We all know what a brain is. A doctor will tell you that the brain is the organ of the body in the head. It controls our body’s functions, movements, emotions and thoughts. But a brain can mean so much more.
A brain can also simply be a smart person. If a person is called brainy, he is smart and intelligent. If a family has many children but one of them is super smart, you could say, “He’s the brains in the family.” And if you are the brains behind something, you are responsible for developing or organizing something. For example, Bill Gates is the brains behind Microsoft.
Brain trust is a group of experts who give advice. Word experts say the phrase “brain trust” became popular when Franklin D. Roosevelt first ran for president in 1932. Several professors gave him advice on social and political issues（问题）facing the U.S. These professors were called his “brain trust”.
These ways we use the word “brain” all make sense. But other ways we use the word are not so easy to understand. For example, to understand the next brain expression, you first need to know the word “drain”. As a verb, to drain means to remove something by letting it flew away. So a brain drain may sound like a disease where the brain flows out the ears. But, brain drain is when a country’s most educated people leave their countries to live in another. The brains are, sort of, draining out of the country.
However, if people are responsible for a great idea, you could say they brainstormed it. Here, brainstorm is not an act of weather. It is a process of thinking creatively about a complex topic. For example, business leaders may use brainstorming to create new products, and government leaders may brainstorm to solve problems.
If people are brainwashed, it does not mean their brains are nice and clean. To brainwash means to make some accept new beliefs by using repeated pressure in a forceful or tricky way. Keep in mind that brainwash is never used in a positive way.
1.According to the text, if you’re the CEO of Bai Du you can be called .
A. the organ of Bai Du B. the brain drain of Bai Du
C. the brains behind Bai Du D. Bai Du’s brain trust
2.Roosevelt successfully won the election probably because .
A. he got his brain trust B. he got the help of word experts
C. he was smart at giving advice D. he was the brains behind America
3.From the passage, we can infer that .
A. to drain a lake means to fill it with a lot of water
B. brainy and brainwash are never used in a negative way
C. brainstorming is not a good choice for a political leader for lack of creativity
D. a country suffers a “brain drain” when educated people move to other countries
4.The author explains the “brain” expressions by .
A. making comments B. making comparisons
C. using examples D. analyzing origins
“Have a nice day！” may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless expression. When my friend Maxie says “Have a nice day” with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and safe since another person cares about me and wishes me well.
“Have a nice day. Next！” This version of the expression is spoken by a salesgirl at the supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words come out in the same tone (腔调) with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else's is the management's attempt to increase business.
The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting is at an end. Sometimes the expression saves us when we don't know what to say. “Oh, you just had a tooth out? I'm terribly sorry, but have a nice day. ”
The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says “Have a nice day” to you, you may find it heartwarming because someone you don't know has tried to be nice to you.
Although the use of the expression is an insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and all the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it's nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don't care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like.
1.How does the author understand Maxie's words?
A. Maxie shows her anxiety to the author.
B. Maxie really wishes the author a good day.
C. Maxie encourages the author to stay happy.
D. Maxie really worries about the author's safety.
2.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. The salesgirl is rude to the customers. B. The salesgirl is bored with her work.
C. The salesgirl cares about me. D. The salesgirl says the words as usual.
3.According to the last paragraph, people say “ Have a nice day” ______________.
A. as a habit B. as thanks
C. sincerely D. Encouragingly
4.By saying “Have a nice day，” a stranger may ______.
A. try to be polite to you B. express respect to you
C. give his blessings to you D. share his pleasure with you
I recently had dinner with someone who told me that one of his best friends had been killed in a private plane crash, and something happened at the memorial service that he'll never forget. He shared the story with me.
At the memorial service, his friend's wife walked to the platform to speak to the gathering. She said a friend had asked her the best memory she had of their life together. At the moment, she had been too sad to answer, but she had thought about it since and wanted to answer the question.
They were in their late forties when he died, and she began talking about a time in their life almost twenty years earlier. She had quit her job to obtain her master's degree, and her husband never hesitated in his support.
He held down his own job and also did the cooking, cleaning, and other housework while she studied for her degree.
One time they both stayed up all night. She was finishing her paper, and he was preparing for an important business meeting. That morning, she walked out of her study, leaned against the door by the stairs, looked at her husband downstairs and just thought about how much she loved him. She knew how important this meeting was to his future, and she was feeling guilty that she didn't even have time to make his breakfast. He took his briefcase and hurried out. She heard the garage door open and close, but much to her surprise, she heard it open again about thirty seconds later. From above, she watched her husband dash into the house and walk over to the forgotten coffee table. Marking the surface of it with his finger through the dust with the words "I love you", then he raced back to his car.
The new widow then looked out at her audience and said, "John and I had a wonderful life together. We have been around the world several times. We've had everything money can buy. . . but nothing comes close to that moment."
Hearing this, I was deeply moved. "Love makes life worthwhile. "
1.The service was held to _________.
A. listen to the woman's story B. express sorrow at the man's death
C. meet some old friends D. share the woman's sadness
2.Why did the woman quit her job?
A. She had to support her husband.
B. She had too much housework to do.
C. She wanted to travel around the world.
D. She needed to concentrate on her studies.
3."He held down his own job…" in Paragraph 4 means that _________.
A. he managed to keep his job B. he needed help in his work
C. he cancelled his job D. he delayed his work
4.The woman mentioned an incident 20 years ago to show _________.
A. how busy their life was B. how her husband loved her
C. how they improved their life D. how hard her husband worked
1.The card above is _____ .
A. a ticket B. a postcard
C. an invitation D. an advertisement
2.The party is for _____.
A. a birthday B. the Queen
C. bee watching D. the National Day
3.According to the card,if you are unable to go,you can _____.
A. return the card B. visit the Museum
C. ignore the message D. contact Alice’s mother
You can only be sure of _____ you have at present; you cannot be sure of something _____ you might get in the future.
A. that; what B. what; / C. which; that D. /; that
_____ the Internet is of great help. I don’t think it’s a good idea to spend too much time on it.
A. If B. While C. Because D. As
