2009年职称英语理工类新增文章？ 2009 年职称英语理工类教材新增部分内容 第二部分 阅读判断 （两篇） 第十二篇 Study Helps Predict Big Mediterranean Quake Scientists have found evidence that an overlooked fault in the eastern Mediterranean1 is likely to produce an earthquake and tsunami every 800 years as powerful as the one that destroyed Alexandria2 in AD3 365. Using radiocarbon dating techniques, simulations and computer models, the researchers recreated the ancient disaster in order to identify the responsible fault. ‘We are saying there is probably a repeat time of 800 years for this kind of earthquake,' said Ms Beth Shaw, an earthquake scientist at the University of Cambridge, who led the study. Scientists study past earthquakes in order to determine the future possibility of similar large shocks. Identifying the fault for the AD 365 earthquake and tsunami is important for the tens of millions of people in the region, Ms. Shaw said. The fault close to the southwest coast of Crete4 last produced a big enough quake to generate a tsunami about 1300, which means the next powerful one could come in the next 100 years, she added in a telephone interview. Ms. Shaw and her colleagues calculate the likely intervals by measuring the motion of either side of the fault to find how often such large earthquakes would have to occur to account for that level of motion, she said. Their computer model suggested an 8 magnitude quake on the fault would produce a tsunami that floods the coastal regions of Alexandria and North Africa, the southern coast of Greece5 and Sicily6 all the way up the Adriati7 to Dubrovnik8. This would be similar to the ancient quake in AD 365 that caused widespread destruction in much of Greece and unleashed a tsunami that flooded Alexandria and the Nile Delta9, likely killing tens of thousands of people, she said. 词汇： fault n. 断层 interval n. 间隔 tsunami n. 海啸 magnitude n. 等级 radiocarbon n. 放射性碳 destruction n. 破坏，毁灭 simulation n. 模拟 unleash v. 放出，释放 注释 : 1. the eastern Mediterranean: 地中海东部 2. Alexandria: 阿里山大 [ 埃及北部港市 ] 3. AD: 公元后 (AD 是拉丁文 Anno Domini 首字母的所写 ) 4. Crete: [ 希腊 ] 克里特岛 5. Greece: 希腊 6. Sicily: [ 意大利 ] 西西里岛 7. Adriati: 亚得利亚海 8. Dubrovnik: 杜布罗夫尼克 [ 克罗地亚港市 ] 9. Nile Delta: 尼鲁河三角洲 [ 埃及 ] 练习 : 1. The fault, which was overlooked before, has been closely studied by scientists. A Right. B Wrong C Not mentioned 2. It is fun to identify the fault for the AD 365 earthquake and tsunami. A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 3. Radiocarbon dating techniques can be used to identify the age of the earth. A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 4. Scientists predict that the next powerful earthquake in the eastern Mediterranean may take place some time before 2100. A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 5. Ms. Shaw has her colleagues help her in the study of earthquake prediction. A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 6, Ms. Shaw measured the movement of either side of the fault to identify the magnitude of the earthquake taking place in AD 365. A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 7. The earthquake prediction devices developed by Ms. Shaw are being widely used in the world. A Right B Wrong C Not mentioned 答案与题解： 1 ． A 文章的主题是，以往科学家忽视了地中海断层的存在。现在地震学家对地中海断层进行研究，并认定断层的运动造成公元 365 年的地震和海啸，以及推算出地震和海啸发生的周期。所以，本句表达的意思是对的。 2 ． B 文章第三段说到， “ 认定断层造成了公元 365 年的地震和海啸，这一认定对该地区的几千万人来说是重要的 ” 。把这项研究说成是有趣的与原文 “ 重要 ” 的意思有很大的不同，所以是错误的。 3 ． C 全文没有一处提到 radiocarbon dating techniques 可用来确定地球的年龄。 4 ． A Shaw 女士和她的研究组认定，地中海东部的断层的移动每 800 年左右会引发一次超强 地震和海啸。前两次发生的时间分别是 365 年和 l300 年左右。根据这一推断，在未来 l00 年中，会发生一次超强地震和海啸。第三段对此有说明。 5 ． A 这句表达的意思与原文相符。原句见第四段第一句： “ Ms ． Shaw and her colleagues calculate the likely intervals by measuring the motion of either side of the fault to gauge how often such large earthquakes would have to occur to account for that level of motion” 。 6 ． B Shaw 女士和她的研究组测量过 the motion of either side of the fault ，但目的不是为了 identify the magnitude of the earthquake taking place in AD 365 ，而是为了 find how often such large earthquakes would have to occur to account for that level of motion 。 7 ． C 纵观全文，文章中没有一句提到 Shaw 女士发明过地震预测装置，更没有谈及这种装置在全世界得到广泛应用这一点。 第十五篇 Image Martian Dust Particles NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander1 has taken its first-ever picture of a single particle of rusty Martian dust with one of its microscopes. The dust particles of dust were shown at a higher magnification than anything outside of Earth that has been imaged before. The rounded particle measured only about one micrometer, or one millionth of a meter, across. Taking this image required the highest resolution microscope operated off Earth2 and a specially designed device to hold the Martian dust," said Tom Pike, a Phoenix science team member from Imperial College London3. "We always knew it was going to be technically very challenging to image particles this small4.'' The device that imaged the dust speck is called an atomic force microscope, which maps the shape of particles in three dimensions by scanning them with a sharp tip at the end of a spring. The atomic force microscope can detail the shapes of particles as small as about 100 nanometers. And this won't be the last dust particle that Phoenix will image5. "After this first success, we're now working on building up a portrait gallery6 of the dust on Mars," Pike said. Dust exists everywhere on Mars, coating the surface and giving it its rusty red color. Dust particles also color the Martian sky pink and feed storms that regularly envelope the planet. The ultra-fine7 dust is the medium that actively links gases in the Martian atmosphere to processes in Martian soil, so it is critically important to understanding Mars' environment8, the researchers said. The $420-million Phoenix mission is analyzing the dust and subsurface ice layers of Mars' arctic regions to look for signs of potential past habitability. The particle seen in the atomic force microscope image was part of a sample scooped by the robotic arm from the "Snow White" trench and delivered to Phoenix's microscope station in early July. 词汇 : image v. 绘 …… 的图像 scan v. 扫描 magnification n. 放大 subsurface adj. 地面下的 micrometer n. 微米 habitability n. 居住性 resolution n. 分辨率，清晰度 scoop v. 挖 map v. 绘制 …… 的地图 trench n. 沟 注释 : 1. NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander: 美国国家航空航天局的凤凰号火星登陆器 2. off earth : 地球之外 3. Imperial College London : 伦敦帝国学院 4. image particles this small: 描绘如此之小的微粒。 image particles this small 是口语的说法，其意思是 image such small particles ／ image particles which are so small 。 5. And this won't be the last dust particle that Phoenix will image: 这不会是凤凰号扫描图像的最后的尘粒。本句的言外之意是：科学家将会收集更多的火星微粒进行扫描。 6. portrait gallery: ( 火星尘粒 ) 图像陈列馆 7. ultra-fine : 超小的 8. it is critically important to understanding Mars' environment: 火星尘粒对于了解火星环境是极端重要的。 it 指代上一句的 dust ，而 to 是介词，所以后接动名词 understanding 。 练习 : 1. The dust particle on Mars is the smallest particle that has been imaged outside of Earth. A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned 2. Using the same technology, we have also measured the size of particles on the moon and Jupiter. A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned 3. Scientists use the highest resolution microscope to watch and record the image of Martian particles on earth. A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned 4. Tom Pike said that they used to think it was no easy job to image such small particles. A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned 5. An electronic device has been developed to measure the weight of certain Martian rocks. A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned 6. After collecting the last Martian dust particle, the scientists have started to build up a portrait gallery of it. A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned 7. The Phoenix's robotic arm collected the Martian dust particles for analysis on Mars. A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned 第三部分 概括大意与完成句子 （两篇） 第十篇 Washoe Learned American Sign Language 1 An animal that influenced scientific thought has died. A chimpanzee named Washoe and born in Africa died of natural causes late last month at the age of 42 at a research center in the American state of Washington. Wash0e had become known in the scientific community １ and around the world for her ability to use American Sign Language ２ . She was said to be the first non-human to learn a human language. Her skills also led to debate3 about primates and their ability to understand language. 2 Research scientists Allen and Beatrix Gardner began teaching Washoe sign language in 1966. In 1969, the Gardners7 described Washoe's progress in a scientific report. The people who experimented with Washoe said she grew to understand4 about 250 words. For example, Washoe made signs to communicate when it was time to eat. She could request foods like apples and bananas. She also asked questions like, "Who is coming to play?" Once5 the news about Washoe spread, many language scientists began studies of their own6 into this new and exciting area of research. The whole direction of primate research changed. 3 However, critics argued Washoe only learned to repeat sign language movements from watching her teachers. They said she had never developed true language skills. Even now, there are some researchers who suggest that primates learn sign language only by memory, and perform the signs only for prizes. Yet Washoe's keepers disagree. Roger Fouts is a former student of the Gardners7. He took Washoe to a research center in Ellensburg, Washington. There, Washoe taught sign language to three younger chimpanzees, which are still alive. 4 Scientists like private researcher Jane Goodall believes Washoe provided new information about the mental workings of chimpanzees8. Today, there are not as many scientists studying language skills with chimps. Part of the reason is that this kind of research takes a very long time. 5 Debate continues about chimps' understanding of human communication. Yet, one thing is sure -- Washoe changed popular ideas about the possibilities of animal intelligence. 词汇 : chimpanzee n ．黑猩猩 critic n ．评论家，批评家 community n ．社区，圈子 workings n ．活动，运行 primate n ．灵长类动物 chimp n ． =chimpanzee 注释： 1. in the scientific community : 在科学界，在科学家的圈子里 2. American Sign Language(ASL): 美国手语。利用手、脸部表情、身体姿势表达思想的美国聋哑人语言。在加拿大、墨西哥等地也使用 ASL 。 ASL 与 British Sign Language(BSL 英国手语 ) 不同，两者不能相互理解。 3. led to debate: 引起辩论。 lead to 意为 “ 导致 ” ， to 为介词， debate 为名词。 4. she grew to understand about 250 words: 她渐渐掌握约 250 个单词。 9row t0 是 “ 渐渐 ” 的意思。 5. Once : 一旦。 0nce 是连接词。例 :Children like to cycle once they have learned how. 小孩一旦学会了如何骑自行车，就会喜欢上它。 6. of their own: 属于自己的。 of their own 的含义与 on their own 不同， on their own 是 “ 独自 ” 的意思。 7. the Gardners: Gardner 夫妇 8. Scientists like private researcher Jane Goodall believe...: 像个体研究者 Jane Goodall 这样的科学家相信 …… 。 like( 像，跟 …… 一样 ) 是介词，本句的谓语是 believe 。句子中的 private researcher 意为 “ 不受雇于任何单位，自己独立工作的科研人员。 ” 练习： A Reason Why Not Many Scientists Carry out This Research Nowadays B Report about Washoe's Progress in Learning Sign Language C General Information about Washoe D The Gardeners' Contributions Recognized E Debate on Chimps' Intelligence F Washoe's Love for Three Young Chimps 1. Paragraph 1 2. Paragraph 2 3. Paragraph 3 4. Paragraph 4 5. Washoe could make signs to communicate 6. Some scientists doubted 7. Washoe taught three younger chimps sign language 8. The experimenters thought Washoe was intelligent A if the Gardeners' argument was sound B because she was cleverer than other chimps C when she wanted to eat D while she was at a research center in Ellensburg E because she could use sign language to ask for fruits F while Washoe was learning sign language 第十五篇 Maglev Trains 1 A few countries are using powerful electromagnets to develop high-speed trains, called maglev trains. Maglev is short for magnetic levitation 1 , which means that these trains float over a guide way using the basic principles of magnets to replace the old steel wheel and track trains. 2 If you've ever played with magnets, you know that opposite poles attract and like poles repel each other2. This is the basic principle behind electromagnetic propulsion. Electromagnets are similar to other magnets in that they attract metal objects, but the magnetic pull is temporary. You can easily create a small electromagnet yourself by connecting the ends of a copper wire to the positive and negative ends of an AA-cell battery3. This creates a small magnetic field. If you disconnect either end of the wire from the battery, the magnetic field is taken away. 3 The magnetic field created in this wire-and-battery experiment is the simple idea behind a maglev train rail system. There are three components to this system: A large electrical power source, metal coils lining a guide way or track, and large guidance magnets attached to the underside of the train. 4 The big difference between a maglev train and a conventional train is that maglev trains do not have an engine -- at least not the kind of engine used to pull typical train cars along steel tracks4. The engine for maglev trains is rather innoticeable. Instead of using fossil fuels, the magnetic field created by the electrified coils in the guideway walls and the track combines to propel the trains5. 5 The magnetized coil running along the track, called a guideway, repels the large magnets on the train's undercarriage, allowing the train to levitate between 1 to 10 cm above the guideway. Once the train is levitated, power is supplied to the coils within the guideway walls to create a unique system of magnetic fields that pull and push~ th train along the guideway. The electric current supplied to the coils in the guideway walls is constantly alternating to change the polarity of the magnetized coils. This change in polarity causes the magnetic field in front of the train to pull the vehicle forward, while the magnetic field behind the train adds more forward thrust. 6 Maglev trains float on a cushion of air', eliminating friction. This lack of friction allows these trains to reach unprecedented ground transportation speeds of more than 500 kph, or twice as fast as the fastest conventional train. At 500 kph, you could travel from Paris to Rome in just over two hours. 词汇： Levitate v. 悬浮 electrified v. 使带电 Levitation n. 悬浮 magnetize v. 使带磁 guideway n. 导向槽 line v. 排列成行 propelb vt. 推进 underside n. 下侧，下面 propulsion n. 推进 undercarriage n. 车盘 注释 : 1. Maglev is short for magnetic levitation :maglev 是 magnetic levitation 的缩略词。 2. opposite poles attract and like poles repel each other: 异极相吸，同极相斥 3. AA-cell battery:5 号电池 4. at least not the kind of engine used to pull typical train cars along steel tracks: 至少不是沿着轨道拉动典型的火车车厢的那种发动机。 5. the magnetic field created by the electrified coils in the guideway walls and the track combine to propel the train: 由嵌入导向壁内的电磁线圈产生的磁场加上轨道，一起推动火车前进。 The magnetic field 和 the track 是句子主语， created by the electrified coils in the guideway walls 是过去分词短语，用作定语，修饰 the magnetic field. 练习 : 1. Paragraph 3 2. Paragraph 4 3. Paragraph 5 A The Main Components of the Maglev Train System B High-speed Maglev due to Zero Friction C The Working Principle of the Maglev Train D Differences between Polarity and Magnetic Field E Comparison of Maglev Trains with Traditional Ones F Maglev with a Powerful Motor 4. Paragraph 6 5. Several countries in the world are using strong electromagnets 6. You can connect a wire to the positive and negative ends of a battery ． 7. A unique system of magnetic fields is created by the coils 8. The frictionless maglev train enables you A to develop a maglev train rail system B To explain why maglev trains are faster C to pull and push the train forward D to create a magnetic field E to experiment with the maglev train F to travel from Paris to Rome in about two hours 第四部分 阅读理解 （六篇） 3. Light Night, Dark Stars Thousands of people around the globe step outside to gaze at their night sky. On a clear night, with no clouds, moonlight, or artificial lights to block the view, people can see more than 14,000 stars in the sky, says Dennis Ward, an astronomer with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) in Boulder, Colo1. But when people are surrounded by city lights, he says, they're lucky to see 150 stars. If you've ever driven toward a big city at night and seen its glow from a great distance, you've witnessed light pollution. It occurs when light from streetlights, office buildings, signs, and other sources streams into space and illuminates the night sky. This haze of light makes many stars invisible to people on Earth. Even at night, big cities like New York glow from light pollution, making stargazing2 difficult. Dust and particles of pollution from factories and industries worsen the effects of light pollution. "If one city has a lot more light pollution than another," Ward says, "that city will suffer the effects of light pollution on a much greater scale. " Hazy skies also make it far more difficult for astronomers to do their jobs. Cities are getting larger. Suburbs are growing in once dark, rural areas. Light from all this new development is increasingly obscuring the faint light given off by distant stars. And if scientists can't locate these objects, they can't learn more about them. Light pollution doesn't only affect star visibility. It can harm wildlife too. It's clear that artificial light can attract animals, making them go off course3. There's increasing evidence, for example, that migrating birds use sunsets and sunrises to help find their way, says Sydney Gauthreaux Jr., a scientist at Clemson University in South Carolina. "When light occurs at night," he says, "it has a very disruptive influence. " Sometimes birds fly into lighted towers, high-rises, and cables from radio and television towers. Experts estimate that millions of birds die this way every year. 词汇 : astronomer n. 天文学家 migrate v ．迁移，迁徒 Illuminate v. 照明，照亮 disruptive adj ．扰乱性的 haze n ．薄雾 obscure v ．使变模糊 faint adj ．微弱的，暗淡的 注释： 1. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) : 大学大气研究社团，于 1960 年在美国科罗拉多州 (Colorad0 ，缩写为 Col0 ． ) 的玻尔 (Boulder) 市成立。该社团是一个由国内外大学组成的非营利性协会，致力于大气周围的空气和气候变化研究。 2. stargazing : 该词是个合成词，由 star 和 gaze+in9 组成，在此意为：观望星星。 3 making them go off course: 使它们偏离飞行路线。 course ：路线。 练习： 1. When can people see 14,000 stars? A) When they have a fairly good telescope. B) When they are in a large city. C) When the night sky is clear of clouds, moonlight and artificial lights. D) When the night sky is without haze and fog. 2. Which of the following statements is NOT related to light pollution? A) A haze of light is formed from artificial lights such as streetlights and building lights. B) Lights from different sources in the city stream into space and illuminate the night sky. C) The night sky is illuminated by the lights from big glowing cities in the night. D) Stargazing becomes difficult because there is a layer of haze in the air. 3. Does the writer think growing cities affect astronomers' work? Why does he think so? A) Yes. Because the once dark rural areas are polluted by lights. B) No. Because they can still see stars in rural areas. C) Yes. Because rural areas are not a good place for astronomers to study stars. D) No. Because faint light given off by stars can still be seen on a clear night. 4. How does light pollution affect wildlife? Which of the following is NOT correct? A) Animals may go off course due to the attraction of artificial lights. B) Animals might be attracted by artificial lights to go into cities. C) Artificial lights at night may make migrating birds lose their way. D) Attracted by artificial lights, birds fly into lighted buildings. 5. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the title "Light Night, Dark Stars"? A) The night sky is light colored and stars are black. B) Lights appear at night and stars are seen in the dark. C) City lights illuminate the night sky and make stars invisible. D) City lights at night illuminate stars in the sky. 答案与题解： 1 ． C 第一段的第一句提供了答案。在没有云，没有月光，没有人造光源的情况下，可以看见 14 ， 000 颗星星。 2 ． D A 、 B 、 C 所述内容均可在第二段中找到。 D 所表达的意思不符合原文，因为 a layer of haze in the air 的意思是 “ 空气中有一层薄雾 ” 。 3 ． A 答案在第五段中可以找到。随着城市规模的扩大，曾经黑灯瞎火的乡村逐渐变成了市郊，那里的灯火使科学家无法观测到星体发出的微弱光芒。 4 ． B 第六段最后三句告诉我们人造光源会误导动物而致使它们迷路，但却没有说会将它们引进城市。 5 ． C 题目的意思是：城市灯火通明的夜晚使星星失去光泽。 6. Hair Detectives Scientists have found a way to use hair to figure out where a person is from and where that person has been. The finding could help solve crimes, among other useful applications. Water is central to the new technique. Our bodies break water down into its parts: hydrogen and oxygen. Atoms of these two elements end up in our tissues and hair. But not all water is the same. Hydrogen and oxygen atoms can vary in how much they weigh. Different forms of a single element are called isotopes. And depending on where you live, tap Water1 contains unique proportions of the heavier and lighter isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. Might hair record these watery quirks2? That's what James R. Ehleringer, an environmental scientist at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City3, wondered. To find out, he and his colleagues collected hair from barbers and hair stylists in 65 cities in 18 states across the United States. The researchers assumed that the hair they collected came from people who lived in the area. Even though people drink a lot of bottled water these days, the scientists found that hair overwhelmingly reflected the concentrations4of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in local tap water. That's probably because people usually cook their food in the local water. What's more, most of the other liquids people drink including milk and soft drinks contain large amounts of water that also come from sources within their region. Scientists already knew how the composition of water varies throughout the country. Ehleringer and colleagues combined that information with their results to predict the composition of hair in people from different regions. One hair sample used in Ehleringer's study came from a man who had recently moved from Beijing, China, to Salt Lake City. As his hair grew, it reflected his change in location. The new technique can't point to exactly where a person is from, because similar types of water appear in different regions that span a broad area. But authorities can now use the information to analyze hair samples from criminals or crime victims and narrow their search for clues. 词汇： hydrogen n. 氢 overwhelmingly adv. 压倒性 Atom n. 原子 Isotope n. 同位素 span v. 跨越 Quirk n. 古怪举动；怪僻 clue n. 线索 Stylist n. 发型师 注释： 1. tap water: 自来水，管道供水 2. watery quirks: 水的奇特性质。 quirk 的含义是 “an peculiar or unexpected behavioral habit”( 古怪的不可预测的行为和事情 ) 。 3. University of Utah in Salt Lake City: ( 美国 ) 盐湖城的犹他大学 4. concentrations: 浓度；含量 练习 : 1. What does the writer say about tap water? Which of the following is NOT correct? A) Tap water reflects the concentrations of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in different regions. B) Tap water is a kind of soft drink in the United States. C) Tap water contains unique proportions of isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. D) Tap water is used to cook food. 2. James R. Ehleringer tried to find out A) if our bodies break water down into its parts. B) if it is possible to collect hair samples across the country. C) if tap water contains unique proportions of isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen. D) if the composition of hair can indicate exactly where people are from. 3. Which of the following statements is meant by the writer? A) Ehleringer was successful in his research. B) Ehleringer failed in his research. C) Ehleringer can be a successful detective. D) Ehleringer's research proved successful in China. 4. What does the last paragraph tell you? A) The new technique can tell precisely where a person lives. B) Water supplied in different regions all come from the same source. C) Types of water used in different regions provide useful information for the police. D) Hair samples provide the most important clues to identify crimes. 5. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the title? A) Human hair may help detectives to solve crimes. B) Animal hair may help detectives to solve crimes. C) Detectives watch hairy criminals closely. D) Most detectives are hair specialists. 答案与题解： 1 ． B 第三段和第六段谈到 tap water 。 A 、 C 、 D 均是文中提到的内容。 8 是错误的，因为文章第六段说，我们饮用的牛奶和软饮料都含有大量水分，而没有说 tap water 是软饮料。 2 ． C 第四段的问句针对第三段的内容。 these watery quirks 指的是上段中的 unique proportions of the heavier and lighter isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen 。所以 C 是正确答案。 3 ． A 第六段和第七段提供了答案。科学家发现头发能反映出当地自来水中氢、氧同位素的含量；科学家也已经研究出不同地区水成分是不同的，并且在此基础上来确定来自不同地区的人的头发成分。 4 ． C 选项 A 、 B 、 D 与原文均有出入。尽管在一个较大的范围内，人们使用成分较为相同的水，但是水的成分组成提供的信息可以帮助官方缩小破案线索范围。 5 ． A 题目的意思是：人的头发可以帮助侦探破案。 32. Mind-reading1 Machine A team of researchers in California has developed a way to predict what kinds of objects people are looking at by scanning what's happening in their brains. When you look at something, your eyes send a signal about that object to your brain. Different regions of the brain process the information your eyes send. Cells in your brain called neurons are responsible for this processing. The fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ) 2 brain scans could generally match electrical activity in the brain to the basic shape of a picture that someone was looking at. Like cells anywhere else in your body, active neurons use oxygen. Blood brings oxygen to the neurons, and the more active a neuron is, the more oxygen it will consume. The more active a region of the brain, the more active its neurons, and in turn, the more blood will travel to that region. And by using fMRI, scientists can visualize3 which parts of the brain receive more oxygen-rich blood--and therefore, which parts are working to process information. An fMRI machine is a device that scans the brain and measures changes in blood flow to the brain. The technology shows researchers how brain activity changes when a person thinks, looks at something, or carries out an activity like speaking or reading. By highlighting the areas of the brain at work when a person looks at different images, fMRI may help scientists determine specific patterns of brain activity associated with different kinds of images. The California researchers tested brain activity by having two volunteers view hundreds of pictures of everyday objects, like people, animals, and fruits. The scientists used an fMRI machine to record the volunteers' brain activity with each photograph they looked at. Different objects caused different regions of the volunteers' brains to light up on the scan, indicating activity. The scientists used this information to build a model to predict how the brain might respond to any image the eyes see. In a second test, the scientists asked the volunteers to look at 120 new pictures. Like before, their brains were scanned every time they looked at a new image. This time, the scientists used their model to match the fMRI scans to the image. For example, if a scan in the second test showed the same pattern of brain activity that was strongly related to pictures of apples in the first test, their model would have predicted the volunteers were looking at apples. 词汇： scan v. &n. 扫描 visualize v. 使可见；设想 neuron n. 神经元 注释 : 1. Mind-reading: 能读出 ( 猜出 ) 人的想法的。 mind-read: 可做动词，如， As a successful salesman, he is able to mind-read his customers. 2. FMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) : 功能性磁振造影。这是一种新兴的神经影像学方式，其原理是利用磁振造影来测量神经元活动所引发之血液动力的改变。 3. visualize: 意为 make(something)visible to the eye ，即 “ 使可见，使显现 ” 。 练习 : 1. What is responsible for processing the information sent by your eyes? A ） A small region of the brain. B ） The central part of the brain. C ） Neurons in the brain. D ） Oxygen-rich blood. 2. Which of the following statements is NOT meant by the writer? A ） Ceils in your brain are called neurons. B ） The more oxygen a neuron consumes, the more blood it needs. C ） FMRI helps scientists to discover which parts of the brain process information. D ） fMRI helps scientists to discover how the brain develops intelligently. 3. "Highlighting the areas of the brain at work" means A ） "marking the parts of the brain that are processing information" B ） "giving light to the parts of the brain that are processing information" C ） "putting the parts of the brain to work" D ） "stopping the parts of the brain from working" 4. What did the researchers experiment on? A ） Animals, objects, and fruits. B ） Two volunteers. C ） fMRI machines. D ） Thousands of pictures. 5. Which of the following can be the best replacement of the tide? A ） The Recent Development in Science and Technology. B ） Your Thoughts Can Be Scanned. C ） A Technological Dream. D ） A Device that can Help You Calculate. 答案与题解： 1. C 文章第二段的最后两个句子提供了答案。 Cells in your brain called neurons are responsible for this processin9 ．这里的 processin9 指的就是上句中的内容。 2. D 的电容文章中没有出现。 A 的内容在第二段可找到。 B 的内容在第二段可找到。 C 的内容在第五段可找到。 3. A highlight ：使 … 显得突出，标出。 at work ：正在工作的。这里指正在处理信息的 ( 大脑区域 ) 。 4. B 答案在文章的第六段中可以找到。实验者让两个自愿受试者观看许多照片，并用 fMRI 对设备测试他们的大脑在这一过程中的活动。 5 ． B A 论述的范围太大。 fMR 技术已不再是梦想，所以 C 也不是正确选择。 D 所述内容与 文章完全不符。 B 符合文章内容，是最佳选择。 35. Putting Plants to Work Using the power of the sun is nothing new. People have had solar-powered calculators and buildings with solar panels for decades. But plants are the real experts : They've been using sunlight as an energy source for billions of years. Ceils in the green leaves of plants work like tiny factories to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into1 sugars and starches, stored energy that the plants can use. This conversion process is called photosynthesis. Unfortunately, unless you're a plant, it's difficult and expensive to convert sunlight into storable energy. That's why scientists are taking a closer look at exactly how plants do it. Some scientists are trying to get plants, or biological cells that act like plants, to work as miniature photosynthetic power stations. For example, Mafia Ghirardi of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo. 2, is working with green algae3. She's trying to trick them into producing hydrogen4 instead of sugars when they perform photosynthesis. Once the researchers can get the algae working efficiently, the hydrogen that they produce could be used to power fuel Cells in cars or to generate electricity, The algae are grown in narrow-necked glass bottles to produce hydrogen in the lab. During photosynthesis, plants normally make sugars or starches. "But under certain conditions, a lot of algae are able to use the sunlight energy not to store starch, but to make hydrogen. " Ghirardi says. For example, algae will produce hydrogen in an air free environment. It's the oxygen in the air that prevents algae from making hydrogen most of the time. Working in an air free environment, however, is difficult. It's not a practical way to produce cheap energy. But Ghirardi and her colleagues have discovered that by removing a chemical called sulfate from the environment that the algae grow in, they will make hydrogen instead of sugars, even when air is present. Unfortunately, removing the sulfate also makes the algae's cells work very slowly, and not much hydrogen is produced. Still, the researchers see this as a first step in their goal to produce hydrogen efficiently from algae. With more work, they may be able to speed the cells' activity and produce larger quantities of hydrogen. The researchers hope that algae will one day be an easy-to-use fuel source. The organisms are cheap to get and to feed, Ghirardi says, and they can grow almost anywhere: "You can grow them in a reactor, in a pond. You can grow them in the ocean. There's a lot of flexibility in how you can use these organisms. " 词汇 : panel n. 嵌板，发热板，仪器板 miniature adj. 口巧．微型的 carbon dioxide 二氧化碳 algae n. 水藻，海藻 starch n. 淀粉 sulfate n. 硫酸盐，硫酸酯 photosynthesis n. 光合作用 注释 : 1. convert.., into... : 将 …… 转换为 …… 2. Colo. : Colorado ， ( 美国科罗拉多州 ) 的缩写形式 3. Green algae: 绿藻 4.trick them into producing hydrogen: 想方设法使它们产生氢。 trick 作为动词，有 “ 欺 骗、哄骗 ” 的意思，但是在这里的意思是 “ 设法 ” 或 “ 采取措施 ” 。 练习： 1. What does the writer say about plants concerning solar energy? A) Plants are 'the real experts in producing solar energy. B) Plants have been used to produce solar energy. C) Plants have been using solar energy for billions of years. D) Plants have been a source of solar energy. 2. Why do some scientists study how plants convert sunlight carbon dioxide, and water into sugars and starches? A) Because they want algae to produce sugars and starches. B) Because they want green plants to become a new source of energy. C) Because they want to turn plant sugars to a new form of energy. D) Because they want to make photosynthesis more efficient. 3. According to the fifth paragraph, under what conditions are algae able to use solar energy to make hydrogen? A) When there is a lot of oxygen in the air.) B) When there is no oxygen in the air. C) When photosynthesis is taking place. D) When enough starch is stored. 4. Researchers have met with difficulties when trying to make algae produce hydrogen efficiently. Which one of the following is one such difficulty? A) It is not possible to remove sulfate from the environment. B) It is not possible to work in an airfree environment to produce hydrogen. C) It is not easy to make sugars instead of hydrogen. D) It is too slow for algae to produce hydrogen when the sulfate is removed. 5. What is NOT true of algae? A) They are easy to grow. B) They can be a very good fuel source. C) They are cheap to eat. D) They can be used in many ways. 6. Why do some scientists study how plants convert sunlight carbon dioxide and water into sugars and starches? A) Because they want algae to produce sugars and starch. B) Because they want green plants to become a new source of energy. C) Because they want to turn plant sugars to a new form of energy. D) Because they want to make photosynthesis more efficient. 答案与题解： 1 ． C 根据文章第一段最后一句的意思， c 是正确选择：植物从来就利用阳光作为能源。 2 ． B 文章的第三段说，科学家企图将植物或植物类生物细胞作为微型光合能源供应站来研 究，并举例说，他们正在用绿藻进行实验，若成功，绿藻所产生的氢将可用来为汽车的燃料电池充电。所以答案是 B 。 3 ． B 文章第四段告诉我们： …algae will produce hydrogen in an air free environment ．没有空气的情况肯定就没有氧气了。该段最后一句又说，是氧阻止绿藻制造氢。 4 ． D 选项 A 、 B 都不是正确答案，因为短文的第六段告诉我们， remove sulfate 和 work in an air free environment 都是可能的，但问题是两者都有弊端，使氢的制造不那么容易。 D 所述内容就是困难之一：绿藻细胞因为没有了 sulfate 而减缓工作速度，因此产生不了多少氢。 5 ． C 根据短文最后一段的描述，绿藻可以在任何地方生长，它们是很容易使用的燃料能源，而且用途广泛，所以， A 、 B 、 C 都是正确的描述，不是答案。 C 是答案，因为 “The organisms are cheap to get and to feed” 中的 feed 是 “ 养殖 ” 的意思，不能解释为 “ 吃 ” 。 47. Listening to Birdsong A male zebra finch1 chirps away2to himself. Suddenly he notices a female bird nearby. He realizes he has an audience and immediately changes his song. Can the female tell the difference in his performance? According to a new study, the female zebra finch knows. And she prefers the special trills he creates when he sings to her. A male zebra finch changes his song when singing to a female in ways that people can barely detect. But ~the female finch can tell the difference. Scientists had noticed slight variations in the songs of mal~ zebra f'mches based on whether they were singing alone or whether there was a female (and potential mate) nearby. With an audience, the males sped up the pace of their songs and controlled the notes they used. For this study, researchers Sarah C. Woolley and Allison Doupe at the University of California, San Francisco decided to focus attention on the listening females, which have not been well studied in the past. In the study, Woolley and Doupe set up ,a long cage with a sound speaker at each end. One broadcast the sound of a male zebra finch singing to himself, like someone singing in the shower. The other speaker broadcast a male performing for a female audience, as if he was giving a concert. Female birds were placed between the two speakers. Some of the birds had mates, others didn't. The females shifted around a bit, and then most of them hopped over to sit beside just one speaker. All the birds that made a clear choice liked songs meant for a female audience, even if they'd never met the male. Mated females also had a chance to listen to two different performance songs, one from an unknown male, and one from their mate. They spent more time listening to the concert version of their mates' songs. This suggests that after a while, females learn to recognize--and prefer—the songs of their mates. Scientists then studied the brains of the females. They found certain areas of the brain perked up3 when the birds listened to the concert songs. These brain areas may be involved in recognizing and evaluating the songs, and storing the memories of them. This research deals with what's called directed communication, when the communicator, or sender, focuses the message for a specific audience. One example is the way moms speak to their babies. Mothers around the world use the same sort of high'pitched4 sing-song chatter, and the babies respond best to those sounds. Songbirds are one of the only other species known to learn their communication, in this case their songs. 词汇： finch n. 雀科鸣鸟 perk v. 使振作，使活跃 chirp v. ( 鸟 ) 鸣 morn n. 妈妈 ( 等于英国英语 mum) trill n. ( 鸟的 ) 啭音；颤音 chatter v. &n 喋喋不休，唠叨 注释： 1. zebra finch: 斑胸草雀 2. chirp away: 吱喳而鸣。 away 有 continuously 和 steadily 的意思。 3. perk up : 活跃起来，振作精神 4. high-pitched: 活跃起来，振作精神 练习： 1. What does the first paragraph say about zebra finches? A ） Male zebra finches like to sing to female zebra finches. B ） Male zebra finches sing louder than female zebra finches. C ） Male zebra finches change their songs in female zebra finches' presence. D ） Male zebra finches like to listen to female zebra finches sing. 2. What did the researchers fred in their study of female zebra finches? A ） Female finches liked songs male finches sang for them. B ） Female finches only liked songs male finches sang for their mates. C ） Female finches liked to listen to songs from both speakers. D ） Female finches chose the best male singers as their mates. 3. What is meant by "concert songs" in the seventh paragraph? A ） Songs sung by zebra finches at a concert. B ） Songs sung by male finches for female finches. C ） Songs sung by female fmches for male finches. D ） Songs sung by male fmches to many female finches. 4. What is NOT true of directed communication? A ） The sender of a message has a specific audience. B ） Male zebra finches sing to female finches. C ） Mothers talk to their babies, D ） Male zebra finches sing to themselves. 5. Which of the following can best reflect the theme of the passage?. A ） Chirping away. B ） Birdsongs as communication. C ） Zebra finches and their life. D ） Enjoying birdsongs. 答案与题解： 1. C 文章第一段的第二句告诉我们，雄性斑胸草雀只要注意到有雌性斑胸草雀听他唱歌便会改变声调。其他选项均不是该段所表达的意思。 2. A 选项 B 、 C 、 D 都不是答案，因为文章的第五段说，有配偶的雌性胸草雀更喜欢她们配偶的歌声，而没有配偶的喜欢的听雄性斑胸草雀为雌性斑胸草雀的歌。 3. B 第四段提到 …a male performing for a female audience, as if he was giving a concert. 所以，第七段中的 concert songs 即指雄性斑胸草雀为雌性斑胸草雀的歌。 4. D 文章的最后一段解释了什么是 directed communication, 即， when the communicator, or sender, focuses the message for a specific audience. 该段又举了母亲对婴儿说话的例子，说明这与雄性斑胸草雀为雌性斑胸草雀的歌同属 directed communication 。 5. B 文章所涉及的研究旨在发现雄性斑胸草雀歌声是否会在不同的情况下发生变化，其结果是，它们在为雌性斑胸草雀唱歌时，会改变声调和速度。这就是说，它们的歌声实际上是一种交流方式。所以应选择 B 。 49. U.S. Scientists Confirm Water on Mars NASA1 scientists said that Mars was covered once by vast lakes, flowing rivers and a variety of other wet environments that had the potential to support life. Laboratory tests aboard NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander2 have identified water in a soil sample; the lander's robotic arm delivered the sample Wednesday to an instrument that identifies vapors produced by the heating of samples. "We have water," said William Boynton of the University of Arizona, lead scientist for the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer3, or TEGA. "This is the first time Martian water has been touched and tasted. " The robotic arm is a critical part of the Phoenix Mars mission. It is needed to trench" into the icy layers of northern polar Mars and deliver samples to instruments that will analyze what Mars is made of, what its water is like, and whether it is or has ever been a possible habitat for life. The soil sample came from a trench approximately 2 inches deep. When the robotic arm first reached that depth, it hit a hard layer of frozen soil. Two attempts to deliver samples of icy soil on days when fresh material was exposed were foiled when the samples became stuck inside the scoop. Most of the material in Wednesday's sample had been exposed to the air for two days, letting some of the water in the sample vaporize away and making the soil easier to handle. "Mars is giving us some surprises," said Phoenix principal investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona. "We're excited because surprises are where discoveries come from. One surprise is how the soil is behaving. The ice-rich layers stick to the scoop when poised in the sun above the deck, different from what we expected, from all the Mars simulation testing we've done so far. " Since landing on May 25, Phoenix has been studying soil with a chemistry lab, TEGA, a microscope, a conductivity probe and cameras. The science team is trying to determine whether the water ice ever thaws enough to be available for biology and if carbon-containing chemicals and other raw materials for life are present. The mission is examining the sky as well as the ground. A Canadian instrument is using a laser beam to study dust and clouds overhead. "It's a 30-watt light bulb giving us a laser show on Mars," said Victoria Hipkin of the Canadian Space Agency. A full-circle, color panorama of Phoenix's surroundings also has been completed by the spacecraft. "The details and patterns we see in the ground show an ice-dominated terrain as far as the eye can see," said Mark Lemmon of Texas A & M University, lead scientist for Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager4 camera. "They help us plan measurements we're making within reach of the robotic arm and interpret those measurements on a wider scale. " 词汇： foil v. 挫败，使成泡影 conductivity n. 传导陡，导电胜 scoop n. 铲斗 thaw v. 融化，融解 vaporize v. 使蒸发，使汽化 panorama n. 全貌，全景图 注释： 1 ． NASA ： National Aeronautics and Space Administration( 美国国家航空航天局 ) 的缩写。 NASA 总部设在华盛顿哥伦比亚特区，是美国政府系统中的航空航天科研机构，负责组织和协调美国航空航天的研究工作并提供咨询。 2 ． Phoenix Mars Lander ：凤凰号火星登陆器。其使命是探测火星地表下的冰层，分析冰层是否曾经融化产生液态水，并计划检测火星土壤是否含有生命存活的有机物。 3 ． Thermal and Evolved—Gas Analyzer ：热力与先进气体分析仪 4 ． Stereo Imager ：立体图像 练习： 1. What was discovered by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander on Mars? A ） Vast lakes. B ） Flowing rivers. C ） Water in a soil sample. D ） Living things. 2. Why did the first two attempts to deliver samples fail? A ） The sample vaporized away. B ） Fresh material was exposed to the air. C ） The samples got stuck inside the scoop. D ） The robotic arm hit a hard rock. 3. Which one of the following statements is NOT meant by the writer? A ） Scientists have been trying to break the ice-rich layers of soil on Mars. B ） Scientists have been surprised by how the soil on Mars behaves. C ） Scientists have been trying to fend out if there is life supporting material on Mars. D ） Scientists have been trying to know if water ice will melt. 4. Where are the scientists involved in the research from? A ） They are from America. B ） They are from Canada. C ） They are from both America and Canada. D ） They are from neither America nor Canada. 5. Which of the following do you think is the best description of Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager Camera, according to your understanding of the passage? A ） It imitates human vision and is able to capture three-dimensional images. B ） It imitates human voice and is able to record slight sounds while taking photos. C ） It takes clear photos that show every detail of the object. D ） It is this particular type of camera that can take wide angle pictures. 答案与题解： 1 ． C 短文的第一段告诉我们， NASA 科学家曾经说过，火星上有广阔的湖泊，流动的河流，以及可能有支撑生命的潮湿环境。但这些只是科学家的假设，不是 NASA’S Phoenix Mars Lander 的发现，所以只有 C 是正确选择。 2 ． C 短文第五段的第三句提供了答案。 3. A 第六段的第三句所述内容说明 B 是作者想要表达的意思，第七段的最后一句所述内容说明 C 和 D 也是作者想要表达的意思。文章里没有 A 所表述的内容。 4 ． C 短文的第八和第九段提到了加拿大宇航局的科学家为凤凰号的火星探索提供了激光设 备。 5 ． A 短文最后一段的第一句： A full—circle ， color panorama of Phoenix’S surroundings also has been completed… 告诉我们，使用这种照相机可以拍摄全景照片。 panorama ：全景，全景摄影。 第五部分 补全短文 （两篇） 第九篇 Heat Is Killer Extremely hot weather is common in many parts of the world. Although hot weather just makes most people feel hot, it can cause serious medical problems -- even death. Floods, storms, volcano eruptions and other natural disasters kill thousands of people every year. １ Experts say heat may be nature's deadliest killer. Recently, extreme heat was blamed for killing more than one hundred people in India. It is reported that the total heat of a hot day or several days can affect health. ２ Experts say heat waves often become dangerous when the nighttime temperature does not drop much from the highest daytime temperature. This causes great stress on the human body. ３ out of the sun, if possible. Drink lots of cool water. Wear light colored clothing made of natural materials; avoid wearing synthetic clothing. Make sure the clothing is loose, permitting freedom of movement1. And learn the danger signs of the medical problems, such as headache and vomiting that are linked to heat. Most people suffer only muscle pain as a result of heat stress. ４ pain is a warning that the body is becoming too hot2. Doctors say those suffering headache or muscle pain should stop all activity3 and rest in a cool place and drink cool liquids. Do not return to physical activity for a few hours because more serious conditions could develop: Doctors say some people face an increased danger from heat stress. ５ Hot weather also increases dangers for people who must take medicine for high blood pressure4, poor blood flow, nervousness or depression. 词汇： eruption n ．爆发，喷发 vomit v. 呕吐 deadly adj. 致命的 muscle n. 肌肉 synthetic adj. 合成的 注释： 1 ． Make sure the clothing is loose ． permitting freedom of movement ：衣服一定要宽松，以便活动自如。 make sure 意为 “ 确信，保证 ” ，其后面从旬的谓语要用一般现在时 1 。如： Make sure the door is locked before you leave 。 permitting freedom of movement 是分词短语，用作目的状语。 2 ． The pain is a warning that the body is becoming too hot ：疼痛是一个警告，说明你的身体过热。 that the body is becoming too hot 是同位语从句，与 warnin9 同位，说明 warnin9 的内容。 3 ． physical activity ：体力活动 4 ． Hot weather also increases dangers for people who must take medicine for high blood pressure… ：炎热天气对于那些必须服药以控制血压的人 …… 也增力 n-J" 危险性。 练习： A Such persons have a weak or damaged heart, high blood pressure, or other problems of the blood system. B Several of these conditions are present at the same time. C Most people suffer only muscle pain as a result of heat stress. D Several hot days are considered a heat wave. E So does extreme heat. F Doctors say people can do many things to protect themselves from the dangers of extreme heat. 答案与题解： 1 ． E 本文的标题是 Heat Is Killer ，通篇文章说的是 heat 的危害性及预防方法。 “ 空 l” 前面的句子说， “Floods ， storms ， volcano eruptions and other natural events kill thousands of people every year” ， “ 空 l” 后面的句子说， “… heat may be nature’s deadliest killer” 。将两个句子所表达的意思汇总来看， floods ， storms ， volcano eruptions 和高温都是杀手，而以高温更烈。 “ 空 l” 的句子一定与 “ 杀手 ” 有关。五个选项中只有 +E 符合这个条件，所以 E 是答案。 2 ． D“ 空 2” 后面的句子说到 heat waves ，而选项 D 的句子中也出现 heat wave ，说明这两个句子意思上有联系。 “ 空 2” 的句子是对 “heat wave” 下定义，为下一句的展开作了铺垫。 D 是答案。 3 ． F 第一段末尾说，热浪期间，当黑夜与白天温差不大，对人体伤害很大。第二段就列举了许多保护自己免受高温伤害的方法。 “ 空 3” 的句子应该是位于段首的概括句。选项 F 说人们有多种办法保护自己，完全符合要求，因此是答案。 4 ． C 紧跟 “ 空 4” 后面句子中有特指的 the pain ，说明前文一定出现过 pain 这个词。选项 C 的句子中有 pain ，且 C 的句子填人后，上下文意思连贯，所以是答案。 5 ． A“ 空 5” 前面的句子说：某些人在热浪期间特别危险。读者或许会问，是哪些人呢 ? 选项 A 回答了这个问题，所以是答案。 第十二篇 Musical Training Can Improve Communication Skills American scientists say musical training seems to improve communication skills and language retardation. They found that developing musical skills involves the same process in the brain as learning how to speak. The scientists believe that1 could help children with learning disabilities. １ . She says musical training involves putting together different kinds of information, such as hearing music, looking at musical notes, touching an instrument and watching other musicians. This process is not much different from learning how to speak. 2 She further explains musical training and learning to speak each make us think about what we are doing2. She says speech and music pass through a structure of the nervous system called the brain stem. 3 . Until recently, experts have thought the brain stem could not be developed or changed. But Professor Kranss and her team found that musical training can improve a person's brain stem activity. The study involved individuals with different levels of musical ability. They were asked to wear an electrical device that measures brain activity. The Individuals wore the electrode while they watched a video of someone speaking and a person playing a musical instrument -- the cello. 4 . The study found that the more years of training people had, the more sensitive they were to the sound and rhythm of the music3. Those who were involved in musical activities were the same people in whom the improvement of sensory events was the strongest. 5 She says using music to improve listening skills could mean they hear sentences and understand facial expressions better. 词汇： retardation n. 滞后 cello n. 大提琴 note n. 音符 rhythm n. 节奏 electrode n. 电极 sensory adj. 知觉的，感官的 注释： 1 ． scientists believe that could help children with learning disabilities ：科学家发现，音乐训练、对学习上有障碍的儿童有帮助。 that 是从句 “that could help children with learning disabilities” 中的主语。 that 指代上一句的 developing musical skills involves the same process in the brain as learning how to speak 。 with learning disabilities 是定语，修饰 children 。 2 ． musical training and learning to speak each make US think about what we are doin9 ：音乐训练和学习说话这两者都使我们思考我们正在所做的事。 each 指 musical trainin9 和 learning to speak 中的任何一个。句子的主语是 musical training and learning to speak ，所以，谓语动词是复数的。 3 ． the more years of training people had ， the more sensitive they were to the sound and rhythm of the music ：人们接受音乐训练的年份越长，其对音乐声音和节奏的敏感性也越高。 people 是前半旬中的主语。 练习： A Both involve different senses. B Nina Kraus is a neurobiologist (~E~:~) at Northwestern University in Illinois. C Some disabled children attended~ the musical training Class. D It shows the importance of musical training to children with learning disabilities. E Professor Krauss says cellos have sound qualities similar to some of the sounds that are important with speech. F The brain stem controls our ability to hear. 答案与题解 ： 1 ． B “ 空 l” 后面的句子的主语是代词 she ，说明 “ 空 l” 的句子中有一个女性的名字。选项 B 有 Nina Kraus(Nina“ 尼娜 ” 是女性名字 ) ，句子的内容是介绍 Nina Kraus ，与后面句子的意思配得上。 B 是答案。 2 ． A 本段的第二、三句说，音乐训练和学习这两件事没有什么很大的不同。选项 A 的 “Both involve different senses” 解释了为什么这么说，因为两者都涉及不同的感官，也就是上文所列举的 “hearing music”( 耳听 ) ， “looking at musical notes ／ watching other musicians”( 眼看 ) ， “touching an instrument”( 手触 ) 等。 3 ． F 在六个选项中，选项 F 的句子中出现特指的 the brain stem ，说明前文已出现过这个词语。这是篇章写作中常用的词汇连接方式。从意义上看，选项 F 的句子是解释上文提到的 brain stem 的功能。上下文意思连贯，所以是答案。 4 ． E 同上面第三题的解释一样，选项 E 的句子中出现特指的 the cellos ，与上一句的 cello 相呼应，该句说明科学家为什么要选择大提琴作为音乐训练的乐器，上下文意思连贯，所以 E 是答案。 ， 5 ． D 最后一段介绍音乐训练的方法和结果，以及对学习的关联和影响。选项 D 表达的意思 是音乐训练的结果和对学习上有障碍的儿童所产生的正面影响，意思与其前后两句的意思完全配合， D 是答案。 第六部分 完形填空 （四篇） 第二篇 Avalanche and Its Safety An avalanche is a sudden and rapid flow of snow, often mixed with air and water, down a mountainside. Avalanches are 1 the biggest dangers in the mountains for both life and property. All avalanches are caused by an over=burden of material, typically snowpack, that is too massive and unstable for the slope 2 supports it. Determining the critical load, the amount of over-burden which is 3 to cause an avalanche, 4 a complex task involving the evaluation of a number of factors. Terrain slopes flatter than 25 degrees or steeper than 60 degrees typically have a low 5 of avalanche. Snow does not 6 significantly on steep slopes; also, snow does not 7 easily on fiat slopes. Human-triggered avalanches have the greatest incidence when the snow's angle of rest 1is 8 35 and 45 degrees; the critical angle, the angle at which the human incidence of avalanches is greatest, is 38 degrees. The rule of thumb2 is: A slope that is 9 enough to hold snow but steep enough to ski has the potential to generate an avalanche, regardless of the angle. Additionally3, avalanche risk increases with 10 ; that is, the more a slope is disturbed by skiers, the more likely it is that an avalanche will occur. Due to the complexity of the subject, winter travelling in the backcountry4 is never 100% safe. Good avalanche safety is a continuous 11 , including route selection and examination to the snowpack, weather 12 , and human factors. Several well-known good habits can also 13 the risk. If local authorities issue avalanche risk reports, they should be considered and all warnings should be paid 14 to. Never follow in the tracks of others without your own evaluations; snow conditions are almost certain to have changed since they were made. Observe the terrain and note obvious avalanche paths where plants are 15 or damaged. Avoid traveling below others who might trigger an avalanche. 词汇： avalanche n. 雪崩 trigger v. 引起，激发 snowpack n. 积雪场 incidence n. 发生（率） terrain n. 地形，地势 ski v. 滑雪 steep adj. 险峻的，陡峭的 complexity n. 复杂性 注释 : 1 ． angle of rest ：这里指积雪保持静止的角度。 2 ． rule of ． thumb ：指 “a broadly accurate principle ， based on experience or practice rather that theory” ，即 “ 通用法则，经验法则 ” 。 3 ． Additionally ：是一个副词，用来引人新的事实或论点，意为 “ 此外 ” 。 4 ． backcountry ：人烟稀少的地区。 练习 : 1. A among B of C to D in 2. A when B that C who D whose 3. A mostly B likely C clearly D surely 4. A are B will be C is D was 5. A weight B form C risk D work 6. A fall B flow C roll D gather 7. A fall B flow C roll D gather 8. A among B between C with D for 9. A thick B thin C flat D rocky 10. A use B time C snow D rain 11. A journey B trip C fact D process 12. A conditions B reports C forecast D event 13. A increase B reduce C improve D remove 14. A price B effort C attention D money 15. A missing B grown C big D fresh 答案与题解： 1 ． A 表达 “ 雪崩是山上可能发生的最大危险之一 ” 的意思，因此应该选择 among( 在 …… 之 中 ) 。 2 ． B 从该句的语法结构上来看，此处需要一个关系代词，代替 slope ，所以 that 是最佳选择。选项 A 、 C 、 D 均不符合语法。 3 ． B 选项 A 不符合语法， c 和 D 符合语法，但不符合常识：过度的雪的积压可能导致雪崩， 而不是必定导致雪崩。所以， B 是最佳答案。 4 ． C 该句的主语是 Determining the critical load ，从上下文来看应该使用一般现在时，所以 C 是正确答案。 5 ． C 要确定本题答案的一个有效的方法是排除法。 a ． 10w weight ／ form work of avalanche 都不合逻辑，只有 a low risk of avalanche 符合上下文的意思。下面的句子解释了 low risk of avalanche 的道理，更证实了选 risk 是正确的。 6 ． D 第 6 和第 7 题可以一起考虑。整个句子的意思是：在坡度大的坡上，雪不会大量堆积。 在较为平坦的坡面，雪不会轻易滑动。 7 ． B( 见 6) 8 ． B 理解了句子的意思就不难判断选项：雪在静止状态下，角度在 35_45 度之间，最可能发生人为触发的雪崩。 between ：在 …… 之间。 9 ． C 这个句子说明的是什么样的山坡最易发生雪崩，即， A slope that is flat enough to hold snow but steep enough to ski 。 flat 在此做 “ 平坦 ” 解，与后面的 steep 形成反义。 10 ． A 句中的 that is 表明，后半部分是对前半部分的进一步说明。所以，这里的选择要根据下文的意思判断。 use 是最佳选择，整个句子的意思是：山坡被滑雪者使用的越多，雪崩就越可能发生。 、 11 ． D 尽管选项 A 、 B 和 D 都能和 continuous 搭配，从全段的内容判断，只有 process 是最佳选择，因为该段描写的是如何防备雪崩，及如何做好安全措施等一系列问题。 12 ． A 选项 A 、 B 、 c 都可以与 weather 搭配，但是根据上下文，只有 A 最为符合文章的内容。 13 ． B 选项 A 不符合句子的意思； c 不能和 risk 搭配； D 也不符合句子的意思，因为不可能完全消除雪崩的隐患。 14 ． C 该句主句使用的是被动语态，第二个动词是 pay attention t0 的被动形式。 l 选项 A 、 B 、 D 均不符合句子的意思。 15 ． A 该句是作者给出的一系列忠告之一，即，认真观察地形，注意明显的雪崩路径：没有植物或植物被毁坏的地方。选项 8 、 C 、 D 均不符合句义。 第十二篇 Taking a Nap During the Day Medical experts say most Americans do not get 1 sleep. They say more Americans need to rest for a short period in the middle of the day. They are advising people to sleep lightly before 2 with other activities. One study earlier this year found that persons who sleep for a few minutes during the day were less 3 to die of disease. The study followed more than 2,300 Greek adults 4 about six years. Adult who rested for half an hour 5 three times a week had a 37 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who did not nap. Study organizers said the strongest evidence was in working men. They said naps might improve 6 by mitigating tension caused by work. Some European and Latin American businesses have supported the 7 of napping for many years. They urge people to 8 work, go home and have a nap before returning. In the United States, some companies let workers rest briefly in their offices. They believe this reduces in their offices. They believe this reduces 9 and accidents, and 10 increases the amount of work a person can do. Sleep experts say it is likely that people make more mistakes at work than at other times1. They say people should not carry out important duties when they feel 11 . And they say the best thing to do is to take a nap. About twenty minutes of rest is 12 you need. Experts say this provides extra energy and can increase your effectiveness 13 the end of the day. But experts warn that a nap 14 last no more than twenty to thirty minutes. A longer nap will put the body into deep sleep2 and waking up3 will be 15 词汇 : Nap n. 打盹 mitigate v. 减价 urge v. 催促，劝告 注释 : 1 ． people make more mistakes at work than at other times ：人们在工作 ( 时间 ) 中出错的概率比其它的时间要多。本句中的 at work 可以理解为 during their work time 。 2 ． put…into deep sleep ：使 …… 进人深睡状态 3 ． waking up ：从上下文判断， waking up 是 “ 自己醒过来 ” 的意思，不是 “ 唤醒 ” 。 练习 : 1. A sweet B sound C bad D enough 2. A checking B sharing C continuing D meeting 3. A lovely B likely C fondly D finely 4. A for B at C in D with 5. A at least B at most C at last D at first 6. A ability B health C thinking D life 7. A experiment B reform C idea D way 8. A repeat B improve C change D leave 9. A work B mistakes C energy D time 10. A never B seldom C too D also 11. A ready B good C sleepy D awake 12. A all B few C any D nothing 13. A unless B while C until D during 14. A would B may C might D should 15. A helpful B difficult C easy D happy 答案与题解 : 1 ． D 本段第二句说 “more Americans need to rest for a short period in the middle of the day” 。引导我们选择 (not)enough 。因为睡眠不够，才要中午 “ 打个盹 ” 。选项 A ：文不对题。选项 B ： bad(sleep) 与上下文不符，因为通篇文章没有提到过，中午打盹的原因是晚上没有睡好。选项 C ：明显不合乎逻辑。 “ 由于没有睡不好 ( 即：晚上睡好了 ) ，白天还要补睡一会儿 ” ，于理说不通。所以，惟一合理的选择是 enough 。 ’ 2 ． C 空格 2 所在句子的意思是：医学专家建议人们在进行其它活动之前，最好小睡一会。四个选项中，只有 continuing( 选项 C) 最接近上述的理解。 3 ． B 空格 3 所在的句子说的是 “ 心脏病致死 ” 的问题， lovely ， fondly 和 finely 分别表达 “ 可爱 ” 、 “ 喜欢 ” 和 “ 美好 ” 的意思，明显不对。 less likely 是 “ 可能性较低一些 ” 的意思，选择 likely 符合上下文的意思。本段最后一句说，成年人白天打盹半小时，一周三次，其心脏病致死的概率比不打盹的人要低 37 ％。这更证实了选 likely 是正确的。 4 ． A 本句的意思是，调查进行了六年。 about six years 之前要用表达一段时间的介词 for 。介词 at 和 with 明显与 about six years 不搭配，而选项 in(about six years) 表达的是未来的时 间，如： He will come to Beijing in one day or tw0 ． ( 他一、两天之内会到北京。 ) 5 ． A at first 和 at last 明显与本句的意思不符。若选 at most( 最多 ) ，本句的意思成了 “ 成年人白天打盹半小时，一周不得超过三次，其心脏病致死的概率比不打盹的人要低 37 ％ ” ，意思有点令人费解。改说成， “ 一周至少三次 ” 才说得通。所以 at least 是答案。 6 ． B 通篇文章在阐述白天打盹有益于健康，选项 B 是答案。 7 ． C 空格 7 所在的句子的意思是：多年来，欧洲和拉丁美洲的一些公司支持白天打盹的 ? ( 空格中填哪一个词 ?) 。很明显，空格中填入 experiment( 试验 ) 或 reform( 改革 ) 则离题太远，而 way( 方式 ) 肯定没有 idea( 想法 ) 好。 C 是答案。 8 ． D 从上下文判断，空格 8 的词应该与 “ 中止 (work)” 有关。四个选项中，只有 leave 合乎这一条件。而其它三个选项 repeat( 重复 ) 、 improve( 改进 ) 和 change( 改变 ) 与后半句的 go home and have a nap 搭不上。 9 ． B 前面一句说，美国有些公司让职员在办公室打个盹，这样可以减少些事故等。填人空格 9 的词应该与 accidents( 事故 ) 一样，是一个负面意思的词。 mistakes( 选项 B) 符合这个条件，是答案。 reduce work ／ energy time 都不合理。 10 ． D 打个盹有两个好处： 1) 可以减少错误和事故； 2) 可以增加工作效率。从上下文判断， 选 als0 最合适。 t00 从词义上说也可以，但用法上有问题，因为 “…this…too increases the amount…” 把 t00 置于动词 increases 之前很少见。 never 和 seldom 的意思与上下文不匹配。 11 ． C 前半句说， “people should not carry out important dudes…” ，后半句自然会想到 “when they feel sleepy” 。而 when they feel ready good happy 都说不通。 12 ． A 本句的意思是：大约 20 分钟的打盹是你所需要的。所以， About twenty minutes of rest is few ／ any ／ nothing you need 与上述意思不符，只有 About twenty minutes of rest is all you need 才说得通。 13 ． C 前半句说， “this( 指打肫 )provides extra energy and Can increase your effectiveness” 后面接 while unless during the end of the day 不搭配，只有 until(the end of the day) 才是答案。 14 ． D 本句的意思是：专家警告说：打盹不能 ( 或不应该 ) 超过 30 分钟。这题选 should 最合 适。 15 ． B 本句表达的意思应该是上一句 “A longer nap will put the body into deep sleep” 引出的结果。打盹时间长了，就会进入深睡状态，很难醒过来。选 difficult 是合适的，其它三个选项的意思脱离了上下文，不会是答案。 第十三篇 Cell Phone Lets Your Secret Out Your cell phone holds secrets about you. Besides the names and 1 that you've programmed into it, traces of your DNA2linger on the device, according to a new study. DNA is genetic material that 2 in every cell. Like your fingerprint, your DNA is unique to you 3 you have an identical twin. Scientists today routinely analyze DNA in blood, saliva, or hair left 4 at the scene of a crime. The results often help detectives identify 5 and their victims. Your cell phone can reveal more about you 6 you might think. Meghan J. McFadden, a scientist at McMaster University1in Hamilton, Ontario, heard about a crime in which the suspect bled onto a cell phone and later dropped the 7 This made her wonder whether traces of DNA lingered on cell phones--even when no blood was involved. 8 she and colleague Margaret Wallace of the City University of New York analyzed the flip-open phones3 of 10 volunteers. They used swabs to collect 9 traces of the users from two parts of the phone: the outside, where the user holds it, and the 10 , which is placed at the user's ear. The scientists scrubbed the phones using a solution made mostly 11 alcohol. The aim of washing was to remove all detectable traces of DNA. The owners got their phones 12 for another week. Then the researchers collected the phones and repeated the swabbing of each phone once more. The scientists discovered DNA that 13 to the phone's speaker on each of the phones. Better samples were collected from the outside of each phone, but those swabs also picked up DNA that belonged to other people who had apparently also handled the phone. 14 , DNA showed up even in swabs that were taken immediately after the phones were scrubbed. That suggests that washing won't remove all traces of evidence from a criminal's device. So cell phones can now be added to the 15 of clues that can clinch a crime-scene investigation. 词汇 : linger v. 逗留 flip-open phone 翻盖手机 genetic adj. 遗传的 swab n. 药签 saliva n. 涎，唾液 scrub v. 用力擦洗；擦净 bleed v. 流血 clinch v. 确定，决定 注释 : 1 ． McMaster University ：麦克马斯特大学，位于加拿大安大略省汉密尔顿市，成立于 1887 年。 2 ． DNA ： 脱氧核糖核酸 。系 deoxyribonucleic acid 的缩写。 ． 3 ． flip—open phones ：翻盖手机。又可作 flip phones 。 练习： 1. A numbers B music C secrets D films 2. A appeals B appoint C appears D applies 3. A because B unless C although D still 4. A about B in C for D behind 5. A criminals B people C men D policemen 6. A when B until C before D than 7. A device B paper C file D document 8. A However B So C But D Nevertheless 9. A invisible B non-existent C visible D apparent 10. A card B keys C screen D speaker 11. A of B up C on D into 12. A upon B back C without D with 13. A was given B belonged C was owned D became 14. A Generally B Surprisingly C Disappointedly D Shortly 15. A explanation B discovery C book D list 答案与解析： 1 ． A 人们通常在手机中储存人名和他们的电话号码。所以 A 是最佳选择。虽然手机中也能储存音乐和秘密信息，相比之下，不如 A 合理。至于储存电影片子，就有点离谱了。 2 ． C 这个句子的意思是： DNA 是一种存在于每一细胞中的基因物质。根据这一理解，选项 A 、 B 、 D 均不能选作答案。 3 ． B 上文的意思是：如同指纹，你的 DNA 是独一无二的。因此，此处必须选择 unless ，其他选择均不符合句义，也违背了我们对 DNA 的基本常识。 4 ． D leave behind 是固定搭配，意即：留下。此处 leave 使用的是过去分词形式。 5 ． A 根据上下文的理解，研究结果是用来帮助侦探识别罪犯和受害人的， 8 、 c 、 D 都不能表 达这一层意思。 6 ． D 句子中的 more 提供了选择的线索， more…than 的搭配最能完成该句的意思。 7 ． A 定冠词 the 说明该选项所指内容在前面已经提到，即 cell phone 。除了 device ，其他选项均不能指代 cell phone 。 8 ． B 四个选项中只有 B 是正确选择。 s0 连接了其前后两个句子，使其形成因果关系：她思考微量 DNA 是否会停留在手机上，所以，她与同事们一起对 10 名志愿者的翻盖手机进行了分析研究。 A 、 C 、 D 表示的都是转折的意义关系。 9 ． A 句子当中的 paces 指的是 DNA traces( 微量 DNA) ，而 DNA paces 是肉眼看不到的，所 以选择 invisible 。 10 ． D 研究者从手机的两部分收集手机微量 DNA ：一是手机外壳，二是喇叭。贴在耳朵上的 不可能是 card 、 screen 和 keys 。 11 ． A be made of 是固定搭配，意即：由 … 制成。 a solution made mostly of alcohol ：一种主要由酒精制成的溶液。 12 ． B 根据上下文的理解，应该选择 back ：手机拥有者拿回了手机，再使用一个星期。 13 ． B 该句要表达的意思应该是：科学家在每一个手机上发现了属于手机拥有者的 DNA 。 belong t0 是固定搭配，意思是：属于。 A 不符合句义， c 和 D 不符合语法。 14 ． B 最后一段的第一和第二句告诉我们手机经过清洗后仍然有微量 DNA 出现。所以这里 要用 surprisingly 这个副词，表示令人惊讶。 15 ． D 根据上下文的理解，应该选择 D ，其它三个选项与句子的意思不符。 第十四篇 Sharks Perform a Service for Earth's Waters It is hard to get people to think of sharks as anything but a deadly enemy1. They are thought to 1 people frequently. But these fish2 perform a 2 service for earth's waters and for human beings. Yet business and sport fishing3 are threatening their 3 Some sharks are at risk of disappearing from 4 Warm weather may influence both fish and shark activity. Many fish swim near coastal areas 5 their warm waters. Experts say sharks may follow the fish into the same areas, 6 people also swim. In fact, most sharks do not purposely charge at or bite humans. They are thought to mistake a person 7 a sea animal, such as a seal or sea lion. That is why people should not swim in the ocean when the sun goes down or comes up. Those are the 8 when sharks are looking for food. Experts also say that bright colors and shiny jewelry may cause sharks to attack. A shark has an extremely good sense of smell4' It can find small amounts of substances in water, such as blood, body liquids and 9 produced by animals. These powerful 10 help sharks fred their food. Sharks eat fish, any 11 sharks, and plants that live in the ocean. Medical researchers want to learn more about the shark's body defense, and immune 12 against disease. Researchers know that sharks 13 quickly from injuries. They study the shark in hopes of finding a way to fight human disease. Sharks are important for the world's 14 They eat injured and diseased fish. Their hunting activities mean that the numbers of other fish in ocean waters do not become too 15 This protects the plants and other forms of life that exist in the oceans. 词汇 : purposely adv. 故意地，蓄意地 immune adj. 免疫的 charge v. （向 …… ）冲（过去） jewelry n. 珠宝 seal n. 海豹 注释： 1 ． It is hard to get people tO think of sharks as anything but a deadly enemy ：要让人们相信鲨鱼不是 ( 人类的 ) 死敌不是一件容易的事。 anything but 意为 “ 决不，远非 ” ，如： His performance in London is anything but a success ． ( 她在伦敦的演出完全不成功。 ) 2 ． these fish ：这些鱼 ( 指鲨鱼 ) 。 fish 单复数同形，如： 0ne fish ， two fish ， many fish( 见第二段第一句 ) 。 3 ． sport fishin9 ：捕鱼运动。 4 ． sense of smell ：嗅觉 练习 : 1. A attack B meet C love D visit 2. A terrible B eatable C valuable D possible 3. A source B existence C friends D fish 4. A Space B Sky C Land D Earth 5. A because B since C because of D by reason that 6. A whose B which C that D where 7. A to B for C like D with 8. A times B places C seas D oceans 9. A sciences B mathematics C chemicals D physics 10. A feelings B senses C touches D tastes 11. A those B these C another D other 12. A systems B processes C ideas D circles 13. A recover B reform C return D rely 14. A rivers B oceans C forests D mountains 15. A weak B little C few D great 查看更多9个回答 . 3人已关注
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