Last week, we explained that the planet Mars had passed “opposition.” It passed a point opposite the Sun. This week, we tell about the planet’s surprising motion among the stars.
For thousands of years, people have recognized that planets travel among the stars. The planets generally follow the path taken by the Sun through the sky. The Sun’s path is called the ecliptic. The groups of stars along the ecliptic are called the Zodiac(黄道带).
The motion of the planets can be confusing at times. Everyone knows the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. But this is caused by the turning motion of the Earth. Planets generally move from west to east.
However, Mars will appear to move backward for about two months this year. This happens because the Earth is overtaking Mars on its way around the Sun. Mars began its backward, or westward, motion on May 11th. It will start moving eastward again on July 19th.
Mars’ apparent motion has been a mystery to astronomers for hundreds of years. Most early theories of tilt solar system argued that the Sun and planets turned around the Earth. But the sudden westward motion of Mars presented problem. Why would Mars move west for two months when it nears “opposition”?
In 1543, a Polish church worker named Nicolas Copernicus published a different theory. His theory said the Earth and planets moved around the Sun in perfectly circular orbits. Copernicus’ theory was simpler. But his Sun-centered system still did not explain the observed motion of Mars very well.
Finally, a German mathematician named Johannes Kepler published a complete theory of the motion of the planets in 1619. He had carefully studied the motion of Mars for many years.
Johannes Kepler discovered that the planets do not move in circular orbits around the Sun. Instead, they travel in flattened orbits called ellipses(椭圆). Mars’ elliptical orbit is the cause of its unusual brightening this year and its apparent large size.
During the next several weeks, you can see for yourself why the mysterious motion of Mars has caused so many people to wonder.
1.From the passage we can learn that _________.
A. the sun and planets generally travel westward
B. Kepler studied the orbit of the planets in 1619
C. Copernicus’ theory well explained the motion of Mars
D. the Earth’s turning motion causes the sun to rise in the east
2.On July 19th Mars _______.
A. will pass the “opposition”
B. appears to change its direction again
C. will begin to move westward
D. appears to change its orbit again
3.Why does Mars appear to be bigger and brighter when it passes “opposition”?
A. It is overtaking the earth B. It follows the path of the sun
C. It moves in an elliptical orbit D. It travels in a circular orbit.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Recent Research into Mars B. The Surprising Motion of Mars
C. The Great Discovery on Mars D. The Wonderful Mystery of Mars
When someone gives you advice, listen without judgment, try to find value in what you’re hearing, and say: “Thank you”. This wise advice is easy to understand yet hard to practice. I’ll give you an example from my life when I totally blew it in term of practicing what I teach.
In my work I travel constantly. I always put off going to the airport until the last second. My wife, Lyda, was sitting next to me in the front seat. I was racing along and not paying much attention. Lyda cried out: “Look out! There is a red light up ahead.”
Being a trained behavioral science professional—who teaches others the value of encouraging advice—I naturally screamed at her: “I know there is a red light up ahead! Don’t you think I can see?” When we arrived at the airport, Lyda didn’t speak to me. I wondered why she seemed mad at me.
During the flight to New York, I did a cost-benefit analysis. I asked myself: “What was the cost of just listening when Lyda called out the warning? Zero.” I then reasoned: “What was the potential benefit? What could have been saved?” Several potential benefits came to mind, including her life, my life, and the lives of other people.
I landed in New York feeling ashamed of myself. I immediately called Lyda and told her my cost-benefit story. I convinced her: “The next time you help me with my driving, I am just going to say, ‘Thank you!’”
A few months passed, and I had long forgotten the incident. Again, I was racing off to the airport, when Lyda cried out: “Look out for the red right!” I was embarrassed, and then shouted: “Thank you!”
I’m a long way from perfect, but I’m getting better. My suggestion is that you get in the habit of asking the important people in your life how you can do things better. And be ready for an answer. Some people may tell you things like “Look out for the red light.” When this happens, remember that there is possibly some potential benefit. Then just say: “Thank you.”
1.What do we know about the author?
A. He is expert at behavioral science.
B. He is gifted in cost-benefit analysis.
C. He seldom takes his wife’s advice.
D. He often runs the red traffic light.
2.The underlined part “blew it ” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_______”.
A. became annoyed with the adviser B. forgot the practical method
C. failed to say “Thank you” D. lost personal judgment
3.It can be inferred from the passage that people _________.
A. tend to be defensive when given advice
B. intend to follow others’ suggestions
C. had better study behavioral science
D. should give their opinions patiently
4.The purpose of the passage is to advise people to ________.
A. do a cost-benefit analysis in daily life
B. treasure others’ suggestions
C. learn from the author’s experiences
D. discover potential benefits
When it comes to intelligence, human beings are the top dogs of the animal kingdom. But in recent years, scientists have been documenting surprising intelligence and emotional depth in animals ranging from honeybees to elephants. Here are some amazing examples.
Artistic Monkey Business
Jannet Schmid, director of the Little River Zoo in Norman, Oklahoma, learned a lot about the intelligence of capuchin monkeys. She and her busband adopted a young male, named Bailey. The capuchin particularly liked taking car rides, insisting that he insert the key and ride in the front passenger’s seat.
Now Bailey has become a devoted painter. He uses brushes to create colorful, abstract paintings, and prefers not to be disturbed.
Prairie Dog Sound
Through a variety of birdlike sounds, prairie dogs warn each other of approaching creatures. They demonstrated a surprisingly complex communication system. In his 25 years of study, Slobodchikoff, a professor of biology, has recorded them pronouncing ten nouns including hawk, deer and coyote, a number of adjectives to identify color, size and shape, and even some verbs to indicate speed.
In an ongoing study, Slobodchikoff learns that their brain contains a very extensive vocabulary. He once used his best prairie dog sound to say coyote, and they just looked at him in anger as if he had said a bad word.
Ivy League Parrot
One African grey parrot Alex is said to have the cognitive abilities of a five-year-old child. Alex can identify 50 different objects, seven colors, five shapes, quantities up to six, and the concepts of bigger, smaller, same and different.
Also Alex is considered to make reasoned decisions. During an experiment, researchers gave Alex different-colored blocks in sets of two, three and six. When asked which color group had five blocks, Alex replied, “None.” And he answered the same in repeated tests. Obviously, he interpreted the concept of “none” as an absence of quantity all on his own. That’s a lot like a high school student answering questions on a quiz show.
1.Which of the following is true?
A. Bailey is as clever as a child of five.
B. The prairie dog loves taking car rides.
C. The capuchin monkey is fond of painting.
D. Alex develops a communication system.
2.The underlined word “coyote” in Paragraph 4 refers to ________.
A. a verb B. an animal C. a warning D. an adjective
3.The African grey parrot Alex can ________.
A. answer questions on a quiz show
B. understand the figure “7”
C. identify five colors and seven shapes
D. apply the concept of “none” correctly
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Animal communication B. Animal research
C. Animal intelligence D. Animal information
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
One summer day my father sent me to buy wire for our farm. At 16, I liked 1better than driving our truck, 2this time I was not happy. My father had told me I’d have to ask for credit at the store.
Sixteen is a 3age, when a young man wants respect, not charity. It was 1976, and the ugly 4of racial discrimination was 5a fact of life. I’d seen my friends ask for credit and then stand, head down, while the store owner 6whether they were “good for it.” I knew black youths just like me who were 7like thieves by the store clerk each time they went into a grocery.
My family was 8. We paid our debts. But before harvest, cash was short. Would the store owner 9us?
At Davis’s store, Buck Davis stood behind the cash desk, talking to a farmer. I nodded 10I passed him on my way to the hardware shelves. When I brought my 11to the cash desk, I said 12, “I need to put this on credit.”
The farmer gave me an amused, distrustful 13. But Buck’s face didn’t change. “Sure, ” he said 14. “Your daddy is 15good for it.” He 16to the other man. “This here is one of James Williams’s sons.”
The farmer nodded in a neighborly 17. I was filled with pride. James Williams’s son. Those three words had opened a door to an adult’s respect and trust.
That day I discovered that the good name my parents had 18brought our whole family the respect of our neighbors. Everyone knew what to 19from a Williams: a decent person who kept his word and respected himself 20much to do wrong.
1.A.something B.nothing C.anything D.everything
2.A.and B. so C. but D. for
3.A.prideful B. wonderful C. respectful D. colorful
4.A.intention B. shadow C. habit D. faith
5.A.thus B. just C. still D. ever
6.A.guessed B. suspected C. questioned D. figured
7.A.watched B. caught C. dismissed D. accused
8.A.generous B. honest C. friendly D. modest
9.A.blame B. excuse C. charge D. trust
10.A.until B. as C. once D. since
11.A.purchases B. sales C. orders D. favorites
12.A.casually B. confidently C. cheerfully D. carefully
13.A.look B. stare C. response D. comment
14.A.patiently B. eagerly C. easily D. proudly
15.A.generally B. never C. sometimes D. always
16.A.pointed B. replied C. turned D. introduced
17.A.sense B. way C. degree D. mood
18.A.earned B. deserved C. given D. used
19.A.receive B. expect C. collect D. require
20.A.very B. so C. how D. too
—Shall I help you?
—Sure. Such a difficult case is ______ I could handle myself.
A. rather than B. less than C. or rather D. more than
Everyone likes to develop a close relationship ______ we trust each other.
A. which B. that C. where D. when
