Researchers recently discovered some unusual ...

Researchers recently discovered some unusual behavior in chimps living in the forests of West Africa. An adult male in the wild would pick up a rock, throw it at a tree while yelling and then run away. Although researchers aren't certain why, they make a guess: The chimps seem to prefer trees that create longer-lasting sounds when struck.

A team of researchers from Germany first discovered this behavior three years ago. Because the actions appeared to be localized, the researchers suggested the purpose was a local tradition and was likely part of some sort of ritual(仪式), Phys. org reports. But they weren't sure what purpose the ritual served.

So the group desired to carry out more experiments to determine why the chimps were so interested in throwing rocks at trees. This time around, they went to the same areas but set up microphones to capture(捕捉) the sounds of the stones as they were thrown.

Researchers analyzed all the recordings and found that the chimps tended to prefer throwing rocks at trees that made lower, longer-lasting sounds. Often these were trees that had exposed roots.

In their findings, published in Biology Letters, the researchers write that “low-frequency sounds travel further in the environment and are better suited for long-distance communication”.

If chimps tried to communicate. it would be more effective for them to strike the trees or choose the ones that made the loudest noises when struck. Because the researchers saw chimps stick to the same trees and never choose new ones, the location could be a factor. Researcher Ammie Kalan tells Science that maybe the locations of the trees have something to do with nearby resources like food and water, and that the sound is a signal to others where to find them.

1.How did the researchers feel about the chimps behavior from the first two paragraphs?

A.Doubtful B.Excited C.Disappointed D.Frightened.

2.What did the researchers do during their experiments?

A.They tried to make long-lasting sounds.

B.They recorded the sounds from the stricken（受...侵袭的） trees.

C.They designed various sounds for the chimps.

D.They collected different sounds of the chimps.

3.What does Ammie Kalan think of the chimps' behavior?

A.It is a good way of seeking food. B.It is a means of communication.

C.It is a natural response to food. D.It is a symbol of their growth.

4.What is the text mainly about?

A.How the chimps produce sounds.

B.The chimps’ habit of throwing rocks.

C.Why the chimps like to throw rocks at trees.

D.Chimps often throw rocks at different kinds of trees.

高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

Here’ s an unusual story: a diamond ring

was recently found in an egg. The

magician, Liu Qian, discovered it, in front

of an audience of millions at CCTV’ s Spring

Festival Gala. Liu’ s magic tricks have made the centuries-old art of magic fashionable once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.

As a seasoned young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the U

nited States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.

Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people’ s love for magic.

Liu is known for his interaction(互动)with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship(演出技巧).

“It’ s actually thinking rather than one’ s manipulation（操作）skills; that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively, to make them appear more interesting.  ”Liu said.

Liu Qian’ s success dated back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan’ s Youth Magic Contest, which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.

Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur  (业余的) magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a proper job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.

To refine his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields for passers-by, policemen and farmers.

“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds, ” Liu said.

1.What does the underlined word  “seasoned ” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. 季节性的        B. 刚出道的         C. 老练的         D. 职业的

2.The story is about_____.

A. how Liu Qian became China’ s hottest magician

B. why people love magic

C. what magic tricks are

D. how fashionable the magic is

3.People love to watch magic because_____.

A. they can’ t figure out the secret of magic

B. it arouses their curiosity

C. they love watching magicians make the impossible happen

D. it is a centuries-old art

4.Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?

A. He was interested in magic when he was little.

B. He had won Taiwan’ s Youth Magic Contest.

C. He became an amateur magician in his spare time.

D. He couldn’ t find an acceptable job after graduation

5. From the story we know that______.

A. Liu Qian competed in many magic competitions

B. Liu Qian often invites audiences to be in his magic show

C. Liu Qian performs on streets in order to increase his fame

D. Liu Qian does street show to make money

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Scientists believe they could bring the likes of dodos(渡渡鸟)back from the dead through cloning experiments in the near future which could see the flightless birds revived from their extinction.

The big bird, which was about a metre tall and weighed up to 18 kilograms, was native to Mauritius but became extinct in the 1600s, shortly after humans discovered the island. However, 400 years later, scientists now believe that they could bring the dodo back to life through cloning of some of its closest living relatives.

Scientists recently published a paper which identified the overall genomic structure of dinosaurs. The team achieved this by tracing the ancestors (祖先)of birds — the dinosaurs closest living relatives — to create the genomic structure. Researchers involved in the study say it is an emphatic ‘no’ when it comes to the possibility of ever being able to clone dinosaurs, but they do say that more recently extinct birds like the carrier pigeon and the dodo could be brought back due to the fact that they have such close living relatives.

University of Kent scientists Darren Griffin and Rebecca O’Connor wrote in an article for The Conversation: “We discovered that birds and most flightless dinosaurs had a lot of chromosomes (packages of DNA). Having so many allows animals to generate variation, the driver of natural selection.”

“However, though it is a long shot, it may be possible in future to use Jurassic Park technology to help avoid some of the harm that humans have caused. Mankind has seen the extinction of well-known avian dinosaurs such as the dodo and the passenger pigeon.”

“Recovery(恢复)of DNA that is a only few hundred years old from these birds is a far more realistic way. It may also be that eggs from closely related living species might just be good enough. In the right conditions we may be able to use them to resurrect some of these species from extinction.”

1.What can we learn about dodos?

A.They flew to Mauritius in the 1600s. B.They could be used to clone pigeons.

C.They would die out in the near future. D.They might be brought back to life soon.

2.How do scientists revive dodos?

A.They clone dodos’ closest living relatives. B.They trace those endangered birds closely.

C.They look for dinosaurs’ living conditions. D.They identify genomic structure of pigeons.

3.What does the underlined word “resurrect” in the last paragraph mean?

A.Learn. B.Protect.

C.Revive. D.Prevent.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A.Scientists Expect to Clone the Dodos. B.Scientists Find Close Living Relatives.

C.Dinosaurs Have Already Been Extinct. D.Some Species Have Been Discovered.

高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

Researchers at the University of Scotland have discovered a protein that can influence viruses developing and even can control cancer. Now the fight is on to fully understand how it works in the hope of turning the laboratory research into a treatment.

The protein is called Hira. Technically it is a histone（组蛋白）complex, but it is easier to understand in terms of what it can do. Three years ago Dr Taranjit Singh Rai and colleagues at the Beatson Cancer Institute and Glasgow University reported that Hira could possibly suppress the division of cells that causes cancer. In the course of that research, Dr Rai found out something unusual. In the lab they have established that the Hira protein has a role to play in the anti-viral fight, thus, making it have a fundamental role to play in fighting against cancer.

The trick in using it to fight diseases may lie in increasing Hira levels in our cells. “I think what researchers might be interested in is how we can increase levels of this protein to deal with the viruses better, Dr Rai said.

Dr Rai has led an international study and support has come from Cancer Research UK and the results are published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research. But there is a major concern that the research is still limited to the laboratory.

It is going to take some time, probably years, before this work can move out of the lab and into clinics and hospitals. But the researchers are excited Hira will one day be the basis of a new approach in medicine.

1.What does the underlined word “suppress" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A.Motivate. B.Monitor. C.Control. D.Improve.

2.What can be known from the text?

A.Hira has been used in the medical treatment.

B.More studies should be done on Hira.

C.The levels of Hira in cells are unchangeable.

D.Hira can bring about side effects.

3.What is the researchers' attitude to the future of Hira?

A.Cautious. B.Optimistic.

C.Disapproving. D.Doubtful.

4.What's the text mainly about?

A.A new way to use the protein.

B.A new approach to improving the division of cells.

C.A new medicine that can fight diseases.

D.A protein that can stop viruses developing.

高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

The two researchers originally set out to study the zebras in Africa and discovered a new species of tiger ______.

A. by chance　 　　 　　 B. in addition

C. by nature　　　　　 D. in need

高二英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析

A recent documentary produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has caused a stir in China and in the UK.

The documentary, titled Are Our Kids Tough Enough? focuses on five Chinese teachers who are sent to teach 50 UK teens at a school in Hampshire.

The teachers instruct the students for a month. The pupils are then tested, and the results are compared to the ones of those who have continued in the regular UK education system. The idea is to see if the Chinese method improves academic performance.

The Chinese teachers use their own teaching methods but receive strong resistance from the students. A clip from the documentary online shows some problems, with Chinese teachers calling their students lazy and lacking in discipline, while the students say the high pressure and harsh teachers are driving them crazy.

This has aroused a new debate in both China and the UK, with some arguing the teenagers need more regulation and discipline. Others say Chinese methods encourage rote learning (死记硬背) instead of independent thinking. For instance, Chinese language teachers should do more than pass on knowledge about words and characters. They should inspire students, helping them feel the sentiment from Chinese literature. This is a higher level of teaching.

Yang Dongping, dean of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, says, “The Chinese teaching methods are designed to strictly train the majority. Foreign teaching methods, however, are more natural and relaxing, and designed to inspire students’ interest in learning. Education methods are based on culture. That is why a successful education method in one place may not work that well when simply ‘transplanted’ into another place.”

Yang Dongping says, “The documentary does reflect some problems rooted in traditional Chinese teaching methods. Nobel prize winner, Yang Zhenning, gave a very fair comment on this issue. He said the Chinese-style education method works for most ordinary qualified students effectively, helping them reach high standards. However, it may weaken the training for high-potential outstanding students.”

1.Why are five Chinese teachers sent to teach 50 UK teens?

A.To test the intelligence of the UK teens.

B.To help the school improve their teaching efficiency.

C.To do some practical research into the UK education system.

D.To test the effectiveness of Chinese teaching methods.

2.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “harsh” in the fourth paragraph?

A.Extremely strict B.Quite friendly

C.Rather cold D.Very attractive

3.According to Yang Dongping, Chinese teaching methods ______.

A.fit all countries B.could be improved

C.are the best in the world D.are not as good as British methods

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Rome is recognized across the globe for its classical artwork, but recently the city's street art has been drawing attention. While many urban artists stick to painting murals（壁画），one Italian sculptor is resisting the trend with his wonderful works made from an unusual material. Andrea Gandini, a native of Rome in his early twenties, has been recognized for his wood carvings of old tree trunks scattered across the city's landscape.

Gandini's Trocomorto, or "dead trunk" project, began in 2018, when the artist ran out of sculpting clay. That's when he noticed the remains of an old tree stump in his neighborhood. He realized that Rome was full of potential canvases（画布）just waiting to be given a new life. "Bringing trees back to life" is exactly how Gandini and others describe his art.

Due to years of poor care by the city, many trees became diseased and had to be cut down. This resulted in lots of old stumps that degraded the streets of Rome, which were costly to remove. However, they have been a perfect canvas of Gandini, who has completed over 50 carvings across the city.

Gandini gives each old tree trunk a face and personality of its own. By recognizing each formerly living tree as individual, he hopes to give them some dignity in death and respect each of them with their own headstone of sorts. For those that can't make the trip to Rome, Gandini documents his works of art on Facebook.

Gandini's “dead trunk" project reminds us of what Auguste Rodin says, "There is no lack of beauty in the world, but a lack of eyes to find it." All is beautiful in the eyes of the artist, for his keen eye sees through the heart of all living things. To discover its character is to pierce its outer form and touch its inner truth. This "truth" is also "beauty".

1.What has drawn people's attention recently in Rome according to the passage?

A.Its classical artwork. B.Its traditional murals.

C.Its street wood carvings. D.Its unusual material.

2.Which statement is NOT correct about Gandini's works?

A.They are full of life. B.They follow the trend of murals.

C.They beautify the city. D.They are appreciated by some artists.

3.What does Gandini try to put in his works?

A.Dignity and respect. B.Beauty and kindness.

C.Hope and personality. D.Death and art.

4.What can we learn from this passage?

A.Beauty is always around for keen eyes.

B.Inner truth is difficult to find.

C.We live in a world lacking beauty.

D.Grandini is a person who loves nature and truth.

高二英语阅读选择简单题查看答案及解析

Elephant seals in funny-looking hats are helping NASA study climate science.

Equipped with specialized sensors that resemble tiny metal hats with antennae(大线），these seals are collecting data that's helping researchers track how heat moves through ocean currents. A team of climate scientists led by Lia Siegelman used this clever technique to track changes in temperature as the seal swam the icy waters of the Antarctic.

With the help of one particularly female seal,the researchers discovered that heat stored at the ocean's depths can sometimes get swirled(打旋）back up to the surface thanks to some deeply penetrating(穿透）currents.While researchers have known that these currents can ferry heat downward into the ocean's interior(内部），the new findings suggest the opposite is true as well-driving a process that can warm the sea's surface as well.

Siegelman thinks it's important to include this new information into existing climate models.Before seals entered the picture,scientists had a pretty limited view of what went on beneath the surface of the Southern Ocean.Here,temperatures can suddenly fall below－1℃,and thick sheets of sea ice block instruments from collecting data.All in all,it's a pretty unappealing area for underwater field work.

But none of that troubles southern elephant seals,which spend nine to ten months of each year at sea,swimming thousands of miles and diving up to half a mile beneath the ocean surface-usually about 80 times a day.

So Siegelman and her colleagues tagged a female elephant seal on the Kerguelen Islands.The researchers followed her 3,000-mile journey,during which she dived 6,333 times."Even when they sleep,they dive,"Siegelman said.“They float down like a leaf."

Combined with satellite images,the wealth of data the seal recovered gave Siegelman and her team a clearer picture than they'd ever been afforded before.It's probably safe to say that the significance of this was lost on the seal.But from the human perspective(观点），it's clear seals are filling in some massive gaps in knowledge.

1.How did the researchers collect climate data in the Antarctic?

A.By testing a high-tech hat.

B.By studying a seal's behavior.

C.By measuring the water temperature.

D.By attaching a sensor to a seal's head.

2.The new findings indicate that_

A.ocean currents can drive heat up to the surface

B.heat can be taken down into the ocean's interior

C.the warm temperatures can help seals dive deep

D.the world's waters can balance global warming

3.The researchers used seals to monitor the Southern Ocean probably because.

A.the scenery is unattractive

B.the sea floor is changeable

C.seals are aggressive hunters

D.seals are extraordinary divers

4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A.Seals help us observe the unknown world.

B.Satellites are used to track human activities.

C.The ocean presents a more beautiful picture.

D.Data are analyzed for better survival of seals.

高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析

A team of UK researchers recently compared the performances of 120 women and 120 men in a computer test involving switching between tasks of counting and shape recognition.

Men and women were equally capable when tasks were handled one at a time. But when the tasks were mixed up, there was a clear difference. According to the paper published in the journal BMC Psychology, both women and men slowed down and made more mistakes as the switching became more rapid. But the men were slower, taking 77 percent longer to answer, whereas women took 69 percent longer.

To make the experiment more relevant to day-to-day life, researchers tried a second test. A group of women and men were given eight minutes to complete a series of everyday tasks, such as finding restaurants on a map, doing simple math problems, answering a phone call, or deciding how they would search for a lost key in a field. Once again, women outperformed men in the test, particularly in the key-searching task.

“It suggests that in a stressed and complex situation women are more able to stop and think about what’s going on in front of them,” researcher Keith Laws of the University of Hertfordshire, UK, told BBC News. “In contrast, men had a slight impulsiveness（冲动）, answering without giving much thought to their responses.”

So where do women get the ability to keep organized under pressure better than men? Researchers believe that it has its roots in evolution. In early human communities, women had to keep an eye on children while cooking meals. Meanwhile, men only needed to focus on hunting.

1.What did the UK researchers find in the first experiment?

A. Men were better at counting and shape recognition than women.

B. Women made more mistakes than men when multitasking.

C. Women were better at switching between tasks than men.

D. Men and women had equal multitasking abilities.

2.Why did the researchers carry out the second test?

A. To compare the results from different age groups.

B. To check the results with more difficult tasks.

C. To make the results more connected to people’s lives.

D. To check the results over a shorter period of time.

3.What is the main purpose of Paragraph 4 and 5?

A. To show how men and women think differently.

B. To give advice on how to multitask.

C. To compare the roles of men and women in human communities.

D. To explain why men and women perform differently.

4.What can we learn from this passage?

A. Men tend to give more thought to their responses when facing complex situations.

B. Every woman is born to be good at multitasking.

C. Men only need to focus on hunting.

D. Evolution leads to women’s outperforming men in multitasking.

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Recently, researchers in the US have carried out a study on laughing, one of the most natural characteristics of human behavior.

Jo-Anne Bachorowsky, a psychology professor at Vandebilt University,36  a team of researchers who   37   a total of 11 short videos to 97 young adult volunteers in the US. They found that the participants produced a   38of sounds when they laughed,39grunts(呼噜声) and snorts(哼声).

The researchers found that some of the 40 were dependent 41gender(性别). Men laughed with grunts and snorts more often than women, 42women’s 43 was more song-like.

They also found that people’s laughter could change, 44who they were with at the time. Whether they were with a man or a woman and 45person was a friend or a 46 both played a part in laughter.

The researchers found that women’s laughter was very high with a 47 pitch(音高) when they were with male strangers. And women taking 48   in the study laughed more often when they were with a male friend than when they were with a(n) 49 friend or a male stranger. But men laughed more freely with friends of either sex than with strangers of either sex.

Scientists believe that the 50consumed in laughing 100 times is 51  to 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Another52 of laughter is53 it improves our mental health. Laughter reduces our levels of stress. It also helps us 54 serious illness.

55,we think laughter can make us feel good.

高二英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析