Acting Chief Inspector of Rabbits, Alexander Crawford, headed a team whose job was to go around keeping the fence in working order. But over time, the fence proved to be no match for the rabbits.
Other main efforts have included programs to destroy rabbit burrows or use viruses that sicken and kill rabbits. Again, these efforts have been less than successful. The big problem to any efforts to control the rabbit population is simply that their population grows so quickly. One female can have 30 young in a year.
If Thomas Austin had known the damage that the rabbits would cause across the country, he might have had second thoughts about bringing rabbits to Australia.
1. Why did rabbits begin to live in Australia?| A．They travelled there by chance. |
| B．They were brought in by Thomas Austin. |
| C．They were introduced by the government. |
| D．They moved there to escape bad environment. |
| A．Some activities of rabbits. |
| B．Rabbits’ ability to live in the wild. |
| C．How fast the population of rabbits grows. |
| D．The damage rabbits have caused to Australia. |
| A．It failed in the beginning. |
| B．It didn’t live up to expectations. |
| C．It was unfinished for lack of money. |
| D．It failed later for nobody protected it. |
| A．Rabbits and farming |
| B．Efforts to control rabbits |
| C．Rabbits: experts in burrowing |
| D．Rabbits: unwelcome newcomers |
【推荐1】It used to be mostly the army that used small, unpiloted aircraft, called “drones”. The little planes were very costly. But as they have dropped in price more people have begun to use them.
The fast rate of development of computer technology, image sensing equipment, satellite navigation and smart phones has led to lower-priced drones. Researchers and developers have learned how to build smaller and less costly drones. Nowadays, moviemakers are using drones to film from the sky. Historians use them when they explore ancient buildings. Rescue workers use them to look for people. And now farmers are also using them to watch over their crops.
Romain Faroux is a French businessman, whose father was a farmer. He believed drones could help farmers. He has helped create a company which has developed a small drone that could be controlled by people on the ground. It’s called “Agridrone”. It uses a special sensor to examine crops. The technology used on the drone is similar to that used on a smartphone -- except it has wings. A computer program directs the drone to fly over the crops. The sensor on the drone records four different-colored “bands” of sunlight that are reflected off the crops.
Jean-Baptiste Bruggeman is another farmer in France who is using a drone. He says the drone flies over his crops at different times of the season and provides a lot of information about his crops. The pictures taken by the drone show him the exact amount of fertilizer the crops need. It also shows exactly where the fertilizer is needed.
Romain Faroux says farmers use information provided by the Agridrone to place fertilizer only in areas where it is needed. This saves money and reduces pollution. Before they used the drones, farmers would put the same amount of fertilizer everywhere. Drones also save time because farmers can examine up to three hectares (英亩) in about a minute.
1. Why do rescue workers and farmers begin to use drones?| A．Because they are affordable now. |
| B．Because their sizes have become smaller. |
| C．Because they can save people a lot of time. |
| D．Because the technology has been developed. |
| A．Helping the sunlight shine on the crops. |
| B．Directing the wings to fly over the crops. |
| C．Examining the different colors of the crops. |
| D．Recording the sunlight “bands” reflected off the crops. |
| A．A smartphone. | B．A sensor. |
| C．A drone. | D．A band. |
| A．Crops will be harvested by drones soon. |
| B．Drones will be widely used in different fields. |
| C．French farmers use drones to examine their crops. |
| D．Farmers develop special drones for their crops. |
【推荐2】One day when some government officials were rebuilding a barn (谷仓), they found a mouse hole in a corner and used smoke to force the mice inside the hole to come out. A while later they really saw mice running out, one after another. Then, everyone thought that all the mice had escaped. But just as they began to clean up, they saw two mice squeezing (挤) out at the mouth of the hole. With some efforts, the mice finally got out. However, it was strange that after they came out of the hole, they did not run away immediately. Instead, one chased after the other near the mouth of the hole. It seemed that one was trying to bite the tail of the other.
Everyone was puzzled, so they stepped nearer to take a look. They realized that one of the mice was blind and could not see anything, and the other was trying to allow the blind mouse to bite on his tail so that he could pull the blind one with him to escape.
After seeing what happened, everyone was speechless and lost in thought. During the meal time, the group of people sat down in a circle and started to talk about what happened to the two mice.
One serious American official said, “I think the relationship between those two mice was that of king and guard.” The others thought for a while and said, “That was why!”
A clever French said, “I think the relationship between those two mice was that of husband and wife.” Again the others thought for a while, and all felt it made sense.
A Japanese said, “I think the relationship between those two mice was that of mother and son.” Once again the others thought for a while, and felt this was more reasonable. So they expressed agreement another time.
At that moment, one Chinese asked, “Why did those two mice have to have a certain relationship?”
Suddenly, the group looked back at the Chinese and remained speechless. The American official, the French and the Japanese who had spoken earlier all lowered their heads in shame, and did not dare to answer.
In fact, true love is not built on friendship, loyalty or blood relationship. Instead, it is built on no relationship.
1. Neither of the two mice ran away immediately because ________.| A．one was biting the other |
| B．the mouth of the hole was too small |
| C．they were not afraid of smoke |
| D．one was trying to help the blind one |
| A．They did not dare to answer. |
| B．They had mistaken the relationship of the mice. |
| C．They regretted driving a poor blind mouse away. |
| D．They did not express themselves much better. |
| A．all the mice came out of the hole easily |
| B．each of the people understood the relationship differently |
| C．the people wanted to kill the mice with smoke |
| D．the people knew one of the mice was blind at first sight |
| A．it was correct | B．it was strange |
| C．it was funny | D．it was sweet |
| A．Two Lovely Mice | B．Help Produces Love |
| C．Friends In Need | D．Love Is All |
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days.But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death.Cells(细胞) are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond 120 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever.But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs(器官). The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on—in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.
1. According to the passage,human death is now mainly caused by _______.
| A．diseases and aging | B．accidents and war |
| C．accidents and aging | D．heart disease and war |
| A．medicine | B．the Internet |
| C．brain cells | D．human organs |
| A．heart disease will be far away from us |
| B．human brains can decide the final death |
| C．the basic materials of cells will last forever |
| D．human organs can be repaired by new medicine |
| A．human life will not last more than 120 years in the future |
| B．humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now |
| C．much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life |
| D．we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells |
【推荐1】America’s trucking industry employs roughly 3.5 million people, carries 10.6 billion tons of goods back and forth across the country per year, and brings in $738.9 billion in taxes annually. It is, in some way, a logistical (物流的) wonder.
Though America’s trucking industry may one day be replaced by new trains, or giant trucks piloted by AI systems, for now we need to deal with the system we have, instead of daydreaming about a new one. Truck driving used to be a desirable profession for Americans, but almost no one wants to be a truck driver anymore. The industry is already short of 50,000 tractor-trailer drivers, and that number could expand to 174,000 by 2026.
The solution is simple: raising drivers’ wages (薪水). While trucking is generally considered a high-quality blue-collar job, average pay for truckers is only around $42,000. That’s more than $10,000 below the average household income in America.
Bear in mind too, that the economically essential function served by the trucking industry creates a very tough quality of life for truckers themselves. Being far away from home for days or weeks at a time causes all sorts of personal issues. Therefore, drivers really deserve to be paid more.
The good news is that last week’s jobs report did show an increase in wages. In trucking specifically, compensation finally jumped 10 to 12 percent over the last year. It’s not enough, but it’s a step in the right direction.
And to encourage the American trucking industry, there are regulations too. A federal rule from 2004 limits truckers to driving 11 hours in any 14-hour period.
Of course, this rule was put in place to make truck driving a more humane (人道的), and less demanding industry. But it also lowered the amount of driving any trucker could do, increasing the number of drivers needed to cover the same number of routes. And it couldn’t avoid the long hours on the road, lonely nights in hotels, and etc. The effective way to fix the problem is obvious: If your industry can’t find enough workers, you need to pay them more.
1. What do the figures in paragraph 1 show?| A．The convenience of trucking in America. |
| B．The significance of trucking industry for America. |
| C．The big burden on America’s trucking industry. |
| D．The quick development of America’s trucking industry. |
① suffering from health issues caused by driving
② having a small salary
③ having a low-quality blue-collar job
④ working outside for long
⑤ lacking respect from others
| A．①②③ | B．②③④ |
| C．②④⑤ | D．①②④ |
| A．It aimed at promoting the efficiency of truck drivers. |
| B．It didn’t make much difference to the trucking industry. |
| C．It effectively relieved the truck drivers’ burdens. |
| D．It tended to get resisted by numerous truck drivers. |
| A．The ways to fix America’s trucking industry. |
| B．The decline of America’s trucking industry. |
| C．The problems troubling America’s truck drivers. |
| D．The regulations governing America’s truck drivers |
【推荐2】This is a list of places to spend the 2020 Olympics if you aren't going to Japan.
Australia
The fact that the summer Olympics fall during Australia's winter season is worth keeping in mind for two reasons: it makes traveling there cheaper, and it's still not too cold. As far as the Olympics are concerned, there will be no shortage of opportunities to watch the Games in between your various explorations of the country and its limitless activities.
Thailand
Thailand is a breathtaking place 10 spend some time during any summer, and provides a perfect setting for Olympie viewing: You can go scuba diving one morning before watching sports all afternoon, or simply duck out for world-famous street food in between events. But Thai sports fans may also be taking extra interest in the Olympics these days.
United States
The U.S. is likely to be as interested in the Olympics as any other nation, given is collection of athletes who will be taking center stage. You can rest assured it won't be difficult to watch the Games no matter where you're visiting specifically. This leaves you with all sorts of fun options. You can visit a luxury ski resort town like Aspen, which turns into a gorgeous hiking destination in the summer.
Great Britain
Not unlike the U, s. Britain will make for a fun place to spend the 2020 Olympics because there's a great deal of national interest in a number of different sports, and the local athletes are expected to be competitive. Summer can also be a good time to be in Britain in general," with relatively mild temperatures allowing for full exploration of the country. That means you can stay in the beautiful Lake District if you like, hiking or kayaking when you're not watching the Games.
1. What is special about Australia as a destination in an Olympic summer?| A．Its season. | B．Its activities. |
| C．Its sports. | D．Its scenery, |
| A．Australia. | B．Thailand. |
| C．United States. | D．Great Britain. |
| A．They both have a pleasant temperature. | B．They are both interested in the Games. |
| C．They both own lots of sports centers. | D．They are both English-speaking countries. |
【推荐3】Scientists can’t predict earthquakes. But toads(蟾蜍)might be able to.
In the spring of 2010, Rachel Grant, a researcher in life sciences, was studying a population of toads in a large dry lake in central Italy. Common toads reproduce once a year, sometimes traveling great distances to gather at their breeding(繁殖)grounds, and Grant was looking at whether her subjects were using the cycles of the moon to coordinate their romantic encounters.
In the previous three years, she had watched the toads increase in number when the moon grew from new to full. But that year was different. The moon became almost full, and suddenly the toads were gone. “It went from there being 90 to 100 toads down to six, and then to one, and then zero,” says Grant.
“I was at a loss. Did somebody come and disturb them? Did somebody run through with a tractor? But that didn’t seem right. Toads get run over by cars all the time, and that doesn’t make them run away,” she says.
Five days after the toads disappeared, she had a possible answer: an earthquake struck in the middle of the night. The 6. 3-magnitude quake was the deadliest to hit Italy in nearly 30 years, killing roughly 300 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless.
Grant stayed to count her toads in spite of the aftershocks. When a full moon rose three days after the quake, a few toads risked a return. But then their numbers dropped again, remaining low until two days after the last aftershock-a full 10 days after the first quake. “It’s never been reported to have happened before,” says Grant. “Once they’re breeding, then they’re breeding. That’s it. “
The question now, says Grant, is whether seismologists(地震学家)can do anything with her research to try to predict the next big one. “A lot of people are asking, “Can we use them as a kind of monitoring tool, keep one at home and watch to see if they run away? “ says Grant. “That’s obviously not going to work. “ But she’s hoping something might.
1. What was Grant’s main purpose in going to the large dry lake in Italy?| A．To use toads to predict earthquakes. | B．To study toads during an earthquake. |
| C．To check the number of toads there. | D．To study toads’ breeding activities. |
| A．Their number increased when a new moon rose. |
| B．Their number increased when the moon became full. |
| C．They disappeared just before the moon became full. |
| D．They disappeared when a new moon rose. |
| A．She felt sorry for the toads. | B．She felt puzzled at what she saw. |
| C．She felt fearful about the earthquake. | D．She felt sad about what somebody had done. |
| A．When the moon began to rise. | B．After the aftershocks stopped. |
| C．Two days after the earthquake. | D．Three days after the moon became full. |
