Scientists have transformed men’s minds into a virtual(虚拟的)woman’s body in an experiment that could throw light upon how humans distinguish themselves form others.
In a study at Barcelona University, men wore a virtual reality headset that allowed them to see and hear the world as a female character. When they looked down, they could even see their new body and clothes.
The “body-swapping” effect was so convincing that the men’s sense of self was transferred into the virtual woman, causing them to react to events in the virtual world they were immersed(沉浸). “This work opens up another avenue for virtual reality, which is not just to transform your sense of place, but also your sense of self,” said Mel Slater, “If you can temporarily give people the illusion that their bodies are different, then the evidence suggests it also affects their behavior and the way they think. They can have new experiences: a person who is thin can know what it is like to be fat. A man can have an experience of what it’s like to be a woman.”
During the experiment, a “female” approached and hit the face of the character another man was playing. “Their reaction was immediate,” said Slate. “They would take in a quick breath and maybe flinch(退缩). The more people reported being in the girl’s body, the stronger physical reaction they had.” But in all cases, the feeling was temporary and lasted only as long as the study.
The study shows that our minds have a very fluid picture of our bodies. The research is expected to shed light on the puzzle of how our brain tells the difference between a part of our own body and something else in the wider world. Thus the work might improve the conditions for those who have experienced strokes by placing them in a world that helps them to use their bodies to the full again.
1.How can a man’s mind get into a woman’s body?
A.by distinguishing themselves from women
B.by taking part in an activity actively
C.by wearing a special device(设备)
D.by transforming his sense of place
2.Of the following statements, which we can’t infer from the passage?
A.Men in the experiment can temporarily have the wrong feeling that they are women.
B.When hit, the men in the virtual world will react angrily to it.
C.As soon as the experiment is finished, the men will return to the normal state
D.Probably, this study can be applied to medical fields and benefit humans.
3.What is the author’s intention of writing this passage?
A.to introduce an interesting and advanced study
B.to inform us of the latest development of virtual reality
C.to illustrate the importance of virtual reality
D.to build up our confidence to fight stroke
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Scientists have transformed men’s minds into a virtual(虚拟的)woman’s body in an experiment that could throw light upon how humans distinguish themselves form others.
In a study at Barcelona University, men wore a virtual reality headset that allowed them to see and hear the world as a female character. When they looked down, they could even see their new body and clothes.
The “body-swapping” effect was so convincing that the men’s sense of self was transferred into the virtual woman, causing them to react to events in the virtual world they were immersed(沉浸). “This work opens up another avenue for virtual reality, which is not just to transform your sense of place, but also your sense of self,” said Mel Slater, “If you can temporarily give people the illusion that their bodies are different, then the evidence suggests it also affects their behavior and the way they think. They can have new experiences: a person who is thin can know what it is like to be fat. A man can have an experience of what it’s like to be a woman.”
During the experiment, a “female” approached and hit the face of the character another man was playing. “Their reaction was immediate,” said Slate. “They would take in a quick breath and maybe flinch(退缩). The more people reported being in the girl’s body, the stronger physical reaction they had.” But in all cases, the feeling was temporary and lasted only as long as the study.
The study shows that our minds have a very fluid picture of our bodies. The research is expected to shed light on the puzzle of how our brain tells the difference between a part of our own body and something else in the wider world. Thus the work might improve the conditions for those who have experienced strokes by placing them in a world that helps them to use their bodies to the full again.
1.How can a man’s mind get into a woman’s body?
A.by distinguishing themselves from women
B.by taking part in an activity actively
C.by wearing a special device(设备)
D.by transforming his sense of place
2.Of the following statements, which we can’t infer from the passage?
A.Men in the experiment can temporarily have the wrong feeling that they are women.
B.When hit, the men in the virtual world will react angrily to it.
C.As soon as the experiment is finished, the men will return to the normal state
D.Probably, this study can be applied to medical fields and benefit humans.
3.What is the author’s intention of writing this passage?
A.to introduce an interesting and advanced study
B.to inform us of the latest development of virtual reality
C.to illustrate the importance of virtual reality
D.to build up our confidence to fight stroke
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists have found an unexpected use for virtual reality headsets (耳机). The devices (装置), widely used by computer gamers, show pictures that can be used to test the navigational (导航的) skills of people, who were thought to be at risk of dementia (痴呆). Those who do worse in the tests will be the ones more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease later in life, scientists now believe.
The discovery that the loss of navigational skills was associated with Alzheimer’s was made several years ago by Dennis Chan and his colleagues based at several centers in the UK. These studies used computers to test navigational tasks. But now scientists plan to take their tests to a new level with the use of the virtual reality headsets in which wearers are placed in man-made environments through which they must navigate.
Around 300 people, aged between 40 and 60, will be arranged to participate in the study. Some will have a gene that puts them at risk of the condition or will come from a family with a history of Alzheimer’s. Not all will certainly be affected by the disease, however. Chan’s project aims to find out who will. Wearing the headsets, participants will be asked to navigate their way through a series of different environments and then remember the details.
Researchers recently pointed out the significance of a tiny area of the brain known as the entorhinal cortex (an important memory center in the brain ). It acts as a center in a widespread brain network that controls navigation. This now appears to be the first part of the brain that seems to be easily harmed by Alzheimer’s.
The goal of the work is to help people as they develop the disease. “So far, drug trials for Alzheimer’s have been applied when people have already got dementia, by which time considerable damage to the brain has already occurred,” Chan told the Obsenver. “If we can entorhinal cortex, then this would have the potential to prevent the dementia.”
1.What does the unexpected use of VR headsets mentioned in Paragraph 1 refer to?
A. Making games mor interesting for computer gamers.
B. Testing ones potential to develop dementia.
C. Helping people suffering Alzheimer’s recover.
D. Reducing the risk of having dementia.
2.What are the participants required to do in the study?
A. Know unfamiliar environments by using tablet computers.
B. Identify directions in some man-made environments.
C. Play computer games by using navigational skills.
D. Create special environments by using navigational skills.
3.What’s implied (暗示) about the entorhinal cortex in the brain?
A. Its functions have becn known for years.
B. It can be expanded by using VR headsets.
C. It can directly affect one’s navigational skills.
D. Its size depends on that of ones memory center.
4.From Chan’s words, we can know ________.
A. he will spread the new drug
B. he will try out the drug
C. the study helps to prevent dementia
D. the study still needs to be improved
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The fashionable technology of virtual reality (虚拟现实) (VR) --- the wonderful world created by computers --- is finally here, but before you rush out to buy the headset, you’ll want to take notice of experts’ warnings.
“These devices are designed mostly for adult use,” said Dr. Justin Asgarpour, Vancouver optometrist (whose job is to examine people’s eyes and to sell glasses).
Little research has been done about the long-term effects of VR on children, but makers have not designed the VR headsets for young eyes.
VR headset maker Oculus Rift states that younger users may suffer from discomfort or ill health effects, and they are in a very important period of visual development.
“What a study has suggested is that a VR device can actually cause what we call amblyopia, potential lazy eyes, in these children with pre-existing visual conditions,” Dr. Asgarpour said.
Even children without underlying eye conditions could experience problems, like temporary double vision.
Adults should be careful too, according to the doctor, who says longer virtual reality experiences can lead t balance problems. You should be careful of your surroundings and be careful not to trip over wires. Those with heart conditions are advised not to play.
But there are some positive health uses of virtual reality. The technology has been used to treat conditions like fear of heights, and it’s also being used to help treat addictions.
“What we’re trying to do is take people into a drug-related setting and let them experience cravings (extremely strong wishes for something,)” Dr. Zach Rosenthal with Duke University said. He and his team take addicts inside a virtual house and use a series of tones to condition them to reduce their cravings.
A lot more research needs to be done about the long-term health effects of VR, but in the meantime you had better spend only a limited time on VR and make sure your children use it as little as possible.
1.What may be Oculus Rift’s attitude to children’s use of VR?
A. Discouraging. B. Uninterested. C. Doubtful. D. Curious
2.What did Asgarpour say about VR?
A. It could help to improve users’ balance.
B. It was badly in need of improvements.
C. It could be used to treat heart disease.
D. It might cause kids’ sight problems.
3.Why does the author mention Rosenthal’s study?
A. To explain the harm of addictions. B. To prove VR’s beneficial effects.
C. To comment on VR’s medical uses. D. To discuss people’s cravings for VR.
4.What are scientists expected to find out?
A. Why children are showing much interest in VR.
B. How people can use VR to improve their health.
C. Why VR is getting more popular at the present time.
D. How VR influences users over a long period of time.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists have many theories about how the universe_____.
A.came into being | B.was coming into being |
C.had come into being | D.would come into being |
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
A “virtual (虚拟的) cocktail” glass that lets you change the flavor (味道) of your drink using your Smartphone has been developed by scientists.
Offering a customizable (定制的) range of drinks and tastes, the Vocktail can change a glass of water into a cocktail at the press of a button. The world’s first technology tricks your brain into thinking it is experiencing a specific flavor by fooling your senses of sight, smell and taste.
Developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore, the glass’ three sensory components are controlled via a Smartphone App. Because the software can combine a number of smells, colors and tastes, the Vocktail can create almost any flavor.
Developer Nimesha Ranasinghe said: “Our approach is to increase drinks flavor experience by overlaying outer sensory stimuli (刺激物). For example, in the Vocktail we overlay color, taste and smell sensations to create an adjustable flavor experience. Flavor is mainly how we feel food and that is achieved through the use of these senses. Therefore, by changing the color of the drink, using different smells and changing the taste through electricity, we are able to copy the flavor of a drink without it actually changing the liquid.”
The glass houses three fragrance containers connected to micro-air pumps. The pumps release smell that change your feeling of the drinks, flavor. For example, a lemon fragrance will trick your brain into believing it is tasting lemon-flavored drink.
On the outside edge of the glass are two electrode strips (电焊条) that send electric pulses into your tongue to stimulate your sense of taste and flavor differs with different pulses.
1.What controls the sensory components?
A. An electrode strip. B. A Smartphone App.
C. Fragrance container. D. A micro-air pump.
2.How does the Vocktail work?
A. By transforming the inner liquid.
B. By stimulating the tip of one’s tongue.
C. By putting different kinds of drinks together.
D. By tricking one’s brain into flavor experience.
3.What does the underlined “that” in the 4th paragraph refer to?
A. The flavor. B. The software.
C. The Vocktail. D. The button.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. Smartphone Create a Kind of Liquid.
B. Vocktail Make Water Taste Like Cocktail.
C. Approaches Found to Change Water into Wine.
D. Smartphone Produces Smells, Colors and Tastes.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In the virtual (虚拟的) world, she is a popular Kungfu writer Ling Feng. At school, she is a quick-witted party emcee (主持人) and competent student union leader. She is always one of the top three scorers of her grade and the winner of various academic competitions. Last week she became the only student to be recommended by her school principal (校长) to Peking University.
She is 18-year-old Zhu Zhenhui of Haimen High School in Jiangsu, one of the 39 high schools from which Peking University will enroll students recommended by their principals next year.
Zhu stood out among more than 30 candidates(候选人), but not only for her excellent high school reports and test scores. More importantly, she has performed outstandingly in other areas, which the principal believes will not cause the least controversy (争议) among students and teachers.
Zhu loves public speaking, in both Chinese and English. Her eloquence (口才) and quick mind make her an obvious choice to introduce ceremonies and parties on campus. As a news reporter and broadcaster on her school's radio station, Zhu has a keen sense of current affairs. The young journalist interviewed Sophia Ming Ren Leung, the first female Chinese Canadian senator (议员), when the politician visited a Nanjing school where she once studied. In the same year, she won the opportunity to question Kaifu Lee when the former Google vice-president appeared at a talk show on a local TV station.
Every Sunday Zhu chairs a student union meeting, where she leads discussion on timetables, events and routine (例行) work for the following week. Under her are the ministers of the union's six departments. “The work has made me organized and decisive,” she said. On November 21, at the invitation of Zhu and other union members, the famous gymnast Huang Xu attended the opening ceremony of the school's Sports Festival.
Some girls dream of being a princess, but not Zhu. Her fantasy is to be a knight (侠士) in one of Louis Cha (Jin Yong)'s or Gu Long's works. Her online novel, in the Jianghu World, is a huge success under her pen name Ling Feng. In the 120,000-character story, a girl learns to be tolerant and positive after an accidental journey to the ancient world. A book of the same title came out in June. “I'm working on the sequel (续集),” she said.
1.Which of the following is NOT the correct description of Zhu Zhenhui?
A. An admired writer. B. An eloquent speaker.
C. A gifted dancer. D. A born leader.
2.As a leader of the student union, Zhu has done quite a lot of impressive work EXCEPT _______.
A. interviewing former vice-president of Google
B. leading discussion on routine work
C. helping organize major events in school
D. inviting gymnast Huang Xu to attend Sports Festival
3.What does the underlined word in the first paragraph mean?
A. quick in mind B. fast in action
C. speak quickly D. rapid in memorizing
4.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Zhu learns to be tolerant and positive after leading the student union.
B. Zhu’s first novel which has 120,000 different characters has come out.
C. The school principal recommended Zhu to be enrolled in Peking University because it would cause the least controversy.
D. The first female Chinese Canadian senator is Zhu’s schoolmate.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists have many theories about how the universe ___ into being.
A. came B. was coming C. had come D. would come
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
They ___________to put their hearts into study..
A. have made their minds B. have made their mind
C. have made up their minds D. have made up their mind
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
They ___________to put their hearts into study..
A. have made their minds B. have made their mind
C. have made up their minds D. have made up their mind
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Rapid advances in a new technology will soon transform science fiction into reality — meaning people will have driverless cars, small robots at their command and the ability to experience being in another place without leaving home, predicted Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the planet’s largest cell phone trade show.
Introduction of books available online, Internet translation of languages and voice recognition for computers all happened much faster than anyone could foresee and that technological research into even more previously unheard of advances is progressing at a fast speed.
“People who predict that holograms(全息图)and self-driving cars will become reality soon are absolutely right,” Schmidt told thousands of attendees. Research under way will lead to situations where people can put themselves at events like a rock concert so that they can see, hear and even feel the event. And turn down the volume, if it’s too loud.
One attendee said she was scared that the possibility could be dehumanizing, but Schmidt replied by holding up his cell phone into the air. “It has an off button and it is here on the right,” Schmidt said. “My point is that it is all about your control. If you don’t like my version of a rock concert, I’m not forcing you to go.” In the future, small robots could be used so busy people can send them to events for video and voice transmissions when their presence isn’t required, Schmidt said.
Technology in the near future will redefine the relationship among people in the world. “With technology comes power and with power comes choice, and smarter resourceful citizens are going to demand a better deal for their new life,” Schmidt said.
1.From the passage, the new technology _________.
A. largely depends on science fiction
B. will eventually replace humans’ presence
C. amazingly improves people’s social skills
D. can unexpectedly bring new various choices
2.Why did Schmidt give the example in Paragraph 4?
A. To list advantages of the new cell phone.
B. To advise a wider use of the new cell phone.
C. To remove people’s worry of the new technology.
D. To compare the benefits of using the new technology.
3.What’s the writer’s attitude toward rapid advances in technology?
A. Objective. B. Negative. C. Uncared. D. Contradictory.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析