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Why would human beings waste a third of their lives sleeping when they could be doing more important things like looking after their families or working? Some scientists believe sleeping helps recharge the body, while others think it is important for strengthening newly-formed memories. Now, there is new evidence which suggests that the purpose of sleep may be to forget some of the millions of new things we learn each day.

The neurons in the human brain consist of fibers called dendrites(树突). These grow as we learn new things and connect the brain’s cells to each other at contact points called synapses(突触). The larger the dendrites become and the more cells they connect, the more information we store.

In 2018, Giulio Tononi and Chiara Cirelli, both biologists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, suggested a new idea: The things our brains learn each day result in so many synapses that things start to get a little messy. Sleeping allows us to sort through(整理) the “noise” and dispense all the unnecessary information, leaving behind only the most important memories.

Recently, the university’s research has provided direct evidence to support the theory. The experiment involved analyzing 6,920 synapses in the brain shavings from two groups of mice over a four-year period; one group had been allowed to sleep, while the other had been kept awake and entertained with toys. The researchers discovered that the brain shavings of the sleeping mice had nearly 20 percent fewer synapses than those that had been kept awake and entertained.

It was also evident during the study that the brain does not shave every synapse. 20% of neurons remained unchanged; these were most likely well-established memories. Therefore, although we may be sleeping to forget some of what we’ve learned, the brain “forgets”in a smart way.

Most researchers believe clearing our brains is not the only purpose of sleep. Resting our minds and bodies has also been found to help with other biological functions like strengthening our immunity. Though scientists may never agree on a single reason, they are all sure of one thing－a good night’s rest is essential for our health. So try and spend at least a third of your day sleeping!

1.What’s the new discovery about the purpose of sleeping according to the text?(no more than 15 words)

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2.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 2?(no more than 10 words)

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3.What does the underlined word “dispense” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?(no more than 5 words)

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4.What agreement do all the scientists probably reach about sleeping according to the text? (no more than 10 words)

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5.What kind of sleeping habit do you have? Please explain.(no more than 25 words)

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From now on, never spend your precious time thinking of reasons for your failures and shortcomings. Instead, realize that the seeds of success were planted within you when you were born. Only you have the power to make those seeds grow.

The seeds, and the power to grow them, are contained in the most awesome machine ever created：the human mind. Success is a choice and not a chance. You were born a winner. You were born rich. You can be a success if only you make the right choice.

You cannot be successful without first developing your self-esteem. Your level of self-esteem is always based on the degree of control that you are able to exercise over yourself, and thus over your life. People with low self-esteem are people who do not believe that they have any power, or responsibility for their lives. They are the perennial(长期的) victims and martyrs. They are leaves tossed(摇摆) by the winds of chance blown about with any sudden change in the weather.

You can exercise control over your life only to the degree that you believe that you are responsible for everything that happens in your life. Failures think that everything happens by accident and chance. Successful people realize that they are responsible.

Everything happens as a result of something. If we can identify the cause, we can control the effect. We are responsible for what we choose to think and believe. One generally rises to the level that one expects. We are responsible for setting our expectations. Our success is dependent upon our level of confidence.

If you associate with positive-thinking people, you are definitely going to achieve success. On the contrary, the opposite happens. We are responsible for finding, planting, and nurturing the seeds that contain future victory, born from setbacks.

In short, in all areas of your life, whether they be financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual, you are responsible. Once you recognize this, accept it, and firmly believe it, you are on the road to success.

1.People with low self-esteem are compared to leaves because they______________ .

A.are ready to change their minds.

B.are easily affected by windy weather.

C.don’t have the power to face their fate.

D.can’t exercise control over themselves.

2.Losers would think that     .

A.success is the result of hard work.

B.working hard will lead to success.

C.their failure is only because of bad luck.

D.they don’t make efforts to succeed.

3.It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that     .

A.whether we will succeed depends on our attitudes.

B.developing confidence is the key to future success.

C.thoughts and beliefs are the result of creative mind.

D.setting our expectations is essential before taking action.

4.The last paragraph serves as     .

A.the proof of the author’s points. B.the conclusion of the argument.

C.an introduction to another topic. D.a comparison between two views.

5.Which is the best title for the text?

A.Success is a choice. B.The secrets of success.

C.Develop our confidence. D.How to achieve success.

    The term “graffiti” is an Italian word meaning scratching or scribbling(乱涂). It entered the English language in the 1850s, specifically to describe the casual wall writing that experts found in Pompeii and the Roman tombs. Originally a term used only in ancient scribbling, the word has undergone considerable expansion of meaning in the past 75 years so that it now refers to any written message on a wall. Graffiti are characterized by their casualness; if they were more formal, they would be known as inscriptions(铭文).

The first piece of graffiti was found on one of the walls of the city Pompeii, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. It was one of 1,600 pieces of graffiti uncovered in Pompeii during a dig in the 19th century. Not surprisingly, there is much evidence of graffiti writing on the pyramid and temples of ancient Egypt. It is likely that ever since people have had walls and materials to scratch or paint with, they have been engaged in this simplest form of communication.

The writing of graffiti gives people a unique opportunity to achieve some kind of public audience. Thus short poems, declarations of love, pieces of political and revolutionary polemic(论战), and criticisms of institutions and people form a significant part of graffiti.

Apart from its usefulness in terms of self-expression, graffiti is also a valuable source for historians. There is always the possibility that historical events may be recorded by the presence of graffiti. Perhaps the most interesting example of this is the graffiti relating to the gladiatorial(角斗士) contests held in Pompeii. Graffiti can also give us a unique view into the daily life and customs of a people, for its casual expression encourages the recording of details that more formal writing would tend to ignore.

In the late 1970s, graffiti became popular. A thought written on a toilet wall in Wolverhampton can now be read in Chicago or Adelaide. In its own way, this is probably the most fascinating example of McLuhan’s concept of “the global village”. We now have a worldwide toilet wall.

1.According to the first paragraph, graffiti________.

A.is another name for “inscription”

B.got its name from the English language

C.was born in the 1850s

D.Mainly refers to casual writing or pictures on walls

2.What can be inferred from the second paragraph?

A.Graffiti has a long history.

B.Graffiti is an attractive form of art.

C.Graffiti made the ancient city Pompeii famous.

D.Graffiti was ancient Egyptian’s main way of communication.

3.What does the third and fourth paragraphs mainly tell us?

A.Graffiti’s great value.

B.Graffiti’s features.

C.Graffiti’s way of expression.

D.Graffiti’s connection with people’s daily life.

4.The graffiti relating to the gladiatorial contests is mentioned in the passage to prove that ______.

A.graffiti can show people’s customs

B.graffiti can provide valuable historical evidence

C.graffiti was mainly used to record important events

D.graffiti can provide more detailed information than formal writing

5.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph implies that______.

A.the presence of graffiti makes the world closely connected

B.the concept of “the global village” is famous worldwide

C.graffiti has become very popular all over the world

D.people like using toilet walls to share their graffiti

In the kitchen of my mother’s houses there has always been a wooden stand（木架）with a small notepad（记事本）and a hole for a pencil.

I’m looking for paper on which to note down the name of a book I am recommending to my mother. Over forty years since my earliest memories of the kitchen pad and pencil, five houses later, the current paper and pencil look the same as they always did. Surely it can’t be the same pencil? The pad is more modern, but the wooden stand is definitely the original one.

“I’m just amazed you still have the same stand for holding the pad and pencil after all these year.” I say to her, walking bank into the living-room with a sheet of paper and the pencil. “You still use a pencil. Can’t you afford a pen?”

My mother replies a little sharply. “It works perfectly well. I’ve always kept the stand in the kitchen. I never knew when I might want to note down an idea, and I was always in the kitchen in these days.”

Immediately I can picture her, hair wild, blue housecoat covered in flour, a wooden spoon in one hand, the pencil in the other, her mouth moving silently. My mother smiles and says, “One day I was cooking and watching baby Pauline, and I had a brilliant thought, but the stand was empty. One of the children must have taken the paper. So I just picked up the breadboard and wrote it all down on the back. It turned out to be a real breakthrough for solving the mathematical problem I was working on.”

This story—which happened before I was born—reminds me how extraordinary my mother was, and is, as a gifted mathematician. I feel embarrassed that I complain about not having enough child-free time to work. Later, when my mother is in the bathroom, I go into her kitchen and turn over the breadboards. Sure enough, on the back of the smallest one, are some penciled marks I recognize as mathematics. Those symbols have traveled unaffected through fifty years, rooted in the soil of a cheap wooden breadboard, invisible（看不到的）exhibits at every meal.

1.Why has the author’s mother always kept the notepad and pencil in the kitchen?

A.To leave messages. B.To list her everyday tasks.

C.To note down maths problems. D.To write down a flash of inspiration.

2.What is the author’s original opinion about the wooden stand?

A.It has great value for the family.

B.It needs to be replaced by a better one.

C.It brings her back to her lonely childhood.D .It should be passed on to the next generation.

3.The author feels embarrassed for_______.

A.blaming her mother wrongly.

B.giving her mother a lot of trouble.

C.not making good use of time as her mother did.

D.not making any breakthrough in her field.

4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A .The mother is successful in her career.

A.The family members like traveling.

B.The author had little time to play when young.

C.The marks on the breadboard have disappeared.

5.In thauthor’s mind ,her mother is_________.

A.strange in behavior. B.keen on her research.

C.fond of collecting old things. D.careless about her appearance.

    Castel dell’ Ovo is one of Naples’ most famous monuments. It offers sweeping views over the city and Mount Vesuvius in the distance.

The Basics

The site on which Castel dell’ Ovo now stands has a long history, beginning as a settlement for Greek colonists(殖民地定居者). The current castle was built in the 15th century, and today, the 19th-century fishing village of Borgo Marinari, known for its excellent seafood restaurants and marina(游艇停靠区), sits at the base of the castle.

The Egg Castle

The origin of the castle’s name comes from a story about the Roman poet Virgil, who is said to have placed a magical egg in the foundations beneath where the castle now stands. As long as the egg stays well, Castel dell’ Ovo will remain standing.

Things to Know Before you Go

·Castel dell’ Ovo is a must-see for history and architecture enthusiasts.

·Admission to the castle and the museum is free.

·The inner halls of the castle are open to the public only during special events and exhibitions; the ramparts (城墙) and towers are always open.

·There is a lift from the ground floor to the ramparts, making the castle accessible to wheelchairs.

How to Get There

Castel dell’ Ovo is located in the Bay of Naples just off the coastal road. Bus 151 from the train station and 140 from the port stop at Castel dell’ Ovo.

When to Get there

The castle is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 7 pm, and Sundays and holidays from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. The Prehistoric Museum is open only on weekends from 10 am to 1 pm. As Naples is one of Italy’s most visited cities, its sights can be very crowded in the high-season summer months. Visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds and to take advantage of the best light for taking photos from the castle’s towers.

Book Online or Call +1(702)648-5873

1.Whose settlement did the site of Castel dell’ Ovo belong to ?

A.British colonists’.

B.French colonists’.

C.Greek colonists’.

D.German colonists’.

2.Which of the following correctly describes Castel dell’ Ovo?

A.It lies next to Mount Vesuvius.

B.It’s also named the Egg castle.

C.It was originally built in the 19th century.

D.It’s well-known for its seafood and marina.

3.Who are most probably interested in visiting Castel dell’ Ovo?

A.History lovers.

B.Sports lovers.

C.Literature lovers.

D.Astronomy lovers.

4.What should you know before you tour Castel dell’ Ovo?

A.The tickets have to be booked in advance.

B.Those with leg problems can not tour the ramparts.

C.It’s easily accessible by bus from the train station.

D.The towers can be visited only during special events.

5.When should you go to the Prehistoric Museum?

A.On Sundays from 8:30 to 13:30.

B.On holidays from9:00 to 13:30.

C.On weekdays from 8:30 to 19:00.

D.On weekends from 10:00 to 13:00.