江苏省2011届高三英语阅读理解专练（16）
A
In Kansas at the turn of the century, Edwin and Amy Earhar doted on （溺爱）their active daughters, Amelia and Muriel. Edwin gave the girls footballs and rifles, while Amy shocked the community by dressing them in gym suits instead of skirts. Edwin's job caused the family to move from town to town, and the girls’ interest in rough sports and shooting rats raised eyebrows wherever they went.
Amelia's parents did not pressure her to reform as she grew older, even when she dabbled（轻率地对待）in the domains of science and automobile mechanics. But in 1920, when she went aloft（在空中）at an air show and returned home determined to learn how to fly, even her liberal Parents hesitated. They soon gave in, however, and within months Amelia was flying a Kinner Airster her mother helped her buy.
1. According to the passage, Edwin gave the girls which of the following items?
A. An airplane
B. Footballs
C. An automobile
D. Gym suits
2. It may be inferred from the passage that, at the turn of the century, it was LEAST common
for girls to____.
A. wear skirts
B. have doting parents
C. move from town to town
D. play with rifles
3. In what way did Amelia's mother help Amelia in her career?
A. By helping her to buy a plane
B. by taking her to an air show
C. By pressuring her to become a pilot
D. By giving her flying lessons
B
Decades before the American Revolution of 1776, Jesse Fish, a native New Yorker, retreated to an Island off St. Augustine, Florida, to escape an unpleasant family situation. In time he became Florida’s first orange baron(巨商) and his oranges were in great demand in London throughout the 1770s. The English found them juicy and sweet and preferred them to other varieties, even though they had thin skins and were hard to peel.
There would probably have been other successful commercial growers before Fish if Florida had not been under Spanish rule for some two hundred years. Columbus first brought seeds for citrus（柑桔）trees to the New World and planted them in the Antilles. But most likely it was Pone de Leon who introduced oranges to the North American continent when he discovered Florida in 1513. For a time, each Spanish sailor on a ship bound for America was required by law to carry one hundred seeds with him. Later because seeds tended to dry out, all Spanish ships were required to carry young orange trees. The Spaniards planted citrus trees only for medicinal purposes, however. They saw no need to start commercial groves(园林) because oranges were so abundant in Spain.
4.What is the main topic of the passage?
A.The role of Florida in the American Revolution.
B.The discovery of Florida by Ponce de Leon in 1513.
C.The history of the cultivation of oranges in Florida.
D.The popularity of Florida oranges in London in the 1770s.
5.Jesse Fish went to Florida to _________.
A.grow oranges commercially
B.buy an island off St. Augustine
C.get away from his family
D.work for the British government
6.Londoners liked the oranges grown by Jesse Fish because they_______
A.had a lot of juice
B.were not too sweet
C.were not hard to peel
D.had thin skins
7.According to the passage, Spanish vessels began to bring orange tree seedlings to North America when ________.
A.the United States agricultural laws were revised
B.ambitious sailors began to transport seeds secretly
C.doctors reported a lack of medical supplies
D.authorities realized that seeds did not travel well
8.According to the passage Florida oranges were valued by the Spanish primarily ________.
A.as a medium of exchange
B.for their unusual seeds
C.for their medical use
D.as a source of food for sailors
C
A multinational (跨国的) company engaged in real estate with its headquarters in New
York
is urgently looking for an Executive Secretary reporting to the Business Development Director.
Applicants should have a pleasant appearance, mature and tactful(机敏的) personality ,and be able to organize work efficiently under pressure. There should be at least 3 years’ secretarial experience working at director’s level. Good shorthand skills, and a very high standard of both written and spoken English are required. A command of Putonghua and good computer skills will be an advantage.
The successful applicant will be offered an attractive benefits package, along with the potential of highly rewarding career progression in the expanding operations. Individuals currently earning less than $ 1,500 p.m. are not likely to be considered for interview.
Please apply with full resume, a recent photo, expected salary and contact phone number to Box 8197 SCM Post.
9.Which of the following is not a requirement for the job advertised?
A.At least 3 year s’ experience as a secretary.
B.A basic command of written and spoken English.
C.Experience in real estate.
D.Good skills in taking quick notes.
10.What should an applicant submit together with his or her application?
A. A current address
B. A signed contract
C. A request for salary
D. A recommendation
11.This passage would most probably be found in __________.
A. an index
B. a textbook
C. a newspaper
D. a catalog
D
Employees need several kinds of satisfactions if they are to remain productive and enthusiastic in industry. They need to know that their working conditions are safe and adequate for the kind of work they do. Also, they need reasonable hours of work in order to make their jobs acceptable. If they must work overtime several nights a week, their take-home pay may be higher, but their efficiency and feelings about their jobs will decline （下降）.
In addition to agreeable working conditions, employees need to have adequate compensation
(补偿) for the work they do. Today potential employees also examine the benefits package management offers to compare them with other companies. If one company offers stocks, insurance, vacations, and even child care, other industries must follow suit, or they lose out on hiring the best employees.
Adequacy of working conditions and financial compensation are hardly enough, however, to keep employees satisfied for long. Employees also need to feel confident of management’s abilities to orga nize the company. The employer who pays well and has a new modern plant to display their product may still lose the loyalty and devotion of employees through lack of attention to details and disorganization. One recent research study showed that more than half the small businesses failed not due to lack of money but due to the employer’s lack of management skill.
12.Which of the following could probably be the main idea of this passage?
A.Employees can improve their income in many ways.
B.Employees can hardly be satisfied.
C.Employers should be skillful in management.
D.Job satisfaction is tied to benefits
13.The writer of this passage advises that_________.
A.employers should pay their employees as much as possible
B.employees should know about their working conditions clearly
C.normal working hours are good for keeping efficiency
D.safety is the chief concern in improving working conditions
14.Today’s employees know how to protect their benefits by _________.
A.making comparisons between different companies
B.examining their agreements with the employer
C.asking for compensation for what they do
D.changing their jobs more often than before
15.If a company wants to hire excellent employees, it should __________.
A.offer agreeable working conditions to its employees
B.examine its employees and make selection strictly
C.take great care of the welfare of their employees
D.catch up with other companies in providing other benefits than wages
16.The most important thing for a company to keep its employees loyal and energetic is ____.
A.to raise their salary from time to time
B.to maintain an effective management
C.to be skillful in organizing their work
D.to pay attention to the development of products
E
Underground water reserves in eastern England are critically low and for some people water
restrictions may only be days away. Areas affected include East Sussex, Kent and Essex. East Anglia is among the worst hit areas, with the situation in Lincolnshire “particul arly acute (严重)”.
Yorkshire Water is still trying to recover from a drought last year and water is being pumped from the west of the country to the east to cope with an acute shortage.
The concern over areas which depend heavily on underground water reserves is also reported in the New Civil Engineer. It suggests that ground water levels have sunk to a record low and river flows have fallen as Britain recorded its third lowest rainfall for March and April this century. The journal also claims that some areas could be facing the worst drought in memory.
The problems stem from the dry winter of 1988-89 which preceded (先于) a long summer of drought followed by barely average rainfall in the East of England last winter.
A spokesman for the Water Authorities Association said areas dependent on surface
water had made up for two years of dry weather while areas dependent on underground water reserves had never totally recovered.
“I know that some of the water companies in these areas are already giving warnings to customers to use water sensibly as they are already in some difficulty.”
17.What happened in East Anglia?
A. Water restrictions.
B. A severe shortage of water supply.
C. Recovery from a drought.
D. Overflow of underground water.
18.From the passage, we learn that before Britain reported its third lowest rainfall________.
A.there was likely to be no rain for a long time
B.there was likely to be an average rainfall
C.underground and surface water was adequate
D.surface water was short but underground water adequate
19.From the spokesman, we can infer that _________.
A.generally Britain has much rainfall all the year round
https://www.doczj.com/doc/3b5120091.html,ually after March or April it begins to rain in Britain
C.in the worst hit areas underground water remains acute
D.some areas have failed to pump water from the west to the east
20.What does the writer try to tell us?
A. Water Authorities Association gives a call to East Britain.
B.Some water companies are in difficulty.
C.East Britain faces early water restrictions.
D.The drought will continue for a long time.
参考答案
1-5BDACC 6-10ADCCC 11-15CCCAD 16-20BBACC
阅读理解D专练5篇 Passage 1(2017江苏,D) Old Problem, New Approaches While clean energy is increasingly used in our daily life, global warming will continue for some decades after CO2 emissions(排放) peak. So even if emissions were to begin to decrease today, we would still face the challenge of adapting to climate change. Here I will stress some smarter and more creative examples of climate adaptation. When it comes to adaptation, it is important to understand that climate change is a process. We are therefore not talking about adapting to a new standard, but to a constantly shifting set of conditions. This is why, in part at least, the US National Climate Assessment says that:“There is no ‘one-size fits all’ adaptation.”Nevertheless, there are some actions that offer much and carry little risk or cost. Around the world, people are adapting in surprising ways, especially in some poor countries. Floods have become more damaging in Bangladesh in recent decades. Mohammed Rezwan saw opportunity where others saw only disaster. His not-for-profit organization runs 100 river boats that serve as floating libraries, schools, and health clinics, and are equipped with solar panels and other communicating facilities. Rezwan is creating floating connectivity(连接) to replace flooded roads and highways. But he is also working at a far more fundamental level:his staff show people how to make floating gardens and fish ponds to prevent starvation during the wet season. Elsewhere in Asia even more astonishing actions are being taken. Chewang Norphel lives in a mountainous region in India, where he is known as the Ice Man. The loss of glaciers(冰川) there due to global warming represents an enormous threat to agriculture. Without the glaciers, water will arrive in the rivers at times when it can damage crops. Norphel’s inspiration came from seeing the waste of water over winter, when it was not needed. He directed the wasted water into shallow basins where it froze, and was stored until the spring. His fields of ice supply perfectly timed irrigation(灌溉) water. Having created nine such ice reserves, Norphel calculates that he has stored about 200,000m3of water. Climate change is a continuing process, so Norphel’s ice reserves will not last forever. Warming will overtake them. But he is providing a few years during which the farmers will, perhaps, be able to find other means of adapting.
高考英语阅读理解专项训练100篇 (名师传授解题技巧+实战练习，值得下载) 一、阅读理解解题技巧 阅读理解题是考查学生对活的语言材料的理解能力，即通过阅读材料获得信息的能力。具体说来，阅读理解能力测试的主要要求是：（1）掌握所读材料的主旨大意，以及用以说明主旨大意的事实和细节；（2）既理解具体事实，也理解抽象的概念；（3）既理解字面意思，也理解深层含义，包括作者的态度、意图等；（4）既理解某句、某段的意义，也理解全篇的逻辑关系，并能根据文章进行推理和判断；（5）既能根据材料所提供的信息去理解，也能结合中学生应有的常识去理解。根据这几项能力测试的要求，试题中常采用如下几种题型：事实询问题、推理判断题、数据推算题、识图解意题和主旨大意题。根据这一测试要求和题型设计，答题时可以采取如下解题技巧和对策。 1．首先解题时要充满自信。由于平时有些同学对做阅读理解时存在一种畏惧心理，因此考试做题时心理就难免会产生紧张感，特别是阅读时再遇到几个生词就头脑发胀，从而使自己的思路更加模糊不清。其实这是完全没有必要的，因为阅读中遇到几个生词或几个难以理解的句子是常有的事，也是正常现象。因为按大纲要求，试卷中允许有不超过3%的生词，只要认真分析，仔细阅读，这些生词和句子很可能并不影响你的解题。所以答题之前首先要有必胜的信心。 2．扫读全文，理解全文主旨大意。拿到一篇文章，首先要快速扫读全文，虽为扫读，但不可漫不经心，阅读时也应聚精会神，力求可能多地获取材料信息，只是这次遇到生词和难句先不必去处理，不要因纠缠文中的个别生词和难句而影响了对全文的主旨大意的了解。
3．对症下药，各个击破。了解全文的大概意思之后，再把短文的问题简单看一遍，弄懂题意，然后带着问题再去寻读全文。这次阅读过程中要善于抓文章中的关键词句。寻读也就是迅速的查找需要了解的信息，是为某些特定的问题而阅读，因此阅读时要有较强的针对性，对与问题有关的数据，词句等仔细阅读，认真理解，同时结合不同考查内容的题型，采取如下解题对策： （1）事实询问题：这类试题通常是以疑问词what，who，when，where，why，how 等引起的特殊问句，就文章中某一词语、某一句子、某一段落或某一具体细节和事实进行提问。解答此类试题首先要弄清题目和每一个选项的含义，然后按题目要求寻找与之相关的细节，正确估计答案来源，同时注意题目和文章中的暗示作用。特别注意辨别各种信息，确认各种信息。 （2）推理判断题：此题要求我们通过表面文字信息去推测文章隐含的意思，对文章的发展情节及作者的态度、意图等做出合乎逻辑的的推理判断。这种题要求我们在阅读时要抓住文章的主题和细节、从分析文章的结构入手，根据上下文的内在联系，充分挖掘文章的深层含义。对暗含在文章中事件的因果关系，人物的动机，以及作者未言明的倾向、态度、意图、观点进行合乎逻辑的推理、分析和判断。同时善于抓住文中实质性的东西，不要被带假象的表面信息或似是而非的东西所迷惑。并且注意推断作者态度时要力求从作者的态度、观点去思考，切勿想当然，凭个人的观点习惯看法来回答的问题。 （3）数据推算题：此题要求我们就文章提供的数据，以及数据与文章中其他信息的关系做出计算和推断，然后做出选择。这就要求我们解题时，要在理解好题意的前提下去对与数据有关的信息认真分析，若数据信息较多，还要注意弄清数据之间的关系，同时分清有用与无用信息，最终作出正确判断。 （4）主旨大意题：此题用以考查我们对文章主题或中心思想的领会和理解能力。在解答此类试题时要注意每段的中心句，抓住每一段的主题句。一般主题句都用来表达一段主旨大意，因此，只要找准每段的主题句，文章的中心思想和文章的最佳标题也就不难确定了。
小希老师给同学们总结了2018高考英语真题所有阅读理解的A篇，适合高中各个年级的学生练习及备考使用。 【全国Ⅰ卷】 A Washington, . Bicycle Tours Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, . Duration: 3 hours This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see the world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, . Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability – and the cherry blossoms – disappear! Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour Duration: 3 hours (4 miles) Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington, . Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike, helmet, cookies and bottled water. Capital City Bike Tour in Washington, . Duration: 3 hours Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for . newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, . in a healthy way with minimum effort. Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route (路线) make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing. Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour
一、高中英语阅读理解 1．阅读理解 Yellowstone National Park is the flagship of the National Park Service and a favorite to millions of visitors each year. The park is a major destination for all members of the family. By driving the grand loop road, visitors can view the park from the comfort of their vehicle and also take a rest at one of the many roadside picnic areas. How much is the entrance fee? $25 - Private, noncommercial vehicle; $20 - Motorcycle or snowmobile (winter); $12 - Visitors 16 and older entering by foot, bike, ski, etc. This fee provides the visitor with a 7-day entrance permit for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. A $50 park annual pass provides entrance for a single private non-commercial vehicle at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. The $10 Interagency Senior Pass (62 and older) is a lifetime pass available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Where can you stay? Inside Yellowstone, you can choose to stay in modern or historic hotels and cabins inside the park like the Old Faithful Inn, the world's largest log structure. For those who want to be a little closer to nature, there are 12 campgrounds with a range of services from primitive pit toilets to shower and laundry facilities. There's also RV camping with and without dumping stations. Staying outside the park gives you unique Old West experiences but still keeps you close to park attractions. If you're taking a road trip to Yellowstone, you'll want to check out our Hotels and Cabins On The Road section. （1）The entrance fees listed on the web page don't apply to _______. A. temporary residents in the USA B. vehicles involving business activities C. visitors out of a certain age range D. private motorcycles and snowmobiles （2）What are you likely to acquire in the Old Faithful Inn? A. Unique old west experiences. B. Primitive pit toilets and shower. C. Knowledge of origin of the park. D. RV camping with dumping sites. （3）Where does the passage probably come from? A. A magazine. B. A textbook. C. A notice. D. A travel guide. 【答案】（1）B （2）C （3）D 【解析】【分析】本文是一篇应用文，介绍了黄石公园的门票以及可以选择的住宿及游玩的地方。 （1）考查细节理解。根据小标题“How much is the entrance fee?”下分别列出了私家非商务车入园的价格，摩托车或雪地车（冬季）入园的价格以及16岁以上的人步行、骑自行车或
高三英语阅读理解专练（七） 制卷人：施浩杰2008/11/17 A His own way to express love Yesterday was our three-year anniversary. We didn’t do anything romantic: we just walked hand in hand and talked about our past and future. This was pretty much what I had expected. Andy is unromantic guy: no sweet words or roses. Smart as he is, he is a little bit shy expressing his love. In contrast, I am an outspoken girl who likes to show her feelings directly. So needless to say, I often feel that is insensitive. I envy other girls who are surrounded by sweet words. I was in this sullen mood until I heard a beautiful sentence one day: “If someone does not love you in the way you like, it does not mean that he does not love you.”this simple but sensible sentence made me think about our happy days and recall his deep concern for me. One cold winter night, I got a high fever. He hurried to my dorm and took me to the hospital. He was in such a hurry that he even forgot to wear socks. Upon arrival, he ran through the hospital handling all the formalities(手续). When I was put on a drip（输液）, he told me interesting stories to make me happy. Being held in his warm arms and listening to his tender voice, I had never felt so safe and comfortable. Gradually, I felt asleep. When I woke up 15 minutes later, he was still whispering to me. He explained that if he had stopped talking I would have waken up. At that moment, I found love in his sparkling eyes. Another time, I had a bad quarrel with my best friend. Although I knew it was my fault, I refused to admit it. I was angry when he insisted I apologize to her. He said that it was difficult to admit a mistake, but this was what everyone should do. The next morning, I apologized to my friend and asked for her forgiveness. My unromantic boyfriend cares about my health like my father, understand me like my mother and helps me like my elder brother. (344 words) 1. Why does the author envy other girls of her age? A. Their boyfriends look more handsome. B. Their boyfriends express love directly. C. They win a lot of praise from colleagues. D. They often receive roses from their boyfriends. 2. The author mentioned her experience in hospital to show Andy . A. loves her greatly B. is always careless C. sometimes appears shy D. is good at telling stories 3. Which word can describe Andy’s personality? A. Insensitive. B. Generous. C. Talkative. D. Thoughtful. 4. The writer writes the passage to tell us that . A. Andy is indeed a very lever boy B. Andy is a perfect husband C. Andy has his own way to express love D. Andy cares more about others 5. The word sullen in paragraph 3 could be best replaced by A. cheerful B. calm C. painful D. bad B MILAN, Italy - Can't get to Milan to see Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece "The Last Supper?" All you need is an Internet connection. Officials put online an image of "The Last Supper" at 16
（英语）高三英语阅读理解专项训练及答案 一、高中英语阅读理解 1．阅读理解 The setting was a packed gymnasium just before the start of a game against another school. There were five girls who were members of the Danville High School basketball team—all of them starters. They were not in uniform to play that night and would not be on the team for the rest of this season. They were there to admit their breaking of team rules. They were there to support their coach's decision to take them off the team. They were there to let the town know there was a problem in their little community that needed to be addressed. And they did it with sincere regret rather than defensiveness. While the school had been out for the New Year's holiday, the five girls had gone to the party with several of their friends. There was alcohol there. And they all drank some. Coach Rainville has a zero tolerance rule on drugs and alcohol for her members though it was a hard decision to make. When classes resumed and accounts of holiday parties were shared, rumors about the five girls began closing in on them. The coach said she couldn't back down on her rules. And the players—two junior students and three senior students—agreed. That night in the gym was part of their public support of the coach's decision. “We hope you will understand that we are not bad kids. What we did was definitely not worth it. We hope this event will make everyone realize that there is a big drug and alcohol problem in our community,” one of the senior students said, “And if you work with us to try to solve this problem, you will help us feel that we have not been thrown off our basketball team for nothing.” The five left the floor to deafening applause. The team may not win another game this year. But they've learnt something about personal responsibility, the effect of one's action on others, and honesty that will serve them well throughout life. （1）It can be inferred from the passage that the five girls who were kicked off the team were ________. A. very good players on the team B. addicted to alcohol and drugs C. three junior students and two senior students D. scolded by their parents for drinking alcohol （2）What did the girls do to support their coach's decision? A. They didn't fight for Danville High School any more. B. They all gave speeches to apologize in the local press. C. They admitted their mistake in public in the gymnasium. D. They would never drink any alcohol throughout their life. （3）Which word best describes the coach Rainville? A. Indifferent. B. Strict. C. Stubborn. D. Cruel. （4）Which would be the best title for the passage? A. Growing up with pain B. A bad mistake C. Team rules are everything D. Basketball girls in high school 【答案】（1）A
高考英语阅读理解真题汇编及答案解析（11） 摘要：阅读理解题的“三步法”：1．略读。目的是了解短文的主旨大意和便于迅速掌握短文的语篇结构。2．查读。同学们要先通读题干，做到胸中有数；再将短文读第一遍，锁定某些特定信息进行快速阅读，迅速选出最佳答案；先易后难，先做细节题，后做推论题。3．重读短文重点。核查。同学们做题的关键是看清题目的要求，读准的关键是分清句子的结构和确认词性词义。 When Andrea Peterson landed her first teaching job,she faced the daunting task of creating a music program with almost no money for equipment or supplies in a climate where standards-based learning was the focus and music just provided a break for students and teachers. For her drive and creativity in overcoming those challenges,she’s been named national teacher of the year. Principal Waynes Kettler said he’s worked with many outstanding teachers in his22years as an educator,but Peterson is“just that one step above anybody I’ve ever worked with before.” Kettler and others at Monte Cristo Elementary School talk about the ways she has introduced the learning from other classrooms into her music program and her creativity in working around things such as the lack of money for new music. When students were reading S.E.Hinton’s novel The Outsiders in their regular classroom, Peterson helped them write a30-minute play with scenes from the book.Then they chose three Broadway tunes that focused no race,equality and social justice,the themes of the book.Peterson composed two other songs herself after classroom discussions about the play and the book. The honor means a lot to residents of Granite Foils.It’s inspiring to know that people from small towns own even win national honors. As national teacher of the year,Peterson will spend the next year outside the classroom, as a national and international spokeswoman for education. Not surprisingly,She is a big believe in the value of arts education.She said it’s essential for schools to offer classes such as art or music and physical education because for some kids one of those subjects is the only thing that motivates them to come back to school day after day. 65.The underlined word“daunting”in Paragraph1most probably means__________. A. discouraging B.interesting C.creative D.unbearable
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。 A 1. The word “homework” in the first paragraph refers to ______. A. work that is given by teachers for students to do at home B. Websites such as https://www.doczj.com/doc/3b5120091.html, and https://www.doczj.com/doc/3b5120091.html, C. tools and suggestions offered by websites D. market research and informal research
2. The underlined sentence in the passage means that you’d better ask for a raise ______. A. when the employer has a normal pulse rate B. when the employer is in a good mood C. when the company has a good financial situation D. when the company’s practices are more flexible 3. Which of the following is NOT true? A. The employer will give you a raise because of your personal reasons. B. You should show them that you’re worthy of a salary increase. C. You can tell your boss the exact number of salary increase you want D. Schedule a meeting with your boss but don’t push too hard. 4. It can be inferred in the last paragraph that ______. A. If your boss won’t give you a raise, you’d better take fewer responsibilities. B. It is a wise way to get a raise by letting your boss know you are doing more. C. Only if you find a proper time to talk with your boss will you get a raise. D. You should schedule a meeting within a few months to discuss the matter again. B Here’s one number to keep in mind during your next cell phone conversation: 50. A new experiment shows that spending 50 minutes with an active phone pressed up to the ear increases activity in the brain. This brain activity probably doesn't make you smarter. When cell phones are on, they emit (发出) energy in the form of radiation that could be harmful, especially after years of cell phone usage. Scientists don't know yet whether cell phones are bad for the brain. Studies like this one are attempting to find it out. The 47 participants in the experiment may have looked a little strange. Each one had two Samsung cell phones attached to his or her head — one on each ear. The phone on the left ear was off. The phone on the right ear played a message for 50 minutes, but the participants couldn't hear it because the sound was off. With this set-up, the scientists could be sure they were studying brain activity from the phone itself, and not brain activity due to listening and talking during a conversation. After 50 minutes with two phones strapped to their heads, the participants were given PET scans. The PET scan showed that the left side (the side with the phone turned off) of each participant's brain hadn't changed during the experiment. The right side of the brain, however, had used more glucose, which is a type of sugar that provides fuel to brain cells. These right-side brain cells were using almost as much glucose as the brain uses when a person is talking. This suggests th at the brain cells there were active ― even without the person hearing anything. That activity, the scientists say, was probably caused by radiation from the phone. Henry Lai, who works at the University of Washington in Seattle, is uncomfortable with the data related to cell phones. Holding a cell phone to your ear during a conversation is “not really safe,” Lai told Science News. Lai is a bioengineer at the University of Washington in Seattle. He wrote an article about the new study for a journal, but he did not work on the study. Bioengineers bring together ideas from engineering and biology. For those who don't want to wait to find out for sure whether cell phones are bad for the brain, there are ways to talk more safely. You can have short and sweet conversations, use a