Cats may have “attachment (依恋) styles” that are similar to those of people. Contrary to cats' original reputation, most cats form deep, close relationships with their owners, researchers say.
A team of researchers studied the relationship between the owners and their kittens by a type of psychology experiment. They set up a room, which is bare except for a few toys. The team instructed each owner to sit in a circle outlined on the floor in the middle of the room and ignore his or her kitten for two minutes, not making eye contact or speaking unless the cat stepped inside the circle. Owners were allowed to interact (互动) with their pet if the cat entered the circle. Then, the owner left the cat alone in the room for two minutes, before re-entering and again sitting inside the circle.
The researchers tested 79 kittens and their owners and recorded each pair’s interactions on camera. Based on how the cat reacted to their owner’s return, the researchers believed 70 of the participants have attachment styles. The findings indicate that the attachment is probably a biological characteristic that may have evolved (进化) to improve survival.
To see if a particular kitten’s attachment could change with training, 39 of the kittens were arranged to join a special class and 31 weren’t. For six weeks of classes, the kittens that attended a special class socialized with other cats and unfamiliar adults, and learned how to sit or walk on leash (皮带). But when all of the kittens repeated the original experiment, very few switched attachment styles. It proves that the relationship formed between a human and a cat is stable over time, which means those first interactions are important, the researchers say.
The team hopes that understanding how cats bond with humans could help more stray (无主的) cats be adopted.
1.What is the original impression that cats make on people according to the text?
A.Indifferent. B.Close.
C.Kind. D.Lazy.
2.What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A.The process of the experiment.
B.The type of the experiment.
C.The achievements of the team.
D.The effect of the research.
3.What does the training classes suggest about a cat’s attachment to humans?
A.It changes easily.
B.It forms in six weeks.
C.It lasts for a long time.
D.It only shows to its owner.
4.From which is the text probably taken?
A.A biology textbook.
B.A research paper.
C.A health magazine.
D.A travel brochure
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
My teacher,Mr.August J.Bachmann,was the most influential teacher I ever had.
I had gotten into trouble in his class:Another student had pushed me for fun,and I became angry and began to hit him.Mr.Bachmann stopped the fight,but instead of sending me to the office,he sat me down and asked a simple question,“Penna,why are you wasting your life?Why aren't you going to college?”
I didn't know anything about colleges or scholarships.No one had ever considered that a fatherless boy from the poorest neighborhood had a future.That day,instead of rushing off for lunch,he stayed and explained possible education options to me.At the end of our talk,he sent me to see a secretary who had a child at a state college.This was in 1962 at Emerson High School in Union City,New Jersey.
Well,55 years have passed,and what have I done with the knowledge he gave me?I gained a PhD from Fordham University when I was only 29.I taught English and social studies and then moved up the chain of command from teacher to principal(校长).
I've sat on the board for Magnet Schools of America and represented that organization at the United Nations.I've won a number of great educational awards.But where would I be if a truly caring teacher had not taken the time out of his lunch period to speak to me?It was without question only his confidence in me that helped me forward.
I have repaid his kindness hundreds of times by encouraging misguided youngsters to aim higher.If I have saved any children,it is because of him.If I have been a successful educator,it is because I had a great role model in Mr.Bachmann.
1.The writer ________ before Mr.Bachmann talked to him.
A.was an active boy
B.was an aimless boy
C.liked making troubles in class
D.would get punished by his teachers
2.Which of the following best describes Mr.Bachmann?
A.Fair. B.Confident. C.Inspiring. D.Humorous.
3.How did Mr.Bachmann influence the writer?
A.He set the writer on the right path.
B.He was strict with the writer.
C.He helped the writer with his study.
D.He tried to set a good example to the writer.
4.What does the writer think of his achievement?
A.He is very proud of himself.
B.He feels his effort gets paid off at last.
C.He owes his achievement to Mr.Bachmann.
D.He thinks it an honor to be a successful educator.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Going out guide
R&B: Melanie Fiona
Known for such songs as “It Kills Me” and “This Time,” R&B singer Melanie Fiona made her first musical album(唱片) in 2009 with “The Bridge” and followed it up with “The MF Life” in 2012. A new album, “Next Train, ” is planned to drop this year.
8 pm, Feb. 13. Howard Theatre. 202-803-2899. $ 30—$ 59. 99.
Ballet: John Cranko's “Romeo & Juliet”
Celebrated South African choreographer (编舞者) John Cranko created the dance inspired by Shakespeare’s lovers with a score by Sergei Prokofiev. The production was first performed in the United States in 1969 and returns to the Kennedy Center under the artistic direction of Julie Kent.
Feb. 14 — 18. Kennedy Genter. 202-467-4600. $ 25— $ 160.
Exhibit(展览): “Brand New: Art and Commodity (商品) in the 1980s”
This exhibit shows the commodification of art in the 1980s, when trade, art and entertainment became unclear. The exhibit shows works by 68 artists, including Jeff Koons, Barbara Kruger and Julia Wachtel.
Feb. 14 through May 13. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. 202-633-1000. Free
R&B: Valentine's Love Jam
R&E artists are known for some of our most beloved(喜爱的) love songs, and the performers lined up for this show are no exception. Singer-songwriters Tyrese (“Sweet Lady”) and Joe (“I Wanna Know”) join forces with SWV (“Weak”) ,Dru Hill (“Beauty”) and Next (“Wifey”) for this show.
8 p. m., Feb. 17. EagleBank Arena. 703-493-4000. $ 59—$ 99.
1.Which number should you call if you are interested in dance?
A.703-493-4000. B.02-633-1000. C.202-467-4600. D.202-803-2899.
2.Where can people enjoy a free show?
A.Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. B.Kennedy Center.
C.EagleBank Arena. D.Howard Theatre.
3.When can you attend a love song concert?
A.Feb. 18. B.Feb. 17. C.Feb . 14. D.Feb. 13.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
On a comfortable sunny Sunday, I was going to meet an old university friend I hadn't seen for years, and was really excited to hear all his news. My train was running a little late, but that was no big problem 一 I could text him to say I would be delayed. He would understand. But.. . where was my mobile phone? I had that familiar sinking feeling. Yes, I'd left it at home.
No mobile phone . I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling anxious, on edge and worried when I don't have my phone with me. In fact, I know I'm not alone: two-thirds of us experience this “ nomophobia".
That’s according to a study which surveyed 1,000 people in the UK about their relationship with mobile phones, which says we check our mobile phones 34 times a day, that women are more "nomophobic" than men, and that 18-24-year-olds are the most likely to suffer fear of being without their mobiles: 77% of them say they are unable to be apart from their phones for more than a few minutes.
Do you have " Homophobia” ?
•You never turn your phone off.
•You obsessively (着迷似地)check for texts, missed calls and emails.
•You always take your phone to the bathroom with you.
•You never let the battery run out.
It's funny to think that around 20 years ago the only people with mobile phones would be businesspersons carrying their large, plastic "bricks”. Of course, these days, mobile phones are everywhere. Its subscriptions has outnumbered people across the world.
And when there are more phones than people in the world, maybe it's time to ask who really is in charge? Are you in control of your phone, or does your phone control you? So, what happened with my university friend? When I arrived a few minutes late he just laughed and said: "You haven't changed at all 一 still always late!” And we had a great afternoon catching up, full of jokes and stories, with no interruptions and no nagging (唠叨的)desire to check my phone.
Not having it with me felt strangely liberating. Maybe I'll leave it at home on purpose next time.
1.What does the underlined word "nomophobia" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.The fear of being out of mobile phone contact.
B.The addiction to keeping mobile phones at hand .
C.The feeling of being alone and left behind.
D.The suffering of being anxious and worried.
2.We can infer around 20 years ago the mobile phone ________ according to the author.
A.was only afforded by businessmen B.was as heavy as a brick
C.was seldom seen and accepted D.was inconvenient to use
3.What's the author's attitude towards his experience without mobile phones?
A.Worried. B.Favorable.
C.Neutral. D.Critical.
4.What's the best title for the passage?
A.The Development of Mobile Phones B.Meeting an Old University Friend
C.Being without My Mobile Phone D.Using Mobile Phones or Not
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
BOXTEL, Netherlands — chickens roam the orchards, cows chew the cud and pigs roll in the mud on a warm day on a Dutch farm ——but the pastoral (乡村)scene is not as traditional as it seems.
The farm is owned and run by a cooperative of hundreds of local consumers and aims to change habits in a low-lying country engaged in an existential fight against climate change. Nearly 200 families decide what the farm will produce — and they will eventually eat — and employ a farmer to tend to the animals for meat and eggs and grow the dozen kinds of fruits and vegetables.
“The main aim of the members is to eat natural products, produced near to where they live, in a more sustainable (可持续的)way,” said Douwe Korting, co-leader of the Boxtel Cooperative, in the southern Netherlands. People are really starting to see that a change toward a different way of eating is essential," he added.
It costs 2,000 euros ($2,200) to join the collective (集体的)farm, which is 10 minutes by bicycle from the town, and then a weekly fee of around 10 euros per person.
In return, members receive the food they want and stress the importance of knowing what they eat is local and seasonal.
Known as Herenboderderij, or People's Farming, the guiding principle is that everything centers on the needs and riches of nature, even while using new technologies, ” said its founder Geert van der Veer. Soon the poultry (家禽) will be joined by a robot that can sense when the fruit is ripe, as well as a drone that will survey the fields to support and reduce the needs for manpower.
1.Why did the families start the farm?
A.To reduce the cost of food. B.To improve their eating habits.
C.To replace the old tradition. D.To provide more chances for exercise.
2.What will the farmer do?
A.Decide what to produce and eat what they grow.
B.Work on the farm close to where they live.
C.Own and operate the farm in a more effective way.
D.Feed the animals and grow fruits and vegetables.
3.What do the farm owners expect of the farm?
A.It'll provide natural products. B.It'll be charged by new technology.
C.It'll cost everyone less than 10 euros. D.It'll encourage people to love nature.
4.Where is this text most likely from?
A.A diary. B.A guidebook.
C.A novel. D.A newspaper.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
I was a newcomer in a class. So was Alice. That's where the similarities ended. I was tall and she was small. My thick, black hair had been recently cut short. Her natural blonde hair flowed to her waist and looked great. I was awkward and shy. She wasn't. I couldn't stand her. I considered her my enemy. She liked me. She wanted to be friends.
One day, she invited me over and I said yes — I was too shocked to answer any other way. No one had invited me over to play. But this girl who wore the latest fashions wanted me to go home with her after school. I got very surprised when she led me into an apartment building. She lived on the fourth floor in a two-room place with her mother, her stepfather, her two brothers and her sister. When we got to the room she shared with her sister, she took out a big case of Barbies — which was my next surprise. I would have thought she'd outgrown them. I had never played with them. But we sat on the floor of a walk-in closet, laughing as we made up crazy stories about the Barbies. That's when we found out that we both wanted to be writers when we were older and we both had wild imaginations. We had a great day that afternoon. Our jaws ached from smiling so much. She showed me her wardrobe, which had mostly come from a designer clothing store down the block. The woman who owned it used her as a model sometimes for her newspaper ads and gave her clothes in exchange.
Alice had the whole neighborhood charmed. The bookstore owners lent her fashion magazines, the movie theater gave her free passes and the pizza place let her have free slices. Soon I was included in her magic world. We slept over at each other's houses, and spent every free moment together. My dark hair grew out and I learned to love being tall.
Alice, my first real friend since childhood, taught me an amazing and very surprising thing about making friends: that your worst enemy can turn out to be your best friend.
1.What made the similarities end?
A.Leaving the author's old school.
B.Being admitted to their new classes.
C.Their differences in appearance and personalities.
D.Their different demands of friendship and fashion.
2.What did the author think of the Barbies?
A.Alice was too mature for them.
B.Alice must have made them by herself.
C.They should have been kept well.
D.They brought her back to her childhood.
3.We can infer from the passage that Alice ________.
A.helped the author see her own strengths
B.was good with the people around her
C.helped to bring out the best in the author
D.inspired the authors love for fashion
4.Which of the following best describes Alice as a friend?
A.Humorous. B.Ambitious.
C.Caring. D.Friendly.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Summer is here, and with it comes a chance you'll get too much sun. While there's no cure for sunburn, a small but fascinating new study suggests taking large amounts of vitamin D after exposure may prevent the associated redness and inflammation (发炎).
In the paper, researchers exposed 20 volunteers to a light resembling solar radiation to induce a sunburn on a small piece of skin. They then gave the ''burn victims'' large amounts of vitamin D, and followed up with participants one, two and three days (and a week) later to measure skin redness and thickness. The researchers found that vitamin D decreased inflammation and redness, compared with taking a placebo (安慰剂). And this effect increased in proportion to how much was consumed. Vitamin D also appears to increase the activity of a gene called arginase-1, which is involved in tissue repair and healing. Taking 50, 000 international units (IU) of vitamin D--125 times the recommended daily allowance-led to a significant reduction in redness and inflammation, compared with the placebo. Those who took 100,000 IU had even less redness and pain; and those who took 200, 000 IU had the greatest reduction in inflammation.
This is the first study to show vitamin D can reduce inflammation, and suggests that it ''could potentially help prevent sunburn, '' says senior author Kurt Lu, a physician scientist and assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University.
It used to be thought vitamin D was primarily involved in building healthy bones and muscles, but recent research has found it has many more roles, including influencing inflammation, such as the kind associated with sunburns.
So, if you get burned, should you take a lot of vitamin D? The study authors don't recommend it. ''I think that's probably not a good idea and not well established by this study, '' says Barbara Gilchrest, a physician scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Such large amounts, if taken repeatedly, have the potential to cause vitamin D toxicity (毒性).
1.What does this passage mainly talk about?
A.An unusual method for relieving sunburn.
B.Tips for how to travel safely in summer.
C.A suggestion on taking vitamin D properly.
D.Advice on how to take medicine effectively.
2.How do the researchers confirm the healing effect of taking vitamin D?
A.By observing the inflammation of skin every day.
B.By measuring the thickness of skin after a week.
C.By increasing the daily volume of vitamin
D.By comparing the effect with that of placebo.
3.Figures are used in paragraph 2 in order to ______.
A.recommend the daily intake
B.argue against the benefits of more Vitamin D
C.show the more Vitamin D, the greater benefits
D.stress the potential danger of too much Vitamin D
4.What can be inferred about the function of vitamin D?
A.Repeatedly taking large amounts of Vitamin D is beneficial.
B.Vitamin D may bring more advantages to us than what has been found out.
C.Don't take vitamin D unless your doctor approves you to do it.
D.Vitamin D is more useful for curing sunburn than building healthy bones.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Jules is now in his sixties, and is one of the many homeless people who live on the streets; he buys a newspaper most days. Today, with his fellow tramps, he reads about yesterday's student demonstrations.
Like many of the tramps who live under the bridges, Jules was not always so poor. A long time ago he was in the Navy, and like many who have been to sea for a long time, he has stayed slim and fit. Despite the strict organization on board ship, he loved his life, and had the opportunity to see many countries. He visited Poland and Russia; in South Africa he realized what he valued in each country was the people he met. He was always astonished and delighted by the ways in which the people he met differed from one country to another. Some day, he hopes, everyone will see the world as he does.
After many happy years in the Navy, he had to retire. The good things in life always come to an end. His mother and father had long since died and he’d lost touch with his other relatives. He became an industrial designer. He was happy, although it wasn’t the same as the sea. He never wanted to get married and have children.
And then there was the period of darkness. He smiles sadly. He shrugs his shoulders and looks at his hands. There are tears in the corners of his eyes. This is something that he cannot bring himself to talk about. ''It all went wrong, '' he whispers.
He was silent for a while, then recovered. He began to talk more loudly. ''Look at me now---it makes me angry. And what about the President? He's been in power for years, and look what he's done for us. Nothing! I am still out on the streets and live the life of a dog.''
1.What can we learn about Jules’ life in the Navy?
A.He only visited three countries.
B.He enjoyed the life on board ship.
C.He was very well paid for the job he did.
D.He liked meeting people from different countries.
2.Why did Jules change his job according to the passage?
A.He wanted to start a family. B.He wanted to be near his relatives.
C.He didn't enjoy the work any more. D.He was too old to stay in the Navy
3.What is Jules's opinion of the President?
A.The President should increase pensions for old people.
B.The President had not had enough time to change things.
C.The President should have done more to help people like him.
D.The President should not allow homeless people to stay on the streets.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
What do the random, scribbled (潦草的)drawings crowding the margins (页边空白处) of most high school students' papers mean? When a student is caught doodling (乱画) in class, he will probably be criticized for daydreaming. But doodling while listening can help with remembering details, rather than implying that the mind is wandering, according to a study published in the scientific journal Applied Cognitive Psychology.
In an experiment conducted by the Medical Research Council’s Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge, 40 subjects were asked to listen to a two-minute tape giving several names of people and places. Half of the participants were asked to shade in shapes on a piece of paper at the same time, without paying attention to neatness, while the rest were given no such instructions. After the tape had finished, all participants in the study were asked to recall the names of people and places. The doodlers recalled on average 7.5 names of people and places, compared to only 5.8 by the non-doodlers.
“If someone is doing a boring task, like listening to a dull telephone conversation, they may start to daydream.” said study researcher, Professor Jackie Andrade, of the School of Psychology, University of Plymouth. “Daydreaming distracts them from the task, resulting in poorer performance. A simple task, like doodling, may be sufficient (足够的) to stop daydreaming without affecting performance on the main task.”
“In psychology, tests of memory or attention will often use a second task to selectively block a particular mental process. If that process is important for the main task, then performance will be impaired. But my research suggests that in everyday life doodling may be something we do because it helps to keep us on track with a boring task, rather than being an unnecessary distraction (分心) that we should try to resist doing.” said Andrade.
Dan Ware, a social study teacher, used to consider doodling a distraction from learning, but after teaching kids with all personality types he learned scribbling away during lectures helps certain students remember more information. “In my first few years of teaching, I thought, ‘Well, this kid isn’t paying attention. He’s daydreaming.’ But I had some really powerful experiences with students and came to understand in many cases that was their way of focusing, and those students were probably paying more attention than other students.” Ware said.
1.What do we know about the participants involved in the experiment?
A.Some were asked to note down the information neatly.
B.Some were asked to memorize the names they would hear.
C.Some were instructed to listen to the tape with full attention.
D.Some were instructed to make random drawings on paper.
2.What does the underlined word “impaired” in paragraph 4 refer to?
A.Improved. B.Weakened.
C.Stopped. D.Repaired.
3.Which of the following will both Jackie Andrade and Dan Ware agree with?
A.Doodling helps some people focus. B.Doodling makes a dull task interesting.
C.Students who doodle perform poorly. D.Students who doodle lack concentration.
4.What is the best title of the text?
A.Daydreaming Can Sharpen Study Skills B.Doodling Can Help Memory Recall
C.A Wandering Mind Improves Productivity D.Distractions Harm Academic Performance
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Tyler and I stopped by our corner store. A few police cars caught Tyler's attention. ''Mom, can I use my allowance money and buy the policemen some doughnuts to say 'thank you'? '' he asked.
''Certainly! '' I said, feeling proud that I was achieving my aim to raise my children to be grateful, tender-hearted and caring.
After we left the store, Tyler asked a question that would change our lives and the lives of countless others forever.
''Why were the police so happy about the doughnuts? ''
I explained some people are not always friendly to police officers. Tyler was very sad to hear this, and instead of shrugging it off, he said that he was going to thank every cop in America and buy them each a doughnut!
I was shocked, but it never occurred to me to say ''no''. In fact, I thought it was an excellent but unachievable idea. I suggested many other options, but nothing was enough for him on the new found mission (使命)
I didn't know how to put this passion into action, but I knew one thing: Tyler had found his purpose, and it was my duty to help him. I e-mailed our local police office and asked if Tyler could host a thank-you event for them. They were delighted. At the event, they called Tyler ''The Donut Boy'', a name that has become known throughout the nation.
Then we kept planning thank- you events and many caring people joined. We were invited to TV stations, and flew to Washington, D.C. for National Police Week. It has been three years since a simple act of kindness sparked a wonderful idea in an eight-year-old boy.
In forty-eight states, more than 90,000 doughnuts have been delivered so far, with no end in sight. We've made memories that will last a lifetime, but most importantly, we have served those who serve us daily and made our mark on this world.
1.What quality of Tyler made the author feel proud?
A.Independence. B.Honesty.
C.Kindness. D.Cautiousness.
2.How did the author react to Tyler's wish to thank all the police at first?
A.She praised him for his ambition. B.She told him it was impossible.
C.She expressed her doubt about it. D.She tried to change his idea.
3.Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.Tyler got the idea of buying the policemen doughnuts from the author.
B.The policemen were confused about Tyler's behavior.
C.Tyler has achieved his mission.
D.More people joined Tyler in doing Thank-you events.
4.What is the author trying to tell us?
A.A grateful heart can make a difference. B.Curiosity is the key to children growth.
C.It's never too old to learn. D.It's better to be famous at an early age.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析