三年真题研读04(任务型阅读)
一、真题解析
2019
The Cost of Thinking
Despite their many differences, all human beings share veral defining characteristics. such as large brains and the ability to walk upright on two legs.
The first unique human characteristic is that humans have extraordinarily large brains compared with other animals. It ems obvious that evolution should lect for larger brains. Mammals(哺乳动物)weighing sixty kilograms have an average brain size of 200 cm2. Modern man has a brain averaging 1200-1400 cm2. We are so fond of our high intelligence that we assume that when it comes to brain power, more must be better. Unfortunately, that is not the ca.
The fact is that a huge brain is a huge drain—consumption of energy—on the body. I’s not easy to carry around, especially when boxed inside a massive skull(倾骨). It’s even harder to provides energy. In modern man, the brain accounts for about 2-3%of total body weight but it consumes 25% of the body’s energy when the body is at rest. By comparison, the brains of apes(类人猿)require only 8%of rest-time energy. Early humans pad for their large brains in two ways. Firstly, they spent more time in arch food. Secondly, their muscles grew smaller and weaker. It’s hardly an obvious conclusion that this is a good way to survive. A chimpanzee(黑猩猩)can’t win an argument with a modern man, but it can tear the man apart like a rag doll.
Another unique human characteristic is that we walk upright. Standing up, it’s easier to find food or enemies. In addition, their arms that are unnecessary for moving around are freed for other purpos, like throwing stones or signaling. As a result, humans can perform very complex tasks with their hands.
Yet walking upright has its disadvantage. The bone structure of our ancestors developed f
or millions of years to support a creature that walked on all fours and has a relatively small head. Adjusting to an upright position was quite a challenge, especially when the bones had to support an extra-large skull. Humankind paid for its broad vision and skillful hands backaches and painful necks.
We assume that a large brain makes huge advantages. It ems obvious that the have made humankind the most powerful animal on earth. But humans enjoyed all of the advantages for a full 2 million years during which they remained weak and marginal creature. Thus humans who lived a million years ago, despite their big brains and sharp stone tools, lived in constant fear of meat-eating animals.
The Cost of Thinking |
Introduction | ●Large brains for their bodies and the ability to walk upright are two (71) ▲ of human beings. |
The (72) ▲ of large human brains | ●The larger brains may not be better becau of the cost. ●The big brains make it harder for the body to move around and consume more energy. ●The animal brain requires less (73)调笑令韦应物 ▲ when the body is at rest. ●Large human brains consume more food, and weaken muscles.筹划是什么意思 |
The (74) ▲ of walking upright | ●Walking upright makes it easy to find food or (75) ▲ against enemies. ●Freed hands can rve some (76) ▲ 望海潮原文purpo and perform complex tasks. |
●Walking upright challenges the human bone structure, and (77) ▲ the size of brains. ●Walking upright results in (78) ▲ sufferings. 我想你了英文 |
Conclusion | ●With a large brain, human beings (79) ▲ other beings in terms of intelligence. ●Weak and marginal, human beings remained (80)动漫女生简笔画 ▲ 排骨米线of meat-eating animals. 仙太郎 |
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2018
How Arts Promote Our Economy
When most people think of the arts, they imagine the end product, the beautiful painting, a wonderful piece of music, or an award-winning performance in the theater. But arts groups bring broader value to our communities. The economic impact of the arts is often overlooked and badly judged.
宋太宗赵光义The arts create jobs that help develop the economy. Any given performance takes a tour bus full of artists, technical experts, managers, musicians, or writers to create an appealing piece of art. The people earn a living wage for their professional knowledge and skills.
Another group of folks is needed to help market the event. “If you build it they will come” is a misleading belief. Painters, digital media experts, photographers, booking agents and promoters are hired to ll tickets and promote the event. According to the Dallas Area C
ultural Advocacy Coalition, arts agencies employ more than 10,000 people as full-or part-time employees or independent contractors.
A successful arts neighborhood creates a ripple effect(连锁反应)throughout a community. In 2005, when the Bishop Arts Theatre was donated to our town, the location was considered a poor area of town. After investing more than $1 million in reconstructing the building, we began producing a full ason of theater performances, jazz concerts, and year-round arts education programs in 2008. Nearly 40 percent of jazz lovers live outside of the Dallas city limits and drive or fly in to enjoy an evening in the Bishop Arts District.
No doubt the theater has contributed to the area’s development and economic growth. Today, there are galleries, studios, restaurants and newly built work spaces where neighbors share experiences, where there is renewed life and energy. In this way, arts and culture also rve as a public good.
