People diet to look more attractive．Fish diet to avoid being beaten up，thrown out of their social group，and getting eaten as a result．That is the fascinating conclusion of the latest research into fish behavior by a team of Australian scientists．
The research team have discovered that subordinate(低一等的) fish voluntarily diet to avoid challenging their larger competitors．"In studying gobies we noticed that only the largest two individuals，a male and female，had breeding（繁殖）rights within the group，" explains Marian Wong．"All other group members are nonbreeding females，each being 5-10% smaller than its next largest competitor．We wanted to find out how they maintain this precise size separation．"
The reason for the size difference was easy to see．Once a subordinate fish grows to within 5-10% of the size of its larger competitor，it causes a fight which usually ends in the smaller goby being driven away from the group．More often than not，the evicted fish is then eaten up．
It appeared that the smaller fish were keeping themselves small in order to avoid challenging the boss fish．Whether they did so voluntarily，by restraining how much they ate，was not clear．The research team decided to do an experiment．They tried to fatten up some of the subordinate gobies to see what happened．To their surprise，the gobies simply refused the extra food they were offered，clearly preferring to remain small and avoid fights，over having a feast．
The discovery challenges the traditional scientific view of how boss individuals keep their position in a group．Previously it was thought that large individuals simply used their weight and size to threaten their subordinates and take more of the food for themselves，so keeping their competitors small．
While the habits of gobies may seem a little mysterious，Dr．Wong explains that understanding the relationships between boss and subordinate animals is important to understand how hierarchical（等级的）societies remain stable．
The research has proved the fact that voluntary dieting is a habit far from exclusive to humans．"As yet，we lack a complete understanding of how widespread the voluntary reduction of food intake is in nature，" the researchers comment．"Data on human dieting suggests that，while humans generally diet to improve health or increase attractiveness，rarely does it improve long-term health and males regularly prefer females that are fatter than the females' own ideal．"
【小题1】When a goby grows to within 5-10% of the size of its larger competitor，it _________．
| A．leaves the group itself | B．has breeding rights |
| C．eats its competitor | D．faces danger |
| A．the fish beaten up | B．the fish driven away |
| C．the fish found out | D．the fish fattened up |
| A．fought over a feast | B．preferred some extra food |
| C．challenged the boss fish | D．went on diet willingly |
| A．Fish dieting and human dieting． | B．Dieting and health． |
| C．Human dieting． | D．Fish dieting． |
【小题1】D
【小题2】B
【小题3】D
【小题4】D
解析试题分析：全文说明了最新的研究成果——鱼类为什么节食。文章先以人为对比，引出鱼类节食这个话题，在随后的几个段落里，作者要对这个发现进行具体说明。
【小题1】推理判断题。从第二段each being 5-10% smaller than its next largest competitor可得知如果身体大小超过权威的规定范围，会有被殴打、驱逐最后被吃掉的危险。选D
【小题2】猜测词义题。从本段前文可知，体积超标的鱼会被赶出鱼群。接着说到，不仅如此，这些鱼往往会被吃掉。这些鱼一定是指被驱逐的鱼。选B
【小题3】事实细节题。从第四段中的试验和句子：To their surprise，the gobies simply refused the extra food they were offered，clearly preferring to remain small and avoid fights，over having a feast．可得知这些鱼是自愿节食。故选D
【小题4】主旨大意题。从文章的第一段的内容Fish diet to avoid being beaten up，thrown out of their social group，and getting eaten as a result．和文章通篇可知都是围绕鱼的节食来叙述。故选 D。
考点：考查科普类短文
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小学生10分钟应用题系列答案科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
A portable lung which could help those with breathing problems lead a normal life is being developed by scientists.
The Swansea University scientists say it could take many years before the device(装置) , the size of a spectacle box (眼镜盒) , is available . Lung patients , who have seen how it would work , have welcomed the research.
Its research suggests that one person in every seven in the UK is affected by lung disease---- this equates to approximately 8 million people. As of 6 March 2009, 217 people were on the waiting list for a lung transplant（移植） according to figures by NHS Blood and Transplant .
Now scientists in Swansea are developing a portable artificial lung which could transform (改观) the lives of patients . Researchers claim that in the long term the device could offer an alternative to lung transplant , giving hope to those who suffer from conditions such as emphysema(肺气肿) and cystic fibrosis.
The device mimics the function of a lung---by getting oxygen into and carbon dioxide out of the blood stream . Professor Bill Johns came up with the idea after his son died of Cystic Fibrosis . It is important that we make something that will help people , who instead of being confined (局限) to a wheelchair with an oxygen bottle , can actually walk around and do things for themselves , he said.
Although the research has been welcomed by leading charities(慈善) , caution has also been voiced over the length of time it will take before a portable lung will become available .
“We have to stress that this is several years away from being used , even in a trial stage,” said Chris Mulholland , head of the British Lung Foundation.
Patient Elizabeth Spence from Swansea has been refused the double lung transplant she needs but remains hopeful that one day the new device could save her . “ My body will reject the lungs , so this possibly could be an answer--- another way of getting new lungs without actually having the transplant,” she said.
【小题1】Which of the following about the portable lung would the author agree?
| A．It can help a lot in lung transplants |
| B．It was once on display |
| C．It works differently from the normal one in the body |
| D．It’s just like an oxygen bottle. |
| A．support | B．money | C．time | D．trial |
| A．Negative. | B．Doubtful. | C．Curious. | D．Objective. |
| A．Science. | B．Culture. | C．Economy. | D．Education. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Legends about the development of coffee are varied and interesting, involving chance occurrences, political tricks, and the pursuit of wealth and power.
According to one story, a sheepherder named Kaldi, as he tended his sheep, noticed the effect of coffee beans. He noticed that the sheep became excited after eating the red “cherries" from a certain plant when they changed pastures (牧场). He tried it himself, and was soon as overactive as his sheep. Another story relates that a monk happened to discover that this fruit from the shiny green plant could help him stay awake.
Another legend gives us the name for coffee, “mocha”. Omar, an Arabian was thrown to the desert with his followers to die of starvation. In desperation, Omar had his friends boil and eat the fruit from an unknown plant. Not only did the soup save the group, but the residents of the nearest town, Mocha, took their survival as a religious sign. The plant and its beverage (饮料) were named Mocha to honor this event.
Coffee was introduced much later to countries beyond Arabia, whose inhabitants believed it to be a tasty thing and guarded its secret as if they were top secret military plans. The government forbade transportation of the plant out of the Moslem nations. The actual spread of coffee was started illegally. One Arab named Baba Budan smuggled (走私) beans to some mountains near Mysore, India, and started a farm there. Early in this century, some of those original plants were found still growing fruitfully in the region.
Coffee today is grown and enjoyed worldwide, and is one of the few crops that small farmers in third-world countries can profitably export.
【小题1】What does the second paragraph mainly talk about?
| A．A sheepherder used coffee beans to keep sheep excited. |
| B．Coffee was a special kind of red cherry from a certain plant. |
| C．A sheepherder and a monk accidently discovered coffee’s effect. |
| D．Sheep ate a lot of coffee beans while they changed pastures. |
| A．Kaldi’s story. | B．The monk’s story. |
| C．Omar’s story. | D．Baba Budan’s story. |
| A．a town | B．an Arabian | C．a kind of coffee | D．a sheepherder |
| A．The Secret of Coffee | B．The Tales of Coffee |
| C．People’s Love for Coffee | D．The Function of Coffee |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
You’ve bought what you need. The grocery cashier asks, “Will that be paper or plastic? You reply “Plastic, please.”
This seems like a simple question and there are plenty of reasons we choose plastic: easier to carry, lighter than paper bags, possibly less damaging to the environment, less expensive to the shop owners, able to be used as trash bag, and so on. There are different opinions on plastic and paper. Now let’s follow the travels of 3 plastic bags. It begins at the grocery store with the customer’s choice.
Plastic Bag 1: As the waste engineer come by and pick up the trash, the first plastic bag falls out. It sits on a small street for a couple of hours until a car comes along and takes it down to the road. Then a gust of wind blows it across the road, then another car, then another gust of wind finally makes its way to the beach. Water fills the plastic bag and makes it look like a jellyfish. A seal(海豹) swims by, thinking it looks very interesting, and swallowed it. The plastic bag may stay in the seal’s stomach for months, maybe years. You see, our lovely animals have been living thousands of years in a world where everything can be eaten.
Plastic Bag 2: This bag does make its way to landfill(垃圾场). Before they have a chance to cover up the thousands of pounds of daily waste, a strong wind comes up and blows these plastic bags out of the landfill. Once the wind stops, workers will be sent to collect thousands of bags around. But they can’t possibly get them all. So our little bag continues his adventure getting caught in trees, eaten by birds or making its way to our lakes or rivers.
Plastic Bag 3: The last bag also blows away but is caught in a landfill where it sits for many years, as all the trash is wrapped in a big plastic bag, making natural degradation(降解) impossible. Although workers do much work to make sure water and air system won’t be polluted, some do. Guess what, plastic bags are made from petrol, a harmful waste material, which in one way or another makes its way to the environment.
Another problem with putting plastic bags in out trash is that our landfills for most cities may be filled in about 20 years. More importantly, since we are running out of land to build homes, you might have the pleasure of one day living on top of your plastic bags!
One of the best suggestions is not to use a bag at all or bring your own cloth bags. If you must, please choose paper bags, which, though not suggested, can be eaten by animals. And there are more opportunities recycle paper bags. It does take a little extra effort. But please have a thought about the little seal next time you say, “Plastic please.”
【小题1】According to the passage, what is NOT the reason for a customer to choose plastic bags?
| A．He can use plastic bags to carry trash later. |
| B．He finds paper bags heavier than plastic bags. |
| C．He finds plastic bags more convenient to carry. |
| D．He can save money for plastic bags are cheaper. |
| A．seals like eating plastic bags around them. |
| B．seals really have a good stomach. |
| C．seals are potential victims of plastic bags. |
| D．seals are not able to differ plastic from food. |
| A．still does harm to the environment |
| B．can hardly be harmful to the environment |
| C．is much safer than Plastic Bag2 |
| D．will end up being eaten by seals or some fish |
| A．Suggestions on reducing harm of plastic bags. |
| B．Disadvantages of using too many plastic bags. |
| C．Persuading people into using paper bags. |
| D．Other potential victims of plastic bags. |
| A．Excited | B．Serious | C．Ironical | D．Casual |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Risk of death is 3.5 t0 5 times greater for obese smokers than it is for people who have never smoked and are at a normal weight, according to a study published in the November, 2006 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The study, which began with a self-administered questionnaire taken between 1983 and 1989, asked more than 80,000 radiologic technologists aged 22 t0 92 questions about age, height, weight and smoking behavior.
BMI (body mass index) was calculated, with a BMI of 30 t0 34.9 being considered obese, and 35 and over being very obese. Smoking behavior was analyzed by looking at a person's tobacco consumption level, number of years smoked, and current smoking status. Researchers then followed participants through December of 2002, noting the number of deaths that occurred.
The study involved researchers from the National Cancer Institute, the University of Minnesota and the American Registry of Radiolegic Technologists.
Key Findings:
20 percent of obese adults in the United States smoke.
Obese smokers face a greater risk of death from cancer and circulatory disease.
Current smoking is a greater risk factor for death by cancer than obesity is, generally speaking.
The higher a person's pack-years (number of packs smoked per day times the number of years smoked) are, the greater the risk of death.
Men and women of all ages faced an elevated risk of death due to circulatory disease as BMI increased. And for those who were both obese and currently smoking, risk of circulatory disease increased 6 to 11 times under the age of 65, as compared to their never-smoking, normal weight counterparts.
While it's not surprising that obesity coupled with smoking is a recipe for trouble, it is important to highlight this growing health concern in America today.
Taking Charge of Your Health
Making healthy choices can be difficult when we're constantly bombarded with products that are hazardous to our health, but it's not impossible. With education and some motivation, we all have the ability to make lasting changes for the better. If you're an overweight smoker worried about gaining weight due to quitting, take heart. It's never too late to change your course and even reverse damage to some extent.
【小题1】What is the probably the best title of the text?
A. Obese smoking and death B. Key findings about smoking
C Taking charge of your health D. Obesity and smoking
【小题2】Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A．Obese smokers are less likely to suffer from cancer |
| B．Obese smokers are more likely to suffer from cancer |
| C．Obese smokers .tend to gain fewer body mass index. |
| D．Obese smokers tend to get heavier than those Who never smoke |
| A．easy and possible | B．difficult and impossible |
| C．easy ant worthwhile | D．difficult but worthwhile |
| A．To inform the readers of the findings about obese smoking. |
| B．To warn the readers of the danger of obese smoking. |
| C．To tell us what obese smoking is. |
| D．To call on the obese smolkers to quit smoking. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Sixty-five million years ago, an asteroid (小行星) that crashed on Earth led to the disappearance of the largest animals that have ever walked our planet – the dinosaurs. At least, this is what some scientists believe. But that accident happened so long ago. People have come to believe that we are free of threats from asteroids and everything else from space.
However, what happened on Feb 15 , 2013 was a reminder that we’re just as vulnerable as the dinosaurs once were. Two objects from space – a meteor (陨石) and an asteroid called 2012 DA14 – visited Earth’s atmosphere on the same day. The former fell in Russia, injuring 1,200 people, while the latter passed by Earth at a record-setting close distance.
Scientists had been expecting the asteroid since last year, but the meteor was a surprise. NASA’s telescope system only detects asteroids at least 50 meters in diameter (直径), which is just about the size of 2012 DA14. But the meteor was much smaller, which made it harder to spot.
But what if we do spot an asteroid that is headed right for Earth? There are several possible ways in which dangerous asteroids could be made to change its orbit. Which method is best depends on several factors and most importantly – how much time we have to stop it.
If there is enough time before the hit, we can send off a heavy spacecraft to travel alongside the asteroid. The gravity from the spacecraft would gradually change the rock’s orbit. Besides that, scientists could one day use sun-powered lasers to either make asteroids disappear or change their course. If there’s not enough time, we’ll have to go after the asteroid with a spacecraft and change its orbit with a crash. Finally, if things are truly desperate, there will be only one choice left – to use a nuclear bomb. That could turn the asteroid into a meteor shower, which would be even more dangerous.
【小题1】The author mentioned the asteroid that led to the dinosaurs’ dying out to ______.
| A．show that asteroids fall from space frequently |
| B．alert people about the possible danger of objects falling from space |
| C．inform readers about the constant threats the Earth faces |
| D．suggest that there are still many mysteries about the universe |
| A．unprotected | B．lonely | C．stupid | D．self-important |
| A．It passed by the Earth at a close distance. |
| B．It was spotted by NASA’s telescope system a year ago. |
| C．It is about the same size as the asteroid that passed by the Earth. |
| D．It fell to the Earth and caused great damage to the local community. |
| A．Learning about asteroids and meteors. |
| B．The threats of objects from space and possible solutions. |
| C．NASA’s latest technology to discover visitors to the Earth from space. |
| D．How to measure the damage of collisions from asteroids and meteors. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
WASHINGTON—Two-thirds of the world’s polar bear population could be gone by 2050 if predictions of melting sea ice hold true, the US Geological Survey reported on Friday.
The fate of polar bears could be even worse than that estimate, because sea ice in the Arctic might be disappearing faster than the available computer models predict, the geological survey said in a report aimed at determining whether the big white bear should be listed as a threatened species.
“There is a definite link between changes in the sea ice and the welfare of polar bears,” said Steve Amstrup, who led the research team. He says Arctic sea ice is already at the lowest this year and is expected to retreat(退却) farther this month.
That means that polar bears—some 16,000 of them -- will disappear by 2050 from parts of the Arctic where sea ice is melting most rapidly, along the north coasts of Alaska and Russia, researchers said in a telephone briefing(简报).
Other polar bears could survive beyond that date but many of those could be gone by 2100, Amstrup said. By this century’s end, the only polar bears left might live in the Canadian Arctic islands and along the west coast of Greenland.
“It is likely to result in loss of approximately two-thirds of the world’s current polar bear population by the mid 21st century,” the report’s executive summary said.
“Because the observed trajectory(轨迹)of Arctic sea ice decline appears to be underestimated by currently available models, this assessment of future polar bear status may be conservative(保守的).”
In January, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the polar bear as a threatened species, noting polar bears depend on sea ice as a platform to hunt seals, their main food.
Without enough sea ice, polar bears would be forced onto land, but they are poor hunters once they get out of the water and ice, the researchers said. The bears’ disappearance would probably take place as young cubs(幼兽)failed to survive to adulthood and females were unable to reproduce successfully.
【小题1】What was the US Geological Survey intended to do?
| A．To determine whether the polar bear was in danger. |
| B．To measure how fast the sea ice melts in the Arctic. |
| C．To check the predictions of the computer models. |
| D．To find out the exact number of the polar bear. |
| A．The pollution of the Arctic region. | B．The sea ice melting at high speed |
| C．Fewer food sources being left. | D．The temperature getting colder. |
| A．help young polar bears to survive the cold winter |
| B．have large number of seals living in the oceans |
| C．make sure there is enough sea ice in the Arctic |
| D．provide chances for adult polar bears to reproduce |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Who is the most powerful woman in the world? According to the US media, it's Janet Yellen, or at least she's about to be.
On Oct 9, 2013，US President Barack Obama nominated （提名）Yellen to serve as the next US Federal Reserve (the Fed, 美联储）chair. If confirmed by the Senate, Yellen will become the first woman to serve in the top spot.
Aged 67, silver-haired and tiny, Yellen is said to be the most qualified nominee ever. She chaired President Bill
Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers, taught at Harvard and Berkeley, and was president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. She is currently the Fed's vice chair.
Many think Yellen is the right choice to deal with the challenges the Fed now faces：First, to bring interest rates back to more normal levels without triggering a new recession（衰退）．Second, to reduce the US unemployment rate, which remains at historically high levels.
A CNN opinion piece says Yellen is unusual for an economist of her caliber（才干）．"She has kept her eyes on what's critical-the people. Her research has centered on unemployment, on the best way to modulate（调整）government policies to benefit the people."
Past records also show that Yellen is exceptionally good at predicting where the economy is headed. An article in The Washington Post points out that she was one of the few voices at the Fed inDecember 2009 warning about the subprime crisis（次贷危机）and the following recession.
The reason why Yellen will be the most powerful woman in the world has to do with the unique position of the Federal Reserve, explains an article on Quartz, a US news outlet for business people in the new global economy,
First of all, the Fed is independent. Unlike US Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Hilary Clinton, the decisions made by the organization Yellen will lead next year are not subject to approval by anyone in the government.
Within the Fed, the chair alone sets the agenda. The Fed chairperson has huge influence on monetary policy（货币政策）and financial regulation. And don't forget how powerful the Fed itself is. It controls the money supply in the world's largest economy. The Fed's interest rate decisions don't just set the course for the US economy, its decisions set the course for the world economy, too.
Because of globalization, Yellen's decisions will affect everyone around the world, says an article in The Atlantic, making her even more powerful than some great women rulers in history, including Elizabeth I of England and China's Wu Zetian. For example, the article continues: "If Yellen even just talks about slowing down the Fed's bond-buying, Europe's troubled economies are likely to see their interest rates rise, and emerging markets, some of which, like India and Indonesia, used foreign capital to fund their current account deficits（赤字），are likely to see their currencies collapse."
【小题1】According to the passage, which of the following is NOT the reason for Yellen's nomination?
| A．Yellen's professional experiences． |
| B．Yellen's ability to deal with the challenges the Fed faces. |
| C．Yellen's educational background. |
| D．Yellen's remarkable competence as an economist. |
| A．the Fed is the most powerful organization in the US |
| B．Yellen gets full support from Obama |
| C．Yellen holds a unique position in the government |
| D．the Fed possesses great power and influence |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Negative. |
| C．Understanding. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．To introduce the US Federal Reserve. |
| B．To report on the next Fed chair. |
| C．To introduce the current world economy. |
| D．To report on a few powerful women. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Can a Language Become Extinct?
A language can become extinct when the last person who can speak it passes away. Or more likely when the secondlast person who speaks it dies because then there is no one left to talk to. According to linguists (语言学家) there is nothing unusual about a single language dying out. But what is happening today is quite remarkable. According to the recent statistics, there are approximately 6,000 languages in the world as we speak. Of these, about half are going to die out in the next century.
There are several reasons as to why a language can eventually die out. These range from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, to sociological factors, like cultural assimilation, in which the culture of a minority group is gradually replaced by a stronger one. The former can cause tribes to leave their natural habitat(栖息地) and therefore become fewer and fewer in number. However, it doesn't happen very frequently. In fact, the latter is a much bigger threat and it is responsible for the extinction of a lot of languages in countries like the USA and Australia. For instance, Chemehuevi is one of the languages which is really close to dying out since its sole speaker is an old, yet healthy, man named Johnny Hill, Jr.
It is very important for as many languages as possible to be preserved. Scientists have been trying to raise people's awareness on how certain tribes have specific words which cannot be expressed in let's say English simply because there is no equal meaning. Namely, the Yupik of Alaska have 99 names to describe different layers of ice formation, or how the Tofa of Siberia classify reindeer (驯鹿). In other words, when languages die out, mankind's wisdom reduces.
On a happier note, there are many famous cases which show what can be done to preserve languages in danger of extinction. In particular, the Maori in New Zealand have created socalled “language nests”： organizations which help children under five learn the language. They provide them with a setting where they are exposed to the language intensively so that they get to realise that communicating in Maori is as natural as communicating in English. There is always, of course, the risk that the children won't keep the language alive after they have left their “nests”. Nevertheless, hope dies hard.
【小题1】What most probably caused the death of languages in the USA and Australia?
| A．Habitats were lost. |
| B．Natural disasters struck. |
| C．Native cultures disappeared. |
| D．Foreign languages were spoken. |
| A．listing definitions |
| B．providing examples |
| C．presenting causes and effects |
| D．comparing with other opinions |
| A．Attempts may not produce the desired effect. |
| B．Environment is important in language protection. |
| C．People can do little about a language's extinction. |
| D．Measures should be taken in spite of difficulties. |
| A．all languages are finally going to die out |
| B．human wisdom can be reflected in languages |
| C．the protective approaches have proved ineffective |
| D．the current situation of languages hardly requires attention |
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