It is easy for us to tell our friends from our enemies. But can other animals do the same? Elephants can! They can use their sense of vision and smell to tell the difference between people who pose a threat and those who do not.
In Kenya, researchers have found that elephants react differently to clothing worn by men of the Maasai and Kamba ethnic groups. Young Maasai men spear animals and thus pose a threat to elephants; Kamba men are mainly farmers and are not a danger to elephants.
In an experiment conducted by animal scientists, elephants were first presented with clean clothing or clothing that had been worn for five days by either a Maasai or a Kamba man. When the elephants detected the smell of clothing worn by a Maasai man, they moved away from the smell faster and took longer to relax than when they detected the smells of either clothing worn by Kamba men or clothing that had not been worn at all.
Garment color also plays a role, though in a different way. In the same study, when the elephants saw red clothing not worn before, they reacted angrily, as red is typically worn by Maasai men. Rather than running away as they did with the smell, the elephants acted aggressively toward the red clothing.
The researchers believe that the elephants’ emotional reactions are due to their different interpretations of the smells and the sights. Smelling a potential danger means that a threat is nearby and the best thing to do is run away and hide. Seeing a potential threat without its smell means that risk is low. Therefore, instead of showing fear and running away, the elephants express their anger and become aggressive.
【小题1】According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
| A．Maasai people are a threat to elephants. |
| B．Kamba people raise elephants for farming. |
| C．Both Kamba and Maasai people are elephant hunters. |
| D．Both Kamba and Maasai people traditionally wear red clothing. |
| A．They attacked a man with the smell of new clothing. |
| B．They needed time to relax when smelling something unfamiliar. |
| C．They became anxious when they smelled Kamba-scented clothing. |
| D．They were frightened and ran away when they smelled their enemies. |
| A．Elephants attack people who wear red clothing. |
| B．Elephants use sight and smell to detect danger. |
| C．Scientists are now able to control elephants’ emotions. |
| D．Some Kenyan tribes understand elephants’ emotions very well. |
| A．Elephants learn from their experiences. |
| B．Elephants have sharper sense of smell than sight. |
| C．Elephants are more intelligent than other animals. |
| D．Elephants tend to attack rather than escape when in danger. |
【小题1】A
【小题2】D
【小题3】B
【小题4】A
解析试题分析：这篇文章讲的是大象可以通过气味和颜色探测危险。闻到危险的气味它们会害怕逃跑，看到危险的颜色会表现出好斗的情绪。而且大象的行为是因为它们的经历中。
【小题1】细节题：从第二段的句子：In Kenya, researchers have found that elephants react differently to clothing worn by men of the Maasai and Kamba ethnic groups. Young Maasai men spear animals and thus pose a threat to elephants; 可知Maasai 会用矛袭击大象，对大象是个威胁。选A
【小题2】细节题：从第三段的句子：When the elephants detected the smell of clothing worn by a Maasai man, they moved away from the smell faster可知当闻到有危险的气味，大象会害怕的逃跑。选D
【小题3】主旨题：从第一段的句子：Elephants can! They can use their sense of vision and smell to tell the difference between people who pose a threat and those who do not. 可知这篇文章讲的是大象可以通过气味和颜色探测危险。选B
【小题4】推理题：从最后一段的句子：The researchers believe that the elephants’ emotional reactions are due to their different interpretations of the smells and the sights. 可知大象的行为是因为它们的经历中。选A
考点：考查科普类短文
天天向上一本好卷系列答案
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
BEIJING (AP) — Sandstorms whipping across China shrouded(遮蔽) cities in an unhealthy cloud of sand Monday, with winds carrying the pollution outside the mainland as far as Hong Kong and Taiwan.
It was the latest sign of the effects of desertification: Overgrazing, deforestation, urban sprawl(无计划地扩展) and drought have expanded deserts in the country's north and west. The shifting sands have gradually moved onto populated areas and worsened sandstorms that strike cities, particularly in the spring.
Winds blowing from the northwest have been sweeping sand across the country since Saturday, affecting Xinjiang in the far west all the way to Beijing in the country's east. The sand and dust were carried to parts of southern China and even to cities in Taiwan, 1600 miles (2600 kilometers) away from Inner Mongolia where much of the pollution originated.
The sandstorm in Taiwan, an island 100 miles (160 kilometers) away from the mainland, forced people to cover their faces to avoid breathing in the grit(砂砾) that can cause chest discomfort and respiratory problems even in healthy people. Drivers complained their cars were covered in a layer of black soot in just 10 minutes.
In Hong Kong, environmental protection officials said pollution levels were climbing as the sandstorm moved south. Twenty elderly people sought medical assistance for shortness of breath, Hong Kong's radio RTHK reported.
The latest sandstorm was expected to hit South Korea on Tuesday, said Kim Seung-bum of the Korea Meteorological Administration. The sandstorm that raked(掠过) across China over the weekend caused the worst "yellow dust" haze in South Korea since 2005, and authorities issued a rare nationwide dust advisory.
Grit from Chinese sandstorms has been found to travel as far as the western United States.
China's Central Meteorological Station urged people to close doors and windows, and cover their faces with masks or scarves when going outside. Sensitive electronic and mechanical equipment should be sealed off, the station said in a warning posted Monday on its Web site.
State television's noon newscast showed the tourist city of Hangzhou on the eastern coast, where graceful bridges and waterside pagodas were hidden in a mix of sand and other pollution. In Beijing, residents and tourists with faces covered scurried along sidewalks to minimize exposure to the pollution.
A massive sandstorm hit Beijing in 2006, when winds dumped about 300,000 tons of sand on the capital.
【小题1】We can learn from the text that .
| A．the sandstorms were purposely made by China. |
| B．the writer thinks that China government should be responsible for the pollution. |
| C．the sandstorms badly affected the air in US. |
| D．China's Central Meteorological Station will be closed. |
| A．Xinjiang | B．Hangzhou | C．Beijing | D．Inner Mongolia |
| A．breathing | B．digesting | C．hearing | D．walking |
| A．South Korea seldom issues nationwide dust advisories. |
| B．Taiwan is 1,600 miles from Beijing. |
| C．Sandstorms have hit Beijing more than once. |
| D．In Hong Kong some old people need help for shortness of breath caused by sandstorms. |
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Imagine living in a city made of glass. No, this isn’t a fairy tale. If you could grab your diving gear and swim down 650 feet into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington State, you would witness the secret world of glass reefs.
The reef you’d be looking at is made up of glass sponges(海绵). But how can animals be made of glass? Well, glass is formed from a substance called silica. The sponges use the silica found in ocean waters to build glass structures that will give them shape and support. Be careful! Some of the fragile creatures are up to 200 years old.
When sponges die, new ones grow on top of the pile of old ones. Over centuries, a massive and complex reef takes shape. Some sponges look like wrinkled trumpets, while others look like overgrown cauliflower or mushrooms.
Dr. Paul Johnson, who discovered the Washington reef in 2007, also found other surprises such as bubbles of methane(甲烷) gas flowing out of the seafloor nearby. The methane feeds bacteria, and the bacteria feed the glass sponges.
“It’s a new ecosystem we know nothing about,” said Dr. Johnson.
The reef of yellow and orange glass sponges is crowded with crabs, shrimp, starfish, worms, snails, and rockfish. The glass reef is also a nursery for the babies of many of these creatures and was called a “kindergarten” by scientists.
Many animals that live in the reef hang around for a long time, just like the sponges. Rockfish, for example, live for more than 100 years. Scientists are just beginning to study all the species that call the reef home.
The Washington coast isn’t the only place where a living glass reef has been found. The first was discovered in Hecate Strait off the coast of British Columbia in 1991. Scientists all over the world were stunned to see it.
【小题1】Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．Man-made cities under the sea | B．The world under the sea |
| C．Glass “cities” under the sea | D．Creatures under the sea |
| A．is made up of a kind of materials called sponges |
| B．is a work of art made by some American scientists |
| C．is a new ecosystem people are not familiar with |
| D．was first discovered off the coast of Washington State |
| A．The sponges must feel soft. |
| B．Silica comes from animals’ body fluid. |
| C．Methane is harmful to glass sponges. |
| D．Glass sponges depend on the bacteria for a living. |
| A．Because the babies of many sea creatures grow well there. |
| B．Because thousands of children visit it every year. |
| C．Because it is crowded with snails and rockfish, etc. |
| D．Because all the species call the reef home. |
| A．Greatly surprised. | B．Extremely scared. |
| C．Highly satisfied. | D．Very pleased. |
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
With alarming regularity, we read about oil tankers having accidents near land and the terrible consequences of the oil spills （泄露） on people, nature, and the environment．
Millions of dollars have been used in developing special chemicals to help dismiss the spills and to clean up the animals, beaches, and land spoiled by the oil．Unfortunately, when many of these chemicals are used, more damage is caused to the environment, especially to lives in the sea．
Of all of today's environmental disasters, an oil spill may actually be one of the least serious．Although oil is poisonous, it is a natural material．In the end, it breaks down naturally．There are, of course, long-term effects, but it is usually more serious in the short term．
Nature by itself works better than chemical materials, but when there is a spill we demand that governments act immediately with as much hi-tech knowledge as possible．In 1967 the tanker Torrey Canyon sank off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England and spilled 120,000 tones of oil into the ocean．If you go there today, you will find it hard to see any sign that it ever happened．
Governments seem to accept the risk of transporting millions of tons of oil by ship every day so that we can fill up our cars and drive around and cause even more environmental damage．Interestingly, the biggest companies in the world produce cars, and the next biggest supply the gasoline to make them run.
We should be thinking more about reducing our dependency on oil．Governments should be encouraging research into new technologies, such as cars run by solar power （太阳能） , electricity, hydrogen, and so on．Much of this research has, in the past, been held back by the oil, gas, and coal．
If the world's millions of cars were 10% more efficient （高效的）—and the industry could easily produce cars at least twice as efficient，we would need many fewer tankers crossing the oceans each year．If this happened, the risks of oil spills would be reduced, and the air we breathe would be cleaner and fresher, too．
【小题1】What is the passage mainly talking about?
| A．Oil spills pollution． | B．What oil pollution is |
| C．Oil tanker accidents. | D．How to reduce oil pollution |
| A．By giving a description． | B．By making an argument |
| C．By giving an example． | D．By drawing a diagram |
| A．Transportation depending more on oil |
| B．Poisonous oil breaking down naturally |
| C．Millions of tons of oil spilling into the sea |
| D．More environmental damage being caused |
| A．We should build safer tankers in the near future |
| B．We should develop new technologies to cut oil use |
| C．Tankers should not be allowed to sail near the coastlines |
| D．Countries should build more oil pipelines under the sea |
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
We know that sugary sodas aren’t good for our bodies. Now it turns out that they may not be good for our minds, either. A new study of more than 260,000 people has found a link between sweetened soft-drinks and depression, and diet sodas may be making matters worse.
Americans drink far more sodas than people in other countries— as much as 170 liters per person per year. But the impact of this study isn’t limited to the United States. “Sweetened drinks, coffee and tea are commonly consumed worldwide and have important physical consequences. And they may have important mental-health consequences as well,” study author Dr Honglei Chen said in a statement.
The study studied 263,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71. Researchers followed their consumption of drinks like soda, tea coffee, and other soft drinks from 1995 to 1996 and then. 10 years later, asked them if they had been diagnosed with depression since the year 2000. More than 11,3000 of them had.
Participants who drank more than four servings of sodas per day were 30 percent more likely to develop depression than participants who did not drink sodas at all. People who stuck with fruit punch(鸡尾酒), had a 38 percent higher risk than people who didn’t drink sweetened drinks. And all that extra sugar isn’t the actual problem. Researchers say that the artificial sweetener aspartame may be to blame.
The study found a link but could not surely determine whether sodas and other sweet soft drinks cause depression. Still, the results “are consistent with a small but growing body of evidence suggesting that artificially sweetened beverages may be linked to poor health outcomes.”
But there’s a bright side for those who can’t live without their daily sodas. Adults who drank coffee had a 10 percent lower risk of depression compared to people who didn’t drink any coffee, according to the study. “Our research suggests that cutting out or down on sweetened diet drinks or replacing them with unsweetened coffee may naturally help lower your depression risk,” said Chen.
【小题1】What has the new study of more than 260,000 people found?
| A．Sugary sodas aren’t good for the physical health of old people. |
| B．Americans have a special tooth for sweet foods. |
| C．Sweetened soft-drinks may increase the risk of depression. |
| D．Sweetened soft-drinks have important physical consequences. |
| A．About twenty-six thousand people participated in it. |
| B．The oldest participants were below 80 when the study was over. |
| C．Most of the participants had depression when the study was over. |
| D．The study lasted more than ten years from the beginning to the end. |
| A．can reduce the harm of sweetened drinks |
| B．is used to reduce the risk of depression |
| C．is mainly used to make fruit punch |
| D．is used to make something .sweet |
| A．more research is needed to confirm the new findings |
| B．the new findings aren’t consistent with any previous findings |
| C．cutting one’s sodas intake will surely reduce one’s depression |
| D．the new findings won’t have an impact on people’s drinking habits |
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Based on new analysis, we are rapidly approaching major climate change and the effects on society and the environment could be quite severe. Geographers predict that within the next eighty years, current world climate zones could shift and some could completely disappear. Polar regions will get colder while tropical regions will get even hotter, forcing animals to migrate (迁徙) north.
Climate changes like these could lead to the spread of diseases. Tropical storms and hurricanes will not only increase but may also become more intense. If the changes come too quickly, animal and plant species may not be able to adapt fast enough and could disappear.
According to Science Daily, a new study predicts that by the year 2100, many of today’s familiar climates will be replaced by climates unknown in today’s world. It is urgent that we reduce the risks of these far-reaching consequences for the whole world. The planet itself has been showing signs of change. In 2004, a serious tsunami created by a major earthquake killed thousands in Sumatra and in 2008, thousands died in China because of another severe earthquake. Egypt was hit in 2009 with a major earthquake and Haiti was devastated in 2010 by yet another massive earthquake.
Within just the last few months, new reports from around the world have been coming in and most agree that our climate situation is much worse than previously thought. At this point, it doesn’t matter what is causing it, but rather, what can be done about it. What’s more, our world is getting more and more unstable every year. There is war and threat of war everywhere. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and serious.
However, other planets are experiencing global warming as well as our own and some scientists believe there may be some connection between this. No one knows anything for sure at this point because there is simply not enough data.
【小题1】 Which of the following would be the best title for the Passage ?
| A．Ways to protect our planet. | B．Solutions to climate change. |
| C．Be prepared for climate change. | D．Climate change and its effects. |
| A．To show the damage earthquakes caused. |
| B．To remind people to prevent future earthquakes. |
| C．To show major changes are taking place on the planet. |
| D．To tell us more earthquakes will happen in the future. |
| A．Separated. | B．Destroyed. | C．Removed. | D．Affected. |
| A．Animals and plants won’t die out as long as climate changes slowly. |
| B．There’s enough data for us to predict the future of climate change. |
| C．The world is getting more unstable because of animal migration. |
| D．The earth is not the only planet that is experiencing climate change. |
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Many cities have subways and underground public transportation to take locals and tourists alike rapidly around the city．However, there’s something different about riding a London subway．It may not look different, but the historical value of one of England’s most popular forms of transportation is enough to make riding the subway a must when visiting London．With a little under 300 different stations, the subway can take you almost anywhere you need to go．
Riding a London subway, a person from other countries will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other．In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times．That’s not rudeness ―people are just too busy to bother looking．
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they’re certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet thinking．Nor are they reading a book．New technology has replaced quiet habits．Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book．
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters（使用月票上下班者）．Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000―yes, that’s 40,000 “apps” have been designed．
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers．One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks．Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination．iSteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone．You can then write in the “steam” on your phone screen．
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be the distraction（消遣）of choice．It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music－iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages．
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you occupied, then perhaps you would prefer a film? The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV shows or films on the way to work．With all these distractions, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train．
【小题1】Those who want to save time to reach where they go can download ______ to their iPhones．
| A．iShoot | B．Tube Exits | C．iSteam | D．iPod |
| A．they are going to work and have no time to communicate with each other |
| B．they love reading books and do not want to be disturbed |
| C．they feel sleepy because of getting up early |
| D．they are busy playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films |
| A．computers | B．programs downloaded for the iPhone |
| C．computer companies | D．fortune from London commuters |
| A．for | B．against | C．neutral | D．hateful |
| A．London commuters are unfriendly to strangers |
| B．Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40,000 apps |
| C．technology is changing how London commuters spend their traveling time |
| D．riding a London subway is a must when visiting London |
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Astronomers (天文学家) say they are on the point of finding planets like Earth orbiting other stars, which is a key step in determining if we are alone in the universe.
A top NASA official and other leading scientists say that within four or five years they should discover the first Earth-like planet where life could develop, or may have already. A planet close to the size of Earth could even be found sometime this year.
At the annual American Astronomical Society conference this week, each discovery involving so-called “exoplanets” —those outside our solar system — pointed to the same conclusion：Quiet planets like Earth where life could develop probably are plentiful.
NASA’s Dew Kepler telescope and a lot of new research from the suddenly hot and competitive exoplanet field caused noticeable buzz at the meeting．Scientists are talking about being at “an incredible special place in history” and closer to answering the question. “Are we alone? For the first time, there’s an optimism that sometime in our lifetimes we’re going to get to the bottom of that,” said Simon Worden，an astronomer who heads NASA’s Ames Research Center. “If I were a betting man, which I am, I would bet we’re not alone.”
“These are big questions that reflect upon the meaning of the human race in the universe,” the director of the Vatican Observatory, the Rev. Jose Funes, said Wednesday in an interview at this week’s conference.
Worden told The Associated Press: “I would certainly expect in the next four or five years we’d have an Earth-sized planet in the habitable (可居住的) zone.”
【小题1】What is very important in determining if we are alone in the universe?
| A．Finding an Earth-like planet |
| B．Orbiting other stars. |
| C．Developing new telescopes |
| D．Finding more exoplanets. |
| A．It’s a planet like Earth |
| B．It’s a planet outside our solar system. |
| C．It’s a planet orbiting the sun |
| D．It’s a planet where life have developed. |
| A．understand fully | B．make full use of |
| C．search for | D．do more research on |
| A．an Earth-like planet has been found |
| B．it’s been proved we are not alone in the universe |
| C．Jose Funes has found the meaning of the human race in the universe |
| D．the discovery of an Earth-like planet could happen in the near future |
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
When you are invited to attend a party in the West, the first important thing you need to know is that you should arrive late.
It is a great embarrassment to arrive at a party early or even on time. Therefore, unless you are the host of the party, you never want to be the first person present at a party. Why? Because others may think that you have no life or nothing better to do than wait for a party to start. Many people try to project（展现）an image（形象）of always being busy, which, whether true or not, has something to do with success. So, by arriving late, you are implying: “I live a full life and it's really exciting.”
Therefore, an 8 o'clock party usually doesn't really start until maybe 9 o'clock, as everyone wants to be thought of as a busy and important person with lots of things to do. In other words, a party is one of those rare occasions（极少数场合）in which your punctuality can actually hurt you. It's quite a strange thing, isn't it? Anyhow, remember to be late!
【小题1】The passage is most likely to have been taken from a book about______.
| A．life in the West | B．health and medicine |
| C．politics in the West | D．behavioral science |
| A．They are not the host of the party. |
| B．They are too busy to arrive on time. |
| C．They want others to think they are busy. |
| D．They don’t want to wait for a party to start. |
| A．Being polite | B．Being late |
| C．Being smart | D．Being on time |
| A．Sometimes people pretend to be what they want to be. |
| B．Lateness is not a problem when you are attending a meeting. |
| C．You need to be late on every occasion. |
| D．Going to a party can be a waste of time. |
查看答案和解析>>
湖北省互联网违法和不良信息举报平台 | 网上有害信息举报专区 | 电信诈骗举报专区 | 涉历史虚无主义有害信息举报专区 | 涉企侵权举报专区
违法和不良信息举报电话：027-86699610 举报邮箱：58377363@163.com