Maps of the world's population show that the majority of people today live near water. We live along coastlines, around bays, up the course of rivers and streams and on islands. We also vacation at the beach and find comfort fishing on a lake. Nothing makes small children happier than the chance of playing in water. More surprisingly, this human favor for water makes evolutionary sense. Sure, we need drinking water to live, but we have also benefited from what's swimming under the waves. Neuroscientist Crawford of the University of North London has proposed that our ancient ancestors attached to the sea, and that their devotion paid off by allowing the human species to develop large and complex brains. Crawford claims that when humans separated from apes and appeared in the forests of Africa, they stuck close to rivers and beaches and started catching fish, clams and crabs. That seafood was packed with omega-3 fatty acids, essential fatty acids that promote brain cell growth. It's no coincidence, Crawford claims, that human brain growth began to increase rapidly once we left the woods and headed for the beach. Scientists have also discovered that people who eat fish regularly are less likely to suffer from depression than those who eat less seafood. Biochemist Hibbelin of the National Institutes of Health has shown that across cultures there is a direct link between amount of fish eaten each week and rates of depression. More interestingly, Hibbelin and researcher Laura have found that fish is commonly used as a symbol of happiness and good health in various religions and cultures. We know that fish and the sea are good for us, and so we seek them out. We vacation on the coast and see the waves come and go, feeling happiness has taken over our brain. When we move inland, or go home from vacation, we lose touch with our sea roots and feel unhappy. Human beings have benefited a lot from seafood because _ . A) seafood has enough water and is fresh B) fishes in the sea have large and complex brains C) our ancestors had nothing to eat but seafood D) it is abundant in fatty acids promoting brain cell growth
D
Each year on February 2nd, there is special festival called Groundhog Day ( )' forecasting event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. When it comes, people from around the world, including 5,000 in the small town today, watch this tongue-twisting small town for a sign from one groundhog that supposedly predicts when that years' spring will arrive. If it's a cloudy day outside when the groundhog _ from its cave, then spring will arrive early that year. However, if it is sunny outside, the groundhog will supposedly be scared by its own shadow, hiding underground for six more weeks of cold weather. Of course, Punxsutawney Phil's prediction is no more able to guarantee the extended forecast than your local weatherman. ABC News reports that an analysis by the National Climate Data Center found that Phil's predictions are more often wrong than right. Philis is also found to have made some unpleasant predictions. Ever since 1887, he has predicted 99 extended winters and just 16 early springs .Nine of the years' predictions were unavailable, according to ABC. The holiday began as a German tradition in 18th century and became even more of a cultural phenomenon after the 1993 film Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray. Punxsutawney Phil has become a celebrity in his own right. Each year, the fatter animal with long teeth is watched by millions as he emerges from a cave in the town he is named after. Phil has become so beloved by the town that he actually lives in the local library with his "wife" Phyllis. Taking inspiration from the hard state of Bill Murray's character in the classic film, Yahoo contributor Owen Rust says Groundhog Day is a good time to reflect on one's routines. How does Punxsutawney Phil become a celebration? A) By an accident. B) From people's life improving. C) By his own attractive force D) From much money raised by the town.
C
Q: Something strange was unbelievable. Take Robert for example. After the terrible car accident, his whole world had been completely dark and quiet for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing made him try many times to put end to his life. His family especially his wife did their best to tend and comfort him. By and by he finally regained the courage to live on. On a hot summer afternoon he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started suddenly. He stood under a large tree in order not to get himself wet. Unfortunately he was struck down to the ground by a lightning. The witnesses thought him dead but he woke up some 20 minutes later lying face down in muddy water below the tree. He felt that he was trembling badly, but when he opened his eyes ,he didn't dare to believe that he saw a plough( )lying near the wall. When Mrs Edwards came running up to him, she shouted their neighbours for help. And he saw her and heard her voice for the first time in nearly ten years. The news of Robert's regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread in his area. And many doctors came to prove the truth of the news. Most of them said that he gained sight and hearing again obviously from the knock of lightning; none of them could give convincing reasons, however. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that, since Edwards lost his sight and hearing as a result of sudden shock in a terrible accident, perhaps the only way for them to regain was by another sudden shock. What was Edwards doing when he was struck by the lightning? A) Hiding from the rain under a tree. B) Driving a car. C) Taking a walk D) lying on the ground
A: A
B It was a hot, humid day, and my brother Walt and I had decided that the only way to survive it would be to go swimming in a deep swimming hole across Mr.Blickez's pasture and through some woods. The only problem with our plan was that this pasture was guarded by a huge, mean Hereford bull.Mr.Blickez had told us that Elsie was the meanest bull in the township, maybe even the county, and we believed him.But the hotter it got, the more we thought there was something fishy about his claim.For one thing, we remembered Mr.Blickez liked telling tall tales; for another, Elsie seemed like an odd name for a bull. Finally, I talked Mom into asking permission for us to walk through the pasture, but then another problem surfaced.Mom said she would talk to Mr.Blickez if we would take our cousin Joanie along with us.Joanie was almost two years older than me and a head taller.If her teasing ever got around my grade school, it would be all over for me.In fact, I still had a headache from a quarrel with her that morning."I'm not going swimming with that dumb girl cousin." I told my mom. "Either Joanie goes with, or you stay home alone," Mom said in her serious tone.I gave in and we set out.On our way across the pasture, Walt yelled suddenly.Elsie had approached him quietly and was licking his back.Joanie and I dove under the wire fence, but while I was on the ground I looked up and saw that Elsie wasn't a big mean bull after all.She was going to keep licking my brother's back as long as he stood still. We had many good days growing up and visiting our secret swimming hole guarded by the so-called "big mean bull".And as it turned out, for a girl cousin, Joanie hasn't been too bad.She's been one of my best friends over the years. What does the author think of Elsie in the end? A) Aggressive. B) Unkind. C) Bad-tempered. D) Friendly.
D