Grown-ups know that people and objects are solid. At the movies, we know that if we reach out to touch Tom Cruise, all we will feel is air. But does a baby have this understanding?
To see whether babies know objects are solid. T. Bower designed a method for projecting an optical illusion (视觉影像) of a hanging ball. His plan was to first give babies a real ball, one they could be expected to show surprised in their faces and movements. All the 16 to 24-week-old babies tested were surprised when they reached for the illusion and found that the ball was not there.
Grown-ups also have a sense of object permanence. We know that if we put a box in a room and lock the door, the box will still be there when we come back. But does a baby realize that a ball that rolls under a chair does not disappear and go to never-never land?
Experiments done by Bower suggest that babies develop a sense of object permanence when they are about 18 weeks old. In his experiments, Bower used a toy train that went behind a screen. When 16-week-old and 22-week-old babies watched the toy train disappear behind the left side of the screen, they looked to the right, expecting it to re-appear. If the experiment took the train off the table and lifted the screen, all the babies seemed surprised not to see the train. This seems to show that all the babies had a sense of object permanence. But the second part of the experiment showed that this was not really the case. The researcher substituted (替换) a ball for the train when it went behind the screen. The 22-week-old babies seemed surprised and looked back to the left side for the train. But the 16-week-old babies did not seem to notice the switch (更换). Thus, the 16-week-old babies seemed to have a sense of “something permanence,” while the 22-week-old babies had a sense of object permanence related to a particular object.
1.The passage is mainly about .
A. babies’ sense of sight B. effects of experiments on babies
C. babies’ understanding of objects D. different tests on babies’ feelings
2.In Paragraph 3, “object permanence” means that when out of sight, an object .
A. still exists B. keeps its shape C. still stays solid D. is beyond reach
3.What did Bower use in his experiments?
A. A chair B. A screen C. A film D. A box
4.Which of the following statements is true?
A. The babies didn’t have a sense of direction.
B. The older babies preferred toy trains to balls.
C. The younger babies liked looking for missing objects
D. The babies couldn’t tell a ball from its optical illusion.
Do you remember last summer, when angry travelers were urging the government to do something about airline customer service? Airlines 36 to improve, and they adopted (采用) new standards just before Christmas. 37 as another summer nears, plenty of 38 travelers don’t see much improvement in customer 39 overall.
This month, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) office will publish its first critical 40 on whether airlines are 41 their promises. One survey suggests problems: the number of 42 to the DOT about the top 10 airlines in the first 43 rose 89% from a year ago .
Hit last summer by passenger complaints and the threat (威慑) of consumer-protection laws by the 44 _, 14 airlines 45 to adopt a set of basic customer-service standards called Customers First . The “12 promises” to passengers were introduced 46 a major effort to improve service. Since then, airlines have been redesigning websites , retraining employees and upgrading technology
Recently, DOT inspector general Kenneth Mead, at McCain’s request, sent 20 examiners to airports to 47 whether each airline is doing what it promised. Mead warns travelers shouldn’t 48 too much. Most of the promises are 49 better communication with customers , not problems with flights .
“Passengers should show more understanding to airlines about their 50 to better air service.” Spokeswoman Shelly Sassoon says. “And when 51 are made, it takes a long time for them to be noticed,” she says.
Now, the efforts may be working. During the first quarter, Delta had the second-lowest rate of complaints among the 52 10 carriers. 53 , its rate, along with other carriers’, is up from last year. McCain and other lawmakers say there may be a 54 to pass new consumer-protection 55 .
1.A. promised B. managed C. hoped D. refused
2.A. So B. But C. Merely D. Even
3.A. skilled B. experienced C. tired D. puzzled
4.A. flight B. opinion C. service D. travel
5.A. news B. information C. doubt D. article
6.A. honoring B. making C. giving D. improving
7.A. problems B. travelers C. passengers D. complaints
8.A. quarter B. year C. month D. summer
9.A. customer B. company C. government D. public
10.A. wished B. agreed C. remembered D. failed
11.A. to B. for C. as D. by
12.A. explain B. discuss C. discover D. check
13. A. travel B. expect C. complain D. suggest
14.A. aimed at B. considered as C. joined to D. made from
15.A. difficulty B. situation C. reality D. efforts
16.A. suggestions B. rules C. decisions D. improvements
17.A. large B. first C. top D. bad
18.A. Still B. Therefore C. Instead D. Meanwhile
19.A. possibility B. need C. chance D. use
20.A. examinations B. service C. laws D. reports
Was it _________ she said or something that she did ___________ you were angry at so much?
A. what; that B. that; which C. that ; what D. what; which
_________left before the deadline, it doesn’t seem likely that John will finish the job.
A. Though such a short time B. Because such a short time
C. With such a short time D. As such a short time
He made another wonderful discovery, _________ of great importance to science.
A. which I think is B. which I think it is
C. which I think it D. I think it is
Without facts, we can’t form a correct opinion, for we need to have actual knowledge________ our thinking.
A. which to be based on B. which to base on
C. on which to base D. which to base
