1、Inventors and inventions,Unit 3,University of Sussex scientists working with researchers in Brazil have found the first example of a “soldier” bee,They studied a common tropical bee，Tetragonisca angustula，in Sao Paulo State in Brazil where its known locally as JataIt nests in trees and wall holesEac
2、h nest has one queen and up to 10,000 workersInsect societies such as the Jatas are cooperative and selfless，the workers caring for the nest and the queens childrenThis lifestyle also includes the division of labour among workers,The research states that： Jata guard bees are 30 percent heavier than
3、their forager nestmates They are slightly different from foragers in shape，with larger legs and smaller heads Approximately one percent of worker bees raised in a colony are soldiersized Jata soldiers stand on the nest entrance tube and also fly around near the entrance where they provide “early war
4、ning” detection of enemy attack,Like other social insects，Jata use guard workers to protect the nestA previous study by the team had shown that these guards were specialists that performed guarding duties for far longer (up to three weeks) than other types of worker bees，such as the honeybees，who sp
5、end just one day guarding the nest，progressing to other tasks as they get olderThe new research shows that Jata guards，unlike their honeybee counterparts，are physically specialized to perform a particular task,Having largerbodied guards is important for nestdefense，as theyre better at fighting one o
6、f Jatas main enemiesthe robber bee Lestrimelitta limao，which can kill off many colonies when attacking nests for food Even though the Jata guard lacks a sting and is eventually killed，it can knock its head onto the wing of a robber bee，preventing it from flyingLargebodied soldier workers have long b
7、een known in ants and white ants，but this is the first evidence of a“soldier”bee 文章大意：本文主要介绍了研究人员首次发现蜂群中也有“兵蜂”。,1What do we know about Tetragonisca angustula？ AIt has no sting BIt lives in forests CIt is a rare insect DIt has a small family 答案：A 细节理解题。由最后一段中的.the Jata guard lacks a sting可知A项正确。,2The
8、 underlined word “counterparts” most probably refers to“_” Aworkers Bforagers Crobbers Dguards 答案：D 词义猜测题。结合上文内容可知，此处是把Jata guards和履行保卫工作的honeybees进行比较。因此，此处的counterparts是指guards。,3It can be inferred that the Jata guards_ Aare very selfless and brave Bcan easily defeat their enemies Care the only gu
9、ards in their colony Dwill take on other tasks when getting old 答案：A 推理判断题。由第二段中的Insect societies such as the Jatas are cooperative and selfless以及最后一段的Even though the Jata guard lacks a sting and is eventually killed，it can knock its head onto the wing of a robber bee，preventing it from flying可知A项正确。,4What would be the best title for the text？ AThe Division of Labour in Bees BScientists Discover Soldier Bees CSoldier Workers in Insect Societies DHow a Soldier Bee Defends Its Nest 答案：B 主旨大意题。通读全文可知，本文主要介绍了研究人员的一项新发现，即蜂群中也有“兵蜂”，故选B项。,
