Any foreigner who has tried to learn Chinese can tell how hard it is to master the tones required to speak and understand. And anyone who has tried to learn to play the violin or other instruments can report similar challenges.
Now researchers have found that people with musical training have an easier time learning Chinese. Writing in the online edition of Nature Neuroscience，researchers from Northwestern University say that both skills draw on the same parts of the brain that help people discover changes in pitch(音调).
One of the study's authors，Nina Kraus，said the findings suggested that studying music “actually tunes our sensory system”.This means that schools that want children to do well in languages should hesitate before cutting music programs，Dr. Kraus said. She said music training might also help children with language problems.
Mandarin(普通话)speakers have been shown to have a more complex encoding(编码) of pitch patterns in their brains than English speakers do. This is because in Mandarin and other Asian languages，pitch plays a central role. A singlesyllable word can have several meanings depending on how it is intoned.
For this study，the researchers looked at 20 nonChinese speaking volunteers，half with no musical background and half who have studied an instrument for at least six years.
As they were shown a movie，the volunteers also heard an audio tape of the Mandarin word “mi” in three of its meanings:squint，bewilder and rice. The researchers recorded activities in their brain stems to see how well they were processing the sounds. Those with a music background showed much more brain activities in response to the Chinese sounds.
The lead author of the study，Patrick C.M.Wong，said it might work both ways. It appears that native speakers of tonal languages may do better at learning instruments.
1.When learning Chinese，a foreigner will find ________.
A.he has a difficult time learning music at the same time
B.he has an easier time learning music at the same time
C.it is hard to master the tones required to speak and understand
D.it is easy to use the brain to help him discover changes in pitch
2.Why does Chinese learning have something to do with music training?
A.Because there is the same difficulty in learning Chinese and music.
B.Because skills to learn the two make use of the same parts of the brain.
C.Because music training might help people with language study.
D.Because people who do well in Chinese study do well in music.
3.The underlined word “intoned” in the fourth paragraph can be replaced by the word “____”.
A.created B.spelled C.seemed D.pronounced
4.What would be the best title for this passage?
A.Mandarin Speakers Are Smarter than English Speakers
B.Skilled Ear for Music May Help Language Study
C.Pitch Plays a Central Role in Chinese Learning
D.Schools Need to Develop Music Programs
I cried the first time I saw the Notre Dame（巴黎圣母院）years ago. I'd waited my entire life to see this great French architecture, and experienced it in its full glory on a bright sunny day. Last night, I again cried for the centuries-old church while watching it burn.
I hadn't expected to spend my evening that way. My friend and I were having dinner at a cafe a block or so away from the Notre Dame, choosing to skip going inside with the intention to go back the next day.
However, we heard that it caught fire, so we left the cafe and ran towards the church, following heavy smoke from it, and soon we joined a nearly silent crowd. Some were praying, some were crying, but most were staring in disbelief at the disaster happening before us. The fire continued to get worse. About 400 firefighters were working to control the fire. We could see their flashlights shining as they inspected the front from a balcony.
The Notre Dame is part of the heartbeat of Paris, I reflected on the experiences I've had there, from attending a bread market out front to admiring the beautiful windows and architecture inside. It is a spot that helps make Paris magical. And here we were, watching it burn down. It was too much to handle, but it was impossible to look away.
About 9：30 pm, the gathered crowd spontaneously（自发地）began to sing Hymns（圣歌）to the church. We sang along with the group, feeling at once less like tourists and more like members of them. I hadn't imagined all that before.
For hundreds of years, the Notre Dame has seen the most joyous and the most terrible moments in the lives of both France and her people. And when everyone was able to become one emotional force, it showed that even in her darkest hour, the Notre Dame was still there to bring us all together.
1.Why did the author cry for the Notre Dame for the first time?
A.She was touched by its greatness. B.She was sorrowful to watch it burn.
C.She was regretful for missing its glory. D.She was excited about French cultures.
2.What was the author doing when the Notre Dame caught fire?
A.Heading for a faraway cafe. B.Visiting a church with a friend.
C.Eating nearby with a friend. D.Wandering along the street alone.
3.What can we know about the fire scene?
A.People expressed their sadness in different ways.
B.People were nervously rushing in different directions.
C.Hundreds of volunteers joined in putting out the fire.
D.Firefighters kept people away with shining flashlights.
4.What impressed the author most?
A.The church allowed visitors to gain great experiences.
B.Many foreign tourists became members of the church.
C.The church survived disasters for hundreds of years.
D.People were brought together to sing to the church.
Guide to Stockholm University Library
Our library offers different types of studying places and provides a good studying environment.
Zones
The library is divided into different zones. The upper floor is a quiet zone with over a thousand places for silent reading, and places where you can sit and work with your own computer. The reading places consist mostly of tables and chairs. The ground floor is the zone where you can talk. Here you can find sofas and armchairs for group work.
Computers
You can use your own computer to connect to the wi-fi specially prepared for notebook computers; you can also use library computers, which contain the most commonly used applications, such as Microsoft Office. They are situated in the area known as the Experimental Field on the ground floor.
Group-study places
If you want to discuss freely without disturbing others, you can book a study room or sit at a table on the ground floor. Some study rooms are for 2～3 people and others can hold up to 6～8 people. All rooms are marked on the library maps.
There are 40 group-study rooms that must be booked via the website. To book, you need an active University account and a valid University card. You can use a room three hours per day, nine hours at most per week.
Storage of Study Material
The library has lockers for students to store course literature. When you have obtained at least 40 credits, you may rent a locker and pay 400 SEK for a year’s rental period.
Rules to be Followed
Mobile phone conversations are not permitted anywhere in the library. Keep your phone on silent as if you were in a lecture and exit the library if you need to receive calls.
Please note that food and fruit are forbidden in the library, but you are allowed to have drinks and sweets with you.
1.What is the library’s upper floor mainly for students to do?
A. Read in a quiet place. B. Have group discussions.
C. Take comfortable seats. D. Get their computers fixed.
2.What condition should be met to book a group-study room?
A. A group must consist of 8 people. B. Three-hour use per day is the minimum.
C. One should first register at the university. D. Applicants must mark the room on the map.
3.A student can rent a locker in the library if he ________.
A. can afford the rental fee B. attends certain courses
C. has nowhere to put his books D. has earned the required credits
假定你是李华，你的英国笔友Betty最近在学习汉语，她给你发来一封邮件，询问如何提高汉语口语水平。请给她回一封邮件，内容包括：
1. 提出建议（至少两点）；
2. 表达祝愿。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写上修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Last Friday I took the subway home as usually. Since our physics teacher had just teach us in class that the escalator（自动扶梯） worked, I decided to see how fast the escalator went. To my surprise, it went a speed of about 40 m/min. The next day, I went to a department store with her cousin Emily. I times the escalator here too. I found that it was much slower, going about 30 meter every minute. Why? I check on the Internet and found the reason. Stores slow down escalators on a purpose, allowing customers more time to looking at their products.
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
A college student who shows great courage in fighting severe kidney (肾脏) disease while following his dreams in scientific1.(invent) has inspired many people.
Zou Yongsong, 27, is a student at Changsha University of Science &Technology in Changsha, Hunan Province. At 2.age of four, Zou caught a high fever, and poor medical treatment in the village left his kidneys3.(serious) damaged. Since then he has suffered kidney problems and has had to take medicine daily4. (fight) the disease.
Though he suffered the pain5.(bring) by the disease, he didn't give up attending school. After years of hard work, Zou6.(admit) to Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology. In 2017 his condition became7.(bad) and he had to receive dialysis (透析) treatment. However, the physical suffering did not stop him8.(dream) of a career in science. Even during his stay in hospital, he insisted9.working on patent (专利权) applications. Over the last two years, six of his patents and copyrights have been approved.
10.he shows courage and optimism when facing difficulty and misfortune, Zou was awarded the Touching Hunan award in November.
