Do dogs understand us?
Be careful what you say around your dog. It might understand more than you think.
A border collie named Rico recognizes the names of about 200 objects, say researchers in Germany. The dog also appears to be able to learn new words as easily as a 3-year-old child. Its word-learning skills are as good as those of a parrot or chimpanzee.
In one experiment, the researchers took all 200 items that Rico is supposed to know and divided them into 20 groups of 10 objects. Then the owner told the dog to go and fetch one of the items and bring it back. In four tests, Rico got 37 out of 40 commands right. As the dog couldn't see anyone to get clues, the scientists believe Rico must understand the meanings of certain words.
In another experiment, the scientists took one toy that Rico had never seen before and put it in a room with seven toys whose names the dog already knew. The owner then told Rico to fetch the object, using a word the dog had never heard before.
The correct object was chosen in seven out of ten tests, suggesting that the dog had worked
out the answer by process of elimination(排除法). A month later, Rico remembered half of the new names, which is even more impressive.
Rico is thought to be smarter than the average dog. For one thing, Rico is a border collie, a breed (品种)known for its mental abilities. In addition, the 9-year-old dog has been trained to fetch toys by their names since the age of nine months.
It's hard to know if all dogs understand at least some of the words we say. Even if they do, they can't talk back. Still, it wouldn't hurt to sweet-talk your dog every now and then. You might just get a big, wet kiss in return!
1.From paragraph 2 we know that __ .
A. animals are as clever as human beings
B. chimpanzees have very good word-learning skills
C. dogs are smarter than parrots and chimpanzees
D. dogs have similar learning abilities as 3-year-old children
2.Both experiments show that .
A. Rico is smart enough to get all commands right
B. Rico can recognize different things including toys
C. Rico has developed the ability of learning mathematics
D. Rico won't forget the names of objects once recognizing them
3.Which of the following statements is true?
A. Rico has a better memory partly because of its proper early training.
B. The purpose of the experiments is to show the border collie's mental abilities.
C. The border collie is world-famous for recognizing objects.
D. Rico is born to understand its owner's commands.
4.What does the writer want to tell us?
A. To train your dog. B. To talk to your dog.
C. To be careful with your dog. D. To be friendly to your dog.
Scott Langteau has this message for kids: Spend less time playing video games.
It’s a message that many a mom and dad have tried to impress upon many a youngster (and some not-so-youngsters) who spend perhaps a bit too much time with game controllers in hand.
But the 40-year-old Langteau isn’t a parent. He’s experienced at video games — one who played producer on three “Medal of Honor” games and co-founded his own game development company.
Langteau has just published a children’s book called “Sofa Boy,” which tells the story of a kid who spends too much time sitting on the couch with controller held in hand and the rather terrible consequences that follow.
It’s a fairy tale plucked straight from Langteau's own experiences as a lad with a fondness for video games and his own bouts with a bit of game addiction. But first, Langteau would like to make one thing clear: “I’m not saying that you shouldn’t play video games. I think video games are great, I think they do great things for kids. Instead, Langteau says his book is all about a little something called “moderation.（克制）”
“It’s about being well rounded,” he says. “Just like with anything else, we all need to make sure that there’s a variety in what we do.”
Video gamers can be rather bad-tempered when it comes to accepting criticism about their favorite entertainment. And understandably so. After all, most people who go around talking about the dangers of playing video games tend to be outsiders — people who don’t play video games and certainly don’t understand that they can be a valuable and healthy form of entertainment.
But Langteau and “Sofa Boy” seem to be in a unique position to deliver a message of gaming moderation that the young game-savvy masses might actually listen to. After all, this is a
man who understands what it means to be a kid with a passion for games. His early experience has taught him a lesson.
1.Scott Langteau published “Sofa Boy” to ．
A. share his great skills on games B. warn kids against game addiction
C. tell about his fairy tale as a kid D. deliver a message for games
2.We can learn from the passage that ．
A. Langteau advises the young to play games within limits
B. Langteau advises the young not to play games
C. playing video games ruins the future of kids
D. playing video games is of no benefit to kids
3.By saying “It’s about being well rounded” Langteau thinks ．
A. games do great things for kids B. gamers are usually fat and round
C. games should be viewed from all sides D. gamers are to blame for their behaviors
4.What topic will be discussed in the following paragraph?
A. His idea to create “Sofa Boy”．
B. His great achievement in games as a kid．
C. His hard times to set up his game company．
D. His enthusiasm for games when he was a small boy．
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和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
It was my first day of high school, and I was late. My next class, German, scared me. I just could not speak that 1. As the bell rang, I ran to the classroom.
At the door, a hand reached out and 2mine firmly. I looked up. A man with large glasses smiled. He 3himself as Tony, which means teacher in German. 4, his warm smile and 5words eased my fears. That year, I 6his classes a great deal because I learned 7just German.
I admit I only speak a little German. 8I try to live out the life lessons I learned from Tony.
Every day Tony stood 9his classroom before and after class to give his “hand hug”. After school his room was always filled with students and he would 10to and chat with them—_11those not in his class. He taught me that every person is 12your time.
One time, I was rejected by my friends. Tony told me, “Linda, life gives you 13. But learning its lessons will turn those ashes to jewels.” Therefore, I learned to look at my troubles _14and not to fear any difficulty.
In my senior year, I 15president of one of the school’s clubs, so I was very 16. Many times I didn’t even have time to buy lunch. He served me by giving me his food as well as advice. He 17out what he taught us to do: 18others.
The author William Arthur Ward 19: “The mediocre(平庸的) teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher 20.” Thank you Tony, for inspiring me.
1.A. country B. language C. nation D. word
2.A. hit B. beat C. shook D. patted
3.A. introduced B. regarded C. treated D. considered
4.A. Once again B. In addition C. For once D. Right away
5.A. exciting B. welcoming C. disappointing D. boring
6.A. escaped B. heard C. enjoyed D. preferred
7.A. more than B. other than C. less than D. rather than
8.A. And B. So C. But D. Therefore
9.A. within B. outside C. beyond D. ahead
10.A. say B. listen C. talk D. speak
11.A. ever B. yet C. still D. even
12.A. worth B. worthy C. full of D. filled with
13.A. troubles B. lessons C. ashes D. jewels
14.A. frequently B. similarly C. hopefully D. differently
15.A. made B. became C. took D. held
16.A. proud B. capable C. busy D. free
17.A. proved B. picked C. put D. lived
18.A. serve B. offer C. give D. teach
19.A. read B. put C. told D. wrote
20.A. inspires B. encourages C. praises D. excuses
–Mr Zhu, can I go to meet you at four tomorrow afternoon?
–All right, I _____ to my office from a conference by then. I will be waiting for you there.
A. have come back B. will come back C. will have come back D. will be coming back
The committee is discussing the problem right now. It will _____ have been solved by the end
of next week.
A. eagerly B. hopefully C. immediately D. gradually
I am fortunate enough to get a job that I love and _________, I can walk to work within 10 minutes.
A. what’s more B. that is to say C. as a result D. on the other hand
