Scientists who try to predict earthquakes hav...

Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently—animals.

　That’s right, animals. Scientists have begun to understand what farmers have known for thousands of years. Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming, and they show their fear by acting in strange ways. Before a Chinese quake in 1975, snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air. Cows broke their halters (缰绳) and tried to escape. Chickens refused to enter their cage. All of this unusual behavior, as well as physical changes in the earth, warned Chinese scientists of the coming quake. They moved people away from the danger zone and saved thousands of lives.

　One task for scientists today is to learn exactly which types of animal behavior predict quakes. It’s not an easy job. First of all not every animal reacts to the danger of an earthquake. Just before a California quake in 1977, for example, an Arabian horse became very nervous and tried to break out of his enclosure. The Australian horse next to him, however, remained perfectly calm. It’s also difficult at times to tell the difference between normal animal restlessness and “earthquake nerves”. A zoo keeper once called earthquake researchers to say that his cougar had been acting strangely. It turned out that the cat had an upset stomach.

　A second task for scientists is to find out exactly what kind of warnings the animals receive. They know that animals sense far more of the world than humans do. Many animals can see, hear, and smell things that people do not even notice. Some can sense tiny changes in air pressure, gravity, or the magnetism of Earth. This extra sense probably helps animals predict quakes.

　A good example of this occurred with a group of dogs. They were shut in an area that was being shaken by a series of tiny earthquakes. (Several small quakes often come before or after a large one.) Before each quake a low booming sound was heard. Each boom caused the dogs to bark wildly. Then the dogs began to bark during a silent period. A scientist who was recording quakes looked at his machine. It was acting as though there were a loud noise too. The scientist realized that the dogs had reacted to a booming noise. They also sensed the tiny quake that followed it. The machine recorded both, though humans felt and heard nothing.

In this case there was a machine to monitor what the dogs were sensing. Many times, however, our machines record nothing extraordinary, even though animals know a quake is coming. The animals might be sensing something we measure but do not recognize as a warning. Discovering what animals sense, and learning how they know it is a danger signal, is a job for future scientists.

1.Through the passage the writer hopes to explore __________.

2. During an earthquake in China in 1975, _________.

3.Which of the following is one of earthquake nerves according to the passage?

4.The scientists did an experiment with a group of dogs to _________.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

There are some new drivers going back to school. Teens who have recently gotten their driver's licenses may be taking the wheel to school this fall. However, parents fear when their teen starts driving. And it turns out that such parental fears are justified, so it's worth reviewing how to keep your teen safe while he or she is behind the wheel.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among US teens. Drivers 16 to 19 years old are at the greatest risk of crashes. In fact, their risk is 4 times greater than that of older drivers. The teens at the greatest risk are those who are male, those carrying other teenage passengers in the car, and those still in their first year of driving. Nearly 50 percent of teen deaths related to automobile crashes happen on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays between the hours of 3 pm and midnight.

Why are teens at higher risk of motor vehicle crashes?

Development. Teens haven't completely matured mentally and have greater risk­taking behaviors, possibly because they tend to underestimate the risk associated with a particular behavior. Teens also have a greater tendency to speed and to drive too close to the cars in front of them.

No seatbelts. Teens have the lowest rate of seatbelt use among all driving groups.

Alcohol. A least 25 percent of motor vehicle deaths in teens are related to drinking alcohol.

Technological distractions(分散注意力的事)．Cellphones，texting，MP3 players，and the like can all distract drivers greatly—and who more than teenagers?

Be aware of your teen's driving practices and discuss safe driving habits when opportunities present themselves. Check out the applications and devices now available for restricting your teen's use of technology while driving. Some applications alert you to the danger when your teen is texting while the vehicle is moving. Another device blocks incoming and outgoing texts when the car is running—incoming messages get an automatic reply (eg. “I'm driving right now”), and phone calls go directly to voicemail. You can also get notifications if your teen tries to shut off the program. There are also GPS programs that let you know your new driver's whereabouts at all times. All in all, you can't be too cautious when teaching your teen how to be safe on the road.

1.What factor is least related to the teen drivers' high risks of crashes?

A．Drivers' age.　     B．Passengers' sex.

C．Driving experience.　     D．Driving time.

2.Teens probably turn away their attention from driving when they are ________.

A．using no seatbelts　     B．drinking water

C．carrying passengers　     D．answering cellphones

3.According to the passage, which should be prevented during teens' driving?

A．Texting.　     B．GPS programs.

C．Automated replies.　     D．Voicemail.

4.The author writes the last paragraph in order to ________.

A．offer parents practical suggestions

B．summarize teens' driving practices

C．advocate different driving habits

D．set an example for the teens

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Plants are flowering faster than scientists predict in reaction to climate change, which could have long damaging effects on food chains and ecosystems.

“Global warming is having a great effect on hundreds of plant and animal species around the world, changing some living patterns.” scientists say.

Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air from burning coal and oil can have an effect on how plants produce oxygen, while higher temperatures and changeable rainfall patterns can change their patterns of growth.

“Predicting species’ reaction to climate change is a major challenge in ecology,” said the researchers of several U.S. Universities. They said plants had been the key object of study because their reaction to climate change could have an effect on food chains and ecosystem services.

The study, published on the Nature website, uses the findings from plant life cycle studies and experiments across four continents and 1,634 species. It found that some experiments had underestimated the speed of flowering by 8.5 times and leafing by 4 times.

“Across all species, the experiments underestimated the speed of the advance—for both leafing and flowering—that results from temperature increases,” the study said.

“The design of future experiments may need to be improved to better predict how plants will react to climate change,” it said.

Plants are necessary for life on the Earth. They are the base of the food chain, using photosynthesis (光合作用) to produce sugar from carbon dioxide and water. They let out oxygen which is needed by nearly every organism on the planet.

Scientists believe the world’s average temperature has risen by about 0.8 ℃ since 1900, and nearly 0.2 ℃ every ten years since 1979.

So far, efforts to cut emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases are not seen as enough to prevent the Earth heating up beyond 2 ℃ this century—a point scientists say will bring the danger of a changeable climate in which weather extremes are common, leading to drought, floods, crop failures and rising sea levels.

1.What is the key information the author wants to give in Paragraph 1?

A. The increasing speed of flowering is beyond scientists’ expectation.

B. Climate change leads to the change of food production patterns.

C. Plants’ reaction to weather could have damaging effects on ecosystem.

D. Food chains have been seriously damaged because of weather.

2.We can learn from the study published on the Nature website that _____.

A. scientists should improve the design of the experiments

B. plants’ flowering is 8.5 times faster than leafing

C. there are 1,634 plant species on the four continents

D. the experiments failed to predict how plants react to climate change

3.Scientists pay special attention to the study of plants because _____.

A. they can prove the climate change clearly

B. they are very important in the food chains

C. they play a leading role in reducing global warming

D. they are growing and flowering much faster than before

4.What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs about the world’s temperature?

A. It has risen nearly 0.2 ℃ since 1979.

B. It is 0.8 ℃ higher in 1979 than that of 1990.

C. It needs to be controlled within 2 ℃ in this century.

D. Its change will lead to weather extremes.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Scientists say they have developed a system that uses machine learning to predict when and where lightning will strike. Researchers report the system is able to predict lightning strikes up to 30 minutes before they happen within a 30-kilometer area.

Lightning is a strong burst of electricity in the atmosphere. Since it carries an extremely powerful electrical charge, it can be destructive and deadly. European researchers have estimated that between 6,000 and 24,000 people are killed by lightning worldwide each year. For this reason, climate scientists have long sought to develop methods to predict lightning.

The system tested in the experiments uses a combination of data from weather stations and machine learning methods. The researchers developed a prediction model that was trained to recognize weather conditions that were likely to cause lightning.

The model was created with data collected over a 12-year period from 12 Swiss weather stations in cities and mountain areas. The data, related to four main surface conditions: air pressure, air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed, was placed into a unique machine learning algorithm (算法), which compared it to records of lightning strikes. Researchers say the algorithm was then able to learn the conditions under which lightning happens.

The researchers test-ran the system several times. They found that the system made predictions that proved correct almost 80 percent of the time. “It can now be used anywhere,” the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology said in a statement.

The researchers plan to keep developing the technology in partnership with a European effort that aims to create a lightning protection program. The effort is called the European Laser Lightning Rod project. Scientists working on the project are experimenting with a laser technology that could someday control lightning activity, transferring lightning charges from clouds to the ground. They hope that such technology can one day be used as protection against lightning strikes. Possible uses could be at stations, airports or places where large crowds gather.

1.Why was the system developed?

A.To meet kids’ curiosity about lightning.

B.To show the power of lightning.

C.To keep track of lightning deaths.

D.To protect people from lightning.

2.What is special about the system?

A.It was based on a number of samples worldwide.

B.It adopted a different machine learning algorithm.

C.It used an effective method of collecting data.

D.It required low cost of predicting lightning.

3.What will the researchers do next with the laser technology?

A.Monitor lightning activity. B.Prevent the occurrence of lightning.

C.Direct energy from lightning. D.Generate electricity with lightning.

4.What can be a suitable title for the text?

A.A System of Controlling Lightning B.A Method of Forecasting Lightning

C.A Theory of Employing Lightning D.A Model of Creating Lightning

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Scientists say they have developed a system that uses machine learning to predict when and where lightning will strike. The research was led by engineers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Lightning is a strong burst of electricity in the atmosphere. It can strike between clouds or between a cloud and the ground. Since lightning carries an extremely powerful electrical charge, it can be destructive and deadly. It is difficult to know exactly how many people die of lightning-related causes. European researchers have estimated that between 6,000 and 24,000 people are killed by lightning worldwide each year. The strikes can also cause power failure, destroy property, damage electrical equipment and start forest fires.

For this reason, climate scientists have long sought to develop methods to predict and control lightning. The system tested in the experiments uses a combination of data from weather stations and machine learning methods. The researchers developed a prediction model that was trained to recognize weather conditions that were likely to cause lightning. The model was created with data collected over a 12-year period from 12 Swiss weather stations in cities and mountain areas. The data related to four main surface conditions: air pressure, air temperature, relative humidity (湿度) and wind speed. The atmospheric data was placed into a machine learning algorithm (计算程序), which compared it to records of lightning strikes. Researchers say the algorithm was then able to learn the conditions under which lightning happens.

“Once trained, the system made predictions that proved correct almost 80 percent of the time,” the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology said in a statement. “It can now be used anywhere.”

Amirhossein Mostajabi, a PhD student at the institute, said current systems for gathering such data are slow and complex and require costly collection equipment like radar or satellites. “Our method uses data that can be obtained from any weather station,” he said. “This will improve data collection in very remote areas not covered by radar and satellite or in places where communication systems have been cut,” he added.

The researchers plan to keep developing the technology in partnership with a European effort that aims to create a lightning protection system. Scientists working on the Paris-based project are experimenting with a laser technology that could someday control lightning activity. The idea is that powerful, ground-based lasers can be positioned in the sky to direct energy from lightning.

1.What does Paragraph 2 mainly focus on?

A.The cause of lightning. B.The forming process of lighnting.

C.The destruction of lightning. D.The difficulty to count the deaths.

2.Which is the correct order of how the system works?

① develop a prediction model.

② learn to recognize weather conditions.

③ collect related data.

④ input the data onto the computer.

⑤ make predictions.

A.①→②→③→④→⑤ B.③→④→①→②→⑤

C.①→②→④→③→⑤ D.③→①→②→⑤→④

3.What’s the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology’s attitude toward the system?

A.Satisfied. B.Doubtful.

C.Negative. D.Neutral.

4.The advantage of the new system for collecting data lies in its　　　　 .

A.accuracy B.efficiency

C.wide coverage D.reliability

5.What does the Paris-based project aim to do?

A.Identify lighting. B.Predict lighting.

C.Stop lighting. D.Control lighting.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Can you imagine printing food? Some scientists are trying to revolutionize the dining experience by doing this. They hope that having a 3D printer in the kitchen will become as commonplace as the microwave. Scientists say that they are easy to use: you simply have to select a recipe and put the raw food "inks" into the printer. You can also change the instructions to make the food exactly how you want it. This means that it would be very quick and easy to create tasty and nutritious meals.

They say that if people used 3D printers to create meals there would be less need for traditional growing, transporting and packaging processes as food production would be a lot easier. For example, alternative ingredients (原料) such as proteins from insects could be changed into tasty products. And as is known, those traditional activities are not beneficial to our surroundings.

This technology could also help people who suffer from dysphagia (a swallowing disorder). The patients could program the printer and softer versions would be made so that they would not have trouble swallowing them.

However, some people think that using 3D-printed foods would be a disaster. It could take away many jobs, including those for growing, transporting and packaging food. Imagine a world where there was no need for farming or growing crops and the same tastes could be printed from a raw "food ink". Likewise, traditional cafes and restaurants might lose business. Also, there are concerns about the nutritional value of printed food: is it really possible to get the nutrients we need from food-based inks?

What's more, cooking and eating together with family and friends has long been a traditional and enjoyable activity. It is hard to imagine a world where the pastime of cooking is dead and meals can be created at the touch of a button.

1.What do scientists think of 3D food printing?

A. It is cheap to use it.　　 B. It is environment-friendly.

C. It is advancing quickly.　　 D. It needs improving.

2.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A. The printed foods.　　 B. Their favorite foods.

C. The more nutritious foods.　　 D. The more tasty foods.

3.What can we infer about the printed foods from Paragraph 4?

A. Their raw "food inks" are more nutritional.

B. People would get more jobs produced by them.

C. People need more evidence about their nutrition.

D. They would be bought in traditional restaurants.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A. The growth of 3D food printing　　 B. The future of 3D food printing

C. The 3D food printing business　　 D. The two sides of 3D food printing

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The scientists predict that if present trends______, women in 400 years will be 2cm shorter

and have healthier hearts．

A．will continue                                                                   B．continue

C．are continued                                      D．will be continued

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

The scientists predict that if present trends____, women in 400 years will be 2cm shorter and have healthier hearts．

A．will continue B．continue       C．are continued  D．will be continued

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Recently some American scientists have a useful piece of advice to people in industrialized nations. They say people should eat more of the same kind of food eaten by humans living more than 10, 000 years ago.1.

The scientists say that the human life has changed greatly. Our bodies have not been able to deal with these changes in lifestyle and this has led to new kinds of sicknesses. These new sicknesses were not known in ancient times.So they are called “diseases of civilization”. 2.

Scientists noted that people in both the Old Stone Age and the New Stone Age enjoyed very little alcohol or tobacco, probably none.3. However, a change in food is one of the main differences between life in ancient times and that of today.

Stone Age people hunted wild animals for their meat, which had much less fat than domestic ones. They ate a lot of fresh wild vegetables and fruits. They did not have milk or any other dairy products, and they made very little use of grains.4.We eat six times more salt than our ancestors. We eat more sugar. We eat twice as much fat but only one third as much protein and much less vitamin C.

5. But scientists say that we would be much healthier if we eat much the same way the ancient people did, cutting the amount of fatty, salty and sweet food.

A. People today probably don’t want to live like our ancestors.

B. Ancient people also got lots of physical exercise.

C. Stone Age people lived a simple life.

D. Many cancers and diseases of the blood system are examples of such diseases.

E. Modern people used to suffer from “diseases of civilization.”

F. But today, we enjoy eating a lot of these.

G. In that case, they would live much healthier.

高三英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

A First Responder is someone who immediately tries to help with some incident that occurs. This could be a response to someone who is hurt or injured, a natural disaster (like a fire, flood or tornado), or maybe your pet needs help.

The response might be at your house or in your neighborhood or community. When called, the First Responder is trained to come right away. A quick response is the surest way that the incident can be resolved in the shortest amount of time and with the least amount of damage to individuals and to property.

A First Responder is responsible for the protection and preservation of life, property, evidence, and the environment. They are trained in many areas like emergency management, public health, clinical care, public works, and in operating equipment.

Together, they work to provide support services at the “onset” of an incident. “Onset” means at the early stages. They work to help in all response areas of prevention, response, and recovery:

Prevention is trying to stop more things happening in the future as a result of this incident.

Response means what is done in the incident and how you react to those individuals in the incident.

Recovery means what is done to restore or rebuild (whatever it is) back to what it was like prior to the incident.

Dialing 9-1-1 is one way you can ask for help from First Responders. You should know when it is appropriate to call this emergency help number. Dialing 9-1-1 in cases that are not emergencies should be prevented. It wastes people’s time and takes away resources that are needed from other emergency situations. Your parents and teachers can talk to you about dialing 9-1-1.

We salute those people who are First Responders and we thank them for their quick responses to helping out in situations when needed. We thank them for their special technical skills and personal skills of kindness and caring they bring with them on every response job.

1.Which of situations should one contact First Responder?

A. Jane noticed a passer-by falling and unconscious during her shopping.

B. Helen was driving outside when a tornado occurred.

C. Little John’s puppy became mad and he could not control it.

D. All above.

2.Paragraph 2 to 4 imply all below EXCEPT that ______.

A. A First Responder is usually not far from the caller

B. A First Responder can support help when trouble begins

C. A First Responder is blame for their wrong doings

D. A First Responder should be professional on dealing with emergencies

3.9-1-1 should not be dialed without reason because ______.

A. the cost of dialing 9-1-1 will be quite expensive

B. others may need the emergency resource more

C. the number of 9-1-1 is not lucky

D. it is often hard to get through

4.The last paragraph may aim to ______.

A. express thanks for First Responders’ selfless work

B. call on everyone to join the team of First Responder

C. warn others not to turn to First Responder for help

D. give reasons why First Responders are amateur

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析