Compared to dogs, cats are often considered to be aloof (冷漠的)with respect to their human owners. It is usual for them to be indifferent (无动于衷的)when humans call their names. Are we sure that they don’t understand human voices at all?
A recent study published in the journal of Scientific Reports suggests that we’ve been fooled. Japanese scientists found that cats can recognize their names if their owners regularly use them. In the study, scientists recruited 78 domestic cats. They played recordings of voices of their owners saying five words: the first four words were random nouns that sounded similar to their names while the final word was the cat’s name. Then they observed the cats’ responses, if there were any.
Most of cats moved their ears or heads when they heard their names, while they made no response to other words. That suggested, “cats were paying attention to you, what you say and what you do,” John Bradshaw, an expert on human-animal interactions (互动) at the University of Bristol, UK, told The Times. “And cats were just as good as dogs at learning,” she added.
In the study, when people called their names, cats often associated (联系) the words with rewards, such as food or play, or with “punishments” such as having a bath or going to the vet . This made cats sensitive (敏感的) to words. After the cats had been called several times, they could respond to the words. But the scientists added that while dogs have evolved (进化) to follow their owners’ orders, cats have not. Although cats appear to be aloof, they do have special relationships with their owners.
According to study co-author Atsuko Saito, cats have evolved not to show their emotions as a survival method. One example is illness, which they tend to hide because “in the wild, no one can rescue them” and predators (捕食性动物) are more likely to pay attention to them, Saito explained.
However, technology may help bridge the communication gap between cats and us. There are now mobile apps available to explain what their meows mean. So, the next time you hear “meow, meow”, your cat may be telling you: “Hi, you haven’t cleaned my litter box recently.”
1.What did the recent study find about cats?
A.Cats learn more slowly than dogs. B.Cats are cleverer than dogs.
C.Cats can recognize their names. D.Cats are willing to follow orders.
2.Why do cats appear aloof?
A.They want to protect themselves from harm.
B.They associate words with punishments.
C.They are not sensitive to the human voice.
D.They don’t pay much attention to their surroundings.
3.What does the last paragraph tell us?
A.It is difficult to understand cats’ meows.
B.Interaction with your cats is very important.
C.Cats do have good relationships with their owners.
D.We may know cats better with the help of technology.
For many, traveling is a way to escape the worst parts of daily life. But what if a travel destination(目的地) witnessed terrible events, like war, genocide (大屠杀) or nuclear fallout? Would you still want to visit?
There’s a growing phenomenon called “dark tourism” – people visit sites to do with death and human suffering. “It’s living on the edge almost – if you go to a place where people have really died,” Karel Werdler, a senior lecturer in history at InHolland University in the Netherlands, told CNN.
When people go to traditional tourist spots, like Disneyland, or some wonders of the world, they may feel happy to enjoy something interesting or new. Dark tourism, however, not only provides that newness but also can make them feel lucky that their problems are so small in comparison. According to the Guardian, “Dark tourism to some extent depends on the reverse (颠倒) of the old equation (方程式) of more familiar tourism.”
For many people, these sites offer a way to think about the mistakes of the past and the lessons we can learn from history. For example, Chernobyl, in the Ukraine, is one of the most popular dark destinations. When its nuclear reactor (核反应堆) blew up in 1984, it released a radioactive cloud so devastating that the surrounding area will remain uninhabitable (不适宜居住的) for 20,000 years. Despite the destruction and danger of the still present radiation, nearly 72,000 people visited the area last year, reports the BBC. One of these was Li Yimeng, who went on a tour of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. During the tour she saw the homes of the power plant’s former workers, deserted classrooms, and an abandoned playground.
“I experienced a whole range of emotions as I saw the area where they used to live, which is now a wasteland,” she told China Daily. She also stressed the need to show respect when visiting places like Chernobyl. Though dark tourism is related to death and dying, “it tells us more about life and the living”, The Sun said.
1.What is the main purpose of the article?
A.To compare different types of travel.
B.To persuade readers to join in dark tourism.
C.To tell readers of a new type of travel.
D.To introduce one of the most popular dark destinations.
2.What does the underlined word “devastating” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A.dark B.destructive C.huge D.straight
3.With the example of Li Yimeng, the author tries to show dark tourism _____.
A.can be a frightening experience
B.makes people think about life
C.call on people to take action to avoid disasters
D.warns people to be careful about high technology
I must have always known reading was very important because the first memories I have as a child deal with books. There was not one night that I don’t remember mom reading me a storybook by my bedside. I was extremely inspired by the wonderful way the words sounded.
I always wanted to know what my mom was reading. Hearing mom say, “I can’t believe what’s printed in the newspaper this morning,” made me want to grab it out of her hands and read it myself. I wanted to be like my mom and know all of the things she knew. So I carried around a book, and each night, just to be like her, I would pretend to be reading.
This is how everyone learned to read. We would start off with sentences, then paragraphs, and then stories. It seemed an unending journey, but even as a six-year-old girl I realized that knowing how to read could open many doors. When mom said, “The C-A-N-D-Y is hidden on the top shelf,” I knew where the candy was. My progress in reading raised my curiosity, and I wanted to know everything. I often found myself telling my mom to drive more slowly, so that I could read all of the road signs we passed.
Most of my reading through primary, middle and high school was factual reading. I read for knowledge, and to make A’s on my tests. Sometimes, I would read a novel that was assigned, but I didn’t enjoy this type of reading. I liked facts, things that are concrete. I thought anything abstract left too much room for argument.
Now that I’m growing and the world I once knew as being so simple is becoming more complex, I find myself needing a way to escape. By opening a novel, I can leave behind my burdens and enter into a wonderful and mysterious world where I am now a new character. In these worlds I can become anyone. I don’t have to write down what happened or what technique the author was using when he or she wrote this. I just read to relax.
We’re taught to read because it’s necessary for much of human understanding. Reading is an important part of my life. Reading satisfies my desire to keep learning. And I’ve found that the possibilities that lie within books are limitless.
1.Why did the author want to grab the newspaper out of mom’s hands？
A.She wanted mom to read the news to her.
B.She couldn’t wait to tear the newspaper apart.
C.She couldn’t help but stop mom from reading.
D.She was eager to know what had happened.
2.According to Paragraph 3, the author’s reading of road signs shows___________.
A.her own way to find herself
B.her eagerness to develop her reading ability
C.her growing desire to know the world around her
D.her effort to remind mom to obey traffic rules
3.The author takes novel reading as a way to___________.
A.explore a mysterious land
B.develop an interest in learning
C.get away from a confusing world
D.learn about the adult world
4.What could be the best title for the passage？
A.The Pleasure of Reading B.Growing Up with Reading
C.The Magic of Reading D.Reading Makes a Full Man
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What will the weather be like in high places this evening?
A.There will be showers.
B.There will be heavy mist.
C.There will be strong winds.
2.How will the day start in coastal areas tomorrow?
A.Cloudy. B.Rainy. C.Sunny.
3.When can holiday makers expect good weather?
A.This weekend. B.At the end of this month. C.Next month.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the man doing?
A.Writing a book. B.Preparing a lecture. C.Searching for information.
2.What does the woman suggest the man do?
A.Make his topic more detailed.
B.Get a complete reading list.
C.Read at least six books.
3.What is the man going to focus on?
A.Hollywood in the 1920s.
B.20th-century Hollywood movies.
C.Golden Age Hollywood comedies.
4.What is the relationship between the speakers?
A.Student and teacher. B.Reader and librarian. C.Customer and shop assistant.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Where does the conversation probably take place?
A.In a shop. B.In a dining hall. C.In an office.
2.What upsets the woman?
A.Her computer is down. B.Her paper is missing. C.Her hand is aching.
3.When is the woman’s report due?
A.Wednesday. B.Friday. C.Next Monday.
