Our brains work in complex and strange ways．There are some people who can calculate the day of the week for any given date in 40,000 years, but who cannot add two plus two．Others can perform complex classical piano pieces after hearing them once, but they cannot read or write．
Dr．J．Langdon Down first described this condition in 1887．He called these people idiot savants．An idiot savant is a person who has significant mental impairment （损伤） , such as in autism ( 孤独症，自闭症) or retardation．At the same time, the person also exhibits some extraordinary skills, which are unusual for most people．The skills of the savant may vary from being exceptionally gifted in music or in mathematics, or having a photographic memory．
One of the first descriptions of a human who could calculate quickly was written in 1789 by Dr．Benjamin Rush, an American doctor．His patient, Thomas Fuller, was brought to Virginia as a slave in1724．It took Thomas only 90 seconds to work out that a man who has lived 70 years, 17 days, and 12 hours has lived 2,210,500,800 seconds．Despite this ability, he died in 1790 without ever learning to read or write．
Another idiot savant slave became famous as a pianist in the 1860s．Blind Tom had a vocabulary of only 100 words, but he played 5 ,000 musical pieces beautifully．
In the excellent movie Rain Man, made in 1988 and available on video cassette, Dustin Hoffman plays an idiot savant who amazes his brother played by Tom Cruise, with his ability to perform complex calculations very rapidly．
Today we more clearly recognize that the idiot savant is special because of brain impairment．Yet not all brain impairment leads to savant skills．Some studies have shown that people who have purposeful interruption of the left side of the brain can develop idiot savant skills．However few people wish to participate in such experiments．There are many excellent reasons for not undergoing unnecessary experimentation on one's brain．The term idiot savant is outdated and inappropriate．Virtually all savants have a high degree of intelligence and are thus not idiots．
1.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A．Idiot savants have areas of outstanding abilities．
B．Human Beings have complicated thinking process．
C．The brains of the idiot savants are partly impaired．
D．The reasons why people have wonderful skills vary．
2.Which of the following can be done by Rain Man?
A．He can play wonderful pieces of classical music．
B．He can guess out exactly the length of a man's life．
C．He can memorize the contents of the pictures fast．
D．He can count matches dropped on the floor quickly．
3.What can you infer from the passage?
A．Idiot savants have real talents for art and math．
B．Dr．Down is the first person who found idiot savants．
C．Few people wish to risk becoming savants by brain operations．
D．Intentional left brain impairments will surely lead to idiot savants．
4.Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
Film cameras and digital cameras work in a similar way.
Film cameras
After all, a film camera is basically a light – proof (不透光的) box. It has a lens (镜头) system to focus light onto the film at the back of the camera.
Let’s suppose that we are outside on a beautiful summer day trying to take a picture of the family dog. We are using a film camera. We finally get the dog to lie still. You point the camera at him. What happens? Light goes into the camera lens and hits the shutter. In other words, nothing happens yet. Now let’s say that the dog looks really cute and you decide to snap a picture. What happens? When you press the button, the shutter opens for a very short period of time. A small amount of light passes through and hits the film at the back of the camera. This creates an upside-down and reversed (反向的)image on the film.
When you finish the roll of the film, you can take it to the photo shop to develop it and you will have a great picture of your dog!
Cameras come with different lens lengths. Why does it matter? Many small cameras have shorter focal lengths, which means that there is a small distance between the lens and the place where the light focuses at the back of the camera. This gives you a large view of the area you are taking a picture of. Lenses with a long focal length show a smaller area but allow you to focus on distant objects and make them bigger. They are often called telephoto lenses. A good example of a long focus lens is one that is used by sports photographers to get photos of football players as if they were standing right beside them.
Digital cameras
In digital cameras, the light falls not on film but onto a sensor (传感器) called a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). This digitally converts(转变) light and color into a digital information or pixels (象素). The CCD is the heart of any digital camera and usually the most expensive part ---- depending on how good it is.
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．Both digital and film cameras focus light onto the film.
B．All cameras have a sensor.
C．Digital cameras and film cameras have something in common. .
D．Small cameras usually have longer focal lengths.
2.In the “Film cameras” part, you fail to take the picture of the dog because _____.
A．light goes into the camera lens and hits the shutter
B．you haven’t aimed the camera at the dog
C．the image of the dog is not created
D．the sensor fails to convert light and color into a digital information
3.The main reason that sports photographers can get clear and big photos of players is that _ ___.
A．they use digital cameras B．the lens of their cameras is excellent
C．their focus lenses are short D．their focus lenses are long
4.Generally speaking, a digital camera’s price is ____.
A．closely related to the quality of the CCD
B．irrelevant to the quality of the CCD
C．closely related to the lens
D．irrelevant to the lens
Habits are a funny thing. We reach for them mindlessly, setting our brains on auto-pilot and relaxing into the unconscious comfort of familiar routine. “Not choice, but habit rules the unreflecting creatures,” William Wordsworth said in the 19th century. In the ever-changing 21st century, even the word “habit” carries a negative meaning.
So it seems contradictory to talk about habits in the same context as innovation (创新). But brain researchers have discovered that when we consciously developnew habits, we create parallel paths, and even entirely new brain cells, that can jump our trains of thought onto new, innovative tracks.
Rather than dismissing ourselves as unchangeable creatures of habit, we can instead direct our own change by consciously developing new habits. In fact, the more new things we try, the more creative we become.
But don’t bother trying to kill off old habits; once those ruts of procedure are worn into the brain, they’re there to stay. Instead, the new habits we deliberately press into ourselves create parallel pathways that can bypass those old roads.
“The first thing needed for innovation is attraction to wonder,” says Dawna Markova, author of The Open Mind. “But we are taught instead to ‘decide’, just as our president calls himself ‘the Decider’．” She adds, however, that “to decide is to kill off all possibilities but one. A good innovational thinker is always exploring the many other possibilities.”
“All of us work through problems in ways of which we’re unaware,” she says. Researchers in the late 1960s discovered that humans are born with the ability to approach challenges in four primary ways: analytically, procedurally, collaboratively (合作地) and innovatively. At the end of adolescence, however, the brain shuts down half of that ability, preserving only those ways of thought that have seemed most valuable during the first decade or so of life.
The current emphasis on standardized testing highlights analysis and procedure, meaning that few of us use our innovative and collaborative ways of thought. “This breaks the major rule in the American belief system — that anyone can do anything,” explains M. J. Ryan, author of the 2006 book This Year I Will…and Ms. Markova’s business partner. “That’s a lie that we have preserved, and it fosters (促进，培养) commonness. Knowing what you’re good at and doing even more of it creates excellence.” This is where developing new habits comes in.
1.Brain researchers have discovered that .
A．the forming of new habits can be guided
B．the development of habits can be predicted
C．the regulation of old habits can be transformed
D．the track of new habits can be created unconsciously
2.The underlined word “ruts” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to .
A．zones B．connections C．situations D．tracks
3.Which of the following statements most probably agrees with Dawna Markova’s view?
A．Decision makes no sense in choices.
B．Curiosity makes creative minds active.
C．Creative ideas are born of a relaxing mind.
D．Formation of innovation comes from fantastic ideas.
4.The purpose of the author writing this article is to persuade us .
A．to give up our traditional habits deliberately
B．to create and develop new habits consciously
C．to resist the application of standardized testing
D．to believe that old habits conflict with new habits
At present, in many American cities especially, many teachers in the public schools say they are underpaid. They point to jobs such as secretary or truck driver, which often pay more to start than that of a teacher. In many other fields, such as law, medicine, computer science, a beginning worker may make more than a teacher who has taught for several years.
Teaching has never been a profession that attracted people interested in high salaries. It is by history a profession that has provided rewards in addition to money—the satisfaction of sharing knowledge, of influencing others, of guiding young people. But in the past several years, there are more difficulties in teaching, for many, than there are rewards.
Unruly students, especially in big cities, large classes and a lack of support from the public in terms of money and understanding have led many public school teachers to leave the profession.
As a result, many of the best students, who would have chosen teaching as their life career in the past, are going into other fields.
Another reason for this change in teacher candidates is the changing status of women in the United States. Until the late 1960s and 1970s, one of the most popular choices for women was teaching. But as other professions, such as law and medicine opened up to women, women stopped pouring into teacher training programs. Thus, a major pool of excellent candidates for the teaching profession dwindled.
Bit by bit government officials and others realized that the status of the teacher had suffered. They talked about change. But the change in a vast society like the United States is not easy. People’s attitudes have formed over many years, and sometimes change takes many years.
1.The underlined word “that” in Paragraph 1 refers to “ ”.
A．money B．job C．secretary D．truck driver
2.What is the present situation of the teaching?
A．Teachers work harder and get underpaid.
B．Teachers have no opportunities to work in other fields.
C．Teaching can attract best students to work as a teacher.
D．Teaching can provide rewards as well as high salaries.
3.Many public school teachers turn to other professions because .
A．the government doesn’t financially support them
B．they have to work longer hours than a lawyer
C．their students refuse to listen to them
D．they are not fairly treated
4.The author believes that change in teachers’ status in the United States .
A．is not great B．is impossible
C．influences people’s attitude D．needs time
The Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle is a palatial park on the central California coast and a National Historic Landmark．It was designed by architect Julia Morgan for William Randolph Hearst from 1919 until 1947．In 1957 , the Hearst Corporation donated the fortune to the state of California．Since that time it has been maintained as a state historic park where the estate and its considerable collection of art and antiques are open for public tours．Despite its location far from any urban center, the site attracts roughly one million visitors per year．
Guided Tours
There are several tours which highlight various parts of the castle and gardens．
●Tour One is recommended for first time visitors．It now includes the movie, Hearst Castle Building the Dream．
●Tour Two gives visitors a closer look at the main house's upper floors, Mr.Hearst's private suite, the libraries, and the kitchen．
●Tour Three looks at the Castle's North Wing, guest rooms and guest house Casa Del Monte．
●Tour Four features the impressive gardens and grounds, the largest guesthouse, the wine basement, and the Hidden Terrace．
●The evening tour is a special tour that allows visitors to experience the Castle at night as one of the Hearst's own visitors might have．
Ticket Prices
Hearst Castle accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover．Free day use parking is available for automobiles, motorcycles, tour buses and recreational vehicles．
|
TOURS |
ADULT |
Ages 6 – 17 |
|
Experience Tour |
$24 |
$12 |
|
Tours 2, 3 or 4 |
$24 |
$12 |
|
Evening tour |
$30 |
$15 |
* Children under 6 are free when accompanied by a paying adult．
Reservation Information
While tickets may be purchased at the Visitor Center upon arrival, tour reservations are strongly recommended and may be reserved online now or by calling 1 - 800 - 444 - 4445, see below for times．
|
Reservation Call Center Hours
|
||
|
Dates |
Monday-Friday |
Saturday-Sunday |
|
March-September |
8AM to 6PM |
8AM to 6PM |
|
October-February |
9AM to 5PM |
9AM to 3PM |
Visit www．hearstcastle．org for more information．
1.Who does the Hearst Castle belong to at present?
A．William Randolph Hearst． B．Julia Morgan．
C．The state of California． D．The Hearst Corporation．
2.If you are quite interested in wine, which tour will you choose?
A．Tour One． B．Tour Two． C．Tour Three． D．Tour Four．
3.If a young couple take Tour One with their 5-year-old son, how much will they pay for the tickets?
A．36． B．60． C．48． D．75．
4.Which of the following is the available time to book tickets by phone?
A．At 8 AM on Monday in February． B．At 9 AM on Sunday in March．
C．At 7 PM on Friday in September． D．At 6 PM on Saturday in October．
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Some years ago when I was in my first year in college, I heard Salome Bey sing for the first time. The moment was exciting. Salome’s 1filled the room and brought the theater to life. I was so 2that I decided to write an article about her.
I 3Salome Bey, telling her I was from Essence magazine, and that I wanted to meet her to talk about her career. She 4and told me to come to her studio next Tuesday. When I hung up, I was scared out of my mind. I 5I was lying. I was not a writer at all and hadn’t even written a grocery list.
I interviewed Salome Bey the next Tuesday. I sat there 6, taking notes and asking questions that all began with, “Can you tell me…” I soon realized that 7Salome Bey was one thing, but writing a story for a national magazine was just impossible. The 8was almost unbearable. I struggled for days 9draft after draft. Finally I put my manuscript (手稿) into a large envelope and dropped it into a mailbox.
It didn’t take long. My manuscript 10. How stupid of me! I thought. How could I 11in a world of professional writers? Knowing I couldn’t 12the rejection letter, I threw the unopened envelope into a drawer.
Five years later, I was moving to California. While 13my apartment, I came across the unopened envelope. This time I opened it and read the editor’s letter in 14:
七彩教育网 Ms Profit,
Your story on Salome Bey is fantastic. Yet we need some 15materials. Please add those and return the article immediately. We would like to 16your story soon.
Shocked, it took me a long time to 17. Fear of rejection cost me 七彩教育网ly. I lost at least five hundred dollars and having my article appear in a major magazine. More importantly, I lost years of 18writing. Today, I have become a full – time writer. Looking back on this 19, I learned a very important lesson: You can’t 20to doubt yourself.
1.A．joy B．voice C．speech D．smile
2.A．proud B．active C．satisfied D．moved
3.A．visited B．emailed C．phoned D．interviewed
4.A．agreed B．refused C．hesitated D．paused
5.A．replied B．discovered C．explained D．knew
6.A．seriously B．patiently C．nervously D．quietly
7.A．blaming B．fooling C．inviting D．urging
8.A．hardship B．failure C．comment D．pressure
9.A．with B．by C．on D．in
10.A．disappeared B．returned C．spread D．improved
11.A．compare B．struggle C．survive D．compete
12.A．ignore B．deliver C．face D．receive
13.A．decorating B．repairing C．cleaning D．leaving
14.A．disbelief B．anxiety C．horror D．trouble
15.A．subjective B．relevant C．private D．reliable
16.A．broadcast B．create C．publish D．assess
17.A．recover B．prepare C．escape D．concentrate
18.A．energetic B．endless C．typical D．enjoyable
19.A．experience B．success C．benefit D．accident
20.A．attempt B．afford C．expect D．pretend
