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Feathers are not just for flight. They keep birds warm, and attract mates. And for one Australian bird, feathers even help produce an important sound—an alarm.
“People had long noticed these birds produced these loud sounds.” Trevor Murray, a researcher at the Australian National University said. “My supervisor Rob Magrath and May Hingee thought they were used as an alarm. So they did some playbacks and they could show quite strongly that if you play back these sounds to other birds, they flee straightaway. So I was really interested in how they produce the sound, whether it is actually a signal, and whether it’s a reliable signal.”
The team focused their experiment on specific feathers in the pigeon’s wing. “We were able to target the eighth primary feather, which is unusually narrow. And then we also removed, on different sets of birds, those neighboring feathers, the ninth primary feather and the seventh primary feather. And we were able to see when the eighth primary feather was missing, the high note had completely disappeared. So the eighth primary feather produced that high note and the ninth primary feather actually produced the low note.”
And if the birds are fleeing from danger, they produce a louder and higher sound than they do during a normal takeoff. The study is in the journal Current Biology.
Murray and his colleagues did another experiment where they used the recordings they made to observe the reactions of other pigeons. “We were able to see the unusual eighth primary feather was important for signaling the alarm. When that eighth primary feather was missing, they very rarely responded. They almost never fled. Whereas when the ninth primary produces the sound, they fled just as much as to normal alarms. This shows us this unusual primary feather is important for signaling alarm.”
That makes birds of a feather flee together.
1.What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. The birds B. Rob and May
C. The feathers D. The loud sounds
2.What did Rob Magrath and May Hingee find out about the birds?
A. They fly away as a group. B. They produce different notes.
C. They send alarms with feathers. D. They attract mates with feathers.
3.Why did the team remove different feathers?
A. To record the notes they produce. B. To keep the pigeons stay in cages
C. To compare their width and length. D. To observe other pigeons’ reactions.
4.According to Murray and his colleagues, why does the unusual feathers matter most?
A. It keeps the pigeons warm B. It responds to alarms
C. It helps birds fly more quickly D. It sounds alarms of danger.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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______ birds use their feathers for flight, some of their feathers are for other purposes.
A. Once B. If C. Although D. Because
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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I have to remind myself that some birds are not meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you ________ knows it was an offence to lock them up does feel happy.
A. that B. who C. where
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Chicken feathers are useful, and not just to a chicken. Some go into pillows, coats and other products. But countless chicken feathers go to waste.
In the United States, billions of chickens are produced yearly. Most of their feathers are thrown away.
But instead of being buried in land, some feathers could find a future in plastics（塑料）.
One of the products they have developed is a flowerpot（花盆）. It may look like other flowerpots. But the container breaks down in the earth within one to five years. And as it breaks down, it naturally becomes nutrient（营养物） in the soil.
The environmentally friendly flowerpot is the work of two researchers. Walter Schmidt is with the Agricultural Research Service, part of the United States Agriculture Department. Masud Huda is with the Horticultural Research Institute, a private（私人） organization（组织）.
Walter Schmidt has been working to find uses for chicken feathers since the 1990s. Progress in 2002 showed that plastic made from feathers could be formed like other plastics.
He says feathers are much stronger and last（持续） longer than another plant material. "Feathers are stronger. By design, feathers are also more durable（耐用的）. And the other part about it is if feathers were twice as heavy, or half as strong, then birds couldn't fly."
He points out that traditional flowerpots made from other plastics can last much longer. But he wonders if there is really a need. He says most flowerpots are never re-used.
"Why would you want a plastic that you use for a year to last for two hundred years? It makes no sense. You want to match the product with the use." said Walter Schmidt.
Walter Schmidt and Masud Huda are now adding another chicken product to their flowerpots -- chicken waste. The waste will add more nutrients to the soil as the pot breaks down. The scientists say they hope their flowerpot will be on the market in a year or two.
1.What do people mainly deal with feathers?
A．Feathers are used to make pillows, coats and other products.
B．Most feathers are paid no attention to.
C．Most feathers are used as nutrient
D．Most feathers are used to make flowerpots
2.What’s the advantage of the flowerpots?
A．They won’t last long. B．They can’t break
C．They are environmentally friendly D．They can be reused
3.What does Walter Schmidt think of traditional flowerpots?
A．Too heavy B．Too old
C．Never re-used D．lasting longer but unnecessary
4.What do you think is the main idea of the passage?
A．Chicken and its feathers B．How to deal with feathers
C．feathers made into flowerpot D．New flowerpots
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Birds are the only animals with feathers, although some other animals, such as insects and bats, also have wings．Nearly all birds can fly, and even flightless birds, such as ostriches （鸵鸟）, penguins, evolved from flying ancestors．
Birds are found worldwide in many habitats．They can fly over some of the highest mountains on earth as well as both of the earth’s poles, dive through water to depths of more than 250m, and occupy habitats with the most extreme climates on the planet, including arctic tundra （冻土地带） and the Sahara Desert．Certain kinds of seabirds are commonly seen over the open ocean thousands of kilometers from the nearest land, but all birds must come ashore to raise their young．
Highly developed animals, birds are sensitive and responsive, colorful and graceful, with habits that excite interest and inquiry．People have long been fascinated by birds, in part because birds are found in the same habitats in which humans live．And like people, most species of birds are active during daylight hours．Humans find inspiration in birds’ capacity for flight and in their musical calls．Humans also find birds useful---their flesh and eggs for food, their feathers for warmth, and their companionship．Perhaps a key basis for our friendliness with birds is the similarity of our sensory worlds: Both birds and humans rely more heavily on hearing and color vision than on smell．Birds are useful indicators of the quality of the environment, because the health of bird populations mirrors the health of our environment．The rapid decline in birds populations and the accelerating extinction rates of birds in the world’s forests, grassland, wetlands, and islands are therefore reasons for great concern．
1.Which of the following would be the best title of the text?
A．Animals with Feathers and Wings
Our friendliness with birdsC．An introduction to Birds
D．Bird’s life
2.What does the second paragraph mainly tell us ?
A．Bird’s friendship
Bird’s habitatsC．Bird’s raising D．Bird’s environment
3.Which of following is NOT true according to the passage ?
A．Bird’s flying abilities and musical calls inspire humans greatly．
Birds live in the same surroundings in which humans live．C．Both birds and humans rely more heavily on hearing and smell than on color vision．
D．Bird’s flesh and eggs for food, bird’s feathers for warmth, and their companionship are useful to us．
4.From the text it may imply but NOT state that __________．
A．the environment is being damaged seriously
if you want to raise birds, you should pay attention to environmentC．the environment affects the human beings
D．bird populations decrease rapidly
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Dolphins (海豚) are not fish, but warm-blooded animals. They live in groups, and speak to each other in their own language. In this way they are like other animals, such as bees and birds. But dolphins are very different from almost all land animals. Their brain is nearly the same size as our own, and they live a long time --- at least twenty or thirty years.
Like some animals, dolphins use sound to help them find their way around. They also make these sounds to talk to each other and to help them find food. We now know they do not use their ears to receive these sounds, but the lower part of the mouth, called the jaw.
Strangely, dolphins seem to like man, and for thousands of years there have been stories about the dolphin and its friendship with people.
There is a story about sailors in the 19th century. In a dangerous part of the sea off the coast of New Zealand, they learnt to look for a dolphin called Jack. From 1871 to 1903 Jack met every boat in the area and showed it the way. Then in 1903 a passenger on a boat called The Penguin shot and wounded Jack. He recovered and for nine years more continued to guide all ships through the area－except for The Penguin.
Today, some people continue to kill dolphins, but many countries of the world now protect them and in these places it is against the law to kill them.
1.By telling the story of Jack the writer wanted to show that _____.
A. people are cruel to animals
B. dolphins are friendly and clever
C. Jack is different from other dolphins
D. dolphins should be protected by law
2.Dolphins are different from many other animals in that they _____.
A. live in groups B. have their own language
C. are warm-blooded D. have large brains
3.Which of the following does the dolphin use to help it find its way around?
A. Its mouth. B. Its ears.
C. Its nose. D. Its eyes.
4.Why did the sailors off the coast of New Zealand look for Jack?
A. They wanted his help.
B. They enjoyed playing with him.
C. He was seriously wounded.
D. He was lonely and liked to be with people
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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America’s national parks are like old friends. You may not see them for years, but just knowing they’re out there makes you feel better. Hearing the names of these famous old friends ---Yellowstone and Grand Canyon --- revives memories of past visits and promotes dreams of those still to come.
Ancient fossil beds, Revolutionary War battlefields, mountain ranges, and monuments to heroic men and women who influenced this country are all a part of our National Park System (NPS). The care and preservation for future generations of these special places is entrusted to the National Park Service. Uniformed Rangers, the most visible representatives of the Service, not only offer park visitors a friendly wave, a helpful answer, or a history lesson, but also are rescuers, firefighters, and resource protection professionals. The National Park Service ranks also include historians, biologists and other experts who preserve and protect everything.
Modern society has brought the National Park Service both challenges and opportunities. Satellite and computer technologies are expanding the educational possibilities of a national park. Cities are turning to the Park Service for expert assistance to preserve their cultural heritage, and are also working with the NPS to turn abandoned railroad tracks into bike and hiking trails.
To help meet these challenges and take advantage of these opportunities, the National Park Service had formed partnerships --- some dating back 100 years, some only months old --- with other agencies, state and local governments, community groups and individuals who share the National Park ethic.
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE about uniformed rangers?
A. They take tourists to national parks. B. They always act as tourist guides.
C. They help set up new national parks. D. They protect the National Park System.
2.The National Park Service does all the following EXCEPT _____________.
A. offering help to visitors
B. influencing the Nation
C. informing people of the National Park System
D. helping preserve the cultural heritage
3.What is probably the best title for the passage?
A. American National Parks B. National Park Service
C. National Park Service Partnerships D. Care and Preservation of American National Parks
4.What will the paragraph following this passage most probably discuss?
A. Cultural heritage of the National Park.
B. Educational possibilities of National Parks.
C. The work that has been done by the partners.
D. The preservation of national resources in America.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Some of those who oppose smoking in movies have just seen the future, and they are not happy about it.
Having caught up with James Cameron’s3-D science fiction thriller, “Avatar,” over the holidays, Stanton A. Glantz, director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California, said his Smoke Free Movies initiative(倡议) would soon come out swinging with an informational campaign aimed at what he saw as the movie’s pro-smoking message.
“This is like someone just put a bunch of plutonium(钚) in the water supply,” Mr. Glantz said in a telephone interview last week. He was referring to scenes in which an environmental scientist played by Sigourney Weaverdrags lovingly on a cigarette as she works to save the moon Pandora sometime in the 22nd century.
Scenesmoking.org, which monitors tobacco mentions in films, gave “Avatar” a rating: A “black lung.” Still, this movie is not the only holiday picture to earn that distinction, which indicates unacceptable depictions(描绘) of tobacco.
“Sherlock Holmes” and “The Blind Side,” which were distributed by Warner Brothers; “Nine,” from the Weinstein Company; “Did You Hear About the Morgans?”from Sony Pictures; and “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” also from Fox, were similarly rated with a “black lung” for tobacco use.
In a statement sent by e-mail over the weekend, Mr. Cameron said he had never intended Ms. Weaver’s character, Grace Augustine, to be “a role model” for teenagers. “She’s rude, she swears, she drinks, she smokes,” wrote Mr. Cameron. “Also, from a character perspective, we were showing that Grace doesn’t care about her human body, only her avatar body, which again is a negative comment about people in our real world living too much in their avatars, meaning online and in video games.”
Speaking as an artist, Mr. Cameron said: “I don’t believe in the dogmatic(教条的) idea that no one in a movie should smoke. Movies should reflect reality…I do agree that young role-model characters should not smoke in movies, especially in a way which suggests that it makes them cooler or more accepted by their peers.”
For the record, apart from the 3-D tobacco use, Mr. Glantz said he found “Avatar” to be “a great movie.”
1.What would be the best title for the text?
A. “Avatar” Made by James Cameron Becomes the Latest Hit Again
B. A discussion about the Role-model for Young People
C. ‘Avatar’ Joins Holiday Movies That Fail an Antismoking Test
D. A Campaign against Smoking
2.What is Warner Brothers?
A. A rating administration. B. A research center.
C. A film. D. A film company.
3.What is the tone of the text?
A. Doubtful. B. Objective C. Subjective. D. Sensitive.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
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Your parents have a deep affection for you. Even if they are , they can still keep out the wind and rain for you.
A. as cool as cucumbers B. as strong as horses
C. as poor as church mice D. as busy as bees
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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As the climate warms, birds are shrinking and their wingspans are growing, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed 70,716 birds from 52 kinds of North American migratory（迁徙的）bird species collected over 40 years. The authors say the study is the largest of its kind and that the findings are important to understanding how animals will adapt to climate change.
"We found almost all of the species were getting smaller." said lead author Brian Weeks, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan.
"The species were pretty diverse, but responding in a similar wav." he said. "The consistency was shocking."
He said studies of animal responses to climate change often focus on shifts in geographical range or timing of life events, like migration and birth. But this study suggests body morphology（形态）is a crucial third aspect.
"That's one major implication," he said, "It's hard to understand how birds will adapt without taking all three of these things into consideration."
The findings showed that from 1978 to 2016, the length of the birds' lower leg bone shortened by 2.4%. Over the same time, the wings lengthened by 1.3%.
The evidence suggests warming temperatures caused the decrease in body size, which in turn caused the increase in wing length.
"Migration is an incredibly taxing thing they do," Mr. Weeks said, explaining that the smaller body size means less energy available for the birds to complete their long journeys.
He says the birds most likely to survive migration were the ones with longer wingspans and smaller bodies.
The scientists aren't exactly sure why warmer temperatures cause birds to shrink. One theory is that smaller animals are better at cooling off, losing body heat more quickly.
1.What's the best title for the text?
A.All of the Birds Are Getting Smaller
B.Animals Are Adapting to Climate Change
C.Climate Change Is Causing Birds to Shrink
D.Scientists Are Finding Causes of Warm Climate
2.What made Brian Weeks feel astonished?
A.It took 40 years to collect 70,716 birds from North America.
B.Many birds are shrinking when responding to the climate change.
C.All migratory bird species were collected to do the important research.
D.So many researchers take part in the largest study to work out the findings.
3.What does the underlined word "taxing" most probably mean?
A.Tiring. B.Important
C.Easy. D.Pleasant
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.The migratory birds aren't big.
B.The temperatures will be higher.
C.The scientists will go on further study.
D.The smaller animals will surely live longer.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Our friendliness with birds