1 . Art may not be a uniquely human patent. Apes (猿), monkeys, elephants, dolphins and even rabbits can be encouraged to express themselves via pencil and paper.
New research on the artistic efforts of apes suggests that their work varies according to changes in the world around them. The new study, published in the journal Animals, focuses on hundreds of drawings produced by five female apes at Japan’s Tama Zoological Park, where keepers provided them with crayons and paper over many years as part of a behavioural enrichment programme.
One of the apes, named Molly, was especially productive. She only started drawing on her 54th birthday, but from that point on, until her death five years later, she produced about 1,300 pictures. She drew almost every day, creating more complex pictures than her companions. “I don’t know if we can describe her as a genius,” says Sueur, a biologist in the park. “Such differences are often observed between individuals of a species, with some smarter than others.” Sueur and his colleagues identified individual differences between the apes’ artistic styles, in terms of their preferred colors, the types of shapes they drew and the space they filled on the paper. Only Molly routinely filled most of the space available.
Molly’s style changed with the season too. In summer and winter, greens dominated her pictures, but she switched to pinks and purples in spring and autumn. Appealingly, she opted for red whenever another female in the group was giving birth, which may indicate that her paintings are something more than purely abstract.
“We’ve tried not to overinterpret,” says Sueur. “It could be earlier representational art.” The biologists suggest that apes may provide clues to the development of artistic skills in humans. Like children, and unlike other species known to put pen to paper, the apes needed no reward to participate in the task, suggesting that they enjoy it for its own interest.
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?A.Female animals are talented at the creation of art. |
B.The artistic style of animals remains unchanged. |
C.Some animals can develop artistic skills like humans. |
D.Animals are capable of creating masterpieces through efforts. |
A.Talented. | B.Human-like. | C.Open-minded. | D.Competitive. |
A.Help people know better about apes. |
B.Gain a new perspective of the evolution of art. |
C.Better protect the friends of humans-animals. |
D.Appeal to humans to learn from apes. |
A.Work hard, play hard. | B.Well begun is half done. |
C.Look before you leap. | D.Interest is the best teacher. |
“Woof! Woof!” Emma was closing up her bookstore and the loud barking behind her frightened her so badly that she dropped her keys. She turned and found a large dog standing behind her. “Where did you come from?” Emma asked as she got back her keys.
The dog walked closer and pressed up against Emma’s leg. He looked up at Emma and wagged his tail, Emma touched his ear, and her hand brushed against the collar (项圈) hidden beneath the dog’s thick coat. Emma parted the dog’s fur to see if there was a name tag attached to the collar. Instead, she found rows of shiny blue and yellow stones encircled the collar. “That is one fancy collar,” Emma said. “Someone must be looking for you.”
Emma glanced up and down the street, but didn’t find anyone who seemed like they were looking for the dog. She asked some passers-by if they’d seen anyone, but they all shook their heads.
It seemed like she had no other choice, so Emma took the dog home with her. She ate dinner, fed the dog some of the food she’d bought on the way home, then settled onto the sofa. The dog sat beside the sofa and rested his chin on her knee. Emma looked down into his soulful eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll find your owner.” She patted the dog’s head.
Emma took the dog to her bookshop with her the next day. “I didn’t know you had a dog.” Emma looked up at the man who’d just entered her shop. It was her regular customer Peter.
“I found him, but he’s not mine,” Emma said.
“Well, I hope he won’t scare away your customers.” Peter walked closer to the dog. Peter’s words worried Emma. She kept a close eye on the dog, but he didn’t bark at anyone. When a woman with a little kid entered the store, the dog even went over to sniff (g) the child.
注意:
1. 续写词数应为150 左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Looking at the well-behaved dog, Emma decided to do something to help find his owner.
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With days passing, Emma finally got a call from a woman named Sarah.
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3 . The first apes evolved 20 million years ago in the forests where they would go up a tree to get their food, and then come back down to move on to the next tree. Getting out of a tree presents all kinds of new challenges. Big apes can’t afford to fall because it could kill or badly injure them. Natural selection would have favored those with body structures that allowed them to descend safely.
Dartmouth researchers report in the journal Royal Society Open Science that apes probably evolved free-moving shoulders and flexible elbows to slow their descent from trees as gravity pulled on their heavier bodies. These flexible body parts passed on from ancestral apes would have allowed early humans to climb trees at night for safety and comedown in the daylight unhurt. When early humans transitioned from forests to open savannas (热带稀树草原), flexible shoulders and elbows were crucial for gathering food and using tools for hunting and defense.
The researchers used sports analysis and statistical software to study how primates(灵长目动物) like chimpanzees and small monkeys called mangabeys climbed in the wild. They found that chimps and mangabeys scaled(攀爬) trees similarly, with shoulders and elbows mostly bent close to the body. When descending, however, chimpanzees extended their arms above their heads to hold on to branches, much like a person using a ladder, to counteract(抵消) their heavier weight pulling them downward.
Luke Fannin, the lead author of the study, emphasized that their findings highlight the importance of “down climbing” in the evolution of apes and early humans. He explained, “Our research introduces the idea that down climbing played a significant role in shaping the structural differences between monkeys and apes, which eventually manifested in humans.”
“Our field has thought about apes climbing up trees for a long time, but we’ve been ignoring the second half of this behavior,” said Professor Jeremy DeSilva, “The findings are among the first to identify the significance of “down climbing” in the evolution of apes and early humans.
1. According to paragraph 1, apes would have been favored by natural selection if .A.they have sufficient food resources. |
B.they come down from trees securely. |
C.they master skills of climbing up trees. |
D.they cure themselves when they’re injured. |
A.The similarity of two primates in tree climbing |
B.The evolution of two primates’ adaptation to nature. |
C.The analysis of primates’ tree scaling and descending |
D.The application of different research methods and tools. |
A.Descending trees has been neglected by researchers for a long time. |
B.The study is the first to recognize the significance of down climbing |
C.The evolution of apes and early humans is a result of down climbing. |
D.Studies on climbing down trees are more likely to have new findings. |
A.Chimpanzees and Mangabeys: Researches in Natural Settings |
B.Apes and Humans: A Comparative Study of Climbing up Trees |
C.Shoulders and Elbows: Evolved as Brakes for Downclimbing Apes |
D.Apes’ Climbing Strategies: How to Use Different Body Parts Flexibly |
Let’s save ______
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5 . Children returned to school after a big wildfire in Northern California. But the influence is so huge that it will be some time before the life of students there returns to normal.
Eight schools were lost to the wildfire. Government officials were not sure how many of their nearly 3,500 students would report to temporary (临时的) schools. Some families have left California. Others are staying with friends. It is too far for some of them to drive to one of those schools every day.
There are not enough classrooms for middle and high schools. So for the l3 days before the start of the traditional winter break in the school year, students will learn through independent study. They will be given homework online and be able to visit a special drop-in center in Chico, California. Children going there can get help from teachers or visit other classmates.
Loren Lighthall, a spokesman for one school there, said studying will be less important than dealing with pain and reconnecting with friends. “They don’t have their school, they don’t have their work, they don’t have their friends, they don’t have books and we’re asking them to do homework?” Light hall said. “It’s less important at this point. We’re going to do it. But what is important now is to deal with the pain left.”
Search members have stopped looking for the lost in burned cars and houses. But they remain available whenever there is need for help.
1. What does the underlined “those schools” in the second paragraph refer to?A.The schools being built. | B.The online schools. |
C.The 8 schools lost to the fire | D.The temporary schools. |
A.Because there aren’t enough classrooms for them. |
B.Because the traditional winter break is coming soon. |
C.Because the students want to start a new way of study. |
D.Because the teachers ask them to do their homework online. |
A.Students should go to school immediately. |
B.It is important to deal with the pain. |
C.Students should be given much homework. |
D.It is not necessary to study after the fire. |
A.Life of students in North California has come to normal. |
B.Search members have not stopped looking for the missing. |
C.The wildfire in North California influences students greatly. |
D.Classrooms are prepared for students affected in the wildfire. |
6 . Wouldn’t it be great to spend a few days in the woods walking around and exploring nature?
Stay calm.
Stay positive. Remember that you’re out in the forest for a reason, whether it’s to experience new things, build memories with friends and family, or simply relax and enjoy life. Remembering what brought you to the forest in the first place will help keep your mind positive.
Build a shelter and start a fire. Your first order of business when you lose your way is to build a shelter and start a fire.
A.Be hurry. |
B.Be patient. |
C.Of course, it would, but it’s easy to get lost. |
D.ackpackers are usually very adventurous types. |
E.Panic is often what leads you to lose their way in the forest. |
F.This will help keep you warm and safe throughout the night. |
G.If you take a positive attitude, chances are much higher that you’ll make it back alive. |
7 . Soil is one of the most important materials of daily life. It’s necessary for growing the food and resources we depend on, protecting against drought (干旱) and flooding and storing carbon dioxide for years to come. But the dirt under our feet is constantly in danger because of rising temperatures and loss of biodiversity caused by climate change. Although we may think soil is simple, it’s pretty hard to know what’s really going on deep in the ground from the surface.
Scientists in Italy, however, think they may have a robotic solution—a seed-inspired (受种子启发的) robot. Scientists at the Bioinspired Soft Robotics (BSR) Lab have developed the first 4D-printed seed-inspired soft robot, which can act as sensors for monitoring pollutants, CO2 levels, temperature and humidity (湿度) in soil.
They were inspired by a South African geranium (a garden plant). The seeds of the plant have the ability to change shape in response to how humid their environment is. When the time comes for the seeds to leave the plant, they can separate themselves from the plant and move independently to find their way through soil. The curly seeds can find a home for themselves simply by becoming bigger or smaller depending on the water content in the air. The team imitated the seeds and developed robots that use materials that also change shape when exposed (暴露) to humidity.
When tested in a soil sample, the robot was able to rock from side to side, adapt its shape to the space, and get into holes in the ground like a natural seed. Not to mention, it was capable of lifting things about 100 times its own weight. First author Luca Cecchini said that the robot is easy to break down and causes no harm to the soil. It could be used as a wireless, battery-free tool for surface soil exploration and monitoring.
1. What can be learned about soil from paragraph 1?A.It is at risk. | B.It can be easily polluted. |
C.It is seldom studied by scientists. | D.It is partly responsible for climate problems. |
A.To deal with climate change. | B.To improve farming efficiency. |
C.To monitor the condition of soil. | D.To test the 4D-printing technology. |
A.Controlling the soil temperature. | B.Changing the shape of plant seeds. |
C.Carrying the seeds to the right place. | D.Adapting to humidity changes in soil. |
A.It is highly affordable. | B.It is environment-friendly. |
C.It doesn’t perform well in the field. | D.It works well under extreme conditions. |
1. Where is the ship?
A.3,000 meters beneath the ice. |
B.1,000 meters beneath the ice. |
C.300 meters beneath the ice. |
A.A little frightened. | B.A bit dissatisfied. | C.Very surprised. |
A.They lifted it from the deep sea. |
B.They left it in the deep sea. |
C.They took away some parts of it. |
9 . Our two-year investigation into caged (关在笼中) tigers in America sent us through 32 US states—with some truly shocking experiences. But as the deadline neared, I still needed a powerful and hopeful image.
When we began our reporting in 2017—Sharon, writing; me taking photos; and our son, NickRuggia, filming—more tigers likely lived in cages in the US than remained in the wild. The number ranged from 5,000 to 10,000, but without strict government oversight, no one knew for sure.
Roadside zoos that allowed tourists to take pictures of young tigers were the main cause of what’s been called a US tiger crisis (危机). Caged cats often ended up in the illegal wildlife trade. Young tigers, parted from their mothers at birth, were fed poorly and touched by hundreds of people. When they grew too big and dangerous to pet at around 12 weeks, young tigers were put on show, or simply disappeared.
While we documented the unpleasant part of this industry, we also wanted to show the good life these impressive animals could have. With two weeks left before my deadline, I headed to the Wild Animal Sanctuary near Denver, where well-cared cats walked freely in their habitat.
There I met Clay, Daniel, and Enzo, three of 39 tigers rescued from an animal park in Oklahoma. These nearly grown cats raced beside our car, which I’d seen only in the wild. It was a hot July day and soon two of the cats jumped into a pool to cool off. The third rested beside them on the ground. I crossed the road to take a picture of them. Then quietly, I came up close, trying not to disturb (打扰) them. I had the shot.
1. Why did the author start her reporting?A.To dig out the dark truth of caged tigers. | B.To explore the amazing land in the country. |
C.To tell people that baby tigers are harmless. | D.To share the happy moment during the trip. |
A.Forest fires. | B.Climate change. | C.Roadside zoos. | D.Water pollution. |
A.They prefer to stay indoors. | B.They are badly treated. |
C.They get used to the changes. | D.They are traded legally. |
A.To praise her family for their effort. | B.To explain what the animals suffered. |
C.To introduce a special kind of tigers. | D.To show some tigers lead an easy life. |
10 . A study led by a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology has updated the fossil (化石) record of mosquitoes (蚊子) by nearly 30 million years and has discovered that ancient male mosquitoes also fed on blood.
The study was published online on Monday in the journal Current Biology, which discovered the oldest-known mosquito fossils --- two males dating back 130 million years near the town of Hammana in Lebanon.
Dany Azar, who led the study, said the fossils not only told us the ancient origins of mosquitoes but also their feeding habits during the early stages of their growth. “We find that the mosquito group is developing, which gives us an idea about their behavior of feeding on blood” said Azar, who has been working on the subject for more than 25 years.
Before the recent findings and their study, only female mosquitoes were known to feed on blood, which they need for protein to produce their eggs. Males, which lack skin-piercing (刺入皮肤的) mouthparts, mostly feed on honey and plant juices.
“The feeding habits of insects, such as feeding on blood, are believed to have developed from their piercing mouthparts. However, studying the development of this behavior has been challenging due to the lack of insect fossil records.” Azar said.
While reexamining the mosquito fossils last year, Azar found that their unique piercing mouthparts, very similar to those of female mosquitoes today, had been kept well. Their sharp mandibles (下颌骨) gradually disappeared over the centuries.
Based on the findings, the researchers agreed that male mosquitoes fed on blood 130 million years ago. Azar, who is now a professor at the Nanjing institute, said he hopes that joint scientific explorations can be widely carried out in the future to promote more discoveries.
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?A.Female mosquitoes feed on blood for protein to produce eggs. |
B.A minority of male mosquitoes feed on honey and plant juices. |
C.Two female mosquito fossils were found near the town of Hammana. |
D.Male mosquitoes have the same feeding habits as female mosquitoes. |
A.Because his team lacks money. |
B.Because there is no talent studying it. |
C.Because his team wants to study another subject. |
D.Because his team is short of insect fossil records. |
A.Female mosquitoes fed on blood 130 million years ago. |
B.Male mosquitoes’ sharp mouthparts gradually disappeared. |
C.The mouthparts of the female mosquitoes have been kept well. |
D.Male mosquitoes once shared similar mouthparts with female today. |
A.The mosquito group is developing. |
B.Ancient male mosquitoes probably fed on blood. |
C.The oldest-known mosquito fossils were discovered. |
D.Female and male mosquitoes share similar feeding habits now. |