Science is finally beginning to embrace animals who were, for a long time, considered second-class citizens.
As Annie Potts of Canterbury University has noted, chickens distinguish among one hundred chicken faces and recognize familiar individuals even after months of separation. When given problems to solve, they reason: hens trained to pick colored buttons sometimes choose to give up an immediate food reward for a slightly later (and better) one. Healthy hens may aid friends, and mourn when those friend die.
Pigs respond meaningful to human symbols. When a research team led by Candace Croney at Penn State University carried wooden blocks marked with X and O symbols around pigs, only the O carriers offered food to the animals. The pigs soon ignored the X carriers in favor of the O’s. Then the team switched from real-life objects to T-shirts printed with X or O symbols. Still, the pigs walked only toward the O-shirted people: they had transferred their knowledge to a two-dimensional format, a not inconsiderable feat of reasoning.
I’ve been guilty of prejudiced expectations, myself. At the start of my career almost four decades ago, I was firmly convinced that monkeys and apes out-think and out-feel other animals. They’re other primates(灵长目动物), after all, animals from our own mammalian(灵长目动物) class. Fairly soon, I came to see that along with our closest living relatives, whales too are masters of cultural learning. and elephants express profound joy and mourning with their social companions. Long-term studies in the wild on these mammals helped to fuel a viewpoint shift in our society: the public no longer so easily accepts monkeys made to undergo painful procedure in laboratories, elephants forced to perform in circuses, and dolphins kept in small tanks at theme parks.
Over time, though, as I began to broaden out even further and explore the inner lives of fish, chickens, pigs, goats, and cows, 1 started to wonder: Will the new science of "food animals" bring an ethical (伦理的) revolution in terms of who we eat? In other words, will our ethics start to catch up with the development of our science?
Animal activists are already there, of course, committed to not eating these animals. But what about the rest of us? Can paying attention to the thinking and feeling of these animals lead us to make changes in who we eat?
1.According to Annie Potts, hens have the ability of .
A. interaction
B. analysis
C. creation
D. abstraction
2.The research into pigs shows that pigs .
A. learn letters quickly
B. have a good eyesight
C. can build up a good relationship
D. can apply knowledge to new situations
3.Paragraph 4 is mainly about .
A. the similarities between mammals and humans
B. the necessity of long-term studies on mammals
C. a change in people’s attitudes towards animals
D. a discovery of how animals express themselves
4.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. The Inner Lives of Food Animals
B. The Lifestyles of Food Animals
C. Science Reports on Food Animals
D. A Revolution in Food Animals
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Fall in Love With Your Writing With These Books!
Write Naked
By Jennifer Probst
WAS: $16.99
NOW: $15.99
Bestselling author Jennifer Probst reveals her pathway to success, from struggling as a new writer to signing a seven-figure deal. Written in Probst’s unmistakable and honest voice, Write Naked mixes personal essays on craft with down-to-earth advice on writing romance in the digital age.
Just Write
By James Scott Beli
WAS: $17.99
NOW: $10.99
Write yourself past fears, doubts and setbacks, using your desire writing excellence to deeply involve yourself in the craft. In Just Write, you’ll learn how to master the nuances(细微差别) of fiction, discover what readers really want, and persevere through the challenges of getting started, conquering writers block and dealing with rejection.
Damn Fine Story
By Chuck Wendig
WAS: $17.99
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Great storytelling is making readers care about your characters. And to tell a damn fine story, you need to understand why and how that caring happens. Using a mix of personal stories, pop fiction examples and traditional storytelling terms, The New York Times bestselling author Chuck Wendig will help you internalize the feel of powerful storytelling,
Fearless Writing
By William Kenower
WAS: $16.99
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Filled with insightful wisdom and practical advice, Fearless Writing teaches you how to accept the inner value of your work, enter a flow state while writing and overcome rejection, delay and other obstacles that prevent your creativity. With Fearless Writing, you’ll find the inner strength to set on a brave journey and build a lifelong career in the process.
1.Who shares his/her own writing experience with the readers?
A. Jennifer Probst.
B. James Scott Beli.
C. Chuck Wendig.
D. William Kenower.
2.Which book has the highest discount?
A. Write Naked.
B. Just Write.
C. Damn Fine Story.
D. Fearless Writing.
3.What do the four books have in common?
A. They are written by bestselling authors.
B. They focus on traditional storytelling terms.
C. They show how to overcome rejection.
D. They give some practical advice on writing
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The year 2117 will be an eventful one for art. In May of that year in Berlin, the philosopher-artist Jonathon Keats’ “century cameras”— cameras with a 100-year-long exposure (曝光)time—will be brought back from hiding places around the city to have their results developed and exhibited. Six months after that, the Future Library in Oslo, Norway, will open its doors for the first time, presenting 100 books printed on the wood of trees planted in the distant past of 2017.
As Katie Paterson, the creator of the Future Library, puts it: “Future Library is an artwork for future generations.” These projects, more than a century in the making, are part of a new wave of slow art intended to push viewers and Participants to think beyond their own lifetimes. They aim to challenge today’s short-term thinking and the brief attention spans of modern consumers, forcing people into considering works more deliberately. In their way, too, they are fighting against modern culture—not just regarding money, but also the way in which artistic worth is measured by attention.
In a similar fashion, every April on Slow Art Day, visitors are encouraged to stare at five works of art for 10 minutes at a time—a tough task for the average museum visitor, who typically spends less than30seconds on each piece of art.
Like the Future Library, the century cameras are very much a project for cities, since it’s in cities that time runs fastest and the pace of life is fastest. “Since I started living in a city, I’ve somehow been quite disconnected,” Anne Beate Hovind, the Future Library project manager, who described how working on the library drew her back to the Pace of life she knew when she was growing up on a farm in her youth, told The Atlantic magazine.
1.According to the first paragraph, what will NOT happenin2117?
A. A camera which was produced 100 years ago will be exhibited.
B. The Future Library will be0pen to the public for the first time.
C. Photos with a 100-year exposure time will be developed and exhibited.
D. Books printed on the wood of trees planted in 2017 will be displayed.
2.What can we learn about today’s people’s attitude toward works of art?
A. They consider works deliberately.
B. They spend little time on Works.
C. They spend much money 0n works.
D. They stare at works for 10 minutes at a time.
3.What is the purpose of the wave of slow art?
A. To advocate creating works of art slowly.
B. To protect works of art from being damaged.
C. To promote works of art for modern culture.
D. To encourage people to pay more attention to works of art.
4.How would Anne Beate Hovind feel about the city life?
A. It’s discouraging
B. It’s dull
C. Its developed.
D. It’s busy
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Scientists have been studying how people use money for long. Now they’re finding some theories may apply to one group of monkeys.
Researchers recently taught six monkeys how to use money. They gave the monkeys small metal disks(圆片) that could be used like cash and showed them some yummy apple pieces. The monkeys soon figured out that if they gave one of the disks to a scientist, they d receive a piece of apple in return.
If you think that is all the monkeys can figure out, you are wrong. Two researchers, Jake and Allison, acted as apple sellers in the experiments. The monkeys were tested one at a time and had 12 disks to spend in each experiment. Jake always showed the monkeys one apple piece, while Allison always showed two pieces. But that’s not necessarily what they gave the monkeys. The number of apple pieces given for a disk was determined at random.
Experiment One: Allison showed two pieces of apples but gave both pieces only half the time. The other half, she took one piece away and gave the monkey just the remaining piece. Jake, on the other hand, always gave exactly what he showed: one piece for each disk. The monkeys chose to trade more with Allison.
Experiment Two: Allison continued to sometimes gave two pieces and sometimes one piece. But now, half the time, Jake gave the one apple piece he was showing, and half the time he added a bonus. Guess what? The monkeys chose to trade more with Jake.
In the first experiment, the monkeys correctly figured out that if they traded with Allison, they’d end up with more treats. In the second one, when a monkey received two pieces from Jake, it seemed like again. When Allison gave the monkey only one piece instead of the two she showed, it seemed like a loss. The monkeys preferred trading with Jake because they’d rather take a chance of seeming to win than seeming to lose.
We also sometimes make silly business decisions just to avoid the feeling that we’re getting less, even when were not. Would you have made the same choices?
1.What conclusion might experts draw from the first experiment?
A. The monkeys show certain business sense.
B. Business theories can apply to all monkeys.
C. People are smarter in terms of finance.
D. It’s easy to teach monkeys how to trade.
2.What does a bonus in paragraph 5 refer to?
A. A metal disk.
B. An apple piece.
C. A chance.
D. A coin.
3.Why did the monkeys choose to trade more with Jake in the second experiment?
A. Because Jake always gave them two apple pieces.
B. Because the apple pieces from Jake were yummy.
C. Because they didn’t like the feeling of losing.
D. Because they get more apple pieces from Jake.
4.What could be the best title for the passage?
A. People’s Business Decision: Lose or Gain?
B. Moneky’s Business Sense: Smart or Silly?
C. Shopping for Bargain: Same or different?
D. Disk for Apple: Who to Trade with?
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Hollywood filmmakers, including creators of the 1998 Disney fílm Mulan, will start a “discovery trip” to Mulans birthplace —Huangpi district in Hubei province this week.
During 1. two-day visit, they will see a number of Mulan-themed performances, such as horse fighting show and local opera. They also will visit 2. (place) of historical interest, like the Mulan Mountain and the Generals Temple.
In the 20 years since the Disney film came out, 3.(it) director Tony Bancroft hasn’t been to the land of Mulan’s roots. “For me, it’s more than a circle tour of 4. my favorite character was born. I’m also doing my homework for the next film,” he said.
“China used to be closed off to Westerners, thus 5. (create) a mystery. but in the last few years, U. S. films 6.(explore) the Chinese culture and environment, which has opened audiences to a whole new world. I believe the tale of Mulan appeals’ to Westerners mainly 7. it’s about a daughter’s respect for her family, 8. (especial) her father.” Bancroft added.
A live-action remake of the 1998 film 9. (expect) to hit theaters in 2019. The Walt Disney Studios has announced that Chinese actress Liu Yifei, also 10.(know) as Crystal Liu, is going to star in the classic Chinese tale
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A memorable science project
If someone tells you to remember a phone number or address, it feels like an easy task at first. You repeat the numbers to yourself, either aloud or in your mind. But after just a few seconds you might find yourself starting to doubt your own memory. 1. Thus, it will try to throw away information that seems old or irrelevant. There are ways of helping our minds retain (记住) information, however, and in this activity you will explore ways that we lose and keep memories
Short-term, or working memory, is a way of describing most people’s abilities to store a small amount of information for a brief period of time in a readily accessible form 2. People don’t have to stop and think to remember something in short term memory.
3. Such techniques include visualizing (观察) the information in a surprising way or linking pieces of information together so that one reminds you of the other. In the case of visualizing information, this could be as simple as remembering you parked your car on the fifth floor in the D section by picturing five dogs sitting in your car! 4. If you need to purchase cereal (谷物), milk, fruit, cheese and eggs, you could imagine the cereal in a bowl, with milk pouring over it and pieces of fruit on top. Then imagine cracking an egg over everything, and it’s full of melted cheese! These may seem simple or even silly. 5. In this activity you’ll test the recall of a few friends or family members, and learn a few tricks for improving memory!
A. There are many techniques for improving memory.
B. Our brain is always seeking new and useful information.
C. Short-term memory has a short duration but is quickly and easily accessed.
D. In addition, linking information could help you remember your grocery list.
E. Retaining that information over longer periods of time becomes difficult yet.
F. Your short-term memory has a limited amount of space to store information.
G. However, they are proved to be good ways for improving memory by scientist.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
“How dare you!” My anger finally burst out when my son __ to go to the piano classes for the third time that day. He rolled his eyes at me, which made me even __. I completely lost my __ and screamed at the top of my lungs, “Enough! You are not my boy anymore!” He didn’t __ or talkback to me. He responded in __ with a look of helplessness that I had never seen before. He used to cry violently and beg me to __ him. The innocence shining in his big eyes would __ that hot-tempered beast in me away in the end. __, this time…
Did what he had done really make me __? No. Did such anger come entirely from his improper __? No. Had I ever given it a chance to listen to and __ him? No. My demanding job, my __ housework, my kid’s cry for company…, all formed a minefield and all that was needed to __ it up was a fuse (导火索). My son was the __.
The rest of the day, he __ an outdoor walk, a ride in the park and even his favorite games and just wanted to be alone. I could __ the greatest sorrow and the most true innocence in his eyes. After admitting my own fault, I held this tiny trembling creature __ in my arms, tears swelling in my eyes.
For those who believe Sticks and stones may break the bone, but __ can never hurt anyone, I have a piece of heartfelt advice. Do not try this most powerful weapon __ the people you love. It is __ enough to cut the deepest into a soul.
1.A. refused B. decided C. requested D. demanded
2.A. calmer B. happier. C. angrier D. emptier
3.A. temper B. weight C. breath D. thought
4.A. smile B. shout C. cry D. respond
5.A. doubt B. silence C. surprise D. relief
6.A. praise B. accompany C. abandon D. pardon
7.A. put B. drive C. throw D. give
8.A. However B. Otherwise C. Therefore D. Moreover
9.A. satisfied B. annoyed C. moved D. puzzled
10.A. argument B. advice C. words D. behavior
11.A. understand B. forgive C. blame D. hug
12.A. important B. enough C. endless D. meaningful
13.A. heat B. burn C. put D. blow
14.A. victim B. answer C. choice D. disasters
15.A. shared B. declined C. enjoyed D. accepted
16.A. retell B. forecast C. forget D. read
17.A. rudely B. firmly C. loosely D. casually
18.A. voice B. force C. words D. feelings
19.A. for B. with C. against D. beyond
20.A. smooth B. soft C. hard D. sharp
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假如英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌的以下作文，文中共有10 处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加，删除或修改。
增加: 在缺词处加一个漏字符号(/\),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除: 把多余的词用斜线(\) 划掉。
修改: 在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意: 1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词:
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起) 不计分。
My first trip to the zoo was years before during an elementary school field trip. It is an activity I still remembered to this day. It was for the first time that I had found me so close to animals like tigers and lions. I would say that the trip was worth every minute of time spending. However, some feel that animals should not be kept in cages, and should rather be let out in the wild. They think keeping animal in cages shows the cruel of human beings. As far as I concerned, without zoos, many of us would never have the chance to see how a tiger or lion really looks like.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假如你是李华，正在英国留学。为了让你的英国同学更好地了解中国文化，你希望可以成立一个中国文学社团(Chinese literature club). 请你参照以下要点提示，用英语给你校学生会负责人Mr. Green写一封信，申请成立该社团。要点提示:
(1)点明写信目的;
(2)介绍该社团(成立目的，活动内容等);
(3)希望能得到批准。
注意:1. 词数100左右:
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析