Once a baby cries, the parents will go to see what happened as soon as possible. According to a new study, a baby's cry can make adults react(反应) very quickly, even if they are not related.
Oxford University researchers used the classic game whack-a-mole for the study. Whack-a-mole(打鼹鼠游戏) requires people to hit one of nine buttons (按钮). The players must react as quickly as they can to whichever of the buttons lights up at random(随机). It is a game that requires speed and accuracy (准确度 ).
The study included 40 men and women volunteers aged 19 to 59. Some of them had sons or daughters but none had a baby at the time. They played whack-a-mole after listening to different sounds, including babies crying, the crying of adults in trouble and birdsong played at a similar pitch to the babies' cries.
The volunteers' scores were higher after listening to the sound of crying babies. Men and women had similar scores overall. The results showed that a crying baby gets special attention.
"Few sounds make people react quite like the cry of a baby," said Morten Kringelbach of Oxford's psychiatry（精神病学） department, who led the study. "For example, it's almost impossible to ignore(忽视，不理) crying babies on planes. This is true even though there are so many other noises around."
He added that a baby's cry can increase adults' heart rate and blood pressure. This is understandable, because in the course of human evolution (进化), taking care of babies has always been an important job for adults. When a baby is hungry or feeling bored or unwell, it will cry. As a result, human brains and bodies develop a special reaction to a baby's cry. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．There were 80 volunteers who took part in the study. |
| B．The youngest volunteer was 19 and the oldest was 59. |
| C．Some volunteers had babies at that time in the study. |
| D．The volunteers were affected by the sound of a baby’s cry. |
The game “whack-a-mole” shows ______.
| A．a baby’s cry can get special attention from adults |
| B．men and women have different reaction speed and accuracy |
| C．adults without babies react less quickly to a baby’s cry |
| D．women react to a baby’s cry more quickly than men |
“Whack-a-mole” requires people to hit _____ at a time.
| A．one button | B．one of nine buttons |
| C．nine buttons | D．ten buttons |
According to the passage, a baby’s cry ______.
| A．has the same pitch as birdsong |
| B．is the noisiest sound there is |
| C．can increase adults’ heart rate and blood pressure |
| D．is good for its health |
From the last paragraph, we learn that ______.
| A．taking care of the younger babies was the most important thing in the past |
| B．human brains and bodies have developed to take care of babies |
| C．baby cries are a good way make adults react quickly |
| D．baby cries have developed a lot during the course of human evolution |
Earthquakes happen without warning(前兆). They can happen any time of a day, at any point during the year. When an earthquake is happening, you should know what you should do or not do.
Do NOT go outside. You could get injured from falling glass or parts of buildings. If you are outside, stay away from buildings and power lines(输电线).
Stay under a desk, table, or other strong furniture. Hold on to it. Or stay in a corner of the building. Cover your face and head with your arms and cover your mouth with a towel or clothing. Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside.
Keep away from windows, pictures or advertisements on the wall or the building, and anything else that could fall and hurt you. Most people get injured by falling things during an earthquake, not by the shaking itself.
Also keep away from a fire. You could fall down and burn yourself on the fire.
If you are driving when an earthquake happens，stop the car if it’s safe. Stay inside your car until the earthquake stops, and don’t drive near bridges. Try not to stop by power lines or trees. These could fall and hurt you.It isn’t safe for you to ______ while the earthquake is happening.
| A．run out of the building |
| B．stay in a corner of the building |
| C．cover your head with your arms |
| D．cover your mouth with a towel |
From this passage, we know ______ .
| A．all people are frightened at earthquakes |
| B．earthquakes may happen at any time |
| C．we can’t save ourselves in an earthquake |
| D．people won’t get injured in an earthquakes if they are careful enough. |
The best title for this passage should be “ _____________ ”
| A．How Earthquakes Happen |
| B．How to Drive a Car |
| C．What We Should Do in Earthquakes |
| D．Why Earthquakes Happen |
One day, Jack’s parents told him that his grandpa would retire(退休) after working for forty years. Jack said in surprise, “I’m only seven, so it means Grandpa has been…er…. A really long time!” His parents said, “Yes. That’s why we are going to have a surprise party for him.”
Jack loved his Grandpa and wanted to do something special for him. He remembered the business card his grandpa had given him two years before. He knew that his grandpa would no longer have the position (职位) on that card, so he decided to make a new one for his grandpa.
When the big day came, Jack was ready. But he didn’t want to put his gift together with others. He carried it around with him the whole evening. When all the other people left, he took his grandpa’s hand and brought him over to a chair and gave him the gift. His grandpa smiled, “Well, it must be a beautiful gift. May I open it now?” “Sure!” Jack said excitedly.
As Grandpa opened the gift, tears came into his eyes. Jack gave him the greatest gift he had ever got! They were business cards with his new position:________! Jack said, “Now your full-time job is my grandpa!”
“Well, how much do I get paid?” his grandpa asked, smiling. “As many hugs(拥抱) as you want!” With these words, Jack gave Grandpa a hug. “Well, I guess that means I’m the richest man in the world!” said Grandpa. Jack remembered _____ his grandpa had given him two years before.
| A．the birthday card | B．the business card | C．the book | D．the toy |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Jack’s parents helped him to make the gift for his grandpa. |
| B．Jack kept his secret about the gift before giving it to his grandpa. |
| C．Jack bought the business card for his grandpa. |
| D．Jack wanted his grandpa to make money for him. |
What is Jack’s grandpa’s new position?
| A．PART-TIME MANAGER | B．FULL-TIME MANAGER |
| C．PART-TIME GRANDPA | D．FULL-TIME GRANDPA |
Why were there tears in Grandpa’s eyes?
| A．Because he would lose his position. |
| B．Because he was not cared for. |
| C．Because he was moved by Jack’s gift. |
| D．Because he was unhappy. |
WONDERFUL EVENTS
| HORSE RACING ALL YEAR ROUND Races Starting at 3 p.m.. Every Sunday Racetrack Only 20 Miles Away Lots of Free Parking Space Free Presents No Children Allowed |
100 YEARS OF PICTURES THEN AND NOW (Photo Show) See the Tajin History From 1900~2000 February 1~April 30 City Art Museum 750 High Street Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. ~5 p.m. |
| WEEKEND SALES This Saturday 2~6 p.m. EVERYTHING 20%~40% OFF Visit Us at Block Grandview Mall Realize Your Dreams— Save Time and Money Fall in Love with Prices We Offer |
DANCE PARTY CELEBRATE A SPECIAL DATE Bringing Your Sweet Heart SUNDAY NIGHT, COUNTRY CLUB Live Band from 9 p.m.~1 a.m. $25 A Couple (夫妇) $15 A single (单个的) person |
Who can NOT go to the horse race?
| A．A single person. | B．A couple. |
| C．Children. | D．Free parents. |
What can you do if you only have time between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday?
| A．Go shopping. |
| B．Go to see the photo show. |
| C．Go to the dance with your sweet heart. |
| D．Go to watch the horse race. |
How much will Mr. and Mrs. Smith pay if they want to go to the dance party?
| A．15 dollars. | B．25 dollars. |
| C．20%~40% off. | D．For free. |
Where can you see the advertisements above?
| A．In a book. | B．In a magazine. |
| C．In a newspaper. | D．On TV. |
TOKYO, JAPAN--What do you do when you see a cockroach (蟑螂）？ Do you hit it with a newspaper? Do you step on it?
When researchers at Tokyo University see a cockroach, they take the remote control and make the cockroach turn around, run left or right, or go forward. These scientists are changing the cockroaches into robots. Each cockroach has a very small pack that has in it a microprocessor(微处理器）.Then researchers can send signals from the remote control to the pack. The signals control the movements of the cockroaches.
Why does anyone want to control a cockroach? “Insects can do many things that people can’t,” says Isao Shimoyama, head of robot research at Tokyo University. In a few years, he says, these robot insects will carry very small cameras. They will be able to move through earthquake rubble(瓦砾）to look for people or move under doors to find information about someone.
This may seem strange, but the Japanese government thinks the research is very important. The government is giving the scientists $ 5 million for this research.
First, the researchers breed (培育)hundreds of cockroaches. They use only the American cockroach because it is bigger and stronger than other cockroaches. Then they choose the best cockroaches and remove their wings and antennae(触须）. They put small packs where the antennae were. The packs weigh about three grams, or about two times the weight of the cockroaches themselves. “Cockroaches are very strong,” says Ralph Holzer, who is a researcher at Tokyo University. “They can lift 20 times their own weight. ”
With a remote control, the scientists send signals to the packs. When a cockroach gets the signal, it moves. The problem is that the cockroaches don’t always move in the right direction.The scientists are changing the cockroaches into robots because ______.
| A．they want cockroaches to do things people can’t in the future |
| B．they want to control the movements of the cockroaches |
| C．they want cockroaches to take photos of the earthquakes |
| D．they want to send signals to the packs on the cockroaches |
What can cockroaches do to help people?
| A．They can lift 20 times their own weight. |
| B．They can help people to carry very small cameras. |
| C．They can breed hundreds of cockroaches. |
| D．They can search for those people in rubble after an earthquake. |
Scientists control cockroaches’ movements ______.
| A．by removing their wings |
| B．by sending signals from the remote control |
| C．by using very small cameras |
| D．by removing their antennae |
What problem do the rcscarchcrs meet with?
| A．The cockroachcs sometimes clon;t move. |
| B．The cockroachcs sometimes move in ihc wrong direction. |
| C．The cockroachcs arc too big to move through earthquake rubble. |
| D．The cockroachcs can only lift 20 times their own weight. |
In 1901, the citizens of Colorado Springs in the USA decided to collect everyday items and to seal (封住）them in a special box. The box was marked “To be opened after midnight, December 31st, AD 2000”，and was kept in the Colorado College Library.
One hundred years later, on the appointed (约定）day, 300 people gathered to watch the opening of the box. Many in the crowd were the descendants (后代）of people who had placed things inside the box.
When the box was opened after midnight, the things inside the box were in very good condition. There were newspapers, photos, diaries, name cards, family trees, books and lots of letters, including one written by Theodore Roosevelt, who became the President of the USA later that year. One of Roosevelt’s friends lived in Colorado Springs at that time.
Many of the letters were written to their descendants. They describe the hopes that the people of 1901 had for the people of the next century. At that time, Colorado Springs had just a few thousand people. Now nearly half a million people live there.
Colorado College Library has scanned the materials and put them on a website. Cecil Muller, whose grandfather had placed a collection of postcards in the box, said that the time capsule was a great treasure. “This is a wonderful educational resource(资源）. We can learn so much about our history,”he said. “I never knew my grandfather, but now I feel very close to him. ”According to the passage, “time capsule” means ______.
| A．a collection of clocks and watches |
| B．a machine for travelling through time |
| C．a collection of items for people to look at in the future |
| D．a collection of unwanted items |
Many of the letters in the time capsule talked about .
| A．the history of the town |
| B．the people who lived in the town |
| C．the politics of the USA |
| D．people’s hopes for the future |
Cecil Muller says that the time capsule ______.
| A．helps him to get to know his grandfather |
| B．is worth a lot of money |
| C．brings back his memories of his grandfather |
| D．helps him to remember his younger day |
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