Research on animal intelligence always
makes us wonder just how smart humans are. {{U}}(1) {{/U}}the fruit-fly
experiments described by Carl Zimmer in the Science Times. Fruit flies who were
taught to be smarter than the average fruit fly{{U}} (2) {{/U}}to live
shorter lives. This suggests that{{U}} (3) {{/U}}bulbs burn longer, that
there is a(n){{U}} (4) {{/U}}in not being too bright.
Intelligence, it{{U}} (5) {{/U}}, is a high-priced option. It
takes more upkeep, burns more fuel and is slow{{U}} (6) {{/U}}the
starting line because it depends on learning — a(n){{U}} (7)
{{/U}}process — instead of instinct. Plenty of other species are able to
learn, and one of the things they've apparently learned is when to{{U}} (8)
{{/U}}. Is there an adaptive value to{{U}} (9)
{{/U}}intelligence? That's the question behind this new research. Instead of
casting a wistful glance{{U}} (10) {{/U}}at all the species we've left
in the dust I.Q.-wise, it implicitly asks what the real{{U}} (11)
{{/U}}of our own intelligence might be. This is{{U}} (12) {{/U}}the
mind of every animal we've ever met. Research on animal
intelligence also makes us wonder what experiments animals would{{U}} (13)
{{/U}}on humans if they had the chance. Every cat with an owner,
{{U}}(14) {{/U}}, is running a small-scale study in operant
conditioning. We believe that{{U}} (15) {{/U}}animals ran the labs, they
would test us to{{U}} (16) {{/U}}the limits of our patience, our
faithfulness, our memory for locations. They would try to decide what
intelligence in humans is really{{U}} (17) {{/U}}, not merely how much
of it there is. {{U}}(18) {{/U}}, they would hope to study a(n){{U}}
(19) {{/U}}question: Are humans actually aware of the world they live
in? {{U}}(20) {{/U}}the results are
inconclusive.
【答案解析】本题各选项的意思分别是：A．tendency(倾向)；B．advantage(优势)；C．inclination(倾向)；D． priority(优先权)。“have an advantage in”意为“在……方面具有优势”，“have a tendency to do sth”意为“有……的倾向”，“have an inclination for sth”或“have the inclination to do sth”意为“想做某事”，“have priority over sth/sb”意为“(比某事/某人)具有优先权”。根据前半句“灯泡越暗使用时间越长”，我们可以看出这是不特别亮的灯泡的一个优点而非倾向。故选项B正确。
【答案解析】本题各选项的意思分别是：A．invisible(看不见的)；B．limited(有限的)；C．indefinite(不确定的)；D．different(不同的)。本题考查形容词修饰intelligence，由本段第二句话“That's the question behind this new research.”可知空白所在的问题正是此项研究的课题，而这个研究就是对动物智力的研究。文章开头第一句话就说到对动物智力的研究总是让我们思考人类到底有多聪明，接下来作者用果蝇的例子告诉我们物种越聪明寿命越短，暗示出物种不可能无限的聪明，智力需要有一个适应值 (adaptive value)。第二段又说到智力取决于学习，而大量物种学到的东西之一就是何时停止学习，所以物种的智力应该是有限的，limited符合文意，故选B。
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】本题各选项的意思分别是，A．upward(向上地)；B．forward(向前地)；C．afterward(然后)；D．backward(向后地)。此空白后面at的宾语为“all the species we've left...”，句中修饰species的定语从句作者用了现在完成时，说明动作发生在过去。所以可知前半句作者想表达的意思是“不是去回顾……”，所以选项A，B排除。cast a glance backward at...符合题意。选项D正确。
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】本题四个选项的意思分别是：A．feature(特征)；B．influence(影响)；C．result(结果)，D．cost(代价)。文章第二段首句“Intelligence, it turns out, is a high-priced option.”(事实证明，智力是要付出代价)，本题与该句相呼应，表明该实验含蓄的问我们自己智力的真正代价是什么。故选D。
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题考查介词的习惯搭配。四个选项中，只有on可以与mind搭配，on the mind of(为……着想)；其他选项均不能与mind搭配。故选B。
【答案解析】本段第一句话“... what experiments animals would perform on humans if they had the chance”，很明显该句是if引导的虚拟条件句，与现在事实相反。而本题所在的句子后半句“they would test us to...”也同样使用了虚拟语气，所以本题与首句结构一致，仍然是if引导的虚拟条件句。选项B． unless(除非)；C．as(正如)；D．lest(唯恐)排除，选择A。
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】本题各选项的意思分别是：moderate(缓和，减轻)；overcome(战胜，克服)；determine(确定，测定)； reach(到达，达到)。所填动词表明实验的目的，并且所填动词的宾语是“limits of our patience，our faithfulness，our memory for locations”，选项中determine符合题意，并与下文的decide相呼应。所以选择C。
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题考查介词。四个选项中只有for表示目的。这个句子的正常句序是intelligence in humans is really for what。其他选项无此含义。故选B。