Question

Scientists in Britain have managed to teach bumblebees(大黄蜂) to pull strings to get to food and then pass on what they have learned to others in their colony(群体)—showing a high level of intelligence despite their tiny brains.

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London said the experiments, often used to test the intelligence of apes (猿) and birds, showed for the first time that some insects are up to the task, and can also pass skills on through several generations.

The findings add to the evidence suggesting the ability for “culture spread” — the ability to learn and pass on knowledge and skills — may not be exclusive to humans.

In the research, published in the journal PLOS Biology on Tuesday, the scientists were able to train 23 out of a group of 40 bees to pull strings with their legs and feet.

The strings were attached to discs — or artificial “flowers” — containing food at their center but placed under a transparent screen. The bees, spotting the food beneath the screen, learned to pull the “flowers” out by pulling the string with their legs and feet to be able to get to it.

From another group of bees given the chance to solve the task without any training, only two of 110 were successful.

Another group of bees was then allowed to observe the trained bees pulling the strings, and 60 percent of them successfully learned the skill. Finally, trained bees were put in colonies, and the scientists found the technique spread successfully to a majority of the colony’s worker bees.

Lars Chittka, a Queen Mary University professor who guided the project, said the team is interested in figuring out the brain processes behind the bees’ learning and teaching skills.

1.What does the underlined word “exclusive” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A. Ordinary.    B. Unique.    C. Beneficial.    D. Widespread.

2.What did the researchers find about bees?

A. Bees learn best in insects.

B. Bees are as clever as birds.

C. Bees are born good learners.

D. Bees can be trained to learn skills.

3.What may the research team focus on next?

A. What else bees can do.    B. Where bees learn skills.

C. How bees teach others.    D. How bees’ brain work.

4.What may be the best title for the text?

A. Small bees, great abilities    B. Bees can learn and teach

C. Bees are smarter    D. Let bees learn

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.D

4.B

【解析】本文为说明文，属于科普类文章。介绍了大黄蜂有学习能力，还会传播自己学到的知识。

1.猜测词义题。依据第二段可知，大黄蜂也具有学习并传播所学知识的能力，结合第三段本句话可知，这种能力并非人类独有的，故选B项。

2.细节理解题。根据第三、四、五、六、七段可知，蜜蜂可以被训练学习技能。D项正确。

3.推理判断题。根据文章最后一句...the team is interested in figuring out the brain processes behind the bees’ learning and teaching skills.可知，该小组感兴趣的是找出蜜蜂学习和教学技能背后的大脑活动过程。故D项正确。

4.主旨大意题。综合全文尤其第一段可知，文章主要介绍一项科学发现，大黄蜂也可以学习并传播所学技能，故选B项。

【名师点睛】

每篇文章都会有一个主旨要义。主旨要义型题范围一般包括：短文标题、主题大意或段落大意等。此题型要求考生在理解文章后归纳文章要点，概括中心思想。考生需要分析文章的篇章结构，抓住文章的开头或结尾，从而找出能概括文章的主题句。主题句的特点：（1）语言特点：归纳性、概括性、抽象性；（2）位置特点：主题句常出现在“总结性”语言的“信号词”后，如：in summary, in a word, as a result, finally, in short, in conclusion和in brief等；主题句常出现在“转移话题式”语言的“信号词”后，如：but, however, nevertheless, Hence等。标题的语言特点：独特新颖、概括性强、短小精炼。

A．主旨大意主要的设题方式有：（1）Which of the following best gives the main idea of this newspaper article?（2）The best headline for this newspaper article is ____.

（3）What is the topic of the text?

（4）The text is mainly about ______.

（5）What's the main point the writer is trying to make in the last paragraph？

（6）What would be the best title for the text？

B．主旨大意主要的解题策略有：

（1）标题类。文章标题可以是单词，短语，也可以是句子，它的特点是：短小精悍，多为一短语；涵盖性强，一般要求能覆盖全文，其确定的范围要恰当，既不能太大，也不能太小；精确性强，不能随意改变语言表意的程度及色彩。

（2）主旨类。概括主旨的方法是：先看首尾或各段开头再看全文找主题句，若无明显主题句，就通过关键词句来概括(如议论文中寻找表达作者观点态度的词句，记叙文寻找概括情节和中心的动词或反映人物特点的形容词)。文中出现两种或两种以上的不同观点时，务必牢记作者的观点才是体现全文中心的。此时，要注意一些转折词，如but, yet, however, although, in spite of, by contrast, on the contrary等。当文章中表示相反的观点时，往往用到这些词。答题时要弄清哪个是作者的观点，排除迷惑性信息，准确归纳主旨大意。例如：文章的第4小题：

B 此题属于主旨大意中的（1）一一标题类。答案需要理解文章后归纳文章中心。

答案定位：根据第一段中的Scientists in Britain have managed to teach bumblebees(大黄蜂) to pull strings to get to food and then pass on what they have learned to others in their colony(群体)—showing a high level of intelligence despite their tiny brains.

推理关系：题干What may be the best title for the text?☞文章内容Scientists in Britain have managed to teach bumblebees(大黄蜂) to pull strings to get to food and then pass on what they have learned to others in their colony(群体)—showing a high level of intelligence despite their tiny brains. ☞概括总结☞ teach bumblebees(大黄蜂) to pull strings to get to food and then pass on what they have learned to others 教大黄蜂拉绳子获得食物，然后大黄蜂把这个方法教给其他的大黄蜂☞标题

答案：根据teach bumblebees(大黄蜂) to pull strings to get to food and then pass on what they have learned to others ☞B选项Bees can learn and teach