练习：

1.       which of the following statements does not indicate the importance of windows as described in the first two paragraphs?

a) windows can change from clear to dark to save energy.

b) windows help to save energy by letting light in.

c) windows help to save energy by providing heat.

d) windows enable people to have contact with the outside world.

2.  when are windows the weak link in a building?

a) in the cold winter.

b) in the hot summer.

c) when air conditioners are turned on.

d) both a and b.

3.  what are smart windows, according to paragraph 4?

a) windows that are coated.

b) windows that are glazed.

c) windows the color of which can be changed.

d) windows that have many layers.

4.  to make electrochromic windows change color, what is applied to the window glass?

a) electricity.

b) tungsten oxide.

c) a battery.

d) a voltage.

5.  what will be the benefit if the research on smart windows turns out to be successful, according to the last paragraph?

a) the buildings will look different.

b) windows can be as large as you want.

c) we may not need air conditioners any more.

d) they are less expensive than traditional windows. 

答案与题解：

1.  a   第一段告诉我们窗户因为让阳光进入房间，并且为房间提供热源，所以节约了能源。第二段说，窗户使人们能接触外部世界。所以b、c和d都说明了窗户的重要性。第一段最后一句说，研究者正在实验能让窗户变换亮度，但并没有说已经实验成功，所以a是错误的说法，是正确选择。

2.  d   短文第三段的第一句说：windows are the weak link in a building，接下来是对这句话分寒冬和炎夏做了说明。所以d是正确选择。

3.  c   第四段告诉我们，多年来，科学家已研究出多种通过窗户节能的办法，而smart windows使用的技术使窗户能变换颜色。所以c是正确选择。

4.  b   第五段第二句提供了答案。a sheet of glass coated with thin layers of chemical compound such as tungsten oxide中的 coated是“涂上一层薄薄的．．．”的意思。

5.  c   短文最后一段的第五句提供了答案。

11. where have all the bees gone? (b级)

（替换2007年用书理工类阅读理解第三十五篇：single-parent kids do best）

scientists who study insects have a real mystery on their hands. all across the country, honeybees are leaving their hives and never returning. researchers call this phenomenon colony-collapse¹ disorder. according to surveys of beekeepers across the country, 25 to 40 percent of the honeybees in the united states have vanished from their hives since last fall. so far, no one can explain why.

colony collapse is a serious concern because bees play an important role in the production of about one-third of the foods we eat. as they feed, honeybees spread pollen from flower to flower. without this process, a plant can’t produce seeds or fruits.

now, a group of scientists and beekeepers have teamed up to try to figure out what’s causing the alarming collapse of so many colonies. by sharing their expertise in honeybee behavior, health, and nutrition, team members hope to find out what’s contributing to the decline and to prevent bee disappearances in the future.

it could be that disease is causing the disappearance of the bees. to explore that possibility, jay evans, a researcher at the united states department of agriculture (usda) bee research laboratory², examines bees taken from colonies that are collapsing. “we know what s healthy bee should look like on the inside, and we can look for physical signs of disease,” he says. and bees from collapsing colonies don’t look very healthy. “their stomachs are worn down, compared to the stomachs of healthy bees,” evans says. it may be that a parasite is damaging the bees’ digestive organs. their immune systems may not be working as they should. moreover, they have high levels of bacteria inside their bodies.

another cause of colony-collapse disorder may be certain chemicals that farmers apply to kill unwanted insects on crops, says jerry hayes, chief bee inspector for the florida department of agriculture³. some studies, he says, suggest that a certain type of insecticide affects the honeybee’s nervous system (which includes the brain) and memory. “it seems like honeybees are going out and getting confused about where to go and what to do,” he says.

if it turns out that a disease is contributing to colony collapse, bees’ genes could explain why some colonies have collapsed and others have not. in any group of bees there are many different kinds of genes. the more different genes a group has, the higher the group’s genetic diversity. so far scientists haven’t determined the role of genetic diversity in colony collapse, but it’s a promising theory, says evans.

词汇：

　　honeybee n. 蜜蜂

　　parasite n. 寄生虫；寄生生物

　　hive n. 蜂巢； 蜂箱

　　digestive adj. 消化的

　　pollen n. 花粉

　　immune adj. 免疫的

　　beekeeper n. 养蜂人 Spz07=T|6L4z(此_资_料_转_贴_于_学_习_网_外语园地_职称英语]hTtP://wWw.gZu521.cOm Spz07=T|6L4z

　　insecticide n. 杀虫剂

　　expertise n. 专门知识，专长

　　diversity n. 多样性

注释：

1.       colony-collapse：群体瘫痪。colony有“殖民地”的意思，在此意为： a group of the same kind of animals, plants, or one-celled organisms living or growing together. 一群生活或生长在一起的同种动物、植物或单细胞有机体。

2.       the united states department of agriculture (usda) bee research laboratory：美国农业部蜜蜂研究实验室。

3.       the florida department of agriculture：佛罗里达农业局。佛罗里达是美国东南部的一个州，濒临大西洋和墨西哥湾。

练习：

1.       what is the mystery that researchers find hard to explain?

a) honeybees are flying all across the country.

b) 25-40 percent of the honeybees in the us have died.

c) honeybees are leaving their hives and do not return.

d) honeybee hives are in disorder.

2.  why are researchers seriously concerned with the phenomenon of colony-collapse disorder?

a) because honeybees produce one-third of the foods we eat

b) because honeybees feed on flowers.

c) because honeybees eat seeds of flowers.

d) both b and c.

3.  what are the possible causes of colony-collapse disorder given by the scientists?

a) worsening environment.

b) disease and chemicals.

c) dwindling number of flowers around.

d) changes in genes’ structures.

4.  according to the fifth paragraph, which of the following about bees’ genes is true?

a) bees’ genes allow them to expand their colonies.

b) bees genes help keep them in their hives.

c) bees genes make them fly from flower to flower.

d) bees genes could explain the collapse of some colonies.

5.  what explanation is given by jerry hayes to the phenomenon?

a) farmers apply certain chemicals to kill unwanted bees.

b)the insecticide destroys the honeybee’s nervous system.

c)the insecticide affects the honeybee’s memory.

d) all of the above.

答案与题解：

1.  c   短文第一段的第一句和最后一句告诉我们，昆虫学加家正面临一个不可解释的谜。第二句解释了这个谜，给出了答案。

2.  a   短文第二段的第一句提供了答案。蜜蜂传播花粉能使植物结果，因此为人类提供食物。

3.  b   第四的开头是it could be that disease is causing the disappearance of the bees. 第五段的开头是another cause of colony-collapse disorder may be certain chemicals that …，这是科学家给出的两个可能造成这种现象的原因。

4.  d   第五段的句子：bees’ genes could explain why some colonies have collapsed and others have not。这是选择d的依据。选项a、b、c的内容文章中都没有出现，所以不是答案。

5.  d   第五段描述了另一个可能的原因，即，农夫使用的杀虫剂可能破坏了蜜蜂的神经系统和记忆。所以d是正确选择。