2016年大学英语六级试题强化模拟测试卷(十)_第4页

　　Section C

　　Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A ) , B) , C) and D ). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

　　Passage One

　　Questions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.

　　The unique human habit of taking in and employing animals--even competitors like wolves--spurred on human tool-making and language, which have both driven humanity's success, Pat Shipman says, paleoanthropologist of Penn State University. "Wherever you go in the world, whatever ecosystem (生态系统), whatever culture, people live with animals," Shipman said.

　　For early humans, taking in and caring for animals would seem like a poor strategy for survival. "On the face of it, you are wasting your resources. So this is a very weird behavior," Shipman said. But it's not so weird in the context something else humans were doing about 2.6 million years ago: switching from a mostly vegetarian diet to one rich in meat. This happened because humans invented stone hunting tools that enabled them to compete with other top predators. Quite a rapid and bizarre switch for any animal. So we invented the equipment, learned how to track and kill, and eventually took in animals who also knew how to hunt--like wolves and other canines. Others, like goats, cows and horses, provided milk, hair and, finally, hides and meat.

　　Managing all of these animals--or just tracking them--requires technology, knowledge and ways to preserve and convey information. So languages had to develop and evolve to meet the challenges. Tracking game has even been argued to be the origin of scientific inquiry, said Peter Richerson, professor emeritus (名誉退休的) in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of California, Davis. One of the signs that this happened is in petroglyphs (史前岩画) and other rock art left by ancient peoples. At first they were abstract, geometric patterns that are impossible to decipher (破译). Then they converge on one subject: animals.

　　There have also been genetic changes in both humans and our animals. For the animals those changes developed because human bred them for specific traits, like a cow that gives more mill or a hen that lays more eggs. But this evolutionary influence works both ways. Dogs, for instance, might have been selectively taken in by humans who shared genes for more compassion, Those humans then prospered with the dogs' help in hunting and securing their homes.

　　56. What do we learn from the first paragraph about animals?

　　A) Animals have driven humanity's success.

　　B) Tool-making and language are uniquely human habits.

　　C) Employing wolves is uniquely human habit.

　　D) People live with animals everywhere.

　　57. Why did Shipman say taking in animal is a poor strategy for survival?

　　A) Early humans were poor in survival resources.

　　B) Taking in animal was a very weird behavior.

　　C) Early humans didn't know how to track and kill.

　　D) Early humans switched from a vegetarian diet to meat.

　　58. Why did languages have to develop and evolve to meet the challenges?

　　A) Early humans should have communication in tracking game.

　　B ) Language can enable humans to compete with other top predators.

　　C) Animals should understand the orders given by humans.

　　D) Language could give a rapid and bizarre switch for any animal.

　　59. What do we learn from the statement of Pat Shipman and Peter Richerson?

　　A) Caring for animals seemed common after people invented tools.

　　B) After language developed early humans learned how to track and kill.

　　C) Managing and tracking animals are the origin of modem science.

　　D) Language developed from abstract to specific because of animals.

　　60. What do we learn from the last paragraph?

　　A) Animals changes are developed by themselves.

　　B) Human bred animals for specific genes.

　　C) Evolutionary influence works on both humans and animals.

　　D) Genes could make the dogs help people in hunting.