Unbelievable Stories of Animals Acting Just L...

Unbelievable Stories of Animals Acting Just Like Humans

◆Horses are picky eaters

Horses have an even better sense of smell than humans do. When horses raise their noses and open their nostrils (鼻孔) , their nervous system allows them to sense smells we can’t sense. This might explain why they refuse dirty water and carefully move around meadows, eating only the tastiest grasses, experts say.

◆Whale says thanks

In 2011, a whale expert spotted a humpback whale trapped in a fishing net and spent an hour freeing it. Afterward, in an hour-long display of thanks, the whale swam near their boat and leaped into the air about 40 times.

◆Pandas like to be naughty

Is there anything more lovely than a baby panda, except maybe a human baby? In fact, baby pandas sometimes behave like human babies. They sleep in the same positions and value their thumbs. Pandas are shy by nature for its shy behaviors such as covering its face with a paw of ducking its head when confronted by a stranger.

◆A cat honors its owner

Paper towels, and a plastic cup are just a few of the gifts that Toldo, a devoted three-year-old gray-and-white cat, has placed on his former owner Iozzelli Renzo’s grave every day since the man died in September 2011. Renzo adopted Toldo from a shelter when the cat was three months old, and the two formed an inseparable bond. After Renzo passed away, Toldo followed the coffin to the cemetery, and now "stands guard" at the grave for hours at a time.

1.What can horses do to pick delicious grasses?

A.Feel them. B.Taste them.

C.Smell them. D.Observe them.

2.What do the whale and the cat have in common according to the passage?

A.They are clever.

B.They have a grateful heart.

C.They are active and lovely.

D.They have a good sense of smell.

3.Which of the following acts like a human baby according to the passage?

A.The whale. B.The cat.

C.The horse. D.The panda.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Unbelievable Stories of Animals Acting Just Like Humans

◆Horses are picky eaters

Horses have an even better sense of smell than humans do. When horses raise their noses and open their nostrils (鼻孔) , their nervous system allows them to sense smells we can’t sense. This might explain why they refuse dirty water and carefully move around meadows, eating only the tastiest grasses, experts say.

◆Whale says thanks

In 2011, a whale expert spotted a humpback whale trapped in a fishing net and spent an hour freeing it. Afterward, in an hour-long display of thanks, the whale swam near their boat and leaped into the air about 40 times.

◆Pandas like to be naughty

Is there anything more lovely than a baby panda, except maybe a human baby? In fact, baby pandas sometimes behave like human babies. They sleep in the same positions and value their thumbs. Pandas are shy by nature for its shy behaviors such as covering its face with a paw of ducking its head when confronted by a stranger.

◆A cat honors its owner

Paper towels, and a plastic cup are just a few of the gifts that Toldo, a devoted three-year-old gray-and-white cat, has placed on his former owner Iozzelli Renzo’s grave every day since the man died in September 2011. Renzo adopted Toldo from a shelter when the cat was three months old, and the two formed an inseparable bond. After Renzo passed away, Toldo followed the coffin to the cemetery, and now "stands guard" at the grave for hours at a time.

1.What can horses do to pick delicious grasses?

A. Feel them. B. Taste them.

C. Smell them. D. Observe them.

2.What do the whale and the cat have in common according to the passage?

A. They are clever.

B. They have a grateful heart.

C. They are active and lovely.

D. They have a good sense of smell.

3.Which of the following acts like a human baby according to the passage?

A. The whale. B. The cat.

C. The horse. D. The panda.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Stories of Animals Acting Just Like Humans

◆Monkeys do math

If monkeys manage the world, we might have stayed away from the recent banking hardship. In an experiment led by Keith Chen at Yale, monkeys showed an understanding of pricing and planning the money, as well as a wish to stay away from losses when required to buy food with money. Makes sense this one looks like it’s checking its stocks (股票) on a smart phone. Think that’s impressive?

◆Camel eats breakfast with people

The first time Joe ate with British farmers, he was uninvited. The four-year-old Bactrian camel stuck his head through their open kitchen window, and emptied a fruit bowl. Now the couple, who rent out reindeer, camels, goats, and other creatures for television shows, movies, and photo shoots, set a place at their table for the confident double-humped creature, where Joe eats grain food and his favorite: bananas on toast.

◆Marmots (土拨鼠) befriend a boy

A group of marmots in the Austrian Alps has made friends with eight-year-old Matteo Walch by chance, whose family vacations there in summer. Typically, they beat their tails, chatter, and whistle to warn other marmots of danger, but with Matteo, they behave much differently, allowing the boy to feed, pet, and even touch noses with them. “Watching them makes me feel a connection with nature,” says Matteo. How sweet!

1.In what way do monkeys behave like humans according to the text?

A.In character. B.In intelligence.

C.In communication. D.In the way of lifestyle.

2.Why do the British couple raise the animals?

A.To make money.

B.To have dinners with them.

C.To protect endangered animals.

D.To train them to act as humans.

3.Why did Matteo Walch go to the Austrian Alps?

A.To warn marmots of danger.

B.To develop interest in nature.

C.To make friends with marmots.

D.To go on a holiday with his family.

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There are an unbelievable number of reasons to go to Greece;just like there are an unbelievable number of things to do once a traveler arrives there.Here is a look at just some of the great historical things to see when vacationing in Athens,Greece.

Agora

Agora lies in ruins now,but during its glory days it was a lively and active open marketplace where Greeks came to buy,sell,and exchange their goods and services.Agora has ties to common people of ancient Greece.Guided tours are available and there is also a small museum with many artifacts from this area on display.

Parthenon

One of the most famous landmarks in Athens is the legendary Parthenon.This building is still today admired by architects who are appreciative of the decorative design,as well as the engineering involved in its construction.Those interested in history will be impressed beyond belief with the opportunity to see this historic structure up close and personal.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

One of the most impressive monuments to see up close is the Temple of Olympian Zeus.Many people see this monument from far away,or even from the window of a taxi,and never stop for a firsthand look themselves.This is a huge mistake as the size of it cannot truly be appreciated without visiting it up close.

Odeum of Herodes Atticus

Built into the hillside and providing a nice view of Athens is the Odeum of Herodes Atticus.This theater was constructed in the second century and was an important gathering place for both the upper and lower classes.It holds a little over 5,000 people,is located just below the Acropolis,and is still used for performances to this day.

1.What did the ancient Greeks do in Agora?

A. They did business.　　 B. They toured around.

C. They visited museums.　　 D. They prayed for blessings.

2.Who will show the most interest in Parthenon?

A. Electrical engineers.　　 B. Building designers.

C. Ordinary visitors.　　 D. Religious people.

3.How can visitors fully appreciate the Temple of Olympian Zeus?

A. By approaching it.　　 B. By looking in the distance.

C. By taking a bird’s-eye view.　　 D. By seeing through a taxi window.

4.In what way is Odeum of Herodes Atticus different from the others?

A. It has great historical value.　　 B. It has ties to common people.

C. It is famous for its architecture.　　 D. It still serves its original purpose.

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Screaming is one of the responses humans share with other animals. Conventional thinking suggests that what sets a scream apart from other sounds is its loudness. However, many sounds that are loud do not raise goose bumps like screams can. To find out what makes human screams unique, neuroscientist Luc Arnal and his team examined a bank of sounds containing sentences spoken or screamed by 19 adults. The result shows screams and screamed sentences had a quality called “roughness,” which refers to how fast a sound changes in loudness. While normal speech sounds only have slight differences in loudness—between 4 and 5 Hz, screams can switch very fast, varying between 30 and 150 Hz, thus considered to be rough and unpleasant.

Arnal’s team asked 20 subjects to judge screams as fearful or not, and found that the scariest are almost always connected with roughness. The team then studied how the human brain responds to roughness using fMRI brain scanners (磁共振颅脑扫描仪). As expected, after hearing a scream, activity increased in the brain’s hearing centers where sound coming into the ears is processed. But the scans also lit up in the amygdale (脑扁桃体), the brain’s fear center.

The amygdala is the area that responds to danger. When a threat is detected, our adrenaline (肾上腺素) rises, and our body prepares to react to danger. The study found that roughness isn’t heard when we speak naturally, but the most annoying alarm clocks, car horns, and fire alarms possess high degrees of roughness.

One potential application for this research might be to add roughness to alarm sounds to make them more effective, the same way a bad smell is added to natural gas to make it the easily to be detected. Warning sounds could also be added to electric cars, which are particularly silent, so they can be efficiently detected by pedestrians.

1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A. Different types of screams.

B. Specific features of screams.

C. Human sounds and animal cries.

D. Sound changes and screamed sentences.

2.What does the underlined phrase “raise goose bumps” probably mean?

A. Make people feel unpleasant.　　 B. Make people feel cold.

C. Make people rude and rough.　　 D. Make people unique.

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A. Roughness is commonly heard in many artificial sounds.

B. The traveling speed makes screams different from other sounds.

C. Very little scientific research has been done on human screams.

D. Normal human speech sounds vary between 30 to 150 Hz in loudness.

4.What device may be improved with the researchers’ findings?

A. Traffic lights.　　 B. Security cameras.

C. Smart phones.　　 D. Smoke detectors.

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Humans kill large carnivores---a category of animals that includes wolves, bears, lions, tigers and pumas---at more than nine times their death rate in the wild. Although they may not be our prey (猎物) in the traditional sense, new research shows that some of the world’s biggest carnivores are responding to humans in a way that resembles how prey animals react to predators (捕食者). Biologists at the Santa Cruz Puma Project, an ongoing research effort in the mountains of California’s central coast, report that even the scary puma, or mountain lion, shows its fearful side when people are around.

In a recent study, the researchers followed 17 mountain lions outfitted with GPS collars (项圈) to the animals’ deer kill sites. Once the cats naturally left the scene between feedings, ecologist Justin A. Smith, now at the University of California Berkeley, and her team trained motion-activated cameras on the prey bodies. On the animals’ return, the cameras triggered nearby speakers, which broadcast recordings of either frogs croaking (呱呱叫) or humans conversing.

The pumas almost always fled immediately on hearing the human voices, and many never returned to resume feeding or took a long time to do so. But they only rarely stopped eating or fled when they heard the frogs. They also spent less than half as much time feeding during the 24 hours after first hearing human chatter, compared with hearing the frogs, the team reported.

The human presence in such a situation has far-reaching consequences. A previous study found that Santa Cruz pumas living near residential areas killed 36 percent more deer than those in less populated places. The new finding could explain why: if the cats are scared away from their kills before they finish feeding, they may be taking more prey to compensate. And fewer deer could mean more plants go uneaten, according to Chris Darimont, a professor of conservation science at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, who was not involved in the study. Thus, fear of humans may alter the entire food chain.

“Humans are the most significant source of death for pumas in this population even though the cats are not legally hunted for food or sport,” Smith says. “Many are hunted illegally, struck by vehicles or legally killed by governmental agencies as a means of protecting livestock. So they have good reason to be fearful of us,” she adds. Darimont predicts other large carnivores would show similar responses because humans have effectively become the planet’s top predator---even if we often do not eat what we kill.

1.How did researchers make the discovery?

A. By fitting GPS collars to the animals’ prey and following them.

B. By getting to the kill sties and broadcasting all types of sounds.

C. By observing pumas’ reaction to frogs’ croaking or humans’ voices.

D. By counting how long pumas spent eating in different backgrounds.

2.According to the passage, humans’ presence will lead to ______.

A. less deer being eaten　　 B. more plants left uneaten

C. pumas occupying less populated areas　　 D. more puma feeding times within a day

3.Smith’s attitude towards the government hunting pumas is ______.

A. doubtful　　 B. disapproving　　 C. disappointing　　 D. objective

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Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr. Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.

“Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.”

This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don’t have to feed it, you don’t have to walk it, it won’t make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.

It’s not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It’s the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.

As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn’t need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said.

So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn’t have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream.

1.What does the underlined phrase “sit well with” means?

A. be refused by　　 B. be beneficial to

C. make a difference to　　 D. receive support from

2.What are the advantages of robot pets?

a. They are plastic and feel smooth.

b. Owners needn’t worry about them when going out.

c. They can help cure allergies.

d. They save space and costs.

A. ab.　　 B. bc.　　 C. bd.　　 D. cd.

3.The passage mainly tells us ______.

A. the advantages of robot toys　　 B. the popularity of robot pets

C. living pets are dying out　　 D. robot pets are coming

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.

“Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.”

This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don’t have to feed it, you don’t have to walk it, it won’t make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.

It’s not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It’s the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.

As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn’t need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said.

So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn’t have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream.

1.What does the underlined phrase “sit well with” means?

A. be refused by　　 B. be beneficial to

C. make a difference to　　 D. receive support from

2.What are the advantages of robot pets?

a. They are plastic and feel smooth.

b. Owners needn’t worry about them when going out.

c. They can help cure allergies(过敏).

d. They save space and costs.

A. ab　　 B. bc

C. bd　　 D. cd

3.We can learn from the passage that___________.

A. Sony is the first company to produce robot pets Aibo.

B. People can develop strong bond(联系、关系) with their robot pets.

C. Rault thinks robot pets still have a long way to go.

D. Robot toys may help people care more about living beings.

4.The passage mainly tells us___________.

A. the advantages of robot toys　　 B. the popularity of robot pets

C. living pets are dying out.　　 D. robot pets are coming.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.

“Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.”

This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don’t have to feed it, you don’t have to walk it, it won’t make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.

It’s not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It’s the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.

As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn’t need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said.

So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn’t have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream.

1.What does the underlined phrase “sit well with” means?

A. be refused by　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. be beneficial to

C. make a difference to　　　　　　　 D. receive support from

2.What are the advantages of robot pets?

a. They are plastic and feel smooth.

b. Owners needn’t worry about them when going out.

c. They can help cure allergies（过敏）.

d. They save space and costs.

A. ab　　　　　　　　　　 B. bc　　　　　　　　 C. bd　　　　　　　　 D.cd

3.We can learn from the passage that___________.

A. Sony is the first company to produce robot pets Aibo.

B. People can develop strong bond（联系、关系） with their robot pets.

C. Rault thinks robot pets still have a long way to go.

D. Robot toys may help people care more about living beings.

4.The passage mainly tells us___________.

A. the advantages of robot toys

B. the popularity of robot pets

C. living pets are dying out

D. robot pets are coming

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr. Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.

“Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.”

This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don’t have to feed it, you don’t have to walk it, it won’t make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.

It’s not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It’s the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.

As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn’t need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said.

So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn’t have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream.

1.What does the underlined phrase “sit well with” means?

A. be refused by　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　 B. be beneficial to

C. make a difference to　　　　　　　 　　　　 D. receive support from

2.What are the advantages of robot pets?

a. They are plastic and feel smooth.

b. Owners needn’t worry about them when going out.

c. They can help cure allergies.

d. They save space and costs.

A. ab　　　　　　　　 　　 B. bc　　　　　 　　 C. bd　　　　　　 　 D.cd

3.We can learn from the passage that___________.

A. Sony is the first company to produce robot pets Aibo.

B. People can develop strong bond with their robot pets.

C. Rault thinks robot pets still have a long way to go.

D. Robot toys may help people care more about living beings.

4.The passage mainly tells us___________.

A. the advantages of robot toys

B. the popularity of robot pets

C. living pets are dying out.

D. robot pets are coming.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析