Architects have long had the feeling that the places we live in can affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. But now scientists are giving this feeling an empirical (经验的，实证的) basis. They are discovering how to design spaces that promote creativity, keep people focused and lead to relaxation.
Researches show that aspects of the physical environment can influence creativity. In 2007, Joan Meyers-Levy at the University of Minnesota, reported that the height of a room’s ceiling affects how people think. Her research indicates that higher ceilings encourage people to think more freely, which may lead them to make more abstract connections. Low ceilings, on the other hand, may inspire a more detailed outlook.
In additions to ceiling height, the view afforded by a building may influence an occupant’s ability to concentrate. Nancy Wells and her colleagues at Cornell University found in their study that kids who experienced the greatest increase in greenness as a result of a family move made the most gains on a standard test of attention.
Using nature to improve focus of attention ought to pay off academically, and it seems to, according to a study led by C. Kenneth Tanner, head of the School Design & Planning Laboratory at the University of Georgia. Tanner and his team found that students in classrooms with unblocked views of at least 50 feet outside the window had higher scores on tests of vocabulary, language arts and maths than did students whose classrooms primarily overlooked roads and parking lots.
Recent study on room lighting design suggests than dim (暗淡的) light helps people to loosen up. If that is true generally, keeping the light low during dinner or at parties could increase relaxation. Researchers of Harvard Medical School also discovered that furniture with rounded edges could help visitors relax.
So far scientists have focused mainly on public buildings. “We have a very limited number of studies, so we’re almost looking at the problem through a straw (吸管),” architect David Allison says. “How do you take answers to very specific questions and make broad, generalized use of them? That’s what we’re all struggling with.”What does Joan Meyers-Levy focus on in her research?
| A．Light. | B．Ceilings. |
| C．Windows. | D．Furniture. |
The passage tells us that ___________.
A. the shape of furniture may affect people’s feelings
B. lower ceilings may help improve students’ creativity
C. children in a dim classroom may improve their grades
D students in rooms with unblocked views may feel relaxedThe underlined sentence in the last paragraph probably means that __________.
A. the problem is not approached step by step
B. the researches so far have faults in themselves
C. the problem is too difficult for researchers to detect
D research in this area is not enough to make generalized patterns
Birds that are half-asleep—with one brain hemisphere (半球) alert and the other sleeping—control which side of the brain remains awake, according to a new study of sleeping ducks.
Earlier studies have documented half-brain sleep in a wide range of birds. The brain hemispheres take turns sinking into the sleep stage characterized by slow brain waves. The eye controlled by the sleeping hemisphere keeps shut, while the wakeful hemisphere’s eye stays open and alert. Birds also can sleep with both hemispheres resting at once.
Decades of studies of bird groups led researchers to predict extra alertness in the end-of-the-row sleepers which tend to be attacked more easily. Sure enough, the end birds tended to watch carefully on the side away from their companions. Ducks in the inner spots showed no preference for gaze direction.
Also, birds napping at the end of the line depend on single-hemisphere sleep, rather than total relaxation, more often than inner ducks did. Turning 16 birds through the positions in a four-duck row, the researchers found that compared with 12% for birds in inner spots, outer birds half sleep during some 32% of napping time.
“We believe this is the first evidence for an animal behaviorally controlling sleep and wakefulness at the same time in different regions of the brain,” the researchers say.
The results provide the best evidence for a long-standing assumption that single-hemisphere sleep evolved when creatures scanned for enemies. The preference for opening an eye on the lookout side could be widespread, he predicts. He’s seen it in a pair of birds napping side by side in the zoo and in a single pet bird sleeping by a mirror. The mirror-side eye closed as if the reflection were a companion and the other eye stayed open.
Useful as half-sleeping might be, it’s only been found in birds and such water animals as dolphins, whales, and seals. Perhaps keeping one side of the brain awake allows a sleeping animal to surface occasionally to avoid drowning.
Studies of birds may offer unique insights(理解) into sleep. Jerome M. Siegel of the UCLA says he wonders if birds’ half-brain sleep “is just the tip of the iceberg.” He supposes that more examples may turn up when we take a closer look at other species.According to the passage, birds often half sleep because _________________________.
| A．they have to watch out for possible attacks |
| B．their brain hemispheres take turns to rest |
| C．the two halves of their brain are differently structured |
| D．they have to constantly keep an eye on their companions |
What does the underlined word “evolved” mean in paragraph 6?
| A．developed | B．changed |
| C．disappeared | D．helped |
What is implied about the example of a bird's sleeping in front of a mirror?
| A．Birds prefer to sleep in pairs for the sake of their security. |
| B．An imagined companion gives the bird a sense of security. |
| C．The phenomenon of birds napping in pairs is widespread. |
| D．A single pet bird enjoys seeing its own reflection in the mirror. |
While sleeping, some water animals tend to keep half awake in order to _________________.
| A．alert themselves to the approaching enemy |
| B．surface from water now and then to breathe |
| C．be sensitive to the ever-changing environment |
| D．avoid being swept away by rapid currents |
It can be inferred that _______________________.
| A．birds never sleep with both hemispheres resting at once. |
| B．inner ducks depend on single-hemisphere sleep, rather than total relaxation, as often as birds napping at the end of the line do. |
| C．it is not the first time for scientists to research on birds’ half-brain sleep |
| D．birds hardly sleep without a companion |
By saying “just the tip of the iceberg”, Siegel suggests that _________________________.
| A．half-brain sleep has something to do with icy weather |
| B．the mystery of half-brain sleep is close to being solved |
| C．most birds living in cold regions tend to be half sleepers |
| D．half-brain sleep may exist among other species |
When we say older people shrink, we don't mean they become tiny enough to fit in your pocket! We just mean that it's common for older people to become a little shorter over time. This kind of shrinking can't be reversed, although people can slow or stop this process. But why does shrinking happen at all?
Because of gravity (the force that keeps your feet on the ground) , cushions between the bones in the spine (脊骨), get compressed (压缩), which makes a person lose a little height and become shorter.
Another reason why some older people shrink is because of osteoporosis (骨质疏松). Osteoporosis occurs when bone is broken down and not enough new bone material is made. Over time, bone is said to be lost because it's not being replaced. Bones become smaller and weaker and can easily break if someone with osteoporosis is injured.
Older people—especially women, who generally have smaller and lighter bones to begin with—are more likely to develop osteoporosis. As years go by, a person with osteoporosis can get small breaks in bones that are called compression fractures(受压骨折). These breaks cause collapse of the spine and over time the person with osteoporosis can become hunched over (驼背).
Did you know that every day you shrink a little, too? You aren't as tall at the end of the day as you are at the beginning. That's because as the day goes on, water in the disks of the spine gets compressed due to gravity, making you just a tiny bit shorter. Don't worry, though. Once you get a good night's rest, your body recovers, and the next morning, you're standing tall again!
Smoking and drinking alcohol can make this problem worse. Want to do something right now to build strong bones? I believe what I will say will help you.Which of the following statements is true?
| A．For shrinking, people can do nothing about it. |
| B．If someone is injured, he will become shorter. |
| C．Women have smaller and lighter bones than men. |
| D．We aren't as tall at the end of the day as we are at the beginning. |
What should we do if we don't want to shrink faster?
| A．We should try to reduce gravity. |
| B．We should be careful not to be hurt by others. |
| C．We should sleep as long as possible. |
| D．We should keep away from smoking and drinking alcohol. |
What is the topic of the passage?
| A．How can we stop shrinking? |
| B．Why do we shrink? |
| C．Some tips on how to keep tall. |
| D．How to live a healthy life. |
About osteoporosis, we know that _______.
| A．gravity is one of the causes of osteoporosis |
| B．once our bone is broken down, osteoporosis will occur |
| C．women are more likely to develop osteoporosis |
| D．if we develop osteoporosis, we are more likely to be shorter |
What will the author talk about in the paragraph to be followed?
| A．Tell us how to grow taller. |
| B．Tell us how to become healthier. |
| C．Tell us how to avoid being shrinking. |
| D．Tell us what to do to have strong bones. |
Slang is a popular, less official and often very current form of language. It is an important part of a living language and is constantly changing as language changes. Slang is often playful, direct and sometimes less respectful than the more official and traditional version of language. So now I'm going to lay it on you! To “lay it on” is American slang for “to tell” or “to explain.”
Slang can take many forms. For example, slang can be local to one city or area. In Washington, D.C. there is a whole set of slang to describe politics and business in the city. For example, the term POTUS stands for President of the United States. POTUS can often be found with his wife, FLOTUS, the first lady of the United States. “Inside the Beltway” is a popular expression that describes the area of Washington, D.C. The beltway is the large highway that circles the city.
The Internet has helped create a whole new kind of computer-related slang. An “angry fruit salad” is an expression that describes a website with too many bright colors. “Netiquette” is slang for correct behavior when using the Internet.
Young people often develop the latest slang. For example, to say Special English “rocks” or is “phat” means Special English is really great. A “kegger” is a party where beer is served. If something is “wack”, it is wild and crazy.
Different professions often have their own slang as well. For example, medical workers might refer to a complaining patient as a “gomer”. A "tough stick" is someone whose veins are difficult to find when he or she needs to have blood taken.
No matter how well you speak English, there are always new and interesting slang words to discover. There are entire dictionaries for describing slang. Many experts do not even agree on what is and what is not slang. Often slang words later become a part of officially accepted language. Official or not, slang is an energetic and exciting part of the American language that continues to change.Which of the following is NOT true for slang compared with the official language?
| A．Playful | B．Direct |
| C．Less respectful | D．More official |
It can be inferred from the passage that______.
| A．if you speak English very well, there is no problem for you to understand English speakers |
| B．slang words are created by people in their daily life |
| C．English speakers are clear whether it is a slang |
| D．slang words will never be accepted as official language |
Which of the following is not mentioned to have helped create slang?
| A．The internet. | B．Young people. |
| C．President of the United States. | D．Professions |
Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
| A．What is slang? | B．Slang is popular. |
| C．Who creates slang? | D．Slang is a language. |
A cancer-stricken British teenage girl said Thursday she had been moved by messages of support from around the world after writing an online "Bucket List" of things she wanted to do before dying.
Alice Pyne, l5, created an Internet blog in which she described her fight against a cancer of the white blood cells. “I’ve been fighting cancer for almost four years and now l know that the cancer is gaining on me and it doesn't look like I'm going to win this one," she wrote.
For her list, the teenager took inspiration from the 2007 film "The Bucket List", in which two terminally ill (患绝症的) men, played by Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, draw up a list of things they wish to do before they die.
On her list, at the site www. alicepyne. blogspot. com, she has included making everyone sign up to be a bone marrow donor (骨髓捐赠者), swimming with sharks, meeting boy band Take That and getting a purple iPad computer.
Messages of support and offers of help quickly flooded her webpage and it became one of the most talked about subjects on Twitter.
“Oh dear, and I thought that I was just doing a little blog for a few friends!" she wrote after her site attracted huge attention. " Thank you so much for all your lovely messages to me."
Pyne, who lives with her family in the northwest English town of Ulverston, revealed (透露) that Take That had arranged for her to see the band after reading her blog. A group of local lawmakers have also joined forces with the Anthony Nolan blood cancer charity to encourage people to join its stem cell register.What happened after Alice Pyne wrote her "Bucket List"?
| A．The media called on people to help her. |
| B．People sent gifts to her from all over the world. |
| C．A lot of people offered to donate bone marrow to her. |
| D．People around the world sent messages to support her. |
Alice Pyne wrote her "Bucket List" to ____________________.
| A．express her last few wishes |
| B．say goodbye to a few friends |
| C．give comfort to two terminally ill men |
| D．catch people's attention |
It can be inferred from the second paragraph that Alice Pyne ______________________.
| A．is unaware of her own conditions |
| B．is calm to know that death is approaching |
| C．is very sad to know that she will die |
| D．is still quite confident in fighting against cancer |
Which of the following is NOT on Alice Pyne's "Bucket List"?
| A．To meet a boy. |
| B．To get a cool computer. |
| C．To swim with sharks. |
| D．To ask people to donate bone marrow. |
Take That will arrange to _______________________.
| A．invite Pyne to join the band |
| B．help Pyne in any possible way |
| C．donate money to Pyne |
| D．meet Pyne in person |
Treasure hunts （寻宝）have excited people’s imagination for hundreds of years both in real life and in books such as Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island .Kit Williams ,a modern writer ,had the idea of combining the real excitement of a treasure hunt with clues （线索）found in a book when he wrote a children’s story Masquerade, in 1979. The book was about a hare ,and a month before it came out, Williams buried a gold hare in a park in Bedfordshire .The book contained a large number of clues to help readers find the hare ,but Williams put in a lot of “red herrings ”,or false clues ,to mislead them.
Ken Roberts ,the man who found the hare ,had been looking for it for nearly two years .Although he had been searching in the wrong area most of the time ,he found it by logic （逻辑）,not by luck .His success came from the fact that he had gained an important clue at the start .He had realized that the words :“One of Six to Eight” under the first picture in the book connected the hare in some way to Katherine of Aragon ,the first of Henry VIII’s six wives. Even here ,however ,Williams had succeeded in misleading him .Ken knew that Katherine of Aragon had died at Kimbolton in Cambridgeshire in 1536 and thought that Williams had buried the hare there .He had been digging there for over a year before a new idea occurred to him. He found out that Kit Williams had spent his childhood near Ampthill ,in Befordshire and thought that he must have buried the hare in a place he knew well ,but he still could not see the connection with Katherine of Aragon ,until one day he came across two stone crosses in Ampthill Park and learnt that they had been built in her honor in 1773.
Even then his search had not come to an end. It was only after he had spent several nights digging around the cross that he decided to write to Kit Williams to find out if he was wasting his time there .Williams encouraged him to continue ,and on February 24th 1982 ,he found the treasure. It was worth £ 3000 in the beginning ,but the excitement it had caused since its burial made it much more valuable .
The underlined word “them”（paragraph1）refers to .
| A．red herrings | B．treasure hunts |
| C．Henry VIII’s six wives | D．readers of Masquerade |
What is the most important clue in the story to help Ken Roberts find the hare ?
| A．Two stone crosses in Ampthill |
| B．Stevenson’s Treasure Island |
| C．Katherine of Aragon |
| D．Williams’ hometown |
The stone crosses in Ampthill were built .
| A．to tell about what happened in 1773 |
| B．to show respect for Henry VIII’s first wife |
| C．to serve as a road sign in Ampthill Park |
| D．to inform people where the gold hare was |
Which of the following describes Roberts’ logic in searching for the hare ?
a.Henry VIII’s six wives
b.Katherine’s burial place at Kimbolton
c.Williams’ childhood in Ampthill
d.Katherine of Aragon
e.stone crosses in Ampthill Park
| A．a—b—c—e—d | B．d—b—c—e—a |
| C．a—d—b—c—e | D．b—a—e—c—d |
What is the subject discussed in the text ?
| A．An exciting historical event |
| B．A modern treasure hunt |
| C．The attraction of Masquerade |
| D．The importance of logical thinking |
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