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
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
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
Dear Ms Cai，
Thank you for your presentation about virtual reality. We were amazed by RealCine's achievement in ______ users to experience the Himalayas, without ever having to go there. Certainly, no one using it for fun and games will be ______. However, in many ways virtual reality seems more like a toy rather than a useful ______. In this case, we would like you to further ______ how we can use this in urban planning. We are not very ______ as to whether an operator will be able to use RealCine easily.
We are concerned about the price, as well. You put forward the idea that we will save ______ if we use RealCine. This may be true in the long term. ______， the cost of building a VR studio is quite high, and this seems like a real ______. Please send us more information on the daily costs and on how much time a design usually ______ using RealCine. Otherwise, we cannot go forward.
While we are very interested in RealCine, we will need much more information before we can make a ______．
1.A. forbidding B. allowing C. stopping D. asking
2.A. embarrassed B. excited C. disappointed D. delighted
3.A. technology B. book C. knowledge D. computer
4.A. explain B. guess C. decide D. include
5.A. interested B. worried C. frightened D. confident
6.A. life B. money C. face D. trouble
7.A. So B. Besides C. However D. Also
8.A. disadvantage B. danger C. reason D. chance
9.A. spends B. takes C. pays D. devotes
10.A. mistake B. difference C. decision D. living
高二英语完形填空困难题查看答案及解析
Air pollution may be causing baldness, scientists have shown for the first time. A new study found that fine particulate matter emitted by cars would damage the skin that holds hair follicles (毛囊) in place. A series of laboratory tests on human cells showed that levels of the crucial proteins needed for hair to grow and be retained decreased when they were exposed to pollution particles. While there is a growing body of evidence showing how these tiny particles can damage internal health, including by entering the bloodstream through the lungs, this is the first to demonstrate such a risk to the surface of the body.
The study was conducted by exposing cells from the human follicle dermal papilla cells(HFDPCs), to various concentrations of PM10-like dust and diesel particles (柴油颗粒). After 24 hours the researchers performed a process, known as western blotting, to detect the levels of specific proteins in the cells.
The results showed that the presence of PM10 and diesel particles decreased levels of B-catenin, the protein responsible for hair growth. The study also revealed that the levels of three other proteins — cyclin D1, cyclin E and CDK2, which are responsible for hair growth and hair retention, were decreased by PM10-like dust and diesel particles in a “dose-dependent” manner.
Dr Hyuk Chul Kwon, who led the study at the Future Science Research Centre, said, “While the link between air pollution and serious diseases such as cancer and lung diseases is well established, there is little-to-no research on the effect of particulate matter exposure on the human skin and hair in particular. Our research explains the mode of action of air pollutants on HFDPCs, showing how the most common air pollutants lead to hair loss.”
Sources of PM include the burning of fossil fuels — petrol and diesel, as well as other solid fuels,and other industrial activities such as building, mining and the manufacturing of building materials like bricks.
“While it is difficult to escape from the surrounding pollution, limiting the time for walking in busy streets, especially during rush hour, should help reduce exposure,” said Dr Kwon. “If you are exercising outdoors, try to do so in areas that are less polluted and do not spend too much time waiting at traffic hot spots such as traffic lights.”
1.What did the new study find?
A.Air pollution can do great harm to our lungs.
B.The color of our skin can be influenced by air pollution.
C.Serious air pollution can probably prevent hair from growing.
D.Air pollution can affect hair growth by entering the bloodstream.
2.What is western blotting used to do?
A.To discover the protein helpful for hair growth.
B.To show the protein contents in the cells.
C.To compare different proteins in the cells.
D.To analyze the composition of hair cells.
3.What can we learn from Dr Hyuk Chul Kwon’s words?
A.His new research is superior to previous research.
B.The research he conducted is really of great importance.
C.The results of his new research need to be further improved.
D.A link between air pollution and diseases needs to be established.
4.What does Dr Kwon advise us to do?
A.To do as much exercise as possible.
B.To take action to reduce air pollution.
C.To avoid being exposed to air pollution.
D.To take public transport to avoid traffic jams.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Move Earth—it’s no science fiction
LONDON—Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets（彗星）in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.
This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA） engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.
The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams is designed to carefully direct a comet or asteroid（小行星） so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.
“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,” Laughlin said.
Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated.
In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere（生物圈）by cooking us.
That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.
The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（误算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly consequences.
There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position, it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped(剥去) away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.
1.What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?
A. A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.
B. Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon.
C. Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.
D. The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.
2.If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of ______ years.
A.12 billion B.6 billion
C.18 billion D.24 billion
3.What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?
A. The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.
B. Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death.
C. The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.
D. Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened.
4.What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?
A.provide B. benefit
C. share D. Endanger
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文,根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。
Scientists in London say they have found the best diet for both humans and the planet. If the world followed the so-called "planetary health" diet, the scientists told Reuters that each year more than 11 million early deaths could be prevented. Scientists say that the way we produce and eat food is very bad for the planet. For the health of the planet, they claim the same diet would reduce greenhouse gases and save more land, water and animals.
Tim Lang, a professor at Britain's University of London, co-led the research. He told Reuters, "The food we eat and how we produce it determines change what we eat and the way we eat by "improving food production and reducing food waste."
Well, what do you eat on the planetary health diet? The scientists who created this diet say it is largely plant-based but still has small amounts of dairy, fish and meat. The diet calls for cutting red meat and sugar by 50 percent and doubling the amount of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes.
Food situations around the world are not equal. In certain areas, this would mean great changes. People in North America, for example, eat 6.5 times the recommended amount of red meat. On the other hand, people in South Asia eat only half the amount suggested by the new planetary health diet. Meeting the targets for vegetables would need big changes in other areas. In sub-Saharan Africa, people on average eat 7.5 times the suggested amount of vegetables like potatoes and cassava.
The scientists admit their goal will be difficult to achieve. But for them doing nothing is also not an option. Willet said, "If we can't quite make it, it's better to try and get as close as we can."
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高二英语概要写作中等难度题查看答案及解析
In an effort to discourage people from using plastics, scientists have been hard at work inventing alternative packaging products. From water bottles made from seaweed to cutlery(餐具) made from rice and wheat, a number of inventions are set to change the way we eat while we are on the go, or having a relaxing picnic in the park.
The idea of using seaweed to make eco-friendly water bottles has been around for a few years. Recently, Ari Jonsson took his invention—a water bottle made from red seaweed—to show off at a festival. The bottles will only hold their shape as long as they are filled. As soon as these bottles are empty they will begin to break down, though they would be perfectly safe to eat. Ari Jonsson's bottles are a step closer to a widely used alternative to the current plastic ones.
The eatable water container is not the only product to add to our image of the future. Narayana Pessapaty has also created eatable spoons. After the success of his spoons, Mr. Pessapaty is ready to expand and introduce forks and chopsticks to his menu. His aim is to largely reduce the amount of plastic waste, which is a huge problem for waste sites all over the world, It is a product that may take up to 500 years to break down, and recycling companies worldwide are struggling to deal with it.
Aside from the obvious benefits to the environment, this new packaging is also cheap to produce and therefore cheap to buy. Even better is the fact that similar eatable cutlery can be made at home, possibly a science project for children or just fun with friends. Why not experiment and create your own recipes?
1.Why do scientists invent alternative packaging products?
A. To make people's life more convenient.
B. To show off their inventive talents.
C. To change the way we picnic outside.
D. To reduce the amount of plastic waste.
2.What makes Art Jonsson's water bottles eco-friendly?
A. They can be made at home.
B. They are cheap to produce and buy.
C. They will hold their shape when they are filled.
D. They will break down themselves when empty.
3.What do Ari and Narayana's inventions have in common?
A. They are convenient to carry.
B. They are safe to eat.
C. They can be used for a short time.
D. They are heavier than plastics.
4.What can be inferred from this passage?
A. Home-made eatable cutlery is likely to be popular.
B. Eatable cutlery will completely replace plastics in the near future.
C. No recycling companies can break down plastic waste.
D. It’s unsafe for individuals to invent eatable cutlery at home.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Have you seen Jurassic Park? In this film, scientists use DNA kept for tens of millions of years to clone dinosaurs. They find trouble, however, when they realize that the cloned creatures are smarter and more dangerous than expected. That’s nothing more than a fiction.
But could we really clone endangered animals?
To date, the most successful attempt to do so was the cloning of a gaur, a rare ox-like animal from southeast Asia. Scientists used a cow to bring the cloned baby gaur, named Noah. Two days after birth, however, Noah died from a common bacterial infection. Other endangered species that may be cloned include the African bongo antelope (羚羊), the Sumatran tiger, the cheetah (猎豹), and the giant panda.
Next, could we really clone extinct animals?
In theory? Yes. To do this, you need a well-kept source of DNA from the extinct animals such as wool mammoth (毛象), Tasmanian tiger, or even dinosaur, and a closely related species, still living, which could serve as a surrogate mother.
In reality? Probably not. On the one hand, it’s not likely that extinct animals’ DNA could survive undamaged for such a long time. Cloning such extinct animals as wool mammoth, Tasmanian tiger, or dinosaur is much more difficult due to the lack of properly well-preserved DNA. On the other hand, for example, a gaur can have a cow as a surrogate mother, definitely not a monkey. But what about an extinct animal as unique as the panda? What species could possibly serve as a surrogate mother?
Cloning presents many exciting possibilities. However, even if extinct animals were brought back, they could not survive in today’s world. Not only do most extinct animals have no habitat to love in, but the other plants and animals they depended on for food may also be gone as well.
1. It can be learned from the text that ________.
A. the gaur is an extinct species
B. the gaur lives in Asia and is endangered
C. scientists have cloned the African bongo antelope
D. both the cheetah and the giant panda live in Asia
2.The underlined words “a surrogate mother” probably refer to a female who ______.
A. gives birth to a baby of its own B. cannot give birth to a baby
C. gives birth to a baby for another female D. provides DNA
3.The difficulty in cloning an extinct species is the lack of ______.
A. both the well-preserved DNA and a surrogate mother
B. both the habitat to live in and the well-preserved DNA
C. both the well-preserved DNA and plants to live on
D. both the habitat to live in and plants to live on
4.In the author’s opinion, it is possible that ______.
A. all the extinct species may be cloned
B. extinct species may be cloned and easily survive
C. a gaur can have a monkey as a surrogate mother
D. some extinct species may be cloned, but not survive
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Have you seen Jurassic Park? In this film, scientists use DNA kept for tens of millions of years to clone dinosaurs. They find trouble, however, when they realize that the cloned creatures are smarter and more dangerous than expected. That’s nothing more than a fiction.
But could we really clone endangered animals?
To date, the most successful attempt to do so was the cloning of a gaur, a rare ox-like animal from southeast Asia. Scientists used a cow to bring the cloned baby gaur, named Noah. Two days after birth, however, Noah died from a common bacterial infection. Other endangered species that may be cloned include the African bongo antelope (邦戈羚羊), the Sumatran tiger, the cheetah (猎豹), and the giant panda. Next, could we really clone extinct animals?
In theory? Yes. To do this, you need a well-kept source of DNA from the extinct animals such as wool mammoth (毛象), Tasmanian tiger, or even dinosaur, and a closely related species, still living, which could serve as a surrogate mother.
In reality? Probably not. On the one hand, it’s not likely that extinct animals’ DNA could survive undamaged for such a long time. Cloning extinct animals as wool mammoth, Tasmanian tiger, or dinosaur is much more difficult due to the lack of properly well-preserved DNA. On the other hand, for example, a gaur can have a cow as a surrogate mother, definitely not a monkey. But what about an extinct animals as unique as the panda? What species could possibly serve as a surrogate mother?
Cloning presents many exciting possibilities. However, even if extinct animals are brought back, they could not survive in today’s world. Not only do most extinct animals have no habitat to love in, but the other plants and animals they depended on for food may also be gone as well.
1. It can be learned from the text that ________.
A. scientists have cloned the African bongo antelope
B. both the cheetah and the giant panda live in Asia
C. the gaur lives in Asia and is endangered
D. the gaur is an extinct species
2. The underlined words “a surrogate mother” probably refer to a female who -----
A. contributes its eggs to another female B. gives birth to a baby for another female
C. gives birth to a baby of its own D. cannot give birth to a baby
3. The difficulty in cloning an extinct species is the lack of ______.
A. both the well-preserved DNA and plants to live on
B. both the habitat to live in and the well-preserved DNA
C. both habitat to live in and plants to live on
D. both the well-preserved DNA and a surrogate mother
4. In the author’s opinion, it is possible that ______.
A. some extinct species may be cloned, but not survive
B. extinct species may be cloned and easily survive
C. a gaur can have a monkey as a surrogate mother
D. all the extinct species may be cloned
5．Today , have scientists cloned dinosaus?
A .Yes B .No C .A lot D.Only one.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Scientists have been studying how people use money for long. Now they’re finding some theories may apply to one group of monkeys.
Researchers recently taught six monkeys hos to use money. They gave the monkeys small metal disks (圆片) that could be used like cash and showed them some yummy apple pieces. The monkeys soon figured out that if tyey gave one of the disks to a scientist, they’d receive a piece of apple in return.
If you think that is all the monkeys can figure out, you are wrong. Two researchers, Jake and Allison, acted as apple sellers in the experiments. The monkeys were tested one at a time and had 12 disks to spend in each experiment. Jake always showed the monkeys on apple piece, while Allison always showed two pieces. But that’s not necessarily what they gave the monkeys. The number of apple pieces given for a disk was determined at random.
Experiment One: Allison showed two pieces of apples but gave both piece only half the time. The other half, she took one piece away and gave the monkey just the remaining piece. Jake, on the other hand, always gave exactly what he showed: one piece for each disk. The monkeys chose to trade more with Allison.
Experiment Two: Allison continued to sometimes gave two pieces and sometimes one piece. But now, half the time, Jake gave the one apple piece he was showing, and half the time he added a bonus. Guess what? The monkeys chose to trade more with Jake.
In the first experiment, the monkeys correctly figured out that if they traded with Allison, they’d end up with more treats. In the second one, when a monkey received two pieces from Jake, it seemed like a gain. When Allison gave the monkey only one piece instead of the two she showed, it seemed like a loss. The monkeys preferred trading with Jake because they’d rather take a chance of seeming to win than seeming to lose.
We also sometimes make silly business decisions just to avoid the feeling that we’re getting less, even when we’re not. Would you have made the same choices?
1.What conclusion might experts draw from the first experiment?
A. People are smarter in terms of finance.
B. It’s easy to teach monkeys how to trade.
C. Business theories can apply to all monkeys.
D. The monkeys show certain business sense.
2.What does “a bonus” in paragraph 5 refer to?
A. A coin. B. A chance.
C. A metal disk. D. An apple piece.
3.Why did the monkeys choose to trade more with Jake in the second experiment?
A. Because they didn’t like the feeling of losing.
B. Because they get more apple pieces from Jake.
C. Because Jake always gave them two apple pieces.
D. Because the apple pieces from Jake were yummy.
4.What could be the best title for the passage?
A. Disk for Apple: Who to Trade with?
B. Shopping for Bargain: Same of different?
C. Moneky’s Business Sense: Smart or Silly?
D. People’s Business Decision: Lose or Gain?
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析