Geniuses amaze us，impress us and make us all a little jealous. How do they differ from the average person？Scientists are working hard to figure out that answer. Tune in to the National Geographic Channel to find out about the discoveries they’re making in the series My Brilliant Brain.
When Marc Yu was only two years old，he began to play the piano. After a year, he started learning pieces by Beethoven. Now he’s a world-famous concert pianist at age eight. He learns newer and more difficult pieces with ease and can identify any note he hears. He seems to be specially designed for music. In Born Genius, National Geographic looks at the science behind child prodigies （神童） to explain why some children seem to be born without limits.
Geniuses didn’t come naturally to Tommy McHugh. His came only after he nearly died from bleeding in his brain. After recovering, McHugh’s head was filled with new thoughts and picture. So, he began to express them in the form of poetry and art. Now, he’s a seemingly unstoppable creative machine. Suffers of brain injury have shown that great mental ability can sometimes come from damage or disease. Accidental Genius explores this puzzling relationship.
Can normal people be trained to be geniuses? Susan Polger has shown no sign of extraordinary intelligence. Yet, during her childhood, she studied thousands of chess patterns and learned to recognize them immediately. As a result, she was able to beat skilled adult players by age 10 and can now play up to five games at the same time without even seeing the boards. Make Me a Genius examines what is takes to turn an ordinary brain into that of a genius.
If becoming a genius were easy, we’d all be done. Yet, there is much more to super intelligence than simply being born lucky. Learn more about amazing brains this month on National Geographic’s My Brilliant Brain. In paragraph 2, Marc Yu’s story tells us_________________.
| A．a child prodigy can work easier than others. |
| B．a child prodigy is trained by family. |
| C．a child prodigy has an unbelievable listening skill. |
| D．a child prodigy always practise his skills. |
In paragraph 3, the sentence “Geniuses didn’t come naturally to Tommy McHugh.” means that ______________.
| A．Tommy McHugh could not be called a genius. |
| B．Tommy McHugh became a genius when he was young. |
| C．Tommy McHugh was a robot but not a real human being. |
| D．Tommy McHugh became a genius after a sudden accident. |
The writer provides different examples to _____________.
| A．show how people can be geniuses. | B．show becoming a genius is easy. |
| C．show geniuses are common. | D．show people know how to explain geniuses. |
The passage may come from_________.
| A．a report | B．a novel | C．a TV program | D．a newspaper |
In all the world's cultures, people sing, play instruments, and celebrate with music． It plays such an important role in our lives that all fields focus on its study, including one looking at the biology of music． Experts are finding that because of the way our brains process music, learning to play an instrument or just listening to music can have a wide range of benefits．
Music education has received a lot of attention． Learning to play an instrument can help children improve math, science, and language skills． One study in Canada tracked children's IQ scores for nine months, discovering that children who studied music had the biggest test score improvements． The secret may lie in the way reading music and playing notes uses several areas of the brain, increasing our ability to learn school subjects． For example, reading notes improves spatial （空间的） reasoning skills, which are helpful in solving math problems like fractions（分数）．
Music is also used for medical purposes, such as the treatment of diseases which affect memory． The secret lies in the way the brain processes music． One area near the forehead, the medial prefrontal cortex, connects music with memories stored in two other areas: the amygdale and hippocampus． That's why an old song can remind you of something that happened years ago． For patients suffering from diseases like Alzheimer's, listening to music can help unlock buried memories by strengthening musical pathways to memories．
With the evidence of music's benefits pouring in, it's no wonder some countries make music study a part of their education systems． People are recognizing that more than just a form of entertainment, music is also great for the brain．Scientists are studying music because _______．
| A．music can be used for medical treatments |
| B．music plays a very important role in our lives |
| C．our brains can possess music in different ways |
| D．music education has received a lot of attention |
According to the Canadian study, which children had increased IQ scores?
| A．Those who already had high IQs． |
| B．Those who had always played music． |
| C．Those who could not play any instrument． |
| D．Those who studied music for a period of time． |
Which of the following is a kind of disease?
| A．Spatial reasoning． | B．Alzheimer's． |
| C．The amygdale and hippocampus． | D．The medial prefrontal cortex． |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Music and health | B．Music and the mind |
| C．Music and education | D．Music and instruments |
Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal（信号）. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize（强调）the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job．In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand．I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled．After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to _______.
| A．develop closer relations | B．share the same culture |
| C．get to know each other | D．keep each other company |
The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that _______.
| A．the English prefer to make long speeches |
| B．too many words are of no use |
| C．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature |
| D．even talk and silence can be culturally different |
According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?
| A．By sharing different ways of life. |
| B．By accepting different habits. |
| C．By recognizing different values. |
| D．By speaking each other' s languages. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Multicultural Environment. |
| B．Cross-Cultural Differences. |
| C．How to Understand Each Other. |
| D．How to Build Up a Relationship. |
| Looking for Teens Interested in Child Care This is a chance for teens to accompany a child through projects and activities, play with them indoors and outdoors, help with arts and crafts ,deliver flyers to homes in the neighborhood，and so on. When: We welcome teen volunteers whenever they are available. How often: Our volunteers determine the amount of time they give and their schedule. Where: Wilder Child Development Center, 911 Lafond Ave. St. Paul |
| Library Intern （实习生） Part-time, Temporary $12.48一$13 .87 /per hour Program: Wilder Research Responsibilities: Help with moving to new buildings, record reports and other documents using a specialized library database, get items from area libraries, help library users, help with literature searches, other everyday library chores, and so on. Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree with some library experience or a current Master of Library and Information Science student. Strong attention to detail, good search skills and customer service skills. How to apply: Send resume to Wilder Research, 1295 Bandna Blvd, or send an e-mail to jobs@wilder.org. |
| Site Responder Part-time , Regular $9.46一$10.52/per hour Program: Jackson St. Village Responsibilities: Work at night to handle emergencies, provide services such as lawn care and snow removal, support the needs of residents and take care of the property and buildings. Qualifications: Must have good communication skills and must be able to solve the problems and concerns of the residents, their visitors, and staff. Individuals or teams are encouraged to apply. How to apply: Send resume to Wilder Foundation, 516 Humboldt Avenue, St.Paul, MN 55107 or a fax to （651） 223-7273, or an e-mail to jobs@wilder.org. |
As a volunteer in the child center, __________．
| A．you should follow the schedule of the center strictly |
| B．you must keep the child you look after indoors |
| C．you will earn some money for what you have done |
| D．you yourself can decide how long to stay there |
What may NOT be needed if you apply to Wilder Research program?
| A．A college degree and library experience. |
| B．Having knowledge of the Internet. |
| C．Being willing to help others. |
| D．Being able to handle emergencies. |
From the third advertisement, we can learn that __________．
| A．only individuals can apply for the job |
| B．applicants should pay close attention to detail |
| C．applicants are required to do some physical work |
| D．applicants will deliver flyers homes in the neighborhood. |
The three advertisements _________．
| A．are not all for part-time opportunities |
| B．are not all chances to make some extra money |
| C．all can be communicated on the Internet |
| D．are offered by the same organization |
European Work Experience Programme
European Work Experience Programme (E.W.E.P.) is an independent British organization which began in 1991 in the city of London. E.W.E.P. provides the opportunity for students from the 25 countries of the European Union and nationals（公民）from Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein to live in England, to gain work experience, to practise their English and to get a better insight into the British social and cultural life.
To apply you must fulfil（符合）the following requirements:
◆ Preferred age: 18 to 28 years’ old
◆ Be able to work in the UK for a period of at least two months.
◆ Must have a good knowledge of English.
◆ Due to work permit restrictions (限制), European Work Experience Programme Ltd (E.W.E.P) will only select you if you are a European Union Member or national from Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
European Work Experience Programme Ltd will find you a suitable job and an accommodation. A representative of E.W.E.P. will be available during your stay to help you and you will get a 24 hours help line service during your stay. The TOTAL fee（费用）for our services is £ 264.63 (394.35 Euros).
Should you require any further information, please contact us:
European Work Experience Programme Ltd
Unit 1, Red Lion Court, Alexandra Road
Hounslow, Middlesex, TW3 1JS
United Kingdom
Tel: 44 208 572 2993
Fax: 44 208 572 1114
E-mail: sales@ewep.com
What’s the purpose of writing the text?
| A．To introduce a new programme in England |
| B．To attract more students to work in England |
| C．To describe the working conditions in England |
| D．To make clear the requirements for students working in England |
If you apply for the programme, you __________.
| A．must be 18 to 26 years’ old |
| B．be able to speak at least three languages |
| C．must be nationals from the countries mentioned in the text |
| D．should have some working experience in a foreign country |
You can get in touch with E. W. E. P. Ltd by the following ways EXCEPT by_____.
| A．making a telephone call | B．sending the organization a fax |
| C．writing an e-mail to the organization | D．going there in person by air |
About ten men in every hundred suffer from color blindness in some way. Women are luckier, only about one in two hundred is affected in this matter. Perhaps, after all, it is safer to be driven by a woman!
There are different forms of color blindness. In some cases a man can not see deep red. He may think that red, orange and yellow are all shades of green. Sometimes a person cannot tell the difference between blue and green. In rare cases an unlucky man may see everything in shades of green - a strange world indeed.
Color blindness in human beings is a strange thing to explain. In a single eye there are millions of very small things called “cones”. These help us to see in a bright light and to tell difference between colors. There are also millions of “rods” but these are used for seeing when it is nearly dark. They show us shape but no color.
Some insects have favorite colors. Mosquitoes (蚊子) like blue but do not like yellow. A red light will not attract insects, but a blue lamp will. In a similar way human beings also have favorite colors. Yet we are lucky. With the aid of the cones in our eyes we can see many beautiful colors by day, and with the aid of the rods we can see shapes at night. One day we may even learn more about the invisible (看不见的) colors around.Why do some people say it is safer to be driven by women?
| A．Women are more careful. |
| B．There are few color-blind women. |
| C．Women are fonder of driving than men. |
| D．Women are weaker but quicker in thinking |
This passage is mainly about ________.
| A．color and its surprising effects |
| B．women being luckier than men |
| C．danger caused by color blindness |
| D．color blindness |
According to the passage, with the help of the “cones”， we can ________.
| A．tell orange from yellow |
| B．see in weak light |
| C．kill mosquitoes |
| D．tell different shapes |
We can attract and kill mosquitoes by using a ________.
| A．red light | B．yellow light | C．blue light | D．green light |
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