7.You are what you eat.This saying has provided scientists with clues about the diet of hominids(原始人類)-our early relatives of 3million years ago.
Studying carbon atoms(碳原子)locked up in tooth enamel(琺瑯質(zhì)),two researchers argue against the widely held belief that hominids ate little more than fruits and leaves.Sponheimer and Julia Lee-Thorp of the University of Cape Town,South Africa,report their findings in Friday's Science.
There aren't many clues for us to know the life of early hominids.The shape of hominids'teeth offered the first clues.Large and flat-edged with thick enamel,they looked perfect for eating nuts and fruits,different from the sharp teeth one would want to tear into meat with.The first stone tools,which would help in eating meat,didn't appear until about half a million years later.
Scientists have also found marks on hominids'teeth with patterns very similar to those on the teeth of modern-day fruit eaters.Sponheimer and Lee-Thorp tried a new method,looking at the chemical composition(組成) of the tooth enamel.They studied the enamel for the carbon-13.Animals that eat grasses have higher carbon-13levels than those eating fruits and other plants.
What they found was that the teeth to the hominids had an in-between amount of carbon-13,which meant not only they were eating fruits,they were eating a lot of grasses,or animals eating grasses.The lower carbon-13levels could also come from eating certain types of insects.
But there are people who understand differently.Prof.Ungar of the University of Arkansas agrees the study offers new suggestions of hominids diet,but disagrees about the suggestion that meat could explain the lower carbon-13levels.
One suggestion might be true though-take good care of your teeth.In 3million years,a scientist might be using them to figure out what you ate for dinner.
32.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?C
A.Protect Your Teeth.
B.Where the Hominids lived.
C.What the Hominids Ate.
D.The Formation of Teeth Enamel.
33.Before the two scientists'findings,most people thought that hominidsD.
A.used tools to dig grass
B.had sharp teeth
C.lived half a million years ago
D.a(chǎn)te mainly fruits and leaves
34.The two scientists'findings were mainly based on the study aboutC.
A.the shape of hominids'teeth
B.the grasses of 3million years ago
C.the make-up of the tooth enamel
D.the teeth marks of early fruit eaters
35.What is it that Prof.Ungar finds doubtful?B
A.Hominids probably had different diets.
B.Hominids possibly ate grass-eating animals.
C.Hominids were basically fruit and grass eaters.
D.Hominids had lower level of carbon-13in the teeth.
分析 本文是一篇科教類閱讀,屬于科普文,你是你吃的東西.這句話為科學(xué)家們提供了300萬年前的早期親屬的人類飲食的線索.本文以此展開,主要討論了30萬前hominids(原始人類)究竟吃什么東西.
解答 32.C.主旨大意題.閱讀全文,根據(jù)文章內(nèi)容可知,這篇短文主要討論了30萬前hominids(原始人類)究竟吃什么東西.故選C.
33.D.細(xì)節(jié)理解題.從第二段第一句話"Studying carbon atoms(碳原子)locked up in tooth enamel(琺瑯質(zhì)),two researches argue against the widely held belief that hominids ate little more than fruits and leaves"可知,在兩位科學(xué)家的研究之前,大多數(shù)人都認(rèn)為hominids主要吃水果和樹葉.故選D.
34.C.細(xì)節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)Sponheimer and Lee-Thorp tried a new method,looking at the chemical composition(組成) of the tooth enamel.可知,兩位科學(xué)家的發(fā)現(xiàn)主要是基于對牙釉質(zhì)的結(jié)構(gòu)研究.故選C.
35.B.細(xì)節(jié)理解題.從倒數(shù)第二段But there are people who understand differently.Prof.Ungar of the University of Arkansas agrees the study offers new suggestions of hominids diet,but disagrees about the suggestion that meat could explain the lower carbon-13levels.可知,Prof.Ungar不同意肉類可以解釋低碳13級的建議.故B正確.故選B.
點(diǎn)評 本文是一篇科教類閱讀,題目涉及多道詞義猜測題,主旨大意題,細(xì)節(jié)理解題,推理判斷題.做題時(shí)學(xué)生應(yīng)仔細(xì)閱讀原文,把握文章主要內(nèi)容,聯(lián)系文章上下文內(nèi)容并結(jié)合所給選項(xiàng)含義,從中選出正確答案,一定要做到有理有據(jù),切忌胡亂猜測.