In a study recently published in the journal ...

In a study recently published in the journal Neuron, researchers found that super memorizers don’t have unusually large brain regions that allow them to remember a lot of information. 1. Here are a few of their favorite tricks that can help you to remember things in your everyday life.

To Remember: New words

Technique: Change routine

In a study, a group of students studied a list of words in two separate sessions. Some studied in a messy room ant some in a neat space. One group of students spent both sessions in the same room, while the other split the sessions between the two environments. During a test, the students who studied in multiple places remembered much more. 2. That includes the time of day, the music in the background, whether you sit or stand, etc.

To Remember: Your PIN

Technique: Count it out

You could use your birthday, or your phone number, but identity thieves have a way of figuring those numbers out. 3. Write a four- wort sentence. Then count the number of letters in each word. For instance, “This is my PIN” =4223.

To Remember: Faces

Technique: Focus on noses

White some super memorizes specialize in associating names with faces, the memory-palace technique doesn’t work as well if the image of the face is changed in any way. Rather than focusing on eyes, as most people do, focus on the centre or to the left of a person’s nose. 4.

To Remember: Facts & figures

Technique: 5.

To learn and remember statistics, reviewing the material repeatedly over a longer time is far more effective than repeating it in a shorter one. If your exam is in a week, study today and then again in a day or two. If it’s a month away, study today and then wait a week before your second session.

A. value exams

B. Give yourself time

C. This allows you to take in their whole face.

D. Their brain structures are in fact the same as the rest of ours.

E. Instead, try this tip from Dominic, an eight-time World Memory Champion.

F. The theory is that your brain links the words to the environment around you.

G. Studies showed that varying other aspects of your environment can also help.

高三英语七选五简单题查看答案及解析

In the long dispute over whether dogs are smarter than cats, a recent study published in the journal Learning & Behavior suggests that dogs are no more exceptional than other animals when it comes to smartness and intelligence.

The news is sure to cause the debate among dog owners and scientists who study dog behaviors. The authors reviewed existing studies and data on animal cognition (认知) and found that while dogs are smart and trainable, they are not “super smart”, despite what most dog owners will tell you. Dog research was quite popular in the 1990s and continues to be so. When it came to other animals, though, scientific studies on intelligence were barely involved in, despite evidence to suggest that horses, chimpanzees ( 黑猩猩 ) and cats had tricks of their own. Almost everything a dog claimed to do, other animals could do too.

Researchers set out to test the supposition (假设，猜想). They compared dog cognition with members of three similar groups: meat-eating animals, social hunters and farm animals. Among the animals they studied were wolves, cats, chimpanzees, dolphins, horses and pigeons. What they found was that “dog cognition does not look exceptional”. Dogs can not use tools, unlike dolphins, New Caledonian crows and chimpanzees, which have been observed using plant stems to hunt for termites (白蚁). Homing pigeons are trained to fly home, sometimes crossing hundreds of miles of unfamiliar area. At the same time, farm animals share similar characters with their dog partners. Horses, like dogs, perform complex tasks. And cats? They have more in common with dogs than one might think. Still it is much easier to show intelligence in dogs because they like to be trained. Dogs are not smarter than they are supposed to be, given what they are.

1.What opinion does the recent study hold about dogs?

A.They can be trained to do many things.

B.They don’t have any intelligent advantage.

C.They’re lazy compared with chimpanzees.

D.They show exceptional smartness when trained.

2.How did the researchers conduct the study?

A.By referring to existing studies and data.

B.By comparing animals’ cognition ability.

C.By questionnaire surveys on dog owners.

D.By observing different animals’ behaviors.

3.What do we infer about cats from the last paragraph?

A.Cats can use tools to fish.

B.Cats can go home from far away.

C.Cats can learn to do complex tasks.

D.Cats are more unwilling to be trained.

4.What is the main idea of the text?

A.Cats are smarter than they were.

B.Dogs aren’t so clever as we think.

C.Any animal is smart and trainable.

D.All animals should be treated equally.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A recent study, published in last week’s Journal of the American Medical Association, offers a picture of how risky it is to get a lift from a teenage driver. Indeed, a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers is three times as likely to have a fatal accident as a teenager driving alone. By contrast, the risk of death for drivers between 30 and 59 decreases with each additional passenger.

The author also found that the death rates for teenage drivers increased dramatically after 10 p.m., and especially after midnight, with passengers in the car, the driver was even more likely to die in a late-night accident.

Robert Foss, a scientist at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, says the higher death rates for teenage drivers have less to do with “really stupid behavior” than with just a lack of driving experience. “The basic issue.” he says, “is that adults who are responsible for issuing licenses fail to recognize how complex and skilled a task driving is.”

Both he and the author of the study believe that the way to mitigate (使……缓解)the problem is to have states institute so-called graduated licensing systems, in which getting a license is a multistage process. A graduated license requires that a teenager first prove himself capable of driving in the presence of an adult, followed by a period of driving with night of passenger restrictions, before graduating to full driving privileges.

Graduated licensing systems have reduced teenage driver crashes, according to recent studies, About half of the states now have some sort of graduated licensing system in place, but only 10 of those states have restrictions on passengers, California is the strictest, with a novice (新手)driver prohibited from carrying any passenger under 20(without the presence of an adult over 25)for the first six months.

1.Which of the following situations is most dangerous according to the passage?

A．Adults giving a lift to teenagers on the highway after 10 p.m.

B．A teenager getting a lift from a stranger on the highway at midnight.

C．Adults driving with three or more teenage passengers late at night.

D．A teenager driving after midnight with passengers in the car.

2.According to Robert Foss, the high death rate of teenage drivers is mainly due to ________.

A．their frequent driving at night

B．their lack of driving experience

C．their improper way of driving

D．their driving with passengers

3.According to Paragraph 3．which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．The licensing authorities are partly responsible for teenagers' driving accidents.

B．Driving is a skill too complicated for teenagers to learn.

C．Restrictions should be imposed on teenagers applying to take driving lessons.

D．Teenagers should spend more time learning to drive.

4.The most suitable measure to be taken to reduce teenagers' driving accidents is that ________ .

A．driving in the presence of an adult should be made a rule

B．they should be prohibited from taking on passengers

C．the licensing system should be improved

D．they should not be allowed to drive after 10 p.m.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

An article published recently in the scientific journal Nature is shedding new light on an important, but so far little has been appreciated, aspect of human evolution. In this article, Professors Dennis Bramble, and Daniel Lieberman suggest that the ability to run was a decisive factor in the development of our species. According to the two scientists, humans possess a number of anatomical（人体结构的）features that make them surprisingly good runners. “We are very confident that strong selection for running，which came at the expense of the historical ability to live in trees-was helpful in the origin of the modern human body form,” says Bramble, a biology professor at the University of Utah.

Traditional thinking up to now has been that the upright body form of modern humans has come about as a result of the ability to walk, and that running is simply a by-product of walking. Furthermore, humans have usually been regarded as poor runners compared to such animals as dogs, horses or antelopes. However, this is only true if we consider fast running over short distances. Even Olympic athlete can hardly run as fast as a horse can gallop, and can only keep up a top speed for fifteen seconds or so. Horses and antelopes, on the other hand, can run at top speed for several minutes, clearly outperforming us in this respect. But when it comes to long-distance running, humans do astonishingly well. They can maintain a steady pace for miles, and their overall speed compares favorably with that of horses or dogs.

Bramble and Lieberman examined twenty-six anatomical features found in humans. One of the most interesting of these is the nuchal ligament（颈背的韧带）. When we run, it is this ligament that prevents our head from pitching back and forth or from side to side. Therefore, we are able to run with steady heads held high. The nuchal ligament is not found in any other surviving primates（灵长类动物）, although the fossil（化石）record shows that Homo erectus, an early human species that walked upright, much as we do, also had one. Then there are our Achilles tendons（跟腱）at the backs of our legs, which have nothing to do with walking. When we run, these tendons behave like springs, helping to push us forward. Furthermore, we have low, wide shoulders, virtually disconnected from our skulls (the bony part of the head), another anatomical adaptation which allows us to run more efficiently.

But what evolutionary advantage is gained from being good long-distance runners? One assumption is that this ability may have permitted early humans to obtain food more effectively. “What these features and fossil facts appear to be telling us is that running evolved in order for our direct ancestors to compete with other carnivores (animals that eat meat) for access to the protein needed to grow the big brains that we enjoy today.” says Lieberman.

1.We can learn from the passage that the human ability to run _______.

A. was only recently described in a scientific journal

B. played an important part in human evolution

C. was considered more natural than the ability to live in trees

D. contributed to the form of human language

2.According to the second paragraph, humans _______

A. are better runners than most other animals

B. are not good at running short distances

C. compare unfavorably with horses and dogs

D. are poor long-distance runners

3.It appears that the nuchal ligament _______.

A. enables us to run with steady heads

B. is found in modern primates only

C. prevents the head from being held high

D. is a unique feature of carnivores

4.The passage does NOT tell us that _______

A. early humans had an advantage in obtaining food thanks to the running ability

B. fossils help us better understand human evolution.

C. our Achilles tendons are an adaptation for running efficiently

D. big brains may have been evolved for running long-distance

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

A study published in the journal Science reveals that since 1970, bird populations in the United States and Canada have declined by 29 percent, or almost 3 billion birds. The results show tremendous losses across diverse groups of birds and habitats — from iconic songsters such as meadowlarks to long-distance migrants such as swallows.

“These data are consistent with what we’re seeing elsewhere,” said co-author Peter Marra, former head of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. It’s urgent to address ongoing threats, both because the domino effects (多米诺效应) can lead to the decay of ecosystems that humans depend on for our own health and livelihoods and because people all over the world cherish birds in their own right. Can you imagine a world without birdsong?”

Evidence for the declines emerged from detection of migratory birds in the air from 143 NEXRAD weather radar stations across the continent in a period spanning over 10 years, as well as from nearly 50 years of data collected through multiple monitoring efforts on the ground. Citizen-science participants also contributed a lot, for the analysis included citizen-science data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey coordinated by the Canadian Wildlife Service—the main sources of long-term, large-scale population data for North American birds.

The study noted that the largest factor driving these declines is likely the widespread loss and degradation of habitat, especially due to agricultural intensification and urbanization. Other studies have documented death from predation (捕食) by domestic cats; collisions with glass, buildings, and other structures; and pervasive (普遍的) use of pesticides associated with widespread declines in insects, an essential food source for birds. Climate change is expected to compound these challenges by altering habitats and threatening plant communities that birds need to survive.

“It’s a wake-up call that we’ve lost more than a quarter of our birds in the U.S. and Canada,” said co-author Adam Smith from Environment and Climate Change Canada. But the crisis reaches far beyond our individual borders. Many of the birds that breed in Canadian backyards migrate through or spend the winter in the U.S. and places farther south — from Mexico and the Caribbean to Central and South America. What our birds need now is an historic, hemispheric effort that unites people and organizations with one common goal: bringing our birds back.”

1.The underlined word “decay” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________

A.improvement B.worsening

C.changed D.threat

2.What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A.New findings of the research.

B.Applications of the research.

C.Data sources of the research.

D.Methods of the research.

3.What Adam Smith said mainly implies that ________.

A.bird populations in America and Canada dropped by a quarter

B.the bird population crisis is not just within individual borders

C.there is little individuals can do to help increase bird populations

D.the solution to solving the crisis needs international cooperation

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

In a study published in the U. S. journal Science, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS) and the University of Florida identified the chemical combinations and genetic recipe for better tomato flavor(味道).

“In recent years, consumers often complain that the modern tomato is less flavorful than it once was” said co-principal researcher Sanwen Huang. “Our results provide a practical road map for breeding tomato varieties with better flavor.”

For the study, a 170-person consumer group was created to evaluate 160 tomatoes representing 101 varieties, based on qualities such as “overall liking” and “flavor degree”. The results pointed to dozens of chemical compounds of interest, and further research using a statistical model discovered 33 flavor compounds connected with consumer liking, such as glucose(葡萄糖). The reason why modern tomatoes don’t taste good anymore is that a total of 13 of these flavor-associated compounds “were significantly reduced in modern varieties,” their paper wrote. Moreover, the researchers found that smaller fruit tended to have greater sugar content, suggesting that “selection for more sizable tomatoes has cost sweetness and flavor”.

Based on this knowledge, Huang and Professor Harry Klee of the University of Florida studied the whole genomes of 398 varieties of tomato, identifying about 250 positions of genes on a chromosome(染色体), which controlled tomato flavor.

“We’re just fixing what has been damaged over the last half century to push them back to where they were a century ago,” said Klee in a statement. “We can make the supermarket tomato taste noticeably better.” Klee said new tomato varieties with better flavor could be ready in three to four years. In addition, “the genes and pathways identified here in the tomato almost certainly point to pathways worth researching for improvement of flavor quality in other fruit crops,” they wrote.

1.According to the text, the study ________.

A. was carried out just through a survey

B. was conducted by Chinese researchers themselves

C. was completely focused on the genes of different tomatoes

D. was done with the background of declining flavor of tomatoes

2.The researchers have found that ________ in the study.

A. bigger tomatoes are much sweeter

B. some genetic positions affect the taste of tomatoes

C. some chemical compounds make tomatoes less tasty

D. a total of 13 flavor-associated compounds make tomatoes appealing in taste

3.What is the influence of the study according to the text?

A. The study lays the foundation for further researches to improve other fruit crops’ flavor.

B. The study makes it possible for us to have noticeably more tasty tomatoes next year.

C. The study provides a road for where to plant tomatoes with better flavor.

D. The study has fixed all the genes of existing tomatoes.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

The study, published today in the journal PLOS Biology shows that the average body size and number of sharks and other marine predators—vital to maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems—fell significantly near cities with more than 10,000 people and associated fishing boats.

The minimum distance from people and fishing which had no measurable effect was 1,250 kilometers. This is far further than previous studies have suggested and probably reflects the increased distances fishing boats can now travel. As a result, sharks were only observed at 12% of sites monitored.

Lead author Dr. Tom Letessier said, ''Human activity is now the biggest influence on sharks' distribution. Just 13% of the world's oceans can be considered 'wilderness' but sharks and other predators are much more common and significantly larger at distances greater than 1,250 kilometers from people. This suggests that large marine predators are generally unable to thrive near to people and is another clear example of the impact of human overuse on our seas. ''

To collect their data, the team analyzed videos taken at 1,041 sites across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, selected to test the biggest possible range of conditions and habitats. Sharks and other free-swimming predators were studied using cameras attached cannisters(炮筒)filled with bait. In total, the team recorded 23,200 animals representing 109 species. These included 841 individual sharks from 19 different species.

Dr. Letessier added, ''Our study also found that shallower water environment, of depths less than 500 meters, were vital for marine predator diversity. We therefore need to identify sites that are both shallow and remote and protect them. However, there are still numerous shallow hot spots near human markets that are not appropriately protected, and this must change. ''

1.According to the study, what happened to sharks and other marine predators?

A.They became less important for keeping healthy ocean ecosystems.

B.They only lived near cities with 10,000 people.

C.They loved swimming after fishing boats.

D.Their average body size and number decreased sharply.

2.Which of the following statements may Dr. Tom Letessier agree with?

A.Large marine predators can grow well near people.

B.People shouldn't disturb the sea and sea animals.

C.Sharks’ distribution was mainly affected by human activity.

D.Other ecological factors have no impact on sharks’ distribution.

3.What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 4?

A.Introduce a new topic for readers.

B.Introduce the study means used by the team.

C.Summarize the previous paragraphs.

D.Collect data about sharks and other predators.

4.What can we infer about the perfect environment for marine predator diversity?

A.It should be deeper than 500 meters.

B.It should be spots that are hot enough.

C.It should be shallower and away from humans.

D.It should be spots changed from human markets.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The world is a greener place than it was 20 years ago. A study published in the journal “Nature Sustainability” said that recent satellite data reveals a greening pattern that is strikingly prominent in China and India. The study shows that human activity in China and India dominates this greening of the planet, thanks to tree planting and agriculture. The effect comes mostly from ambitious tree-planting programs in China and intensive agriculture in both countries.

“China and India account for one-third of the greening, ” said lead author Chi Chen of Boston University. “ That is a surprising finding, considering the vague idea of land degradation (毁坏) in populous countries from overexploitation, ” added Chen.

China alone accounts for 25 percent of the global net increase in leaf area with only 6.6 percent of global vegetated area. The greening in China is from forests (42 percent) and croplands (32 percent), but in India, it is mostly from croplands (82 percent) with minor contribution from forests (4.4 percent).

China’s outsized contribution to the global greening trend comes in large part from its programs to conserve and expand forests with the goal of preventing land degradation, air pollution, and climate change.

“Once people realize there is a problem, they tend to fix it,” said Rama Nemani, research scientist and co-author of the study. “In the 1970s and 80s in India and China, the situation around vegetation loss was not good. In the 1990s, people realized it, and today things have improved. Now we see that humans are contributing.”

Land area used to grow crops is comparable in China and India—more than 770, 000 square miles—and has not changed much since the early 2000s. Yet these regions have greatly increased both their annual total green leaf area and their food production.

This was achieved through multiple cropping practices, where a field is replanted to produce another harvest several times a year. Production of grains, vegetables, fruits and more have increased by about 35%～40% since 2000 to feed their large populations.

1.What did the study mainly find?

A. India and China are leading the global greening effort.

B. Intensive agriculture is the cause of global land degradation.

C. China and India has got the largest forest coverage in the world.

D. Agriculture is more helpful in expanding green areas than tree-planting.

2.How is China different from India in contributing to the global greening?

A. India reduced cropland to prevent the overexploitation.

B. India increased forest by planting around croplands.

C. China changed more lands into forest by planting trees.

D. China controlled the increase of its population.

3.What does Nemani think about humans in China and India in protecting the Earth?

A. Ambitious. B. Responsible.

C. Passionate . D. Tolerant.

4.What does the passage finally suggest humans should make good use of?

A. Forest. B. Trees.

C. Cropland. D. Food

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

According to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake. And contrary to existing research that says you should avoid eating with heavier people who order large portions(份), it's the beanpoles with big appetites you really need to avoid.

To test the effect of social influence on eating habits, the researchers conducted two experiments. In the first, 95 undergraduate women were individually invited into a lab to ostensibly(表面上)participate in a study about movie viewership. Before the film began, each woman was asked to help herself to a snack. An actor hired by the researchers grabbed her food first. In her natural state, the actor weighed 105 pounds. But in half the cases she wore a specially designed fat suit which increased her weight to 180 pounds.

Both the fat and thin versions of the actor took a large amount of food. The participants followed suit, taking more food than they normally would have. However, they took significantly more when the actor was thin.

For the second test, in one case the thin actor took two pieces of candy from the snack bowls. In the other case, she took 30 pieces. The results were similar to the first test: the participants followed suit but took significantly more candy when the thin actor took 30 pieces.

The tests show that the social environment is extremely influential when we're making decisions. If this fellow participant is going to eat more, so will I. Call it the “I’ll have what she's having” effect. However, we'll adjust the influence. If an overweight person is having a large portion, I'll hold back a bit because I see the results of his eating habits. But if a thin person eats a lot, I'll follow suit. If he can eat much and keep slim, why can't I?

1.What is the recent study mainly about?

A.Food safety. B.Movie viewership.

C.Consumer demand. D.Eating behavior.

2.What does the underlined word “beanpoles” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A.Big eaters. B.Overweight persons.

C.Picky eaters. D.Tall thin persons.

3.Why did the researchers hire the actor?

A.To see how she would affect the participants.

B.To test if the participants could recognize her.

C.To find out what she would do in the two tests.

D.To study why she could keep her weight down.

4.On what basis do we “adjust the influence” according to the last paragraph?

A.How hungry we are. B.How slim we want to be.

C.How we perceive others. D.How we feel about the food.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

According to a study published in the UK recently, those who like jogging and do this kind of exercise 1. (regular) for at least one hour a week have very high chances to live a longer life. The study's Danish researchers convinced 2. (convince) that choosing this kind of physical activity can bring us a priceless reward, 3. is 5 to 6more years of life! Moreover, to achieve better results, the researchers suggest 4. (limit) yourself to gentle jogging rather than fast-pace and tiring distance running. The scientists found that jogging 5. (benefit) are maximized when done at an average or even slow-pace exercising, and just one or two hours of jogging 6. week can be enough for you to achieve success, regardless 7.your age or health condition.

The scientists analyzed the data on about 20,000 people 8. (age) between 20 and 93, collected for over 35 years by the Copenhagen City Heart Study. According Dr. Peter Schnohr, the 9. (lead) researcher, it was found that jogging is associated with as much as a 44 percent 10. (low) risk of death. The life expectancy increase in men is as much as 6.2 years, and for women it is as much as 5.6 years.

高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析