Cruz Genet, 11, and Anthony Skopick, 10, couldn’t agree. Were the birds out on the ice ducks or geese? So on a cold January evening last year, the two friends ventured (冒险) onto the frozen pond near their homes in Frankfort, Illinois, to get a better look. First, they threw a rock onto the ice to test it, Cruz told NBC 5 Chicago. “Then we stepped on it.” Convinced the ice would hold their weight, Anthony took a few steps, but then he fell through the seemingly frozen surface.
Cruz rushed to help his panicked friend. However, the pond swallowed him, too. Cruz managed to lift himself out of the extremely cold water and onto a more solid section. He then gingerly worked his way toward Anthony. But the ice didn’t hold, and he fell in again. This ime, he couldn’t get out.
The boys were up to their necks in icy water and quickly losing feeling. Any chance of their freeing themselves was slipping away. Cruz was sure that he was going to die.
Anthony’s older sister had seen the boys fall through the ice and started screaming, wishing someone to save them.
John Lavin, a neighbor driving nearby on his way to the grocery store, heard her. He quickly pulled over. Seeing the boys, he grabbed (抓住) a nearby buoy (救生圈), kicked off his shoes, and ran into the cold water, struggling his way through the ice. Lavin made his way to Cruz and Anthony and pulled them back to land.
The boys were taken to the hospital, where doctors discovered that their five- minute stay in the water had lowered their body temperature nearly ten degrees. Fortunately, they have fully recovered, though they are still a little amazed by their fearless neighbor. “Just to think,” says Cruz, “if he hadn’t been there, I could have died.”
1. Why did the boys venture onto the frozen pond?| A．To have a better look at the frozen pond. |
| B．To catch the birds in the pond with rocks. |
| C．To find out what the birds on the ice were. |
| D．To test the thickness of the ice in the pond. |
| A．Casually. | B．Proudly. |
| C．Firmly. | D．Cautiously. |
| A．Anthony’s older sister’s cry for help. | B．Cruz’s loud and frightening scream. |
| C．Their shoes along the nearby pond. | D．Their neighbors’ pulling them back. |
| A．Hard-working and helpful. | B．Warm-hearted and courageous. |
| C．Curious and selfless. | D．Active and generous. |
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【推荐1】Deo had grown up barefoot in Burundi, but for a peasant boy he had done well. He was twenty-four. Until recently he had been a medical student, for three years at or near the top of his class. But he had spent the past six months on the run.
He had one friend who had seen more of the world than East Central Africa, a fellow medical student named Jean. And it was Jean who had decided that New York was where he should go. Deo was traveling on a commercial visa. Jean’s French father had written a letter identifying Deo as an employee on a mission to America. He was supposed to be going to New York to sell coffee. Deo had read up on coffee beans in case he was questioned. Jean’s father had also paid for the plane tickets. A fat book let of tickets.
He had heard of French soldiers behaving badly in Rwanda, and had even caught glimpses of them training militiamen(民兵) in the camps, but waking up and seeing a white person in the next seat wasn’t alarming. No one called him a cockroach (蟑螂). No one held a machete (大砍刀).
A voice was speaking to him. He turned and saw a policeman who seemed friendly. Deo spoke to him in French, but the man shook his head and smiled. He asked a question in what Deo guessed was English. Then a woman who had been sitting nearby got up and walked over French, at long last French, coming out of her mouth. Perhaps she could help, the woman said in French. Deo thought: “God. I’m still in your hands.” She arranged to sit next to him on the flight to New York and asked him lots of questions. Deo wanted to pay her back for helping him. So he tried to answer her questions. They talked most of the way to New York. After such long solitude (独处), it felt wonderful to talk.
When he reached Immigration the agent stared at Deo’s documents, then started asking questions in what had to be English. There was nothing to do except smile. The agent went off and came back with another man. He introduced himself to Deo in French. His name was Muhammad. He said he came from Senegal. Muhammad asked Deo the agents’ questions and also some questions of his own. For the agents, he asked Deo, “Where are you coming from?” When Deo said he had come from Burundi, Muhammad made a pained face and said to him in French, “How did you get out?”
There was no time even to attempt an answer. The agents were asking another question: Deo’s visa said he was here on business. What business?
Selling coffee beans, Deo told them through Muhammad. Just keep smiling, Deo told himself.
How much money did he have?
Two hundred dollars, Deo said with pride. The cash had been a gift from Jean. Exchanged for Burundian francs, it could have bought a lot of cows. But neither Muhammad nor the agents looked impressed.
Where was he staying?
Jean had told him he’d be asked this. A hotel, he said.
The agents laughed. A week in a hotel on two hundred dollars?
In 1994, airport security wasn’t what it soon would be. Muhammad said something in English to the agents. His words must have been the right ones, because after a few more questions, the agents shrugged at each other and let him through, into America.
He had no idea what he’d do next. After six months on the run, he was in the habit of not looking ahead. And what was there to fear? What could the man in the booth up ahead do to him? Whatever it might be, he’d already seen worse. God had taken care of him so far. And still was taking care of him, it seemed. As this serious-looking stranger, Muhammad, walked him out of Customs, he said that Deo could stay with him in New York City. But Deo would have to wait here for three hours. Muhammad worked at the airport as a baggage handler. He had to finish his shift. Could Deo wait three hours?
Only three hours? said Deo. Of course!
1. Which of the following is the reason why Deo left his hometown?| A．Jean persuaded him to go to New York. |
| B．Jean’s father paid for the plane tickets for him. |
| C．He was an employee on a business mission to America. |
| D．He wanted to flee his home town to seek shelter in New York. |
| A．God is toying with him. | B．God is taking him under his wing. |
| C．He is at the mercy of God. | D．He can’t break away from God. |
| A．Selling coffee beans in New York. |
| B．Turning to Jean’s father for help. |
| C．Being reduced to a beggar in the street. |
| D．Making a living in New York with Muhammad’s help. |
【推荐2】What makes a person a giver or a taker? The idea of "give vs. take" takes shape in all interactions (互动)and relationships of our lives. We're either giving advice, making time for people, or we're on the receiving end. We keep changing between the two based on different situations on a daily basis, if not an hourly one.
According to Adam Grant, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, most people are matchers. They make careful observations on takers and make it a point for them to pay something back. They hate to see people who act so generously towards others not receive any rewards. Actually, most matchers will try hard to improve and support givers so that they can get the good they deserve.
Is there a gender factor (性别因素) that plays a part in this?
A study led by Hannah Riley Bowles, a professor at Harvard University, focused on this question. She asked 200 senior managers to sit down in pairs where one person would act as the boss and the other as an employee to discuss salary rise. Male "employees" asked for an average salary of $146 k while the females asked for only $141 k. But why did they not bargain as hard as the men? Simply because they were more likely to be givers.
As a woman, I do enjoy the act of giving up my time, my knowledge, and my care and attention to others. I expect anything in return, but I do tend to pull myself away when I feel like I'm being taken for granted(被认为当然). I also tend to get upset when I see a loved one's continuous actions of kindness go unnoticed. So, it's safe to say I'm 50% giver, 35% matcher and 15% taker.
I do know someone, however, who is 99% giver. They're continually devoting their time, sharing valuable insights (见解) and going out of their way for everyone who crosses their path. Although they've changed the lives of many people, they hardly see any of it returned. But the universe is slowly repaying them; they're now extremely successful, well known for what they do.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Most people think they are givers. |
| B．People are not always givers or takers. |
| C．An individual is born to be a giver or a taker. |
| D．Few differences exist between givers and takers. |
| A．Most people hate takers. |
| B．Most people prefer giving to taking. |
| C．Most people enjoy relying on themselves. |
| D．Most people balance giving and taking. |
| A．The role of giving and taking in jobs. |
| B．The gender difference in giving and taking. |
| C．The role of men and women in society. |
| D．The salary difference between women and men. |
| A．Giving is the shortest path to success. | B．Sharing is the greatest human quality. |
| C．No good deed goes undone. | D．Givers are worth respecting. |
【推荐3】If you have to attend a party or other social events where a lot of people will be presents do you feel confident that you will make a good impression on others? Or do you feel shy? In any case, you should increase your confidence at social events.
Whenever you are meeting new people at any social event, you should wear proper clothes. Before you attend the events try to find out how other people will be dressing. If everyone else is wearing business clothes, you should, too. If the event is informal(不拘礼节的), you should wear informal clothes so that you can fit in.
If you are going to meet people from a certain business or profession, try looking through a few professional magazines or checking on the Internet ahead of time to get some conversation ideas that are related to their fields of interest. This can prevent you getting tongue-tied at the event.
When you are at the event, don’t worry about whether or not other people you are talking with like you. Instead, try your best to find reasons to like them. When you are making conversation with people, be sure to keep good eye contact, and make your facial expression soft. Nod to show you’re listening. Let your face and body relax so that you can make natural gestures.
After the event is over, take a bit of time to think of your social performance and the conversation you had with people. Tell yourself exactly what you did very well at the event. For example, perhaps you made a big effort to really listen to the people you were talking with, or you may have asked several people some good questions that really got them talking.
By doing so, your conversation confidence will gradually improve.
1. What does the underlined word “profession” mean in the third paragraph?| A．Record. | B．History. |
| C．Career. | D．Society. |
| A．Keeping eye contact with others. |
| B．Wearing informal clothes and shoes. |
| C．Caring too much about others’ opinions. |
| D．Nodding now and then to show your interest. |
| A．Keep in touch with the people you met. |
| B．Consider the good job in your performance. |
| C．Prepare some good questions for next event. |
| D．Think about how to improve conversation skills. |
| A．How to Take Part in Social Events |
| B．How to Be More Confident at Social Events |
| C．How to Use Body Languages at Social Events |
| D．How to Avoid Making Mistakes at Social Events |
【推荐1】The man must build the fire again. This time, he must not fail.
He reached again into his pocket for the matches. But his fingers were frozen because of the extreme cold. He could not hold them. All the matches fell onto the snow. He tried to pick one up, but failed.
He pulled on his glove and beat his hand against his leg. Then he took the gloves off both hands and picked up all the matches. He gathered them together. Holding them with both hands, he scratched the matches along his leg. They immediately caught fire.
He held the blazing matches to a piece of wood. After a while, he realized that he could smell his hands burning. Then he began to feel the pain. He opened his hands, and the blazing matches fell on to the snow. The flame went out in a puff of gray smoke.
The man looked up. The dog was still watching him. An idea struck the man. He would kill the dog and bury his hands inside its warm body. When the feeling came back to his fingers, he could build another fire. He called to the dog. The dog, sensing danger in the man's voice, backed away. The man called again. This time the dog came closer. The man reached for his knife. But he had forgotten that he could not bend his fingers. He could not kill the dog, for he could not hold his knife.
The fear of death came over the man. He jumped up and began to run. The running began to make him feel better. Maybe running would make his feet warm. If he ran far enough, he would reach his friends at Henderson Creek. They would attend to him.
It felt somewhat strange to run and not feel his feet when they hit the ground. He fell several times. He decided to rest a while. As he lay in the snow, he noticed that he was not shaking. He could not feel his nose or fingers or feet. Yet, he was feeling quite warm and comfortable. He realized he was going to die.
Well, he decided, he might as well take it like a man. There were worse ways to die.
The man closed his eyes and floated into the most comfortable sleep he had ever known.
1. What was the man trying to do?| A．Build a fire. | B．Find the matches. | C．Kill the dog. | D．Locate his friends. |
| A．exploding | B．bursting | C．burning | D．shaking |
| A．Whether he could collect enough firewood. |
| B．How he could get the matches out of his pocket. |
| C．How he could remove the gloves off both hands. |
| D．Whether he could get feelings back to his hands. |
| A．He would survive with the help of the fire he made. |
| B．He would be trapped in the snow and die of cold. |
| C．He would be helped out of the situation by his devoted dog. |
| D．He would be rescued by his friends who were searching for him. |
【推荐2】About a decade ago, Lawson was at a beach in Virginia watching his kids build castles right next to the waves.
“I kept trying to get them to come back because I thought it was a terrible idea,” he remarked. He wanted them to build their sandcastles closer to the dunes (沙丘). But they found it more exciting to build right where the waves hit, seeing their sandcastles get destroyed, and then rebuilding them with whatever debris (残骸) washed up from the ocean. “It seemed so symbolic, somehow, of how life works more than just building your perfect sandcastles,” said Lawson. When he decided to turn that sunny day into a children’s book, the idea came to just use pictures. “It seemed like it would work beautifully without words,” he said.
A Day for Sandcastles is illustrated by Qin Leng. It’s the second wordless picture book for Lawson and Leng since 2021’s Over the Shop. Leng’s illustrations stay pretty true to real life. Three siblings spend the day building sandcastles and watching them get destroyed by a flying hat. “To me it’s a celebration of childhood and the simple joys of life. These are the things I like to capture (捕捉),” said Leng.
Leng spent part of her childhood in France, and she was inspired by European comic books “What I love to do when I illustrate a picture book is add side stories to the main storyline. I always think about the readers and the longevity(持久) of the book, and I want them to be able to discover something new every time they revisit the book,” Leng explained.
At the end of the day, the sleepy-eyed kids pile into the bus that will take them home. “Those last pages are some of my favorite. They capture that feeling like at the end of the day on the beach, when it’s getting dark and you feel completely exhausted,” Lawson said. It must be a universal childhood feeling: happy with sand, sticky from the salt, hot from the sun, and ready to fall asleep the moment you get into the car.
1. Why does Lawson mention the scene where the kids built sandcastles?| A．To suggest a way to enjoy leisure. | B．To remind readers of the childhood. |
| C．To convince us of how life works. | D．To tell us the inspiration for his book. |
| A．They are purchased by kids universally. | B．Readers can only find pictures in them. |
| C．They carry no elements of comic books. | D．The stories are literally works of fantasy. |
| A．Updated. | B．Pleased. | C．Disturbed. | D．Exhausted. |
| A．Childhood in sandcastles | B．Beautiful childhood memories |
| C．Popular illustrated books | D．Explore the mystery of nature |
【推荐3】Jack was born without eyes. He was very lucky as he grew up having other kittens(young cats) to socialize with, and was used to people from the moment he was born. However, when it came time to find the kittens homes, no one knew where Jack would end up.
That's when I got an email from my friend. All she asked was “Do you still want one of the kittens? There's one here with no eyes and no one would like to take him.” Without thinking, I told her that I did want the kitten.
When we first brought him home, Jack stayed mostly in my room. After about a day he had no issues running around and climbing on everything. At times he gets lost in the house, he'll stop. But we just call him and talk to him and it isn't long before he finds his way back to us.
A few weeks after getting Jack, we got a new farm cat named Bear. Jack and Bear have become best friends. It doesn't matter that he can't see. He always knows when Bear is around. He'll run across the yard straight to Bear and wrap his front legs around his neck in a big hug. They run after each other around and wrestle. They'll lie down in the grass together when tired.
Jack is truly an inspiration. I've owned lots of kittens in my life, but Jack is the happiest and most playful. He doesn't feel sorry for himself. He doesn't need pity. I think Jean, owner of Gumbo, another eyeless cat, said it best when she told me that cats don't have disabilities, they have adaptability.
1. Why did Jack come to our home?| A．I liked an eyeless cat. | B．I didn't mind whether he was blind. |
| C．No other young cats kept him company. | D．My friend ordered me to take him home. |
| A．Difficulty. | B．Fun. | C．Luck. | D．Business. |
| A．Jack likes to play with a new eyeless cat. |
| B．Jack is good at talking and playing with people. |
| C．Jack quickly adapts to the new environment. |
| D．Jack and Bear lie down on the sofa together when tired. |
| A．A cat has nine lives. | B．All is well that ends well. |
| C．God helps those who help themselves. | D．A good beginning makes a good ending. |
【推荐1】Four apps for students to learn English
Quizlet
Quizlet is a learning app — a computer program you use on your mobile device. It can help users build and test their knowledge of English words and terms. Quizlet has word sets for millions of subjects. And, it is quickly becoming a useful mobile tool for language learners.
Socrative
In Socrative, teachers can create timed learning games. In class, students compete individually or as part of a team against classmates. One game students love is called space Race. In this game, if a team answers a question correctly, their rocket moves forward. This team whose rocket gets to the end first wins. Also, teachers can use Socrative as an “exit ticket,” a question they can ask students about what they learned in that day’s class. Students write their answers on their mobile devices. Then, the teacher can show the answers on a shared video screen.
QR Codes
A QR Code is a kind of sign that a smartphone can read with its camera. When your phone camera reads a QR code, it takes you to a website, image, video or anything you want to share. For example, one will take you to the VOA Learning English website.
Evernote
Evernote lets users store and share notes, images and recordings in one place. Teachers can also use Evernote to give homework.
1. Which is the best for students to build up vocabulary?| A．Quizlet. |
| B．QR Codes. |
| C．Evernote. |
| D．Socrative. |
| A．Give homework. |
| B．Carry out a classroom test. |
| C．Look up new words. |
| D．Visit an English-learning website. |
| A．To make an advertisement. |
| B．To encourage using mobile phones. |
| C．To improve English learning. |
| D．To introduce some learning apps. |
【推荐2】I had been in the city for some time and was coming home.I missed my boat and decided to travel on an old ship.I knew that it would not be a comfortable journey but I had no time to wait for another boat.
Hardly had we left the port when I saw the dog Gulliver，the captain’s favourite dog，for the first time.What a big dog it was！I had never seen one that could frighten me so much!
On the third day the ship caught fire.Nobody tried to put it out.The ship began sinking and all the men rushed to the lifeboats.I saw no chance of getting away in a boat.Suddenly I remembered there was a life raft (橡皮救生筏) on the ship.I had no time，so I immediately rushed towards the raft and pushed it into the water.
In jumping down onto the raft I hurt myself badly and was unconscious for some time.When I came to，I found there was no sign of a lifeboat.Every man who had been on board the ship must have gone down with her.I was the only one who was saved.
Then I saw Gulliver was coming fast towards the raft.It struggled a long time before it managed to get onto the raft.I wanted to push it back into the water but did not dare to move.The dog shook itself，went to the other end of the raft and lay down.I did not dare to sleep that night.I must watch it.In the moonlight I could see its eyes were open.It was watching，too.
1. The author first met the dog in the course of ________.| A．leaving the port |
| B．travelling in the city |
| C．waiting for the boat |
| D．getting onto the ship |
| A．got on a lifeboat |
| B．got away with a raft |
| C．jumped into the water |
| D．tried to put out the fire |
| A．It was friendly. |
| B．It had a good sleep. |
| C．It frightened the author. |
| D．It enjoyed the moon. |
【推荐3】What is the secret of happiness? A new study finds that happiness comes from exercise. People who exercise actively bring themselves happiness equal to earning an extra $ 25,000 a year.
Instead of recording extra hours at work in hopes of getting a raise, maybe you should hit the gym instead, as it could make you just as happy as that extra money. An interesting new study, published in the Lancet, found that people who are physically active have a greater sense of well—being than those who are inactive-and that active individuals feel as good as inactive people who earn $ 25,000 more per year.
Researchers from Oxford and Yale Universities used data gathered from more than 1.2milion Americans. They were asked, “How many times have you felt mentally unwell in the past30 days. for example, due to stress, depression, or emotional problems?” Participants were also asked about their exercise habits and were able to choose from 75 diverse physical activities, including doing housework and childcare, running, weightlifting, and cycling. The researchers found that people who exercise regularly feel bad for an average of 35 days per year, while inactive people feel bad for an additional 18 days.
All exercise types were associated with a lower mental health burden. Social physical activities （that is to say, team sports such as football, basketball, etc） had an even more positive effect, which can best help people relax mind.
It is possible for some to get too much exercise. From Business Insider's report on the study. “The mental health of those participants who exercised for longer than three hours a day suffered more than that of those who weren't particularly physically active.” The ideal amount seems to be three to five training sessions per week. lasting 30 to 60 minutes each.
But the conclusion should be that any amount helps, so don't stress about hitting that perfect balance: “All exercise types were associated with a lower mental health burden than not exercising.”
1. The question asked in Paragraph one is meant to ______.| A．introduce the researchers | B．tell the secret |
| C．draw a conclusion | D．lead to the topic |
| A．Running | B．Walking alone. | C．Playing football | D．Keeping fit in the gym. |
| A．people who exercise actively may feel bad for about 35 days per year. |
| B．The more exercise you take, the higher mental health burden you will get. |
| C．overdoing exercising will do harm to people's mental health. |
| D．doing exercise is better than not doing it. |
| A．Exercise can bring as much pleasure as an income rise. |
| B．The secret of happiness has nothing to do with wealth. |
| C．Choosing the right form of exercise is of vital importance. |
| D．The key to keep young is to exercise regularly. |
【推荐1】How many times have we expressed how rude young people are for texting while having a conversation?They try to fix eyes on their smartphone screen while nodding.What goes through your mind is “how rude they are!”
Have we forgotten some of the old school manners that our parents, grandparents and teachers taught us manners that have nothing to do with a mobile device or iPad,but everything to do with long-forgotten Golden Rules we were raised with?
When I was growing up,there was etiquette to coughing.When coughing,we were told to turn our head away and block off our mouth.This might sound amusing to many young people．But if we didn't follow these etiquettes，we would get a quick reminder to the back of our head When we were given something,and forgot to say “thank you”，elders would seriously remind us,“aren’t you forgetting to say something”，which was immediately followed by a “thank you”．
Maybe technology has affected our brains so much that we can never go back to those golden days we like.It seems as if we have thrown out manners and etiquette with the bathwater.Simple etiquette is missing in society.A thank-you note for a gift you have received all fall into the same box of manners.People are just cold these days because we are on the run every day in the world.
In the work environment have you ever come across a sign:“Your mother doesn’t work here,clean up by yourself”?We often hear people say, the younger generation have no manners.I think many people have lost their manners.We’ve allowed bad manners to go unchecked.We simply stand bad behavior．
In a world of more good manners,more “thank you” or “please” exchanged， our younger generation will have an improved quality of life．
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To point out young people’s good manners． |
| B．To introduce the main topics of the text． |
| C．To stress the importance of cell phone． |
| D．To explain the effect of cell phones on people． |
| A．modern family manners |
| B．rules observed at school |
| C．rules everyone has to follow |
| D．etiquette started by older generation |
| A．the younger person will feel it necessary |
| B．the younger person will feel it funny |
| C．the older people will think little of him |
| D．the older people will teach him a lesson |
| A．the parents and teachers’ improper act and attitude |
| B．the fast developed technology |
| C．the people’s attitude towards running away |
| D．the busy lifestyles people have |
【推荐2】As a Fulbright（富布莱特法案基金）scholar at Yale, I wanted very much to get some individual help from some famous professors, but their office-hours were only once a week and there were always students waiting outside. At first, I was too polite to get their help. Then I realized that Chinese politeness does not work in this society. I needed to be aggressive to get what I wanted. I also noticed that Chinese students or Asian students were very polite in class while American students often interrupted the professor, asking questions and dominating the discussion. The Chinese students were not as aggressive as American students.
I was impressed by the role of the professor in the class. The professor didn’t act as an authority, giving final conclusions, but as a researcher looking for answers to questions together with the students. One linguistic feature of his interacting with his students was that he used many modal verbs-far more than I did in Beiwai. When answering questions, he usually said: “this is my personal opinion and it could be wrong. It would be a good idea if you could read the book I mentioned the other day.” Or,“ You may find the book I recommended helpful.” Or,“You could be right, but you might find this point of view also interesting.” When making comments on students’ performances, the professor usually said:” It might have been much clearer if you had taken in some of the ideas we discussed earlier this semester.”
In China, authorities are always supposed to give wise decisions and correct directions. Therefore students always expect the professor to give an answer to the question. I still remember how annoyed they were when foreign teachers did not provide such an answer. Their expectations from authorities are much higher than those of American students. Once the Chinese students got the answer, they were sure about it. That is why they make far more certain statement than American students. That is why Chinese students find it difficult to use modal verbs because the function of modal verbs is to provide room for negotiation and different ideas.
1. The American professors use many modal verbs because they want to______.| A．argue with their students |
| B．be more sure about their answers |
| C．express their ideas more clearly |
| D．develop their students’ own way of thinking |
| A．Chinese professors can always give correct answer to the question. |
| B．American professors are not responsible since they don’t give students answers. |
| C．American education produces aggressive students. |
| D．Education in China is not helpful in developing students’ creativity. |
| A．Comparison and contrast. | B．Cause and effect. |
| C．Giving examples. | D．Description. |
| A．Positive | B．Negative |
| C．Neutral | D．Unsure |
【推荐3】According to new research from the University of Cambridge in England, sheep are able to recognize human faces from photographs. The farm animals, who are social and have large brains, were previously known to be able to recognize one another, as well as familiar humans. However, their ability to recognize human faces from photos alone is novel.
The recent study shows the woolly creatures could be trained to recognize still images of human faces, including those of former President Barack Obama and actress Emma Watson.
Initially, the sheep were trained to approach certain images by being given food rewards. Later, they were able to recognize the images for which they had been rewarded. The sheep could even recognize images of faces shown at an angle, though their ability to do so declined by about 15 percent—the same rate at which a humans ability to perform the same task declines.
“Anyone who has spent time working with sheep will know that they are intelligent, individual animals who are able to recognize their handlers,” said Professor Jenny Morton, who led the Cambridge study. “We’ve shown with our study that sheep have advanced face-recognition abilities, comparable with those of humans and monkeys.”
Recognizing faces is one of the most important social skills for human beings, and some disorders of the brain, including Huntington’s disease, affect this ability. “Sheep are long-lived and have brains that are similar in size and complexity to those of some monkeys. That means they can be useful models to help us understand disorders of the brain, such as Huntington’s disease, which develop over a long time and affect cognitive abilities. Our study gives us another way to monitor how these abilities change,” Morton said.
1. According to the new research, what’s unusual about sheep?| A．They have large brains. |
| B．They can recognize their owners. |
| C．They can tell animals from humans. |
| D．They can recognize human faces from photographs. |
| A．By giving food rewards. |
| B．By showing photos of famous people. |
| C．By guiding them to follow their handlers. |
| D．By showing photos of humans and monkeys by turns. |
| A．Sheep have a higher face-recognition ability than monkeys. |
| B．Sheep recognize faces same well when shown photos at any angle. |
| C．The new discovery is beneficial to the study of cognitive ability changes. |
| D．The sheep’s face-recognition ability may prevent some disorders of the brain. |
| A．A Wonderful Scientist |
| B．The Life of Sheep |
| C．The Sheep’s Recognition of Each Other |
| D．A New Discovery about Sheep |
