Many people think of the brain as a mystery.They don't know much about intelligence and how it works.When they do think about what intelligence is，many people believe that a person is born smart，average，or dumb—and stays that way in the whole life.But new research shows that the brain is more like a muscle—it changes and gets stronger when you use it.And scientists have been able to show just how the brain grows and gets stronger when you learn.
Everyone knows that when you lift weights，your muscles get bigger and you get stronger.A person who can't lift 20 pounds when he/she starts exercising can get strong enough to lift 100 pounds after working out for a long time.That's because the muscles become larger and stronger with exercise.And when you stop exercising，the muscles shrink and you get weaker.That's why people say “Use it or lose it！”
But most people don't know that when they practice and learn new things，parts of their brain change and get larger a lot like muscles do when they exercise. Inside the cortex(皮层)of the brain are billions of tiny nerve cells，called neurons. The nerve cells have branches connecting them to other cells in a complicated network. Communication between these brain cells is what allows us to think and solve problems. When you learn new things，these tiny connections in the brain actually multiply and get stronger.The more you challenge your mind to learn，the more your brain cells grow.Then，things that you once found very hard or even impossible to do—like speaking a foreign language or doing algebra(代数)—seem to become easy after learning them for a period of time.The result is a stronger，smarter brain.
Scientists started thinking that the human brain could develop and change when they studied animals'brains.They found out that animals that lived in a challenging environment were more perspicacious—they were better at solving problems and learning new things.According to the first paragraph，________.
| A．the function of our brain is like that of the muscle |
| B．until now it's impossible to explain the brain's mystery |
| C．many people believe one's intelligence is naturally determined |
| D．one's brain grows stronger as the age increases |
Training muscles is compared to ________.
| A．using the brain |
| B．connecting things in your brain |
| C．lifting weights |
| D．doing research about the brain |
What does the underlined word“perspicacious”in the last paragraph probably mean?
| A．Strong. | B．Smart. |
| C．Popular. | D．Active. |
The following paragraph will most probably talk about ________.
| A．the differences between animals'brains and humans'brains |
| B．the relation between human brains and muscles |
| C．scientists' findings about animals' brains |
| D．how to make your brain smarter through selfdevelopment |
“Plants were expected to get larger with increased carbon dioxide in atmosphere, but changes in temperature, humidity(湿度) and nutrient availability（养分有效性） seem to trumped the benefits of increased carbon dioxide，” said researchers from the National University of Singapore.
45 percent of the species studied now reach smaller adult sizes than they did in the past. The researchers pointed out that warmer temperatures and changing habitats, caused by climate change, are possible reasons for shrinking(缩小的) creatures.
“We do not yet know the mechanisms（原理） involved, or why some organism are getting smaller while others are unaffected，” the researchers said. “Until we understand more, we could be risking negative consequences that we can't yet quantify.”
The change was big in coldblooded animals. Only two decades of warmer temperatures were enough to make reptiles（爬行动物） smaller. An increase of 1 degree centigrade caused nearly a 10 percent increase in metabolism (新陈代谢). Greater use of energy resulted in tiny tortoises and little lizards. Fish are smaller now too. Though overfishing has played a part in reducing numbers, experiments show that warmer temperatures also stop fish growth. There is a recent report on warmer temperatures' negative effects on plankton（浮游生物）, the base of the marine（海洋的） ecosystem.
Warmblooded animals weren't immune（免于） from the size change caused by climate change. Many birds are now smaller. Mammals have been miniaturized too. Soay sheep are thinner. Red deer are weaker. And polar bears are smaller, compared with historical records.
This is not the first time this has happened in Earth's history. 55 million years ago, a warming event similar to the current climate change caused bees, spiders and ants to shrink by 50 to 75 percent over several thousand years. That event happened over a long time than the current climate change.
The speed of modern climate change could mean organisms may not respond or adapt quickly enough, especially those with long generation times. So, it is likely that more negative influences of climate change will be shown in future.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? ________
| A．Why do some species become smaller? |
| B．Species become smaller as climate warms |
| C．Climate change has many negative effects |
| D．How does temperature change in Earth's history? |
The underlined word “trumped” in the first paragraph can be replaced by ________.
| A．been neglected by | B．been less than |
| C．been weakened by | D．had strong influences than |
Researchers from the National University of Singapore believe that ________.
| A．too many studies on animals' size have been done |
| B．all the animals on the earth have become smaller |
| C．how climate change effects animals' size has not been found clearly |
| D．people can avoid the negative effects of climate change |
What can we learn from the passage? ________
| A．Ants, bees and spiders have been shrinking by 50% to 70% in the past decade. |
| B．Birds have suffered more from climate change than fish. |
| C．Climate change has even affected plankton negatively. |
| D．A warming event causing species to become smaller has never happened before. |
I was driving home the other day on a sunny afternoon. I had a smile on my face as I sang along to the songs on the radio. It was such a beautiful day that I felt full of happiness. My good mood ended, however, when the radio station took a news break between songs. Then suddenly I found myself listening to yet another story of a rich famous man who had broken the law. I shook my head as I came to a red traffic light.
As I pulled to a stop I noticed four leatherjacketed bikers. They were standing in the middle of the road with two on either side of the light. They looked rough and dangerous, but as I got closer I noticed each one was holding their helmet in their hands. I rolled down my window as one approached my car. “We are the Brother of the Wheel，” he said. “We are collecting money for Christmas Toy Drive for needy children.” As I pulled a dollar out of my wallet I looked past his beard and into his eyes. They shined with goodness and kindness that came right from his soul. I dropped the money in his helmet and waved to the other bikers as I drove off. My good mood had returned. My faith in mankind had been bolstered. And I remembered once again never to judge people by their appearance.
Our society often judges books by their covers but God reads what is written in our hearts and souls. Perhaps one day we will all learn to see the world through the same eyes. Perhaps one day we will realize that looks matter little and actions matter much.The writer's good mood ended when ________.
| A．he heard a rich man broke the law |
| B．he had to stop at a red traffic light |
| C．he heard news between songs |
| D．he saw four leatherjacketed bikers |
What were the four bikers doing at the traffic lights? ________
| A．Raising money to help kids in need. |
| B．Selling helmets to the passersby. |
| C．Having a bicycle race in the street |
| D．Preparing for Christmas holidays. |
What does “bolstered” in the second paragraph probably mean? ________
| A．Destroyed. | B．Exploded. |
| C．Decreased. | D．Improved. |
The writer wants to tell us that we should ________.
| A．have faith in young people |
| B．manage to help others in need |
| C．change our attitude to society |
| D．judge others by their actions |
Eco City Farms are becoming more popular in cities and towns around the United States.
Eco City Farms in Edmonston,Maryland, is located near shopping centers, car repair shops and homes. The neighborhood is a workingclass community. People do not have very much money, and they have limited access to fresh food in markets.
Over the past two years, the farm has attracted volunteers from the community like Marcy Clark. She schools her four children at home. On a recent day she brought them to Eco City Farms for a lesson. Her son Alston Clark thinks his experience is very valuable. “I like coming out here，” he says, “You know, you connect with the earth, where your food comes from. You appreciate the food a little bit more.”
Margaret Morgan started Eco City Farms. She thinks of it as a place where people can learn to live healthier lives. “Growing food in a community brings people together，” she continues, “Every piece of what we do here is a demonstration to show people everything about how to have an ecofriendly community.” she says. From the Eco City Farms people come to know that they are not only growing food and raising chickens and bees, but improving the soil with compost (肥料) made from food waste.
Eco City Farms is an experimental operation. The farm gets its power not from the local electricity networks, but from the sun with solar panels. In winter, the green houses use a geothermal (地热) system.
Vegetables can be grown all year. So once a week, all winter long, neighbors like Chris Moss and her three children bike to the farm to pick up a share of the harvest.
“I like eating the vegetables，” says fiveyearold Owen Moss.What is mainly talked about in the passage? ________
| A．Eco City Farms save a lot of energy. |
| B．Eco City Farms helps the workingclass live better. |
| C．Eco City Farms are influencing community life. |
| D．Eco City Farms are gaining popularity. |
According to the passage, Eco City Farms are close to the following places EXCEPT ________.
| A．fastfood restaurants | B．car repair shops |
| C．shopping centers | D．workingclass community |
What is the author's attitude toward Eco City Farms? ________
| A．Surprised. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Enthusiastic. | D．Doubtful. |
In which column of a newspaper can you most probably read this article? ________
| A．Environment. | B．Travel. |
| C．People. | D．Education. |
The way people hold to the belief that a fun-filled, and pain-free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably(不可避免的) brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment (义务), self - improvement.
Ask a bachelor(单身汉) why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three - day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates （解放）money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because _______ .
| A．he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities |
| B．he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single |
| C．he finds more fun in dating than in marriage |
| D．he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement |
From the last paragraph, we learn that envy sometimes stems from ________ .
| A．hatred | B．misunderstanding |
| C．prejudice | D．ignorance |
What is the author trying to tell us?
| A．Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain. |
| B．One must know how to attain happiness. |
| C．It is important to make commitments. |
| D．It is pain that leads to happiness. |
When a rare disease ALD threatened to kill the four-year-old boy Lorenzo, his parents refused to give up hope. Doctors explained that there was no cure for ALD, and that he would probably die within three years. But Lorenzo’s parents set out to prove the doctors wrong.
The parents devoted themselves to keeping their son alive and searching for a cure. But doctors and the families of other ALD patients often refused to take them seriously. They thought the efforts to find a cure were a waste of time, and drug companies weren’t interested in supporting research into such a rare disease.
However, the parents still refused to give up and spent every available hour in medical libraries and talking to anyone who would help. Through trial and error, they finally created a cure from ingredients (调料) commonly found in the kitchen. The cure, named "Lorenzo’s Oil", saved the boy’s life. Despite the good results, scientists and doctors remained unconvinced. They said there was no real evidence that the oil worked and that the treatment was just a theory. As a result, some families with ALD children were reluctant to try it.
Finally, the boy’s father organized an international study to test the oil. After ten years of trials, the answer is: the oil keeps ALD children healthy.Doctors said that Lorenzo might die within three years because_____ .
| A．they had never treated the disease before |
| B．Lorenzo was too young to be cured |
| C．no cure had been found for ALD |
| D．ALD was a rare disease |
The families of other ALD patients thought that _____ .
| A．the research for the new cure would cost too much money |
| B．the efforts of Lorenzo’s parents were a waste of time |
| C．Lorenzo’s parents would succeed in finding a cure |
| D．Lorenzo’s oil was a real cure for ALD |
Scientists and doctors believed that Lorenzo’s Oil_____.
| A．was really effective | B．was a success story |
| C．only worked in theory | D．would save the boy’s life |
From the passage we can conclude that_____.
| A．doctors remain doubtful of the effectiveness of the cure |
| B．many ALD patients still refuse to use the oil |
| C．various cures have been found for ALD |
| D．the oil really works as a cure for ALD |
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