5.Although parrots have learned to copy the sounds that make up words,they don't really know what they are saying.But there is one parrot who speaks more than a hundred words and in fact understands their meanings.He is an African parrot named Alex.
Dr.Irene Pepperberg,a scientist at the University of Arizona,has worked with Alex for nineteen years.He had to learn one word at a time.Irene and Jane,one of her students,would teach Alex by showing him what a word means.Irene would hold up an object,saying"What's this?"Her students would give the word---"apple",for example---while Alex watched.Irene would praise her student,and then ask Alex the name for the object.When he got it right,Irene would praise him and give him something delicious.It took Alex many weeks to learn his first word.After that,each new word became easier and easier for him.
Why did Irene spend so much time getting a parrot to talk?Scientists like Irene are interested in discovering how smart animals are.But it has always been difficult,partly because animals haven't been able to communicate clearly with humans.Teaching Alex to speak words that he understands has let Irene talk to him directly(直接地).She can ask him questions,and he can answer them in English.In this way,Irene is finding out what sorts of things Alex's brain can do.She has found that parrots are much smarter than scientists used to think.The word"birdbrain"is certainly not for Alex.
Alex can recognize and correctly name over forty kinds of objects,five different shapes,five materials,and seven colors.He can use his knowledge to solve problems and answer questions.For example,from a group of objects,he can pick out up to six things of a certain color.He can also pick out objects he is told to pick out,such as bigger or smaller and same or different ones.
23.In Paragraph 2,the writer mainly showsB.
A.how Alex was trained
B.how Alex spoke English
C.Alex is an unusual African parrot
D.parrots are smarter than other birds
24.Why did Irene teach Alex to speak?B
A.She was trying to prove her abilities.
B.She was interested in animals.
C.She needed a friend to talk with.
D.She was wondering how its brain works.
25.The word"birdbrain"can be used to describe someoneB.
A.who has a small brain B.who isn't very clever
C.who talks too much D.who speaks clearly.
分析 短文講了艾琳對動物非常的感興趣和Alex是如何學習詞語的,及其對Alex的詳細描述.
解答 答案:23.B 細節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)第二段內(nèi)容及其句子for example---while Alex watched.Irene would praise her student,and then ask Alex the name for the object.When he got it right,Irene would praise him and give him something delicious.It took Alex many weeks to learn his first word.After that,each new word became easier and easier for him.例如,亞歷克斯看了.艾琳會贊美她的學生,然后問Alex這個物體的名字.當他回答正確的時候,艾琳也稱贊他,給他一些好吃的東西.亞歷克斯花了幾個星期來學習他的第一個詞.之后,每個新單詞就越來越容易了.可知第二段主要說的是亞歷克斯是如何學說英語的.故選B.
24.B 細節(jié)理解題.根據(jù)第三段第一行句子Scientists like Irene are interested in discovering how smart animals are.像艾琳這樣的科學家對發(fā)現(xiàn)動物有多聰明很感興趣.可知她對動物感興趣.故選B.
25.B 細節(jié)推理題.根據(jù)上文She can ask him questions,and he can answer them in English.In this way,Irene is finding out what sorts of things Alex's brain can do.She has found that parrots are much smarter than scientists used to think.The word"birdbrain"is certainly not for Alex.她可以問他問題,他可以用英語回答他們.在這方面,艾琳是找出什么是Alex 的大腦可以做.她發(fā)現(xiàn)鸚鵡比科學家們以前認為的要聰明得多."…"當然不是Alex.可知Alex 是很聰明的,結(jié)合選項,應(yīng)說."愚蠢"當然不是Alex.即描述誰不是很聰明.故選B.
點評 在通讀全文的基礎(chǔ)上,根據(jù)全文大意,展開邏輯思維,瞻前顧后,認真觀察選項,仔細推敲,確定最佳答案.