题目内容

    New research shows sheep are clever 
    People often make jokes about how dull sheep are, but new research shows they may be cleverer than we think. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that Welsh mountain sheep have brainpower that equals rodents (啮齿动物). Tests found that the sheep can map the area they live in, and some may even be able to plan ahead. 
    Young fish prefer noisy neighbors 
    A new study has shown that young fish like to live on reefs with noisy neighbors! Researchers from the universities of Auckland and Bristol found that young fish looking for a home choose areas where other noisy fish live. The scientists produced all kinds of sounds which had been recorded in different natural environments. The young fish seemed to prefer the sounds of natural reefs, complete with noisy animals! The scientists compared the choice to a music fan wandering around at a music festival, choosing to set up a tent closest to the music they like best!
    Butterflies are disappearing 
    A new study has shown that 17 species (物种) of butterfly found in Europe have dropped by 70% in the last 20 years. The information collected from 3,000 sites across 15 countries shows it may be caused by the loss (减少) of grasslands covered with flowers. You can encourage butterflies to come into your garden by planting flowers. 
56. What is the passage mainly about? 
  A. Some new studies about animals.            B. People’s wrong ideas about animals.
  C. Why the number of animals has dropped.  D. The importance of protecting animals. 
57. According to the first paragraph, we may infer that sheep _____.
  A. are less clever than rodents               B. can find their home
  C. can read maps                            D. are good planners
58. Which seems to have to do with the number of butterflies?
  A. The species of grass in grasslands.         B. The species of trees in grasslands.  
  C. The number of flowers in grasslands.       D. The number of animals in grasslands.   
59. In which part of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage? 
  A. Geography.        B. Culture.           C. Travel.         D. Nature.

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People who multitask all the time may be the worst at doing two things at once, a new research suggests. The findings, based on performances and self-evaluation by about 275 college students, indicate that many people multitask not out of a desire to increase productivity, but because they are easily distracted and can’t focus on one activity. And “those people turn out to be the worst at handling different things,” said David Sanbonmatsu, a psychologist at the University of Utah.

Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues gave the students a set of tests and asked them to report how often they multitasked, how good they thought they were at it, and how sensation-seeking (寻求刺激) or imperative (冲动) they were. They then evaluated the participants’ multitasking ability with a tricky mental task that required the students to do simple mathematical calculations while remembering a set of letters.

Not surprisingly, the scientists said, most people thought they were better than average at multitasking, and those who thought they were better at it were more likely to report using a cellphone while driving or viewing multiple kinds of media at once. But those who frequently deal with many things at the same time were found to perform the worst at the actual multitasking test. They also were more likely to admit to sensation-seeking and impulsive behavior, which connects with how easily people get bored and distracted.

“People multitask not because it’s going to lead to greater productivity, but because they’re distractible, and they get sucked into things that are not as important.” Sanbonmatsu said.

Adam Gazzaley, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not a member of the research group, said one limitation of the study was that it couldn’t find out whether people who start out less focused tend toward multitasking or whether people’s recognizing and understanding abilities change as a result of multitasking.

The findings do suggest, however, why the sensation-seeker who multitask the most may enjoy risky distracted driving. “People who are multitasking are generally less sensitive to risky situations.” said Paul Atchley, another researcher not in the group. “This may partly explain why people go in for these situations even though they’re dangerous.”

1.The research led by Sanbonmatsu indicates that people who multitask __________.

A. seek high productivity constantly

B. prefer handling different things when getting bored

C. are more focused when doing many things at a time

D. have the poorest results in doing various things at the same time

2.When Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues conducted their research, they __________.

A. assessed the multitasking ability of the students

B. evaluated the academic achievements of the students

C. analyzed the effects of the participants’ tricky mental tasks

D. measured the changes of the students’ understanding ability

3.According to Sanbonmatsu, people multitask because of their __________.

A. limited power in calculation

B. interests in doing things differently

C. inability to concentrate on one task

D. impulsive desire to try new things

4.From the last paragraph, we can learn that multitaskers usually __________.

A. drive very skillfully

B. go in for different tasks

C. fail to react quickly to potential dangers

D. refuse to explain the reasons for their behavior

 

Children brought up on healthy diets are more intelligent compared with their junk food eating partners, a new research suggests.  

Kids fed a diet packed high in fats, sugars, and processed(加工)  foods had lower IQs than those fed pasta(意大利面食), salads and fruit,  it was found.

The effect is so great that researchers from the University of Bristol said those children with a "healthier" diet may get an IQ improvement.

Scientists stressed good diet was essential in a child's early life as the brain grows at its fastest rate during the first three years of life.

This indicated head growth at this time is linked to intellectual ability and “it is possible that good nutrition(营养) during this period may encourage excellent brain growth” .

Scientists tracked the long term health and happiness of around 14,000 children born in 1991 and 1992 as part of the West Country's Avon Longitudinal(纵向的)Study of Parents and Children ( ALSPAC) .

Parents were questioned about the types and frequency of the food and drink their children consumed when they were three, four, seven and eight and a half years old. According to their different changing form, these children were marked and given grades which ranged from minus two for the most healthy to10 for the most unhealthy.

In the research, IQ was measured of 4,000 children when they were eight and half years old,  using a validated(经过认证的)test-the Wechsler Intelligence Scale(韦氏儿童智力量表) for Children.

The results found after taking account of some influential factors, a leading processed food diet at the age of three was associated with a lower IQ at the age of eight and a half , whether the diet was improved after that age.

Every l point increase in dietary pattern score was associated with a l.67 fall in IQ.

1.Scientists stressed good diet was essential in a child’s early life because        .

A.the brain grows at its fastest rate during the first three years of life.

B.those children with a "healthier" diet must get an IQ improvement.

C.children brought up on healthy diets are less intelligent.

D.these children were given good grades.

2.Which of the following is NOT true?

A.Those children with a "healthier" diet may get an IQ improvement.

B.Good nutrition at any stage may encourage excellent brain growth.

C.Scientists tracked the long term health and happiness of about 14,000 children.

D.Every l point increase in dietary pattern score was associated with a l.67 fall in IQ.

3.The results found if a child ate a leading processed food diet when he was 3, he would          

A.have a higher IQ

B.have a higher IQ as long as he improved his diet

C.have one IQ when he was 8

D.have a lower IQ whether he improved his diet

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A.Food for thought

B.What is healthy food?

C.Healthy diet improves children's intelligence

D.How to become clever?

 

Parents who feel disappointed at their teenagers’ failure to pay attention in class, and inability to sit quietly long enough to finish homework or plan ahead, should take solace. Their children are not being lazy or careless, according to new research.

The research has found that teenagers’ brains continue developing far longer into adulthood than we used to think. Teens may look like young adults but their brain structure is similar to that of much younger children.

“It is not always easy for teens to pay attention in class without letting their minds wander, or to ignore distractions from their younger brothers or sisters when trying to solve a maths   problem,” said Dr Iroise Dumon-theil. “But it’s not the fault of teenagers that they can’t pay attention and are easily distracted. It’s to do with the structure of their brains. Teens simply can’t think as well as an adult.”

The research showed that the brain of a teenager works less effectively than that of an adult. “We knew that the front of the brain of teens functioned in a chaotic  (混乱的) way but we  didn’ t realize it continued until the late 20s or early 30s,” said Dr Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who led the research.

Chaotic thought patterns are a result of teenagers’ brains containing too much grey matter — the cell bodies and connections which carry messages within the brain. As we age, the amount of grey matter in our brain reduces.

“What our research has shown is that there is simply too much going on in the brains of teens,” said Blakemore. “The result is that their brain energy and resources are wasted and their decision-making process is badly influenced. Adults, on the other hand, have less grey matter. This means that the brain works far more effectively.”

1.The underlined word “solace” in Paragraph 1 may mean _____.

A. notice           B.medicine          C. comfort          D.action

2.When making decisions, _____.

A. teens’ brains continue to do much needless work

B. the grey matter in young children’s front brain becomes active

C. people are not likely to be distracted until their late 30s

D. adults are more independent than teens

3.What is the effect of having too much grey matter?

A. It makes us always feel disappointed.

B. It makes us more intelligent.

C. It had a bad effect on the growth of teens.

D. It had a bad effect on decision-making.

4.What’s the text mainly about?

A. Teens have different brains from those of children.

B. Adults work more effectively than teens.

C. Grey matter makes teens unable to pay attention.

D. Brain energy is wasted in the brain’s activity.

 

 

British researchers are looking for volunteers willing to eat a piece of chocolate daily for a year in the name of science. The trial(实验) will explore whether flavonoids (类黄酮) found in chocolate and other foods can reduce the risk of heart disease.

“We are looking at a high risk group first,” said Aedin Cassidy, a biochemist who will lead the study.

Previous studies have suggested dark chocolate is rich in the beneficial flavonoids linked with heart health, but experts note the high sugar and fat content of most commercially available chocolate might cancel out some of the advantages. Other research has also shown dark chocolate appears to lower blood pressure, improve the function of blood vessels (血管)and reduce the risk of heart attack.

This has encouraged companies to market specific products containing dark chocolate. Mars Inc has introduced Cocoa Via, a line of dark and premium chocolates that plays up such health advantages.

Cassidy said her team will also publish findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showing that flavonoids found in soy and cocoa appear to have the strongest effects of reducing risk of heart disease.

The next step will organize 150 women volunteers with a specific illness. The researchers will look at whether flavonoids help reduce blood pressure, cut cholesterol levels and improve the condition of blood vessels.

Half the women in the year-long study will eat chocolate containing 30 grams of flavonoids found in soy, cocoa and other fruits and vegetables. The others will get chocolate without the active flavonoids.

“This could help doctors give advice to patients on the type and amount of foods to eat to reduce heart disease risk—and it does not necessarily need to be chocolate,” Cassidy said. “If this trial works we will be able to advise on a whole range of foods. People won't have to go around eating specially designed chocolate.”

1. What is the best title for the passage?

A. Volunteers wanted for chocolate study.               B. Chocolate is good for health.

C. A new research on heart attacks.                    D. Flavonoids found in chocolate.

2. What’s the purpose of the trial?

A. To test the advantages of a new kind of chocolate.

B. To find cures for heart disease.

C. To discover how to control blood pressure.

D. To explore the advantages of flavonoids.

3. From Paragraph 3 we can infer that __________.

A. Cassidy’s team has done several studies on chocolate

B. dark chocolate has proved beneficial to health

C. people should eat much chocolate with high sugar and fat

D. most commercially available chocolate doesn’t contain flavonoids

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. All the volunteers will eat the same chocolate.

B. CocoaVia is a company that produces dark chocolate.

C. People who want to take part in the trial should be healthy.

D. Soy, cocoa, some fruit and vegetables contain flavonoids.

 

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