How would you like to sleep with one half your brain asleep and the other half awake? Dolphins sleep this way. Recently, scientists at Indiana State University have discovered that ducks sleep this way too. They found that ducks sleep half awake so they can rest and watch for danger at the same time.
After putting their ducks in a row and videotaping them, some researchers found ducks on the end of each row spent more time asleep with one eye open, apparently looking for predators.
“The more the ducks felt threatened, the more they slept with one eye open,” said lead author Niels C. Rattenborg, a graduate student at Indiana State University, Terre Haute. “The unique aspect is not that they do it, but that they control it. When they sleep at the edge of a group, they tend to realize greater danger, so they spend more time sleeping with one half of their brain.” Ducks with one eye open were still awake enough to detect predators, said the authors of the study, which appears today in the journal Nature.
The researchers studied four groups of four ducks held in plastic boxes, which were arranged in a row. Ducks on the end were found to sleep with one eye open 31.8 per cent of the time, compared to 12.4 percent of the time for ducks in the central position.
Also, ducks in the central position did not open one eye more than the others, while ducks on each end kept the eye facing away from the group open 86.2 per cent of the time. Brain wave readings of the ducks showed that the half of the brain receiving signals from the closed eye indicated that half of the brain was sleeping. Signals from the half of the brain receiving signals from the open eye showed a state between fully awake and asleep.
【小题1】The under lined word “predator” is most likely to mean .
| A．an animal that is likely to be friends with ducks |
| B．a human being who looks after and feeds ducks |
| C．a scientist who does research work on animals |
| D．an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals |
| A．they are looking for food |
| B．they are watching out for danger |
| C．they want to enjoy the scenery |
| D．they are unique in their sleeping habit |
| A．Ducks with one eye open at the edge can still enjoy a certain degree of sleep. |
| B．Ducks with less sense of duty usually choose to stay in the center of a row. |
| C．Ducks on the northern end of a row would keep their eye facing the south open. |
| D．A video tape recorder was the only electronic device used in the experiment. |
【小题1】D
【小题2】B
【小题3】A
解析试题分析：文章介绍了海豚和鸭子在休息的时候有一半大脑是清醒的，一半是休息的，在休息时有一只眼睛也是不断睁开的，研究者们也做了一系列的实验来证明他们是这么做的，并且了解了这么做的原因，主要是为了防止可能会出现的危险。
【小题1】 D细节理解题。They found that ducks sleep half awake so they can rest and watch for danger at the same time. 研究员们发现，鸭子在休息时一半是清醒的，因此他们能够同时注意危险；The more the ducks felt threatened, the more they slept with one eye open鸭子越感觉危险，他们睡觉时一只眼睛睁得越多。由此可知他们睡觉睁一只眼睛是为了寻找可能出现的危险。故答案应为D。
【小题2】B细节理解题。some researchers found ducks on the end of each row spent more time asleep with one eye open, apparently looking for predators.句意为：一些研究员发现，在每队边上的鸭子花费更多的时间睁着眼睛睡觉，很明显他是是警惕危险；When they sleep at the edge of a group, they tend to realize greater danger, so they spend more time sleeping with one half of their brain.当他们在边的时候，他们往往会意识到更大的危险，因此他们花费更多的时间保持他们大脑的清醒。故答案应为B。
【小题3】A细节判断题。文章第一自然段说明鸭子和海豚睡觉时大脑一半是清醒的一半是休息的，因此在边上的鸭子也有一定程度的休息是正解的。Ducks with less sense of duty usually choose to stay in the center of a row.没有责任感的鸭子通常选择在一排的中间，文章里没有说明鸭子是选地方休息的；Ducks on the northern end of a row would keep their eye facing the south open文中没有提到哪个方向的鸭子面朝向哪个方向；A video tape recorder was the only electronic device used in the experiment.文中提到了这个设备，但没说明是唯一的，故答案A是正确的。
【考点】考查科普环保类文章的阅读理解。
阅读快车系列答案科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
The common cold is the world's most widespread illness, which is plagues(疫病) that flesh receives.
The most widespread mistake of all is that colds are caused by cold. They are not. They are caused by viruses(病毒) passing on from person to person. You catch a cold by coming into contact, directly or indirectly, with someone who already has one. If cold causes colds, it would be reasonable to expect the Eskimos to suffer from them forever. But they do not. And in isolated Arctic regions explorers have reported being free from colds until coming into contact again with infected people from the outside world by way of packages and mail dropped from airplanes.?
During the First World War soldiers who spent long periods in the trenches(战壕), cold and wet, showed no increased tendency to catch colds.?
In the Second World War prisoners at the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp(奥斯维辛集中营), naked and starving, were astonished to find that they seldom had colds.?
At the Common Cold Research Unit in England, volunteers took part in Experiments in which they gave themselves to the discomforts of being cold and wet for long stretches of time. After taking hot baths, they put on bathing suits, allowed themselves to be with cold water, and then stood about dripping wet in drafty room. Some wore wet socks all day while others exercised in the rain until close to exhaustion. Not one of the volunteers came down with a cold unless a cold virus was actually dropped in his nose.?
If, then, cold and wet have nothing to do with catching colds, why are they more frequent in the winter? Despite the most pains—taking research, no one has yet found the answer. One explanation offered by scientists is that people tend to stay together indoors more in cold weather than at other times, and this makes it easier for cold viruses to be passed on.?
No one has yet found a cure for the cold. There are drugs and pain suppressors(止痛片) such as aspirin, but all they do is to relieve the symptoms(症状).
【小题1】The writer offered _______ examples to support his argument.
| A．4 | B．5 | C．6 | D．3 |
| A．The Eskimos do not suffer from colds all the time. |
| B．Colds are not caused by cold. |
| C．People suffer from colds just because they like to stay indoors. |
| D．A person may catch a cold by touching someone who already had one. |
| A．they are working in the isolated Arctic regions |
| B．they are writing reports in terribly cold weather |
| C．they are free from work in the isolated Arctic regions |
| D．they are coming into touch again with the outside world |
| A．the fallacy about the common cold |
| B．the experiments on the common cold |
| C．the reason and the way people catch colds |
| D．the continued spread of common colds |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
The January fashion show, called Future Fashion, exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.
The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, a cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to find. “Most designers with existing labels are finding there aren’t comparable materials that can just replace what you’re doing and what your customers are used to,” he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents(等同物).
Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable. It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce a major initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional cotton at higher prices, thus helping to expand the supply of a key sustainable material. “Main-stream is about to occur,” says Hahn.
Some analysts are less sure. Among consumers, only 18% are even aware that eco-fashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer. When asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied, “Not that I’m aware of.” Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.” By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers—one day it will be.
【小题1】What is said about Future Fashion?
| A．It inspired leading designers to start going green. |
| B．It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far. |
| C．It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized. |
| D．It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable. |
| A．much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainable materials |
| B．they have to create new brands for clothes made of organic materials |
| C．customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organic materials |
| D．quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readily available |
| A．can attend various trade shows for free |
| B．are readily recognized by the fashion world |
| C．can buy organic cotton at favorable prices |
| D．are gaining more and more support |
| A．She doesn’t seem to care about it. |
| B．She doesn’t think it is sustainable. |
| C．She is doubtful of its practical value. |
| D．She is opposed to the idea very much. |
| A．Green products will soon go main stream. |
| B．It has a very promising future. |
| C．Consumers have the final say. |
| D．It will appeal more to young people. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
One of my China Dialogue colleagues in Beijing recently bought a Philips energy-saving light bulb to replace a standard one．He was happy with his choice．It may have cost 30 yuan （just under US$4．50） - ten times the price of a filament （灯丝） bulb - but he wanted to save energy as part of his low-carbon lifestyle．And according to the shopkeeper, he would save, in the long run, much more than the 30 yuan he was spending．
Yet only one month later, his expensive light bulb blew up, before he had saved even a small part of the purchase price．Will he stick to his high-cost, low-carbon lifestyle?
China's environmental organizations have started to advocate low-carbon lifestyles and the decrease of carbon footprints to help fight against climate change．But they have overlooked one fact: in China, low-carbon living comes at a high cost．It means buying energy-saving bulbs and appliances, and environmentally friendly building materials and daily goods．Cost can no longer be the only standard for purchases．An energy-saving and environmentally friendly product is more expensive than a standard alternative - whether it's a simple light bulb or the house it shines．For average consumers, even buying an ordinary bulb is a huge burden．How can we persuade ordinary people to choose an energy-saving residence? This is not a trend they can afford to follow; perhaps this fashion is only for the rich．
Most consumers today do not cause huge carbon dioxide （CO2） emissions．Their responsibility lies not in choosing a low-carbon lifestyle today, but in avoiding a high-carbon life in the future．The principle of "common but differentiated responsibility" - a basis of sustainable development - can be applied here as well．
In China, low-carbon living still is resisted by a lack of social infrastructure（基础设施）. Even if your salary allows you to make that choice, nobody is there to help you accomplish it．
Consider energy-saving homes. You need to find out whether or not the developer has used natural materials wherever possible; how effective the insulation（绝缘物、隔热物） is; and what the green credentials of installed equipment are．You can read up a little, but you'll still be lucky to avoid being puzzled by the developers' marketing．Many so-called energy-saving buildings are nothing of the sort, and some are even more energy-hungry than the average home - as Li Taige warned in his article "Energy-efficient buildings? Not always", on China Dialogue last August．
【小题1】 What may probably be the best title of this passage?
| A．To purchase a cheap bulb - your wise alternative． |
| B．To choose an energy-saving residence - a must of your life |
| C．To learn a low-carbon lifestyle - each citizen's responsibility |
| D．To learn a low-carbon lifestyle - a promising but difficult purpose |
| A．Because the cost is a very important standard for purchases. |
| B．Because buying an ordinary bulb is very expensive. |
| C．Because energy-saving products are more expensive than the common alternatives. |
| D．Because rich people like to follow this trend. |
| A．Most of them are environmentally friendly. |
| B．They are musts of low-carbon lifestyle of Chinese. |
| C．They are huge burdens for Chinese people. |
| D．Many of them are more in name than in reality. |
| A．Using energy-saving bulbs and appliances is a fashion． |
| B．It's easy for most Chinese to try to learn a low-carbon lifestyle． |
| C．All citizens in China don’t have the same responsibility in living a low-carbon lifestyle． |
| D．Most Chinese families cannot afford to purchase an energy-saving residence. |
| A．informative and entertaining | B．supportive but cautious |
| C．negative but wise | D．positive and active |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
The World's Largest Insect .This giant insect can be used as a toy.
A child ties one end of a string to a stick and the other end around the "neck" of an insect. Holding the stick, the child lets the insect go. With a loud whirring sound, the insect takes off, pulling the string in a large curve over the child's head. The child laughs as the stick jumps around. The child is African, and the toy is the African Goliath beetle, the largest insect in the world.
The Goliath is a true insect because it has six legs and a body that is divided into three parts. Like all beetles, it has two pairs of wings. The front pair are thick and stiff and protect the back pair, which are soft. It is these soft back wings that make the beetle fly forward. They also cause the loud whirring sound the beetle makes when it flies. To steer, the beetle twists and turns its legs the same way you steer a bike by turning its front wheel.
African children often use the Goliath beetle as a toy. Although it is over 15 centimeters long, it is quite harmless.
【小题1】 The African Goliath beetle is _______.
| A．the world's largest insect |
| B．a toy used in many parts of the world |
| C．the only insect found in Africa |
| D．the world's smallest insect |
| A．a tool. | B．a toy. | C．harmfull insects. | D．Good animals. |
| A．makes a whirring sound when it flies | B．has both soft and hard wings |
| C．has six legs and a body with three parts | D．can fly |
| A．turning its soft back wings |
| B．twisting and turning its hard front wings |
| C．twisting and turning its legs |
| D．twisting and turning its whole body |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
There is no doubt that Apple is well aware of the increased competition in the market and could be in a hurry to put another product out there, said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst at IDC Mobile Devices Technology and Trends. Given its history with product launches and business policy, though, Apple probably isn’t going to rush an iPhone release simply to put it on shelves, he said.
“If you’re Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), you’re thinking if you want to pay more attention to how to keep growing that bottom line and keep investors(投资人) happy, or continue with the same approach from Apple, which is do what we can do and manage products and releases in the best way they can work for us. Apple usually does things in their own time, and I’m having a hard time buying this May or June timeline.” Llamas told Mac News World.
While it’s probable that Apple is surely in a testing stage for its next smartphone, consumers likely have a standard wait for the finished product, said Colin Gibbs, analyst at GigaOm Pro.
“It typically takes a year or longer to create a state-of-the-art smartphone, so no one should be surprised Apple is in the testing stages with the next iPhone. And while it’s possible that Apple could launch the next iPhone this spring or summer, I’m not expecting to see it until a little later in the year,” he told Mac News World.
When it does launch, though, it could be in a variety of colors, said Gibbs. “Apple has already tested the waters with releasing colored products when it revamped (更新，翻新）its iPod line last fall, so it is understood that it would want the new change with its smartphone, as well”.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the new iPhone becomes available in some new colors,’’ he said. “That could be done pretty cheaply, and it would give Apple a new marketing angle.”
【小题1】According to Ramon Llamas, Apple always ______.
| A．tries to please its investors |
| B．rushes to put new products to market |
| C．ignores the fierce market competition |
| D．does things as planned |
| A．the stage of its being tested |
| B．the rough time of its being released |
| C．the function to be improved |
| D．the wide variety of its color |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Indifferent (漠不关心的). | C．Doubtful. | D．Objective. |
| A．stories | B．comments | C．advertisements | D．debates |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Growers around the world are using new methods to grow grapes to make wine. They use natural and organic methods to control harmful insects and weeds instead of using chemicals. Now, a winery in Canada has adopted a natural way to control its grapevines (葡萄藤).The Featherstone Winery is in southern Ontario. The grapevines, like other plants, need to be cut every year.
Cutting grapevines must be done very carefully. Only a targeted area of leaves is removed from the lower part of the vines to help the grapes grow better. But at the Featherstone Winery, no man or machine does the cutting. Instead, the job is done by 40 little wooly lambs.www.zxxk.com
David Johnson owns the vineyard. He says he learned about using lambs while visiting wineries in New Zealand. The young lambs are perfectly designed to do the job. They eat the grape leaves on the lower parts of the vine. But they are not tall enough to reach the grapes. They only weigh about 22 kilograms, so they do not beat down the soil. And their waste makes good organic fertilizer. In addition, using the lambs costs much less than hiring workers to cut the vines for seven weeks in summer. And when the cutting is done in August, the lambs become tasty dishes.
Mr Johnson says he had a difficult time finding enough lambs to do the job. There are about 50 million lambs in New Zealand. But there are not nearly as many in Ontario. Also, some organic pesticides (杀虫剂) are harmful to lambs. And the lambs must be watched to make sure they do not eat too much of the grapevines.
David Johnson says the lambs help him carry out his environmental ideas about farming. They are lovely and peaceful and he likes having them in his vineyard. People visiting the vineyard also enjoy watching the lambs do their job.
【小题1】Farmers who grow grapes with natural and organic methods _____.
| A．don't cut grapevines every year |
| B．don't use chemicals to control harmful insects and weeds |
| C．don't need to control harmful insects and weeds |
| D．don't use organic fertilizer |
| A．only have to remove the dead leaves |
| B．need to remove a specific area of leaves |
| C．shouldn't remove any part of the plants |
| D．should let little lambs do the cutting |
| A．the future of getting lambs to do the cutting |
| B．the worries about using organic pesticides |
| C．the ways to get lambs to do the cutting |
| D．the problems related to lambs doing the cutting |
| A．owns several wineries in Canada |
| B．buys lambs from New Zealand |
| C．is concerned about protecting the environment |
| D．loves keeping lambs instead of farming |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Today is National Bike-to-Work Day. And on New York City’s jammed streets, people are cycling on hundreds of miles of new bike lanes. But New York’s widespread efforts to make streets safer for bikes have also left some locals complaining about the loss of parking spots and lanes for cars.
When the weather is good, Aaron Naparstek likes to pedal（用踏板踩）his two young kids to school on a special Dutch-made bicycle. Naparstek supports the new lane.
Aaron: The bike lane on Prospect Park West is really introducing a lot of new people to the idea that it’s possible to use a bike in New York City for transportation or to travel around. This is what 21st century New York City looks like.
Prospect Park West is still a one-way road, but where it used to have three lanes of car traffic, now it has two, plus a protected bike lane. Supporters say that makes the road safer for everyone, including pedestrians, by slowing down cars and taking bikes off the sidewalk. But some longtime residents disagree. Lois Carswell is president of a group called Seniors for Safety. She says the two-way bike lane is dangerous to older residents who are used to one-way traffic.
Lois: We wanted a lane — the right kind of lane that would keep everybody safe, that would keep the bikers safe. But we want it to be done the right way. And it has not been done the right way.
Craig Palmer builds bars and restaurants in Manhattan. I was interviewing him for a different story when he brought up the bike lanes all on his own.
Craig: I think the biggest problem is that Bloomberg put all these bike lanes in. You took what used to be a full street and you’re shrinking it.
Then there are the Hasidic Jews in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who forced the city to remove a bike lane through their neighborhood. But polls show that the majority of New Yorkers support bike lanes by a margin of 56% to 39%. Bicycle advocate Caroline Samponaro of Transportation Alternatives calls that a mandate.
Caroline: If this was an election, we would have already had our victory. The public has spoken and they keep speaking. And I think, more importantly, the public is starting to vote with their pedals.
【小题1】What does Aaron mean by saying “This is what 21st century New York City looks like.”?
| A．There are hundreds of miles of new bike lanes in 21 st century New York City. |
| B．Drivers slow down their cars and bikes are taken off the sidewalk in New York. |
| C．Bikes are used as a means of transport in 21 st century New York City. |
| D．It’s possible to make the streets safe for pedestrians in New York. |
| A．Drivers lose parking spots and lanes for cars. |
| B．The two-way bike lane is dangerous to older residents. |
| C．We took what used to be a full street so the road is broader than before. |
| D．The removal of one bike lane through a neighbourhood in Brooklyn was not supported by the majority of New Yorkers. |
| A．the authority | B．the public | C．the supporters | D．the government |
| A．Ride on National Bike-to-Work Day |
| B．A New Bike Lane Appears in New York |
| C．A Bike Lane Divides New Yorkers |
| D．Who Wins an Election |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
All around the world, shoppers flock to Wal-Mart to buy everything．In Texas, they come for another reason: to see the wind turbine(涡轮机) , which supplies 5% of the store's electricity．It along with other facilities, such as exterior walls coated with heat-reflective paint, makes this Wal-Mart a green giant．
The laws of economics suggest that Wal-Mart, with 5, 200 stores worldwide, influences everything including the price of all kinds of goods．It throws its weight behind environmental responsibility, and the impact could be amazing．"One little change in product packaging could save 1, 500 trees," says Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott．"If everybody saves 1, 500 trees or 50 barrels of oil, at the end of the day you have made a huge difference．"
Scott wants Wal-Mart to do its part too．He has promised to cut the existing greenhouse-gas emissions （排放） over the next few years and promised to construct new stores that are more efficient．He wants Wal-Mart's fleet (车队) of more than 7, 000 trucks to get twice as many miles per gallon by 2015．Factories that show Wal-Mart they're cutting air pollution will get preferential treatment in the supply chain. Wal-Mart says it's working with consumer-product manufacturers to reduce their packaging and will reward them if they do so．
Some people may doubt it is a bid to attract attention from Wal-Mart's controversial labor and health-insurance practices．But it's not just window dressing, because Wal-Mart sees profits in going green．Scott says, "This is a business philosophy, not a social philosophy．We don't go where we don't think there's a great interest in change．"
Like Bill Gates, who started his charitable foundation, Scott happens to be promoting Wal-Mart's image at a time when his company's reputation is declining．He acknowledges that he launched the plan partly to shield （保护，庇护） Wal-Mart from bad press about its contribution to global warming．" By doing what we're doing today, we avoid the headline risks that are going to come for people who did not do anything," he says．"At some point businesses will be held responsible for the actions they take．" Meanwhile, should Wal-Mart succeed at shrinking its environmental footprint and lowering prices for green products, both the planet and the company will profit．
【小题1】We can infer from the passage that ______．
| A．Lee Scott is Wal-Mart's CEO |
| B．there are 5, 200 stores in the world |
| C．Wal-Mart has a great influence on the world market |
| D．Wal-Mart has more than 7, 000 trucks all over the world |
| A．Wal-Mart predicts huge profits in its green activity． |
| B．Wal-Mart's green activity is just window dressing． |
| C．Wal-Mart aims to solve its health-insurance practices． |
| D．Wal-Mart doesn't have any social responsibility at all． |
| A．Reduce air pollution in its present stores． |
| B．Give favorable treatment to its consumers． |
| C．Ask the factories to reduce their packaging． |
| D．Demand the fleet of trucks to use more fuel than before． |
| A．Provide the background of the green plan． |
| B．Stress the purpose of Wal-Mart's green plan． |
| C．Present the risk that Wal-Mart is facing nowadays． |
| D．Analyze the similarity between Bill Gates and Scott. |
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