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
I first came across the concept of paywhatyoucan cafés last summer in Boone, N．C., where I ate at F．A.R.M (Feed All Regardless of Means) Café.You can volunteer to earn your meal, pay the suggested price ($10) or less, or you can overpay—paying it forward for a future customer's meal.My only regret after eating there was not having a chance to give my time.So as soon as Healthy World Café opened in York in April, I signed up for a volunteer shift(轮班)．
F．A.R.M and Healthy World are part of a growing trend of community cafés.In 2003, Denise Cerreta opened the first in Salt Lake City.Cerreta now runs the One World Everybody Eats Foundation, helping others copy her paywhatyoucan model.
“I think the community café is truly a hand up, not a handout，” Cerreta said.She acknowledged that soup kitchens(施粥所) have a place in society, but people typically don't feel good about going there.
“One of the values of the community café is that we have another approach，” she said.“Everyone eats here, no one needs to know whether you volunteered, overpaid or underpaid.”
The successful cafés not only address hunger and food insecurity but also become necessary parts of their neighborhood—whether it's a place to learn skills or hear live music.Some teach cooking to seniors; some offer free used books.Eating or working there is a reminder that we are all in this world together.
My 10 am～1pm shift at World Healthy Café began with the café manager—one of the two paid staff members.Our volunteer crew wasn't the most orderly, but we managed to prepare and serve meals with a lot of laughs in between.At the end of my shift, I ordered my earned meal at the counter, together with other volunteers.After lunch, I walked out the door, with a handful of new friends, music in my head and a satisfied belly and heart.
1.What did the author do at F．A.R.M Café last summer？
A.She enjoyed a meal. B.She ate free of charge.
C.She overpaid for the food. D.She worked as a volunteer.
2.What is the advantage of community cafés compared with soup kitchens？
A.People can have free food.
B.People can maintain their dignity.
C.People can stay as long as they like.
D.People can find their places in society.
3.Why are community cafés becoming popular in the neighborhoods？
A.They bring people true friendships.
B.They help to bring people together.
C.They create a lot of job opportunities.
D.They support local economic development.
4.How did the author feel about working at Healthy World Café？
A.It paid well. B.It changed her.
C.It was beneficial. D.It was easy for her.
“I like photography because it captures amazing things that you might not see again,” Timmy Walsh says. He takes pictures of flowers, sunsets and road signs. But those photos don’t usually end up in a scrapbook(剪贴簿) or on his bedroom walls.
When Timmy was five, he found out that his aunt Bev had lung cancer. He wanted to do something to help her. His first idea was to sell his photos from a lemonade--type stand in front of his house in Pennsylvania. “My mom said it wouldn’t work because we were not on a busy street,” Timmy explains.
His next idea was to have an art show. Timmy decorated his home with candles, flowers, and white lights. Then he arranged his photos. Timmy’s mom, Sheila, remembers: “Our dining-room table was filled, the living room—everything was filled with photos.” Friends, family, and Timmy’s teachers came to the show. He raised more than $300 for cancer research that night. Aunt Bev was “very happy and excited,” he says.
After a local newspaper wrote a story about Timmy’s photos, a volunteer offered to help him set up a website. As people learned about his cause, called Camera for a Cure, Timmy began receiving invitations to sell his pictures at art galleries and fund-raisers. Since then, his work has appeared in more than 20 shows.
When Timmy is at a show, he greets each customer and talks about what he was thinking when he took his photos. And he always shares facts about lung cancer. Sometimes donations and sales are slow, but that doesn’t bother him. “It doesn’t matter how much money we made because we just raised awareness,” he says. Timmy knows that finding a cure for lung cancer will take time and effort. So Timmy will keep doing his part by shooting and selling photos of the things he sees.
1.Before Timmy started Camera for a Cure, he ________.
A.always sold lemonade in front of his house.
B.liked making scrapbooks by using his photos.
C.had developed a deep interest in photography.
D.had been providing photos for a local newspaper.
2.What can we learn about the art show Timmy held at his home?
A.It was generally popular.
B.It cost $300 to organize it.
C.It was funded by Aunt Bev.
D.It was advertised on a website.
3.For Timmy, what’s the benefit of selling his photos at art galleries?
A.Raising money more quickly.
B.Improving his photographic skills
C.Exchanging ideas with other artists.
D.Increasing public awareness of lung cancer.
4.Which of the following can best describe Timmy?
A.Proud and confident.
B.Imaginative but cautious.
C.Generous but self-centered.
D.Determined and warm-hearted.
Discovering the beauty of the science and maths that shape our everyday lives, an experience in Wonderlab will fuel your imagination and inspire you to see the world around you in new and exciting ways. Come and enjoy yourself!
What to see
Spread across seven different zones, there're loads of opportunities to get hands on with real scientific phenomena. Observe live experiments at our Chemistry Bar, see lightning strike before your eyes, play with forces on giant slides or travel through space under a canopy (苍穹)of stars. You can also take part in explosive science demonstrations led by our talented team of explainers. With 50 mind-blowing wonders of science to enjoy, Wonderlab is an experience unlike any other. Besides, a selection of shows will be performed daily in Wonderlab’s beautiful new show space. They are free of charge and last 20 minutes.
Tickets
♦ Day pass: £ 6 per person.
This ticket gives you day-long access to Wonderlab, perfect whether you're planning a special trip to the Museum or simply passing through London and want to feed your curiosity.
♦ Annual pass: £ 10 per person.
For less than the price of two visits, give yourself a year packed full of wonder, curiosity and breathtaking experiences.
Opening times
Open seven days a week, 10:00 — 18:00 (last entry 17:15). Wonderlab will be closed on December 24，25 and 26 and will be open as usual from December 27.
During school holidays our opening hours are 10:00 — 19:00 (last entry 18:15). Please note that in peak periods ( from midday onwards) we are experiencing long queues due to the gallery’s popularity.
1.What can you do in Wonderlab?
A.Explore stars. B.Produce lighting.
C.Join in explosion shows. D.Do chemistry experiments.
2.How much should two visitors pay if they visit Wonderlab and enjoy the shows for one day?
A.£ 12. B.£ 20.
C.£32. D.£40.
3.What is the purpose of the text?
A.To introduce Wonderlab. B.To attract people to Wonderlab.
C.To explain how Wonderlab works. D.To analyze why Wonderlab is attractive.
假定你是李华，最近在某英文论坛上看到一名叫Jonah的澳大利亚高中生发的帖子，他提到自己想结交一位中国朋友以便学习川剧（Sichuan Opera)。请根据所给提示，用英语给他写一封电子邮件，内容包括：
1.表达意愿；
2.帮助方式；
3.期待回复。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。 文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线（\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
I had a very special vacation last winter. A terrible disease calling COVID-19 struck Wuhan on December. The whole nation is under the shadow of the outbreak in a short time. Tens of thousand of people were infected with the virus. Thankful,the government took timely measures and called on ourselves to stay at home to avoid close personal contact. In the meantime,a plenty of medical experts and nursing professionals went to Wuhan voluntarily,who showed that the Chinese could unite firmly in the face of difficulties. The disaster did bring huge pain to China,and it pushed the country overcome difficulties and made us stronger.
