Believe it or not, the size of the human brai...

Believe it or not, the size of the human brain has become smaller over the past 20,000 years. Scientists argue over whether this means we are becoming more or less intelligent as a species.

“I’d call that a major downsizing in an evolutionary eye blink (眨眼),” John Hawks told Discover magazine.

Why is the brain becoming smaller?

There are different theories to explain it. One is that tens of thousands of years ago, before the decline began, to survive in cold and dangerous conditions, humans needed a stronger and larger body and therefore, a larger head. Also they had to chew the tough meat of rabbits, foxes and horses. As conditions improved, the brain stopped growing, according to supporters of this theory.

Another theory comes from a recent study by David Geary and Drew Bailey. They found that brain size decreased as population density(密度) increased.

“As complex societies appeared, the brain became smaller because people did not have to be as smart to stay alive.” Geary told AFP.

But smaller brain size does not necessarily mean that modern humans are less smart than their ancestors. “Modern humans simply developed different, more complex forms of intelligence,” said Brian Hare.

Hare’s studies focus on two types of great apes: chimpanzees and bonobos. Both are much like humans, but are physically quite different from one another. The bonobo has a smaller brain than the chimpanzee, and is also much less aggressive and more tolerant.

“When it comes to working out a problem,” Hare said, “chimpanzees are much less likely to accomplish it if it involves working together. Not so with bonobos.”

The smaller brain in modern humans may be evidence that we can cooperate,” Hare told the US National Public Radio.

1.Which of the following words can be used to replace the underlined word in Paragraph 2?

A. speed　　 B. increase

C. decline　　 D. change

2.We can learn from the passage that ____________.

A. the size of human brain has something to do with many factors

B. the brain size increases because of the increase of population density

C. the abilities of the bonobos and the chimpanzees are almost the same

D. modern humans can certainly do teamwork better than other species

3.According to Brian Hare, _____________.

A. bonobos are much likely to cooperate better than chimpanzees

B. chimpanzees tend to work well with others

C. modern humans are less smart their ancestors

D. small brains are certainly connected with intelligent beings

4.Which of following is probably the best title of the passage?

A. Bonobo or Chimpanzee—Which Smarter?

B. Smaller Brain--Less Intelligent?

C. Human and Animal—More Intelligent?

D. Human Brain-Why Downsizing?

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A new study says one part of the human brain may become smaller as the result of a condition known as jet lag(时差). People with jet lag feel extremely tired for several days. They may also have problems in thinking clearly and remembering.

Recently a researcher at the University of Bristol in Britain reported the findings of his jet lag study, which involved twenty women who worked for international airlines. They had served passengers on airplanes for five years. These flight attendants flew across many countries and at least seven time zones. In the study, the flight attendants had different amounts of time to recover from jet lag. Half the women spent five days or fewer in their home areas between long flights. The other half spent more than fourteen days in their home areas.

The researcher took some saliva (唾液) from the women’s mouths to measure levels of a hormone that increases during stress. He tested them to see if they could remember where black spots appeared on a computer screen. And he took pictures of their brains to measure the size of the brain’s temporal lobes (脑叶).

It was found that the women who had less time between flights had smaller right temporal lobes. This area of the brain deals with recognizing and remembering what is seen. The same group performed worse and had slower reaction on the visual memory test. And their saliva samples showed higher levels of stress hormones.

The researcher believes the brain needs at least ten days to recover after a long trip. He says airline workers told him their ability to remember got worse after working on planes for about four years. Other studies have shown that increased feelings of stress can cause a loss of cells in the part of the brain that controls memory.

Scientists say more tests are needed to study the effects of jet lag on the brain. They want to find out if too much jet lag could permanently affect memory.

1.It can be inferred from the text that ______.

A. the conclusion is refused by many scientists

B. scientists fear that this research is not done properly

C. every scientific conclusion needs the support from many tests

D. the women who were examined in the research were not healthy

2.From the result of the research we can see that _____.

A. the women who have longer rest at home perform better on the test.

B. the women who fly in short time have smaller right temporal lobes

C. the women who have longer flights fail the memory test

D. the women who rest more than 14 days produce more hormones

3.What is the subject discussed in the test?

A. The cause of jet lag.

B. A story of a group of flight attendants.

C. The importance of having enough rest after flights.

D. A research about the effects of jet lag on the brain

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A new study says one part of the human brain may become smaller as the result of a condition known as jet lag. Jet lag results from flying long distances in an airplane. Jet lag interferes with a person's normal times for sleeping and waking. People with jet lag may feel extremely tired for several days. They also may have problems thinking clearly and remembering.

Kwangwook Cho is a researcher at the University of Bristol in Britain. He reported the findings of his jet lag study in the publication Nature Neuroscience.

The study involved twenty young women who worked for international airlines. The women had served passengers on airplanes for five years. These flight attendants flew across many countries and at least seven time zones. In the study, the flight attendants had different amounts of time to recover from jet lag. Half the women spent five days or fewer in their home areas between long flights. The other half spent more than fourteen days in their home areas.

Mister Cho took some fluid from the women's mouths to measure levels of a hormone that increases during stress. He tested them to see if they could remember where black spots appeared on a computer screen. And he took pictures of their brains using magnetic resonance imaging. This is a way to measure the size of the brain's temporal lobes（颞叶）.

It was found that the women who had less time between flights had smaller right temporal lobes. This area of the brain deals with recognizing and remembering what is seen. The same group performed worse and had slower reaction times on the visual memory test. And their saliva samples showed higher levels of stress hormones.

Mister Cho says he believes the brain needs at least ten days to recover after a long trip. He says airline workers told him their ability to remember got worse after working on planes for about four years. Other studies have shown that increased feelings of stress can cause a loss of cells in the part of the brain that controls memory.

Scientists say more tests are needed to study the effects of jet lag on the brain. They want to find out if too much jet lag could permanently affect memory.

1.According to the text, jet lag _____.

A. can cause difficulties in speaking

B. can make people feel tired for a few weeks

C. is the illness only found in people who work on the airplanes

D. can be caused by flying over several time zones in an airplane

2.It is inferred that more tests need to be done because _____.

A. the conclusion was questioned by many scientists

B. scientists fear that his research is not done properly

C. every scientific conclusion needs the support from many tests

D. the woman who were studied in the research were not healthy

3.Which of the following statements is TRUE about the research results?

A. Women who have a longer rest at home show better memory.

B. Women who fly in short time had smaller right temporal lobes.

C. Women who have longer flights failed the memory test.

D. Women who rest more than 14 days produced less hormones.

4.What is the subject discussed in the test?

A. The cause of jet lag.

B. A story of a group of flight attendance.

C. A research about the effects of jet lag on the brain.

D. The importance of having enough rest after long flights.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A new study says one part of the human brain may become smaller as the result of a condition known as jet lag. Jet lag results from flying long distances in an airplane. Jet lag interferes with a person's normal times for sleeping and waking. People with jet lag may feel extremely tired for several days. They also may have problems thinking clearly and remembering.

Kwangwook Cho is a researcher at the University of Bristol in Britain. He reported the findings of his jet lag study in the publication Nature Neuroscience.

The study involved twenty young women who worked for international airlines. The women had served passengers on airplanes for five years. These flight attendants flew across many countries and at least seven time zones. In the study, the flight attendants had different amounts of time to recover from jet lag. Half the women spent five days or fewer in their home areas between long flights. The other half spent more than fourteen days in their home areas.

Mister Cho took some fluid from the women's mouths to measure levels of a hormone that increases during stress. He tested them to see if they could remember where black spots appeared on a computer screen. And he took pictures of their brains using magnetic resonance imaging. This is a way to measure the size of the brain's temporal lobes.

It was found that the women who had less time between flights had smaller right temporal lobes. This area of the brain deals with recognizing and remembering what is seen. The same group performed worse and had slower reaction times on the visual memory test. And their saliva samples showed higher levels of stress hormones.

Mister Cho says he believes the brain needs at least ten days to recover after a long trip. He says airline workers told him their ability to remember got worse after working on planes for about four years. Other studies have shown that increased feelings of stress can cause a loss of cells in the part of the brain that controls memory.

Scientists say more tests are needed to study the effects of jet lag on the brain. They want to find out if too much jet lag could permanently affect memory.

1.According to the text, jet lag _____.

A. can cause difficulties in speaking

B. can make people feel tired for a few weeks

C. is the illness only found in people who work on the airplanes

D. can be caused by flying over several time zones in an airplane

2.It is inferred that more tests need to be done because _____.

A. the conclusion was questioned by many scientists

B. scientists fear that his research is not done properly

C. every scientific conclusion needs the support from many tests

D. the woman who were studied in the research were not healthy

3.What is the subject discussed in the test?

A. The cause of jet lag.

B. A story of a group of flight attendance.

C. A research about the effects of jet lag on the brain.

D. The importance of having enough rest after long flights.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A new study says one part of the human brain may become smaller as the result of a condition known as jet lag which results from flying long distances in an airplane. People with jet lag feel extremely tired for several days. They may also have problems in thinking clearly and remembering.

Recently a researcher at the University of Bristol in Britain reported the findings of his jet lag study, which involved twenty women who worked for international airlines. They had served passengers on airplanes for five years. These flight attendants flew across many countries and at least seven time zones. In the study, the flight attendants had different amounts of time to recover from jet lag. Half the women spent five days or fewer in their home areas between long flights. The other half spent more than fourteen days in their home areas.

The researcher took some saliva from the women’s mouths to measure levels of a hormone (荷尔蒙) that increases during stress. He tested them to see if they could remember where black spots appeared on a computer screen. And he took pictures of their brains to measure the size of the brain’s temporal lobes (脑叶).

It was found that the women who had less time between flights had smaller right temporal lobes. This area of the brain deals with recognizing and remembering what is seen. The same group performed worse and had slower reaction times on the visual memory test. And their saliva samples showed higher levels of stress hormones.

The researcher believes the brain needs at least ten days to recover after a long trip. He says airline workers told him their ability to remember got worse after working on planes for about four years. Other studies have shown that increased feelings of stress can cause a loss of cells in the part of the brain that controls memory.

Scientists say more tests are needed to study the effects of jet lag on the brain. They want to find out if too much jet lag could permanently affect memory.

1.What causes jet lag according to the passage?

A.Having a long trip. B.Flying across many countries.

C.Making lengthy flight journeys. D.Traveling across several time zones.

2.What are the second and third paragraphs about?

A.The process of the study. B.The result of the study.

C.The meaning of the study. D.The preparation of the study.

3.What did the researcher find about his jet lag study?

A.The women who have longer flights fail the memory test.

B.The women who have longer rest at home show better memory.

C.The women who rest more than 14 days produce more hormones.

D.The women who have less time in flight have smaller right temporal lobes.

4.What can be the best title for the text?

A.Solution to Jet Lag B.Influences of Jet Lag on the Brain

C.Jet Lag PermanentlyAffects Memory D.FlightAttendants’BrainsAre in Danger

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

A new study says one part of the human brain may become smaller as the result of a condition known as jet lag. Jet lag results from flying long distances in an airplane. People with jet lag may feel extremely tired for several days. They may also have problems thinking clearly and remembering.

Recently a researcher at the University of Bristol in Britain reported the findings of his jet lag study, which involved twenty young women who worked for international airlines. They had served passengers on airplanes for five years. These flight attendants flew across many countries and at least seven time zones. In the study, the flight attendants had different amounts of time to recover from jet lag. Half the women spent five days or fewer in their home areas between long flights. The other half spent more than fourteen days in their home areas.

The researcher took some saliva from the women”s mouths to measure levels of a hormone(荷尔蒙) that increases during stress(紧张). He tested them to see if they could remember where black spots appeared on a computer screen. And he took pictures of their brains to measure the size of the brain”s temporal lobes(脑叶).

It was found that the women who had less time between flights had smaller right temporal lobes. This area of the brain deals with recognizing and remembering what is seen. The same group performed worse and had slower reaction times on the visual memory test. And their saliva samples showed higher levels of stress hormones.

The researcher believes the brain needs at least ten days to recover after a long trip. He says airline workers told him their ability to remember got worse after working on planes for about four years. Other studies have shown that increased feelings of stress can cause a loss of cells in the part of the brain that controls memory.

Scientists say more tests are needed to study the effects of jet lag on the brain. They want to find out if too much jet lag could permanently (永久性的) affect memory.

1.According to the text, jet lag .

2.It can be inferred from the text that .

3.From the result of the research we can see that .

4.What is the subject discussed in the text?

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Believe it or not, the Great Wall, which _______ by people, should be protected at once.

A. has been destroyed     B. is destroyed     C. was destroyed     D. is being destroyed

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Scientists are not sure how the brain follows the tracks of time．One theory holds that it has a group of cells specialized to record the intervals （间隔）of time, while another theory holds that some neural processes （神经突）act as an inside clock．

Whichever theory it may be, studies find, the cells have a poor grasp of longer interval．Time does seem to slow during an empty afternoon and race when the brain focuses on challenging work．Stimulants （兴奋剂）, including caffeine, tend to make people feel as if．time is passing faster; complex jobs, like doing taxes, can seem to drag on longer than they actually do．And  emotional  events — a breakup, a promotion, a transformative trip abroad —tend to be sensed as more recent than they actually are, by months or even years．In short, some psychologists say, the findings support the philosopher Martin Heidegger' s observation that time "persists merely as a consequence of the events taking place in it．"

Now researchers are finding that the opposite thing may also be true: if very few events come to mind, then the sense of time does not persist; the brain shortens the interval that has passed．

In one classic experiment, a French explorer named Michel Siffre lived in a cave for two months, cut off from the rhythms of night and day and man-made clocks．He appeared then, convinced that he had been isolated for only 25 days．Left to its own devices, the brain tends to shorten time．

In earlier work, researchers found  that a similar case at work in people’s judgment of intervals that last only moments．Relatively infrequent stimuli, like flashes or tones, tend to increase the speed of the brain' s internal pacemaker．

On an obvious level, these kinds of findings offer an explanation for why other people' s children seem to grow up so much faster than one's own．Involved parents are all too well aware of first step in their own children; however, seeing a cousin's child once every few years, without bothering memories, shortens the time．

1.What can we infer from the first paragraph?

A．Scientists have agreed about how the brain records time．

B．Scientists all think that some cells record the intervals of time．

C．Scientists haven't agreed on how the brain records time．

D. Scientists all hold the theory that neural processes are an inside clock．

2.According．to Paragraph 3, if we have few things to do, the brain will____．

A．make the intervals of time long

B．make the intervals of time short

C．keep a state of rest

D．stop working

3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Michel Siffre didn' t think he had stayed in the cave for as long as two months．

B．Parents tend to think their own children grow faster than others．

C．Michel Diffre actually stayed in the cave for twenty-five days．

D．Children usually bring bad memories to their parents．

4.In which column of a newspaper can we find this passage?

A．Social news                               B．Community activities

C．．Science                               D．Children s life

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Experts believe that land that is becoming deserts ________ the size of Australia, Russia and the United States put together

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

—Jim, what’s the result of the final?

—Believe it or not, China _______ beat its strong opponent France.

A.narrowly B.casually C.manually D.typically

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析