If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?
According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles. The study also found the effect is greater the younger people learn a second language.
A team led by Dr Andrea Mechelli, from University College London, took a group of Britons who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals” who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.
Scans showed that grey matter density（密度）in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.
“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,”said the scientists.
It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales, has researched the link between bilingualism and math skills. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible（灵活的），” he said. “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and 34. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world,” explained the scientists. Which part will change more when a person studies a second language?
| A． grey matter density | B． the brain |
| C． mental system | D． musles |
Who can study a second language easier?.
| A． The adults | B．The teenagers |
| C． The children | D．The old |
The underlined word “bilingual” probably means .
| A． a researcher on language learning |
| B． a second language learner |
| C． a person who can speak two languages |
| D． an active language learner |
How do you understand the underlined sentence ( in paragraph 4 ) in the passage?
| A． It means that we can practise our brain by studying a second language |
| B． It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn |
| C． It means that learning a second language makes you more flexable |
| D． It means that learners will better understand the difficult ideas. |
Science is a major topic in our culture. Since it touches almost every field of our life
, educated people need at least some knowledge with its structure and operation. They should also have an understanding of the scientific subculture in which scientists live and the kinds of people they are. An understanding of general characteristics of science as well as specific scientific ideas is easier to obtain if one knows something about the things that excite and discourage the scientist.
This book is written for the person whose knowledge with science is not complete; for the person who has been presented with science as a musty（发霉的）storehouse of dried facts; for the person who sees the chief objective of science as the production of tricks; and for the person who views the scientists as some sort of magician. The book can be used to add to a course in any science, to come with any course that attempts to give an understanding of the modern world, or simply to provide a better understanding of science. We hope this book will lead readers to a broader view on scientific attitudes and a more realistic view of what science is, who scientists are, and what they do. It will give them an idea and understanding of the relationship between science and our culture and an appreciation of the roles science may play in our culture. Besides, readers may learn to appreciate the relationship between scientific views and some of the values and philosophies（哲学）that are deep in our culture.
We have tried to present in this book a correct and up-to-date picture of the scientific world and the people who populate it. That population has in recent years come to include more and more women. This increasing role of women is not just the only event but, rather, part of the trend obvious in all parts of society, as more women enter traditionally male-controlled fields and make influential contributions.
We have also tried to make the book entertaining as well as informative. Our method is usually informal. We feel, as do many other scientists, that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously. As the reader may observe, we see science as a delightful pastime rather than as a cruel and unpleasant way to earn a living.
1. According to the passage, ‘scientific subculture’ means __________.
A. scientific society B. technical groups
C. complex situation D. knowledge system
2. We need to know something about science because __________.
A. scientists have specific scientific ideas
B. science affects almost every field of our life
C. it is easier to understand general characteristics of science
D. it is not easy to understand the things that excite and discourage scientists
3. The book mentioned in this passage is written for readers who __________.
A. are scientists making influential contributions
B. want to have a little understanding of science
C. want to break the male-controlled world
D. have a misunderstanding about science
4 This passage most probably is __________.
A. the review of a book B. the concluding part of a book
C. the information added to a book D. the introduction of a book
5. According to the passage, we can infer that the book probably is __________.
A. interesting B. serious C. realistic D. humorous
We still don’t understand the influence of the mind’s power over the body, nor do we understand why there should be such power. All we can say for certain is that the mind does have power over the body in very many different ways.
If a man is told that he is at the North Pole and he believes what he is told, he’ll show physical signs which suggest that his body is reacting as though he were at the North Pole. He’ll go pale and shiver. When the film Lawrence of Arabia was shown, cinema managers around the world reported that the sales of ice cream rocketed. The endless desert scenes had made the moviegoers feel uncomfortably hot.
Hypnotists use the power of the mind over the body in order to use their influence. The hypnotist must only convince the patient that something is true, and the patient will act accordingly. If he convinces the patient that his arms are as heavy as lead, then the patient will be unable to lift his arms. If he convinces the patient that a piece of ice is a hot iron and he then touches the patient’s skin with the ice, a blister（水泡）will develop. The body will react to the suggestion and not to the reality, and signs of a real burn will appear.
1 From the passage, we can imagine that people watching a film about the North Pole would probably want __________.
A. an ice cream B. a cold shower C. a hot drink D. a hot iron
2. A hypnotist is supposed to be able to control __________.
A. patients’ bodies B. people’s minds
C. patients’ diseases D. people’s movements
3. The phrase “the reality” refers to __________.
A. a real burn B. a hot iron C. the touch of ice D. the body’s reaction
4. A good title for this passage would be __________.
A. Mind and Body B. Physical Signs
C. Research on Mind D. The Power of the Mind
三：阅读理解（共25小题；每小题2分，满分50分）
Eye Facts
There are many commonly held beliefs about eyesight that are not proven facts. For example, some people believe that wearing glasses too soon weakens the eyes. But there is no evidence to show that the structure（结构）of eyes is changed by wearing glasses at young age. Wearing the wrong glasses, however, can prove harmful. Studies show that for adults there is no danger, but children can develop loss of sight if they have glasses unsuitable for their eyes.
We have all heard some of the common myths about how eyesight gets b
ad. Most people believe that reading in weak light causes poor eyesight, but that is untrue. Too little light makes the eyes work harder, so they do get tired and strained. Eyestrain also results from reading a lot, reading in bed, and watching too much television. However, although eyestrain may cause some pain or headaches, it does not damage eyesight in the long term.
Another myth about eyes is that they can be replaced, or transplanted from one person to another. There are close to one million nerve fibers（神经纤维）that connect the eyeball to the brain; as of yet, it is impossible to connect them all in a new person. Only certain parts of the eye can be replaced. But if we keep clearing up the myths and learning more about the eyes, someday a full transplant may be possible!
1. This passage is mostly about __________.
A. different types of eye problems B. myths about eyesight
C. beliefs of eye doctors D. eye transplants
2. One cause of eyestrain mentioned in the passage is __________.
A. wearing glasses too long B. suffering from pain or headaches
C. reading in poor light D. reading before going to bed
3. From the passage we can conclude that __________.
A. doctors are still learning things about eyesight
B. wearing wrong glasses is less harmful to adults
C. eye transplants have been performed successfully
D. people should not wear glasses at young age
第二部分 阅读理解（共20小题：每小题2.5分，满分50分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A very important world problem---- in fact, I tend to say it is the most important of all the great world problems which face us at present time----is the rapidly increasing pressure of population on land and on land resources.
It is not so much the actual population of the world but its rate of increase, which is the most important. It works out to be about 1.6 percent net annual increase. In terms of numbers this means something like 40 to 55 million additional people very year. Canada has a population of 20 million, rather less 6 months’ climb in world population. And there are 10 million people in Australia. So, it takes the world less than three moths to add to itself a population, a population of that vast country. Let us come to our own crowded country---- England and Wales; 45--50 million people---- just about a year’s supply. By this time tomorrow, and every day, there will be added to the earth about 120, 000 extra people---- just about the population of the city of York.
I am not talking about birthrate. This is net increase. To give you some idea of birthrate, look at the second hand of your watch. Every second three babies are born somewhere in the world. Another baby! Another baby! Another baby! You cannot speak quickly enough to keep pace with the birthrate.
This enormous increase of population will create immense problems. By 2010 A. D., unless something desperate happens, there will be as many as 7,000, 000, 000 people on the surface of this earth! So this is a problem which you are going to see in your lifetime.
1．The topic for the passage is _________.
A．The Lack of Land Resources B．Population Explosion
C．Your Lifetime D．The Birthrate
2．According to the author, _________ is the most important for population pressure.
A．the net increase rate B．the birthrate
C．the enormous amount of world population D．the population explosion in Australia
3．It can be learned from Paragraph 2 that ________.
A．in more than 6 months, to the world population 20 million will be added
B．three months later, to the population in the world 10 million will be added
C．in less than three months, to the world population 10 million will be added
D．one year later, the population of England and Wales will be doubled
4．Which of the following is TRUE?
A．After 24 hours, 120 thousand babies were born
B．The birthrate is 180 babies every minute.
C．During a year, about 45 million people are born.
D．After a day, York will have 120, 000 extra people.
5．“…something desperate happens” in the last paragraph can be best replaced by _________.
A．the world wars break out B．people are in despair
C．birth control policy is adopted
D．people realize the seriousness of the population problem
第II卷
注意事项：
1. 用黑色墨水的钢笔或签字笔将答案写在答题纸上。2. 本卷共6小题，共35分。
第三部分：写作
第一节 阅读表达（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）
阅读下面短文，并根据题目要求用英语回答问题（请注意问题后的字数要求）。
Several years ago, while attending a communication course, I experienced a most unusual process. The instructor asked us to list anything in our past that we felt ashamed of, regretted or incomplete about and read our lists aloud.
This seemed like a very private process, but there’s always some brave soul in the crowd who will volunteer. The instructor then suggested that we find ways to make an apology to people, or take some action to right any wrong doings. I was seriously wondering how this could ever improve my communication.
Then the man next to me raised his hand and volunteered this story: “Making my list, I remembered an incident from high school. I grew up in a small town. There was a Sheriff that none of us kids liked. One night, my two buddies and I decided to play a trick on him.
After drinking a few beers, we climbed the tall water tank in the middle of the town, and wrote on the tank in bright red paint: Sheriff Brown is an s.o.b. (畜生). The next day, almost the whole town saw our glorious sign. Within two hours, Sheriff Brown had us in his office. My friends told the truth but I lied. No one ever found out.”
“Nearly 20 years later, Sheriff Brown’s name appears on my list. I didn’t even know if he was still alive. Last weekend, I dialed the information in my hometown and found there was a Roger Brown still listed. I tried his number. After a few rings, I heard, “Hello?” I said, “Sheriff Brown?” paused. “Yes.” “Well, this is Jimmy Calkins.”
“And I want you to know that I did it？”Paused. “I knew it!” he yelled back. We had a good laugh and a lively discussion. His closing words were: “Jimmy, I always felt bad for you because your buddies got it off their chest, but you were carrying it around all these years. I want to thank you for calling me for your sake.”
Jimmy inspired me to clear up all 101 items on my list within two years, and I always remember what I learned from the course: It’s never too late to right the past wrongdoings.
56. What was the uneasy part of communication course about for the writer?
____________________________________________________________________________
57. Please explain the underlined word “buddies” in English.
_________________________________________________________________________
58. Please state one of your wrongdoings and how to right it.
____________________________________________________________________________
59. Why did Sheriff Brown pause twice before he could carry on the telephone conversation?
____________________________________________________________________________
60. What does the writer learn from the course?
_________________________________________________________________________
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