Music for Humans and Humpback Whales
As researchers conclude in Science, the love of music is not only a universal feature of the human species, but is also deeply fixed in complex structures of the human brain, and is far more ancient than previously suspected.
In the articles that discuss the field of bio-musicology, the study of the biological basis for the creation and appreciation of music, researchers present various evidence to, show that music-making is at once an original human "business", and an art form with skillful performers throughout the animal kingdom.
The new reports stress that humans hold no copyright on sound wisdom, and that a number of nonhuman animals produce what can rightly be called music, rather than random sound. Recent in-depth analyses of the songs sung by humpback whales show that, even when their organ would allow them to do otherwise, the animals converge on the same choices relating to sounds and beauty, and accept the same laws of song composition as those preferred by human musicians, and human ears, everywhere.
For example, male humpback whales, who spend six months of each year doing little else but singing, use rhythms (节奏) similar to those found in human music and musical phrases of similar length—a few seconds. Whales are able to make sounds over a range of at least seven octaves (八度音阶), yet they tend to move on through a song in beautiful musical intervals, rather than moving forwards madly. They mix the sounds like drums and pure tones in a ratio (比例) which agrees with that heard in much western music. They also use a favorite technique of human singers, the so-called A-B-A form, in which a theme is stated, then developed, and then returned to in slightly revised form.
Perhaps most impressive, humpback songs contain tunes that rhyme. "This suggests that whales use rhyme in the same way we do: as a technique in poem to help them remember complex material," the researchers write.
1.The underlined words "converge on" in Paragraph 3 probably means__________.
A. tend towards B. refer to
C. turn into D. put forward
2.Which of the following shows the advanced musical ability in humpback whales?
A. They can remember complex material.
B. They can create pleasing patterns of music.
C. They can make sounds like drums continuously.
D. They can sing along with rhythms of western music.
3.What is the main idea of the article?
A. Animals are able to compose and enjoy music like humans.
B. Human beings borrow ideas in music from humpback whales.
C. Humpback whales are skillful performers in the animal kingdom.
D. Music-making it an ancient activity of both humans and animals.
4.The main purpose of the passage is to __________.
A. argue and discuss B. inform and explain
C. compare and advertise D. examine and assess
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Music for Humans and Humpback Whales
As researchers conclude in Science, the love of music is not only a universal feature of the human species, but is also deeply fixed in complex structures of the human brain, and is far more ancient than previously suspected.
In the articles that discuss the field of bio-musicology, the study of the biological basis for the creation and appreciation of music, researchers present various evidence to, show that music-making is at once an original human "business", and an art form with skillful performers throughout the animal kingdom.
The new reports stress that humans hold no copyright on sound wisdom, and that a number of nonhuman animals produce what can rightly be called music, rather than random sound. Recent in-depth analyses of the songs sung by humpback whales show that, even when their organ would allow them to do otherwise, the animals converge on the same choices relating to sounds and beauty, and accept the same laws of song composition as those preferred by human musicians, and human ears, everywhere.
For example, male humpback whales, who spend six months of each year doing little else but singing, use rhythms (节奏) similar to those found in human music and musical phrases of similar length—a few seconds. Whales are able to make sounds over a range of at least seven octaves (八度音阶), yet they tend to move on through a song in beautiful musical intervals, rather than moving forwards madly. They mix the sounds like drums and pure tones in a ratio (比例) which agrees with that heard in much western music. They also use a favorite technique of human singers, the so-called A-B-A form, in which a theme is stated, then developed, and then returned to in slightly revised form.
Perhaps most impressive, humpback songs contain tunes that rhyme. "This suggests that whales use rhyme in the same way we do: as a technique in poem to help them remember complex material," the researchers write.
1.The underlined words "converge on" in Paragraph 3 probably means__________.
A. tend towards B. refer to
C. turn into D. put forward
2.Which of the following shows the advanced musical ability in humpback whales?
A. They can remember complex material.
B. They can create pleasing patterns of music.
C. They can make sounds like drums continuously.
D. They can sing along with rhythms of western music.
3.What is the main idea of the article?
A. Animals are able to compose and enjoy music like humans.
B. Human beings borrow ideas in music from humpback whales.
C. Humpback whales are skillful performers in the animal kingdom.
D. Music-making it an ancient activity of both humans and animals.
4.The main purpose of the passage is to __________.
A. argue and discuss B. inform and explain
C. compare and advertise D. examine and assess
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Music for Humans and Humpback Whales As researchers conclude in Science, the love of music is not only a universal feature of the human species, but is also deeply fixed in complex structures of the human brain, and is far more ancient than previously suspected.
In the articles that discuss the field of bio-musicology, the study of the biological basis for the creation and appreciation of music, researchers present various evidence to show that music-making is at once an original human "business", and an art form with skillful performers throughout the animal kingdom.
The new reports stress that humans hold no copyright on sound wisdom, and that a number of nonhuman animals produce what can rightly be called music, rather than random sound.Recent in-depth analyses of the songs sung by humpback whales show that, even when their organ would allow them to do otherwise, the animals converge on the same choices relating to sounds and beauty, and accept the same laws of song composition as those preferred by human musicians, and human ears, everywhere.
For example, male humpback whales, who spend six months of each year doing little else but singing, use rhythms (节奏) similar to those found in human music and musical phrases of similar length—a few seconds.Whales are able to make sounds over a range of at least seven octaves (八度音阶), yet they tend to move on through a song in beautiful musical intervals, rather than moving forwards madly.They mix the sounds like drums and pure tones in a ratio (比例) which agrees with that heard in much western music.They also use a favorite technique of human singers, the so-called A-B-A form, in which a theme is stated, then developed, and then returned to in slightly revised form.
Perhaps most impressive, humpback songs contain tunes that rhyme."This suggests that whales use rhyme in the same way we do: as a technique in poem to help them remember complex material," the researchers write.
1.The underlined words "converge on" in Paragraph 3 probably means__________.
A.tend towards
B.refer to
C.turn into
D.put forward
2.Which of the following shows the advanced musical ability in humpback whales?
A.They can remember complex material.
B.They can create pleasing patterns of music.
C.They can make sounds like drums continuously.
D.They can sing along with rhythms of western music.
3.What is the main idea of the article?
A.Animals are able to compose and enjoy music like humans.
B.Human beings borrow ideas in music from humpback whales.
C.Humpback whales are skillful performers in the animal kingdom.
D.Music-making is an ancient activity of both humans and animals.
4.The main purpose of the passage is to __________.
A.argue and discuss
B.inform and explain
C.compare and advertise
D.examine and assess
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Recently according to a new research, humans have had a link to starches (含淀粉的食物) for up to 120,000 years — that’s more than 100,000 years longer than we’ve been able to plant them in the soil during the time of the ice Age’s drawing to an end. The research is part of an ongoing study into the history of Middle Stone Age communities.
An international team of scientists identified evidence of prehistoric starch consumption in the Klasies River Cave, in present-day South Africa. Analyzing small, ashy, undisturbed hearths(壁炉) inside the cave, the researchers found “pieces of burned starches” ranging from around 120,000 to 65,000 years old. It made them the oldest known examples of starches eaten by humans.
The findings do not come as a complete surprise — but rather as welcome confirmation of older theories that lacked the related evidence. The lead author Cynthia Larbey said that there had previously only been genetic biological evidence to suggest that humans had been eating starch for this long. This new evidence, however, takes us directly to the dinner table, and supports the previous assumption that humans’ digestion genes gradually evolved in order to fit into an increased digestion of starch.
Co-author Sarah Wurz said, “The starch remains show that these early humans living in the Klasies River Cave could battle against their tough environment and find suitable foods and perhaps medicines. And as much as we all still desire the tubers (块茎), these cave communities were gilling starches such as potatoes on their foot-long hearths. They knew how to balance their diets as well as they could, with fats from local fish and other animals.”
As early as the 1990s, some researchers started to study the hearths in the Klasies River Cave. Scientist Hilary Deacon first suggested that these hearths contained burned plants. At the time, the proper methods of examining the remains were not yet available. We now know human beings have always been searching for their desired things.
1.When did humans begin to farm starches?
A.After the Ice Age. B.After the Middle Stone Age.
C.About 20,000 years ago. D.About 100,000 years ago.
2.What was the previous assumption of starches?
A.Starch diet promoted food culture. B.Starch diet shaped humans’ evolution.
C.Starches had a variety of functions. D.Starches offered humans rich nutrition.
3.What can we learn about the early humans described by Sarah Wurz?
A.They were smart and tough. B.They preferred plants to meat.
C.They were generally very healthy. D.They got along with each other.
4.What’s the best title for the text?
A.Great Civilization of South Africa B.The Evolution of Foods in History
C.Starches--the Important Food of Today D.Big Findings--the Starches in Ancient Times
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
I'm usually fairly doubtful about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concluded that today's children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children aged 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
Why are America's kids so stressed? According to the report there are two main causes: increasing loneliness ─ brought on by high divorce rates and little communication with society, among other things ─ and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
Given that we can't turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation handle such difficulties. At the top of the list is giving children a better appreciation of the limits of individualism (个人主义). No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps protect individuals against stress. To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
Limit the amount of virtual violence your children are exposed to. It's not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news. Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale. Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you deal with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesn't have to ruin your life.
1.The author thinks that the conclusions of any research comparing people's state of mind today with people’s state of mind in the past are______.
A. surprising B. confusing C. interesting D. questionable
2.What does the author mean when he says, “we can't turn the clock back” (Paragraph 3)?
A. It's impossible to slow down the pace of change.
B. The social reality children are facing cannot be changed.
C. Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten.
D. It's impossible to forget the past.
3.According to the analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentally ill 50 years ago____.
A. had little communication with friends
B. were probably less self-centered
C. probably suffered less from anxiety
D. were considered less individualistic
4.The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is ____.
A. to provide the children with a safer environment
B. to lower their expectations for the children
C. to get the children more active socially
D. to set an example for the children to follow
5.What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
A. Anxiety, though unavoidable, can be dealt with.
B. Children's anxiety has been taken too seriously.
C. Children's anxiety can disappear with more parental care.
D. Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
I usually doubt about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago.While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, 1 was struck by a report which concluded that today’s children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children between 9 and 17 have a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.
Why are America’s kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes: increasing physical isolation (孤独) brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.
Given that we can’t turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation to cope.
At the top of the list,nurturing (培育) is a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.
To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later.They will then have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.
Limit the amount of virtual (虚拟的) violence your children are exposed to. It’s not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.
Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.
Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you deal with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable,but it doesn’t have to ruin your life.
1.What does the author thinks of the conclusion that people in America are unhappier than 50 years ago?
A.Surprising B.Confusing C.Illogical D.Questionable
2.What does the author mean by saying “ we can’t turn the clock back(Para. 3)?
A.It’s impossible to slow down the pace of the change.
B.The social reality children are facing cannot be changed.
C.Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten.
D.It’s impossible to forget the past.
3.According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children 50 years ago __________.
A.were less isolated physically
B.were probably less self-centered
C.probably suffered less from anxiety
D.were considered less individualistic
4.What is the first and most important thing parents should do to help their children?
A.To provide them with a safer environment.
B.To lower their expectations for them.
C.To get them more involved socially.
D.To set a good model for them to follow.
5.What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
A.Anxiety, though always unavoidable, can be coped with.
B.Children’s anxiety has been enormously exaggerated(夸大).
C.Children’s anxiety can be removed with more parental care.
D.Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Humans and dogs have been working together for thousands of years, and some scientists even believe the two species have been living with one another for thousands of years. While having a dog will not improve your health if you never wanted a dog in the first place, dog lovers can benefit from living with them.
1. Most of us know the benefits of exercise, but it can be a struggle to find the motivation to get up and get moving everyday. A dog provides strong motivations, and can make your daily walk or run less lonely and more fun.Moreover, you'll bum extra calories when helping your dog walk and doing brief training exercises with your dog. For some people, going for walks alone is scary, but a dog can make runs and walks feel more secure.l know that with Ranger.I have to walk him every day, and he's always ready each morning.Sometimes we even have an afternoon or early evening walk, which is better for my health.
2. There's no doubt that dog ownership does come with some stresses, from making sure you've applied their weekly bath to worrying if your dog will get along with the other dogs at the dog park. But the benefits of pet ownership more than outweigh these small stresses. Research shows that a few minutes spent petting an animal. lowers blood levels of the stress hormone, which contributes to tiredness, weight gain and aging, and your pet can help kill its negative effects. A few minutes playing with your dog every day also releases powerful ¨feel-good" hormones that continue to function in the bloodstream.
3. Many people living alone worry about thieves, and a dog can help give owners a sense of security. Thieves are less likely to break into a house with a barking dog, and your dog can help you feel less lonely whether you're just spending the night by yourself or living alone long-term.If your dog is older and struggles to move around, you can still rest easy knowing that your dog will get to a robber before you do.
4. People who have regular positive interactions with others tend to live longer and be happier, and pets provide you with a valuable opportunity to meet and interact with other people. Even if you're shy, it's easy to strike up a conversation with another person if you're both talking about your animals. Visits to the dog park and meet--ups with other pet owners also provide pet owners with opportunities for interactions.If you're still anxious about meeting new people, consider joining a message board or online group for people with similar pets to yours. You'll quickly find yourself making new friends in addition to learning a lot about your best friend - your pet!
5. In a fast-paced, high-stress world, depression and anxiety are at an all-time high. But pet owners have fewer mental illnesses, and animals are even used as treatment for people suffering from mental illness. If you struggle with depression, an animal can help you avoid such problems. The exercise and stress release you get from spending time with your pet may even reduce the effects of depression. Dog owners are also less stressed than people who don't own dogs, and reduced stress is strongly related with lower blood pressure, a longer life span, greater happiness and improved health.
高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析
Humans and gorillas shared evolution for 23 million years. Their paths separated only six million years ago. Research on how gorillas communicate can help us understand human language development.
Understanding how the brain works helps us see a connection between language development and non-verbal signs. These signs or movements include things like the way we move our hands or bodies or the different expressions our faces have in different social situations. A new study on gorillas showed that the right side of the body is controlled by the left part of the brain and it is also the location for language development.
Two cameras were used to film all of one ape’s movements. One of the first results was that gorillas use their right hands more when they are doing actions with their heads or mouths at the same time. This shows that there is a connection between how our brain works and the reason we use one side of our body more than the other. In addition, we can use the results of the study and our knowledge about brains to help us understand more about how language first developed in humans.
Dr Forrester, who did the study, says the results can be useful in other ways, such as understanding language development in children. For example, some children have serious illness called “autism” which can stop them communicating normally with people. It might be possible to use the same study method to find out which children have this illness when they are very young. Doctors will then be able to start treatment early.
1.Which of the following may have a connection with right-handedness?
A. Communication. B. Intelligence.
C. Social position. D. Social success.
2.What does the underlined word “it” refer to?
A. The right side of the body. B. The mouth.
C. The left part of the brain. D. The front part of the head.
3.Who might benefit most from the results of the study?
A. Photographers of gorillas. B. Zoo keepers.
C. Researchers on movement. D. Children with illness.
4.We can infer from the text that gorillas ___________.
A. prefer to use the right hand instead of the left hand
B. have a complex form of non-verbal communication
C. help us better develop our language abilities
D. share the same body language with humans
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Humans are responsible for causing changes in the environment that hurt animals and species(物种). We take up more space on Earth for our homes and cities. We pollute habitats(栖息地). ________1. illegally hunt and kill animals. All of these activities take resources and habitats away ________2.________ plants and animals.
Human activity often changes or destroys the habitats that plants and animals need to survive. 3.________ human populations are growing so fast, animals and plants are disappearing many times faster 4.________ they have in the past 65 million years.
Animals and plants have always had a ________5.________ time surviving. Animals became extinct (灭绝的) in the past for a wide variety of reasons. In some cases, competition for resources among animals led to extinction and in ________6.________ cases, environmental changes caused extinction.
Fortunately, we humans are beginning to realize our mistakes, ________7.________ we could destroy everything on Earth. We must not only use our knowledge and abilities to manage the Earth, but to make the Earth ________8.________ safe and healthy place where all animals and plants——including humans ourselves——can live.
高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析
Humans were made for walking. With our upright posture and strong leg muscles, our bodies were actually designed with walking in mind which makes it such perfect exercise. It’s kind to our bodies and great for our waistlines. 1.
Maybe you already love to walk, but you’re getting tired of tracing the same old route day after day, or maybe you’re new to walking and aren’t sure how to get started. 2.Ask yourself, what do you want to get out of walking aside from the health benefits? Do you want to meet other people? See new places? Get out into the countryside or explore a new city? Knowing your goals will help you decide on the type of walk you want to do.
If making friends and socializing is your goal, call up your friends and schedule walks with them.3. Many malls have groups that come every day, or every weekend, to “walk the mall.” These groups are always happy to include one more walker!
4.Many large cities have incredible gardens and parks that include quiet walking trails getting you off the beaten path. Thanks to the Rails to Trails program, railways across the country are being transformed into scenic walking paths that are a perfect way to seek calmness.
From the benefits to your heart to your overall happiness, walking is just plain good for you.5.It’s a fantastic way to get to know a place by the power of your own two feet.
A.Headed to a new city?
B.This month, pick up a map and start walking.
C.Ask your friends where they like to walk and just go there.
D.Either way, it's time to accept the idea of walking with a purpose.
E.And best of all, it’s a great way to see new things and meet new people!
F.Recently, science has proved that walking is good for your body shape.
G.If you're after walking alone, ask about local hikes that get you out of town and into the countryside.
高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析
Humans were made for walking. With our upright posture and strong leg muscles, our bodies were designed with walking in mind --- which is what makes it such perfect exercise. 1.And best of all, it’s a great way to see new things and meet new people!
2.Wherever you are, in the city or at the campground, you’ll find plenty of walking going on. Studies have shown that taking a walk every day significantly reduces your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure, and it even lowers stress levels. Recently, science has proved that walking is even good for your body shape and brain.
To get started, sit down with a map and make a plan. 3.Do you want to meet other people? See new places? Get out into the wilderness or explore a city? Knowing your strengths will help you decide on the type of walk you want to do.
If making friends and socializing is your goal, call up your friends and schedule walks with them. Ask your friends where they like to walk and go there, since this will introduce you to new places. Go online and look up your local mall or shopping center. Many malls have groups that come every day, or every weekend, to “walk the mall. 4.
From the benefits to your heart to your overall happiness, walking is just plain good for you.
This month pick up a map and start walking.5.
A.Headed to a new city?
B.It’s good for our bodies and great for our waistlines.
C.This month, why not focus on walking with a purpose?
D.These groups are always happy to include one more walker!
E.You might find open groups of dog walkers at your local park.
F.It’s a fantastic way to get to know the world, using your own two feet.
G.Ask yourself, what do you want to get out of walking aside from the health benefits?
高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析