18.Scientists in Britain have managed to teach bumblebees (大黄蜂)to pull strings to get to food and then pass on what they have learned to others in their colony (群体)一showing a high level of intelligence despite their tiny brains.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London said the experiments,often used to test the intelligence of apes (猿)and birds,showed for the first time that some insects are up to the task,and can also pass skills on through several generations.
The findings add to the evidence suggesting the ability for"culture spread"一 the ability to learn and pass on knowledge and skills-may not be exclusive to humans.
In the research,published in the journal PLOS Biology on Tuesday,the scientists were able to train 23out of a group of 40bees to pull strings with their legs and feet.
The strings were attached to discs-or artificial"flowers"一 containing food at their center but placed under a transparent screen.The bees,spotting the food beneath the screen,learned to pull the"flowers"out by pulling the string with their legs and feet to be able to get to it.
From another group of bees given the chance to solve the task without any training,only two of 110were successful.
Another group of bees was then allowed to observe the trained bees pulling the strings,and 60percent of them successfully learned the skill.Finally,trained bees were put in colonies,and the scientists found the technique spread successfully to a majority of the colony's worker bees.
Lars Chittka,a Queen Mary University professor who guided the project,said the team is interested in figuring out the brain processes behind the bees'learning and teaching skills.
29.What does the underlined word"exclusive"in Paragraph 3 probably mean?A
A.unique.B.ordinary.C.widespread.D.beneficial.
30.What did the researchers find about bees?C
A.Bees are as clever as birds.
B.Bees learn best in insects.
C.Bees can be trained to learn skills.
D.Bees are born good learners.
31.What may the research team focus on next?C
A.Where bees learn skills.
B.What else bees can do.
C.How bees'brain work.
D.How bees teach others.
32.What may be the best title for the text?A
A.Bees can learn and teach
B.Small bees,great abilities
C.Let bees learn
D.Bees are smarter.
分析 本文为说明文,属于科普类文章.主要介绍了大黄蜂经过训练具有学习的能力,而且还具有传播自己所学知识的能力.
解答 29.A 词义猜测题.根据第二段的…showed for the first time that some insects areup to the task,and can also pass skills on through several generations.可知大黄蜂也具有学习并传播所学知识的能力,结合第三段可知,调查结果增加了证据表明"文化传播"的能力并非人类独有的,故选A.
30.C 细节理解题.根据第四段的the scientists were able to train 23 out of a group of 40 bees to pullstrings with their legs and feet…learned to pull the"flowers"out bypulling the string with their legs and feet to be able to get to it.可知科学家们可以训练40只蜜蜂中的23只,用腿和脚拉线.学会通过用他们的腿和脚拉绳子把"花"拉出来,并能够得到它.所以蜜蜂可以训练学习技能,故选C.
31.C 推理判断题.根据文章最后一句…the team is interested in figuring out the brain processes behind thebees'learning and teaching skills.可知该小组感兴趣的是找出蜜蜂学习和教学技能背后的大脑活动过程.所以研究小组下一步可能关注蜜蜂的大脑是如何工作的,故选C.
32.A 主旨大意题.综合全文尤其是第一段可知,文章主要介绍一项科学发现,大黄蜂经过训练可以学习并传播所学技能,故选A.
点评 本文是科教类阅读,主要考查细节理解题和推理判断题.在做细节理解题时,首先根据题目要求迅速在文章里找出相应的段落、句子或短语.认真比较选项和文中细节的区别,在做推理判断题时不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实,要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断.