Squirrels often communicate with whistles, chirps and chucks, which sound like the word “chuck”. Whistles and chirps are like the sounds that many birds make. Now scientists have translated some of their squirrel-speak.
Hare, a professor of zoology at the University of Maniloha in Winnipeg, and his team managed to record squirrels' alarm calls. The researchers studied the sounds and then played them back to 60 wild squirrels, which the scientists approached individually with a video recorder to capture(抓拍）their responses. Some squirrels lifted their heads up and became alert(警惕的）. Creatures that were more frightened simply ran for their lives and dived into caves.
"In effect then, whistles that mix with chucks say 'there's an enemy of average threat that's here', and whistles without chucks say 'there's an enemy of seemingly average threat around here somewhere', while pure chirps say, 'I'm hiding here because there's an immediate danger. ' " Hare told. Discovery News.
Hare and some other researchers believe such sounds are part of an advanced language that develops just as all other communication systems.
Although squirrels risk their lives when they call out to warn others of threats, other squirrels might admire this behavior, thus increasing the caller’s social status, like humans who look up to heroes. Hare added that other animals, such as birds, probably understand at least some squirrel language, since they also may benefit from the alarm calls.
In fact, another Canadian study found that deep-voiced, black-capped chickadees have their own language too. According to certain research, there are a lot of tidings in chickadees' calls, such as directing fellows' activities, keeping in contact between mates, and raising alarms.
While chickadees and other birds are often welcomed into gardens by homeowners, squirrels are frequently viewed as pests(害兽）. Hare wishes a greater understanding of the complex social lives and communication systems of squirrels will provide “hope that humans will gain a greater appreciation and stop doing harm to these animals”.The text mainly talks about _______ .
| A．the ways for squirrels to escape from their enemies |
| B．the comparison between squirrels and chickadees |
| C．the calling for the protection of squirrels |
| D．the study on the language of squirrels |
If a squirrel is in a very dangerous situation, it would probably make ____.
| A．whistles with chucks | B．pure chirps |
| C．whistles without chucks | D．repeated chucks |
The underlined word “tidings” in paragraph 6 probably means ____.
| A．difficulties | B．noises |
| C．messages | D．languages |
What can be learned from this text?
| A．Squirrels communicate with each other as humans do. |
| B．Some squirrels understand the recorded alarm calls. |
| C．Other animals also well understand the language of squirrels. |
| D．Birds such as chickadees don’t have their own language. |
Why do some people flush when they drink alcohol? This effect is a common reaction to alcohol among East Asians. It affects about 36 percent of Japanese, Chinese and Koreans.
For many, even a small amount of alcohol can cause unpleasant effects. Most commonly, their face, neck and sometimes their whole body turn red. People might also feel uncomfortable and sick to their stomach. They might experience a burning sensation, increased heart rate, shortness of breath and headaches.
The cause is a genetic difference that they are born with called an ALDH2 deficiency (缺乏). It prevents their bodies from treating alcohol the way other people do. But the effects might be more serious than just a red face. Researchers warn of a link between this condition and an increased risk of cancer of the esophagus (食道) from drinking alcohol.
The more alcohol people with this deficiency drink, the greater their risk is. In Japan and South Korea, for example, many people have the deficiency but still drink heavily. Researchers found that these drinkers develop a form of esophageal cancer six to ten times more often than those without the deficiency.
Esophageal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers. It can be treated when found early, but once it grows the chances of survival drop sharply. The researchers estimate that at least five hundred forty million people have the deficiency, about eight percent of the world’s population.
Philip Brooks is a researcher at the National Institute in the United States. He says it is important to educate people about the link between the alcohol flushing effect and esophageal cancer. He says doctors should ask East Asian patients about their experiences with facial flushing after drinking alcohol. Those with a history of it should be advised to limit their alcohol use. They should also be warned that cigarette smoking works with the alcohol in a way that further increases the risk of esophageal cancer.The underlined word “flush” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_________”.
| A．walk unsteadily | B．turn red in the face |
| C．appear unpleasant | D．talk more than usual |
The second paragraph is mainly about _________.
| A．the cause of the effects of alcohol |
| B．Asians and alcohol |
| C．the advantages of drinking alcohol |
| D．unpleasant effects caused by alcohol |
We can infer from the passage that _________.
| A．about 36 percent of Japanese, Chinese and Koreans are heavy drinkers |
| B．the ALDH2 deficiency may be passed on from generation to generation |
| C．unpleasant effects occur only when people with this deficiency drink a lot |
| D．only some East Asians have the ALDH2 deficiency |
Esophageal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers because _________.
| A．it can’t be treated at all |
| B．it is hard to be discovered early |
| C．it is hard to cure once it has developed |
| D．people are usually addicted to alcohol |
Cell Phones Are the New Cigarettes
When you get in your car, you reach for it．When you’re at work, you take a break to have a moment alone with it．When you get into a lift, you play with it．
Cigarettes? Cup of coffee? No, it’s the third most addictive thing in modern life, the cell phone．And experts say it is becoming more difficult for many people to curbtheir longing to hug it more tightly than most of their personal relationships．
With its shiny surface, its smooth and satisfying touch, its air of complexity, the cell phone connects us to the world even as it disconnects us from people three feet away．In just the past couple of years, the cell phone has challenged individuals, employers, phone makers and counselors（顾问）in ways its inventors in the late 1940s never imagined．
The costs are becoming even more evident, and I don’t mean just the monthly bill．Dr．Chris Knippers, a counselor at the Betty Ford Center in Southern California, reports that the overuse of cell phones has become a social problem not much different from other harmful addictions: a barrier to one-on-one personal contact, and an escape from reality．
Sounds extreme, but we’ve all witnessed the evidence: The person at a restaurant who talks on the phone through an entire meal, ignoring his kids around the table; the woman who talks on the phone in the car, ignoring her husband; the teen who texts messages all the way home from school, avoiding contact with kids all around him．
Is it just rude, or is it a kind of unhealthiness? And pardon me, but how is this improving the quality of life?
Jim Williams, an industrial sociologist based in Massachusetts, notes that cell-phone addiction is part of a set of symptoms in a widening gulf of personal separation．He points to a study by Duke University researchers that found one-quarter of Americans say they have no one to discuss their most important personal business with．Despite the growing use of phones, e-mail and instant messaging, in other words, Williams says studies show that we don’t have as many friends as our parents. “Just as more information has led to less wisdom, more acquaintances via the Internet and cell phones have produced fewer friends,” he says．
If the cell phone has truly had these effects, it’s because it has become very widespread．Consider that in 1987, there were only 1 million cell phones in use．Today, something like 300 million Americans carry them．They far outnumber wired phones in the United States．Which of the following best explains the title of the passage?
| A．Cell phone users smoke less than they used to． |
| B．Cell phones have become as addictive as cigarettes． |
| C．More people use cell phones than smoke cigarettes． |
| D．Using cell phone is just as cool as smoking cigarettes． |
The underlined word “curb” in Paragraph 2 means ____．
| A．rescue | B．ignore | C．develop | D．control |
The example of a woman talking on the phone in the car supports the idea that ．
| A．women use cell phones more often than men |
| B．talking on the phone while driving is dangerous |
| C．cell phones do not necessarily bring people together |
| D．cell phones make one-on-one personal contact easy |
Learn a new language as quickly as possible.
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Reasons to learn using the Pimsleur Approach:
•Speak without an accent so that you sound like a native.
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•Feel safe and confident. You’ll know how to deal with any situation.
•Protect your busy life. 30-minute lessons are perfect for your daily commuting, lunch break, or workout.
•Remember without trying. Material is scientifically arranged so that you learn without pain.
•Join 25 million people who have graduated with success since 1980.
The entire Pimsleur Approach is what language learning should be: quick, fun, and easy! Each lesson is the foundation for the next. You’ll keep building on what you’ve learned.What can prove Pimsleur courses to be successful?
| A．Full 30-day money-back guarantee. |
| B．Eight fluency-focused lessons on four audio CDs. |
| C．30-minute lessons are perfect for your daily commuting, lunch break, or workout. |
| D．25 million people have graduated with success. |
According to the text, what does the course offer?
| A．Language rules for you to recite. |
| B．Effective language instruction. |
| C．Learning a new language by repeating many times. |
| D．Opportunities to work with business professionals. |
According to the text, which of the following is NOT a reason for choosing the Pimsleur Approach?
| A．It will correct your accent. |
| B．It will build your confidence. |
| C．It will teach you how to control your balance. |
| D．It will help you remember things easily. |
It can be inferred that the text is a (n) __________.
| A．report on a new language learning method |
| B．comment on a language training organization |
| C．notice of the opening of a new course |
| D．ad of a language training organization |
Some time ago, I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn’t think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended , as there are a whole lot of antique (古董) shops near my home . So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn’t even look at my chair.
The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and, the fourth-so I decided that my approach must be wrong.
I went into the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, “Would you like to buy a chair?” He looked it over carefully and said, “Yes, not a bad chair. How much do you want for it, sir?” “Twenty pounds,” I said. “OK,” he said, “I’ll give you twenty pounds.” “It’s got a slightly broken leg,” I said. “Yes I saw that, it’s nothing.”
Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited. “What will you do with it?” I asked. “Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done.” “I’ll buy it,” I said. “What do you mean? You’ve just sold it to me,” he said. “Yes, I know but I’ve changed my mind. I’m sorry. I’ll give you twenty-seven pounds for it.” “You must be crazy,” he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. “I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair.” “You’re right,” I said. “And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, ‘Would you mend this chair for me’?” “I wouldn’t have agreed to do it,” he said. “We don’t do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I’ll mend this for you, shall we say for a five?” He was a very nice man and was greatly amused by the whole thing.
We can learn from the text that in the first shop the writer .
| A．was rather impolite | B．was warmly received |
| C．asked the shopkeeper to buy his chair | D．asked the shopkeeper to repair his chair |
The expression “the penny dropped” in the last paragraph means the shopkeeper .
| A．changed his mind | B．saw the writer’s purpose |
| C．accepted the offer | D．decided to help the writer |
How much did the writer pay?
| A．£5 | B．£7 | C．£20 | D．£27 |
From the text, we can learn that the writer was .
| A．smart | B．careful | C．honest | D．funny |
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Most drinks stating that they are fruit-flavored (水果味道的) contain no fruit at all, while most of the rest contain only a small quantity of fruit, according to a study carried by the British Food Commission.
“Shoppers need to check the labels (标签)before buying drinks, though sometimes the actual content can be non-existent,” said Food Commission spokesperson Ian Tokelove. “Food production is highly competitive. 1 It will increase profits, and consumers won’t always realize they are being tricked.”
Flavorings are focused on the flavors of natural food products such as fruits, meats and vegetables, or creating flavor for food products that do not have the desired flavors. Researchers analyzed the contents of 28 strawberry-flavored products sold in stores. 2 Of the 11 products that did contain strawberries, five of them contained less than one percent real fruit. In addition, each juice box contained nearly eight teaspoons of sugar.
3 Let’s take jam as an example. Some strawberry-flavored jam was labeled as containing no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners, but it contained absolutely no strawberries at all.
4 Consumers have the rights to know clearly about what they have bought. Under current UK law, food packages do not have to distinguish between natural and artificial flavoring. “Describing a product as strawberry flavor and covering the surface of the packet with pictures of strawberries is misleading. 5 Unfortunately, it is also legal and widespread,” Tokelove said. “It’s time to take measures to protect the consumers’ rights.”
| A．The products which contain real fruit are popular with people. |
| B．Even products advertised as more natural often contained no fruit. |
| C．They found that about 60 percent of them didn’t contain any fruit at all. |
| D．If companies can cut their costs by using flavoring, they are likely to do so. |
E. It is important and necessary to demand a small amount of flavoring in the products.
F. Actually the product contains just a tiny percentage of strawberry or even no fruit at all.
G. The Food Commission suggested all flavors used in a product should be listed on the packaging.
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