DNA analysis has revealed family relationships between more than 10 generations of Stone Age people at megalithic (巨石的) tombs in Ireland and Sweden.
The evidence suggests that megaliths, prehistoric large stone structures, sometimes acted as graves for family groups in northwestern Europe thousands of years ago. The latest findings throw new light on the origins and social structure of the groups that built megaliths in this region—a history that has long been hidden in mystery.
For their study, the international team of researchers analyzed the genomes—the complete set of genetic material in a cell—of 24 Stone Age individuals from five megalithic burial sites in Ireland, Scotland and Gotland, a large Swedish island in the Baltic Sea.
This analysis showed that many of the individuals buried at each megalith, who all lived between 3,800 B.C. and 2,600 B.C., according to radiocarbon-dating of their remains, were closely related via family ties.
The results also showed that the individuals buried at the megaliths were related to Neolithic farmers in northern and western Europe but genetically distinct from other hunter-gatherers. This was particularly noticeable at the Ansarve site on the island of Gotland.
“The people buried in the Ansarve tomb are remarkably different on a genetic level compared to the individuals dug out from hunter-gather contexts, showing that the burial tradition in this megalithic tomb, which lasted for over 700 years, was performed by distinct groups with roots in the European Neolithic expansion,” Magdalena Fraser, co-first author from Uppsala University, said in the statement.
1.What’s the significance of the new findings?
A. It reveals the family ties between people in Ireland and Sweden.
B. It implies that many people buried in the tombs were closely related.
C. It indicates the long-hidden mystery concerning DNA analysis.
D. It suggests that the megaliths became tombs thousands of years ago.
2.How did the researchers reach their findings?
A. By interviewing individuals. B. By travelling to different regions.
C. By analyzing genes. D. By studying the burial sites.
3.Which is true according to the latest findings?
A. Some people buried in the tombs were related to farmers.
B. Few people buried in the tombs were genetically different.
C. All the people buried at megaliths had family relationships.
D. People buried in the Ansarve tomb were dug out 700 years later.
4.What’s the main idea of this passage?
A. Megaliths served as tombs thousands of years ago.
B. People buried at the megaliths were recently analyzed.
C. Latest findings shed light on a mystery about burials.
D. Stone-Age people in Ireland and Sweden had close ties.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
DNA analysis has revealed family relationships between more than 10 generations of Stone Age people at megalithic (巨石的) tombs in Ireland and Sweden.
The evidence suggests that megaliths, prehistoric large stone structures, sometimes acted as graves for family groups in northwestern Europe thousands of years ago. The latest findings throw new light on the origins and social structure of the groups that built megaliths in this region—a history that has long been hidden in mystery.
For their study, the international team of researchers analyzed the genomes—the complete set of genetic material in a cell—of 24 Stone Age individuals from five megalithic burial sites in Ireland, Scotland and Gotland, a large Swedish island in the Baltic Sea.
This analysis showed that many of the individuals buried at each megalith, who all lived between 3,800 B.C. and 2,600 B.C., according to radiocarbon-dating of their remains, were closely related via family ties.
The results also showed that the individuals buried at the megaliths were related to Neolithic farmers in northern and western Europe but genetically distinct from other hunter-gatherers. This was particularly noticeable at the Ansarve site on the island of Gotland.
“The people buried in the Ansarve tomb are remarkably different on a genetic level compared to the individuals dug out from hunter-gather contexts, showing that the burial tradition in this megalithic tomb, which lasted for over 700 years, was performed by distinct groups with roots in the European Neolithic expansion,” Magdalena Fraser, co-first author from Uppsala University, said in the statement.
1.What’s the significance of the new findings?
A. It reveals the family ties between people in Ireland and Sweden.
B. It implies that many people buried in the tombs were closely related.
C. It indicates the long-hidden mystery concerning DNA analysis.
D. It suggests that the megaliths became tombs thousands of years ago.
2.How did the researchers reach their findings?
A. By interviewing individuals. B. By travelling to different regions.
C. By analyzing genes. D. By studying the burial sites.
3.Which is true according to the latest findings?
A. Some people buried in the tombs were related to farmers.
B. Few people buried in the tombs were genetically different.
C. All the people buried at megaliths had family relationships.
D. People buried in the Ansarve tomb were dug out 700 years later.
4.What’s the main idea of this passage?
A. Megaliths served as tombs thousands of years ago.
B. People buried at the megaliths were recently analyzed.
C. Latest findings shed light on a mystery about burials.
D. Stone-Age people in Ireland and Sweden had close ties.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
New genetic analysis has revealed that many Amazon tree species are likely to survive human-made climate warming in the coming century, contrary to previous findings that temperature increases would cause them to die out. A study, 1 in the latest edition of Ecology and Evolution, reveals the 2 age of some Amazonian tree species -- more than 8 million years -- and 3 shows that they have survived previous periods as warm as many of the global warming imagined periods 4 for the year 2100.
The authors write that, having survived warm periods in the past, the trees will 5 survive future warming, provided there are no other major environmental changes. 6 extreme droughts and forest fires will impact Amazonia as temperatures 7, the trees will stand the direct impact of higher temperatures. The authors 8 that as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimize the risk of drought and fire, conservation policy should remain 9 on preventing deforestation(采伐森林)for agriculture and mining.
The study disagrees with other recent researches which predicted tree species’ extinctions 10 relatively small increases in global average air temperatures.
Study co-author Dr Simon Lewis (UCL Geography) said the 11 were good news for Amazon tree species, but warned that drought and over-exploitation of the forest remained major 12 to the Amazon’s future.
Dr Lewis said: “The past cannot be compared directly with the future. while tree species seem likely to 13 higher air temperatures than today, the Amazon forest is being transformed for agriculture and 14, and what remains is being degraded by logging, and increasingly split up by fields and roads.
“Species will not move as freely in today’s Amazon as they did in previous warm periods, when there was no human 15. Similarly, today’s climate change is extremely fast, making comparisons with slower changes in the past 16.”
“With a clearer 17 of the relative risks to the Amazon forest, we 18 that direct human impacts -- such as forest clearances for agriculture or mining -- should remain a key point of conservation policy. We also need more aggressive 19 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to make minimum the risk of drought and fire impacts and 20 the future of most Amazon tree species.”
1. A.advertised B.described C.published D.presented
2. A.frightening B.surprising C.exciting D.interesting
3. A.still B.nevertheless C.however D.therefore
4. A.assess B.confirm C.forecast D.promise
5. A.particularly B.probably C.merely D.possibly
6. A.Since B.Although C.When D.If
7. A.rise B.change C.drop D.end
8. A.consider B.decide C.guarantee D.recommend
9. A.based B.built C.focused D.made
10. A.in relation to B.in response to C.in reply to D.in reference to
11. A.findings B.thoughts C.inventions D.writings
12. A.threats B.disadvantages C.embarrassments D.instructions
13. A.accept B.tolerate C.permit D.Require
14. A.farming B.planting C.catering D.mining
15. A.power B.influence C.desire D.violence
16. A.difficult B.clear C.easy D.important
17. A.belief B.direction C.understanding D.suggestion
18. A.doubt B.conclude C.calculate D.prefer
19. A.thought B.guidance C.protection D.action
20. A.secure B.advance C.sacrifice D.evaluate
高三英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Oscar-winning director Ang Lee' s new epic "Life of Pi" reveals the relationship between a teenage Indian boy and a Bengal tiger. But in reality, the predators(食肉动物)are under increasing threat from humans. Animal rights group PETA is hoping to use the popularity of the film to focus people's attention on the real life of Bengal tigers.
With the rising demand for tiger parts from East Asia, illegal hunting remains a tremendous danger for the remaining cat population. Back in 1947, there were 40,000 tigers in India, but the number is experiencing a sharp decline t0 1,706 despite campaigns to protect the animal.
Rising man-animal conflict is also one of the leading causes of decline in tiger numbers. In one of numerous reported attacks on the endangered big cats, villagers near The Bangladesh-India border, armed with sticks and boat oars, set upon the animal suspected to have attacked a local fisherman and beat it to death earlier this month. So far this year, 58 tiger deaths have been reported in the country.
"The first instinct when a tiger is spotted is to just kill it,"grieved Gurmeet Sapal, a wildlife filmmaker. "The feeling of fear and revenge is so strong that it shuts out any other emotion. What we don' t realize is that the tiger never attacks humans until it is forced to. "'
India has been struggling to stop the tiger's decline in the face of the loss of habitat as well that encourages the animals to leave the forest for food. " The tiger's rapidly exhausted prey base causes the predator to go al! out to get its food. Consequently, livestock and human beings become easy prey, which leads inevitably to conflict," says a wildlife conservationist.
Filmmaker Sapal says it is only normal for people to think of the tiger as a dangerous animal, but its image as a human killer bears some injustice. "Tigers never kill for sport nor store meat. They kill their prey only in case of hunger. "
1.How can PETA take advantage over the hot movie “ Life of Pi ”?
A. PETA can count on the movie to promote people' s awareness of tiger' s life.
B. PETA can make enough money by encourage people to watch the movie.
C. The movie demonstrates that humans and tigers can live in harmony.
D. The movie offers a wonderful opportunity for movie to act in.
2.Why did the villagers beat the tiger to death?
A. Because it was a human killer and attempted to attack people.
B. Because it was suspected to be a threat to local people' s lives.
C. Because local people just followed their instinct to kill it.
D. Because people wanted to carry out their revenge for it.
3.According to the article, when will tigers attack and kill people?
A. When they are annoyed by people.
B. When they have conflict with people.
C. When they are driven to act in the movie.
D. When they are hungry or attacked.
4.What contributes to the facts that livestock and human beings become easy target of tigers?
A. It is easier for tigers to hunt human beings than other animal for food.
B. Tigers are losing their habitat and forced to go out of the woods.
C. People hold a strong belief that tigers are a born threat to their lives.
D. Tigers can't be treated equally as other animal in the forest
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
完形填空
阅读下面短文,从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
New genetic analysis has revealed that many Amazon tree species are likely to survive human-made climate warming in the coming century, contrary to previous findings that temperature increases would cause them to die out. A study, ________ in the latest edition of Ecology and Evolution, reveals the ________ age of some Amazonian tree species — more than 8 million years — and ________ shows that they have survived previous periods as warm as many of the global warming imagined periods ________ for the year 2100.
The authors write that, having survived warm periods in the past, the trees will ________ survive future warming, provided there are no other major environmental changes. ________ extreme droughts and forest fires will impact Amazonia as temperatures ________, the trees will stand the direct impact of higher temperatures. The authors ________ that as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimize the risk of drought and fire, conservation policy should remain ________ on preventing deforestation(采伐森林)for agriculture and mining.
The study disagrees with other recent researches which predicted tree species’ extinctions ________ relatively small increases in global average air temperatures.
Study co-author Dr Simon Lewis (UCL Geography) said the ________ were good news for Amazon tree species, but warned that drought and over-exploitation of the forest remained major ________ to the Amazon’s future.
Dr Lewis said: “The past cannot be compared directly with the future. While tree species seem likely to ________ higher air temperatures than today, the Amazon forest is being transformed for agriculture and ________, and what remains is being degraded(使恶化)by logging(伐木), and increasingly split up by fields and roads.
“Species will not move as freely in today’s Amazon as they did in previous warm periods, when there was no human ________. Similarly, today’s climate change is extremely fast, making comparisons with slower changes in the past ________.”
“With a clearer ________ of the relative risks to the Amazon forest, we ________ that direct human impacts — such as forest clearances for agriculture or mining — should remain a key point of conservation policy. We also need more aggressive ________ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to make minimum the risk of drought and fire impacts and ________ the future of most Amazon tree species.”
1.A. advertised B. described C. published D. presented
2.A. frightening B. surprising C. exciting D. interesting
3.A. still B. nevertheless C. however D. therefore
4.A. assess B. confirm C. forecast D. promise
5.A. particularly B. probably C. merely D. possibly
6.A. Since B. Although C. When D. If
7.A. rise B. change C. drop D. end
8.A. consider B. decide C. guarantee D. recommend
9.A. based B. built C. focused D. made
10.A. in relation to B. in response to
C. in reply to D. in reference to
11.A. findings B. thoughts C. inventions D. writings
12.A. threats B. disadvantages
C. embarrassments D. instructions
13.A. accept B. tolerate C. permit D. require
14.A. farming B. planting C. catering D. mining
15.A. power B. influence C. desire D. violence
16.A. difficult B. clear C. easy D. important
17.A. belief B. direction
C. understanding D. suggestion
18.A. doubt B. conclude C. calculate D. prefer
19.A. thought B. guidance C. protection D. action
20.A. secure B. advance C. sacrifice D. evaluate
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A.Family members. B.Classmates. C.Colleagues.
高三英语短对话中等难度题查看答案及解析
What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Family members. B. Classmates. C. Co-workers.
高三英语短对话简单题查看答案及解析
What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Family members. B. Classmates. C. Co-workers.
高三英语短对话简单题查看答案及解析
Getting on with colleagues is more important to workers than a big salary, a new study has revealed.
A detailed study of work attitudes found that many factors outweigh the pay cheque, such as relationships with colleagues, self-worth, and the nature of the job itself. Eight in ten of the 2,000 people polled said they would turn down a big salary increase if it meant working with people or in an environment they didn’t like. The results showed people are the most important factor in work-related happiness, along with enjoying the role and getting on with the boss.
And a manageable commute was also considered more important than good pay, according to the study by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).
Chief Executive Mark Farrar said: “The results show that, when it comes to working happiness, money is far from the driving factor for most of us.” “Of course, life dictates that we earn as much as we can to maintain or improve our circumstances, but most regarded working with good people or in a role they feel valued in as more important than the salary.” “Most of us will spend the biggest portion of our lives working and it’s important that any job we have enhances us both professionally and personally.”
“Many respondents had turned down higher paid jobs because it would have meant less time with the family and a poor work-life balance.”
The study also found a third had left a job despite it being well paid – mainly because they didn’t think it was worth the added pressure.
While others felt they weren’t given the right appreciation from senior staff or the role stopped challenging them. Three quarters would struggle to accept a job that gave them more money if they knew it would be a lot more stressful.
In fact, pay was only the sixth biggest factor for people staying in their current job, with Britons prioritizing good relationships with those around them, enjoying the role and the commuting time over thinking about the money.
Only 15 percent of the 2000 workers polled actively disliked their current job.
When asked why they were unhappy, respondents were more likely to feel the nature of the work was dull and unfulfilling or that their boss didn’t appreciate them than they were to say their pay was too low.
1.The article is mainly about_____________________.
A. why money is important in a job
B. what is important in a job
C. why people dislike their jobs
D. how people get satisfying jobs
2.What matters most for work happiness according to the poll?
A. A nice boss.
B. A handsome salary.
C. Good balance of work and life.
D. Good relationships with colleagues.
3.The underlined word “prioritizing” is closest in meaning to _________.
A. considering something more important
B. putting something aside
C. doubting
D. Weighing
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The relationship between exercise and cancer has long both intrigued and puzzled oncologists and exercise physiologists.
Exercise is strongly associated with lowered risks for many types of cancer. At the same time, exercise involves biological stress, which typically leads to a short-term increase in inflammation(发炎) which can contribute to higher risks for many cancers.
Now, a new study in mice may offer some clues into the exercise-cancer paradox. It suggests that exercise may change how the immune system deals with cancer by boosting adrenaline(肾上腺素), certain immune cells and other chemicals that, together, can reduce the severity of cancer or fight it off altogether.
To try to better understand how exercise can both elevate inflammation and simultaneously protect the body against cancer, scientists at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and other institutions decided to closely examine what happens inside mice at high risk for the disease.
So, for the new study, they began by gathering a group of adult lab mice. These animals generally like to run.
The scientists then implanted melanoma (黑素瘤) skin cancer cells into the mice before providing half of them with running wheels in their cages while the other animals remained sedentary. After four weeks, far fewer of the runners had developed full-blown melanoma than the sedentary mice and those that had been diagnosed with the disease showed fewer and smaller lesions.
They drew blood from both the exercising and sedentary animals and cells from any tumors in both groups. As expected, they found much higher levels of the hormone adrenaline in the blood of the exercising animals, especially right after they had been working out on the wheels but also at other times of the day. The body releases adrenaline in response to almost any type of stressful experience, including exercise.
They also found higher levels of interleukin-6 in the blood of the runners. This is a substance that is released by working muscles and is believed to both increase and decrease inflammation in the body, depending on where and how it goes to work.
Perhaps most important, they found much higher numbers in the bloodstreams of runners than in the sedentary mice of a type of immune cell named natural killer cells that are known to be strong cancer fighters.
So the scientists repeated their original experiment multiple times, inducing cancer while allowing some mice to run and others to sit. In some of these follow-up experiments, the scientists injected the runners with a substance that blocked the production of adrenaline and gave sedentary animals large doses of added adrenaline.
What they now found was that when running mice could not produce adrenaline, they developed cancer at the same rate as the sedentary animals, while the sedentary animals that had been injected with extra adrenaline fought off their tumors better than other sitting mice.
More remarkably, the scientists determined that adrenaline seemed to be sending biochemical signals to some of the animals’ IL-6 cells, making them physiologically more alert, so that when a tumor began to develop in the affected animal, those IL-6 cells in turn activated the natural killer cells in the bloodstream and actually directed them to the tumors, like minute guide fish.
With these results, “we show that voluntary wheel running in mice can reduce the growth of tumors, and we have identified an exercise-dependent mobilization of natural killer cells as the underlying cause of this protection,” said Pernille Hojman, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen who oversaw the new study. It perhaps provides one more incentive for us to get up and move.
1.In the first experiment, which one is the most important result the scientists found?
A. Natural killer cells are much more in the bloodstreams of runners than in the sedentary mice.
B. Levels of interleukin-6 are higher in the blood of the runners than in the sedentary mice.
C. Exercise such as running seemed to help the mice fight against the cancer.
D. Adrenaline can reduce the severity of cancer or fight it off.
2.In the follow-up experiments, the scientists found ________.
A. the hormone adrenaline has much higher levels in the blood of the exercising animals
B. how these elements in the runners — their increased adrenaline, IL-6, and natural killer immune cells fight against tumor
C. interleukin-6 can both increase and decrease inflammation in the body, depending on where and how it goes to work
D. what happens inside mice at high risk for the disease
3.According to the study, we can infer the fundamental substance to fight the cancer off is ________.
A. adrenaline B. interleukin-6
C. natural killer cells D. genes
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The close relationship between speakers and their speech has led some scholars to suggest that language determines the view we have of the world around us. Different languages segment natural phenomena differently. We name seven colors in the rainbow: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. Speakers of other languages may see only four, as did Turkish before our system was introduced, or even as few as two, roughly the lighter shades versus the darker. There is nothing in nature to demonstrate how we should chop up the spectrum of the rainbow, but when we have learned a given language, we distinguish the shades it designates, both in the rainbow and elsewhere students of language assume from such a situation that language determines much of the and patterns we see in the world around us, and that it directs our concepts and actions
Changes in the choice of language, then, might modify behavior. Today gasoline trucks are generally labeled" flammable(易燃的)". The in-prefix was taken as equivalent to that of words like "inactive", where in- means not". It is actually the in- of words like "intense", where it strengthens the meaning. The word "inflammable", then, means "highly flammable" The faulty interpretation of language, however, determined the attitudes of many speakers, who then adjusted their behavior in relation to the language. Prudent truck owners have taken notice and changed the warning to“ flammable"
Such observations led Whorf to a concept with deeper patterns of language, such as the use of tenses in the language of Europe. Tense is the linguistic expression or time. English and other European languages generally require their speakers to identify the time of an event, whether present: It is raining; past: It rained; or future: It will rain. By contrast, many languages, such as the Hopi language of New Mexico, lack expression for tense. Nor do such languages objectify time. In Hopi one cannot count days, minutes, years as though they were objects like stones. Everyday expressions like "Three years went by" are impossible in Hopi.
Comparing such languages, Whorf proposed that "our use of tense or our objectified view of time is favorable to historicity se t)and to everything connected with the keeping of records." That is to say, because of the patterns for referring to time in English and other languages, their speakers maintain records and emphasize bookkeeping, accounting, and the like. In accordance with it, ones conception of the world is relative to the language one learns
While the relativity hypothesis(假设) has attracted considerable attention, it has never been experimentally demonstrated to the valid. a large scale attempt to test the outlook of Hopi-speaking children versus English speaking children turned out to be inconclusive. It remains a task of future scholars to determine whether the hypothesis is valid and also whether one should assume a weak or strong position with regard to it. Clearly we are deeply tied to our native language. But whether it regulates our perceptions or our view of the world Is still an open question
1.The case of the label "flammable" is mentioned to prove that_________.
A.languages can affect our choices of action
B.prefixes can lead to disasters if used improperly
C.some truck drivers can adjust their behavior
D.misunderstanding can happen among speakers
2.It can be inferred from the passage that the use of tense________.
A.reflects deeper patterns of European languages
B.transforms abstract ideas into objects
C.helps avoid certain ambiguity in concepts or ideas
D.makes it possible to modern e the Hopi language
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Different languages often have different methods of keeping historical records
B.We need more studies to find out if we are closely related to our native tongues
C.Our mother tongues have a great influence on our world views and behavior
D.It's no easy task to confirm the link between mother tongues and our concepts
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析