The brain of an insect isn’t very big. But insects are somehow still able to make lots of important decisions. Bees, ants and roaches(蟑螂) build hives(巢穴)with thousands of workers doing specialized work. The jobs are done without a head or even a plan. How do insects manage this?
To solve the mystery, scientists in Belgium spent months building robotic roaches and then putting them among real roaches. The final goal of the research is to find out how the simple behavior of individuals gives rise to a collective decision. The roach is a good starting point for trying to answer the big question because its social system is simple enough for scientists to study.
The first step was to build robots that real roaches would accept as their own. Although the robotic roaches don’t look much like the real thing, they have similarities with them in three key ways: they naturally head toward dark areas, they are influenced by the behavior of other roaches, and even more importantly, they smell like roaches.
The next step was getting the robotic and real roaches to work together on common tasks. In experiments, the robots would collectively head towards a dark place, copying the behavior of natural roaches. That got the researchers wondering: if you program the robotic roaches to go toward the lighted place, would the real roaches follow, going against their natural instincts.(本能) ?
They will – it turned out. Many of the real roaches followed the robots to a lighter shelter. But influence turned out to be a two- way street. On occasion, the real roaches were able to override the programming of the robot roaches and get them to turn into dark hiding places. Being social creatures, both the robotic and natural roaches were paying attention to and following the example set by others.
In theory, it would be possible to create a robot that could influence collective decision-making in humans. To do this, researchers would have to invent a robot that people would accept. Fortunately, the technology isn’t there yet.
1．Why do scientists choose the roaches to study?
A．They are social creatures
B．Their social system is simple.
C．They are able to build their hives quite well.
D．It is easy to create robotic ones.
2．The robotic roaches are accepted by real ones because of all of the following EXCEPT that _________ .
A．they smell like real ones
B．they look exactly like real ones
C．what they do are somewhat influenced by other roaches
D．they naturally head toward dark areas
3．What’s the author’s attitude to creating a robot that would influence collective decision- making in humans?
A．Uninterested B．Positive C．Negative D．Doubtful
4．Which of the following might be the best title of the passage ?
A．Robotic Roaches B．Scientists’ Research
C．Amazing Insects D．Insects’ Social System
閱讀快車系列答案科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
It is difficult for doctors to help a person with a damaged brain. Without enough blood, the brain lives for only three to five minutes. More often the doctors can’t fix the damage. Sometimes they are afraid to try something to help because it is dangerous to work on the brain. The doctors might make the person worse if he operates on the brain.
Dr. Robert White, a famous professor and doctor, thinks he knows a way to help. He thinks doctors should make the brain very cold. If it is very cold, the brain can live without blood for 30 minutes. This gives the doctor a longer time to do something for the brain.
Dr. White tried his idea on 13 monkeys. First he taught them to do different jobs, then he operated on them. He made the monkeys’ blood back to the monkeys’ brains. When the brain’s temperature was 10℃, Dr. White stopped the blood to the brain. After 30 minutes he turned the blood back on. He warmed the blood again. After their operations the monkeys were like they had been before. They were healthy and busy. Each one could still do the jobs the doctor had taught them.
The biggest difficulty in operating on the damaged brain is that .
A. the time is too short for doctors B. the patients are often too nervous
C. the damage is extremely hard to fix D. the blood-cooling machine might break down
The brain operation was made possible mainly by .
A. taking the blood out of the brain B. trying the operation on monkeys first
C. having the blood go through a machine D. lowering the brain’s temperature
With Dr. White’s new idea, the operation on the damaged brain .
A. can last as long as 30 minutes B. can keep the brain’s blood warm
C. can keep the patient’s brain healthy D. can help monkeys do different jobs
What is the right order of the steps in the operations?
a. send the cooled back to the brain b. stop the blood to the brain
c. have the blood cooled down d. operate on the brain
A. a, b, c, d B. c, a, b, d C. c, b, d, a D. b, c, d, a
Which of the following is not true?
A. If there isn’t enough blood, the brain can live for only three to five minutes.
B. If the brain is very cold, it can live without blood for half an hour.
C. Dr. White tried his idea for thirteen times.
D. After their operations, the monkeys were healthy and busy again.
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科目：高中英語 來源：2012屆廣東省高二三月月考英語試題 題型：閱讀理解
It is difficult for doctors to help a person with a damaged brain. Without enough blood, the brain lives for only three to five minutes. More often the doctors can’t fix the damage. Sometimes they are afraid to try something to help because it is dangerous to work on the brain. The doctors might make the person worse if he operates on the brain.
Dr. Robert White, a famous professor and doctor, thinks he knows a way to help. He thinks doctors should make the brain very cold. If it is very cold, the brain can live without blood for 30 minutes. This gives the doctor a longer time to do something for the brain.
Dr. White tried his idea on 13 monkeys. First he taught them to do different jobs, then he operated on them. He made the monkeys’ blood back to the monkeys’ brains. When the brain’s temperature was 10℃, Dr. White stopped the blood to the brain. After 30 minutes he turned the blood back on. He warmed the blood again. After their operations the monkeys were like they had been before. They were healthy and busy. Each one could still do the jobs the doctor had taught them.
1. The biggest difficulty in operating on the damaged brain is that .
A. the time is too short for doctors B. the patients are often too nervous
C. the damage is extremely hard to fix D. the blood-cooling machine might break down
2.The brain operation was made possible mainly by .
A. taking the blood out of the brain B. trying the operation on monkeys first
C. having the blood go through a machine D. lowering the brain’s temperature
3. With Dr. White’s new idea, the operation on the damaged brain .
A. can last as long as 30 minutes B. can keep the brain’s blood warm
C. can keep the patient’s brain healthy D. can help monkeys do different jobs
4. What is the right order of the steps in the operations?
a. send the cooled back to the brain b. stop the blood to the brain
c. have the blood cooled down d. operate on the brain
A. a, b, c, d B. c, a, b, d C. c, b, d, a D. b, c, d, a
5.Which of the following is not true?
A. If there isn’t enough blood, the brain can live for only three to five minutes.
B. If the brain is very cold, it can live without blood for half an hour.
C. Dr. White tried his idea for thirteen times.
D. After their operations, the monkeys were healthy and busy again.
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科目：高中英語 來源：20102011學(xué)年浙江杭州學(xué)軍中學(xué)高二上學(xué)期期中英語試題 題型：閱讀理解
The gray-haired lady can’t wait to leave the building to search for her dad. Unless watched, she will walk in the streets in an effort to find her father, who died 30 years ago.
Not all cases of Alzheimer’s disease look like this ,but Alzheimer’s is a serious disease that is said to be the fourth or fifth leading cause of death for people over age 75.
It is said that about three percent of the U.S. population over age 65 have Alzheimer’s. In the early stages, people may exhibit short term memory loss. Some may experience changes in personality, easy to be angry .As the disease progresses, patients might lose the ability to move and may be unable to speak or move at all. This progressive disease generally lasts 8 to 10 years before death occurs. k*s5u
While no one is certain what causes these changes in the brain’s nerve fibers, their effect is certain. Alzheimer’s destroys not only the patients, but also spouses (配偶), friends and families.
What should you do if you notice progressive memory loss in yourself or a loved one? Have the person examined by a doctor who is a specialist in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Though many reasons other than Alzheimer’s disease may cause memory loss ,its early diagnosis (診斷) and treatment may delay some of the most serious effects.
What feeling will you likely experience should a loved one suffer from Alzheimer’s disease? A person will often go through the various stages of sadness, shock, anger, and so on. If the spouse develops the disease, you may experience hurt and disappointment when he or she doesn’t remember you are married.
Life for the Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones will never be the same as the disease progresses, bringing a deep sorrow, loss and even anger towards God. No matter what feelings are present, facing them honestly will serve one better than burying them.
1.
What can be inferred from the passage about the gray-haired lady?
A. She has been living with her father.
B. She was sad about the death of her father.
C. She can’t search for her father without being watched.
D. She suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
2.
When people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, __________.
A. their families and friends will suffer from the same disease
B. their families and friends will experience mental sufferings
C. they will certainly die in 8 to 10 years
D. they will forget everybody but their spouses
3.
Memory loss occurs __________.
A. from Alzheimer’s disease and nothing else k*s5u
B. from sadness ,shock ,anger ,and so on
C. for a number of reasons
D. with changes in personality
4.
From the passage we know that __________.
A. early treatment may stop Alzheimer’s disease occurring
B. it is still unknown what causes the changes in the brain’s nerve fibers
C. nerve fibers in the brain will cause Alzheimer’s disease
D. when one suffers from Alzheimer’s disease ,he will be buried
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科目：高中英語 來源：20102011學(xué)年江蘇省鹽城市高一下學(xué)期期中考試英語試題 題型：閱讀理解
If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?
According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter（大腦灰質(zhì)）. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles（肌肉）.
The study also found the younger people learn a second language，the greater the effect is.
A team led by Dr Andrea Mechelli, from University College London, took a group of Britons who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals” who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.
Scans showed that grey matter density（密度）in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.
“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,” it means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales, has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible(靈活的)”, he said. “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of 2 and 34. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world,” explained the scientists.
1.The main subject talked about in this passage is ______.
A. science on learning a second language
B. man’s ability of learning a second language
C. language learning can help brain power
D. language learning and maths study
2.The underlined word “bilingual” probably means ______.
A. a researcher on language learning
B. a second language learner
C. a person who can speak two languages
D. an active language learner
3. We may know from the scientific findings that ______.
A. the earlier you start to learn a second language the higher the grey matter density is
B. there is no difference between a later second language learner and one who doesn’t know a second language
C. the experience of learning a second language has bad effect on people’s brain
D. the ability of learning a second language is changing all the time
4.In the last two paragraphs, the author wants to tell us that ______.
A. learning a second language is the same as studying maths
B. early learning of a second language helps you a great deal in studying other subjects
C. Italian is the best choice for you as a second language
D. you’d better choose the ages between 2 and 34 to learn a second language
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科目：高中英語 來源：2007年高考試題（四川卷）解析版 題型：閱讀理解
Sorry to say,our brains naturally start slowing down at the Cruelty young age of 30.It used to be thought that this couldn’t be helped,but new studies show that people of any age can train their brains to work faster.“Your brain is a learning machine,”saying University of California scientist Dr. Michael Merzenich.Given the right tools,we can train our brains to act like they did when we were younger.All that’s required is the practice designed just for the purpose:a few exercises for the mind.
Merzenich has developed a computer-based training method to speed up the process(過程) in which the brain deals with information (positscience.com).Since much of the data we receive comes through speech,the Brain Fitness Program works with language and hearing to better speed and accuracy(準(zhǔn)確性).
Over the course of training,the program starts asking you to distinguish(辨別) sounds (between“dog”and“bog”,for example) at an increasingly faster speed.It’s a bit like tennis instructor,says Merzenich,hitting balls at you—faster and faster to keep you challenged(受到挑戰(zhàn)).You may start out slow,but before long you’re pretty quick.
The biggest finding in brain research in the last ten years is that the brain at any age is highly plastic.If you ask your brain to learn,it will learn.And it may even speed up while in the process.
To keep your brain young and plastic you can do one of a million new activities that challenge and excite you:playing table tennis or bridge,doing crossword puzzles,learning a language...“When it comes to preventing ageing,you really do ‘use it or lose it’,”says Barbara Sahakian,professor at Cambridge University.
1.Dr.Merzenich’s training method mainly depends on ______.
A.speech training
B.computer languages
C.the activities one joins in
D.the information being dealt with
2.By saying “the brain at any age is highly plastic”,the writer probably means the brain can be ______.
A.used B.mastered
C.developed D.researched
3.What can we learn from the text?
A.Practice makes a quick mind.
B.Brain research started ten years ago.
C.Dr. Merzenich is a scientist in computer.
D.People believed nothing could stop the brain slowing down.
4.Which of the following agrees with the writer’s idea?
A.The training methods work better for the old.
B.People should use the brain to stop it from ageing.
C.The training of the brain should start at an early age.
D.It’s necessary to take part in as many activities as possible.
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