A note on the large-angle anisotropies in the WMAP cut-sky maps
美国文学试卷+答题纸+答案
2012-2013学年 第二学期 《美国文学》期末考试试卷(A 卷)专业:英语 年级:2010级 考试方式:闭卷 学分:2 考试时间:110分钟I .Multiple Choices (每小题 1分,共20分)Directions: Select from the four choices of each item the one thatbest answers the question.1. Naturalism is evolved from realism when the author’s tone in writing becomes less serious and less sympathetic but more ironic and more_____________. A . rational B . humorous C. optimisticD . pessimistic2. Which of the following is not written by Ernest Hemingway, one of the best-known American authors of the 20th century? A. The Sun Also Rises B. The Old Man and the Sea C. Mosses from the Old ManseD. Hills Like White Elephant3. The Romantic writers would focus on all the following issues Except the __________ in the American history. A. individual feeling B. survival of the fittest C. strong imaginationD. return to nature4. Almost all Faulkner ’s heroes turned out to be tragic because__________. A. all enjoyed living in the declining American South.B. none of them was conditioned by the civilization and Social institutions.C. most of them were prisoners of the past.D. none were successful in their attempt to explain the inexplicable.5. As an autobiograp hical play, O’Neill’s ________ (1955) has gained its status as a world classic and simultaneously marks the climax of his literary career and the coming of age of American drama._.A. The Iceman ComethB. Long Day’s Journey into NightC. Beyond the HorizonD. Bound East for Cardiff6. Which of the following statements is right about Robert Frost’s poetry?A. He combined traditional verse forms with the difficult and highly ornamental language.B. He combined traditional verse forms with the pastoral language of the Southern area.C. He combined traditional verse forms with a simple spoken language, the speech of New England farmers.D. He combined traditional verse forms with the experimental.7. Edgar Allen Poe was characterized by his __________.A. psycho-analysisB. novels set in the WestC. free verseD. political pamphlets8. Which of the following is depicted as the mythical county in William Faulkner’s novels?A. CambridgeB. OxfordC. MississippiD. Yoknapatawpha9. ____________ was the first great American writer to write for pleasure rather than utility. He is considered to be founder of American literature by some critics.A. James Fenimore CooperB. Washington IrvingC. Ezra PoundD. Mark Twain10. We can perhaps summarize that Walt Whitman’s poems are characterized by all the following features except that they are _______________.A. lyrical and well-structuredB. conversational and crudeC. simple and rather crudeD. free-flowing11. The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck reveals the miserable lives of __________ .A. factory workersB. sailorsC. landless farm laborersD. veterans12. Among the American realistic writers, _________ focused his attention on the rising middle class and the way they lived.A. Herman MelvilleB. Henry JamesC. Mark TwainD. William Dean Howells13. Which of the following is a representative novel of naturalism by an American writer? 2A. Innocents AbroadB. McTeagueC. Daisy MillerD. The Grapes of Wrath14. The first symbol of self-made American man is _________.A. Benjamin FranklinB. Washington IrvingC. George WashingtonD. Mark Twain15. The Imagist writers followed three principles. They respectively are direct treatment, economy of expression and ________.A. local colorB. ironyC. clear rhythmD. blank verse16. Robert Frost is famous for his lyric poems. Which of the following lyric poems wasnot written by Robert Frost?A. “The Raven”B. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”C. “After Apple-picking”D. “The Road Not Taken”17. “The lost generation”refers to the writers who relocated to Paris in the post WWⅠyears to reject to values of American materialism. All the following but ________are involved in this group.A. F. S. FitzgeraldB. Ernest HemingwayC. Theodore DreiserD. John Dos Passos18. The first settlers who became the founding fathers of the American nation were quite a few of them _________.A. AnglicansB. CatholicsC. NormansD. Puritans19. Which one of the following statements is applicable to the understanding of Transcendentalism?A. It is strongly influenced by social Darwinism.B. Belief in individualism, independence of mind, and self-reliance.C. Man has no free-will.D. It holds that determinism governs everything.20. In __________, Captain Ahab is obsessed with the revenge on a whale which shearedoff his leg on a previous voyage, and his crazy chasing of it eventually brings death to allon board the whaler except Ishmael, who survives to tell the tale.《美国文学》A卷第3页共18页4A. TypeeB. White JacketC. Moby DickD. Billy BuddII .Explain the Following Literary Terms Briefly (每小题7分,共14分)Directions : Please write down the answers on the Answer Sheet.21. Local Colorism 22. Stream of ConsciousnessIII .Identification of Fragments (每小题7分,共21分)Directions : Please give the name of the author and the title of the literary work from which it is taken and then briefly comment on itin English. Please write down the answers on the Answer Sheet.23. “‘That ’s right.’ He said; ‘I ’m no good now. I was all right. I had money. I ’m going to quit this,’ and, with death in his heart, he started down toward the Bowery. People had turned on the gas before and died; why shouldn ’t he? He remembered a lodging house where there were little, close rooms, with gas-jet in them, almost pre-arranged, he thought, for what he wanted to do, which rented for fifteen cents. Then he remembered that he had no fifteen cents.”24. “All day Buck brooded by the pool or roamed restlessly above the camp. Death, as a cessation of movement, as a passing out and away from the lives of the living, he knew, and he knew John Thornton was dead. It left a great void in him, somewhat akin to hunger, but a void which ached and ached, and which food could not fill.25. “Her skeleton was small and spare; perhaps that was why that would have been merely plumpness in another was obesity in her. She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hue.IV . Short Essay Questions (每小题10分,共 30 分)Directions : Please write down the answers on the Answer Sheet.《美国文学》A 卷 第5页 共18页26. The relationship between man and nature is a recurrent theme, perhaps one of the most important themes, in American literature. Write a short essay on it by contrasting tow or three American literary works, or two or three American literary movements, to tell what you know about their different views of nature. 27. Please make a comment on Eugene O ’Neil.28. Please briefly comment on Theodore Dreiser ’s novel Sister Carrie.V .Appreciating a Literary Work (计 15 分)Directions:In this part, you are required to write a commentary paper in no less than 100 words. Please write it on the AnswerSheet .A Clean, Well-Lighted PlaceErnest HemingwayIt was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference. The two waiters inside the cafe knew that the old man was a little drunk, and while he was a good client they knew that if he became too drunk he would leave without paying, so they kept watch on him."Last week he tried to commit suicide," one waiter said. "Why?""He was in despair." "What about?" "Nothing.""How do you know it was nothing?" "He has plenty of money."They sat together at a table that was close against the wall near the door of the cafe and looked at the terrace where the tables were all empty except where the old man sat in the shadow of the leaves of the tree that moved slightly in the wind. A girl and a soldier went by in the street. The street light shone on the brass number on his collar. The girl wore no head covering and hurried beside him."The guard will pick him up," one waiter said. "What does it matter if he gets what he's after?""He had better get off the street now. The guard will get him. They went by five minutes ago."The old man sitting in the shadow rapped on his saucer with his glass. The youngerwaiter went over to him."What do you want?"The old man looked at him. "Another brandy," he said."You'll be drunk," the waiter said. The old man looked at him. The waiter went away."He'll stay all night," he said to his colleague. "I'm sleepy now. I never get into bed before three o'clock. He should have killed himself last week."The waiter took the brandy bottle and another saucer from the counter inside the cafe and marched out to the old man's table. He put down the saucer and poured the glass full of brandy."You should have killed yourself last week," he said to the deaf man. The old man motioned with his finger. "A little more," he said. The waiter poured on into the glass so that the brandy slopped over and ran down the stem into the top saucer of the pile. "Thank you," the old man said. The waiter took the bottle back inside the cafe. He sat down at the table with his colleague again."He's drunk now," he said."He's drunk every night.""What did he want to kill himself for?""How should I know.""How did he do it?""He hung himself with a rope.""Who cut him down?""His niece.""Why did they do it?""Fear for his soul.""How much money has he got?" "He's got plenty.""He must be eighty years old.""Anyway I should say he was eighty.""I wish he would go home. I never get to bed before three o'clock. What kind of hour is that to go to bed?""He stays up because he likes it.""He's lonely. I'm not lonely. I have a wife waiting in bed for me.""He had a wife once too.""A wife would be no good to him now.""You can't tell. He might be better with a wife.""His niece looks after him. You said she cut him down.""I know." "I wouldn't want to be that old. An old man is a nasty thing.""Not always. This old man is clean. He drinks without spilling. Even now, drunk. Look at him.""I don't want to look at him. I wish he would go home. He has no regard for those 6《美国文学》A 卷 第7页 共18页who must work."The old man looked from his glass across the square, then over at the waiters."Another brandy," he said, pointing to his glass. The waiter who was in a hurry came over."Finished," he said, speaking with that omission of syntax stupid people employ when talking to drunken people or foreigners. "No more tonight. Close now.""Another," said the old man."No. Finished." The waiter wiped the edge of the table with a towel and shook his head.The old man stood up, slowly counted the saucers, took a leather coin purse from his pocket and paid for the drinks, leaving half a peseta(西班牙货币单位) tip. The waiter watched him go down the street, a very old man walking unsteadily but with dignity."Why didn't you let him stay and drink?" the unhurried waiter asked. They were putting up the shutters. "It is not half-past two.""I want to go home to bed." "What is an hour?""More to me than to him." "An hour is the same.""You talk like an old man yourself. He can buy a bottle and drink at home." "It's not the same.""No, it is not," agreed the waiter with a wife. He did not wish to be unjust. He was only in a hurry."And you? You have no fear of going home before your usual hour?" "Are you trying to insult me?""No, hombre (老兄), only to make a joke.""No," the waiter who was in a hurry said, rising from pulling down the metal shutters. "I have confidence. I am all confidence.""You have youth, confidence, and a job," the older waiter said. "You have everything.""And what do you lack?" "Everything but work.""You have everything I have.""No. I have never had confidence and I am not young." "Come on. Stop talking nonsense and lock up.""I am of those who like to stay late at the cafe," the older waiter said."With all those who do not want to go to bed. With all those who need a light for the night.""I want to go home and into bed.""We are of two different kinds," the older waiter said. He was now dressed to go home. "It is not only a question of youth and confidence although those things are very beautiful. Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be some one who needs the cafe.""Hombre, there are bodegas open all night long.""You do not understand. This is a clean and pleasant cafe. It is well lighted. The light is very good and also, now, there are shadows of the leaves.""Good night," said the younger waiter."Good night," the other said. Turning off the electric light he continued the conversation with himself, It was the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant. You do not want music. Certainly you do not want music. Nor can you stand before a bar with dignity although that is all that is provided for these hours. What did he fear? It was not a fear or dread, It was a nothing that he knew too well. It was all a nothing and a man was a nothing too. It was only that and light was all it needed and a certain cleanness and order. Some lived in it and never felt it but he knew it all was nada (没有,虚无)y(所以)pues(既然,那么)nada y nada y pues nada. Our nada who art in nada, nada be thy name thy kingdom nada thy will be nada in nada as it is in nada. Give us this nada our daily nada and nada us our nada as we nada our nadas and nada us not into nada but deliver us from nada; pues nada. Hail nothing full of nothing, nothing is with thee. (这是一段模仿祷告词,其中的名词和动词都被虚无所取代,表明一切事物和行为都是虚无。
介绍猫头鹰的英语作文
Owls:The Enigmatic Night HuntersOwls are among the most fascinating and mysterious birds in the world. Known for their distinctive appearance,nocturnal habits,and haunting calls,these birds have captured the imagination of people across cultures and centuries.This essay will explore the characteristics, behavior,habitat,and ecological importance of owls,as well as their interactions with humans.Characteristics of OwlsOwls belong to the order Strigiformes and have several distinctive features:Physical Appearance:Owls are medium to large-sized birds with rounded heads,large forward-facing eyes,and a facial disk that helps direct sound to their ears.Their plumage is often cryptically colored,allowing them to blend into their surroundings.Owls have strong,hooked beaks and sharp talons for catching and killing prey.Size and Lifespan:The size of owls varies depending on the species.The great horned owl,one of the largest species,can reach lengths of up to 25inches with a wingspan of around55inches.In contrast,the elf owl, one of the smallest species,measures about5-6inches in length with a wingspan of around10inches.Owls can live for several decades,with some species reaching up to20years or more in the wild.Adaptations:Owls have several adaptations that make them successful nocturnal hunters.Their large eyes provide excellent night vision,while their asymmetrical ears help pinpoint the location of sounds.Owls' feathers are specially adapted for silent flight,allowing them to approach prey without being detected.Their powerful talons and beaks enable them to capture and kill a variety of prey.Behavior and Hunting TechniquesOwls exhibit a range of interesting behaviors and hunting techniques:Diet and Foraging:Owls are carnivorous and primarily feed on small mammals,birds,insects,and other vertebrates.They are opportunistic hunters and will eat whatever prey is available in their environment. Owls use their keen senses of sight and hearing to locate prey,often hunting from a perch and swooping down to capture their target.Some species,like the barn owl,specialize in hunting rodents,while others, like the snowy owl,may hunt larger prey such as hares and ducks.Nesting and Breeding:Owls typically nest in tree cavities,abandoned nests of other birds,or on the ground,depending on the species.During the breeding season,males perform courtship displays,including vocalizations and flight displays,to attract females.Females lay2-6eggs, and both parents take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks once they hatch.The chicks fledge after about4-6weeks but may remain dependent on their parents for several months.Vocalizations and Communication:Owls are known for their distinctive calls,which they use to communicate with each other.These calls can serve various purposes,including establishing territory,attracting mates, and signaling alarm.Each species has its own unique set of vocalizations, ranging from hoots and screeches to whistles and barks.Habitat and DistributionOwls are found in a wide range of habitats across the globe:Geographic Range:Owls are distributed worldwide,from the Arctic to the tropics,and are found on every continent except Antarctica. Different species have distinct ranges,with some,like the barn owl, found on multiple continents,while others,like the elf owl,are more restricted to specific regions.Preferred Habitats:Owls inhabit a variety of environments,including forests,grasslands,deserts,wetlands,and urban areas.They are highly adaptable and can thrive in both natural and human-altered landscapes. Some species,like the snowy owl,prefer open tundra,while others,like the barred owl,thrive in dense forests.Ecological ImportanceOwls play a crucial role in their ecosystems:Predator-Prey Dynamics:As predators,owls help regulate the populations of their prey species,such as rodents and insects.This maintains a balance in the ecosystem and prevents overpopulation, which can lead to habitat degradation.Owls are also prey for larger predators,including eagles and large mammals,contributing to the overall biodiversity of their habitats.Indicator Species:Owls are considered indicator species,meaning their presence and health can provide valuable information about the condition of their habitats.Healthy owl populations often indicate healthy ecosystems with good prey availability and minimal human disturbance.Interactions with HumansThe relationship between owls and humans is complex and multifaceted:Conservation and Threats:Many owl species face threats from habitat loss,pollution,and human disturbance.Deforestation,urbanization,and agricultural expansion can destroy nesting sites and reduce prey availability.Conservation efforts focus on protecting critical habitats, reducing human impact,and addressing threats such as pesticide use and climate change to ensure the survival of owl populations.Ecotourism and Education:Owls are popular attractions for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.Responsible ecotourism can raise awareness about owl conservation and generate funding for conservation cational programs in nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries,and schools also play a vital role in promoting owl conservation and the importance of healthy ecosystems.Cultural Significance:Owls hold a special place in the cultures of many communities.They are often featured in folklore,mythology,art,and literature as symbols of wisdom,mystery,and protection.Their presence in the natural world is a reminder of the beauty and diversity of wildlife.ConclusionOwls are remarkable birds that play a vital role in the health and balance of ecosystems around the world.Their unique characteristics,nocturnal behavior,and ecological importance make them key components of the world's biodiversity.Understanding and appreciating owls is essential for the preservation of natural environments and the continued coexistence of humans and wildlife.By fostering a deeper appreciation for owls and supporting conservation efforts,we can ensure that these enigmatic night hunters continue to thrive and inspire future generations.Protecting owls means safeguarding the rich and diverse ecosystems they inhabit,ultimately benefiting all forms of life on our planet.。
沉浸在骑鹅旅行记英语作文
沉浸在骑鹅旅行记英语作文英文回答:Embarking on a Quixotic Odyssey: A Journey Astride Quills and Parchment.In the hallowed halls of literature, where flights of fancy take wing, there exists a tale that transcends the boundaries of time and imagination. It is the story of a knight-errant, Don Quixote, whose delusions of grandeur propelled him on a whimsical adventure astride his loyal steed, Rocinante. But what if, instead of a noble charger, Don Quixote had embarked on his quixotic quest perched upon a humble goose?This outlandish notion forms the comedic and poignant core of "The Goose Travels South," an unpublished masterpiece that weaves together the threads of adventure, absurdity, and a profound meditation on the nature of existence. The novel's protagonist, a modern-day DonQuixote named Ignatius McCracken, sets off on a journey across Europe, accompanied not by a burly squire, but by an unlikely companion: a garrulous and opinionated goose named Henrietta.Through their misadventures, Ignatius and Henrietta encounter a kaleidoscope of unforgettable characters and situations. There's a beautiful damsel in distress, a pompous literary critic, a wise-cracking witch, and a host of eccentric individuals who add depth and humor to their extraordinary voyage.As Ignatius and Henrietta negotiate the trials and tribulations of their goose-propelled odyssey, they embark on a parallel journey of self-discovery. Ignatius grapples with the complex nature of human existence, grappling with questions of identity, meaning, and the elusive nature of happiness. Henrietta, with her unconventional wisdom and unyielding loyalty, provides a unique and often irreverent perspective on life's absurdities and complexities.In an unexpected twist, Ignatius's feathered companionbecomes more than just a mere means of transportation. Henrietta transforms into a symbol of resilience, adaptability, and the boundless possibilities that lie hidden within the most unassuming of creatures. As the novel reaches its poignant climax, Ignatius and Henrietta find themselves at a crossroads, facing a choice that will forever alter the course of their lives."The Goose Travels South" is a literary tour de force that seamlessly blends comedy, adventure, and philosophical introspection. It is a story that asks us to embrace our own eccentricities, to cherish the bonds we forge, and to never cease seeking out the unexpected wonders that life has to offer.中文回答:沉浸在骑鹅旅行记中。
山西省大同一中等重点中学2025届高三(最后冲刺)英语试卷含解析
山西省大同一中等重点中学2025届高三(最后冲刺)英语试卷考生须知:1.全卷分选择题和非选择题两部分,全部在答题纸上作答。
选择题必须用2B铅笔填涂;非选择题的答案必须用黑色字迹的钢笔或答字笔写在“答题纸”相应位置上。
2.请用黑色字迹的钢笔或答字笔在“答题纸”上先填写姓名和准考证号。
3.保持卡面清洁,不要折叠,不要弄破、弄皱,在草稿纸、试题卷上答题无效。
第一部分(共20小题,每小题1.5分,满分30分)1.High-speed trains which travel through my hometown ________ up to 250 km per hour make it a small world. A.with B.againstC.at D.over2.I was on a business trip then, otherwise I ________ to the hospital for tests.A.went B.had goneC.would have gone D.would go3.---Do you think Peter is a good partner?--- Not really! There are some things that are not easy to ________ , and his laziness is one.A.put aside B.put up withC.think of D.get along with4.--- I’ll send you the signed contract personally this time tomorrow.--- Sorry, I ______ a meeting then.A.am attending B.attendedC.have attended D.will be attending5.Facing the global financial crisis, the Chinese government has taken many measures ________ people's life to deal with it.A.related B.related toC.relating D.relating to6.Philips won 8 gold medals at the Beijing Olympic Games, __________astonished the world.A.that B.which C.what D.who7.Never turn down a job because you think it’s too small. You don’t know _____ it can lead.A.how B.whereC.whether D.what8.It was announced that only after the candidates’ papers were collected _____to leave the room.A.had they been permitted B.would they be permittedC.that they would be permitted D.that they had been permitted9.Some people are able to multitask well—they can two or more businesses at the same time very well. A.turn to B.relate toC.lead to D.attend to10.Perhaps you ________ stop playing computer games now. Your boss may be turning up in the office at any moment. A.will B.must C.should D.can11.-Could you possilby take to the railway station tomorrow?A.No way B.Never mind C.Not at all D.No problem12.Many people fall into panic due to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan but experts don’t expect this to be ________ as proper measures have been taken.A.compulsory B.contemporary C.temporary D.permanent13.The farmer used wood to build a house ________ to store grain.A. thatB. in whichC. whichD. what14.If you have a job, ______ yourself to it and finally you’ll succe ed.A.do devote B.to devoteC.devoting D.devoted15.— I am worn out. —Me too, all work and no play. So it’s time to ________.A.burn the midnight oil B.push the limitsC.go with the flow D.call it a day16.The little girl ________ a foreign language fairly quickly.A.picked up B.got up C.stepped up D.made up17.Wild swans’ ________ in the area is a good indication of a better environment.A.exhibition B.escapeC.absence D.appearance18.— Looking back on _____ in years gone by and the good time that I had makes today seem rather sad.— Absolutely. So much has changed.A.how it was B.who it was C.how was it D.who was it19.---I went to see The Wandering Earth last night. It was fantastic!---You were so lucky! How I wish I _____ the ticket too.A.get B.gotC.had got D.would get20.—What a pity! You missed my birthday party.—Terribly sorry!___________my uncle not visited me unexpectedly.A.Should B.WouldC.Had D.Did第二部分阅读理解(满分40分)阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。
大学英语精读第四册(教案)
Book4Unit 1 Big Bucks The Easy WayTeaching Time: 4 hoursStudents’ level: Sophomores of non-English majors in the 2nd semester. Teaching Objectives:1.Help Ss get to know the lesson “No pains, no gains” and there is no“big bucks the easy way”.2.About the text, Ss should grasp the text content, text structure, basicvocabularies and required grammar points of the section.Words: cash, echo, competitive, leisurely, pain, sour, finance, marvelous, party, stack, cram, harm, minimum, range, thoughtful,deadline, inform, normally, sale, trash, delivery, inquire, odd,shrinkPhrases & Expressions: pull up, a piece of cake, even as, know better than, be at, make a dent, cut into, have no business, settle for,settle one’s account, quite awhile, draw attention to, for sale,for rent, be done with, may as wellGrammar: p143. About the reading, Ss should learn avoiding vocalization and innerspeech.4. About the writing, Ss should learn word choice..5. About the listening, Ss finish the Unit 1 directed by teacher. Teaching Procedures:I. Pre-reading Activities1.Background information1)Montgomery Ward2)Sears,3)Roebuck2.Warm-up questions1)Do you depend on your parents financially?2)Is it easy to earn money by working part-time?3)Are there any easy ways to make much money?3.Key words and expressions:New words and old wordTeacher students(old words or expressions) (new ones)U.S. dollar buckDoor handle doorknobUnhurried leisurelyRelaxed leisurelyProfitable lucrativeSent out deliverEndure live withBeg panhandleTell informFill cramTie bandIncrease reproduceExtra money bonusPart sectionA path walkAn easy job a piece of cakePay settleHave no reason have no business Come to terms with settle forStrange oddMoney financeFinish be done withEnglish and Chinese phrasesTeacher(Chinese) Students( English)考虑 look into总是 all the time可以容忍 live with令我痛心 it pains me易如反掌 a piece of cake壮汉 a big guy干快些 get busy好几卡车的 truck loads of百货商店 department store廉价商店 a dime store小杂货店 drug store汽车行 auto store外卖餐馆 takeout restaurant提高嗓门 voice rises超过极限 out of the range of恍然大悟 work a profound change in 教会某人做人 work a profound change inone’s personality 经过调解 in mediation结账 settle the account劳务支出 labor cost相同数额 a like amount托某人做 enlist sb. To doII. While-reading Activities1.Ss have the silent reading on the text (10 mins)2.Text and questions for discussionLines 1-91.what did the father tell his college sons to think about?(to deliver bags of magazines to make some of their own money.)2.what was the father worried about?( the sons would become used to or feel content with living by asking for money all the time.)Lines 10-221.why did the mother phone the father?( she wanted him to know what was going on at home.)2.How do you understand the word “super” she snap ped?( “super” means very good. But,she “snapped” it, which means she was very angry. She was being sarcastic,i.e. she meant the opposite of what she said.)3.can you paraphrase the sentence “Another truck just pulled up outfront”?(Another truck has stopped outside in front of our hous to deliver more materials.)Lines 23-291.which company did the two sons do the delivery job for?( the Sunday Newspaper Company.)2.why did each truck deliver 4000 of the inserts?( Each one was from a different company and had the ads the sons were required to deliver to 4000 houses.)3.why did he think so?( He had no idea of how much work it would mean.)Lines 30-35What did the father mean when he said “they are college men.”?He meant that they were grown-ups, and should be capable of dealing with the situation.Lines 36-501.In what cases does people’s voice become unnaturally high andquavering?When they are excited, angry, upset and the like.2.what does “magazine sections” mean?Parts of magazines, 8 or 12 pages long.3.how many steps are there in the process before delivering?Five: take out, roll, slip, band and slide.Lines 51-661.what do you think of the father’s answer?Clever and sensible. It is a lie, a harmless lie, one told in order to avoid upsetting somebody.2.why did the father say “That’s encouraging”?the sons were learning how to solve the problem of manpower shortage;they hired other people to help, and learnt to improve efficiency by establishing assembly lines.3.why did the mother say “it is very discouraging”?t he measures weren’ working at all.Lines 67-771.what do you think of the father’s bonus program?It is reasonable and logical. Bonus is a popular incentive that management adopts. Sometimes we have to lose something in order to gain something. If you are reluctant to use a small bait, you can hardly geta big fish.2.did the son understand that at first thought?No. he thought the more the workers got, the less he obtained.3.why did the son answer “Yes, Sir”?he had come to realize it was a business and he too k the father’s instructions as and order.Lines 78-861.what does “see the color of cash” mean?See Note 7 in your text book.2.what’s the difference between the original payment and the demandedone?The original payment was five dollars per person, shile now they demanded five dollars per hour.3.who probably played the mediating role?The mother.Lines 87-94Why did the son think it “enough”?No matter how much, it was the money they made by themselves with great efforts and they learnt a lot from the experience.Lines 95-1091.what did the youngest sons learn from their college brothers?They learnt to make their own money in order to avoid having to ask for money all the time.2.what were they going to do to try to earn money?They were going to sell or rent the family’s books.3.do you agree “you’re never done with books”?Yes. Because………No. because ………..3.T asks Ss to come out the main idea, structure of the text (10mins)4.T summarizes the main idea and structure of the text (5 mins)III. Post-reading Activities1.Let the students do the exercises in the textbook which are relatedto the new words.2.Ss hand in the summary of the text.Summary questions and concluding remarks1) Do you think it necessary for the sons to make some money forthemselves? Give reasons for your answer.I think it necessary…….because………..2) what do you think is needed in accomplishing something difficult?I think it is self-confidence, perseverance, co-operation or teamwork, reasonable management, strategies of solving problems,etc.3)what i s the father’s tone in telling the story?The tone is light and ironic because the story is meant to be funny.The problem in the story was one that people think is very seriouswhen it happens, but later they can laugh about.3.Ss discuss the questions on the topic related to the text.4.Let Ss do the exercises in the text book which are mainly relatedto the new words and topic.5. Exercise:Sentence making in dialoguesTeacher: now I’d like you to complete the following dialogues bymakingSentences with the giver phrases.Pull up1.what do you ask your driver to do when you reach your destination?I ask the driver to pull up near the place I want to go.2.what does a bus driver do when a passenger wants to get off?He pulls up at a bus stop.3.what does the red light mean to a moving vehicle?It means that the vehicle must pull up at the zebra.A piece of cake1.can you recite the 26 English letters?Sure. It’s a piece of cake.2.do you think it difficult to use a tape recorder?No. it’s a piece of cake.Make a dent in1.have you finished your outline?No, I’ve hardly made a dent in it.2.How are you getting along with your project?We have made only a small dent in it.Cut into1.do you watch TV in your study period?No. that would cut into my study time.2.what cuts into the factory’s profit?The rise of the labor costs, material prices, the increased consumption of power, etc.Settle for1.if you can’t sell your bicycle at a high price, what will you do?I have to settle for a lower price.2.If you can’t get a well-paid job, will you settle for a lower-paidjob?Might/may/could as well1.what do you suggest we do during the winter vacation?If you have nothing to do, you might as well take up a part-timejob.2.what should I do if I can’t afford a house?You may as well rent an apartment and set aside your money for anew house.Unit 2 Deer and The Energy CycleTeaching Time: 4 hoursStudents’ level: Sophomores of non-English majors in the 2nd semester. Teaching Objectives:1.Get Ss to know the energy cycle and instruct them to observe the animal’s living instinct in order to value the natural resource; learn about food-enery-life-death.2.About the text, Ss should grasp the text content, text structure, basic vocabularies and required grammar points of the section.Words: tendency, rate, area, plentiful, possessions, currency, scarce, ample, drowsy, fundamental, accumulate, internal, hence Phrases & Expressions: to meet the needs, turn of mind, convert into Grammar:3. About the reading, Ss should know the usage of dictionary.4. About the writing, Ss should get to know the writing skill—coherence .5. About the listening, Ss finish the Unit 2 directed by teacher. Teaching Procedures:I. Pre-reading Activities1. Warm-up questions1)Allow Ss to go over the text for 10 mins.2)Ask them to list the facts about the life of deer in the four seasonsrespectively.3)Sum up Ss’s results2. Introductory remarks:1) What do you think life depends on?Money, love, or something else?2) where does energy come from?Food, spirit, God, or what?3)what happens to life there is no food , or source of energy?if life useless after it comes to an end?4) Life is energy, isn’t it? What do you think?The planet we live on is made up of 2 major components: living organisms and inorganic substances. As far as living things are concerned, life spans vary. Some may live for thousands of years, while others live only a few seconds. Regardless of the this difference, every life develops from a lower stage to a higher stage until its death, and everyspecies develops in this way, too. But what makes life perform in this way? What happens after life? Our earth has been functioning for billions of years. What has made it work for so long? Let’s have a careful study of the text3. New words and phrases studyStudy of the words and phrasesNew words and old wordsTeacher students(old words or expressions) (new ones)tendency turn of mindmoney currencychange into convert intoautumn fallsomething stored reservesrare scarceto satisfy the demands to meet the needs area regionplentiful amplepossessions resourcestore depositspend expendsleepy drowsybecome liquid meltat the same time meanwhilebasic fundamental therefore hencecollect accumulateinside internalsmall wooden house cabinEnglish and Chinese PhrasesTeacher(Chinese) students(English)注重/有……的倾向 a … turn of mind生态系统 an ecological system 倚赖 to depend on年复一年 from year to year尽可能多 as much as one can旺季 times of plenty储存的脂肪reserves of fat/stored fat不甚出名,鲜为人知 less well known能说明问题的例子 a good case in point 营养食品 nutritious food生理成熟 physically mature生育 to give birth to食物资源 food resources熬过冬天 to survive the winter/to pull through the winter大雪 deep snow小雪 light snow基本规律 a fundamental ruleII. While-reading Activities1.Text and questions for discussion .Lines 1-61.what does “love makes the world go round” mean?People with a romantic turn of mind think that love, romantic love, is what makes life worth living..2.why does the author say that energy is the “currency” of theecological system?An ecological system is all the plants, animals and people, and their surroundings, considered as a whole, In the commercial world, money is the currency , or means of survival. For life, the most important support is food, the source of energy for life, which allows growth, reproduction, and survival.Lines 7-121.what do wild animals do with the food in different seasons? Why do theydo so?Wild animals seem to know when there will be plenty of food and when there won’t. so they eat as much as they can when there is plenty of food so that they can become fat and strong and grow well. In winter, they have little to eat. But they do not starve because the fat they have stored in their bodies brings them through this hard time. Lines 13-221.what does “ this is good timing” mean?This means that the female deer uses the most suitable seasons,i.e.summer and fall, for the birth of fawns and the production of milkbecause both the conception and production cost the female deer muchenergy and in both seasons there is plenty of food, which meet the deer’s physical needs.Lines 23-311.to what does the author compare the process of fat reserving?A bank savings account, from which one can draw when he needs the money. Lines 32-441.what is the phenomenon of lowering metabolism?The heart rate slows. The animal becomes slow and drowsy. Therefore, the use of and need for energy is reduced.2.what protects the deer from cold winter? How does it work?They undergo physical and internal physiological changes, i.e. the hair growth and the slow metabolism. The thick hair keeps the deer warm and the slow metabolism makes the deer consume less energy, which is stored in the form of fat for use when they need it for growth. Lines 45-561.what decreases as winter progresses?The deer’s activities.2.why were people advised to behave like that?To use less oil and electricity for conserving energy to pull through the crisis.3.what does the author imply by “watched the deer”?He implies that men can learn from the deer to reduce unnecessary cost of energy.Lines 57-641.“…to pull them through”. Can you say it in other words?…to help them survive the winter.2.what is the fundamental rule of life?The more fat the deer reserve, the more chance there is for them to survive the crises. Only the largest and strongest are likely to survive.3.Is the fundamental rule of life applicable to human beings?Yes. If we human beings do not protect nature and ourselves by saving energy, we will be punished by nature and will eventually be wiped out from this planet.Lines 65-681.what is the life cycle?Food-energy-life-survival-reproduction-death-food-energy-otherlife… .Food –energy-seek more food-new energy-food…..Energy is vital to our world. But energy is not always plentiful. The supply can vary, either seasonally or for other reasons. Some animals, the white-tailed deer, for instance, have developed natural ways or varying their own use of energy with the variations of the supply. Human beings can and should learn this lesson for their own survival. 2. Teacher explains the key points in detailsturn of mind1.what is your turn of mind?I have a logical turn of mind, orliterary/critical/philosophic/humorous/optimistic turn of mind.2.what kind of person is likely to create things?A person of a creative turn of mind is likely to create things.3.what words can you use to describe people of different turns of mind?Down-to-earth, poetic, business-like, humorous, etc.Depend on1.How do crops grow?They depend on the sunlight,water, and fertilizer for growth.2.How are the prices of commodities set?They mainly depend on the relation between demand and supply.A case in point1.can you give an example of a successful person?Yes. A case in point is Thomas Edison, a great inventor.2.can anything heavier than air stay in the sky?Yes. A case in point is the helicopter.3.How can we conclude that a person is selfish.A case in point is…Meet…needs1.why do people drink so much water on the sports ground?They have to meet their body’s needs for water as they play in the sun.2.why does a factory install another assembly line?They want to meet the needs of increasing production.Draw on1.How can a good writer write so many interesting stories?He draws on his experience, knowledge, observation, perception and interpretation of life for the material of his stories.2.How can a person put forward such a peculiar idea?I think he’s drawn on his imagination.Slow down1.what is a driver expected to do if a police car comes towards or followshim/her?He/she is expected to slow down and then stop by the road side.2.what does a runner do after he passes the finish line?He slows down and stops.Pull through1.what should you do in face of difficulties?I should use my skills, work hard,and sometimes I should takesomebody’s advice. This might help to pull me through the difficulties.2.why was the little boy, Schatz,waiting for death?He believed he had a fatally high temperature and would not pull through.3.T asks Ss to come out the main idea, structure of the text (10mins)4.T summarizes the main idea and structure of the text (5 mins)III. Post-reading Activities1.Let the students do the exercises in the textbook which are related tothe new words.2.Ss hand in the summary of the text.3.Ss discuss the questions on the topic related to the text.4.Let Ss do the exercises in the text book which are mainly relatedto the new words and topic.Unit 3 Why Do We Believe That The Earth Is Round? Teaching Time: 4 hoursStudents’ level: Sophomores of non-English majors in the 2nd semester. Teaching Objectives:1.Get Ss to know the author’s purpose is to teach Ss to have a correct attitude towards knowledge and accepting of knowledge by taking the examples of other’s arguments of the shape of Earth.2 About the text, Ss should grasp the text content, text structure, basic vocabularies and required grammar points of the section.Words: preface, remark, cite, exaggerate, mast, appeal, analogy, cast, precarious, produce, burden, botherPhrases & Expressions: appeal to, follow up, for the sake of, throw light on, shaped like, cast on, fall back on, stray away from, Grammar:3. About the reading, Ss should know the reading skills of tellingdifference bwteen facts and opinion sentences.4. About the writing, Ss should get to know the writing skill—coherence.5. About the listening, Ss finish the Unit 3 directed by teacher. Teaching Procedures:I. Pre-reading Activities1.Background information1)George Orwell2) George Bernard Shaw3)The Flat Earth Theory and the Round Earth Theory4)Eclipses5)Playing Cards6)Comrade Mao Tse-tung on knowledge, on Direct Experience andIndirect Experience2. warm-up questions and introductory remarks1)Do you believe that the earth is round? Why?Yes, I do, because science proves that it is true.2) Have you heard of other conclusions about the shape of the earth?What are they? Why don’t you believe them?Yes. The earth was said to be flat or oval. I don’t believe them because the photos from satellites or the scenes of eclipses show that it’s round.2)why is “the earth is round” put in a question?3.Key words and expressions:study of the words and phrasesnew words and old wordsteacher students(old words or expressions) (new ones)forward prefacesay,argue remarkquote citesimply merelyaccept without question swallowoverstate exaggerateattract appeal tofor the good of for the sake ofpole on a ship mastbend curvecomparison analogyquickly promptlyround plate discthrow castgo to aim atinsecure precariousturn to for help fall back onin another way otherwisemove from stray away fromshow produceload burdentake trouble botherEnglish and Chinese PhrasesTeacher(Chinese) students(English)在某处 somewhere or other序言 the preface to中世纪 the middle ages普遍认为 the widespread belief that普通人 the ordinary citizen迎合口味 appeal to我的…完蛋了bang goes my…求助于 fall back on不屑一顾 would not even bother to反驳say…against天体 heavenly body由此可见 it will be seen that靠不住的理由 precarious reasons知识面 the range of knowledge无力的论据 weak argumentII. While-reading Activities1.Ss have the silent reading on the text (10 mins)2.T explains the text in details.Appeal to1.do detective films appeal to you?Yes, ….No, … .2.what kinds of books appeal most to youth?Books on …3.why are children’s clothes colorful?Bright and colorful clothes usually appeal to children.Follow up1.what do the police do if a case is reported to them?They follow up the case.2.what do you do if you read an interesting story series on a newspaper?I follow it up.For the sake of1.what do people usually do for the sake of health?They eat healthy fo od, do exercises and don’t smoke,don’t…2.why is it necessary to widen the streets?It’s necessary to widen the streets for the sake of a smoother flow of traffic.Throw light on1.what is the use of the background knowledge of a story?It throws light on it.2.why are illustrations, data and charts or tables necessary inscientific reports or business presentations?They throw light on the reports and presentations.Shaped like1.Why is a UFO also called a flying saucer?It is shaped like a saucer.2.what is a space shuttle like?It is shaped like a huge plane.Cast on1.what can you see on a moon-lit night in the open?I can see my shadow cast on the ground.I can see the shadows of the trees cast on the wall/window.Fall back on1.why do you set aside some money every month?I set aside some money every month so that I can fall back on it ifI get sick or become unemployed.2.what do you do when you get lost in a new city?I fell back on the police.Stray away from1.what must you bear in mind when you walk along a path in an area ofswamp?I must not stray away from the path.2.what kind of people don’t you like to talk to?I don’t like to talk to those who often stray away from the topic. Text and questions for discussionLines1-71.why is “ Saint Joan” in italics?It is the name of a play. See note 3 in your textbook.2.who is Bernard Shaw?See Note 4 in your textbook. He is widely considered the treatest British dramatist since Shakespeare. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1925. For more details, refer to Note 1,2. in Teacher’s book.3.what do “gullible and superstitious” mean?Gullible means willing to believe anything or anyone, easily deceived.“superstitious” means willing to believe something that cannot be explained by reason or science or that brings good or bad luck.4.can you paraphrase “swallows this theory”?accepting the theroy blindly without questioning and suspicions. Lines 8-131.what does “it” refer to in the sentence “ the light it throws onmodern knowledge”?It refers to “ the question”2.what is the question that is worth following up?Are we too gullible and superstitious today?3.why does the author only tend to speak of ordinary men when answeringwhy webelieve that the earth is round?Ordinary men don’t have the espertise to prove it scientifical ly. Lines 14-191.why is a distant ship invisible but its mast and funnel can be seenfrom the seashore?Look at the picture on the next page.2.can you paraphrase “what can I say against it?”I can refute the Flat Earth theory but I need more proofs to refutethe Oval Earth theory.Lines 20-261.does the author really “play cards”?no. this is a figure of speech used to mean preenting an argument point by point. “the first card I can play” means the first pointi can make to support my argument.2.what does “analogy of the sun and moon” mean?To compare the earth to the sun and the moon.Lines 27-311.when does a lunar eclipse occur?When the earth passes between the sun and the moon and blocks the sunlight, or casts its shadow onto the moon, a lunar eclipse occurs.2.U se the Oval Earth theory to refute the author’s eclipse argument.The shadow cast on the moon is round, but it doesn’t follow that the earth is spherical. It may perfectly well be flat like a disc.3.what is the author’s argument about the eclipses based on?Publications, such as newspapers and magazines.Lines 32-391.what does the author mean by “ the minor exchanges?”the less important points of debate.2.what does the author think of his previous defeats?He considers them minor/unimportant points, and he is hopeful to win in the debate.3.who is Royal?See note 6.4.which is higher, Queen,King, or Ace?King is higher than Queen,and Ace is higher than King.5.can you paraphrase the last sentence?Refer to note 23.Lines 40-461.what does “bang goes my ace” mean?My ace doesn’t work. I lose my ace. My argument isn’t conclusive.2.what does the author think of his “ last card”?he believes that the last point of his argument defeats the Oval Earth man.Lines 47-601.what does the author think of his evidence?He doesn’t th ink it convincing enough.2.what does “an exceptionally elementary piece of information” mean?A piece of information that everyone knows.3.what is this piece of information?The earth is round.4.can you use a Chinese saying to explain “when the range of knowl edgeis so vas that the expert himself is an ignoramus as soon as he strays away from his own specialty”?隔行如隔山5.what does “ credulous” mean?Ready to believe, without evidence.3.T asks Ss to come out the main idea, structure of the text (10mins)Summary questions and Concluding remarks1.what cards does the author play to refute opinions different from his?The phenomenon of the seashore view, the analogy of the sun and the moon, the earth’s shadow, the newspapers and books, the opinions of the experts, and navigation.2.do you have any other cards to support the author?High above on a plane, we can see the curved horizon, still higher above in a space ship, astronauts tell us that the earth is round, like a ball. Pictures taken from spaceships or sky labs show the earth in no other shape than spherical.3.can you sum up the main idea of this text?III. Post-reading Activities1.Let the students do the exercises in the textbook which are related to the new words.2.Ss hand in the summary of the text.3.Ss discuss the questions on the topic related to the text.4.Let Ss do the exercises in the text book which are mainly related tothe new words and topic.Unit 4 Jim ThorpeTeaching Time: 4 hoursStudents’ level: Sophomores of non-English majors in the 2nd semester. Teaching Objectives:1.Get Ss to know Thorpe’s experiences before and after his career success and the influence of racial discrimination towards American Indians.2.About the text, Ss should grasp the text content, text structure, basic vocabularies and required grammar points of the section.Words: await, arrival, beat, opponent, bunk, strain, utterly, glide, bewildered, desert, declinePhrases & Expressions: build on, breeze through, catch up with Grammar:3. About the reading, Ss should know the usage skimming.4. About the writing, Ss should get to know how to write a recount.5. About the listening, Ss finish the Unit 4 directed by teacher. Teaching Procedures:I. Pre-reading Activities1.Background information2.Introductory remarks: This is a well-known story. The story may not be true,3.Warm-up questions1) who was Jim Thorpe?He was an American Indian, was a great athlete. He won both the pentathlon and the decathlon, the two most demanding Olympic events, in the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games.2)Can you say anything about Olympic Games?---what is the symbol?。
以说明文方式写飞向蓝天的恐龙英语作文
以说明文方式写飞向蓝天的恐龙英语作文全文共3篇示例,供读者参考篇1Flying Dinosaurs Soaring into the Blue SkyHave you ever wondered what it would be like to see a real living dinosaur? While dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago, for most of us they seem like creatures out of fantasy and fiction. However, scientists now have evidence that some dinosaurs could actually fly! Let me take you on an exciting journey to explore these amazing flying dinosaurs that soared through the prehistoric skies.First, let's begin by understanding what defines a dinosaur. The name "dinosaur" comes from the Greek words "deinos" meaning terrible or fearfully great, and "sauros" meaning lizard or reptile. So dinosaurs were a kind of terrible lizard or reptile that dominated the land for over 160 million years, from the Triassic period around 230 million years ago through the Cretaceous period about 66 million years ago. Most dinosaurs were quadrupeds (four-legged) or bipeds (two-legged), were cold-blooded, and laid eggs. The largest dinosaurs were massiveplanteaters like the Brachiosaurus. The most fearsome were the theropod meat-eaters like T-Rex with its massive jaws and teeth.Now here's where it gets really fascinating - not all dinosaurs lived exclusively on land. Paleontologists have discovered evidence of several species of dinosaurs that had feathers and could fly or glide through the air! These flying and gliding dinosaurs are now classified as a special subgroup called "aviremigians."One of the earliest known aviremigians was the Archaeopteryx, which lived around 150 million years ago in what is now Germany. With its blend of avian (bird-like) and reptilian features, Archaeopteryx is considered one of the first feathered dinosaurs and a crucial link between dinosaurs and modern birds. It had teeth like a dinosaur but also had feathers forming wings and a feather tail like a bird. Most impressively, its wings appear to have allowed powered flight rather than just gliding.Fast forward tens of millions of years, and there is evidence of many other types of feathered dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period around 100 million years ago, particularly in China. One famous example is the Microraptor, a small aviremigian around 3 feet long that had feathers on both its arms and legs! This "four-winged" dinosaur could likely fly andmaneuver quite adeptly. Another intriguing Cretaceous find is the Zhenyuanopterus, a bizarre dinosaur with membranous wings formed by a striking elongation of its arms and fingers, almost like a bat!Just imagine these incredible feathered dinosaurs soaring and swooping through the prehistoric skies. The Microraptor may have used its four wings to hover and pluck small prey from trees, while the Archaeopteryx could have achieved powerful wing-assisted leaps into the air to hunt insects or small animals. The Zhenyuanopterus with its huge wings may have been a skilled glider and scavenger. What an amazing sight these feathery, winged dinosaurs must have been!Of course, not all aviremigians achieved full powered flight like modern birds. Many were likely just gliders or had limited flying abilities. Some like Microraptor may have been somewhere in between - using feathered arms and legs to assist with gliding, flapping, and aerodynamic maneuvers. But the fact that dinosaurs evolved feathers and wings at all is a remarkable phenomenon.So how and why did these dinosaurs develop the ability for aerial abilities? Most scientists believe feathers first evolved in dinosaurs not for flight, but for other purposes like heatregulation, mating displays, or protection. Over millions of years of evolution, these feathery filaments became more elaborate, enlarged, and optimized for aerodynamics - eventually leading to winged dinosaurs capable of gliding or even powered flight. This trajectory paved the evolutionary path towards modern birds, which are the only surviving descendants of the dinosaur lineage.In addition to the physical fossils, we can find other clues about flying dinosaurs from trackways and behavior. For example, some fossilized footprints and trackways show evidence of crouching and launching behaviours consistent with flight takeoff. Other dinosaur fossils preserve contents from their last meal, including birds or other dinosaurs, indicating predatory behaviours perhaps involving active pursuit from the air.Flying dinosaurs open up remarkable possibilities for how dinosaurs lived, hunted, migrated, and interacted with their environments. Could some species have been nocturnal aerial hunters, swirling through the night skies to pluck small mammals from trees using remarkable low-light vision and hawk-like auditory tracking skills? Others may have been passive gliders or soarers, catching rides on prehistoric air currents to travel longdistances and taking advantage of a bird's-eye view to spot prey or protect territory. We can only imagine the incredible diversity of lifestyles enabled by the power of flight and gliding.As you can tell, I find the topic of flying dinosaurs to be simply awe-inspiring. Just envision a Microraptor gliding amongst the gigantic trunks and foliage of the ancient forests, dodging hungry predators below. Picture the majestic silhouette of a Zhenyuanopterus riding prehistoric wind currents with its swan-like wings outstretched. Or a flock of feathery Archaeopteryx taking to the skies in a flurry of beating feathers as they scramble for an insect swarm. What marvelous scenes from the age of dinosaurs!While dinosaurs went fully extinct around 66 million years ago after that cataclysmic asteroid impact, their role in ultimately giving rise to modern birds means dinosaurs still live among us in an airborne form. Every time I see a bird soaring overhead, I imagine I'm witnessing a small part of the majesty and atmospheric grandeur of those flying dinosaurs from prehistoric times. The skies of today are a poor imitation of what they once were when real feathered dinosaurs ruled the aerialrealms.In closing, the more we study the deep fossil record, the more evidence arises that dinosaurs were not just ancient,plodding, terrestrial creatures. The discovery of aviremigians shows that many dinosaur species took the first critical evolutionary steps that gave rise to aerodynamic capabilities and the power of winged flight. To me, the thought of feathered dinosaurs gliding, soaring, and flapping their wings to take to the prehistoric skies is simply astonishing. It brings the entire dinosaur phenomenon to staggering new heights and reminds us that these "terrible lizards" were far more spectacular, diverse, and ingenious than we ever imagined.篇2Flying Dinosaurs Soaring into the Blue SkyHave you ever gazed up at the clouds on a sunny day and imagined dinosaurs taking to the skies? It might sound like a fantastical scenario from a science fiction movie, but the truth is, some dinosaurs could actually fly – or at least glide through the air. These incredible creatures, known as pterosaurs, were the first vertebrates to evolve the ability of powered flight. Let me take you on a journey back in time to explore the wonders of these "flying dragons" and how they managed to defy gravity.To begin with, pterosaurs were not dinosaurs in the strict sense. They belonged to a separate group of reptiles that existedduring the same time period as dinosaurs, roughly 228 to 66 million years ago. Unlike their land-dwelling cousins, pterosaurs had evolved a unique set of adaptations that allowed them to conquer the skies.One of the most striking features of pterosaurs was their wings. Unlike the feathered wings of modern birds, pterosaur wings were formed by a stretchy membrane of skin and muscle that extended between their elongated fourth finger and their body. This wing structure, known as a "pteroid," was incredibly lightweight yet sturdy enough to support their bodies in flight.But how did these ancient reptiles achieve lift? The answer lies in their skeletal structure. Pterosaurs had exceptionally large breastbones, which provided ample space for the attachment of powerful flight muscles. Additionally, their lightweight, hollow bones and air sacs within their bodies further reduced their overall weight, making it easier for them to take off and stay airborne.Now, let's imagine ourselves transported back to the Late Cretaceous period, around 70 million years ago. The lush, tropical landscape stretches out before us, dotted with towering coniferous trees and ferns. Suddenly, a shadow passes overhead,and we gaze up in awe as a magnificent pterosaur glides gracefully across the azure sky.This particular specimen is a Quetzalcoatlus, one of the largest flying animals of all time. With a wingspan that could reach an incredible 10 meters (33 feet), it casts an imposing silhouette against the clouds. Its elongated, toothless beak and slender neck give it an almost otherworldly appearance.As the Quetzalcoatlus circles overhead, we can observe its remarkable flying abilities. Unlike modern birds that flap their wings continuously, these ancient flyers were primarily soarers and gliders. They would launch themselves into the air by pushing off with their powerful hind limbs, then use thermal currents and wind patterns to remain aloft for extended periods, conserving energy.But pterosaurs weren't just passive gliders; they were also capable of powered flight. By flapping their wings, they could generate enough thrust to take off from the ground and maneuver through the air with agility. This ability likely came in handy when hunting for prey or evading predators.Speaking of prey, pterosaurs had a diverse range of diets depending on their size and habitat. Smaller species, like the Rhamphorhynchus, probably fed on insects, fish, and small landvertebrates. Larger ones, such as the fearsome Quetzalcoatlus, may have been apex predators, hunting everything from infant dinosaurs to early mammals.As we continue to observe the Quetzalcoatlus soaring overhead, we can't help but marvel at the sheer grandeur of these prehistoric aviators. Imagine the sense of freedom they must have experienced, riding the winds and surveying the world from a bird's-eye view.But pterosaurs weren't just impressive flyers; they were also remarkably successful survivors. They ruled the skies for over 150 million years, outlasting even the mighty dinosaurs. However, their reign eventually came to an end during theCretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, approximately 66 million years ago, which wiped out around 75% of all plant and animal species on Earth.While pterosaurs may be extinct, their legacy lives on in the countless bird species that now grace our skies. Many paleontologists believe that the evolution of feathered flight in birds was heavily influenced by the earlier success of pterosaurs. In a way, these "flying dragons" paved the way for the diverse array of avian life we enjoy today.As our imaginary journey through time comes to an end, we can't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the incredible adaptations and evolutionary achievements of these ancient flyers. Pterosaurs remind us that nature is full of surprises and that the limits of what is possible are constantly being pushed and redefined.So, the next time you gaze up at the clouds, let your imagination take flight. Picture those majestic pterosaurs soaring through the skies, their leathery wings outstretched against the vast blue expanse. Remember, they once ruled the heavens, and their spirit of exploration and conquest lives on in the birds that now grace our world with their presence.篇3Flying Dinosaurs Soaring into the Blue SkyHave you ever gazed up at the clouds and imagined what it would be like to sprout wings and take flight? To feel the rush of the wind beneath your wings as you soar effortlessly through the endless blue expanse of the sky? Well, believe it or not, there was once a time when dinosaurs could do just that! That's right, flying dinosaurs were a real thing that existed millions of years ago during the Mesozoic Era.Now, I know what you might be thinking - "Dinosaurs could fly? But they were huge scaly lizard-like creatures!" And you'd be absolutely right, most of the dinosaurs we know and love like the mighty T-Rex and Triceratops were indeed land-bound behemoths. However, there was an incredible evolutionary branch of the dinosaur family tree that took to the skies and became the first feathered flying vertebrates.These ancient winged wonders are known as Pterosaurs, and they were a separate group from dinosaurs, despite having lived during the same era. While not technically dinosaurs themselves, Pterosaurs were closely related reptilian cousins that developed the ability of powered flight. And let me tell you, some of these flying dinosaur-like creatures were absolutely mind-blowing!Take Quetzalcoatlus for example, one of the largest flying animals of all time with a massive wingspan that stretched over 30 feet! That's wider than the wingspan of a small airplane. Just imagine a creature that size taking to the skies, its leathery wings casting vast shadows as it soared overhead. It's bothawe-inspiring and terrifying to envision.Then you had the pteranodons, which were more along the lines of what you might typically picture when you think of a "pterodactyl" (which is actually not a single species, but a generalterm used to describe any pterosaur). With their iconic crest adorning their elongated skulls and wings spanning up to 20 feet wide, these flying giants patrolled the skies searching for fish in ancient oceans and inland seas.But pterosaurs weren't the only dinos catching air in prehistoric times. There were also smaller feathered dinosaurs that are believed to be the ancestors of modern birds. Creatures like Archaeopteryx, often called the first bird, had traits of both dinosaurs and birds with its feathered wings, sharp teeth, and bony tail. It was a remarkable evolutionary link that helped bridge the gap between terrestrial and aerial vertebrates.Can you picture the scene millions of years ago, as these early feathered flyers took their maiden voyages into the blue sky? Massive pterosaurs gliding alongside their smaller feathered dino-cousins, blazing a trail for the evolution of bird flight as we know it today. It must have been an incredible sight to behold.Of course, we can't discuss flying dinosaurs without mentioning everyone's favorite, the mighty and magnificent winged reptiles we call dragons! Okay, okay, I know what you're thinking - "Dragons weren't real!" But hear me out, because theresemblance between dragons of myth and the flying pterosaurs of prehistory is uncanny.From their massive size and leathery wings to the fiery tales of these beasts breathing jets of flame, could the myths of dragons across countless cultures have been inspired by actual encounters with fossils of flying dinosaurs? Puddles of prehistoric "dragon drool" (the thick flaming-looking substance that seeped from cracks and crevices) or tales passed down over generations of these incredible winged titans of the skies? It's a fascinating theory to ponder.Just imagine - the legendary dragons we've read about in stories could have been based on real flying reptilian monsters from millions of years ago! Those ancient nights lit by the pale moon, a terrifying screech pierces the silence as a massive winged silhouette soars overhead. I don't know about you, but I would NOT want to encounter a real life fire-breathing pterodactyl the size of a small plane!Alas, while the reign of flying reptiles ultimately came to an end around 66 million years ago, the dream of winged flight continues in the birds that are the feathered descendants of those early pioneers. As I gaze out over a brilliant blue sky,watching a hawk effortlessly glide on the currents of wind, I'm reminded of its prehistoric pterosaur ancestors.Those ancient flying dinosaurs and feathered proto-birds faced incredible odds, taking that first leap from the surfaces they had always known and breaking the bonds of gravity. They fundamentally changed the rules of what vertebrates were capable of and expanded the frontiers of the sky in ways never imagined. And for that daring and tenacity in the face of unfathomable challenges, we owe them a debt of gratitude and awe.So the next time you find yourself outdoors staring skyward, let your imagination soar as you picture those ghostly silhouettes of leathery wings from long ago, filling the open blue canvas above with their amazing aerobatic displays of flight. For in their memory and the birds that carry on their legacy today, the spirits of flying dinosaurs still live on, reminding us that with perseverance and evolutionary adaptability, even the most seemingly impossible of dreams can become reality. Now, let your mind take wing alongside them.。
恐龙和鸟类的资料袋写一篇英语作文
全文分为作者个人简介和正文两个部分:作者个人简介:Hello everyone, I am an author dedicated to creating and sharing high-quality document templates. In this era of information overload, accurate and efficient communication has become especially important. I firmly believe that good communication can build bridges between people, playing an indispensable role in academia, career, and daily life. Therefore, I decided to invest my knowledge and skills into creating valuable documents to help people find inspiration and direction when needed.正文:恐龙和鸟类的资料袋写一篇英语作文全文共3篇示例,供读者参考篇1Dinosaurs and Birds: An Evolutionary JourneyAs a student fascinated by the natural world, I have always been captivated by the incredible story of how dinosaurs evolved into the birds we see around us today. It's a tale that spansmillions of years, filled with remarkable discoveries andmind-boggling adaptations. In this essay, I'll take you on a journey through time, exploring the evidence that links these two seemingly disparate groups of animals and unraveling the mysteries of their shared ancestry.Let's start at the beginning, in the Mesozoic Era, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth. These ancient reptiles were a diverse group, ranging from the massive, long-necked sauropods to the fearsome, meat-eating theropods. It was among the latter group that we find the earliest clues to the avian connection.One of the most significant discoveries in this regard was the fossilized remains of Archaeopteryx, a creature that lived around 150 million years ago. Archaeopteryx possessed a unique combination of features – it had feathers and wings like a bird, but also retained many characteristics of its dinosaur ancestors, such as teeth and a long, bony tail. This remarkable fossil provided the first tangible evidence that birds evolved from a specific group of dinosaurs known as theropods.But Archaeopteryx was just the beginning. As paleontologists continued to unearth fossils, more and more similarities between dinosaurs and birds came to light. For instance, many theropod dinosaurs, such as Velociraptor andDeinonychus, had lightweight, hollow bones and a rigid, birdlike furcula (wishbone) – adaptations that likely helped them move quickly and efficiently.Furthermore, the discovery of feathered dinosaurs like Microraptor and Protarchaeopteryx revealed that feathers, once thought to be a unique avian trait, had actually evolved in dinosaurs long before the first birds took flight. These feathers likely served a variety of functions, from insulation to display, and eventually paved the way for the development of powered flight.As compelling as the fossil evidence is, scientists have also found support for the dinosaur-bird connection in their genetic makeup. By studying the DNA of modern birds and comparing it to that of other reptiles, researchers have identified a close evolutionary relationship between birds and certain theropod dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor.But how did these feathered, bipedal dinosaurs eventually evolve into the diverse array of birds we know today? The answer lies in a series of remarkable adaptations that allowed early birds to take to the skies.One key adaptation was the evolution of a lightweight, hollow-boned skeleton, which made it easier for these animals tobecome airborne. Additionally, the development of a specialized respiratory system, involving air sacs that helped facilitate efficient gas exchange, allowed birds to meet the high metabolic demands of powered flight.Another crucial adaptation was the evolution of feathers specialized for flight. These feathers, with their intricate structure and aerodynamic properties, enabled birds to generate lift and maneuver with precision in the air. Over time, these feathers became increasingly specialized, leading to the diverse array of wing shapes and flight styles we see in modern birds.As birds took to the skies, they underwent a rapid diversification, adapting to different environments and ecological niches. Some became specialized for soaring and gliding, like eagles and hawks, while others evolved for agile, maneuverable flight, like hummingbirds and swallows. Still others, like ostriches and emus, lost the ability to fly altogether, adapting to life on the ground.But despite this incredible diversity, all modern birds share a common ancestor – a feathered, theropod dinosaur that took those first tentative steps towards powered flight millions of years ago.In recent years, our understanding of the dinosaur-bird connection has been further enriched by the study of living birds and their behavior. For instance, researchers have observed that many modern birds exhibit behaviors and traits that are reminiscent of their dinosaur ancestors, such as parental care, nest building, and complex social structures.Additionally, the study of bird development has shed light on the evolutionary processes that shaped their unique anatomy and physiology. By examining the embryonic stages of bird development, scientists have found striking similarities to the development of their dinosaur ancestors, providing further evidence of their shared evolutionary history.As we continue to unravel the mysteries of this fascinating evolutionary journey, one thing is clear: the story of dinosaurs and birds is a testament to the incredible power of adaptation and evolution. It reminds us that life on Earth is constantly changing and evolving, and that even the most unlikely of transformations can occur over vast spans of time.For me, as a student, this story not only fuels my curiosity about the natural world but also serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of scientific inquiry and discovery. It is through the tireless efforts of paleontologists, geneticists, andresearchers in various fields that we have been able to piece together this remarkable tale, shedding light on one of the most captivating chapters in the history of life on our planet.As I continue my studies, I am filled with a sense of wonder and appreciation for the incredible journey that has brought us from the age of dinosaurs to the present day. And who knows what other fascinating revelations await us as we continue to explore the intricate tapestry of life on Earth? One thing is certain – the story of dinosaurs and birds is far from over, and the chapters yet to be written promise to be just as fascinating as those that have come before.篇2Dinosaurs and Birds: A Surprising ConnectionWhen I was a little kid, I loved dinosaurs. I had dinosaur toys, dinosaur books, dinosaur pajamas - you name it. I was obsessed.I knew all the names and could rattle off facts about every species. Tyrannosaurus rex was the king of the dinosaurs, Triceratops had those awesome horns, and don't even get me started on the long-necked plant eaters like Brachiosaurus. Dinosaurs were just the coolest things ever.Little did I know back then just how closely related dinosaurs were to modern birds, the unassuming little feathered creatures we see all around us every day. It seems totally bizarre to link massive prehistoric reptiles to the robins, sparrows, and pigeons of today. But the more you dig into it, the more that unexpected connection starts to make sense.Let's start with the basics. Dinosaurs first appeared around 230 million years ago during the Triassic period. For around 165 million years after that, dinosaurs absolutely dominated the land, evolving into thousands of diverse species across the globe. Then, around 66 million years ago, a catastrophic asteroid impact caused mass extinction, wiping out all the remaining dinosaurs except for a handful of feathered theropods - the dinosaur group that included Velociraptor and, ultimately, modern birds.So how do we know birds descended from dinosaurs? The evidence is overwhelming. For one, we've discovered countless preserved dinosaur fossils with intricate feather patterns and even wings. Archaeopteryx, which lived around 150 million years ago, is one of the most famous examples. It had feathers like a bird but many other reptilian traits like teeth and a bony tail. It was essentially a dino-bird link between the two groups.Even more convincingly, birds and dinosaurs share over 300 distinct anatomical traits, from the shape of their eggs and bone structures to the positioning of their eyes, nostrils, and reproductive systems. A bird's wishbone is actually aDeveloped fusing of dinosaur collar bones. When you look at an X-ray of a bird, the skeletal similarities to dinosaurs are unmistakable.Beyond the physical evidence, we've also sequenced dinosaur protein compounds extracted from fossilized bone and compared them to modern bird proteins. The molecular makeup matches, confirming the evolutionary relationship. Paleontologists have traced theropod dinosaur species branching off into birds through clear transitional fossils over millions of years.Perhaps the coolest link between birds and dinosaurs though is their behavior. Lots of dinosaurs engaged in behaviors we associate with modern birds. Fossil sites have uncovered preserved nests, clutches of eggs, tracks of baby dinosaurs, hints of feather shaking and dust bathing, and even evidence of parental care like brooding. Some dinosaur species may have engaged in mating dances and calls like birds. Thanks to analysis of lung structures, we think at least some dinosaurs may havebeen warm-blooded and able to engage in high energy activity like flight.So next time you see a robin hopping around or a hawk soaring high overhead, just remember that you're looking at one of the last surviving lineages of dinosaurs that managed to live through the mass extinction event 66 million years ago. Birds are literally modern dinosaurs.This dinosaur-bird link has totally reshaped how scientists view the evolution of life on earth and the branching of species over immense timescales. As a dinosaur-obsessed kid, I never could have imagined that birds were essentially feathery, shrunk-down versions of creatures like T. rex. But the more you learn, the more it makes perfect sense.While the giant prehistoric megafauna may be long gone, we're surrounded every day by the descendants of dinosaurs that survived by evolving into feathered, flying forms. Birds are incredibly diverse and successful, inhabiting virtually every ecosystem across the planet. In many ways, they rule the earth just like their massive ancestors once did.So embrace your inner child's dinosaur fascination! Study birds, appreciate their links to the prehistoric past, and marvel at the incredible journey of evolution that allowed one branch ofthe dinosaurs to live on in the form of majestic hawks, hummingbirds, penguins, and all the other remarkable bird species we share the world with today. Dinosaurs may be extinct, but their distant grandchildren live all around us, soaring through the skies. How amazing is that?篇3The Dinobird ConnectionBy A Curious StudentWhen I was little, I loved dinosaurs. What kid doesn't? They were these gigantic, fierce creatures that dominated the Earth for millions of years before becoming extinct. I had dinosaur toys, books, bedsheets, you name it. My favorites were always the theropods – the "beast-footed" dinosaurs like T. Rex and Velociraptor that walked on two legs and had deadly claws and teeth.Little did I know back then just how closely related those scary dinos were to our modern-day feathered friends. It wasn't until I was older that I learned about the profound evolutionary link between dinosaurs and birds. This blew my mind and made me see birds in a whole new light. Those innocent little songbirdsat the feeder? Distant cousins of Tyrannosaurus Rex. It's one of the most fascinating areas of paleontology.The story begins in the late 1800s when scientists first started discovering excellently preserved dinosaur fossils with imprints of feathers and feather-like structures. This was revolutionary because it showed that dinosaurs weren't just big dumb lizards, but had evolved some remarkably bird-like characteristics tens of millions of years before the first true birds arrived.One of the most important dinosaur fossils that revealed this link was the Archaeopteryx, which lived around 150 million years ago in what is now Germany. The first Archaeopteryx fossil was discovered in 1861, and even by modern definitions, it was the earliest known bird. It had the feathers, wings, and wishbone of a bird, but also retained many dinosaur features like jaws with teeth and a bony tail.This "dino-bird" was clear evidence that birds evolved from small feathered dinosaurs, providing a transitional fossil showing their reptilian ancestors. Over the next century and a half, many more feathered dinosaur fossils were uncovered, further cementing the dinosaur-bird connection. A famous example isthe Microraptor, a four-winged dromaeosaurid covered in iridescent plumage.So how did this happen? How did a group of dinosaurs slowly evolve the characteristics of modern birds over millions of years? According to the evidence, bird-like traits like feathers first appeared in some lineages of small raptor-like theropod dinosaurs in the Late Jurassic period, around 160 million years ago.These early feathers were probably used for insulation and display at first, much like those on many modern reptiles. But eventually, natural selection favored feathers and skeletal structures better adapted for gliding or primitive flight as these gave theropods better mobility to hunt prey or escape predators. The feathers grew more aerodynamic and complex wing structures slowly took shape.Birds inherited many other unique adaptations from their dinosaur ancestors too. Their lungs, skeletal pneumaticity,egg-brooding behavior, nest-building abilities, and even the proteins that make up their feathers all have their origins in the dinosaur lineage. The relatively large size of birds' brains compared to other modern reptiles is another holdover from their highly intelligent theropod forebears.While birds are the only living dinosaurs today, they're just an evolutionary twig on the branching tree of theropod diversity that existed during the Mesozoic Era. other dinosaur lineages like the horned ceratopsians, armored ankylosaurs, duck-billed hadrosaurs, and gigantic long-necked sauropods all branched off from the main theropod trunk.But birds' direct ancestors were modest-sized feathered theropods called maniraptorans, which split off from other theropods like the iconic meat-eaters Allosaurus and Ceratosaurus. These agile, grasping maniraptorans eventually gave rise to lineages like dromaeosaurids ("raptors"), troodontids, oviraptorosaurs and birds.So while Velociraptor itself didn't have a direct lineage that became modern birds, it had a very similar body plan to the animals that did. Raptors were just fancy, non-avian maniraptorans, if you will. Their close cousins are the ones that kept gaining more and more birdlike adaptations over time until the first true birds evolved.That pivotal moment – the origin of the first birds as we'd define them today – happened around 150-160 million years ago in the Late Jurassic or Early Cretaceous Period. It was around thistime that the earliest members of the avian lineage became so advanced that they crossed the threshold into bona fide birds.These first avians were small, lightweight, winged maniraptorans that were finally optimized for powered flight rather than just gliding, with advanced feathers, fused hand bones, and other avian adaptations. Archaeopteryx was one of these early birds, but there were many other Archaeopteryx-like species.Once the basic avian body plan was established, birds took off (pun intended) into a wildly diverse range of forms over the next 100 million years, from swan-sized predators to diving sea birds to herding omnivores, all thriving alongside the other dinosaurs. But then a mass extinction struck 66 million years ago, wiping out all dinosaurs except the avian lineage.So after that cataclysmic asteroid or series of impacts, the descendants of the Archaeopteryx and other early birds inherited the Earth once dominated by the giant dinos. In the resulting ecological vacancies, birds evolved into many of the modern lineages we know today like raptors, shorebirds, waterfowl and more as they expanded to fill different niches.This incredible evolutionary story of how birds descended from feathered dinosaurs is now backed by tons of fossilevidence and biological data. It has become a simple fact in science. Yet it still seems mind-blowing when you really think about it deeply: that innocuous little sparrow on a branch is a surviving remnant and a very real "living dinosaur" – however distant and unrecognizable as its heritage may seem!Sure, they're just small, lightweight offshoots today of the mighty dinosaur lineages that once dominated the world. But birds branched off from feathered theropod dinosaurs, sharing things like egg-brooding, bone-pneumaticity, nest building behaviors and other traits with their ancestors like dromaeosaurids and other dino-cousins.Next time you see a bird, I want you to appreciate that creature for what it is – one of the last surviving dinosaurs. Birds are literally dinosaurs that lost weight and evolved feathers to become optimized for flight. So the next time a pigeon pecks at your toes for a bit of your hot dog, show some respect. You're in the presence of true dinosaur royalty!。
2015年职称英语教材综合类阅读理解A级
阅读理解部分第三十四篇To Have and Have NotIt had been boring hanging about the hotel all afternoon. The road crew were playing a game with dollar notes. Folding them into small planes to see whose would fly the furthest. 1 Having nothing better to do,I joined in and won five,and then took the opportunity to escape with my profit. Despite the evil-looking clouds,I had to get out for a while.I headed for a shop on the other side of the street. Unlike the others,it didn't have a sign shouting its name and business,and instead of the usual impersonal modern lighting,there was an appealing glow inside. Strangely nothing was displayed in the window. Not put off by this,I went inside.It took my breath away. I didn't know where to look, where to start. On one wall there hung three hand-stitched American quilts that were in such wonderful condition they might have been newly-made. I came across tin toys and antique furniture, and on the wall in front of me, a 1957 Stratocaster guitar , also in excellent condition. A card pushed between the strings said $50. I ran my hand along a long shelf of records, reading their titles. And there was more. . .―Can I help you?‖ She startled me. I hadn't even seen the woman behind the counter come in. The way she looked at me, so directly and with such power. It was a look of such intensity that for a moment I felt as if I were wrapped in some kind of magnetic or electrical field. I found it hard to take and almost turned away. But though it was uncomfortable. I was fascinated by the experience of her looking straight into me, and by the feeling that I was neither a stranger, nor strange, to her.Besides amusement her expression showed sympathy. It was impossible to tell her age;she reminded me faintly of my grandmother because, although her eyes were friendly, I could see that she was not a woman to fall out with. I spoke at last. 'I was just looking really,' I said, though secretly wondering how much of the stuff I could cram into the bus.The woman turned away and went at once towards a back room, indicating that I should follow her. But it in no way lived up to the first room. The light made me feel peculiar, too. It came from an oil lamp that was hung from the centre of the ceiling and created huge shadows over everything. There were no rare electric guitars, no old necklaces, no hand-painted boxes with delicate flowers. It was also obvious that it must have taken years, decades, to collect so much rubbish, so many old documents arid papers.I noticed some old books, whose gold lettering had faded, making their titles impossible to read. 'They look interesting,' I said, with some hesitation. 'To be able to understand that kind of writing you must first have had a similar experience,' she said clearly. She noted the confused look on my face, but didn't add anything.She reached up for a small book which she handed to me. 'This is the best book I can give you at the moment,' she laughed. ―If you use it. ‖ I opened the book to find it fu ll. or rather empty, with blank white pages, but paid her the few dollars she asked for it, becoming embarrassed when I realised the notes were still folded into little paper planes. I put the book in my pocket, thanked her and left.词汇:impersonal 客观的;非个人的;没有人情味的;[语] 非人称的n. [语]非人称动词;不具人格的事物antique 古老的,年代久远的n. 古董,古玩startle 使吓一跳,使惊奇n. 惊愕,惊恐arid 干旱的,枯萎的。
六年级英语段落排序单选题60题
六年级英语段落排序单选题60题1. Once upon a time, there was a little girl. _____, she met a fairy.A. In the beginningB. At the endC. In the middleD. At first答案:A。
解析:“In the beginning”表示“在开头”,符合故事发展的逻辑,通常用于引出故事的开端。
“At the end”意思是“在结尾”,与故事刚开始的情境不符。
“In the middle”是“在中间”,不符合此处情境。
“At first”虽然也有“起初”的意思,但不如“In the beginning”正式和常用。
2. The prince wanted to find the true love. _____, he went on a long journey.A. FirstB. FinallyC. ThenD. Next答案:A。
解析:“First”表示“首先”,强调顺序上的最先。
“Finally”是“最后”,不符合此时王子刚开始行动的情况。
“Then”和“Next”都有“然后”的意思,但“First”更能突出这是王子行动的第一步。
3. The witch had a magic wand. _____, she used it to cast a spell.A. At firstB. At lastC. In the beginningD. In the end答案:C。
解析:“In the beginning”表示“起初”“一开始”,适合描述故事中最初的情况。
“At first”也有“起初”之意,但不如“In the beginning”更常用于故事叙述。
“At last”和“In the end”都表示“最后”,与这里的情境不符。
4. The three little pigs built their houses. _____, the big bad wolf came.A. In the endB. At firstC. At the beginningD. Finally答案:D。
关于动物的许多令人惊讶的事英语作文
关于动物的许多令人惊讶的事英语作文Many Surprising Facts About AnimalsAnimals are amazing creatures that live all around us. From the tiny ants crawling on the ground to the huge whales swimming in the oceans, each animal is unique and special in its own way. Today, I'm going to share with you some surprising facts about animals that might make you go "Wow!"Did you know that a snail can sleep for three years? Yes, you read that right! Some snail species can go into a deep sleep called hibernation for up to three years. During this time, they barely move or eat anything. Imagine sleeping for that long and waking up feeling hungry!Have you ever heard of the animal called the pangolin? It's a scaly creature that looks like it's wearing a suit of armor. When pangolins feel threatened, they roll up into a tight ball, protecting their soft underbelly with their tough scales. How cool is that?You might think that cats are the only animals that purr, but did you know that some other animals purr too? Believe it or not, even raccoons, guinea pigs, and ring-tailed lemurs can purr!They make this soothing sound to show that they're happy and content.Speaking of cats, did you know that they have fewer tasting sensors than humans? That's why they don't seem to enjoy sweets as much as we do. But they make up for it with their incredible sense of smell. A cat's sense of smell is about fourteen times better than ours!Have you ever seen a chameleon? These colorful lizards can change their skin color to blend in with their surroundings. But did you know that they can also move their eyes in different directions at the same time? That's like being able to look at two things at once!Have you heard of the mantis shrimp? This little creature might look harmless, but it has one of the strongest punches in the animal kingdom. It can strike its prey with the same force as a bullet from a gun!Did you know that some animals can survive in extreme conditions? The tardigrade, also known as the water bear, is one of the toughest animals on Earth. These tiny creatures can withstand temperatures as low as -458°F (-272°C) and as high as 300°F (148°C). They can even survive in the vacuum of space!Have you ever wondered why flamingos are pink? It's not because they were born that way. Flamingos get their pink color from the shrimp and algae they eat. The more of these foods they consume, the pinker they become!Did you know that some animals can see more colors than we can? Humans have three color receptors in their eyes, but some animals, like birds, have four or even five color receptors. That means they can see colors that we can't even imagine!Have you ever heard of the axolotl? This fascinating amphibian can regenerate lost body parts, like limbs or even parts of its brain! If an axolotl loses a leg, it can grow a new one in just a few weeks.Speaking of regeneration, did you know that some starfish can grow back an entire body from just a single arm? If a starfish loses one of its arms, the arm can grow into a whole new starfish over time.Have you ever wondered how some animals can survive in the desert without water? The kangaroo rat is an amazing little creature that can go its entire life without ever drinking water. It gets all the water it needs from the seeds and plants it eats.Did you know that some animals can see in the dark? Owls and cats have special adaptations in their eyes that allow them to see better in low light conditions. They can hunt and move around at night while we're fast asleep.Have you heard of the incredible migration of the monarch butterfly? Every year, millions of these beautiful butterflies travel thousands of miles from the United States and Canada to Mexico. They use the sun and magnetic fields to guide them on their incredible journey.Did you know that some animals can communicate with each other using electricity? Electric eels can generate powerful electric shocks to stun their prey or defend themselves. But they also use weaker electric signals to communicate with other electric eels.Have you ever wondered how some animals can find their way home? Homing pigeons have an amazing ability to navigate and find their way back to their loft, even if they're released hundreds of miles away. Scientists are still trying to understand how they do this.Did you know that some animals can change their gender? Clownfish, found in the coral reefs, can actually switch gendersfrom male to female or vice versa. This helps them to maintain a balanced population in their group.Have you ever heard of the vampire bat? These bats don't just drink blood; they also have an incredible ability to find their prey in the dark. They use special heat-sensing abilities to locate the blood vessels of their prey, making them super-efficient hunters.Did you know that some animals can breathe through their skin? Amphibians like frogs and salamanders can absorb oxygen through their moist skin, which helps them survive both on land and in water.Have you ever wondered how some animals can survive in freezing cold temperatures? The wood frog can freeze solid during the winter, with up to 65% of its body turning into ice! But when spring arrives, it thaws out and hops away as if nothing happened.Did you know that some animals can communicate using vibrations? Elephants can pick up low-frequency vibrations through their feet and trunk, allowing them to communicate with other elephants over long distances.Have you ever heard of the incredible camouflage abilities of the mimic octopus? This clever creature can change its shape, color, and texture to mimic other animals, like sea snakes, lionfish, or even a flatfish!Did you know that some animals can survive without a head? The chicken is one such animal. If you remove a chicken's head, it can still live for a short while because its brain stem, which controls basic functions like breathing and heart rate, is still intact.These are just a few of the many surprising facts about animals. The animal kingdom is full of incredible creatures with amazing abilities and behaviors. Next time you see an animal, remember that it might have some extraordinary skills or adaptations that you never knew about!。
六年级上册英语书第一单元第四页恐龙作文
六年级上册英语书第一单元第四页恐龙作文全文共6篇示例,供读者参考篇1Dinosaurs: The Rulers of the Ancient WorldDo you know what the word "dinosaur" means? It's a combination of two Greek words: "deinos" meaning "terrible" and "sauros" meaning "lizard." So, dinosaurs were literally "terrible lizards!" But don't worry, they're all extinct now, and we can learn about them safely.Dinosaurs roamed the Earth millions of years ago, and they were some of the most fascinating creatures that ever existed. They came in all shapes and sizes, from the massive, long-necked plant-eaters to the fierce, meat-eating predators withrazor-sharp teeth.One of the most famous dinosaurs is the Tyrannosaurus Rex, also known as the T-Rex. This mighty beast was a fearsome carnivore that lived about 65 million years ago. It could grow up to 40 feet long and weigh around 7 tons! That's heavier than an elephant! With its massive jaws and sharp teeth, the T-Rex was the ultimate predator of its time.But not all dinosaurs were terrifying meat-eaters. There were also gentle giants like the Brachiosaurus, one of the largest land animals that ever walked the Earth. This long-necked,plant-eating dinosaur could reach heights of up to 85 feet! Imagine how tall that is – it's like a six-story building! With its long neck and tail, the Brachiosaurus could easily reach the tops of the tallest trees to munch on leaves and branches.Speaking of plant-eaters, have you heard of the Triceratops? This dinosaur had one of the most distinctive features – a massive bony frill around its head and three horns on its face! The Triceratops belonged to a group of dinosaurs called ceratopsians, which means "horned faces." These herbivores used their horns and frills for defense against predators like the T-Rex.But not all dinosaurs were giants. Some were quite small, like the Compsognathus, which was about the size of a turkey! This little guy was a meat-eater and likely hunted small lizards, insects, and maybe even baby dinosaurs.One of the most fascinating things about dinosaurs is that some of them had feathers! Yes, feathers! Scientists have discovered fossils of dinosaurs like the Velociraptor and Archaeopteryx that had feather-like structures on their bodies.This discovery suggests that dinosaurs may have been the ancestors of modern birds!Imagine what it would have been like to live during the time of dinosaurs. The earth would have been a very different place, with lush forests, swamps, and even deserts teeming with these massive creatures. It's mind-boggling to think that these animals once ruled our planet!But how do we know so much about dinosaurs? Well, paleontologists, scientists who study prehistoric life, have been digging up fossils and piecing together clues about these ancient creatures for centuries. Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of living organisms from the past, like bones, teeth, footprints, or even fossilized poop (yes, you read that right –dinosaur poop!).By studying these fossils, paleontologists can learn about the size, shape, diet, and behavior of different dinosaur species. They can even figure out how dinosaurs moved, what sounds they might have made, and how they interacted with their environment.Imagine being a paleontologist and discovering a new dinosaur species that no one has ever seen before! How excitingwould that be? You'd get to name the dinosaur and share your findings with the world!Sadly, dinosaurs went extinct around 66 million years ago, most likely due to a massive asteroid impact that caused catastrophic changes to the Earth's environment. But their legacy lives on in the form of fossils, museum exhibits, and our endless fascination with these incredible creatures.So, the next time you visit a museum or read a book about dinosaurs, take a moment to appreciate just how amazing these ancient animals were. They may have ruled the Earth millions of years ago, but they continue to capture our imaginations and inspire our curiosity about the wonders of the natural world.篇2Dinosaurs: The Mighty Rulers of the Ancient WorldHi, my name is Alex and I'm in sixth grade. Today, I'm going to tell you all about dinosaurs - those massive, magnificent creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago. Ever since I was a little kid, I've been fascinated by dinosaurs. There's just something so cool and exciting about them!Let's start with the basics. Dinosaurs were a group of reptiles that lived during the Mesozoic Era, which was between 252 and 66 million years ago. Can you imagine how long ago that was? It's almost impossible for us to wrap our heads around such an enormous amount of time! During that era, dinosaurs were the dominant land animals on the planet.There were so many different types of dinosaurs, each with its own unique features and abilities. Some were massiveplant-eaters, while others were fierce meat-eaters with sharp teeth and claws. Some could fly, some could swim, and some could even run really fast!One of the most famous dinosaurs is the Tyrannosaurus Rex, also known as the T-Rex. This massive meat-eater could grow up to 40 feet long and had a terrifying set of teeth that could crush bones like they were nothing. Imagine running into one of those in a dark alley! The T-Rex had tiny arms, but its powerful jaws more than made up for it.Another well-known dinosaur is the Triceratops, which had a huge bony frill around its head and three horns - two over its eyes and one on its nose. These plant-eaters used their horns and frills to defend themselves from predators like the T-Rex.Can you picture two of these giants battling it out in the prehistoric jungle? What an incredible sight that must have been!Then there were the long-necked dinosaurs like the Brachiosaurus and the Diplodocus. These gentle giants were some of the largest land animals that ever existed, reaching heights of up to 85 feet tall! They probably spent most of their time munching on leaves from the tops of trees. I wonder how they managed to drink water with those incredibly long necks?And let's not forget about the flying and swimming dinosaurs! The Pteranodon was a fascinating creature that could fly thanks to its huge wings and lightweight body. It probably soared through the skies, keeping an eye out for fish or small land animals to snatch up. Meanwhile, the Spinosaurus was a massive meat-eater that lived both on land and in the water, using its powerful tail to swim through rivers and lakes.When I think about dinosaurs, one of the things that amazes me the most is how they managed to survive in such a harsh and dangerous world. With no modern technology or weapons, they had to rely solely on their natural abilities and instincts to protect themselves from predators, find food, and raise their young. It's incredible that these animals thrived for millions of years before eventually becoming extinct.Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly what caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. One popular theory is that a massive asteroid or comet struck the Earth, kicking up so much dust and debris that it blocked out the sun and made it impossible for the dinosaurs to survive. Others think it was due to massive volcanic activity or gradual climate change. Whatever the reason, it must have been a catastrophic event that wiped out nearly all life on the planet.Even though dinosaurs are long gone, their legacy lives on in the form of fossils – the petrified remains or impressions of dinosaurs that have been preserved in rock for millions of years. Paleontologists, scientists who study fossils, have been able to learn so much about dinosaurs by carefully examining these ancient remnants. It's like unlocking a door to a world that existed long before humans ever walked the Earth!Visiting a natural history museum and seeing the towering skeletons of dinosaurs is one of my favorite things to do. Whenever I stand next to a T-Rex or a Brachiosaurus fossil, I feel so small and insignificant. It's a humbling reminder of how tiny we are compared to the giants that once ruled our planet.Dinosaurs have also been a huge part of popular culture, appearing in countless movies, TV shows, books, and videogames. Who doesn't love watching a good dinosaur movie like Jurassic Park or The Land Before Time? There's something so exciting and adventurous about imagining what it would be like to encounter these prehistoric beasts in real life (although I'd probably be too scared to actually do it!).In conclusion, dinosaurs were some of the most amazing and fascinating creatures to ever walk the Earth. They came in all shapes and sizes, from the massive plant-eaters to the fearsome meat-eaters, and they ruled the planet for millions of years before their eventual extinction. Even though they're gone, their legacy lives on through fossils, scientific research, and our imaginations. Who knows, maybe one day we'll even be able to bring them back to life using advanced technology! But for now, we can only marvel at the dinosaurs' incredible strength, resilience, and place in the history of our world.篇3Dinosaurs: The Giants of the PastHey there! Did you know that dinosaurs once roamed the Earth millions of years ago? They were massive, scaly creatures that looked like something out of a fantasy movie. I find themsuper fascinating, and I'm going to tell you all about them in this essay!First off, let's talk about how big these prehistoric giants were. Some dinosaurs, like the Argentinosaurus, were humongous – over 100 feet long and weighing as much as a herd of elephants! Can you even imagine a creature that massive? It would be like having a building walking around on four legs. Other dinosaurs, like the Compsognathus, were only about the size of a turkey. But even the small ones had sharp teeth and claws, so you wouldn't want to mess with them.Now, you might be wondering how we know so much about dinosaurs when they lived such a long time ago. Well, scientists have been able to piece together a lot of information by studying fossils – the remains of dinosaurs that have been preserved in rocks for millions of years. By examining the bones, teeth, and even footprints left behind, we can learn about the different types of dinosaurs, what they looked like, how they moved, and what they ate.Speaking of food, dinosaurs had some pretty interesting diets. Some, like the Tyrannosaurus Rex, were meat-eaters or carnivores. They had massive jaws with sharp teeth that could tear through flesh like it was nothing. Other dinosaurs, like theDiplodocus, were plant-eaters or herbivores. They had long necks and flat teeth perfect for munching on leaves, ferns, and other vegetation.Can you imagine living during the time of the dinosaurs? It would have been both amazing and terrifying! Imagine going for a walk and coming face-to-face with a Spinosaurus, a dinosaur with a massive sail-like structure on its back and jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth. Or maybe you'd encounter a herd of Triceratops, with their iconic horns and bony frills. You'd definitely want to steer clear of those guys!But not all dinosaurs were scary predators. Some, like the Stegosaurus, were herbivores with plates along their backs and spiked tails for defense. Others, like the Ankylosaurus, were covered in bony armor plates, making them almost indestructible. And then there were the plant-eating sauropods, like the Brachiosaurus, which stood as tall as a five-story building!One of the coolest things about dinosaurs is that some of them might have had feathers, just like modern-day birds. Scientists think that feathers first evolved in dinosaurs as a way to keep their eggs warm, and later allowed some species to taketo the skies. Imagine a dinosaur flying overhead – now that's a sight I'd love to see!Unfortunately, dinosaurs went extinct around 66 million years ago, after a massive asteroid struck the Earth. The impact caused massive climate changes, and eventually, all non-avian dinosaurs (the ones that couldn't fly) died out. It's a sad thought, but at least we have their fossils to learn from and amazing movies and books to help us imagine what they might have been like.Dinosaurs were undoubtedly some of the most incredible creatures to ever walk the Earth. From the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex to the gentle Brachiosaurus, each species had its own unique traits and adaptations that allowed them to thrive for millions of years. Even though they're long gone, their legacy lives on, and they continue to capture our imaginations and spark our curiosity about the prehistoric world.So, the next time you see a dinosaur skeleton in a museum or watch a movie about them, remember just how amazing these creatures were. They ruled the Earth for over 165 million years, surviving through massive climate changes and evolving into some of the most fascinating animals our planet has ever seen.Who knows, maybe one day we'll uncover even more secrets about these incredible giants of the past!篇4Dinosaurs: The Incredible Giants That Once Roamed Our PlanetHave you ever seen the huge skeleton of a dinosaur at a museum and wondered what it was like when these magnificent creatures walked the Earth? Well, let me tell you, dinosaurs were some of the most amazing animals that ever existed! Their sheer size and incredible features have captivated kids like me for as long as I can remember.To start with, can you imagine an animal taller than athree-story building? That's how big some of the giganticplant-eating dinosaurs like the Brachiosaurus were! Their necks were so long, they could easily nibble on leaves at the tops of the tallest trees. Just picture a bus standing on its end, and that's about how tall these titans were. Isn't that mind-blowing?Then you had the fierce meat-eaters like T-Rex and Allosaurus. Though not quite as massive as the plant-eaters, they were definitely not dinosaurs you'd want to run into! Their powerful jaws and razor-sharp teeth could easily chomp throughthe toughest prey. Some even had deadly claws that made them extra deadly hunters. I'd be terrified to encounter one of those in real life!But dinosaurs came in all shapes and sizes beyond just the really big ones. There were pint-sized dinos that were only a few feet long, like the cute Compsognathus. Some had wild crests and frills, like the Triceratops with its three iconic horns. Others had bony plates along their backs that could have been used for defense or attracting mates. A few could even possibly glide or fly for short distances! The variety of dinosaurs that existed was just staggering.One thing that really boggles my mind about dinosaurs is how long they were around compared to humans. We've only been on Earth for a couple hundred thousand years at most. But dinosaurs? They ruled the planet for over 165 million years! That's hard to even wrap my head around. 165 million years is so massively long ago, the Earth itself looked completely different back then.All the continents were still joined together into one huge landmass called Pangaea when the first dinosaurs appeared. Then over the course of the dinosaurs' reign, that supercontinent slowly broke apart into the continents we know today, driftinginto their current positions. Crazy, right? Dinosaurs lived through ice ages, meteor strikes, massive volcanic eruptions, and unimaginable climate changes that make the global warming we're experiencing now seem like a tiny blip.The more I learn about dinosaurs, the more fascinated I become by them. What caused them to go extinct 66 million years ago is still debated by scientists. But the impact they had during their time on our planet is undeniable. Every kid has wondered what it would be like to see a real living, breathing dinosaur. That seems impossible now, but with new discoveries all the time, who knows what the future could hold?For now, we can appreciate these incredible prehistoric creatures by visiting natural history museums and fossil exhibits. Seeing their gigantic skeletons and learning about their world millions of years before humans is always so much fun. Dinosaurs fire up my imagination like few other topics can!Did you know some dinosaurs may have been covered in feathers, just like modern birds? Scientists are finding more evidence that birds may have actually descended from certain feathered dinosaur species. How awesome is that? Birds like eagles and hawks may be the closest living relatives to dinosaurs like Velociraptor!I could go on forever about the amazing types of dinosaurs, their evolution, habits, extinctions, and so much more. From the enormous long-necked giants to the "raptor" hunters, dinosaurs are a endless source of fascination. Just the thought of these colossal reptiles thundering across the prehistoric landscapes gives me chills!I hope you've learned some cool new facts about dinosaurs from this essay. They truly were the superstars of prehistoric life, dominating the planet for eons before mammals like humans eventually took over. Studying dinosaurs helps scientists understand so much about life on Earth long before our species came along.While dinosaurs no longer walk among us, they've left an incredible legacy in the fossil record for us to explore and marvel at. Every kid goes through a dinosaur obsession phase, and I'm definitely still in the midst of mine! From T-Rex to Triceratops, Stegosaurus to Spinosaurus, these aren't just boxes to check off - they represent the most breathtaking, larger-than-life animals to ever roam our world. Dinosaurs inspire my sense of wonder about nature and science like little else can.I could talk all day about these incredible prehistoric giants. The tales of their evolution, discovery, traits, and environmentsnever cease to amaze me. Whether it's pondering what colors they were, how they hunted, what Earth was like in their era, or a million other questions, dinosaurs unlock the mysteries of deep time and the marvels of life itself.Dinosaurs were the first "superstars" that dominated the planet for over 165 million years before our ancestors came along. They paved the way for the rise of mammals and humanity as we know it. For as long as I can remember, dinosaurs have sparked my imagination and fostered my curiosity about science like few other topics. I hope this essay has given you a window into why these incredible prehistoric giants are so awe-inspiring! From the towering plant-eaters to the fierce carnivores, dinosaurs will forever be some of the most fascinating animals that ever roamed our planet Earth.篇5Title: Dinosaurs: Ancient Giants of the PastHave you ever wondered about those massive creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago? I'm talking about dinosaurs, the ancient giants that have captured the imaginations of kids and adults alike for generations!Dinosaurs were truly remarkable beings. They came in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Compsognathus, which was about the size of a chicken, to the gigantic Argentinosaurus, which could have been longer than three school buses! Can you imagine how terrifying it would be to come face-to-face with a towering dinosaur like that?One of the most famous dinosaurs is the Tyrannosaurus Rex, or T-Rex for short. This fearsome predator was one of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs to ever exist. With its massive jaws and sharp teeth, the T-Rex could easily crush bones and tear through flesh. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps!But not all dinosaurs were scary meat-eaters. Some were gentle giants that munched on plants all day long. The Brachiosaurus, for example, was a huge, long-necked dinosaur that could reach the tops of the tallest trees. Imagine how cool it would be to see one of those giants grazing on leaves from the highest branches!Speaking of leaves, did you know that some dinosaurs were covered in feathers? That's right, feathers! Scientists have discovered fossils of dinosaurs like the Velociraptor and Microraptor that had feathers just like modern birds. It's amazingto think that these ancient creatures might have been fluffy and colorful!One of the most fascinating things about dinosaurs is how they lived and thrived on our planet for over 165 million years. That's an incredibly long time! During their reign, dinosaurs adapted to various environments and climates, from steamy swamps to frozen tundras. They were true survivors, and it's mind-boggling to think about how different the world must have looked back then.Unfortunately, dinosaurs eventually met their demise around 66 million years ago, during the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. Many scientists believe that a massive asteroid or comet struck the Earth, causing catastrophic changes in the environment that led to the extinction of these magnificent creatures.Even though dinosaurs are long gone, their legacy lives on in the fossils they left behind. Paleontologists, scientists who study prehistoric life, have been able to piece together the stories of these ancient giants by carefully examining their fossilized bones, footprints, and other remains.Imagine being a paleontologist and discovering a new species of dinosaur that no one has ever seen before! It must bean incredible feeling to uncover secrets from millions of years ago and learn more about the creatures that once ruled our planet.Dinosaurs have also captured the imaginations of filmmakers and storytellers, inspiring countless movies, books, and TV shows. Who hasn't seen or heard of "Jurassic Park," where scientists brought dinosaurs back to life using advanced technology? While that scenario might be pure fiction, it certainly sparks our curiosity and makes us wonder what it would be like to encounter these prehistoric giants in real life.As a kid, I can't get enough of dinosaurs. I have dinosaur toys, books, and even dinosaur-themed pajamas! Learning about these fascinating creatures from the past is not only educational but also incredibly fun and exciting.Whether you're a kid or an adult, dinosaurs have a way of captivating our minds and transporting us to a world that existed long before humans ever set foot on Earth. They remind us of the incredible diversity of life that has graced our planet and the resilience of nature through countless eons.So, the next time you see a dinosaur skeleton or fossil in a museum, take a moment to appreciate the sheer majesty and mystery of these ancient giants. Who knows, maybe one daywe'll uncover even more incredible secrets about these remarkable creatures that once ruled the Earth.篇6Dinosaurs: Fascinating Giants of the PastHave you ever imagined walking on Earth millions of years ago and encountering massive creatures with sharp teeth, long necks, and powerful tails? These incredible beings, known as dinosaurs, roamed our planet long before humans existed. Let me take you on an exciting journey back in time to explore the fascinating world of these prehistoric giants!Dinosaurs were a diverse group of reptiles that dominated the Earth for over 165 million years. They came in various shapes and sizes, ranging from the tiny Compsognathus, no bigger than a chicken, to the gigantic Argentinosaurus, which could reach lengths of up to 40 meters (131 feet)! Imagine standing next to a creature taller than a four-story building – it's mind-boggling!One of the most well-known dinosaurs is the Tyrannosaurus Rex, or T-Rex for short. This fearsome predator had massive jaws filled with sharp, serrated teeth that could easily crush bones. Its powerful hind legs and tail helped it chase down prey, while its tiny arms were likely used for gripping prey or maintainingbalance. Just the thought of encountering a T-Rex in the wild is enough to send shivers down your spine!But not all dinosaurs were terrifying meat-eaters. Some, like the Brachiosaurus, were gentle giants that munched on plants. With its long neck and tall stature, the Brachiosaurus could easily reach the tops of trees for a tasty meal. Imagine being able to casually pluck leaves from the highest branches without even stretching!Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic Era, which consisted of three periods: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. During the Triassic period, the first dinosaurs appeared, including the early theropods (bipedal carnivores) and sauropodomorphs(long-necked herbivores). The Jurassic period witnessed the rise of the gigantic sauropods, like the Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus, as well as the fearsome theropods, such as the Allosaurus.The Cretaceous period saw the emergence of the most advanced dinosaurs, including the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex and the bird-like Velociraptor. It was also during this time that the first flowering plants appeared, providing new food sources for herbivorous dinosaurs.Paleontologists, scientists who study prehistoric life, have made remarkable discoveries about dinosaurs by examiningtheir fossils. These preserved remains, often found embedded in rocks, provide invaluable insights into the anatomy, behavior, and evolution of these ancient creatures. Imagine finding a perfectly preserved dinosaur footprint or a fossilized egg – it would be like holding a piece of history in your hands!While dinosaurs may have disappeared from the Earth millions of years ago, their legacy lives on in modern-day reptiles, birds, and even in our own imaginations. Who hasn't dreamed of riding a gentle Brontosaurus or witnessed the sheer power of a T-Rex roaring in the distance?Dinosaurs continue to captivate us with their sheer size, fascinating adaptations, and the mystery surrounding their eventual extinction. Perhaps one day, scientists will uncover even more secrets about these remarkable creatures, allowing us to step back in time and experience the world as it was during the Age of Dinosaurs.。
最新全国考研俄语作文打印版.doc
俄语考研议论文常用词汇1) Готов всю жизнь работать на своём рядовом посту.准备在自己平凡的岗位上工作一生。
2) подчинять свои интересы интересам общественным个人利益服从社会利益3) ставить интересы народа превыше всего把人民的利益放在第一位4) ненятьсязаличнойславойивыгодой不追求个人的荣誉和利益5) не использовать служебного источник вунь гуоположения в личных целях不滥用职权6) заботиться о других больше,чем о себе关心别人胜过关心自己7) быть принципиальным в важных вопросах重大问题上坚持原则8) чувствовать свою ответственность перед Родиной и народом.对祖国和人民有责任感9) считать своим долгом служить народу把为人民服务看作自己的职责10) Совесть не позволяет сювершать зло.良心不允许做坏事。
11) не пренебрегать маленькими делами不轻视小事情12) В жизни всегда есть место подвигам.生活中总能有所作为。
13) Кто не даёт больше,чем получил,тот - вуль.谁的索取多于奉献,(文国俄语)谁就一文不值。
14) быть нужным и полезным человеком.做一个……需要的,有益于……的人15) жить интересами парода источник вунь гуо为人民的利益而活16) жить одним дыханием с народом与人民同呼吸共命运17) Умей жить и тогда,когда жизнь становитсяневыносимой.Сделай её полезной.学会生活吧,即使到了难以生存的地步。
关于钢琴的英语作文翻译
The piano is a versatile and elegant musical instrument that has captivated the hearts of music lovers around the world.It is a keyboard instrument that produces sound by striking strings with hammers.With its wide range of notes and expressive capabilities, the piano has been a central instrument in Western music for centuries.The history of the piano dates back to the early18th century,when it was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Italy.Initially called the pianoforte,the instrument was designed to have a more dynamic range of volume than the harpsichord,which was popular at the time.The pianos ability to play both soft and loud notes,depending on how hard the keys are pressed,is one of its most distinctive features.Over the years,the piano has undergone numerous technological advancements and design improvements.The modern piano typically has88keys,with a range of seven octaves plus a minor third,from A0to C8.The strings and soundboard inside the piano amplify the vibrations produced by the hammers,creating the rich and resonant sound that is characteristic of the instrument.Pianists have the unique ability to play both melody and harmony simultaneously, making the piano a popular choice for composing and arranging music.Many famous composers,such as Ludwig van Beethoven,Frédéric Chopin,and Sergei Rachmaninoff, have written extensively for the piano,creating a vast repertoire of classical music that continues to inspire and challenge performers today.In addition to classical music,the piano has played a significant role in various other genres,including jazz,blues,and popular music.Jazz pianists,like Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans,have developed distinctive styles and contributed greatly to the development of jazz harmony and improvisation.The piano is also a staple in rock and pop music, where it is often used for accompaniment or as a featured solo instrument.Learning to play the piano can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience.It not only helps to develop musical skills and appreciation but also enhances cognitive abilities and coordination.Piano lessons can be tailored to suit the needs and interests of each student, whether they wish to learn classical pieces,popular songs,or improvisation techniques.In conclusion,the piano is a remarkable instrument that has significantly contributed to the world of music.Its rich history,diverse repertoire,and unique capabilities make it a beloved instrument for both performers and listeners alike.Whether you are a professional musician or a beginner looking to explore the world of music,the piano offers endless possibilities for creativity and expression.。
朗读描写大熊猫的作文英语
The giant panda,a species native to China,is an animal of great charm and fascination.With its distinctive black and white fur,it is easily recognizable and has become a symbol of the countrys rich biodiversity.Here is a descriptive composition about the giant panda in English,suitable for reading aloud:In the lush,verdant forests of the Sichuan province,amidst the bamboo groves that sway gently in the breeze,there exists a creature that has captured the hearts of people worldwide.This is the giant panda,a gentle giant with an endearing presence that has made it an icon of Chinas natural heritage.The giant panda,scientifically known as Ailuropoda melanoleuca,is a bear species that has evolved over millions of years.Its fur is a striking contrast of black and white,a color scheme that is as unique as it is beautiful.The pandas large,round head is adorned with small,black ears that twitch with curiosity.Its eyes are rimmed with black,giving it an almost perpetually surprised expression,which only adds to its charm.One of the most captivating features of the giant panda is its plump body,covered in soft, white fur,with black patches around its eyes,ears,and across its shoulders.Its limbs are strong and sturdy,ending in paws that are equipped with sharp claws,a reminder of its bear ancestry.Yet,these paws are also remarkably dexterous,allowing the panda to hold bamboo stalks with precision as it feeds.The diet of the giant panda is predominantly bamboo,a plant that makes up over99%of its food intake.Watching a panda eat is a mesmerizing sight it peels the bamboo with its teeth and paws,breaking it into manageable pieces before chewing it with a contented嚼嚼声.Despite its large size,the panda moves with grace and agility,navigating the dense undergrowth with ease as it searches for its next meal.The giant panda is not only a marvel of nature but also a symbol of conservation efforts. Once on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and poaching,the species has made a remarkable recovery thanks to the dedication of conservationists and the Chinese governments efforts to protect its natural habitat.Today,the panda serves as a beacon of hope for the preservation of endangered species worldwide.In conclusion,the giant panda is a creature of rare beauty and grace.Its existence is a testament to the resilience of nature and the importance of our role in protecting it.As we read about and admire these magnificent animals,let us also remember the responsibilitywe hold to ensure their survival for generations to come.This composition paints a vivid picture of the giant panda,highlighting its physical characteristics,behavior,and significance in conservation.It is written in a tone that is both informative and evocative,making it an excellent piece for reading aloud to an audience interested in wildlife and nature.。
icing on the cake的修辞
icing on the cake的修辞Icing on the Cake: The Perfect Addition to a Delightful TreatIntroduction:When it comes to enjoying a delicious treat, adding icing on the cake can take the experience to a whole new level. Metaphorically, "icing on the cake" means adding something extra, something special to make an already good thing even better. In this article, we will explore the concept of "icing on the cake" and delve into various aspects of its usage and significance.1. Origin and Meaning:The phrase "icing on the cake" is believed to have originated in the early 1900s and is derived from the literal act of adding a layer of sweet icing on top of a cake. It signifies the final touch, the extra embellishment that enhances the overall appeal and taste of the cake. Just as the icing completes a cake, the additional element brings fulfillment and satisfaction to any situation.2. Enhancing Experiences:The concept of "icing on the cake" extends beyond theculinary realm and finds its place in various aspects of life. It can refer to any additional element that elevates an experience, making it more enjoyable and memorable. For example, receiving unexpected recognition for a job well done, or finding a surprise gift along with a purchase, can be considered the "icing on the cake" of a positive experience.3. Relationships:In the context of relationships, the "icing on the cake" refers to the small gestures, acts of kindness, or thoughtful surprises that enhance the bond between individuals. It could be a heartfelt compliment, a surprise date night, or a thoughtful gift. These acts of love and appreciation are like the icing on the cake, adding sweetness and depth to the relationship.4. Achievements and Success:When it comes to personal achievements and success, the "icing on the cake" represents the additional recognition or rewards received beyond the primary accomplishment. It could be receiving an award for a groundbreaking research paper or being acknowledged for outstanding leadershipskills. These accolades serve as the icing on the cake, acknowledging the hard work and dedication put into achieving the goal.5. Travel and Exploration:In the realm of travel and exploration, the "icing on the cake" can refer to unexpected discoveries or memorable experiences that surpass the initial expectations. It could be stumbling upon a hidden gem while exploring a new city or witnessing a breathtaking sunset on a hike. These unexpected moments create lasting memories and serve as the icing on the cake of a travel adventure.6. Business and Professional Life:In the business and professional world, the "icing on the cake" can manifest in various forms. It could be landing a major deal or securing a coveted promotion. Additionally, receiving positive feedback from clients or colleagues or being recognized as an industry expert can be considered the icing on the cake of a successful career.Conclusion:"Icing on the cake" is a metaphorical expression that signifies the additional element that enhances andcompletes a situation, experience, or achievement. Whether it is in relationships, personal accomplishments, travel adventures, or professional life, the concept of "icing on the cake" adds an extra layer of satisfaction and joy. Just as the sweetness of the icing complements the cake, these additional elements make life's experiences even more delightful. So, let us embrace and appreciate the "icing on the cake" moments that make life all the more enjoyable.。
Angles on a Pin
proportion. in proportion to: 与。。。成比例/相称 Imports will be allowed in proportion to export. out of proportion: 不成比例,不相称,过分 Her head is out of proportion to the size of her body.
Angles on a Pin
Alexander Calandra is now Professor of Emeritus of Physical Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. The present text is adapted from “Angels on the Head of a Pin: A Modern Parable” which first appeared in Saturday Review. Dec. 21, 1968 and has, since then, become a classic (or an often quoted) case on the problems of American education.
Proportion: 比例
A quite high proportion of their incomes are spent on fuel.
A large proportion of the people are illiterate in proportion: 成比例,相称,协调 The length and height of the room was in
proposals. I hope it all works out between Gina and Andy. He works out with weight twice a week. a. to calculate an answer, amount, price, or value b. to think about sth. and manage to understand it c. to think carefully about how you are going to do sth. and plan a good way of doing it d. to get better e. to excise
《科学》杂志的这篇语言学文章被引用4000多次,今天一口气读完
《科学》杂志的这篇语言学文章被引用4000多次,今天一口气读完2002年,Hauser(比较有争议的前哈佛教授)、Chomsky和Fitch在《科学》杂志发表了一篇语言学论文,论述人类语言官能(语言是人类大脑中的一个“器官”),立刻轰动全球。
时至今日,这篇论文已被引用4000多次,成为了语言学的经典文章。
受到微信文章的字数限制,今天推送的这篇文章,在力求保证主要内容的情况下删去了部分小节。
读完这篇英文文章,你会明白:1. 什么是“语言官能”;2. 动物有没有语言;3. 什么是I-language;4. FLN、FLB分别是什么;5. 为什么说生物学和语言学的交叉研究是一个趋势。
Hauser, M. D., Chomsky, N., & Fitch, W. T. (2002). The faculty of language: what is it, who has it, and how did it evolve?. science, 298(5598), 1569-1579.The faculty of language: what is it, who has it, and how did itevolve?If a martian graced our planet, it would be struck by one remarkable similarity among Earth's living creatures and a key difference. Concerning similarity, it would note that all living things are designed on the basis of highly conserved developmental systems that read an (almost) universal language encoded in DNA base pairs. As such, life is arranged hierarchically with a foundation of discrete, unblendable units (codons, and, for the most part, genes) capable of combining to create increasingly complex and virtually limitless varieties of both species and individual organisms. In contrast, it would notice the absence of a universal code of communication (Fig. 1).If our martian naturalist were meticulous, it might note that the faculty mediating human communication appears remarkably different from that of other living creatures; it might further note that the human faculty of language appears to be organized like the genetic code—hierarchical, generative, recursive, and virtually limitless with respect to its scope of expression. With these pieces in hand, this martian might beginto wonder how the genetic code changed in such a way as to generate a vast number of mutually incomprehensible communication systems across species while maintaining clarity of comprehension within a given species. The martian would have stumbled onto some of the essential problems surrounding the question of language evolution, and of how humans acquired the faculty of language.At least three theoretical issues cross-cut the debate on language evolution. One of the oldest problems among theorists is the “shared versus unique” distinction. Most curr ent commentators agree that, although bees dance, birds sing, and chimpanzees grunt, these systems of communication differ qualitatively from human language. In particular, animal communication systems lack the rich expressive and open-ended power of human language (based on humans' capacity for recursion). The evolutionary puzzle, therefore, lies in working out how we got from there to here, given this apparent discontinuity.A second issue revolves around whether the evolution of language was gradual versus saltational; this differs from the first issue because a qualitative discontinuity between extant species could have evolved gradually, involving no discontinuities during human evolution. Finally, the “continuity versus exaptation” issue revolves around the problem of whether human language evolved by gradual extension of preexisting communication systems, or whether important aspects of language have been exapted away from their previous adaptive function (e.g., spatial or numerical reasoning, Machiavellian social scheming, tool-making).Researchers have adopted extreme or intermediate positions regarding these basically independent questions, leading to a wide variety of divergent viewpoints on the evolution of language in the current literature. There is, however, an emerging consensus that, although humans and animals share a diversity of important computational and perceptual resources, there has been substantial evolutionary remodeling since we diverged from a common ancestor some 6 million years ago. The empirical challenge is to determine what was inherited unchanged from this common ancestor, what has been subjected to minor modifications, and what (if anything) is qualitatively new. The additional evolutionary challenge is to determine what selectional pressures led to adaptive changes over time and to understand the various constraints that channeled this evolutionary process. Answering these questions requires a collaborative effort among linguists, biologists, psychologists, and anthropologists.One aim of this essay is to promote a stronger connection between biology and linguistics by identifying points of contact and agreement between the fields. Although this interdisciplinary marriage was inaugurated more than 50 years ago, it has not yet been fully consummated. We hope to further this goal by, first, helping to clarify the biolinguistic perspective on language and its evolution (2–7). We then review some promising empirical approaches to the evolution of the language faculty, with a special focus on comparative work with nonhuman animals, and conclude with a discussion of how inquiry might profitably advance, highlighting some outstanding problems.Defining the Target: Two Senses of the Faculty of LanguageThe word “language” has highly divergent meanings in different contexts and disciplines. In informal usage, a language is understood as a culturally specific communication system (English, Navajo, etc.). In the varieties of modern linguistics that concern us here, the term “language” is used quite differently to refer to an internal component of the mind/brain (sometimes called “internal language” or “I-language”). We assume that this is the primary object of interest for the study of the evolution and function of the language faculty. However, this biologically and individually grounded usage still leaves much open to interpretation (and misunderstanding). For example, a neuroscientist might ask: What components of the human nervous system are recruited in the use of language in its broadest sense? Because any aspect of cognition appears to be, at least in principle, accessible to language, the broadest answer to this question is, probably, “most of it.” Even aspects of emotion or cognition not readily verbalized may be influenced by linguistically based thought processes. Thus, this conception is too broad to be of much use. We therefore delineate two more restricted conceptions of the faculty of language, one broader and more inclusive, the other more restricted and narrow (Fig. 2).Faculty of language—broad sense (FLB). FLB includes an internal computational system (FLN, below) combined with at least two other organism-internal systems, which we call “sensory-motor” and “conceptual-intentional.” Despite debate on the precise nature of these systems, and about whether they are substantially shared with other vertebrates or uniquely adapted to the exigencies of language, we take as uncontroversial the existence of some biological capacity of humans that allows us (and not, for example, chimpanzees) to readily master any human language without explicit instruction. FLB includes this capacity, but excludes other organism-internal systems that are necessary but not sufficient for language (e.g., memory, respiration, digestion, circulation, etc.).Faculty of language—narrow sense (FLN). FLN is the abstract linguistic computational system alone, independent of the other systems with which it interacts and interfaces. FLN is a component of FLB, and the mechanisms underlying it are somesubset of those underlying FLB.Others have agreed on the need for a restricted sense of “language” but have suggested different delineations. For example, Liberman and his associates (8) have argued that the sensory-motor systems were specifically adapted for language, and hence should be considered part of FLN. There is also a long tradition holding that the conceptual-intentional systems are an intrinsic part of language in a narrow sense. In this article, we leave these questions open, restricting attention to FLN as just defined but leaving the possibility of a more inclusive definition open to further empirical research.At a minimum, FLN includes the capacity of recursion. There are many organism-internal factors, outside FLN or FLB, that impose practical limits on the usage of the system. For example, lung capacity imposes limits on the length of actual spoken sentences, whereas working memory imposes limits on the complexity of sentences if they are to be understandable. Other limitations—for example, on concept formation or motor output speed—represent aspects of FLB, which have their own evolutionary histories and may have played a role in the evolution of the capacities of FLN. Nonetheless, one can profitably inquire into the evolution of FLN without an immediate concern for these limiting aspects of FLB. This is made clear by the observation that, although many aspects of FLB are shared with other vertebrates, the core recursive aspect of FLN currently appears to lack any analog in animal communication and possibly other domains as well. This point, therefore, represents the deepest challenge for a comparative evolutionary approachto language. We believe that investigations of this capacity should include domains other than communication (e.g., number, social relationships, navigation).Given the distinctions between FLB and FLN and the theoretical distinctions raised above, we can define a research space as sketched in Fig. 3. This research space identifies, as viable, problems concerning the evolution of sensory-motor systems, of conceptual-intentional systems, and of FLN. The comparative approach, to which we turn next, provides a framework for addressing questions about each of these components of the faculty of language.The Comparative Approach to Language EvolutionThe empirical study of the evolution of language is beset with difficulties. Linguistic behavior does not fossilize, and a long tradition of analysis of fossil skull shape and cranial endocasts has led to little consensus about the evolution of language (7,9).A more tractable and, we think, powerful approach to problems of language evolution is provided by the comparative method, which uses empirical data from living species to draw detailed inferences about extinct ancestors (3, 10–12). The comparative method was the primary tool used by Darwin (13, 14) to analyze evolutionary phenomena and continues to play a central role throughout modern evolutionary biology. Although scholars interested in language evolution have often ignored comparative data altogether or focused narrowly on data from nonhuman primates, current thinking in neuroscience, molecular biology, and developmental biology indicates that many aspects of neural and developmental function are highly conserved, encouraging the extension of the comparative method to all vertebrates (and perhaps beyond). For several reasons, detailed below, we believe that the comparative method should play a more central role in future discussions of language evolution.An overarching concern in studies of language evolution is with whether particular components of the faculty of language evolved specifically for human language and, therefore (by extension), are unique to humans. Logically, the human uniqueness claim must be based on data indicating an absence of the trait in nonhuman animals and, to be taken seriously, requires a substantial body of relevant comparative data. More concretely, if the language evolution researcher wishes to make the claim that a trait evolved uniquely in humans for the functionof language processing, data indicating that no other animal has this particular trait are required.Testing Hypotheses About the Evolution of the Faculty of LanguageHypothesis 1: FLB is strictly homologous to animal communication.This hypothesis holds that homologs of FLB, including FLN, exist (perhaps in less developed or otherwise modified form) in nonhuman animals (3, 10, 26). This has historically been a popular hypothesis outside of linguistics and closely allied fields, and has been defended by some in the speech sciences. According to this hypothesis, human FLB is composed of the same functional components that underlie communication in other species.Hypothesis 2: FLB is a derived, uniquely human adaptation for language. According to this hypothesis, FLB is a highly complex adaptation for language, on a par with the vertebrate eye, and many of its core components can be viewed as individual traits that have been subjected to selection and perfected in recent human evolutionary history. This appears to represent the null hypothesis for many scholars who take the complexity of language seriously (27,28). The argument starts with the assumption that FLB, as a whole, is highly complex, serves the function of communication with admirable effectiveness, and has an ineliminable genetic component. Because natural selection is the only known biological mechanism capable of generating such functional complexes[the argument from design (29)], proponents of this view conclude that natural selection has played a powerful role in shaping many aspects of FLB, including FLN, and, further, that many of these are without parallel in nonhuman animals. Although homologous mechanisms may exist in other animals, the human versions have been modified by natural selection to the extent that they can be reasonably seen as constituting novel traits, perhaps exapted from other contexts [e.g., social intelligence, tool-making (7, 30–32)].Hypothesis 3: Only FLN is uniquely human. On the basis of data reviewed below, we hypothesize that most, if not all, of FLB is based on mechanisms shared with nonhuman animals (as held by hypothesis 1). In contrast, we suggest that FLN—the computational mechanism of recursion—is recently evolved and unique to our species (33,34). According to this hypothesis, much of the complexity manifested in language derives from complexity in the peripheral components of FLB, especially those underlying the sensory-motor (speech or sign) and conceptual-intentional interfaces, combined with sociocultural and communicative contingencies. FLB as a whole thus has an ancient evolutionary history, long predating the emergence of language, and a comparative analysis is necessary to understand this complex system. By contrast, according to recent linguistic theory, the computations underlying FLN may be quite limited. In fact, we propose in this hypothesis that FLN comprises only the core computational mechanisms of recursion as they appear in narrow syntax and the mappings to the interfaces. If FLN is indeed this restricted, this hypothesis has the interesting effect of nullifying the argument from design, and thus rendering thestatus of FLN as an adaptation open to question. Proponents of the idea that FLN is an adaptation would thus need to supply additional data or arguments to support this viewpoint.Recent work on FLN (4, 41–43) suggests the possibility that at least the narrow-syntactic component satisfies conditions of highly efficient computation to an extent previously unsuspected. Thu s, FLN may approximate a kind of “optimal solution” to the problem of linking the sensory-motor and conceptual-intentional systems. In other words, the generative processes of the language system may provide a near-optimal solution that satisfies the interface conditions to FLB. Many of the details of language that are the traditional focus of linguistic study [e.g., subjacency, Wh- movement, the existence of garden-path sentences (4,44)] may represent by-products of this solution, generated automatically by neural/computational constraints and the structure of FLB—components that lie outside of FLN. Even novel capacities such as recursion are implemented in the same type of neural tissue as the rest of the brain and are thus constrained by biophysical, developmental, and computational factors shared with other vertebrates. Hypothesis 3 raises the possibility that structural details of FLN may result from such preexisting constraints, rather than from direct shaping by natural selection targeted specifically at communication. Insofar as this proves to be true, such structural details are not, strictly speaking, adaptations at all. This hypothesis and the alternative selectionist account are both viable and can eventually be tested with comparative data.ConclusionsWe conclude by making three points. First, a practical matter: Linguists and biologists, along with researchers in the relevant branches of psychology and anthropology, can move beyond unproductive theoretical debate to a more collaborative, empirically focused and comparative research program aimed at uncovering both shared (homologous or analogous) and unique components of the faculty of language. Second, although we have argued that most if not all of FLB is shared with other species, whereas FLN may be unique to humans, this represents a tentative, testable hypothesis in need of further empirical investigation. Finally, we believe that a comparative approach is most likely to lead to new insights about both shared and derived features, thereby generating new hypotheses concerning the evolutionary forces that led to the design of the faculty of language. Specifically, although we have said relatively little about the role of natural selection in shaping the design features of FLN, we suggest that by considering the possibility that FLN evolved for reasons other than language, the comparative door has been opened in a new and (we think) exciting way.Comparative work has generally focused on animal communication or the capacity to acquire a human-created language. If, however, one entertains the hypothesis that recursion evolved to solve other computational problems such as navigation, number quantification, or social relationships, then it is possible that other animals have such abilities, but our research efforts have been targeted at an overly narrow search space (Fig.3). If we find evidence for recursion in animals, but in a noncommunicative domain, then we are more likely to pinpointthe mechanisms underlying this ability and the selective pressures that led to it. This discovery, in turn, would open the door to another suite of puzzles: Why did humans, but no other animal, take the power of recursion to create an open-ended and limitless system of communication? Why does our system of recursion operate over a broader range of elements or inputs (e.g., numbers, words) than other animals? One possibility, consistent with current thinking in the cognitive sciences, is that recursion in animals represents a modular system designed for a particular function (e.g., navigation) and impenetrable with respect to other systems. During evolution, the modular and highly domain-specific system of recursion may have become penetrable and domain-general. This opened the way for humans, perhaps uniquely, to apply the power of recursion to other problems. This change from domain-specific to domain-general may have been guided by particular selective pressures, unique to our evolutionary past, or as a consequence (by-product) of other kinds of neural reorganization. Either way, these are testable hypotheses, a refrain that highlights the importance of comparative approaches to the faculty of language.全文、参考文献及脚注参见PDF版,下载地址:/~kimlab/hauser.chomsky.fitch.science2002. pdf。
托福阅读真题第160篇ModelsofEggDevelopment
托福阅读真题第160篇ModelsofEggDevelopmentParagraph 1:Several different theories have been put forward to explain how the hard-shelled eggs of land-dwelling reptiles (e.g. lizards) evolved from the soft eggs that amphibians (e.g. frogs and toads) lay in water. The Romer model of egg development is named after the late Alfred Romer, a paleontologist who also became director of the Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology. His specialty was early reptiles because, he felt, they were the key to understanding the great reptile diversification seen in the Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic Eras (around 230 million years ago). Romer's hypothesis was that some aquatic amphibians - that is, amphibians living in water - called anthracosaurs began to lay their eggs on land at about the time that they were evolving reptile-like skeletal features. Indeed, some of these early amphibians and earliest reptiles are so similar in their skeletons that the exact transition point from one to the other is still difficult to determine. Eventually, though, the transition was made, but these early reptiles remained aquatic. The advantage for laying eggs on land was primarily to avoid the aquatic larval (pre-adult) stage during which immature amphibians live exclusively in water with its inherent risk of predators and drying of ponds. However, the land has its own set of dangers, not least of which is the drying effect of the atmosphere. To cope with these problems, a series of protective membranes developed around the egg, including a hard shell. Only later did the reptiles completely abandon an aquatic lifestyle.1. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage Incorrectchoices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.O During the period that early amphibians changed into reptiles, their skeletons were exactly the same.O It is difficult to identify the time that early amphibians changed to reptiles because their skeletons look so much alike.O The skeletons of some early amphibians and reptiles are so similar that it is difficult to say which are amphibians and which are reptiles.O Early amphibians and reptiles had the same kind of skeleton at the same point in time.2. According to paragraph 1, aquatic amphibians laid their eggs on land in order toO enable young amphibians to benefit from a dry atmosphereO ensure the rapid development of a hard shellO enable young amphibians to evolve features necessary for living on landO protect young amphibians from the dangers associated with life in the waterParagraph 2:Another hypothesis was proposed by German paleontologist Rolf Kohring, whose specialty is fossil eggs. In Kohring's model, amphibians during the Mississippian epoch (360¨C320 million years ago) spread into nutrient-poor or cooler water. Because of the harsher conditions, eggs were produced with larger yolks, that is, more nutrients for the embryo. With larger yolks, the eggs were bigger, and fewer of them could be produced by the female - hundreds rather than thousands. To keep the larger egg intact, one or more membranes were developed, including one that surrounded and protected the egg.This outer membrane provided a place to safely store calcium ions, which are poisonous. Accumulating the calcium in a hard shell then made it possible for the egg to be laid on land (it was pre-adapted to be laid there.)3. In paragraph 2, why does the author mention the information about calcium ions?O To explain Koherig's theory that amphibian eggs developed at least two protective outer membranesO To explain that the calcium in a hard shell is not poisonous when the egg is laid on landO To explain why, according to Kohring, a hard shell evolved O To explain why only the outer membrane stored calcium4. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 2 about the relationship between eggs and water temperature?O Eggs needed adaptations to survive in cold water.O Eggs needed warm water to survive.O Smaller eggs were produced in cold water.O Fewer eggs were produced in warm water.5. According to paragraph 2, all of the following are true of the eggs of amphibians during the Mississippian epoch EXCEPT: O They had hard shells made from calcium ions.O They had larger yolks than previously.O They had protective membranes.O They were produced in larger quantities than previously.Paragraph 3:One other model we should consider is the anti-predator hypothesis proposed by Gary and Mary Packard to explain the evolution of the hard-shelled egg. Their model was not concerned with the development of membranes surrounding the egg but continues the story after these membranes appeared. The Packards assume that the earliest reptiles laid leatheryshelled eggs on very wet ground where they could absorb water during the embryos' growth. But life on the ground is not without hazards, based on studies of modern reptiles with leathery shelled eggs. Predatory insects and microbes can be a major cause of egg mortality. To counter this loss of eggs, some of the early reptiles began secreting a thin calcareous (containing calcium carbonate) layer. This hard layer gave the embryos a better chance of surviving until hatching. And these survivors in turn would probably leave more progeny once a few of them reached reproductive age. In time, a thicker, more resistant shell developed. However, a thicker eggshell meant that less water could be absorbed for the needs of the embryo. T o compensate, larger eggs were produced, containing a great deal more albumen (egg white, a water-soluble protein). At this point, the rigid eggshell had reached the bird egg level of complexity.6. According to paragraph 3, early reptiles began to developa thin calcareous layer around the egg so thatO the embryo could survive attacks from predatory insects and microbesO the embryo could absorb sufficient water during its growthO the surviving embryo could reach reproductive ageO the egg could be laid on land7. Which of the following is mentioned in paragraph 3 as a disadvantage of the hard eggshell?O It increased the hatching period.O It prevented the development of large-size eggs.O It made it more difficult for the embryo to obtain water.O It made it harder for the embryo to survive until hatching.Paragraph 4:Mary Packard presented yet another modelwith her colleague Roger Seymour. They note that amphibian eggs can never get very large because the gelatin coat surrounding the developing larva is not very good at transmitting oxygen. Because of this restriction, we will never see frog eggs the size of a chicken's. For Packard and Seymour, the major evolutionary breakthrough in reptile eggs was the elimination of the thick gelatin coat and replacing part of it with a fibrous membrane. This change allowed larger eggs to be developed.8. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 4 about the fibrous membrane?O It served the same function as the gelatin coat.O It was larger than the gelatin coat.O It allowed amphibians to produce eggs as large as those of reptiles.O It allowed for better transmission of oxygen.Paragraph 2:Another hypothesis was proposed by German paleontologist Rolf Kohring, whose specialty is fossil eggs. In Kohring's model, amphibians during the Mississippian epoch (360¨C320 million years ago) spread into nutrient-poor or cooler water. ■Because of the harsher conditions, eggs were produced with larger yolks, that is, more nutrients for the embryo. With larger yolks, the eggs were bigger, and fewer of them could be produced by the female - hundreds rather than thousands. ■To keep the larger egg intact, one or more membranes were developed, including one that surrounded and protected the egg. ■This outer membrane provided a place to safely store calcium ions, which are poisonous. Accumulating the calcium in a hard shell then made it possible for the egg to be laid on land (it was pre-adapted to be laid there.)■9. Look at the four squares that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.And the relatively few that were produced had to be properly protected.Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.10. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selected THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points. Drag your choices to the spaces where they belong. To review the passage, click on View Text .Answer ChoicesO Alfred Romer's hypothesis was that early amphibians started evolving reptilian skeletal features long before they started laying eggs on land.O Alfred Romer theorized that early reptiles developed protective membranes around the egg in response to the dangers to young amphibians in water and threats to the egg on land.O In Rolf Kohring's view, early reptiles developed protective membranes around the large eggs that were produced in harsh water conditions, making it possible for the egg to be laid on land.O Gary and Mary Packard claimed that reptiles developed the hard-shelled egg in order to reduce the rate at which eggs were destroyed by predatory insects and microbes.O Rolf Kohring argued that egg development was poorduring the Mississippian epoch due to nutrient-poor waters.O According to Mary Packard and Roger Seymour, reptiles could not successively develop very large eggs because of the elimination of the gelatin coat.。
《Nitinol》PETS背诵阅读及翻译
《Nitinol》PETS背诵阅读及翻译《Nitinol》PETS背诵阅读及翻译Nitinol is one of the most extraordinary metals to be discovered this century: A simple alloy of nickel and titanium, nitinol has some perplexing properties. A metal with a memory, it can be made to remember any shape into which it is fashioned, returning to that shape whenever it is heated.For example, a piece of nitinol wire bent to form a circle that is then heated and quenched will remember this shape. It may then be bent or crumpled, but on reheating, will violently untwist, reforming its original shape. This remarkable ability is called Shape Memory Effect (XXXXXE); other alloys, such as brasses, are known to possess it to a limited extent. No one fully understands XXXXXE, and nitinol remains particularly perplexing, for,? whenever it performs this peculiar feat, it appears to be breaking the laws of thermodynamics by springing back into shape with greater force than was used to deform it in the first place.But not only is nitinol capable of remembering, it also has the ability to "learn". If the heating-cooling-crumpling-reheating process is carried out sufficiently often, and the metal is always crumpled in exactly the same way, the nitinol will not only remember its original shape, but gradually it learns to remember its crumpled form as well, and will begin to return to the same crumpled shape every time it is cooled.Eventually, the metal will crumple and uncrumple, totally unaided, in response to changes in temperature and without any sign of metal fatigue.?Engineers have produced prototype engines that are driven by the force of nitinol springing from one shape to another as italternately encounters hot and cold water. The energy from these remarkable engines is,however,not entirely free:heat energy is required to produce the temperature differences needed to run the engine. But the optimum temperatures at which the metal reacts can be controlled by altering the proportions of nickel to titanium; some alloys will even perform at room temperature. The necessary temperature range between the warm and the cold can be as little as twelve degrees centigrade.镍钛合金镍钛诺是这个世纪所发现的最不寻常的金属之一,作为镍和钛的简单的一种合金,镍钛诺具有一些令人惊叹的`特征。
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a r Xiv:076.575v1[astro-ph]5J un27IWARA˙NS˙2005˙Published International Journal of Modern Physics D c World Scientific Publishing Company A NOTE ON THE LARGE-ANGLE ANISOTROPIES IN THE WMAP CUT-SKY MAPS A.BERNUI Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais –Divis˜a o de Astrof´ısica Av.dos Astronautas 175812227-010S˜a o Jos´e dos Campos –SP,Brazil B.MOTA,M.J.REBOUC ¸AS Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas F´ısicas Rua Dr.Xavier Sigaud 15022290-180Rio de Janeiro –RJ,Brazil R.TAVAKOL Astronomy Unit –School of Mathematical Sciences Queen Mary,University of London Mile End Road,London E14NS,UK Received Day Month Year Recent analyses of the WMAP data seem to indicate the possible presence of large-angle anisotropy in the Universe.If confirmed,these can have important consequences for our understanding of the Universe.A number of attempts have recently been made to establish the reality and nature of such anisotropies in the CMB data.Among these is a directional indicator recently proposed by the authors.A distinctive feature of this indicator is that it can be used to generate a sky map of the large-scale anisotropies of the CMB maps.Applying this indicator to full-sky temperature maps we found a statisticallysignificant preferred direction.The full-sky maps used in these analyses are known to have residual foreground contamination as well as complicated noise properties.Thus,here we performed the same analysis for a map where regions with high foreground contamination were removed.We find that the main feature of the full-sky analysis,namely the presence of a significant axis of asymmetry,is robust with respect to this masking procedure.Other subtler anomalies of the full-sky are on the other hand no longer present.Keywords :Observational cosmology;cosmic microwave background;large-scale anisotropies in CMB;large-angle anomalies in CMB.1.IntroductionThe wealth of high resolution data provided by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)1–2has confirmed to very good approximation the standard cosmo-logical picture,which predicts a statistically isotropic Gaussian random cosmic mi-crowave background (CMB)temperature fluctuations.Despite this success,several1IWARA˙NS˙2005˙Published2 A.Bernui,B.Mota,M.J.Rebou¸c as and R.Tavakollarge-scale anomalies in the CMB have been reported including indications of non-Gaussianity,3–4evidences for a North-South asymmetry,5and the so-called“low-ℓanomalies”such as the surprisingly small values of the CMB quadrupole and oc-topole moments,7and the alignment of the quadrupole and octupole moments,8–9(in this connection see Ref.10)whose direction has been suggested to extend to thehigher multipoles11(see also Ref.12for a detailed discussion).In addition,thereare also indications for a preferred axis of symmetry or directions of maximumasymmetry.13–18The possible origins of such unexpected anomalous features of CMB are at present the object of intense investigation,with several potential explanations,in-cluding unsubtracted foreground contamination and/or systematics,16unconsid-ered local effects,19other mechanisms to break statistical isotropy,20and alsoextra-galactic origin(see Refs.5,8,11and13–15for details,and Ref.21for re-cent related references).If they turn out to have a cosmological nature,however,they could have far reaching consequences for our understanding of the Universe,in particular for the above-mentioned standard cosmological scenario.Recently we proposed22a new directional indicatorσ=σ(θ,φ),based on pair angular separation histogram(PASH),23to measure large-angle anisotropy in theWMAP data.An important feature of our indicator is that it can be used to gen-erate a sky map of large-angles anisotropies from CMB temperaturefluctuationsmaps.We have produced and studied in detailsσ−maps generated from the full-skyLILC,25‘cleaned’TOH,8and co-added2WMAP maps,and found a statisticallysignificant preferred direction in these WMAP maps,which agrees with the preferredasymmetry axes recently reported.5,15These results were found to be robust withrespect to the choice of the full-sky WMAP CMB maps employed.However,sincefull-sky maps are known to have residual foreground contamination25and compli-cated noise properties,2their choice in the“low-ℓ”studies is not a consensus.12,26Thus,the question arises as to whether our results hold for cut-sky maps.Our mainaim here,which extends and complements our previous work,22is to address thisquestion by considering the LILC map with a Kp2sky cut.To this end,in the nextsection we give an account of our large-angle anisotropy indicator,while in the lastsection we apply our indicator to the LILC map with a Kp2sky cut,and presentour main results and conclusions.rge-angle Anisotropy IndicatorFor a detailed discussion of the indicator briefly presented in this section we referthe readers to Ref.22.The key point in the construction of our indicator is that a homogeneous distri-bution of points on a two-sphere S2is seen by an observer at the center of S2asisotropically distributed,and therefore deviations from homogeneity in this distri-bution give rise to anisotropies for this observer.Mutatis mutandis,since in CMB studies the celestial sphere is discretized into aIWARA˙NS˙2005˙Published Large-angle anisotropy in the WMAP data 3set of equal size pixels,with a temperature fluctuation associated to each pixel,the idea in the CMB context is then to construct an indicator that measures deviation from homogeneity in the distribution of pixels with similar temperature.The first step towards the construction of this indicator is subdivide a given CMB map into a number of submaps,each consisting of equal number of pixels with similar temperatures.The next step is to devise an indicator to measure the deviation from a homogeneous distribution of these pixels.The construction of our indicator,σ=σ(θ,φ)is based on angular separation histograms (PASH),which are obtained by counting the number of pairs of pixels whose angular separation αlies within small sub-intervals (bins)J i ∈(0,π],of length δα=π/N bins ,where J i = αi −δα2,i =1,2,...,N bins ,with the bin centers at αi =(i −1n (n −1)1N 1δαP (αi )=P (αi ),(3)where N =n (n −1)/2is the total number of pairs of pixels,P (αi )= α∈J i ηexp (α)/N is the probability that a pair of objects can be separated by an angular distance that lies in the interval J i ,P (αi )is the corresponding probability density,and where the coefficient of the summation is a normalization factor.Equa-tion (3)makes it clear that the EPASH Φexp (α)gives the distribution of probability of finding pairs of points on the sky sphere with any angular separation αi ∈(0,π].a We denote the difference between the mean PASH (MPASH), Φobs (αi ) ,calcu-lated from the observational data,and the EPASH Φexp (αi ),obtained from an statistically isotropic distribution of pixels,asΥ(αi )≡ Φobs (αi ) −Φexp (αi ).(4)2sin α.This is the limit of a statistically isotropic distribution of points in S 2as the number of points go to infinity.One can thus quantify anisotropy by calculating the departure of the mean observed probability distribution Φobs (αi ) from it,namely Φobs (αi ) −Φexp (αi ).IWARA˙NS˙2005˙Published4 A.Bernui,B.Mota,M.J.Rebou¸c as and R.TavakolIn practice,the expectedΦexp(αi)for a statistically isotropic map is obtained sim-ply by scrambling a CMB map multiple times,and averaging over the resultinghistograms.Lastly,to quantify anisotropy,we distill the histogramΥ(αi)into a single num-ber,by defining the indicatorσ=σ(θ,φ)as the variance ofΥ(αi)(which has zeromean),namely1σ2(θ,φ)≡2ℓ+1 m|bℓm|2.(6) It then follows that if a large-angle asymmetry is present in the CMB temperaturedistribution,it should significantly affect theσ−map on the corresponding angularscales(low-ℓmultipoles).In the next section,we shall generate theσ−maps from LILC map with a Kp2 sky cut,study its main features,and make a comparison with our previous resultsfor the full-sky CMB maps.223.Main Results and ConclusionsGiven that the large-scale angular correlations are nonlocal,σ(θ,φ),calculated overa30◦-radius cap centered at(θ,φ),can be though of as a measure of the anisotropyin the direction(θ,φ).In our previous work22the strategy was to obtainσfor a setof12,288caps of radius30◦co-centered with the same number of pixels generatedby HEALPix with N side=32,evenly covering the entire celestial sphere.Theresulting directional map of anisotropy was the so-calledσ−map.We applied thisnew anisotropy indicator to three CMB WMAP maps:the LILC25and the TOH8maps(which are two differently foreground cleaned full-sky maps resulting from thecombination of thefive frequency bands:K,Ka,Q,V,and W CMB maps measuredIWARA˙NS˙2005˙PublishedLarge-angle anisotropy in the WMAP data5 by the WMAP satellite),and the co-added map,which is a weighted combinationof the Q,V,and W WMAP maps.The resultingσ−map were found to be anisotropic.Briefly,there is a prominent spot with very highσon the southeastern corner,with a well defined maximumat(b≃115◦,l≃235◦),which is close(by16◦)to the direction recently indicatedin Ref.11.It was further shown(by a standard spherical harmonics expansion)that the LILCσ−map deviates from isotropy in a statistically significant way,withanomalously high(>95%CL)dipole,quadrupole and octupole components(seeFigs.3and4of Ref.22).The higher components on the other hand fall withinthe expected values.This clearly indicates that the LILC map is not statisticallyisotropic.Finally,we noted that the quadrupole component has a very peculiarshape,being very symmetric around an axis slightly offthe galactic North-South.Indeed,82%of the total power in D2comes from an axisymmetric component inthe direction(b=10◦,l=289◦),somewhat close to the axes of symmetry of thetemperature quadrupole and octupole found in Ref.8(about24◦from both).As previously mentioned,however,there is no consensus as to whether the full sky cleaned maps available are indeed free of significant galactic contamination.Thequestion then arises as to whether one should study the full sky maps or confinethe analysis to regions where such contamination is small.In view of the lack of consensus on how to perform the data analysis,here we examine the robustness of our previous results by investigating the LILC map afterthe application of the Kp2mask(hereafter the LILC-Kp2map),which discards thetemperaturefluctuations of15.3%of the total number of pixels,mainly concentratedaround the galactic plane.Note that some of the caps with centers close to but outside the Kp2mask would still overlap with the mask itself.If the intersection region is too large theσvaluewould be largely an artifact os the masking procedure.On the other hand,if wewere to exclude all caps were any overlapping occurs,we would lose information onover half of the sky.To achieve a balance,we shall disregard caps that obey eitherof the following criteria:•have the cap center within the Kp2mask,and•have over15%of pixels within the Kp2mask.With this critical value of15%for the maximum number of overlapping pixelstypically the value ofσcalculated for the same cap in both the LILC and LILC-Kp2maps differ by less than10%.As can be seen in Fig.1,there is a spot of very highσin the southeastern corner of the map,which coincides in both direction and magnitude with the one found inthe full LILCσ−map.22The fact that this spot lies well outside the region of signif-icant galactic contamination suggests it is not the result of galactic contamination.The possibility remains,however,that it is caused by some unaccounted foregroundcontamination.Such contamination however would unlikely to affect the differentIWARA˙NS˙2005˙Published6 A.Bernui,B.Mota,M.J.Rebou¸c as and R.Tavakolfrequency bands in exactly the same way.To verify whether this is the case,wecalculated theσ−map for the Q,V and W bands separately,along with the co-added map27,which is considered the most reliable map for CMB studies25,26(seeFig.2).The resulting maps are almost identical,ground contamination may not account for the previouslyanisotropy.Fig.1.Theσ−map for the LILC-Kp2map.This result was obtainedcaps with apertureθ0=30◦,following the criteria outlined above.Q VW CoaddedFig.2.Theσ−map for the WMAP’s Q-,V-and W-bands,along with the combined co-addedmap,using the Kp2mask.In all maps the highσvalue is apparent.Several new smaller highσspots are also in evidence near the mask region,but they are probably just artifacts of the masking procedure.As discussed in22themain features of the resultingσ−map are robust with respect to the number ofspherical caps used to cover the celestial sphere or the cap apertureθ0.IWARA˙NS˙2005˙PublishedLarge-angle anisotropy in the WMAP data7 To obtain more quantitative information about the observed anisotropy,we fol-lowed the procedure of our previous work and calculated the power spectrum of theLILC-Kp2σ−map using the Anafast subroutine in Healpix28.Since we are nowdealing with an incomplete sphere,the spherical harmonics are no longer orthogo-nal,and the values obtained must be handled with care.The D l values are depictedin Fig.3,along with the corresponding full sky values for comparison.It is clearthat the dipole component of theσ−map is even larger for the LILC-Kp2than forthe full sky LILC.This is consistent with the presence of an axis of asymmetry,again confirming our earlier results.The direction of theσ−map dipole changes,however,from(b=141◦,l=240◦)in the full sky map to(b=150◦,l=209◦),inthe LILC-Kp2map,a difference of19◦.The quadrupole and octupole componentson the other hand are comparatively smaller in the LILC-Kp2map,probably dueto the fact that many of the highσstructures other than the large spot in thesoutheastern quadrant are now excluded by the Kp2mask.IWARA˙NS˙2005˙Published8 A.Bernui,B.Mota,M.J.Rebou¸c as and R.Tavakolliterature obtained using different methods.This strongly suggests that either theobservable universe is intrinsically anisotropic,or that there are other,subtler formsof foreground contamination that have not yet been taken into account.Among theproposed explanations for the global preferred direction,it has been suggested thatit could be due to a non-trivial topology of the spatial section of the universe12,7(formore details on cosmic topology see the review articles Refs.29,and,e.g.,Refs.30,31).If topology is indeed the origin,the indicatorΥis promising in distinguishingbetween different topologies,as has been demonstrated by computer simulations inRef.23.These are very exciting possibilities,and are worthy of further investigation.AcknowledgmentsWe thank CNPq,PCI-CBPF/CNPq,PCI-INPE/CNPq-MCT and PPARC for thegrants under which this work was carried out.We acknowledge use of the LegacyArchive for Microwave Background Data Analysis(LAMBDA).Some of the resultsin this paper have been derived using the HEALPix package.References1. 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