Imagine trying to test the memory of the blue whale—the biggest animal that exists or has ever existed, a 190-ton behemoth that dwarfs (使相形见绌) even the largest dinosaur, a leviathan that is rarely seen except when it comes up for air. How would you subject such a creature to a psychological test?
You can’t, exactly. But there is another way to get a sense of how their minds work. For years, scientists have been fitting radio tags to these giants to track their whereabouts (下落). By analyzing a decade’s worth of that data, Briana Abrahms from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has shown that these animals fine-tune the paths of their migrations to track the historical abundances of krill—the tiny crustaceans that they eat. Rather than finding where their prey (捕获物) currently is, they go after the places where their prey was in years past. Their migrations, in other words, are guided by memory. So what happens in a world where memory might lead them away from the right path?
Countless species of animals migrate over long distances to exploit far-flung sources of food, but these voyages aren’t just about getting to the final destination. The journey itself can be a sort of food tour, too. Migrating animals often adjust the pace and timing of their movements to hit pulses of seasonal food that spring up along their path. The ecologist Sandra van der Graaf described this as “surfing the green wave” after first observing it among barnacle geese. Others have found the same pattern among wasps, elk, mule deer, and brown bears.”
The blue whales of the North Pacific spend their winters in their breeding grounds off California and Costa Rica. Come spring, they swim up the coast of North America toward the food-rich summer waters of the Pacific Northwest. They could make the journey in two months (and they do, on the reverse trip back south). Instead, they take twice that time, pausing to gorge (狼吞虎咽) themselves on blooms of krill that appear along the way. It’s a leisurely season-long tour of a continent-wide buffet line.
Scientists can get a good sense of this changing buffet by measuring the concentrations of chlorophyll in different patches of ocean. This green pigment (色素) reflects the amount of plankton, which in turn is eaten by krill. The more chlorophyll there is, the more food a blue whale might find.
By comparing chlorophyll counts to whale movements, Abrahms and her team expected to see that “they follow the timing of their prey, as it becomes available,” she says. But they were surprised to learn that the animals very rarely tracked contemporary waves of krill. Instead, their movements were strongly correlated (相关联) with 10-year historical averages of chlorophyll. Put it this way: You could predict a blue whale’s movements with far more accuracy by looking at where their food has been than where their food currently is.
1. How are the scientists carrying out a psychological test on the blue whales?| A．They wait for the blue whales to approach the sea surface. |
| B．They induce the blue whales to accept the memory test. |
| C．They count on a tracking technique to accumulate data. |
| D．They compare the blue whales with the large dinosaurs. |
| A．They might try their best to get to the final destination. |
| B．They might fall back on the seasonal food along the way. |
| C．They might accelerate the pace to cover longer distances. |
| D．They might surf the ocean wave to save time and energy. |
| A．The breeding grounds of the blue whales are lacking in food. |
| B．Chlorophyll can be defined as the beginning of the food chain. |
| C．Contemporary waves of krill can reflect whale movements. |
| D．The season change determines the hunting route of the whales. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】For people, many other animals, family matters. Consider how many jobs go to relatives. Or how an ant will cruelly attack intruder (入侵的) ants but rescue injured, closely related nest-mates. There are good evolutionary reasons to aid relatives, after all. Now, it seems, family feelings may stir in plants as well.
A Canadian biologist planted the seed of the idea more than a decade ago, but many plant biologists regarded it as heretical-plants lack the nervous systems that enable animals to recognize kin (家族), so how can they know their relatives? But with a series of recent findings, the belief that plants really do care for their most genetically close peers-in a quiet, planty way-is taking root. Some species control how far their roots spread, others change how many flowers they produce, and a few tilt (倾斜) or shift their leaves to minimize shading of neighboring plants, favoring related individuals.
“We need to recognize that plants not only sense whether it’s light or dark or if they’ve been touched, but also whom they are interacting with,” says Susan Dudley, a plant evolutionary ecologist, whose early plant kin recognition studies sparked the interest of many scientists.
Beyond broadening views of plant behavior, the new work may have a practical side. In September 2018, a team in China reported that rice planted with kin grows better, a finding that suggested family ties can be used to improve crop yields. “It seems anytime anyone looks for it, they find a kin effect,” says Andre Kessler, a chemical ecologist at Cornell University.
1. Why are ants mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To show how cruel ants are to their enemies. |
| B．To lay foundation for the idea of plants’ family feelings. |
| C．To introduce the topic of how family matters to animals. |
| D．To explain why people usually give more jobs to their relatives. |
| A．Indescribable. | B．Understandable. | C．Impossible. | D．Traditional. |
| A．They stop producing flowers to avoid competition. |
| B．They spread their roots far so as to protect their peers. |
| C．They care for their injured peers by silently taking roots. |
| D．They move their leaves to share sunlight with their close peers. |
| A．Different plants mustn’t be planted together. |
| B．Corn planted with corn can produce more than that with rice. |
| C．China has put the idea into wide practice and achieved great success. |
| D．The closer rice is planted with their relatives the more they will produce. |
【推荐2】In a fascinating paper published last year in Science, a team led by Andreas Nieder of the University of Tubingen in Germany showed that crows —already known to be among the most intelligent of animals —are even more impressive than we knew. In fact, the evidence suggests that they are self-aware and, in an important sense, conscious (有意识的).
Crows had been observed previously to use tools to solve certain problems. Nieder’s experiment showed that the birds were actively evaluating how to solve a particular problem; in effect, they were thinking it over. This ability to consciously assess a problem was associated with the cerebral cortex (大脑皮层) in the brains of humans, which birds don’t have.
Other studies support the idea that the bird brain can, in principle, support the development of higher intelligence. It had been dismissed in the past due to the small size of birds’ brains. But recent research has shown that in birds, the neurons (神经元) are smaller and more lightly-packed, which makes sense to reduce weight and makes it easier lo fly. The total number of brain cell in crows (about 1.5 billion) is about the same as that in some monkey species. But because they are more tightly-packed, the communication between the neurons seems to be better, and the overall intelligence of crows may be closer to that of gorillas (猩猩).
This research has important consequences for our understanding of the evolution of higher intelligence. First, a cerebral cortex is not needed, and there are other means to achieve the same outcome. Second, either the evolution of consciousness is very ancient tracing back to the last common ancestor of mammals and birds about 320 million years ago, or, equally interesting, consciousness arose at least twice later on, independently in mammals and birds. Both options raise the possibility that higher intelligence on the planet may not necessarily be mammal or human-like, but could very well be birdlike.
1. What did Andreas Nieder’s team find out about crows?| A．They are more intelligent than other animals. |
| B．They have left people a very good impression. |
| C．They are much cleverer than previously thought. |
| D．They can use tools to solve certain problems. |
| A．The idea. | B．The bird brain. |
| C．The development. | D．Higher intelligence. |
| A．They have more tightly-packed brains. |
| B．They have a small number of brain cells. |
| C．Their brain neurons could communicate well. |
| D．Their brain cells are the same with the monkeys. |
| A．Cerebral cortexes are necessary for the evolution of higher intelligence. |
| B．Both mammals and birds got their intelligence from common ancestors. |
| C．Higher intelligence has already developed separately in different species. |
| D．Higher intelligence on the planet might be different from what we imagine. |
【推荐3】Plants, and the insects which rely on them, are the living foundations of our planet. But these foundations are under stress because we have a tendency to replace fields and forests with decorative trees and shrubs imported from around the world. Adding to the problem, our obsession (痴迷) with perfection leads us to use a lot of pesticides (杀虫剂).
These actions are part of the reason global biodiversity is crashing. There are over three billion fewer wild birds in North America than there were in 1970. Recent research shows that insect numbers, even in nature reserves, have fallen, and 40 percent of all insect species may be extinct within a few decades. This is discouraging news; however, there are actions we can take to help bring at least some species back.
The first step is to redefine our concept of “garden” to include more than just plants. We need to intentionally share our space, and not just with the birds, bees and butterflies that visit our flowers, but also with the little insects that may eat a part (very rarely all) of our plants. Therefore, we must limit pesticide use. It’s crucial to support nature’s recovery, and it’s much better for everyone: no doctor has ever recommended long-term exposure to pesticides.
Many drought-tolerant plants brought in from across the planet are being passed off as ecofriendly. However, mostly they’re not. Yes, you’re saving water, but these foreign plants can become disasters when they escape our yards. Helping the environment can be about more than saving water. Even in drier areas, like the American West, the selection of attractive native plants to choose from is vast. If dry is your style, there are native wildflowers, flowering bushes and trees that allow you to save water and nature.
Xeriscapes (节水型园艺) leave many gardeners thirsting for green, and there’s an important alternative that has been largely ignored. For those disenchanted with dry landscaping, using underappreciated and water-loving native plants to make your garden a real-life oasis (绿洲) could be lifesaving to wildlife. In nature, this unsung group of native plants is limited to riparian zones, the narrow belts of green along water bodies, but if consumers demand them, nurseries will increasingly carry these riparian species, and the presence of such plants in the garden will provide for many animals including not just butterflies and their relatives but also colorful birds.
The ideal garden would offer a combination of drought-tolerant native plants and a few species that need a little more water, providing options for little guests and the bigger ones that will come to eat them. As more creatures stop by to share our yards, we will be making nature, and us all, a little healthier.
1. What do we know about insect species?| A．They have an impact on the diversity of plants. |
| B．They disappear because of lack of nature reserves. |
| C．They decrease partly due to our pursuit for perfection. |
| D．They are the reason why we replace fields and forests. |
| A．sick of | B．addicted to |
| C．concerned about | D．impatient with |
| A．why we need grow native plants in gardens |
| B．how gardening helps with biodiversity |
| C．whether we should redefine “garden” |
| D．what benefits gardening brings |
CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point C: Conclusion
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
【推荐1】What kind of people can become scientists? When a group of researchers posed that question to ninth-and 10th-graders, almost every student gave such responses as “People who work hard” or “Anyone who seems interested in the field of science.”
Many of these same students struggled to imagine themselves as scientists, citing concerns such as “I’m not good at science” and “Even if I work hard, I will not do well.” It’s easy for them to see a scientist’s work as arising from an inborn talent.
But for high school students, learning more about some struggles of scientists can help students feel more motivated to learn science. Researchers at Teachers College, Columbia University and the University of Washington designed an intervention to change students’ beliefs that scientific achievement depends on ability rather than effort by exposing students to stories of how accomplished scientists struggled and overcame challenges in their scientific efforts.
During the study, the students read one of three types of stories about Albert Einstein, Marie Curie and Michael Faraday. Intellectual(智力的)struggle stories: stories about how scientists “struggled intellectually,” such as making mistakes while addressing a scientific problem and learning from them. Life struggle stories: stories about how scientists struggled in their personal lives, such as not giving up in the face of poverty or lack of family support. Achievement stories: stories about how scientists made great discoveries, without any discussion of coexisting challenges.
Researchers found that students who heard either type of “struggle stories” improved their science performance after-intervention, compared to students in the control group. The effect was especially pronounced for lower performing students, for whom exposure to struggling stories led to significantly better science-class performance than low-performing students who read achievement stories. In addition, students who read struggle stories reported feeling more personally connected to the scientists. By recognizing a scientist’s struggles and introducing the growth mindset he or she applied to accomplish great works, the students were able to empathize(共情)with the scientists during their own struggles.
1. Why do students fail to imagine themselves as scientists?| A．They lack interest in science. | B．They are short of confidence |
| C．They don’t have inborn talent. | D．They have no ability to study science |
| A．To introduce some inspirational stories to students. |
| B．To expose students to scientists’ great achievements. |
| C．To ensure students will become scientists in the future. |
| D．To clear students’ misunderstandings of scientific work. |
| A．minimal | B．noticeable | C．doubtful | D．long-lasting |
| A．Science ability has nothing to do with efforts. |
| B．Students are more motivated by achievement stories. |
| C．Scientists’ struggle stories can influence readers’ beliefs. |
| D．Low-performing students tend to feel connected to scientists. |
【推荐2】Youth is a stressful time from friends to school to families, stressful situations become common. The body can respond (反应) with faster breathing, a fast bating heart, tense (绷紧的) muscles and drop of sweat. And teens who breathe polluted air appear to respond most strongly to stress, a new study shows.
Jonas Miller, a psychologist working at Stanford University ,studied whether or how air pollution might affect the body’s response to stress. Miller’s team invited 144 teens to participate in a stressful test. Most of the kids lived in or near San Francisco,which has the worst air quality.
Before the test, the researchers used sensors(感测器) to record heart rates and sweat levels for five minutes as the kids rested. Then as the test began, a researcher read aloud the beginning of a story and the kids had five minutes to make up an exciting ending to the story. They would have to memorize their ending and present it aloud to a judge. After fishing this task. the kids were asked to do math problems, which obviously was a harder task. If he or she made a mistake, the judge let the student start over. The whole time, sensors recorded heart rates and sweat levels.
Miller found all the students had similar heart rates and sweat levels at rest. But as the test got difficult, differences began to appear Kids from places with more air pollution responded more strongly to stress and their heartbeats became irregular. They sweated more than teens who lived in cleaner places.
"The teens' bodies were preparing to deal with possible challenges in the environment and such bodily responses to stress were linked to negative feelings", Miller concludes. Over time, he says, "these responses can contribute to both physical and mental health problems."
This study has proved the negative health effects of air pollution among teenagers. Therefore, teenagers should try to avoid their exposure (暴露) to air pollution They should consider limiting their time outside during rush hour, especially on days when air pollution is particularly strong.
1. What happened to teens in stressful situations?| A．Their bodies react strongly. |
| B．Their muscles cause pain. |
| C．They become seriously sick. |
| D．They have trouble in breathing. |
| A．The judge of the test was strict with the kids. |
| B．The kids enjoyed making up endings of stories. |
| C．The kids gradually felt more stress in the process. |
| D．The researchers wanted the kids to keep peaceful. |
| A．They are having more rest now. |
| B．They responds differently to stress. |
| C．Those from cleaner places have stronger bodies. |
| D．Those polluted doesn’t have more stress in life. |
| A．solve their mental health problems |
| B．learn to deal with stressful situations |
| C．spend less time outside in heavy traffic |
| D．enjoy more outside activities in good weather |
| A．A report on pollution. |
| B．A geography book. |
| C．A psychologist's diary. |
| D．A science magazine. |
【推荐3】Scientists Kirsty Graham and Catherine Hobaiter have spent hundreds of hours interpreting the gestures of humans’ closest relatives. In a recently published paper, Graham and Hobaiter provide convincing evidence that humans can make a good guess of the meanings of great ape (猿) gestures.
In the study, 17,000 participants were shown 20 short videos of apes making gestures and asked to decide which of four possible answers described each gesture’s meaning. If people had no idea what the apes were doing, they would be right 25 percent of the time by chance. But when watching videos of wild apes raising an arm or striking various poses, they understood the animals’ language far more often than would be expected by chance. The average score was slightly above 50 percent, a statistically strong result, given the study’s size. The finding suggests that humans still have some grasp of this ancestral vocabulary.
Why humans may understand the ape gestures remains to be discovered. One possibility is that all great apes, including humans, inherit (继承) a common set of gestures. Another is that humans and other great apes share the ability to use body movements as communication tools. A third explanation is that the similarity in body shape among humans and other great apes, combined with humans’ cognitive (认知的) abilities, makes it easy for people to infer meaning from ape movements.
The study itself still has its own value as a teaching tool. Engaging so many people with this research has benefits beyond science. It makes us understand that we are so close to our closest relatives. It’s a win for conservation. It’s a win for showing how important it is to keep these guys in our minds, to protect them and to save them.
1. How did the researches tell whether participants can interpret the ape gestures?| A．By interviewing them. | B．By analysing their accuracy rate. |
| C．By comparing their vocabularies. | D．By observing their guessing process. |
| A．Their living habits are similar |
| B．Their body structures are the same. |
| C．They can communicate with body language. |
| D．They both have high level of cognitive abilities. |
| A．It boosts the popularity of the great apes. | B．It encourages people to get close to nature. |
| C．It promotes the protection of the great apes. | D．It teaches people to use ape gestures as a tool |
| A．Humans Need to Protect the Great Apes. |
| B．Humans Need to Understand the Great Apes. |
| C．Humans Can Use the Ape Gestures to Communicate. |
| D．Humans Can Comprehend the Meaning of the Ape Gestures. |
