B

Humans aren't the only ones getting a buzz from coffee. Caffeine can improve memory among honeybees and lead to better pollination(授粉),according to a re?cent study published in the journal Science.

The study was conducted by a team of researchers at Newcastle University in theUnited Kingdom. They found that the nectar(花蜜)of some flowers, such as those from grapefruit and lemon plants, as well as cer?tain coffee flowers, contains low closes of caffeine. To get bees to feed on these flowers, the team trained the insects to associate food with the smell of the flowers. They also trained another group of bees to feed on nec?tar from flowers that were sweetened with a sugar, but did not contain caffeine. After 24 hours, the bees trained on caffeinated flowers returned to these plants three times as often as those trained on the sweetened flowers returned to the uncaffeinated plants.

Professor Geraldine Wright led the researchers. "Remembering floral traits (花部特征)is difficult for bees to perform at a fast pace as they fly from flower to flower and we found that caffeine helps the bee remem?ber where the flowers are?" Wright said in a statement.

Improved memory led to the better pollination. That's because once bees sip the caffeine nectar, they continue to look for more coffee plants to pollinate. This also suggests that caffeine plays a role in improving the bees' ability to search for food.

Researchers found that caffeine's effect on the bee brain is similar to its effect on mammals. "The change is similar to that produced by caffeine in neurons(神经兀) associated with learning and memory in the rat brain," Wright said.

Bee populations have declining since 2007. The dra?matic drop in the insects' numbers has serious effects on ecosystem and the farming industry. Bees are needed in the reproduction of crops and spreading wild flower spe?cies. Understanding what keeps bees buzzing could help to make sure that the insects are able to remember and pollinate their favourite flowers.

5.    Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?

A.    Caffeine has no effect on the rat brain.

B.    Bee population has been increasing.

C.    The nectar of lemon plants contains caffeine.

D.    Bees dislike nectar from sweetened flowers.


6.    After reading the passage, John, who works in the farming industry, will probably feel .

A.   annoyed B. angry

C.  nervous   D. excited


7.    We can know from the passage that .

A.    the rat is a mammal

B.    caffeine has nothing to do with memory

C.    bees are good at remembering floral traits

D.    Geraldine Wright did the research on his own


8.    What section of a newspaper may this passage be taken from?

A.  Science.  B. Education.

C.  Culture.   D. Sports.

Despite the high technology and investment in flood defences by the Environment Agency, there is no way to stop all flooding—sooner or later nature will produce something that will beat even the strongest defences.

Warning people of this clanger is very important if we are to prevent the great loss of life seen sixty-three years ago. Indeed if the Flood Warning system that currently exists had been around on that cold, stormy night in January 1953, many lives would have been spared.

The Environment Agency took over the role of flood warning in 1995 from the police who had to go door to door or sound alarms to get the news out. The service is being constantly improved and a combination of better technology and increased investment following the Easter Floods of 1998 has led to the creation of Floodline and an automatic messaging system that can warn thousands of people in very little time.

Floodline 0845 988 1188 offers information and advice 24 hours a day and if warnings are in place, callers can get information either from local updates or by using a quick dialling code for their area.

The Flood Warning team inKenthas also sent letters to the people living close to the rivers or the sea and invited them to join the AVM (automated voice messa?ging) system. Anyone choosing to take up this free service will receive a recorded message directly to their home, business or pager telling them of the level of warning, giving them as much time as possible to carry out their flood plan and save items that cannot be re?placed if lost or damaged, such as photographs or children's favourite toys.

1. Choose the CORRECT statements from the follow?ing according to the passage.

a.     Many people lost their lives in the flood in 1953.

b.    The Flood Warning system was already in use in 1953.

c.     Flood defences can stop all flooding.

d.    The Environment Agency began to warn people of flood in 1995.

e.     Floodline was created after the Easter Floods of 1998

A. a, b, c     B.  b, c, d

C.  a, d, e      D.  a, c, e


2.    What does the underlined word "pager" mean in the passage?

A.    A piece of equipment designed to receive and show messages.

B.    A boy employed to carry luggage in hotels.

C.    A page of papers written to offer messages.

D.    A person invited to write pages of messages.


3.    People can easily get information and advice about

lood any time of the day from     .

A.    automatic messaging system

B.    automated voice messaging system

C.    the Flood Warning team inKent

D.    Floodline 0845 988 1188


4.    The best title for this passage may probably be

A.    Environment Agency

B.    Flood Warning system

C.    Technology in flood defences

D.    Easter Floods

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