Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently—animals.
That’s right, animals. Scientists have begun to understand what farmers have known for thousands of years. Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming, and they show their fear by acting in strange ways. Before a Chinese quake in 1975, snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air. Cows broke their halters (韁繩) and tried to escape. Chickens refused to enter their cage. All of this unusual behavior, as well as physical changes in the earth, warned Chinese scientists of the coming quake. They moved people away from the danger zone and saved thousands of lives.
One task for scientists today is to learn exactly which types of animal behavior predict quakes. It’s not an easy job. First of all not every animal reacts to the danger of an earthquake. Just before a California quake in 1977, for example, an Arabian horse became very nervous and tried to break out of his enclosure. The Australian horse next to him, however, remained perfectly calm. It’s also difficult at times to tell the difference between normal animal restlessness and “earthquake nerves”. A zoo keeper once called earthquake researchers to say that his cougar (美洲獅) had been acting strangely. It turned out that the cat had an upset stomach.
A second task for scientists is to find out exactly what kind of warnings the animals receive. They know that animals sense far more of the world than humans do. Many animals can see, hear, and smell things that people do not even notice. Some can sense tiny changes in air pressure, gravity, or the magnetism of Earth. This extra sense probably helps animals predict quakes.
A good example of this occurred with a group of dogs. They were shut in an area that was being shaken by a series of tiny earthquakes. (Several small quakes often come before or after a large one.) Before each quake a low booming sound was heard. Each boom caused the dogs to bark wildly. Then the dogs began to bark during a silent period. A scientist who was recording quakes looked at his machine. It was acting as though there were a loud noise too. The scientist realized that the dogs had reacted to a booming noise. They also sensed the tiny quake that followed it. The machine recorded both, though humans felt and heard nothing.
In this case there was a machine to monitor what the dogs were sensing. Many times, however, our machines record nothing extraordinary, even though animals know a quake is coming. The animals might be sensing something we measure but do not recognize as a warning. Discovering what animals sense, and learning how they know it is a danger signal, is a job for future scientists.
59. Through the passage the writer hopes to explore __________.
A. why animals send a danger signal before an earthquake
B. how animals know when an earthquake is coming
C. why animals have good sense of danger
D. how much animals know about an earthquake
60. During an earthquake in China in 1975, _________.
A. chickens refused to go out of their cage
B. snakes were frozen to death in their caves
C. snakes awoke from their winter sleep earlier
D. cows broke their halters and escaped from their sheds
61. Which of the following is one of earthquake nerves according to the passage?
A. An Arabian horse tried to escape from his enclosure.
B. A cougar had an upset stomach unexpectedly.
C. An Australian horse was perfectly calm.
D. A cat acted very strangely in a zoo.
62. The scientists did an experiment with a group of dogs to _________.
A. find out that the machine could record unusual happenings
B. compare the reactions of animals and those of humans
C. prove that animals could sense more than humans
D. find out what exact warnings animals sent
閱讀快車系列答案科目：高中英語 來源：黑龍江省大慶鐵人中學2012屆高三上學期期中考試英語試題 題型：053
七選五閱讀－根據短文內容，從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中有兩項為多余選項。
Everyone knows that the Frenchmen are romantic, the Italians are fashionable and the Germans are serious．Are these just stereotypes(模式化觀念或形象)or is there really such a thing as national character? And if there is, can it affect how a nation succeed or fail?
At least one group of people is certain that it can．A recent survey of the top 500 entrepreneurs(企業家)in the UK found that 70％ felt that their efforts were not appreciated by the British public．Britain is hostile(敵意的)to success, they said．It has a culture of jealousy．(嫉妒) 1 �。�Jealousy is sometimes known as the “green eyed monster” and the UK is its home．
Scientists at Warwich University in the UK recently tested this idea．They gathered a group of people together and gave each an imaginary amount of money． 2 �。�Those given a little were given the chance to destroy the large amount of money given to others－but at the cost of losing their own．Two thirds of the people tested agreed to do this．
3 �。�But there is also conflicting evidence．The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development recently reported that the UK is now the world's fourth largest economy．That is not bad for people who are supposed to hate success．People in the UK also work longer hours than anyone else in Europe．So the British people are not lazy, either．
“It is not really success that the British dislike,” says Carey Cooper, a professor of management at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology．“It's people using their success in a way that seems proud or unfair or which separates them from their roots．”
4 �。�They set out to do things in their ways．They work long hours．By their own efforts they become millionaires． 5 ．It hardly seems worth following their example．If they were more friendly ,people would like them more．And more people want to be like them．
A．This seems to prove that the entrepreneurs were right to complain．
B．The one who owns most money in the end is the winner．
C．As a result, the survey said, entrepreneurs were “unloved, unwanted and misunderstood．”
D．It is not true that British people are born jealous of others success．
E．Some were given a little, others a great deal．
F．But instead of being happy they complain that nobody loves them．
G．Perhaps it is the entrepreneurs who are the problem．
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科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆陜西省寧強縣天津高級中學高三上學期第三次月考英語試卷（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解
Alzheimer’s disease is a major national health problem. Nearly 2 million Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s disease. It is a leading cause of death among the elderly. But Alzheimer’s disease is not confined （限于） to the aged. There may be a million or more people under the age of 65 suffering from the disease.
At one time, people suffering from the disease were said to be “getting old”. The disease was thought to be a natural part of growing old, but it is now known that Alzheimer’s disease strikes young and old alike. It is an organic （器官的） disease that destroys brain cells.
Alzheimer’s disease affects the patient’s memory, speech, and movement. In the beginning stages of the disease, the patient may seem slightly confused. He may have trouble speaking, then the patient’s memory begins to fail. He may forget dates, numbers, names and plans.
As the disease progresses, the patient may not recognize family and friends. These symptoms（癥狀） often cause terrible anxiety in the patient. He may feel lost and frightened. Sometimes the patient reacts with wild and bad behavior.
In the last stages of the disease, the patient may not be able to take care of himself. He may have lost the ability to speak and walk.
Scientists don’t know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease. It may be caused by a virus （病毒）.It may be caused by a poisonous substance（物質） in the environment. At present, there is no cure for the disease. But there are ways to slow its progress. Exercise and physical treatment can help the patients of this disease.
【小題1】The main idea of the passage is that Alzheimer’s disease ________.
| A．is a terrible part of the aging process |
| B．is an organic disease that affects young and old |
| C．can be cured by physical treatment |
| D．causes forgetfulness |
| A．forgetfulness | B．difficulty in speaking |
| C．loss of sight | D．loss of the ability to walk |
| A．Poisons produced by the brain. | B．Getting old. |
| C．A virus. | D．Lack of exercise. |
| A．operation | B．a change in environment |
| C．medicines | D．physical treatment and exercise |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2012-2013學年海南瓊海嘉積中學高一下學期教學質量監測英語卷（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解
Did you ever look up at the moon and think you saw a man’s face there? When the moon is round and full, the shadows(影子) of the moon mountains and the lines of the moon valleys sometimes seem to show a giant nose and mouth and eyes. At least, some people think so.
If there were a man on the moon—instead of mountains and valleys that just look like the face of a man—what would he be like?
He would not be like anyone you know. He would not be like anyone anybody knows.
If the man on the moon were bothered by too much heat or cold the way Earth people are, he could not stay on the moon.
The moon becomes very, very hot. It becomes as hot as boiling water. And the moon becomes very, very cold. It becomes colder than ice.
Whatever part of the moon the sun shines on is hot and bright. The rest of the moon is cold and dark.
If the man on the moon had to breathe to stay alive, he couldn’t live on the moon because there’s no air there. He’d have to carry an oxygen tank, as astronauts do. There’s no food on the moon, either. Nothing grows—not even weeds（grass）.
If the man on the moon liked to climb mountains, he would be very happy. There are many high places there, such as the raised land around the holes, or craters(火山口), of the moon. Some of these rims are as tall as Earth’s highest mountains.
But if the man on the moon liked to swim, he would be unhappy. There is no water on the moon—just dust and rock.
When you think of what it’s like on the moon, you may wonder why it interests our scientists. One reason is that the moon is Earth’s nearest neighbor—it is the easiest place in space to get to.
Going back and forth between the moon and Earth, astronauts will get a lot of practice in space travel. Things learned on moon trips will be of great help to astronauts who later take long, long trips to some of the planets.
Scientists are also interested in the moon because it has no air. The air that surrounds Earth cuts down the view of the scientists who look at the stars through telescopes. A telescope on the moon would give them a clearer, closer view of the stars.（words: 411）
【小題1】What is the reason why our scientists are interested in the moon.?
| A．The moon is beautiful. |
| B．The moon is different from the earth. |
| C．The moon is Earth’s nearest neighbor—it is the easiest place in space to get to. |
| D．The moon is the easiest place in space to get to and it has no air, unlike Earth. |
| A．ball | B．hill | C．round edge | D．height |
| A．We can learn much from research on the Moon. |
| B．There may be human beings on the moon. |
| C．If there were a man on the Moon, there would be many similarities between the man on the Moon and on the Earth. |
| D．A telescope on the Moon would help scientists have a clearer, closer sight of the stars. |
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科目：高中英語 來源：河北省正定中學2009-2010學年度高一下學期第一次考試 題型：閱讀理解
B
It is natural that children are curious about the world around them. For example, they want to know how their hearts beat. They want to know why the ocean water tastes salty.
As children grow up, they become curious about different kinds of things. When they are babies, they are interested in the parts of their bodies and in the smiles of their mothers. They become interested in the physical world around them: the plants, the animals, the sky. Later, they become interested in the things that people have made: wheels, bicycles, cars. And when they are adults, their curiosity continues. Sometimes this curiosity leads to a career (生涯、職業) in science.
Scientists spend their lives trying to find out about the world．Those who work with the earth sciences study the earth, the oceans, and the skies. Other scientists who study living things work with the biological sciences. A third group of scientists study the physical sciences, e. g. physics, chemistry .
These scientists have already discovered a lot about our world．For example, they tell us why your heart beats fast when you run. They say that when you are quiet, your heart normally beats sixty-five or seventy-five times a minute. Your heart is a pump (泵) that pumps blood to all parts of the body. The blood carries oxygen and nutrition. When you run, your muscles work very hard and use the nutrition that the blood carries to them. The muscles need oxygen, too . So your brain sends a signal to the heart. The signal means that the muscles need more nutrition and oxygen. Then the heart beats fast and sends blood quickly to the muscles. It may beat 90 to 140 times a minute.
Of course, scientists cannot answer all of our questions. If we ask, “Why does the ocean water taste salty” scientists will say that the salt comes from rocks. When a rock gets very hot or very cold, it cracks. Rain falls into cracks. The rain then carries the salt into the earth and into the rivers. The rivers carry the salt into the ocean. But then we ask , “What happens to the salt in the ocean? The ocean does not get saltier every year.” Scientists are not sure about the answer to this question.
We know a lot about our world, but there are still many answers that we do not have, and we are curious.
45．According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
A．People are curious in the same way.
B．People in different countries are interested in different things.
C．Men and women are curious about different things.
D．People of different ages are interested in different things
46．Scientists who work with the biological sciences study____.
A．the earth , the oceans and the sky B．man-made things
C．plants and animals D．ocean water
47．When you run, your muscles need ____.
A．more nutrition and oxygen B．more signals C．more salt D．water
48．A rock cracks _____.
A．in wet regions B．in dry regions
C．at very high or very low temperatures D．when salty water falls in
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科目：高中英語 來源：2015屆海南瓊海嘉積中學高一下學期教學質量監測英語卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解
Did you ever look up at the moon and think you saw a man’s face there? When the moon is round and full, the shadows(影子) of the moon mountains and the lines of the moon valleys sometimes seem to show a giant nose and mouth and eyes. At least, some people think so.
If there were a man on the moon—instead of mountains and valleys that just look like the face of a man—what would he be like?
He would not be like anyone you know. He would not be like anyone anybody knows.
If the man on the moon were bothered by too much heat or cold the way Earth people are, he could not stay on the moon.
The moon becomes very, very hot. It becomes as hot as boiling water. And the moon becomes very, very cold. It becomes colder than ice.
Whatever part of the moon the sun shines on is hot and bright. The rest of the moon is cold and dark.
If the man on the moon had to breathe to stay alive, he couldn’t live on the moon because there’s no air there. He’d have to carry an oxygen tank, as astronauts do. There’s no food on the moon, either. Nothing grows—not even weeds（grass）.
If the man on the moon liked to climb mountains, he would be very happy. There are many high places there, such as the raised land around the holes, or craters(火山口), of the moon. Some of these rims are as tall as Earth’s highest mountains.
But if the man on the moon liked to swim, he would be unhappy. There is no water on the moon—just dust and rock.
When you think of what it’s like on the moon, you may wonder why it interests our scientists. One reason is that the moon is Earth’s nearest neighbor—it is the easiest place in space to get to.
Going back and forth between the moon and Earth, astronauts will get a lot of practice in space travel. Things learned on moon trips will be of great help to astronauts who later take long, long trips to some of the planets.
Scientists are also interested in the moon because it has no air. The air that surrounds Earth cuts down the view of the scientists who look at the stars through telescopes. A telescope on the moon would give them a clearer, closer view of the stars.（words: 411）
1.What is the reason why our scientists are interested in the moon.?
A．The moon is beautiful.
B．The moon is different from the earth.
C．The moon is Earth’s nearest neighbor—it is the easiest place in space to get to.
D．The moon is the easiest place in space to get to and it has no air, unlike Earth.
2.The underlined word “rim” in the Paragraph 8 means _________ .
A．ball B．hill C．round edge D．height
3.What is the main thought of the passage?
A．We can learn much from research on the Moon.
B．There may be human beings on the moon.
C．If there were a man on the Moon, there would be many similarities between the man on the Moon and on the Earth.
D．A telescope on the Moon would help scientists have a clearer, closer sight of the stars.
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