Who would win in a competition to memorize numbers, a chimp (黑猩猩) or a teenager? The teenager? Think again. Scientists have proved that chimps perform better than human beings when it comes to this kind of problem. We may have to rethink what we believe about human memory.
Memory is our ability to learn something, save it and recall it when needed. Our memories are important to our sense of self, our personalities, and our ability to understand the world.
Scientists say that there are different types of memory. There is short-term memory and long-term memory. Your short-term memory saves information for a few seconds or a few minutes. For example, the time it takes to compare the prices of a few items in a store. Long-term memory involves the information you try hard to keep, because it’s meaningful to you (an example is data 数据 about family and friends. ) And then there is visual memory and sound memory. But these are not hard and fast: scientists argue a lot about the nature of memory.
Scientists have also found that people memorize things in different ways. Some memorize better with the help of pictures. Others are helped more by sounds. One thing’s for sure. If you can combine different kinds of memory together, you will remember a lot! So why not try pictures with English words? At the same time listen to recordings of the same group of words. It may help when it comes to memorizing it.
Imagination and association can be useful too. By imagination scientists mean picturing a word in your mind. Association means relating the word to something you already know.
1.What can we learn from Paragraph 1?
A. Human beings are less clever than chimps.
B. Human memory is not as good as before.
C. Chimps can memorize numbers better than teenagers.
D. Chimps perform better than human beings in many aspects.
2.How many kinds of memory are mentioned in the article?
A. 2 B. 3C. 4 D. 5
3.According to the article, which of the following is the best way to memorize words?
A. By watching TV.
B. By listening to music.
C. By writing them out many times.
D. By listening and watching pictures.
4. According to the article, which of the following is TRUE?
A. Memory is the most important ability for human beings.
B. Long-term memory usually involves more important things.
C. Scientists have made sure of the nature of memory.
D. Imagination is better than association in memorizing things.
5.Where do we probably read the passage?
A. A textbook B. A science magazine
C. An advertisement D. A news report
Bai Yansong, a famous TV host, expressed his support for students wearing green scarves (绿领巾) at a primary school in Xi’an. He wore a green tie on a TV program on October 19, 2011. “I just want the students to know that I’m also wearing green. And we are all great people and are as good as those wearing red scarves.”
The First Experimental Primary School in Xi’an made children with poor schoolwork and behavior wear green scarves. Parents whose children wore green scarves were angry. “The children still need their self-esteem (自尊心) even though they are very young, and they know the green scarf means something is not quite right,” said one mother. Now, the school has stopped the practice.
Educational expert Li Zhenxi said that primary and junior high school students have strong self-esteem. They are eager to be respected and understood. Punishment will hurt them. “It’s better to encourage them rather than separating some ‘bad’ students,” he said.
A survey made by the Ministry of Education (教育部) shows that 75 percent of students feel nervous and scared when the teacher is about to announce their grades. Some schools have done better in protecting students’ privacy and encouraging them. In American schools, teachers post test results on the wall. Instead of using student names, they use secret numbers. This way, students know their secret numbers and can check their own grades only. Some teachers might call the students up to the desk and tell them their scores one at a time.
But test scores are not the only measures of a student’s ability. Everyone has his own strengths and everyone can make great progress by working hard.
1.Bai Yansong wore a green tie in a TV program in order to _______.
A. show people his special dressing style
B. call on people to live a green life
C. tell students green-scarf students are also good students
D. remind students wearing green scarves means being bad
2.Why did those parents whose children wore green scarves feel angry?
A. Because their children did do well at school.
B. Because they thought the school didn’t have the right.
C. Because it was against the law.
D. Because it hurts their children’s self-esteem.
3.According to the article, which of the following is TRUE?
A. Primary school students are too young to know what self-esteem is.
B. Separating some “bad” students helps create good learning environment.
C. Most “good” students like their teachers to announce their scores.
D. Using secret numbers instead of students’ names can protect their privacy better.
4.Which of the following may the writer agree with?
A. The green scarves system can make students work hard.
B. Student’s ability should not be measured only by test scores.
C. Students who get low marks should use secret numbers.
D. Teachers should tell students their scores secretly one by one.
5.What does the word “measure” mean in the last paragraph?
A. 长度 B. 尺度
C. 方法 D. 标准
I was not having a happy holiday. My family had decided to go back to the countryside in New Hampshire, US, again. But I found it boring. What made the holiday even worse was that I had to sleep in the same bed as my brother. But I was wrong. This trip was the best holiday I have ever had. During the holiday, I met a very special friend.
While I was walking in the countryside, I saw a man carrying a small brown bag. Wearing white clothes, the man looked like a ghost. As he looked at me, I felt frightened. I wanted to run away when the man spoke to me. “Hello. Beautiful day, isn’t it?” he said. The man talked a lot. I wasn’t listening very carefully because I was looking at his little bag. I wanted to see what was inside it!
He saw me looking at the bag and he asked me if I would like to see. Out came a lively, beautiful puppy. The brown puppy was small and only about two months old. The man then asked me, “Would you like to keep this puppy?” I had always wanted a puppy and now I had the chance. I thanked him, took the puppy and ran home. For the rest of that summer, I played with him all the time. And after the trip, I took him home. The puppy is now loved by all my family. He is a friend to both my brother and me, a warm little ball of happiness in our lives.
I’ve always wanted to thank the man because he changed my life. His gift has given me years of pleasure. And I never have boring family holidays anymore.
1.The “special friend” in the third paragraph referred to _______.
A. the man B. a ghost
C. the puppy D. the bag
2.According to the story, which words can be used to describe the man?
A. talkative and friendly B. boring and frightening
C. unfriendly and strange-looking D. good-looking and outgoing
3.Why did the writer keep looking at the man’s little bag?
A. Because the man was carrying it and running quickly.
B. Because the writer wondered what was inside.
C. Because there was something dangerous in it.
D. Because the writer saw a puppy in it.
4.How did the writer deal with the puppy?
A. He left it in the countryside.
B. He gave it to his brother.
C. He took it home after the holiday.
D. He played with it and gave it back to the man at last.
5.What’s the best title for the story?
A. Don’t Be Afraid B. A Strange Man
C. Never Believe in OthersD. The Best Holiday
Linda: I am bored, Sarah. Let’s do something different.
Sarah:
Linda: Yes. I went to Fangte Amusement Park last year. Have you ever been to a water park?
Sarah: No, I haven’t.
Linda: Let’s go to Water City tomorrow!
Linda: Well, that sounds fun,
Sarah: Really? I didn’t know that. Well, how about the zoo?
Linda: I’ve been to the zoo a lot of times.
Sarah: Let’s go to the space museum. I’ve never been there.
Linda: I went there last year, but I’d like to go there again.
1.A. Did you go to an amusement park?
B. Would you like to go to an amusement park?
C. Have you ever been to an amusement park?
D. Have you gone to an amusement park?
2.
A. Me either. B. Me neither.
C. So have I. D. Me too.
3.
A. but I can’t swim. B. so I can swim.
C. and I’ll have fun. D. but I can swim.
4.
A. Me either. B. Me neither.
C. So do I. D. Me too.
5.
A. That sounds a great idea.B. It doesn’t matter.
C. I hope not. D. I don’t think so.
There was once a hardworking farmer who had a fine olive orchard (橄榄果园). But his three sons farm work. When the farmer was , he called the three sons to him and said: “My sons, there is a of gold hidden in the olive orchard. Dig for it, if you it.” The sons tried to him to tell them in what part of the orchard the gold was hidden, but he would tell them more.
After the farmer was dead, the sons went to work to find the pot of gold. they did not know where the hiding-place was, they agreed to begin in a line, at one end of the orchard, and to dig until one of them should find the money. They dug until they had the soil from one end of the orchard to the other. But no pot of gold was to be found. The three sons were very to have done all their work for nothing.
The next olive season, the olive trees in the orchard bore more fruit than they had ever given; when the fruit was , it gave the sons a whole pot of gold.
When they saw how much money had come from the orchard, they suddenly understood what the wise father had meant.
1.A. enjoyed B. hatedC. cared D. minded
2.A. sick B. lonely C. deadD. dying
3.A. box B. bag C. pot D. bucket
4.A. miss B. hate C. care D. want
5.A. make B. order C. let D. get
6.A. something B. anythingC. everything D. nothing
7.A. SinceB. And C. So D. But
8.A. turned up B. turned onC. turned over D. turned around
9.A. uncomfortable B. disappointedC. angry D. worried
10.A. picked B. collectedC. sold D. found
The girl who _______ beautiful eyes _______a prize in yesterday’s singing contest.
A. has; wins B. had; won
C. having; won D. has; won
