Do you play a musical instrument? If so, you may be getting smarter. A recent study shows that taking music lessons can raise a person’s IQ.
Scientists studied 132 children in Canadian schools. At the beginning of the school year, these children took an IQ test. Then they were divided into four groups. One group took singing lessons. Another group took weekly piano lessons. The third group took classes in drams(戏剧). And the last group did no special activities at all.
At the end of the school year, the 132 children took an IQ test again. In all four groups, the average score went up. However, the piano players’IQs went up 7.0 points on average. The average increase for the other three groups was only 4.3 points.
The researchers say that the difference is small and it may not result in better grades for the piano players. However, they still consider the results important. Learning an instrument helps kids becomes better at concentrating and at memorizing things. Therefore, the researchers say, it may be good for brain development in young people.
If you have a chance to learn to play a musical instrument, never miss it. Remember it can make you smarter.
Which of the following is NOT true of the study?
A.It was done in Canada. |
B.It was done by some musicians. |
C.It included four groups of children. |
D.It took one school year to complete. |
Which of the following is true?
A.Average IQ scores increased in all the groups. |
B.Only the piano players’ IQs increased. |
C.The average increase for all four groups was 4.3 points. |
D.Most of the children’s IQs did not go up. |
The underlined word “they” in the passage refers to ______.
A. better grades | B.piano players | C.researchers | D.instruments |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.It’s good for us to listen to music. |
B.Everyone should learn to play the piano. |
C.Take an IQ test before you learn instruments. |
D.Learning instruments may make kids smarter. |
Every time you turn on the television or take a ride in a car ,you could be adding to a problem called acid rain(酸雨). In this article, you’ll learn how acid is created, and how it affects us, and more importantly, what we all can do to prevent it.
How is acid rain created?
When people use fuels(燃料), such as coal and gasoline, poisonous gases are give off. When these gases mix with rain, acid rain forms. Many power stations burn fuels in order to creat the electricity(电) that we use in our homes and offices every day. Cars and trucks also send these gases into the air when they burn gasoline .When rain mixes with these gases, harmful things called acids form. This is acid rain.
How does acid rain affect us?
Acid rain damages(毁坏)everything that it touches. It poisons our rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans along with all the life in them. It pollutes our soil and crops, harms trees, and can even kill fish and plants. Acid rain also eats away at buildings.
How can we prevent acid rain?
We need to cut down on the pollution that gets into our air. Turn off lights, television, and other electrical appliances if you are not using them, Walk or take a bike whenever possible. If you are travelling a long distance, take a bus or train to save fuel.
As research shows, acid rain harms our environment. But people everywhere can take small steps now to help protect our environment for future generations.
When power stations burn fuel,_______.
A.acid rain form | B.air pollution is caused |
C.noise pollution is caused | D.acid rain gets heavier |
According to the article, acid rain affects us _______.
A.suddenly | B.slightly | C.seriously | D.immediately |
What advice does the article give us?
A.Go to school on foot or by bike if we can. |
B.Go to bed earlier in order to use less electricity. |
C.Travel by bus to prevent acid rain. |
D.Turn off the television on rainy days. |
What is the best title of the article?
A.Preventing Acid Rain | B.Forming of Acid Rain |
C.Acid rain, Heavy Rain | D.Acid Rain, Killer Rain |
阅读理解
Why do we need to throw less away? There are two reasons. One is that some resources (资源) are nonrenewable (不可再生的) That means there is only a certain amount of that resource in the world . One example of this is oil. When we use up all the oil in the world, there will be no more.
There is another reason for throwing less away. All of our trash has to be put somewhere. Often , it is put into garbage dumps (垃圾场). Much of that trash will be there for hundreds of years. The dumps will be filled up with all this trash.
There are three ways to cut down on trash.
One way is to recycle. When you recycle something, it means it is made into another shape and used again. Old newspaper may become paper bags. A glass jar can be melted(熔化)and made into a bottle .
Another way to cut down on trash is to reuse things. You can wash and use again a bottle that can hold mustard (芥末酱)or something else .
The third way to cut down on trash is to reduce the amount of trash you make, stop buying thing that you don’t need in the first place. That reduce the amount of the earth’s resources that you use.
How many reasons do we need to throw less away?
A. Three B. five C. two
When you reuse something, it means .
A. it is made into another shape and used again
B. it is used again
C. it isn’t used any more
All the ways of cutting down on trash in the passage are to .
A. recycle and reuse things
B. recycles and reduce the amount of trash you make
C. reuse things recycle and reduce the amount of trash you make
If a broken plastic box is changed into a plastic ruler , the way is to .
A. recycle B. reuse C. reduce
The word “reduce” in the passage means .
A. 还原 B. 减少 C. 增加
There are about 80,000,000 mines* under the ground in more . than 60 countries. It is difficult and dangerous to clear these rnines, About 50 people including many children were’ killed ‘or htirt each iay. In 2003, APOPO, a Dutch research com pan y that uains the an imals, came up with the-idea of s\ng rats to search for the mines.
The animal trainers ‘found that a kind of rats from Africa were clever and had.a sharp* sense of smell. The rats were about 75 cm long and.weighed about l.35 kg, light enough to run across a minefield without setting off the mines.
In January 2004, the APOPO started this project. First, the trainers let the 4-week-old baby rats get familiar with humans. A few weeks later, the rats were no Ionger afraid of people and ‘the things around them. Then they were trained to connect a click* sound with food. After the rats had leamed that, the trainers then taught them to tell the difference between the smell of mines and other smells. When the rats could do it, the click was sounded and they were given a bit of banana. The method was called clicker training. “The training isn’t easy, said trainer Abdullah Mchomvu. “You have to be patient. Sometimes I get angry, but then again, I tell myself these are animals.”
After nine months’training, the rats were taken to a minefield. They’ran across the minefield, stopped, sat and scratched the ground to tell the deminers* that they smelt out’a mine. Then the mine was cleared. It had taken two ‘deminers a day to clear a 200㎡ . minefield, but with the help of two rats ‘they could finish it in two hours.
The rats and the deminers saved thousands of lives, “The rats did this job much better than we expected. So far they have helped to make almost 2,000,000㎡ of land safe. They are heroes,” said Bart Weeqens, the head of the APOPO.
The APOPO trained the rats to search for .
A.children | B.animals | C.mines | D.bananas |
While training the rats, the trainers have to be
A.patient | B.clever | C.brave | D.serious |
How long did the training last?
A.Two hours. | B.One day. | C.Four weeks. | D.Nine months. |
Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A.Each day about 200 people were killed or hurt by mines, |
B.The APOPO started to train the rats in January 2004. |
C.The trainers gave the rats food after they smelt out a mine. |
D.The rats and the deminers saved thousands of lives. |
Laboratory work is your chance to learn science firsthand. It can be fun but you must be careful to prevent injury. Listen closely when your teacher reads and explains the rules before your first lab lesson.
LABORATORYRULES
Throughout the lesson
·Do not enter the science lab without the teacher’s permission.·No food or drinks are to be alowed in the science lab.
Before the Experiment
·Read al instructions carefuly before every experiment.
·Prepare al apparatus(仪器)and arrange them so that you wil not knock them over while doing the experiment.
During the Experiment
·If you are unsure of how to use any apparatus or how to operate, ask your teacher for help.·Never smel or taste chemicals unless your teacher gives permission.
After the Experiment
·Wash al apparatus after use and return them to the places where they were.
·Throw waste materials in proper waste baskets.
First Aid
·Report al accidents to your teacher immediately.
·If you spil( 溅 出 )any chemicals onto your body or clothing, wash with plenty of water and report to your teacher.
Your teacher wil probably tel you the rules above _____ the first lab lesson.
A.before | B.since | C.during | D.after |
Before every experiment, you should _____.
A.taste the chemicals first |
B.clean al the apparatus |
C.read al instructions carefuly |
D.report al the accidents to the teacher |
When you are not sure how to use al apparatus, _____.
A. try them on your own
B. read the rules carefuly
C. ask your teacher for help
d. put them back
It is clear that you can _____.
A.bring food into the lab |
B.enter the lab anytime |
C.smel chemicals as you like |
D.learn science directly in the lab |
If you get chemicals on the clothing, you can find ways to solve it in the part _____.
A.Before the Experiment |
B.First Aid |
C.During the Experiment |
D.After the Experiment |
阅读理解
Today almost everyone knows computers and the Internet. If I ask you “What is the most important in your life?” maybe you will say “Computers and the Internet.”
The first computer was made in 1946. it was very big but it worked slowly. Today computers are getting smaller and smaller. But they work faster and faster. What can computers do? A writer has said, “People can’t live without computers today.”
The Internet came a little later than computers. It is about twenty-five years later than computers. But now it can be found almost everywhere. We can use it to read books, writer letters, do shopping, play computer games or make friends.
Many students like the Internet very much. They often go into the Internet as soon as they are free. They make friends on the Internet and maybe they have never seen these friends. They don’t know their real names, ages, and even sex. They are so interested in making the “unreal friends” that they can’t put their hearts into study. Many of them can’t catch up with others on many subjects because of that.
We can use computers and the Internet to learn more about the world. But at the same time, we should remember that not all the things can be done by computers and the Internet.
The Internet can not be used for______.
A.studying | B.shopping | C.thinking | D.playing |
When the computer was invented, it was______.
A.large and worked quickly | B.small and worked slowly |
C.large but worked slowly | D.small but worked quickly |
The Internet was born in about________.
A.1960 | B.1970 | C.1980 | D.1985 |
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Few students like going into the Internet. |
B.Students use the Internet to make “unreal friends.” |
C.These “Unreal friends” often meet each other |
D.Students know the friends on the Internet very well |
What does the writer think of the Internet?
A.It is wonderful |
B.It can make students study harder |
C.It is not good for students |
D.It is helpful, but we can’t do everything on it. |
As space science develops, man has learned more and more about space. Space is not only amazing but also dangerous. While working in space, spacemen are facing danger as well as success.
Scientists have found out that the radiation(辐射) is the greatest danger to spacemen in space. When spacemen are working in space, they are in danger of the radiation from the sun and other stars, which is bad for their health. The harm of the radiation won’t be found until their children even grandchildren are born. Some special medicine may work a little, but no really effective medicine has been found so far.
Space rubbish is also thought to be a great danger to spacemen. It’s reported that there were 9,000 man-made things flying in space. About 30% of these are satellites, 10% are spaceships, and the rest are space rubbish. An explosion(爆炸)in space in 1999 made a cloud of 300,000 fragments, each at least 4mm in size. A small piece of these even knocked a spaceship window and caused some damage(损坏).
Scientists are watching and reporting any possible danger all the time. They are working to deal with space rubbish. Although space is really dangerous, it interests many people on the earth. In the near future, it may become possible for people to spend a few days in a space hotel. We may even choose to leave the earth and live in space in a few years. So we should do something to help improve the space environment.
______ shows the man-made things in space in the correct way.
A. | B. | C. | D. |
The radiation from the sun and other stars is ______ to spacemen.
A.good | B.helpful | C.useful | D.harmful |
The underlined word “fragments”means “______”.
A.碎片 | B.泡沫 | C.烟雾 | D.飞碟 |
The passage talks about _________ kinds of danger in space.
A.two | B.three | C.four | D.five |
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Scientists have found out ways to solve any problem in space. |
B.Every one of us can have a travel to space in ten years. |
C.The harm of the radiation may be found in the spacemen’s children. |
D.Space is really dangerous, so it doesn’t interest anyone on the earth. |
I travel a lot.Each month,I pack up my suitcase to hit the road,whether it could be by plane,train,or automobile.I always find myself with the same problem—how to stay healthy while traveling? (1)
1.Move around.
Though only about 1 in 4,500 airplane passengers develop a blood clot(血块),you should still make efforts to move around on the plane,just standing in the aisle or by taking a walk to the toilet.Have a layover(中途停留)?Instead of sitting,make sure to walk around the airport.Taking a road trip?Make plenty of stops to move around.(2) Whether it is working out at your hotel,taking hikes,or giving up public transport to walk,you'll feel much better if you get in some activity.
2.Prepare snacks smartly.
(3) Though these seem like a convenient choice,they're not the healthiest.I like to pack snacks that are within my calorie budget for the day and 100 calories or under each.When traveling and buying food,I try to choose fresh fruit and vegetables.Is fast food the only choice if you're very hungry?Stick to something simple and whatever you do,don't supersize.
3. (4)
Because of low humidity on planes,many of us can find ourselves feeling thirstier than ever.Drink more water.Make sure when traveling on day trips to carry water with you at all times. (5) As a result,you will eat more healthily throughout the day.
A.Eat,eat,eat. B.Drink,drink,drink. C.Here are some practical tips. D.Once you get to your location,don't forget to do exercise. E.Water will also help you to be able to stay full between meals. F.While at the airport or on road trips,you'll pass countless fast restaurants. |
Tony: These days, the word “clone” has appeared very often in the newspapers. Do you know its meaning?
Lana: I read a report. It said that Dr. Ian Wilmut successfully cloned a lamb* named Dolly from a grown-up sheep. So people call him the “father” of Dolly.
Tony: In fact, the word “clone” means to produce the “same” animal by taking cells* from a
grown-up one. I think, if we know how to do cloning, we need only to keep a small number
of sheep, cows or horses.
Lana: What’s more, these days some people even want to clone humans. They have asked: Can we
clone ourselves?
Tony: It seems interesting. But do you think it possible to do that?
Lana: No, impossible! First, I think we cannot clone a dead person, because the cells in his body are dead already.
Tony: Then can we clone a living person?
Lana: Again no! You might clone yourself one after another, but it is only a copy, not a real you. It is only something, not a “human”.
Tony: Well, you mean that it is not a real human.
Lana: True enough! I think Dr. Wilmut would most like to make better animals, and it has nothing to do with human cloning.
The word “clone” means_________________.
复制 B 克隆 C 抄袭 D 制造
Dolly was the name of _______.
A. the father of a sheep B. a famous scientist
C. . a grown-up sheep D a sheep that was cloned
Lana says Dr. Ian Wilmut is the “father” of Dolly. Here, she means __________.
Dr. Ian Wilmut was the first man to clone a sheep in his lab
Dr. Ian Wilmut gave Dolly a new life
Dr. Ian Wilmut took care of Dolly like a father
D. Dr. Ian Wilmut has a daughter whose name is Dolly
From the conversation, may be clone in our life.
A a tree B a person C an elephant D an orange
According to the conversation, we know about .
Scientists have successfully cloned humans.
Dr. Wilmut likes to do human cloning.
C. Cloned animals are better than humans.
D. Lana doesn’t think humans shouldn’t be cloned.
The first telephone cards, produced in 1976, were Italian. Five years later the first British card appeared, and now you can buy cards in more than a hundred countries. People usually start collecting cards because they are small and light and you do not need much space for them. It is also a cheap hobby for beginners, although for some people it becomes a serious business. In Paris, for example, there is a market where you can only buy telephone cards, and some cards cost up to £4,000.The first Japanese card has a value of about £28,000. Most people only see cards with prices like these in their collectors’ magazine.
When were the first Italian telephone cards produced?
How many countries can produce telephone cards now?
Where can we find a market to buy telephone cards?
What is the price of the first Japanese telephone card?
In which magazine do most people see cards with prices?
People didn't pay much attention to their health in the past,but now more and more people try to make sure that they are healthy.(1)
Do exercise every day.There are many ways to do exercise in daily life.(2) Some people think that doing simple things like cleaning the house is helpful.Other people think that doing exercise such as running or playing ball games is good.
Eat healthy food.It is good for your health to eat healthy food.You should eat more vegetables and fruits but less junk food every day. (3)
(4) Today many people have stress (压力)in their life,but we should try to relax ourselves.In fact,you can never keep yourself away from stress in life. (5) So you need to know the reason for the stress and find ways to feel better.Thinking about things in an active way can also reduce stress.Try to live for now,and don't worry about the future.
A.Pick up a hobby.
B.It is always with you.
C.Learn to relax yourself.
D.It's bad for your health to sit for a long time.
E.Now let me tell you some ways to keep healthy.
F.People have different ideas about ways to exercise.
G Healthy food plays an important role in a strong body.
Everyone has got two personalities (性格) —the one that is shown to the world and the other that is secret and real. You don’t show your secret personality when you’re awake because you can control yourself, but when you’re asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. In a normal night, of course, you often change your sleeping positions. The important position that best shows your secret personality is the one that you go to sleep.
If you go to sleep on your back, you’re a very open person. You normally trust people and you are easily influenced by new ideas. You don’t like to make people unhappy, so you never express your real feelings. You’re quite shy and you aren’t very confident.
If you sleep on your stomach, you are a person who likes to keep secrets. You worry a lot and you’re always easily becoming sad. You never want to change your ideas, but you are satisfied with your life the way it is. You usually live for today not for tomorrow.
If you sleep on curled up (蜷缩), you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself and often protect yourself from being hurt, so you are very defensive. You’re shy and you don’t usually like meeting people. You like to be on your own.
If you sleep on your side, you have usually got a well-balanced (平衡的) personality. You know your strengths and weaknesses. You’re usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel worried, but you don’t often get unhappy. You always say what you think, even if it makes people angry.
You may find the passage in_____.
A.a science magazine | B.a guide book |
C.a sports newspaper | D.a story book |
When does the sleeping position best show your secret personality?
A.In the daytime. | B.At the beginning of sleep. |
C.At night. | D.During the deep sleep. |
Tina hardly tells her secrets to her friends. She probably goes to sleep _______.
A.on curled up | B.on her stomach |
C.on her back | D.on her side |
What does the word "defensive" mean in the passage?
A.易怒的 | B.攻击性的 | C.外向的 | D.有戒心的 |
What does the passage tell us?
A.Sleeping on your side is the best way of sleeping. |
B.Changing positions will cause sleeping problems. |
C.Sleeping positions show people’s secret personalities. |
D.Enough sleep makes people look better and healthier. |
Do you know the reason why we feel tired in the middle of a class?Maybe you would say it is because the teacher's class is boring. (1) Perhaps this is something you have not paid enough attention to or not yet noticed.
Purpose of sleep
(2) Sleep helps our body heal(修复),grow,and stay healthy.It also gives us energy,so we can be active all day.Doctors and health scientists say:When you close your eyes and need t rest,sleep is just the very best!This is more than advice.
Sleep time
Enough sleep is important to us.How much sleep do we need?New﹣born babies sleep most of the time.They can sleep 20﹣22 hours a day.Children need 10﹣12 hours of sleep a day.Teenagers need 8﹣ 10 hours of sleep a day because they need lots of energy to grow into their adult(成人的)bodies.Grown﹣ups usually need 6﹣8 hours of sleep to keep active.
(3) That is why old people sleep less than young people.
Interesting facts
Almost everyone has their dreams while they sleep,but not all of them can tell their dreams clearly when they wake up. (4) More surprisingly,some may even get up in their dreams and walk around.This is called "sleepwalking".Are you a sleepwalker?Or,is there a sleepwalker around you?
(5)
It's not just people that love to snooze(打盹).In fact,many animals have unusual or surprising sleeping habits.Some animals,such as bears and hedgehogs,sleep all through winter.The swift is a very fast bird that can sleep while it flies!Cute koalas sleep around 18 hours a day.Giraffes don't need much sleep at all.They usually sleep standing up.
A.Sleepy animals B.Why do we need sleep? C.Some people talk in their dreams. D.However,the real reason is probably that we don't have enough sleep. E.The older you get,the less sleep you will need. F.Some people never dream while they sleep. G.Clever animals |
What will the house of the future look like? Could it have gardens on its walls, or a pool with fish for dinner? Architects believe that they are all possibilities. The only thing for sure is that the houses will be as green as possible.
The tree house
Many architects in the world would like to build a “tree house.” Like a leaf, the surface of the house collects sunlight during the day. The energy can be used to heat water, produce electricity, and even create fresh air for the home. The “root” (根) of the house is deep under the ground. It uses the soil (土壤) to the home’s temperature.
The Lizard house
Like a lizard (蜥蜴), changing color with the weather is the most important design of a lizard house. When it’s in the bright sun, the cover of the house will turn dark to protect it from strong heat. During dark days, it turns white and takes in as much light and heat as possible to produce energy.
Meals at home
This design is perhaps as much about the future of food production as architecture (建筑风格). It has gardens on the outside wall of the house. People can plant tomatoes, carrots and green tea on them. So every day in the morning, you just need to walk outside and collect your meals.
Learning from the past
Looking to the future isn’t the only way to be green. Sometimes, ancient techniques (古老的技术) can also help cut down energy use. For example, a chimney (烟囱) can be a useful air conditioner because it is easier of hot air to flow out at the chimney.
What is the best title (标题) of the passage?
A. Green house of the future.
b. The greener, the better.
C. How to build green houses.
D. Changes of the houses.
We can heat water, produce electricity or create fresh air for the home .
A. with the root of a leaf.
b. with the energy from sunlight.
C. with the soil under the ground
D. with gardens on its walls.
What will happen to the cover of the lizard house when it’s in the bright sun?
A. It will take in light.
b. It will produce energy.
C. It will turn dark.
D. It will turn white.
The passage seems to tell us that meals at home in the future .
A. will be more delicious.
b. need more cooks.
C. cost as much as possible.
D. will be greener.
A chimney can be a useful air conditioner but it used to cause .
A. pollution. b. accident. C. noise. D. techniques.
My summer hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2 go 2 NY 2C my bro, his CF & thr 3:-@ kids FTF ILNY, its gr8.
Can you understand this sentence? If you can't, don't feel too bad: neither could the middle school teacher in England who received this as homework. This is Netspeak: the language of computerized communication found on Internet or cellphones. To newcomers, it can look like a completely foreign language. So, what is the "translation" of the sentence above? My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three screaming kids face to face. I love New York; it's great.
Schoolteachers and parents say this new form of writing is harming(破坏)the English language. Increasing spelling and grammatical mistakes cxan be seen in students' writing. They fear the language could become corrupted(面目全非的).
Everyone should just relax, say linguists(语言学家). They believe Netspeak is in fact more of a good thing. David Crystal, from the University of Wales, argues that Netspeak and Internet create a new language use and the almost lost art of diary writing has been picked up again. Geoffrey Nunberg, from Stanford University, agrees. "People get better at writing by writing," he says, "Kids who are now doing text messaging, e-mail, and instant messages will write at least as well as, and possibly better than, their parents."
Linguist James Millroy says, for centuries, it is believed without exception that young people are harming the language. And you can bet your bottom dollar that when today's teenagers become tomorrow's parents, they too will think this way. Milroy argues that languages do not and cannot become "corrupted"; they simply change to meet the new needs.
However, Netspeakers do agree that it is important to teach young people how to speak and write Standard English. Cynthia McVey says, "I can understand Netspeak worries teachers and it's important that they get across to their pupils that text messaging is for fun, but that learning to write proper English is a must for their future."
Perhaps we should give teenagers a little more trust anyway. Erin, age 12, says, "I wouldn't use text language in my homework. Texting is just for fun"
What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?
A.To give an example of a foreign language. |
B.To show an example of creative methods. |
C.To express worries about using Netspeak. |
D.To lead in the topic of Netspeak. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.Cynthia McVey points out teenagers can deal with Netspeak properly. |
B.Geoffrey Nunberg believes Netspeakers can write Standard English. |
C.David Crystal thinks Netspeak helps develop the habit of writing. |
D.James Milroy says that language is changing and improving. |
The expression "bet your bottom dollar" in Paragraph 5 means ______.
A.be fairly sure | B.be greatly surprised |
C.think it a pity | D.find it interesting |
What can be the best title for the passage?
A.Netspeak: A Widely-Used Language on Internet |
B.Is Netspeak Harming the English Language? |
C.Is Netspeak Helpful in Language Learning? |
D.Netspeak: Advantages and Disadvantages |