题目内容
Cats are similar _______ tigers _______ several ways.
- A.with; to
- B.to; in
- C.in; to
- D.on; with
be similar to指与某某有相似处；in several ways在很多方面。
阅读快车系列答案We can express our feelings and needs by using body language. Cats can do that too. The ways that cats use their tails to show their feelings and needs are interesting.
Unlike dogs, which generally wave their tails to express good feelings, cats use their tails to send a lot of signals. When a cat waves its tail strongly from side to side, it may be a sign for us to leave it alone, or we may get scrathed (抓伤). Throwing a little toy for the cat to play with can get it relaxed. When a cat holds its tail upwards with a slight move, it means the animal is very happy to see its owner.
We all like to cuddle (依偎) inside our bed, and cats do that thing, too. Much as little children like to wrap (用……缠绕) their arms around their Teddy Bears, cats like to wrap their own tails around their bodies to get a sense of safety while asleep. If we notice a cat sleeping in such a position, we should not break its peace.
Usually the tip of the cat’s tail doesn’t draw our attention. But its particular position may also show the cat’s feelings. For example, a cat holding the tip of its tail pointed downwards may try to say that it is not feeling comfortable. So at this point, the cat not only feels angry, but also unsafe. This may again be a sign for us not to upset the cat in any way.
In conclusion, cats use their tails in many different, sometimes funny ways to send us messages, and we can learn to know more.
【小题1】According to the text, in which way are cats different from dogs?
| A．Cats draw more attention from humans than dogs. |
| B．Cats are friendlier to humans than dogs. |
| C．Cats have more feelings than dogs. |
| D．Cats show more feelings with tails than dogs. |
| A．safe | B．sleepy | C．anxious | D．hungry |
| A．get its tail well relaxed | B．get a sense of safety |
| C．show friendship to its owner | D．warn strangers to keep off |
| A．A cat can use its tail tip to show its feelings. |
| B．We should pay attention to the tip of a cat’s tail. |
| C．Why a cat holds the tip of its tail pointed downwards |
| D．A cat has many ways to express its feelings |
It seems that there is no middle ground when it comes to cats. People either love them or hate them. These feelings are not new either. All through history, cats have been worshiped or hated. A study of ancient writings and evidence found in tombs indicates that for the past 5,000 years, cats have been kept as pets in China, Arabia, Egypt, and India. However, this isn’t very long compared to dogs, which have been domesticated for 50,000 years. Still, while the period in which cats have been domesticated may be quite short, it has definitely had its high and low points.
Cats were at their highest position of domesticated life in ancient Egypt. There were more cats living in Egypt during the time of the pharaohs than in any other place in the world since that time. This high number of cats was probably due to the laws protecting them. Cats were associated with the moon goddess, Bast, so the Egyptians worshiped them as holy animals. If anyone was caught killing a cat, the person could be put to death. Families in Egypt also mourned the death of a cat and had the body of the dead cat wrapped in cloth before it was finally laid to rest. This respect for cats carried over to the Roman Empire where cats were the only animals allowed into temples. This fact was probably due to the ability of cats to keep the temples free of mice and rats. With the coming of the Dark Ages in Europe, the place of cats in society took a turn for the Empire, Christians began to associate cats with pegan (异教徒) beliefs. Cats had a reputation as helpers of witches. When a person was accused of being a witch, a cat would often be put on trial with the person. The cat would be tortured（拷打） to try and make the person tell the truth, and usually the cat and the person would end up being burned in a bonfire or drowned. Bonfires of collected cats were not uncommon during this time.
The days of hunting witches have ended, but other myths about cats still hold out. For a while, people in some places used to bury live cats under new buildings for good luck. As well, many people today continue to believe that black cats bring bad luck. If a black cat walks in front of a person, that person must take extra care in the near future to watch out for dangerous situations. Regardless of superstition(迷信), cats remain a popular pet today. Some cat experts believe that a cat never truly be domesticated because it may turn wild and run away at any time. However, this claim has not put people off keeping cats in their homes. A third of homes in the United States have cats, and one out of every three of these homes keeps both a dog and a cat. Especially in large cities, many people in small apartments have found that cats make much better pets than dogs.
Cats may not be worshiped as gods any more, but there are people who seem to think of their cat as their children. These cat owners will do almost anything to keep their pets healthy and happy. For those cat owners who have always wondered what their pets are trying to tell them, a Japanese company may have come up with the perfect invention. In 2003, the Takara Company announced the Meowlingual, a cat translation device. The Meowlingual uses a microphone, display, and cat voice analyzer to analyze a cat’s meows to determine which of 200 phrases a cat is trying to say.
According to a company spokesperson, “… cat owners all over the world have been telling Takara, ‘ We want a cat translator!’” Now, the company “is making their dream come true by bringing in a new era of communication between cat lovers and their pets.”
【小题1】Which of these is NOT discussed in the passage?
| A．the status of cats throughout history |
| B．the evolution of different species of cats |
| C．the popularity of the cats today |
| D．communication between cats and their owners |
| A．how Bast became a goddess. |
| B．the low point in the history of cats |
| C．the high point in the history of cats |
| D．the reason why cats are such good hunters |
| A．as farm animals | B．as food | C．as magical creatures | D．as honored guests |
| A．about 10 percent | B．nearly 25 percent | C．about 33 percent | D．close to 50 percent |
Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe of success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. Two-thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.
However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behavior. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk ‘dog’, and dogs can learn how to talk ‘cat’.
What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn how to read each other’s body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than we previously suspected. Once familiar with each other’s presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.
The significance of the research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets — to people who don’t get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.
【小题1】The underlined word “swimmingly” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “without _________”.
| A．a message | B．a problem | C．introduction | D．delay |
| A．they are cold to each other |
| B．they look away from each other |
| C．they misunderstood each other’s signals |
| D．they are introduced at an early age |
| A．They eat and sleep each other. |
| B．They observe each other’s behaviors. |
| C．They learn to speak each other’s language. |
| D．They know something from each other’s voices. |
| A．have common interests |
| B．are less different than was thought |
| C．have a common body language |
| D．are less intelligent than was expected |
| A．We should learn to live in harmony. |
| B．We should know more about animals. |
| C．We should live in peace with animals. |
| D．We should learn more body languages. |