Elephants are able to know the difference between a man and a woman, and can tell an adult (成年人) from a child—all from the sound of a human voice. This is according to a study in which researchers played voice recordings to wild African elephants.
The animals showed more fear when they heard the voices of adult Masai men. Usually Masai people hunt elephants, and this suggests that animals have grown to listen for and avoid them.
Prof. Karen McComb and Dr Graeme Shannon from the University of Sussex led the study. They explained that in former research they had used similar experiments to show that elephants could tell—from the sound of a lion—whether the animal was a female (雌性) or a more dangerous male (雄性).
Prof. McComb wanted to find out if the animals used their very sharp sense of hearing to recognize danger from humans.
The scientists recorded Masai men, women and children saying, in their own language, “Look, look over there, a group of elephants are coming.” They also recorded Kamba men saying this phrase.
Masai people often come across elephants, which can result in violent (暴力的) hunting. Kamba people, however, mainly feed on agriculture, which does not generally bring them into violent touch with the animals.
When the team played recordings of these different voices through a hidden speaker, they found that elephant family groups showed more fear in response to the voice of a Masai man, than to a Kamba man’s voice. And the adult male Masai voices caused far more violent response than the voices of women or boys.
1.An elephant can tell a man from a woman by sense of ________.
A. touch B. sight C. smell D. hearing
2.How did the researchers get to know the elephants’ special ability?
A. By watching the elephants in the zoo. B. By playing voice recordings to them.
C. By recording the behaviors of elephants. D. By communicating with them in a special way.
3.We can learn from the passage that elephants are especially afraid of ________.
A. Masai men B. Masai women C. Kamba men D. Kamba women
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Elephants and Human Beings B. Differences Between Human Voices
C. Elephants Recognize Human Voices D. Elephants at War with Human Beings
A few months after Wu Xingu was congratulated by teachers for graduating from the university, the 23-year-old has been making his dream of relieving tens of thousands of teachers in China from drowning in marking papers(改卷) a reality.
Yitiku, an online software system based on Wu’s idea, eases the workload of teachers by doing many of the functions that they did, such as selecting the test questions, forming an exam paper, and preparing exercises for the students.
The features of Yitiku may sound quite simple, but this idea won his company millions of dollars from China’s Internet giant Tencent in January. The unexpectedly successful fund raising story became a popular conversation starter among the people in the education business.
“I can say it’s quite an achievement for me and our company. As far as I know, I’m the first CEO born after 1990s that Tencent has invested (投资) in, and we are the first online education company they have invested in.” Wu Xingyu told China Daily.
Different from other online companies that treat students as clients (客户), Yitiku has chosen teachers as their focus. “ We make the work of teachers easy. Usually it takes two to three hours for them to prepare a new exam paper. Now it’s just three clicks.” said Wu. He is quite satisfied with the major feature of the software.
Sitting in his 10-square-meter office in Zhonguancun, a hub of innovation (创新) in Beijing, Wu looks confident and chatty when talking about his business. His fast-speed answers give people an impression that he has years of experience in the online education sector. The fact is that he had been putting most of attention in directing courses at an art college until about a year ago.
1.The best title for this passage might be .
A. 23-year-old wants to ease workload of teachers B. the achievement made by a boy born after 1990s
C. Yitiku, an online software system loved by teachers D. A 23-year-old surprises the China’s Internet giant
2.Yitiku has the following function EXCEPT .
A. designing test papers B. choosing the test questions
C. teaching the students D. grading papers
3.The underlined word “hub” in the last paragraph means .
A. special center B. small house
C. big market D. supermarket
4.What will be continued after the last paragraph?
A. Wu’s family background B. how Wu got the great idea
C. what Wu studied in an art college D. Wu’s experience in directing courses
Hilton English Language Center
Information for New Students
Class time: 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m.-12:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
The Language Center is open Monday to Friday. Each class has one afternoon free per week. On the first day, go to the lecture hall to check your timetable.
Self-access (自习): The language laboratory (Room 1110) is open Monday to Friday from 3:15 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for all full-time students.
You can learn how to use computers for language games. There are tapes for students to borrow to practice their English. Go in and ask the teacher to show you. If you plan to take public examinations, there are listening comprehension tapes for you to practice with. There are other kinds of exercises on the computers. Ask your class teacher for a list of past exam essays. Students can borrow tapes to take home but they must be returned after two days.
Attendance (出勤): All students are expected to attend classes as it is required. Students who do not attend classes will be reported to OSS. Eighty percent attendance is required for students to receive their certificates (证书) when they finish their courses.
Books: If students are given course books, the books are their responsibility. If a book is lost, the student will be expected to pay for it. If students wish to buy books, there is a bookshop in the college specializing in English books (Room 3520).
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. No teachers are in the language lab.
B. Books can’t be taken out of the center.
C. 90% attendance is required for the students.
D. Students can prepare for exams by listening to tapes.
2.Timetable can be seen in _____.
A. the lecture hall B. Room 3520 C. the classroom D. Room 1110
3.Where can students buy books?
A. Room 1110. B. Room 3520. C. The language lab. D. OSS.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.When will Answer That be on TV?
A. On Mondays. B. On Thursdays. C. On Saturdays.
2.How many teenagers are there on the program every week?
A. 6. B. 8. C. 48.
3.What prize will the winners get this week?
A. A camera. B. A laptop. C. A TV.
4.What is the speaker doing?
A. Answering teenagers’ questions.
B. Advertising a new TV quiz show.
C. Explaining the rules of a new game.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where did the robbery happen?
A. In a store. B. Outside a bank. C. At the woman’s house.
2.What did the man who asked the time look like?
A. He was tall and strong. B. He was old and fat. C. He was short and thin.
3.What color jacket did the man who asked the time wear?
A. Brown. B. Black. C. Gray.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What’s the percentage of people spending their vacation at home now？
A. 40%. B. 50%. C. 90%.
2.Why do more and more people go camping now？
A. The mountains are more beautiful than before.
B. The seaside has lost its attractions.
C. They are eager to get close to nature.
3.What is the conversation mainly about?
A. A plan. B. A report. C. An experience.
