It is like a scene from a horror film:a spider web is several meters wide,which is home to thousands of spiders.And that was what Jason G.Goldman,an animal behavior researcher,found along a muddy path in the Peruvian Amazon jungle—the web arched from tree to tree,a structure containing too many spiders to count.They appeared to function as a society,just like ants or bees.

Anelosimus eximius,the species Goldman met in the rainforest,is not the only kind of social spiders in the world,but it does construct the biggest webs.Some can reach more than 7.6m long and 1.5m wide.A web of that size could contain as many as 50,000 individual spiders.

Anelosimus eximius was first discovered more than a century ago by a French scientist named Eugene Simon.More social spiders have been discovered since.One was found as recently as 2006.

An Anelosimus eximius colony(群体) contains adult males and females as well as youngsters,but the majority of spiders on the web are females. Males account for only between 5% and 22% of any colony’s population.Social spiders work together to build,maintain and clean their webs.They work together to catch prey(猎物),and dine together when they trap a large feast.The females work together to care for the young in the colony.They feed their youngsters by vomiting(吐出) up food for them,just like mother birds.

Why did these spiders become social?Researchers have discovered three ecological(生态的) elements that often lead to cooperative(合作的) living among spiders.

Social spiders tend to feed on bigger prey,for one thing.Spiders living in places where it is difficult to hunt large or more profitable prey alone may eventually figure out that it is in their interest to work together.

1.What can we know about Anelosimus eximius from the text?

A. Its latest branch was found in 2006.

B. It was discovered by Jason G.Goldman.

C. It has been in existence for less than a century.

D. It builds bigger webs than other kinds of spiders.

2.Which of the following correctly shows the parts of an Anelosimus eximius colony?

A. B.

C. D.

3.What’s the main feature of social spiders?

A. They live on big prey.

B. They care for the young.

C. They live and work together.

D. They mainly exist in the rainforest.

4.The following paragraph would discuss .

A. new threats to spiders’ colonies

B. new research on spiders’ colonies

C. more reasons for spiders’ cooperative living

D. more species of social spiders in the world

An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old highly educated son.

Suddenly a crow(乌鸦)perched on the tree near their window.

The father asked his son, ''What is this? ''

The son replied, ''It is a crow. ''

After a few minutes, the father asked his son the 2nd time, ''What is this? ''

The son said, ''Father, I have just now told you 'It's a crow'. ''

After a little while, the old father again asked his son the 3rd time, ''What is this? ''

''It's a crow, a crow, a crow.'' said the son loudly.

A little after, the father again asked his son the 4th time, ''What is this? ''

This time the son shouted at his father, ''Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? 'IT IS A CROW'. Are you not able to understand this? ''

A little later the father went to his room and came back with an old diary, which he had kept since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page. When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary:

''Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa, when a crow was sitting on the window. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel annoyed; I rather felt affection for my innocent child. ''

1.In what tone did the son say to his Father ''It's a crow, a crow, a crow. ''?

A. concerned B. anxious

C. impatient D. astonished

2.Why did the Father ask his son the same question again and again?

A. Because he couldn't understand what his son said.

B. Because he wanted to see how patient his son would be.

C. Because he wanted to make his son angry.

D. Because he was too old to remember anything.

3.How old was the old man when his son asked him 23 times ''What is this''?

A. 80 years old. B. 45 years old .

C. 38years old. D. 35 years old.

4.Where is the article most probably taken from?

A. Travel journal B. a collection of poetry

C. Newspaper D. a short story collection

I began training to swim the English Channel at 58 years old.The ______ I was asked over and over again was this: “Why?”

When a student reporter of Indiana University recently asked me this question, I said, “First let me ______ you a question.What are your ______ for this summer?” He ______ that he was going to bag groceries (食品杂货)in the supermarket.I didn't have to say more; he understood my ______.

A ______ and an element of adventure are welcome whether you are 20 or 58 ______ when you have a choice.But why did I ______ to swim the Channel at 58? It is the challenge that ______ about 100 swimmers every year who are willing to spend time, effort and money ______ it.

I don't think that I am a superman.I do think I have three things going for me:

First, I am training hard-presently ______ 7.5 miles a day.Before that time I also kept physically ______ by training moderately (适度地)hard.

Second, I am a very goal?oriented (目标导向的)person for whom this swim has long been a ______.I have a feeling I will be ______ ready and won't do as a Channel swimmer did a few years ago.

______, a young girl touched me, who was attempting to finish her swim when the ocean got ______ .She was having a ______ time with the turbulent (汹涌的)and cold water, when her trainer shouted to her from the boat that he thought she should ______ and get out of the water.She ______, “I'm doing the swimming and I will decide when to get out.” She ______ it.

1.A. opinion B. advice C. question D. reason

2.A. ask B. give C. tell D. bring

3.A. experiences B. courses C. plans D. suggestions

4.A. realized B. hoped C. agreed D. replied

5.A. situation B. poin C. problem D. success

6.A. challenge B. friend C. chance D. hobby

7.A. probably B. generally C. especially D. simply

8.A. fail B. hesitate C. stop D. decide

9.A. frightens B. attracts C. comforts D. puzzles

10.A. trying B. proving C. examining D. changing

11.A. hiking B. walking C. swimming D. running

12.A. attractive B. active C. desirable D. aggressive

13.A. target B. habit C. form D. practice

14.A. experimentally B. economically C. theoretically D. psychologically

15.A. For example B. Without doubt C. In addition D. As usual

16.A. rough B. calm C. beautiful D. vast

17.A. busy B. disappointing C. wonderful D. hard

18.A. go on B. look around C. call out D. give up

19.A. warned B. shouted C. begged D. repeated

20.A. took B. broke C. made D. caught

The New economy has brought great business opportunities besides great challenges. Not since the Industrial Revolution has managing with change been so urgent a matter. Indeed, the Information Age has accelerated the pace of market and business changes to the point where some firms have set up "change departments" whose job is to constantly look for opportunities to change the firm and make it more productive.

Most firms have accepted the fact that they must make major changes. To remain competitive, companies recognize that they need to be in a constant process of changing themselves. This change is accompanied by the need to be willing to take risks in management style. Managers with such spirit have called themselves "change agents".

Despite some remarkable successes, however, introducing managing change has not been a simple matter. Firms have tried to introduce change to achieve its attendant efficiencies (节省幵支)through new technologies, restructuring, or outsourcing. Yet, this has cost a great deal of time and money, but often led to at best mixed results: approximately 75% of all change activities failed. 、

The reason for most of these failures is that change often lacks a central focus. Managers become confused by all different and sometimes conflicting advice they receive about change management. The result is a loss of central focus and disorganized policies. To improve their chances of success, it is extremely important that managers should understand the nature and process of the whole company's change and its challenges much better.

1.What is the article mainly about?

A. Developing strong marketing plans.

B. Bringing in top technologies.

C. Ways for companies to hire better managers.

D. Changes of companies' operations.

2.The words "change agents" in Paragraph 2 are closest in meaning to “_____ ”.

A. instructors B. customers

C. reformers D. performers

3.According to the article, why do companies frequently fail to change?

A. Managers are conservative. B. Not enough attention is paid.

C. Employees generally fight change. D. Policies are not well directed.

4.What does the article suggest managers do?

A. Spend more time and money. B. Improve their knowledge.

C. Buy more advanced technologies. D. Face their challenge directly.

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