A minor observation, but I appreciate how they show the user highlighting text in one of their search results for truffles. Having done some usability work and watched users work on their computers, highlighting what is being read is such a common behavior, it's cool to see Google so in touch.
When I'm reading something it helps me find my place again if I get interrupted or need to look up something in a different browser tab. It also makes text more readable when sites do odd things like put medium gray text on a light gray background (for instance HN comments with a score < 1).
I do. I tend to double or triple click to highlight the word or paragraph I'm reading. It's more of a fidgety thing than the need to track what I'm reading.
Side note: Any website that uses a double click on a word to launch a webpage defining the word or a search of their website with that word is EVIL and needs to be wiped off the face of the internet permanently. New York Times, I'm looking at you. (Besides, on a Mac I can right click and choose Look Up in Dictionary or Search in Google)