精英家教网 > 高中英语 > 题目详情

C
When an ant dies, other ants take it out of the nest, often within an hour after its death. This behavior interests scientists and they wonder how ants know for sure--and so soon--that another ant is dead.
One scientist recently came up with a way to explain this ant behavior. Dong-Hwan Choe is a biologist, a scientist who studies animals and plants. He found that ants have a chemical on the outside of their bodies that signals to other ants, “I’m dead--take me away” when it is dead.
One scientist recently came up with a way to explain this ant behavior. Dong-Hwan Choe is a biologist, a scientist who studies animals and plants. He found that ants have a chemical on the outside of their bodies that signals to other ants, “I’m dead---take me away” when it is dead.
But there's a question to answer: As we know, if an ant is dead, it stops moving. But when an ant is sleeping or knocked unconscious, it is also not moving. However, other ants don't move the living ant out of the nest. How do they know this ant is not dead? Choe found that ants have another chemical on their bodies, which tells nearby ants something like, “Wait—I'm not dead yet” when it is not dead. Choe suspects that when an ant dies, the chemical that says, “Wait— I'm not dead yet” quickly goes away. When other ants detect the “dead” chemical without the “not dead yet” chemical, they move away the body.
To test his theory, Choe and his team put different chemicals on ants. When the scientists used the “I'm dead” chemical, other ants quickly moved the treated ant away. When the scientists used the “Wait—I'm not dead yet” chemical, other ants left the treated ant alone. Choe believes this behavior shows that the “not dead yet” chemical overrides the “dead” chemical when picked up by other ants. And that when an ant dies, the “not dead yet” chemical fades away. Other nearby ants then detect the remaining “dead” chemical and remove the body from the nest.
Understanding this behavior can help scientists figure out how to stop ants from invading new places and causing problems.
【小题1】What is the function of the first paragraph?

A.Leading the following paragraphs.
B.Showing the main idea of the passage.
C.Introducing the background of the passage.
D.Giving a summary of the passage.
【小题2】Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word “overrides” in the fourth paragraph?
A.is weaker thanB.is stronger thanC.is better thanD.is worse than
【小题3】What can we learn from the passage?
A.Living ants can also be taken away when they are not moving.
B.When an ant dies, it can tell others using a certain chemical.
C.A living ant can pretend to be dead using a special chemical.
D.Ants often use chemicals to communicate with each other.
【小题4】Which of the following descriptions about Dong-Hwan Choe is right?
A.Choe did this study in order to stop ants from invading new places.
B.Choe is a biologist who is only interested in animals, especially in ants.
C.Choe first came up with an idea to explain this ant behavior,and then did some tests to prove his theory.
D.Choe did the research on this ant behavior on his own.


【小题1】A
【小题2】B
【小题3】B
【小题4】C

解析试题分析:
【文章大意】本文是一篇科普文章。文章讲述了蚂蚁是怎样得知蚂蚁死了,然后把它弄出蚂蚁洞的。文章通过实验研究得知:在死去蚂蚁的身体外面发出一种化学物质,告诉其他蚂蚁“它已经死了”。
【小题1】A考查作者的写作意图。文章的第一段提出问题吸引读者,并引出下文科学家要解决的问题。所以第一段起的是统领全文的作用。故选A。
【小题2】B考查猜测词义。根据文章第四段中的When the scientists used the “Wait—I'm not dead yet” chemical, other ants left the treated ant alone. Choe believes this behavior shows that the “not dead yet” chemical overrides the “dead” chemical when picked up by other ants.可知,当“I'm not dead”的化学物质超过“I'm dead”的化学物质时,其他蚂蚁才不理这些蚂蚁。故此处overrides是“强于,超过”的意思。选B。
【小题3】B考查推理判断。根据文章第二段中的One scientist recently came up with a way to explain this ant behavior. Dong-Hwan Choe is a biologist, a scientist who studies animals and plants. He found that ants have a chemical on the outside of their bodies that signals to other ants, “I’m dead---take me away” when it is dead.可知,蚂蚁死后有一种化学物质给其他蚂蚁发出信号告诉它们“它已经死了”。故选B。其他三项与文章内容不符。
【小题4】C考查推理判断。根据文章第二段中的One scientist recently came up with a way to explain this ant behavior. Dong-Hwan Choe is a biologist, a scientist who studies animals and plants. He found that ants have a chemical on the outside of their bodies that signals to other ants, “I’m dead---take me away” when it is dead.可知,Choe先提出理论,然后证实了他的理论。故选C。
考点:考查科普类文章。

练习册系列答案
相关习题

科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解

Fear may be felt in the heart as well as in the head, according to a study that has found a link between the cycles of a beating heart and the chance of someone feeling fear.
Tests on healthy volunteers found that they were more likely to feel a sense of fear at the moment when their hearts are contracting (收缩) and pumping blood around their bodies, compared with the point when the heartbeat is relaxed. Scientists say the results suggest that the heart is able to influence how the brain responds to a fearful event, depending on which point it is at in its regular cycle of contraction and relaxation.
Sarah Garfinkel at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School said: "Our study shows for the first time that the way in which we deal with fear is different depending on when we see fearful pictures in relation to our heart."
The study tested 20 healthy volunteers on their reactions(反应)to fear as they were shown pictures of fearful faces. Dr Garfinkel said, "The study showed that fearful faces are better noticed when the heart is pumping than when it is relaxed. Thus our hearts can also affect what we see and what we don't see - and guide whether we see fear."
To further understand this relationship, the scientists also used a brain scanner (扫描仪) to show how the brain influences the way the heart changes a person's feeling of fear.
"We have found an important mechanism by which the heart and brain ‘speak’ to each other to change our feelings and reduce fear," Dr Garfinkel said.
"We hope that by increasing our understanding about how fear is dealt with and ways that it could be reduced, we may be able to develop more successful treatments for anxiety disorders, and also for those who may be suffering from serious stress disorder."
【小题1】What is the finding of the study?

A.One's heart affects how he feels fear.
B.Fear is a result of one's relaxed heartbeat.
C.Fear has something to do with one's health.
D.One’s fast heartbeats are likely to cause fear.
【小题2】The study was carried out by analyzing _______.
A.volunteers' heartbeats when they saw terrible pictures
B.the time volunteers saw fearful pictures and their health conditions
C.volunteers' reactions to horrible pictures and data from their brain scans
D.different pictures shown to volunteers and their heart-brain communication
【小题3】Which of the following is closest in meaning to "mechanism" in Paragraph 6?
A.Order. B.System. C.Machine. D.Treatment.
【小题4】This study may lead to _______.
A.treating anxiety and stress better
B.explaining the cycle of fear and anxiety
C.finding the key to the heart-brain communication
D.understanding different fears in our hearts and heads

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解

Can we give a hand to those endangered animals? Yes, we may only do a little bit, but together our small actions add up to a lot.
1. Protect wildlife habitat.
Perhaps the greatest threat that faces many species is the widespread destruction of habitat. Cutting down forests, farming, and development all result in loss of wildlife habitat. In areas where rare species live, habitat destruction can quickly force a species to extinction. By protecting habitat, entire communities of animals can be protected together naturally. Parks and reserves are now all too often the only habitats that are left untouched by habitat destruction.
2. Reduce the threat of invasive (入侵的) species.
The spread of non-native species has greatly reduced native populations around the world. Invasive species compete with native species for resources (资源) and habitat. They can even prey on native species directly, forcing native species towards extinction.
3. Place decals (贴花纸) on windows.
It is reported that as many as one billion birds in the United States die each year because of collisions (碰撞) with windows. You can help reduce the number of collisions simply by placing decals on the windows in your home and office.
4. Slow down when driving.
Many native animals have to live in developed areas and this means they must move in human-living areas. One of the biggest obstacles (障碍) to them is that created by roads. Roads divide habitat and present a constant risk to any animal attempting to cross from one side to the other. So when you’re out and about, slow down and keep an eye out for wildlife.
【小题1】 What would be the best title for this passage?

A.How animals go to extinction
B.The importance of protecting wildlife
C.What to do to help save wildlife
D.How to protect wildlife habitat
【小题2】By writing the underlined sentence, the writer means that _____.
A.more parks and reserves should be built
B.we should have more habitats free of destruction
C.there is a need for improvement in parks and re-serves
D.parks and reserves are good examples of protecting wildlife
【小题3】People are advised to put decals on windows to _____.
A.decorate the houses and beautify the environment
B.protect the windows from birds hitting
C.attract more birds to make homes nearby
D.avoid birds hitting the windows by mistake
【小题4】The underlined phrase “prey on” in the passage means _____.
A.drive awayB.live withC.kill for foodD.fight with

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解

Using too much water or throwing rubbish into our rivers are clear ways that humans can put our water supply in danger ,but we also affect our water supply in less obvious ways .You may wonder how paving(铺砌) a road can lead to less useable fresh water. A major part of the water we use every day is groundwater . Groundwater does not come from lakes or rivers .It come from underground . The more roads and parking lots we pave ,the less water can flow into the ground to become groundwater .
Human activity is not responsible for all water shortages(短缺). Driver climates are of course more likely to have droughts(干旱) than areas with more  rainfall  ,but in any case, good management can help to make sure there is enough water to meet our basic needs .
Thinking about the way we use water every day can make a big difference ,too In the United States ,a family of four can use 1.5tons of water a day ! This shows how much we depend on water to live ,but there’s a lot we can do to lower the number .
You can take steps to save water in your home .To start with ,use the same glass for your drinking water all day .Wash it only once a day .Run your dishwasher (洗碗机)only when it is full .Help your parents fix any leaks in your home . You can even help to keep our water supply clean by recycling batteries instead of throwing them away .
【小题1】Which of the following is most likely to lead to less groundwater ?

A.Using river water .
B.Throwing batteries away .
C.paving parking lots .
D.Throwing rubbish into lakes .
【小题2】What can be inferred from the text ?
A.All water shortages are due to human behavior .
B.It takes a lot of effort to meet our water needs .
C.There is much we can do to reduce family size .
D.The average family in America makes proper use of water .
【小题3】The last paragraph is intended to              .
A.show us how to fix leaks at home
B.tell us how to run a dishwasher
C.prove what drinking glass is best for us
D.suggest what we do to save water at home
【小题4】The text is mainly about            .
A.Why paving roads reduces our water
B.how much we depend on water to live
C.why droughts occur more in dry climates
D.how human activity affects our water supply

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解

“Get your hands off me, I have been stolen,” the laptop, a portable(便携式的)computer, shouted. That is a new solution to laptop computer theft: a program that lets owners give their property a voice when it has been taken.
The program allows users to display alerts(警报)on the missing computer’s screen and even to set a spoken message. Tracking software for stolen laptops has been on the market for some time, but this is thought to be the first that allows owners to give the thief a piece of their mind.
Owners must report their laptop missing by visiting to a website, which sends a message to the model: a red and yellow “lost or stolen” sign appears on its screen when it is started. Under the latest version(版本) of the software, users can also send a spoken message.
The message can be set to reappear every 30 seconds, no matter how many times the thief closes it. “One customer sent a message saying, ‘You are being tracked. I am right at your door’,” said Carrie Hafeman, chief executive (主管) of the company which produces the program, Retriever.
In the latest version, people can add a spoken message. For example, the laptop’s speakers will say: “Help, this laptop is reported lost or stolen. If you are not my owner, please report me now.”
The Retriever software package(软件包), which costs $29.95 (£21) but has a free trial period, has the functions of many security software programs. Owners can remotely switch to an alternative password if they fear that the thief has also got hold of the access details.
If a thief accesses the internet with the stolen laptop, Retriever will collect information on the internet service provider in use, so that the police can be alerted to its location.
Thousands of laptops are stolen every year from homes and offices, but with the use of laptops increasing, the number stolen while their owners are out and about has been rising sharply.
Other security software allows users to erase(删除)data remotely or lock down the computer.
【小题1】The expression “to give the thief a piece of their mind” can be understood as “_______”.

A.to give the thief an alert mind
B.to express the owners’ anger to the thief
C.to remind the thief of his conscience
D.to make the thief give up his mind
【小题2】Different from other security software, Retriever can ______.
A.record the stealing process
B.help recognize the lost laptop
C.lock down the computer remotely
D.send a spoken message
【小题3】One function of the program is that it allows the owner to ______ at a distance.
A.change some access details for switching on the laptop
B.turn on the laptop by using the original password
C.operate the laptop by means of an alternative password
D.erase the information kept in the stolen laptop
【小题4】Which of the following can best summarize the main idea of the passage?
A.With no Retriever, thousands of laptops are stolen every year.
B.A new software provides a means to reduce laptop theft.
C.Retriever has helped to find thieves and lost computers.
D.A new program offers a communication platform with the thief.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解

Watercress is positively packed with healthy vitamins and minerals. The writings of both the Romans and the Ancient Greeks record the consumption of watercress by all classes. Hippocrates, “the father of medicine”, was so convinced that watercress was a great healer that he built his first hospital next to a stream so that he could grow a plentiful supply of the shiny green leaves for his patients. The Romans chewed watercress in large quantities, believing that it would cure baldness. They, too, looked with favor on watercress as a salad.
Watercress sandwiches were traditionally a breakfast item in nineteenth-century Europe. The most basic type of watercress sandwich has two pieces of white bread with a mixture of butter and watercress greens . A nickname(绰号)for the vegetable, in fact, was “poor man’s bread”, because watercress was often eaten on its own for breakfast by families that could not afford the bread to go with it.
Watercress is a member of the mustard(芥菜) family. It contains vitamins C(66mg per 100g), K and A, and is also a valuable source of minerals such as iron, potassium, copper and calcium. The mustard oils in its silky leaves and stems(茎)contain an ingredient known as PEITC. Recent research has proved that PEITC can prevent the growth of cancer cells and, in some cases, actually destroy them.
The best watercress has silky green leaves without any marks and has undamaged stems, The older the plant, the darker are its leaves and the thicker its stems. This means a higher concentration of oils and vitamins. Young watercress, on the other hand, may be harvested after only twenty-eight days growth and has a milder taste. It is  best to eat watercress fresh and raw , to keep more of its valuable nutrients, but it can be lightly cooked and used as an alternative to spinach—another dark green vegetable—in various recipes. From soups to salads, watercress is now considered around the world as a natural and healthy super food.
【小题1】From paragraph 1, we can learn that________.

A.watercress is usually grown in wet areas
B.the ancient Greeks only used watercress for medicine
C.watercress is the most ancient vegetable known to man
D.the Romans rubbed watercress on their heads to cure baldness
【小题2】The underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to “_________”.
A.butter B.watercress C.breakfast D.bread
【小题3】Which of the following is TRUE about watercress?
A.It belongs to the same family as spinach.
B.It contains mustard oils only in leaves.
C.It can help guard against cancer.
D.It is rich in vitamins C and B.
【小题4】Compared with older watercress, young watercress      .
A.has lighter green leaves
B.contains more minerals
C.is better for medical use
D.is more suitable for eating raw
【小题5】What would be the best title for the text?
A.The history of watercress B.watrcress, a medicinal plant
C.Watercress, the amazing food D.New findings about watercress

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解

Hospital emergency rooms treat injured fingers all the time. Without treatment, a bad cut can lead to permanent damage. But how should a person know when a bleeding cut is serious enough to require medical attention? We asked Dr Martin Brown, chairman of the department of emergency medicine at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Virginia.
First, the medical term for a cut or tear in the skin is a laceration(严重划破,撕裂伤). Dr Brown says the length is usually not as important as the depth. He says a long cut on a finger can likely be treated without a visit to a doctor if the wound is not very deep. “If you have a short but deep laceration where there’s been a structure underneath that’s been damaged - a tendon, a nerve, a blood vessel,” says Martin, “it may, in fact, need professional attention.”
Some injuries - like a fingertip that gets cut off - might even require surgery to repair. That requires a specialist to either file(锉平) down the bone or reattach the fingertip. More often, filing down the bone is what is done because reattaching a fingertip is often not successful.
How a wound bleeds can be a sign of how serious it is. Minor cuts usually produce what is known as venous (静脉) bleeding. This means the blood flows steadily from the injury. The bleeding will often stop when pressure is put on the wound. Dr Brown says in most cases holding direct pressure with clean gauze or a cloth for four to five minutes should stop the bleeding. With a cut finger, holding the hand above the heart can reduce the loss of blood. But if a cut appears to be pumping blood out with some force, this may be a sign of arterial(动脉) bleeding. This kind of injury should be treated by a medical professional as soon as possible.
Even a cut that does not require medical attention must be kept clean to prevent infection. Small cuts should be cleaned gently with clean water. Use a washcloth to clean the area if the wound is dirty. Dr Brown says cuts should be covered with a clean, dry bandage.
【小题1】What does the writer want to tell the readers in the first paragraph?

A.Hospital emergency rooms always treat injured fingers. 
B.A bleeding cut is serious enough to require medical attention 
C.Dr Martin Brown is in charge of Inova Alexandria Hospital. 
D.It is important for us to be able to tell how serious a finger cut is. 
【小题2】According to the passage,         .
A.a finger cut without treatment can lead to permanent damage 
B.the length of a cut on a finger is more important than the depth 
C.a long but not very deep cut often doesn’t need professional attention 
D.a short but deep laceration that has been damaged need professional attention. 
【小题3】The underlined word “reattach” in Para.3 is closest in meaning to         .
A.repair B.rebuild C.reconstruct D.reconnect 
【小题4】Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A .How a wound bleeds can show us how serious the wound could be.
B Venous bleeding will often stop when we put pressure on the wound.
C. Holding up the hand with a finger cut can reduce the loss of blood.
D. Arterial bleeding should get professional treatment as soon as possible
【小题5】.The best title of this passage should be         .
A.Hospital Emergency Treatments For Injured Fingers 
B.When a Cut Finger Is More Serious Than It Might Seem 
C.Serious Finger Cut That Requires Medical Attention 
D.Keep Finger Cuts Clean to Prevent Serious Infection 

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解

If the eyes are the romantic’s window into the soul, then the teeth are an anthropologist’s ( 人类学家 ) door to the stomach.
In a study published last month in the journal Science, Peter Ungar of the University of Arkansas and his partner, Matt Sponheimer of the University of Colorado, US, examined the teeth of our early human ancestors to find out what they were really eating.
They already knew that different foods cause different marks on teeth. Some cause scratches, while others cause pits (坑).The carbon left on teeth by different foods is also different. Tropical grasses, for example, leave one kind of carbon, but trees leave another kind because they photosynthesized ( 光合作用 ) differently.
Traditionally, scientists had looked at the size and shape of teeth and skulls ( 头骨 ) to figure out what early humans ate. Big flat teeth were taken to be signs that they ate nuts and seeds, while hard and sharp teeth seemed good for cutting meat and leaves. But this was proven wrong.
The best example was the Paranthropus (傍人), one of our close cousins, some of which lived in eastern Africa. Scientists used to believe Paranthropus ate nuts and seeds because they had big crests(突起)on their skulls, suggesting they had large chewing muscles and big teeth. If this had been true, their teeth should have been covered with pits like the surface of the moon. They would also have had a particular type of carbon on their teeth that typically comes from tree products, such as nuts and seeds.
However, when the two scientists studied the Paranthroupus, it turned out to have none of these characteristics. The teeth had a different kind of carbon, and were covered with scratches, not pits. This suggests they probably ate grass, not nuts and fruit stones. It was the exact opposite of what people had expected to find.
Carbon “foodprints” give us a completely new and different insight into what different species ate and the different environments they lived in. If a certain species had the kind of carbon on its teeth that came from grasses, it probably lived in a tropical grassland, for example.
【小题1】The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 probably means that _____.

A.anthropologists can study the structure of human stomachs by studying their teeth.
B.anthropologists can study the diet of early humans by studying their teeth
C.anthropologists can learn whether humans were healthy by looking at their teeth
D.anthropologists can get the most useful information about humans from their teeth
【小题2】According to Paragraph 3 to 5, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Scratches on teeth are caused by eating nuts or seeds.
B.Pits on teeth are caused by eating grass or leaves.
C.Early humans with hard and sharp teeth ate meat and leaves.
D.Different foods leave different marks and carbon on teeth.
【小题3】The example of the Paranthropus was mentioned in the article in order to _____.
A.tell readers that they are one of our close cousins living in eastern Africa
B.tell readers they had different eating habits from modern humans
C.prove that size and shape of skulls does not show accurately what early humans ate
D.tell readers that living environment makes a difference to skull structure

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解

Sometime early in the next century, human beings will move to Mars. They will live there for about a year, and then will be replaced with another group of pioneers. Building the base on Mars will advance our knowledge of the solar system and aid in our understanding of the earth.
We already know that Mars resembles the earth in many aspects: general size, presence of water, length of day, range of temperatures. These resemblances have caused many people to consider a centuries-long project: to terraform Mars. Terraforming means altering a planet’s surface so that Earth’s life forms can survive there. This concept, previously found only in science fiction is now being seriously considered by scientists.
Terraforming Mars is theoretically simple: add nitrogen and oxygen to the atmosphere; pump water to the surface; and add the earth’s plants and animals in the order in which they developed on Earth. But it will take at least 300 years.
Some people think that such a project is too huge for humans to undertake, but there are very good reasons to make the attempt. The earth now contains some 6 billion people, and no one has any idea of how many humans the earth can support. Our very existence and numbers are threatening many other species. We also have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: altering the landscape, the atmosphere and the climate. Currently terraforming earth has become a wiser activity as we try to control global warming, air and water pollution, and preserve some natural living places.
While the possibility of such a project is small, it is not impossible .Even if earth –bound societies come and go in the next 300 years, the project can continue through the work of the Mars settlers without the need for constant backing from the earth.
The future existence of all the people in our world may very well depend upon our ability to terraform Mars.
【小题1】What would be the best title for this passage?

A.Terraforming Mars. B.Saving the Earth 
C.Travelling to Mars. D.A Newly-found Place 
【小题2】What does the underlined word “altering” mean in the second paragraph?
A.Warming. B.Changing. C.Planting. D.Building 
【小题3】According to the passage the main purpose of terraforming Mars is to ________.
A.do some scientific research work 
B.find out its similarity to earth 
C.avoid the dying away of many other species 
D.find on Mars living place for the increasing human beings 
【小题4】The main reason for causing many people to consider terraforming Mars is that _______.
A.there are some resemblances between Earth and Mars. 
B.terraforming Mars is theoretically simple 
C.we have had some experience with terraforming our own planet: Earth 
D.the development of science and technology is very rapid 
【小题5】What’s the author’s attitude towards the project?
A.Optimistic. B.Negative 
C.Sceptical(怀疑的) D.Objective. 

查看答案和解析>>

同步练习册答案