C. Optimistic and generous. D. Faithful and hardworking. 知识点：人物／故事 难度：2
C
Music for Humans and Humpback Whales
As researchers conclude in Science, the love of music is not only a universal feature of the human species, but is also deeply fixed in complex structures of the human brain, and is far more ancient than previously suspected.
In the articles that discuss the field of bio-musicology, the study of the biological basis for the creation and appreciation of music, researchers present various evidence to show that music-making is at once an original human \with skillful performers throughout the animal kingdom.
The new reports stress that humans hold no copyright on sound wisdom, and that a number of nonhuman animals produce what can rightly be called music, rather than random sound. Recent in-depth analyses of the songs sung by humpback whales show that, even when their organ would allow them to do otherwise, the animals converge on the same choices relating to sounds and beauty, and accept the same laws of song composition as those preferred by human musicians, and human ears, everywhere. For example, male humpback whales, who spend six months of each year doing little else but singing, use rhythms (节奏) similar to those found in human music and musical phrases of similar length—a few seconds. Whales are able to make sounds over a range of at least seven octaves (八度音阶), yet they tend to move on through a song in beautiful musical intervals, rather than moving forwards madly. They mix the sounds like drums and pure tones in a ratio (比例) which agrees with that heard in much western music. They also use a favorite technique of human singers, the so-called A-B-A form, in which a theme is stated, then developed, and then returned to in slightly revised form.
Perhaps most impressive, humpback songs contain tunes that rhyme. \that whales use rhyme in the same way we do: as a technique in poem to help them
remember complex material,\
63. The underlined words \A. tend towards B. refer to C. turn into D. put forward
64. Which of the following shows the advanced musical ability in humpback whales? A. They can remember complex material. B. They can create pleasing patterns of music. C. They can make sounds like drums continuously. D. They can sing along with rhythms of western music. 65. What is the main idea of the article?
A. Animals are able to compose and enjoy music like humans. B. Human beings borrow ideas in music from humpback whales. C. Humpback whales are skillful performers in the animal kingdom. D. Music-making is an ancient activity of both humans and animals. 66. The main purpose of the passage is to __________. A. argue and discuss B. inform and explain C. compare and advertise D. examine and assess 知识点：科普环保 难度：4
D
The U. S. Postal Service (USPS) is losing billions of dollars a year. The government company that delivers \communication. First-class mail amount fell from a high point of 104 million pieces in 2000 to just 64 million pieces by 2014.
Congress permits the 600,000-empIoyee USPS to hold a monopoly (垄断) over first-class and standard mail. The company pays no federal, state or local taxes; pays no vehicle fees; and is free from many regulations on other businesses. Despite these advantages, the USPS has lost $52 billion since 2007, and will continue losing money without major reforms.
The problem is that Congress is preventing the USPS from reducing costs as its sales decline, and is blocking efforts to end Saturday service and close unneeded post office locations. USPS also has a costly union-dominated workforce that slows the introduction of new ideas or methods down. USPS workers earn significantly higher payment than comparable private-sector workers. The answer is to privatize the USPS and open postal markets to competition. With the rise of the Internet, the argument that mail is a natural monopoly that needs government protection is weaker than ever. Other countries facing declining letter amounts have made reforms. Germany and the Netherlands privatized their national postal companies over a decade ago, and other European countries have followed suit. Britain floated shares of the Royal Mail on its stock exchange in 2013. Some countries, such us Sweden and New Zealand, have not privatized their national postal companies, but they have opened them up to competition.
These reforms have driven efficiency improvements in all of these countries. Additional number of workers have been reduced, productivity has risen and consumers have benefited. Also, note that cost-cutting measures—such as closing tone post offices—are good for both the economy and the environment. Privatization and competition also encourage new changes. When the USPS monopoly over \efficient overnight private delivery by firms such as FedEx.
The government needs to wake up to changing technology, study postal reforms abroad and let businessmen reinvent our out-of-date postal system. 67. What do we know about the USPS?
A. Its great competitor is the delivery firm FedEx. B. It is an old public service open to competitions. C. Its employees don't pay federal, state or local taxes. D. It has complete control of first-class and standard mail.
68. The author mentions some other countries in Paragraph 4 to __________. A. explain the procedures of reform to the USPS
B. show the advantages of private postal services C. set some examples for the government to learn from D. prove the situation is very common around the world 69. The author probably that the USPS __________. A. needs government’s protection as ever B. can work together with other businesses C. must be replaced by international companies D. should be sold out and become a private service
70. Which of the following shows the development of ideas in this passage?
A.
B.
C. D.
