Researchers at Oxford University say they have developed a new method that could predict heart attacks years before they happen. They use mathematical algorithms(演算法)to examine CT images of a patient's heart. One report on their study has been published in the medical journal The Lancet.
Most heart attacks result from a build-up of fatty tissue inside arteries(动脉)that carry blood from the heart to other areas of the body. Too much buildup can block this flow of blood and cause a heart attack. Currently, doctors use CT scans to learn when a sticky substance called plaque has already built up inside an artery. The new technology is designed to predict which arteries are at risk for future buildup. How much fat is present around heart arteries also can be measured. That fat changes when an artery becomes inflamed(发炎), serving as an early warning system for heart attacks.
Charalambos Antoniades, a professor of cardiovascula(心血管)medicine at Oxford University, believes the research shows this method could be very effective in getting patients to take early steps to prevent future problems.
“Say your arteries are inflamed and a narrowing will be developed five years down the line. So maybe you can start preventive measures to avoid this formation of plaques,” he said. “If you are able to identify inflammation in the arteries of the heart, then you can say which arteries will cause heart attacks.”
Antoniades added that researchers had yet to estimate exactly how many heart attacks could be prevented. But he said he believes the technique could help identify between 20 to 30 percent of people at risk of having one.
He added that the new technology will make such predictions easier because it works together with existing CT technology.
1.You can identify which arteries will cause heart attacks by .
A. locating where the inflamed arteries are
B. seeing a cardiovascular doctor
C. developing a new method to predict it
D. measuring how much fat is built up
2.This passage is probably from a .
A. medical textbook B. travel brochure
C. graduation paper D. science journal
3.What‟s Artoniades‟ attitude towards the new method?
A. Tolerant. B. Defensive. C. Critical. D. Favorable.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Researchers at Oxford University say they have developed a new method that could predict heart attacks years before they happen. They use mathematical algorithms(演算法)to examine CT images of a patient's heart. One report on their study has been published in the medical journal The Lancet.
Most heart attacks result from a build-up of fatty tissue inside arteries(动脉)that carry blood from the heart to other areas of the body. Too much buildup can block this flow of blood and cause a heart attack. Currently, doctors use CT scans to learn when a sticky substance called plaque has already built up inside an artery. The new technology is designed to predict which arteries are at risk for future buildup. How much fat is present around heart arteries also can be measured. That fat changes when an artery becomes inflamed(发炎), serving as an early warning system for heart attacks.
Charalambos Antoniades, a professor of cardiovascula(心血管)medicine at Oxford University, believes the research shows this method could be very effective in getting patients to take early steps to prevent future problems.
“Say your arteries are inflamed and a narrowing will be developed five years down the line. So maybe you can start preventive measures to avoid this formation of plaques,” he said. “If you are able to identify inflammation in the arteries of the heart, then you can say which arteries will cause heart attacks.”
Antoniades added that researchers had yet to estimate exactly how many heart attacks could be prevented. But he said he believes the technique could help identify between 20 to 30 percent of people at risk of having one.
He added that the new technology will make such predictions easier because it works together with existing CT technology.
1.You can identify which arteries will cause heart attacks by .
A. locating where the inflamed arteries are
B. seeing a cardiovascular doctor
C. developing a new method to predict it
D. measuring how much fat is built up
2.This passage is probably from a .
A. medical textbook B. travel brochure
C. graduation paper D. science journal
3.What‟s Artoniades‟ attitude towards the new method?
A. Tolerant. B. Defensive. C. Critical. D. Favorable.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed new artificial intelligence(AI) software to recognize and follow up the faces of chimpanzees(黑猩猩)in the wild. The new software will allow researchers and wildlife conservationists to significantly cut back on time spent analyzing videos, according to the new paper published in Science Advances.
For species(物种)like chimpanzees, which have complex social lives and live for many years，getting photos of their behavior taken from short-term field research can only tell us so much，” says Dan Schofield， researcher and DPhil student at Oxford University’s Private Models Lab, School of Anthropology. “By taking advantage of the power of machine learning to unlock large video files , it makes it possible to measure behavior over the long term. ’’
The computer model was trained using over 10 million images(影像):from Kyoto University s Primate Research Institute(PRI) video files of wild chimpanzees in Guinea,West Africa. The new software is the first to continuously track and recognize individual a wide range of poses, performing with high accuracy in difficult conditions such as low lighting and poor image quality.
“Access to this large video file has allowed us to use deep neural networks to train models to a degree that was previously not possible,” says Arsha Nagrad, co-auther of the study and DPhil student at the Department of Engineer Science ,University of Oxford .” Additionally, our new software differs from previous primate face recognition software in that it can be applied to videos with limited manual intervention(人工干预)，saving hours of time. ”
The technology can be potentially used to monitor species for conservation Although the present application focuses on chimpanzees, the AI software provided will be applied to other species, and help drive the adoption of AI systems to solve(解决)a range of problems in the wildlife sciences.
1.What is the purpose of developing the new soft?
A.To save wildlife researchers’ time spent in the labs.
B.To keep track of wildlife conservationists' behaviors.
C.To protect chimpanzees and help them to live longer .
D.To recognize and track the faces of wild chimpanzees.
2.What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A.Getting photos. B.Analyzing videos.
C.A powerful machine D.The new AI software.
3.What does paragraph 4 mainly talk about?
A.The working principle of the new software. B.Some limitations of using the new software.
C.The unique advantages of the new software. D.Controversial attitudes to the new software.
4.What can be known from the last paragraph?
A.Technology advance is the final goal of science
B.The new software won’t just be applied to chimpanzees.
C.AI systems are widely used in the wildlife sciences.
D.The application of the new technology isn’t easy.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists at the University of Oxford have developed new artificial intelligence (AI) software to recognize and follow up the faces of individual chimpanzees (黑猩猩) in the wild. The new software will allow researcher and wildlife conservationists to greatly cut back on time spent analyzing videos, according to the new paper published today in Science Advances.
“For species like chimpanzees, which have complex social lives and live for many years, getting photos of their behavior from short-term field research can only tell us so much.” says Dan Sehofield, researcher and DPhil student at Oxford University’s Primate Models Lab, School of Anthropology. “By taking advantage of the power of machine learning to unlock large video files, it makes it possible to measure behavior over the long term.”
The computers model was trained using over 10 million images (影像) from Kyoto University’s Primate Research Institute (PRI) video files of wild chimpanzees in Guinea, West Africa. The new software is the first to continuously track and recognize individuals in a wide range of posed, performing with high accuracy in difficult conditions such as low lighting and poor image quality.
“Access to this large video file has allowed us to use the newest deep neural networks to train models at a scale that was previously not possible,” says Arsha Nagrani, co-author of the study and DPhil student at the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford. “Additionally, our new software differs from previous primate face recognition software in that it can be applied to raw videos with limited manual intervention (人工干预) or pre-processing, saving hours of time.”
The technology has potential for many uses, such as monitoring species for conservation. Although the present application focused on chimpanzees, the software provided could be applied to other species, and help drive the adoption of AI systems to solve a range of problems in the wildlife sciences.
1.What’s the purpose of developing the new software?
A.To save wildlife researchers’ time spent in the wild.
B.To keep track of wildlife conservationists’ behavior.
C.To protect chimpanzees and help them to live longer.
D.To recognize and track the faces of wild chimpanzees.
2.What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refer to?
A.Getting photos. B.Analyzing videos.
C.The new AI software. D.A powerful machine.
3.What does paragraph 4 mainly talk about?
A.The unique advantages of the new software.
B.Some limitations of using the new software.
C.The working principles of the new software.
D.Controversial attitudes to the new software.
4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.The new software has a quite bright future.
B.The application of the technology can be tough.
C.Technology is the final goal of scientific research.
D.AI systems are widely used in the wildlife sciences.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Researchers say they have developed technology that could predict heart attacks years before they happen. They report using mathematical systems to examine CT images of a patient’s heart. A CT scan uses X-rays and a computer to make detailed pictures of bones, organs and other tissue inside the body.
The new method was developed by researchers at the University of Oxford in England. A report on their study was published in the medical journal The Lancet. Also taking part in the study were teams from Germany and the US.
Most heart attacks result from a build-up of fatty tissue inside arteries（动脉）that carry blood from the heart to other areas of the body, thus blocking this flow of blood and causing a heart attack.
Currently, doctors use CT scans to learn when a sticky substance called plaque has already built up inside an artery. The new technology is designed to predict which arteries are at risk for future buildup.
The researchers reported using computers to examine CT scans to measure how much fat is present around heart arteries. That fat changes when an artery becomes affected, serving as an early warning system for heart attacks.
Charalambos, a professor at Oxford University, said he believes the research shows this method could be very effective in getting patients to take early steps to prevent future problems, adding that researchers had yet to estimate exactly how many heart attacks could be prevented. But he said he believes the technique could help identify between 20 to 30 percent of people at risk of having one.
He added that the new technology will make such predictions easier because it works together with existing CT technology. The research was based on two large, independent studies of 4,000 patients in Germany, and the US. A company with ties to Oxford University is developing a service to examine CT scans of patients around the world, Reuters reported.
1.What’s the aim of the new technology?
A. To predict ways to block fatty issues in heart arteries.
B. To provide detailed pictures of how arteries work.
C. To build computer models of the image of a heart.
D. To decide which arteries are likely to have fat built up.
2.When does a heart attack generally happen according to the text?
A. When the CT scan affects the flow of blood in the heart.
B. When fat around heart arteries blocks the flow of blood.
C. When a sticky material flows into an artery near the heart.
D. When bones and organs of the body begin to be weak.
3.What is an early warning for heart attacks?
A. A change of fat happening around heart arteries.
B. The finding of a sticky material in the blood.
C. The presence of fat around the bones and organs.
D. The aging and failure of arteries near the heart.
4.What’s the main idea of the text?
A. The harm of fat build-up to heart arteries.
B. The use of CT scans to prevent of heart attacks.
C. Research into the early warning of heart attacks.
D. The warning the body gives about heart attacks.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
University of Pennsylvania researchers say that for the first time they have linked social media use to increases in depression and loneliness． The idea that social media is anything but social when it comes to mental health has been talked about for years， but not many studies have managed to actually link the two． To do that， Penn researchers， led by psychologist Melissa Hunt， designed a study that focused on WeChat， Snapchat and Instagram．
The study was conducted with 143 participants， who before they began， completed a mood survey and sent along photos of their battery screens， showing how often they were using their phones to access social media． "We set out to do a much more complete study which attempts to imitate real life．" Hunt said．
The study divided the participants into two groups： The first group was allowed to maintain their normal social media habits． The other， the control group， was restricted to 10 minutes per day on social media． The restrictions were put in place for three weeks and then the participants returned and were tested for outcomes such as fear of missing out， anxiety， depression and loneliness．
The results showed a very clear link between social media use and increased levels of depression and loneliness． "Using less social media than you normally do would lead to significant decreases in both depression and loneliness，" Hunt said．
Social media invites what Hunt calls "downward social comparison．" "When you're online， it can sometimes seem that everyone else is cooler and having more fun and included in more things and you're left out，" Hunt said． And that's just generally discouraging． "Every minute you spend online is a minute you are not doing your work or not meeting a friend for dinner or having a deep conversation with your roommate．" And these real life activities are the ones that can encourage self﹣esteem and self﹣worth， Hunt added．
"People are on their devices， and that's not going to change，" she said． But as in life， a bit of control goes a long way．
1.Before the study was conducted， the participants completed a survey to ．
A. imitate people's real life
B. link loneliness to depression
C. show their use of social media
D. prove social media is important
2.The results of the study showed using less social media would result in ．
A. people's fear of missing out
B. higher levels of depression
C. obvious relief in loneliness
D. lower levels of happiness
3.In Hunt's opinion， which activity benefits more to mental health？
A. Hiking out with friends．
B. Making comparison with others．
C. Playing computer games in spare time．
D. Logging onto social media and having fun．
4.Which can be the best title of the passage？
A. A Study on Social Media．
B. How to Improve Mental Health．
C. People Addicted to Social Media．
D. Social Media Influences Mental Health．
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Researchers with the University of Cambridge say they have the first real evidence of a new state of matter, some 40 years after it was first theorized.
Known as “quantum spin liquid(量子旋转水)”, the matter state causes normally unbreakable electrons to break into pieces called “Majorana fermions.” These fermions are an important discovery. Physicists believe the material is vital to further develop quantum computing. Computers employing Majorana femuons would be able to carry out calculations beyond the scale of modern computers quickly, they say.
Quantum spin liquid explains some of the eccentric behaviors inside magnetic(磁性的) materials. In these materials, the electrons should behave like small bar magnets, all adjusting towards magnetic north when a material is cooled. But not all magnetic materials do this—if the material contains quantum spin liquid, the electrons don’t all line up and become involved.
“Until recently, we didn’t even know what the experimental fingerprints of a quantum spin liquid would look like,” researcher Dr.Dmitry Kovrizhin says. “That created a challenge for the researchers, so they decided to employ neutron scattering(神经扫描) techniques to look for evidence of break”. What they found surprised them. The features matched nearly exactly with quantum spin liquid models theorized by physicist Phil Anderson in 1973. The results of their breakthrough were then published in the scientific journal Nature Materials on Monday.
Don’t get too excited just yet on its applications, though. Kovirzhin’s work is only the beginning and as we’ve seen with quantum computing there is a lot of work to be done. But it’s still exciting regardless.
“It’s an important step for our understanding of quantum matter,” Kovrizhin says. “It’s fun to have another new quantum state that we’ve never seen before—it presents us with new possibilities to try new things.”
1.What can we learn about “Majorana fermion” according to Paragraph 2?
A. It is an important discovery 40 years ago.
B. It is a surprising theory raised by Phil Anderson.
C. It is a key piece in developing quantum computer.
D. It is an unbreakable electrons employing computer.
2.Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “eccentric” in Paragraph 3?
A. Strange. B. Complex. C. Permanent. D. Obvious.
3.How did the researchers make the breakthrough?
A. By adjusting magnetic materials.
B. By using neutron scattering techniques.
C. By repeating maths calculations.
D. By changing electronic structure.
4.What is the author’s tone about the future of quantum matter?
A. Negative. B. Doubtful. C. Indifferent. D. Optimistic.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
An international team of researchers from the University of Oxford have found that the way people use the Internet is closely tied to the seasonal movements in the natural world. Their online species searches follow the patterns of seasonal animal migrations (迁徙).
Migratory birds (候鸟) flood back to where they reproduce every spring. That migratory behavior is accompanied by some human behavior. “In English-language Wikipedia (维基百科), the online searches for migratory species tend to increase in spring when those birds arrive in the United States,” said the lead author John Mittermeier.
And not just birds. Mittermeier and his team surveyed nearly 2.5 billion Wikipedia search records, for 32,000 species, across 245 languages. They also saw variable search rates for insects, horsetails and flowering plants. Seasonal trends seemed to be widespread in Wikipedia behavior for many species of plants and animals.
This finding suggests new ways to monitor changes in the world’s biological diversity. It also shows new ways to see how much people care about nature, and which species and areas might be the most effective targets for conservation.
Mittermeier is encouraged by the search results. He commented, “I think there’s a concern among conservationists (生态环境保护者) that people are losing touch with the natural world and that they’re not interacting with native species anymore. And so in that sense, it was really exciting and quite unexpected for me to see people’s Wikipedia interest closely related to changes in nature.”
Richard Grenyer, Associate Professor from the University of Oxford, says search data is useful to conservation biologists, “By using these big data approaches, we can direct our attention towards the difficult questions in modern conservation: which species and areas are changing, and where are the people who care the most and can do the most to help.”
1.What have researchers found about species searches?
A. They strengthen ties among people.
B. They affect the animal movements.
C. They differ in language backgrounds.
D. They reflect animal migration seasons.
2.What is the purpose of writing Paragraph 3?
A. To summarize the research process.
B. To further support the research findings.
C. To show the variety of species searches.
D. To present researchers’ heavy work load.
3.How does Mittermeier feel about the search results?
A. Satisfied with Wikipedia’s service.
B. Worried about Wikipedia behavior.
C. Amazed at people’s care about nature.
D. Sad about people’s not getting close to nature.
4.Why does Richard think such search data is useful?
A. It helps to aim at conservation targets.
B. It increases interest in big data approaches.
C. It keeps track of trends in biologists’work.
D. It pushes people to solve difficult problems.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Researchers at Sweden’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology say they have found further proof that the wolf ancestors of today’s dogs can be from southern East Asia -- findings that are contrary to theories placing the birth place in the Middle East. Dr Peter Savolainen, KTH researcher in evolutionary genetics, says a new study released Nov. 23 confirms that an Asian region south of the Yangtze River was the principal and probably the only region where wolves were domesticated（驯化）by humans.
Research data show clearly that dogs are descended from wolves, but there’s never been scientific agreement on where in the world the domestication process began. “Our analysis of Y-chromosomal（染色体）DNA now confirms that wolves were first domesticated in Asia south of Yangtze River -- we call it the ASY region -- in southern China or Southeast Asia,” Savolainen says.
The Y data supports previous evidence from mitochondrial（线粒体）DNA. “Taken together, the two studies provide very strong evidence that dogs appeared first in the ASY region,” Savolainen says.
Archaeological data and a genetic study recently published in Nature suggest that dogs originate from the Middle East. But Savolainen rejects that view. “Because none of these studies included samples from the ASY region, evidence from ASY has been overlooked,” he says.
Peter Savolainen and PhD student Mattias Oskarsson worked with Chinese colleagues to analyse DNA from male dogs around the world. Their study was published in the scientific journal Heredity.
Approximately half of the gene pool was universally shared everywhere in the world, while only the ASY region had the entire range of genetic diversity. “This shows that gene pools in all other regions of the world most probably originate from the ASY region,” Savolainen says.
“Our results confirm that Asia south of the Yangtze River was the most important -- and probably the only -- region for wolf domestication, and that a large number of wolves were domesticated,” says Savolainen.
In separate research published recently in Ecology and Evolution, Savolainen, PhD student Arman Ardalan and Iranian and Turkish scientists conducted a comprehensive study of mitochondrial DNA, with a particular focus on the Middle East. Because mitochondrial DNA is inherited only from the mother in most species, it is especially useful in studying evolutionary relationships.
“Since other studies have indicated that wolves were domesticated in the Middle East, we wanted to be sure nothing had been missed. We find no signs whatsoever that dogs originated there,” says Savolainen.
In their studies, the researchers also found minor genetic contributions from crossbreeding between dogs and wolves in other geographic regions, including the Middle East.
“This subsequent dog/wolf hybridisation（混合淡化技术）contributed only modestly to the dog gene pool,” Savolainen explains.
1.What does Dr. Peter Savolainen believe?
A. Dogs’ ancestors came from the Middle East.
B. Wolves were probably first trained to work for humans in the ASY region.
C. Analysis of Y-chromosomal DNA should be combined with mitochondrial DNA.
D. Samples of the previous studies are enough to support the conclusion.
2.We can learn from the passage that _______.
A．there is a universal agreement on the place of first domestication
B．data from ASY may highlight where dogs came from
C．Dr. Savolainen’s research mainly focuses on the Middle East
D．the dog/wolf hybridization makes up most of the dog gene pool
3.What is special about mitochondrial DNA?
A．It is only used in studying evolutionary relationships.
B．It alone can provide hard evidence for Savolainen’s research.
C．It is the most useful in finding out the birth place of dogs.
D．It comes from the mother of most animals and plants.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists at Israel's Tel Aviv University say—they have created the world’s first 3D-printed heart with human tissue and blood vessels. Although the organ is only as big as a rabbit’s heart, the researchers are hoping the technology could one day be developed enough to help human patients in need of a heart transplant.
Lead researcher Tal Dvir said that while other scientists have managed to 3D—print the structure of a heart in the past, this is the first time anyone has printed an entire heart. “Our results demonstrate the potential of our approach for engineering personalized tissue and organ replacement in the future,”Dvir said in a press statement.
Scientists used fatty tissue taken from human patients to create the heart. Some material in the tissue was reprogrammed to become stem cells. The remaining material was processed into a hydrogel. They used the hydrogel as a printing：“ink”. This method is key to removing the risk that the implant will be rejected by the patient’s body. The team’s next step is to cultivate the organs in a lab and to teach them how to“behave”like hearts. Dvir’s 3D-printed hearts can currently contract, but the cells still need to develop a pumping ability. His team eventually plans to test the hearts in animals.
“Maybe, in ten years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world, and these procedures will be conducted routinely, ”Dvir said. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 610, 000 people die of this disease in America every year—amounting to about 1 in every 4 deaths. There are currently more than 3700 people waiting for a heart transplant in the United States, according to data from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
1.What is the purpose of creating the 3D-printed heart?
A.To develop 3D-printed technology. B.To study the hearts of rabbits.
C.To connect hospitals with universities. D.To help patients receive a new heart.
2.Why does the author mention the current situation of heart disease patients?
A.To appeal to hospitals to reduce medical fees.
B.To show the need to improve the new technology.
C.To urge researchers to develop effective medical devices.
D.To introduce the main reason for heart disease to the public.
3.What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A.The course of the research. B.The importance of the research.
C.The material of the 3D-printed heart. D.The method of the 3D-printed heart.
4.What’s Dvir’s attitude towards the new technology?
A.Disapproving. B.Doubtful.
C.Positive. D.Indifferent.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Researchers at the University of Kansas say that people can accurately judge 90 percent of a stranger's personality simply by looking at the person's shoes．“Shoes convey a thin but useful slice of information about their wearers,” the authors wrote in the new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality．“Shoes serve a practical purpose, and also serve as nonverbal cues （线索） with symbolic messages．People tend to pay attention to the shoes they and others wear．”
Medical Daily notes that the number of detailed personality traits （特质） detected in the study include a person's general age, income, political tendency, and other personality traits, including someone's emotional stability．Lead researcher Omri Gillath said the judgments were based on the style, cost, color and condition of someone's shoes．In the study, 63 University of Kansas students looked at pictures showing 208 different pairs of shoes worn by the study's participants．Participants in the study were photographed in their most commonly worn shoes, and then filled out a personality questionnaire．
So, what do your shoes say about your personality? Some of the results were expected: People with higher incomes most commonly wore expensive shoes, and flashier footwear was typically worn by outgoing people．However, some of the more specific results are interesting．For example, “practical and functional” shoes were generally worn by more “friendly” people, while ankle boots were more closely connected with “aggressive” personalities．The strangest of all may be that those who wore “uncomfortable looking” shoes tend to have “calm” personalities．
And if you have several pairs of new shoes or take exceptional care of them, you may suffer from “attachment anxiety,” spending too much time worrying about what other people think of your appearance．There was even a political calculation in the mix with wearing “shabbier and less expensive” shoes．
The researchers noted that some people will choose shoe styles to mask their actual personality traits, but researchers pointed out that volunteers were also likely to be unaware that their footwear choices were revealing deep insights into their personalities．
1.By looking at a person’s shoes, it’s possible for people to_____．
A．know the wearer thoroughly and accurately
B．form an opinion about the wearer’s character
C．have exact cues about the wearer’s social status
D．judge the wearer’s educational background
2.What can we know about the passage?
A．Wealthy people tend to choose shiny shoes．
B．Calm people prefer shoes with uncomfortable appearance．
C．Friendly people are likely to wear ankle boots．
D．Outgoing people always wear shoes with practical functions．
3.Taking exceptional care of new shoes shows that _____．
A．the owners care much about others’ opinions on their appearance
B．the owners are in a relaxed state
C．the owners are particular about their appearance
D．the owners have too many shoes to choose from
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A．How To Choose Suitable Shoes
B．How To Judge People’s Personality Traits
C．People Are What They Wear
D．Shoes Reflect People’s Personalities
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析