1 . Much like the popular TikTok challenge where kids resist eating snacks, cuttlefish can do the same! Cuttlefish can delay gratification(满足)—wait for a better meal rather than be tempted by the one at hand—and those that can wait longest also do better in a learning test, scientists have discovered.
This fascinating report marks the first time a link between self-control and intelligence has been found in an animal other than humans and chimpanzees. It is published this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The research was conducted by lead author Alexandra Schnell of University of Cambridge, at the Marine Biological Laboratory(MBL), Woods Hole.
“We used a slightly-changed version of the Stanford marshmallow(棉花糖) test in the 1970s, where children were given a choice of taking an immediate reward(1 marshmallow) or waiting to earn a delayed but better reward(2 marshmallows),” Schnell says. “Cuttlefish in the present study were all able to wait for the better reward and tolerated delays for up to 50—130 seconds, which is even comparable to what we see in large-brained vertebrates(脊椎动物) such as chimpanzees(黑猩猩), crows, and parrots.” Cuttlefish that could wait longer for a meal also showed better cognitive(认知的) performance in a learning task. In that experiment, cuttlefish were trained to associate a visual cue with a food reward. Then, the situation was the other way round, so the reward became associated with a different cue. “The cuttlefish that were quickest at learning both of those associations were better at keeping self-control.” Schnell says.
Why cuttlefish have evolved this capacity for self-control is a bit mysterious. Delayed gratification in humans is thought to strengthen social bonds between individuals—such as waiting to eat so a partner can eat first—which benefits the species as a whole. But whether it may also be a function of most animals still remains to be further explored.
1. How does the author lead to the topic?A.By giving an example. | B.By explaining a definition. |
C.By quoting a famous saying. | D.By introducing a research result. |
A.The procedures and result of the experiment. |
B.The amazing evolution of cuttlefish’s brain ability. |
C.The background and the researchers in the experiment. |
D.The comparison between the brains of human and cuttlefish. |
A.Cuttlefish’s delayed gratification is linked to better cognitive performance. |
B.The researchers later adapted the experiment for a Stanford marshmallow test. |
C.Previous link between self-control and intelligence has been found in animals. |
D.Four sea species have been so far confirmed with the ability to delay gratification. |
A.Cuttlefish: The Impatient Waiter and Quick Hunter |
B.A Test Challenging Kids: To Eat Now or To Eat Not? |
C.Large-brained Vertebrates: Better Self Control Leads to More Rewards |
D.Delayed Gratification: Quick-Learning Cuttlefish Pass “The Marshmallow Test” |
The 6.2-magnitude earthquake
According to China Earthquake Networks Center, the quake
Witnesses told Xinhua the earthquake caused damages on houses, roads and other infrastructures. Several villages have suffered power failures and shortage of water.
According to local meteorological authorities, the
The provincial fire and rescue department has sent 580 rescuers
The railway authority has suspended passenger and cargo trains
Hu Changsheng, Party chief of Gansu, and Ren Zhenhe, governor of Gansu, rushed to the disaster area to command rescue and
It was reported that every effort
1.说明创建低碳校园的必要性;
2.列举具体的做法;
3.呼吁大家行动起来。
注意:
1.写作词数应为80左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
What Can We Do To Build A Low-carbon Campus?
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Two male wild Asian elephants in the prime of their lives
In the past two months, over ten wild Asian elephants have visited the county several times, most of
“Currently, the two Asian elephants are still wandering in the village,” said Wang Siqi,
Bathing in sun light and fanning their ears, they came to a sugarcane field and started searching for food
Monitoring results suggested that they may come from the same elephant herd and showed that over the past more than one month, the two elephants have lived together
5 . Zhu Dejun’s first job after graduating from college was as a road design engineer in his hometown, Alshaa League, North Chin’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region(内蒙古自治区). In 2011, when Zhu was conducting a road survey along with his colleagues, he saw a plant that he didn’t recognize. Later, Zhu learned that the plant was a saxaul (灌木梭梭) tree which is an excellent tree species for sand fixation and afforestation (造林) in desert areas. Known as a desert guardian, a fully grown saxaul tree can hold together a 10-square-meter patch of desert land, according to Zhu.
Zhu quit (辞去) his job at the design institute in 2014 and joined a nonprofit organization, the Society of Entrepreneurs and Ecology Conservation, or SEE, in the same year, concentrating on dealing with desertification (沙漠化) .During the past eight years, Zhu has been leading a team from SEE to plant saxaul trees in sandy areas in Alshaa League and other places of Inner Mongolia.
In 2014, the SEE launched a project titled “one million saxaul trees”, aiming to reach that number from 2014 to 2023, turning the desert of more than 133, 330 hectares (公顷) back into a satisfying ecosystem. By the end of 2018, half of the organization’s goal had been achieved. In 2016, Ant Finance cooperated with SEE to introduce the Ant Forest platform, not only encouraging people to choose “a low-carbon way” of shopping, traveling and living, but also to help control desertification.
Through the participation of a greater number of online users, who grow virtual trees, the SEE Foundation, set up in 2008, has been providing subsidies (补助金) for local herdsmen and farmers while also offering technological support to plant saxaul trees in desert areas. Now, Zhu is the head of the foundation’s project to fight desertification. He also gives lectures about saxaul trees and the fight against desertification at schools, hoping to raise awareness among young people.
1. What did Zhu Dejun do first after graduation?A.Here searched on saxaul trees. |
B.He joined a nonprofit organization. |
C.He found ways to fight desertification. |
D.He focused on road design engineering. |
A.They are easily taken care of. |
B.They can grow fast in deserts. |
C.They are perfect for holding water. |
D.They can fight desertification effectively. |
A.They teamed up with Ant Finance. |
B.They planted one million saxaul trees. |
C.They held online lectures on desertification. |
D.They encouraged donation from online users. |
A.By providing subsidies. | B.By raising awareness. |
C.By planting trees online. | D.By offering technological support. |
In the past 10 years, China has added more than 22 million hectares of forest. Thanks to
In 2022, China completed the afforestation (植树造林) of 3.83 million hectares and treated 1, 847, 300 hectares of rock-deserted land. After continuous effort, China has achieved
China’s forest coverage rate has reached 24 percent, and forest accumulation has reached 19 billion cubic meters,
In terms of vegetation (植被) restoration, in 2020 China published a guideline to perform a forest chief scheme nationwide. Principal leaders of governments should
Bazhou District in China’s Sichuan Province is
In terms of ecological civilization education, in Shanghai, for example, an elementary school has
July 2023 was the world’s warmest month on record, with heat waves spreading across North America, Asia and Europe. How to cool the planet
According to Euro news, a European television news network, one idea
However, following the report,
8 . Here are some fantastic parks in San Antonio.
Brackenridge Park
The park was first established in 1899 and has been popular with both locals and visitors ever since. Towering trees and peaceful riverbanks will greet guests along the park’s paths, and the facilities include playgrounds, museums, a miniature train, a Japanese tea garden, and one of the oldest golf courses in the city.
Friedrich Wilderness Park
In the park, you’ll find about 10 miles of paved(铺过的)and unpaved trails(路线), with a little something for everyone. From rocky climbs to deep canyons, and enchanting forests to open views, there’s no shortage of natural beauty. The area is nationally famous for birdwatching.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
The park is the state’s only one on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It covers quite a large area, so it’s best to make it a full-day or at least a half-day trip so you can be sure to cover everything. While the Alamo is a separate attraction, you will get to enjoy the architectural wonders of Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. They’re all connected by a hike and bike trail, with plenty of stops along the way to picnic, climb trees, and refill water. Admission is free!
Eisenhower Park
Just a 20-to 30-minute drive from the city center, the park puts the best landscapes in the Texas Hill Country on full display, holding 6 miles of hiking trails, both paved and unpaved. Explore dried creek beds, look out over plunging canyons, and enjoy full views of San Antonio down below. You can also find playgrounds for the little ones, picnic tables, and barbecue facilities.
1. What is Friedrich Wilderness Park well-known for?A.Birdwatching. | B.Ancient buildings. |
C.A Japanese tea garden. | D.Unpaved hiking paths. |
A.Brackenridge Park. |
B.Friedrich Wilderness Park. |
C.San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. |
D.Eisenhower Park. |
A.Golf courses and bicycle trails. |
B.Museums and no entrance fee. |
C.Birdwatching and playgrounds. |
D.Hiking trails and barbecue facilities. |
If you are able to step outside and hear many types of birds, you might have a feeling of well-being. A study shows that
The study
There could be some other reasons too. Ferraro states that in many
Ferraro and her team played
Caught in a flood
Mary and her parents were downstairs in the living room. Mary was looking through the windows at the endless rain outside. It had been raining non-stop for three days. She had never seen a storm this bad. It was making her nervous. The wind roared and the rain beat on the roof and windows. Dad was listening to a weather report on the radio, while Mum was putting their important documents and disaster supplies into a bag.
“Mum, Dad,” said Mary suddenly, “I think we should leave here right away!”
“No,” said Dad. “It’s too late: The radio says the city has already been flooded.”
“We can drive our car through the floodwater. Let’s us leave! I’m really scared!” cried Mary. “We can’t do that, honey,” explained Mum, “otherwise the moving water could wash the car away!”
Mary walked to the door. She was curious to see how much water there was outside.
“Don’t open the door!” shouted Mum and Dad at the same time. “The water may flood in!”
Dad moved the dinner table against the door, in case the floodwater forced the door open. Mum waved to Mary to sit on the sofa. “Mary, don’t worry. Everything’s going to be OK,” she said softly, trying her best to comfort Mary. Her voice was calm, but Mary could tell she was worried too.
Without saying a single word, Dad walked to the sofa, sat down and hugged his wife and daughter. The sudden silence in the house seemed to make the wind and rain more frightening outside. What could they do?
注意:1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.续写部分分为两段,每段开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1:
All of a sudden, the floodwater forced the door open.
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Being upstairs, they breathed a sigh of relief.
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