Most people around the world are right-handed. This also seems to be true in history. In 1799, scientists studied works of art made at different times. Most of the people shown in these works were right-handed, so the scientists guessed that right-handedness had always been common through history. Today, only about 10% to 15% of the world's population are left-handed.
Why are there more right-handed people than left-handed ones? Scientists now know that a person's two hands each have their own jobs. This is because of the different work of the two sides of the brain. The right side of the brain, which makes a person's hands and eyes work together, controls the left hand. The left-side of the brain, which controls the right hand, is the centre for thinking and doing problems. These findings show that more artists should be left-handed, and studies have found that left-handedness is twice as common among artists as among people in other jobs.
No one really knows what makes a person become right-handed instead of left-handed. Scientists have found that almost 40% of the people become left-handed because their main brain is damaged when they are born. However, this doesn't happen to everyone, so scientists guess there must be another reason why people become left-handed. One idea is that people usually get right-handed from their parents. ①If a person does not receive the gene (基因) for right-handedness, he / she may become either right-handed or left-handed according to the chance and the people they work or live with.
Though right-handedness is more common than left-handedness, people no longer think left-handed people are strange or unusual. A long time ago, left-handed children were made to use their right hands like other children, but today ②they don't have to.
1.请从文章中分别找出第2、3自然段的中心句。
第2段_____________________________
第3段_____________________________
2.找出①处划线句子译成汉语。
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3.找出②处划线单词they 所指代的内容。
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4.根据文章内容回答问题。Why is the left-handedness more common among artists?
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A strange thing happens to nearly everybody. At night, people turn off the lights, pull up the covers and close their eyes. Six or seven sleeping hours later, they wake up again. Strange, isn't it?
Sleep ①puzzles science. Scientists and doctors would rather talk about why one can't fall asleep. They are not sure what causes sleep. The best conditions for sleep are good health and meal neither too big nor too small. No worries and a comfortable place are important, too.
Strange things happen during sleep. For example, you move often. You would feel tired if you didn't. You also dream. Part of your brain is still awake when you sleep. Dreaming happens when the memory and imagination in parts of your brain are still awake. Experiments have shown most of us dream in color. Bad dreams may be caused by stomachache. Don't worry if you dream. Some great stories and poems were begun while their writers slept.
1.根据短文内容，猜测①处划线单词puzzle的意思。将字母代号填写在答题卡上。
A.困惑 B.谜语 C.解释
2.列举出文章中提到的好睡眠需要的条件。
① good health ②___________ ③ ___________ ④ a comfortable place
3.回答问题。Why do people dream while they are sleeping?
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4.从文章中找出与Stomachache may cause bad dreams.意思相同或相近的句子。
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5.根据文章内容，给本文拟一个合适的标题。
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For 72 years, Lisa Gumpel kept a secret. "For a long time, I decided not to tell anyone about it," said Gumpel, 85 years old, who finally settled (定居) in Minnesota 1. the war and now lives in the Twin Cities.
She told people that she and her two sisters were among the 669 Jewish children 2.(save) by a kind man to run away from the Nazi concentration Camp 3.1939. Their rescuer(营救者)was a British businessman named Nicholas Winton, who also kept the story to 4.(he) until his wife found a list of the 5.(children) names.
Gumpel was very surprised in 1988 when the truth about Winton's one-man rescue operation finally came out. "6.(someone) knew that he actually did all by himself," she said. "He 7.(work) so hard to save lives."
Winton still doesn't think he's a hero, saying that his life was never 8. danger and that he was doing what he feels every person should do.
A party was held for him and the people he had saved. Gumpel was 9.(excite) when she finally met him. "He still treats us all like we're his kids," she said with a 10.(warm) smile on the face.
From Monday to Friday people are busy working or studying, but in the evenings and ______ they are free and enjoy themselves. Some watch television or go to the movies, others ______sports. This is decided by their own.
There are many different ways to spend times. It may be something from collecting stamps ______ making model planes. Some hobbies are very ______, but others don't cost anything at all. Some collections are worth ______ of money, others are valuable only to their owners.
I know a man who has a coin collection worth several ______ dollars. A short time ago he bought a rare fifty-cent piece which ______ him $250! He was very happy about this collection and thought the price was all right. On ______ hand, my youngest brother collects match boxes. He has almost 600 kinds of them, but I wonder ______ they are worth any money. However, to my brother they are quite valuable. Nothing makes him happier than to find a new match box for his collection. That's what a hobby means, I think. It is something we ______ to do in our free time just for the fun of it. The value in dollars is not important, but the pleasure it gives us is.
1.A.weekends B.mornings C.days
2.A.did B.do C.doing
3.A.to B.and C.in
4.A.exciting B.expensive C.interesting
5.A.a few B.a little C.a lot
6.A.thousands B.thousand C.thousands of
7.A.cost B.spent C.paid
8.A.other B.another C.the other
9.A.if B.what C.how
10.A.need B.have C.like
It was a quiet village in which there was a camp. It was far from the towns and cities and there were some high mountains around. Of course it was a good place for training the new soldiers. 1.. Mr. White, an officer of forty, was strict with them and he hardly let them leave the camp.
Once Mr. White was ill in bed. He couldn't work and a young officer, Mr. Hunt began to train the new soldiers instead of him.2.And let nine soldiers go to the nearest town to have a holiday. But night fell and none came back to the camp. He was worried about it and stood at the gate. It was five to twelve when Mr. Hunt decided to go to the town and see what was happening with the young men.3.. At that moment the nine soldiers came back. It seemed they were all drunk. Of course they found the officer was angry.
"I'm sorry, sir." said the first soldier." I left the town on time.4.. I had to buy a horse and made it run fast. Bad luck! It died and I had to run back."
And the other seven soldiers said they were late for the same reasons. It was the last soldier's turn. He said, "I'm sorry sir, I got on a bus on time, but..."
Having heard this, the officer became even angrier and stopped him at once. He called out, "If you say something was wrong with your bus, I'll punish you at once!"
"No, no, Sir." said the young man." My bus was all right.5.."
A.He knew the young men well.
B.But something was wrong with my bus on my way here.
C.He was very strict, too.
D.But the dead horses were in the way.
E.He started the car quickly and set off.
F.But it was difficult for the young men to go outside.
Louis Armstrong had two famous nicknames (绰号). Some people called him Bagamo. They said his mouth looked like a large bag. Musicians often called him Pops, as a sign of respect for his influence on the world of music.
Although born in 1901 in New Orleans, poor, he lived among great musicians. Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth. Armstrong often said, "Jazz and I grew up together."
Armstrong showed a great talent for music when he was taught to play the comet (短号) at a boys' home. In his late teens, Armstrong began to live the life of a musician. He played in parades, clubs, and on the steamboats that traveled on the Mississippi River. At that time, New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians. Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became as famous as them.
In 1922 he went to Chicago. There, the tale (传说) of Louis Armstrong begins. From then until the end of his life, Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever he went.
His comet playing had deep humanity (仁爱) and warmth that caused many listeners to say, "Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over." He was the father of the jazz style and also one of the best-known and most admired people in the world. His death, on July 6, 1971, was headline news around the world.
1.Armstrong was called Pops because ________.
A.his mouth looked like a big bag. B.people wanted to show their respect to him.
C.his family name is Pops. D.he lived in New Orleans.
2.The underlined word "parades" may be the name of ________.
A.a man B.an animal C.a place D.music
3.People liked Armstrong's music because________.
A.there was humanity and warmth in it. B.they liked Jazz.
C.Armstrong played the comet D.Armstrong was a great musician.
4.Which statement is true?
A.Armstrong was born in Chicago. B.Armstrong left for Chicago at the age of 20.
C.Armstrong lived to 70 years. D.Armstrong was the father of comet.
5.The passage is ________.
A.a letter B.a story C.a report D.a biography(人物传记)
