阅读理解ThroughaseriesofexperimentsanAmericanscientisthasobtainedanunderstandingofthesocialstructureofthemostcomplexofantsocieties.Theantsexaminedaretheonlycreaturesotherthanmantohavegiveup
阅读理解
ThroughaseriesofexperimentsanAmericanscientisthasobtainedanunderstandingofthesocialstructureofthemostcomplexofantsocieties.Theantsexaminedaretheonlycreaturesotherthanmantohavegiveuphuntingandcollectingforacompletelyagriculturalwayoflife.Intheirundergroundneststheycultivate(耕作、培植)gardensonsoilmadefromfinelychopped(捣碎)leaves.Thisisacomplexoperationrequiringconsiderabledivisionoflabour.Theworkersofthistypeofantcanbedividedintofourgroupsaccordingtosize.Eachofthegroupsperformsaparticularsetofjobs.
Themakingandcareofthegardensandthenursingoftheyoungantsaredonebythesmallestworkers.Slightlylargerworkersareresponsibleforchoppingupleavestomakethemsuitableforuseinthegardensandforcleaningthenest.Athirdgroupofstilllargerantsdotheconstructionworkandcollectfreshleavesfromoutsidethenest.Thelargestarethesoldierants,responsiblefordefendingthenest.
Tofindouthowgoodthevarioussize-groupsareatdifferenttasksthescientistmeasuredtheamountofworkdonebytheantsagainsttheamountofenergytheyused.Heexaminedfirstthegatheringandcarryingofleaves.heselectedoneofthesizegroupsandthenmeasuredhowefficientlytheseantscouldfindleavesandrunbacktothenest.Thenherepeatedtheexperimentforeachoftheother-size-groups.Inthiswayhecouldseewhetheranygroupcoulddothejobmoreefficientlythanthegroupnormallyundertakingit.
Theintermediate-sizedantsthatnormallyperformthistaskprovedtobethemostefficientfortheirenergycostsbutwhenthescientistexaminedthewholesetofjobsperformedbyeachgroupofantsitappearedthatsomesizesofworkerantwerenotideallysuitedtotheparticularjobstheyperformed.
1.Inwhichwayaretheantsdifferentfromothernonhumansocieties?
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A.Theydonotneedtosearchforfood.
B.Theydonotneedtolookforshelter.
C.Individualsvaryinsocialstatus.
D.Individualsperformdifferentfunctions(作用)
2.Itseemsthatsmallerantsperformmoreofthe_____.
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A.constructiontasks.
B.hometasks.
C.defensivework
D.heavy