People who have lost the ability to understand or use words due to brain damage are called aphasics(失语症患者).Such patients can be extremely good at something else.From the changing expressions on speakers’ faces and the tones of their voices,they can tell lies from truths.
Doctors studying the human brain have given a number of examples of this amazing power of aphasics.Some have even compared this power to that of a dog with an ability to find out the drugs hidden in the baggage.
Recently,scientists carried out tests to see if all that was said about aphasics was true.THEY STUDIED A MIXED GROUP OF PEOPLE.Some were normal;others were aphasics.It was proved that the aphasics were far ahead of the normal people in recognizing false speeches—in most cases,the normal people were fooled by words,but the aphasics were not.
Some years ago,Dr.Oliver Sacks wrote in his book about his experiences with aphasics.He mentioned a particular case in a hospital.Some aphasics were watching the president giving a speech on TV.Since the president had been an actor earlier,making a good speech was no problem for him.He was trying to put his feelings into every word of his speech.
But his way of speaking had the opposite effect on the patients.They didn’t seem to believe him.Instead,they burst into laughter.The aphasics knew that the president did not mean a word of what he was saying.He was lying!
Many doctors see aphasics as people who are not completely normal because they lack the ability to understand words.However,according to Dr.Sacks,they are more gifted than normal people.Normal people may get carried away by words.Aphasics seem to understand human expressions better,though they cannot understand words.
1.What is so surprising about aphasics?
A.They can fool other people. B.They can find out the hidden drugs.
C.They can understand language better. D.They can tell whether people are lying.
2.How did the scientists study aphasics?
A.By asking them to watch TV together.
B.By organizing them into acting groups.
C.By comparing them with normal people.
D.By giving them chances to speak on TV.
3.What do we learn from this text?
A.What one says reflects how one feels.
B.Aphasics have richer feelings than others.
C.Normal people often tell lies in their speeches.
D.People poor at one thing can be good at another.
If you were to walk up to Arthur Bonner and say,“Hey,Butterfly Man,”his face would break into a smile.The title suits him.And he loves it.
Arthur Bonner works with the Palos Verdes blue butterfly(蝴蝶),once thought to have died out.Today the butterfly is coming back—thanks to him.But years ago if you’d told him this was what he’d be doing someday,he would have laughed,“You’re crazy.”As a boy,he used to be “a little tough guy on the streets”.At age thirteen,he was caught by police for stealing.At eighteen,he landed in prison for shooting a man.
“I knew it had hurt my mom,”Bonner said after he got out of prison.“So I told myself I would not put my mom through that pain again.”
One day he met Professor Mattoni,who was working to rebuild the habitat(栖息地) for an endangered butterfly called EI Segundo blue.
“I saw the sign‘Butterfly Habitat’and asked,‘How can you have a habitat when the butterflies can just fly away?’”Bonner recalls,“Dr.Mattoni laughed and handed me a magnifying glass(放大镜),‘Look at the leaves.’I could see all these caterpillars(蝴蝶的幼虫) on the plant.Dr.Mattoni explained,‘Without the plant,there are no butterflies.’”
Weeks later,Bonner received a call from Dr.Mattoni,who told him there was a butterfly that needed help.That was how he met the Palos Verdes blue.Since then he’s been working for four years to help bring the butterfly back.He grows astragalus,the only plant the butterfly eats.He collects butterflies and brings them into a lab to lay eggs.Then he puts new butterflies into the habitat.
The butterfly’s population,once almost zero,is now up to 900.For their work,Bonner and Dr.Mattoni received lots of awards.But for Bonner,he earned something more:he turned his life around.
For six years now Bonner has kept his promise to stay out of prison.While he’s bringing back the Palos Verdes blue,the butterfly has helped bring him back,too.
1.When he was young,Arthur Bonner _______.
A.broke the law and ended up in prison
B.was fond of shooting and hurt his mom
C.often laughed at people on the streets
D.often caught butterflies and took them home
2.Bonner came to know the Palos Verdes blue after he _______.
A.found the butterfly had died out
B.won many prizes from his professor
C.met Dr.Mattoni,a professor of biology
D.collected butterflies and put them into a lab
3.From the last sentence of the text,we learn that raising butterflies has _______.
A.made Bonner famous
B.changed Bonner’s life
C.brought Bonner wealth
D.enriched Bonner’s knowledge
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A.A Promise to Mom
B.A Man Saved by Butterflies
C.A Story of Butterflies
D.A Job Offered by Dr.Mattoni
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。
The books in David’s schoolbag felt like bricks as he ran down the street.What he wanted to do was to play basketball with Eric. 1his mother told him he would have to return his sister’s books to the library first.
He had 2set foot in a library and he wasn’t about to do so today.He would just 3
the books in the outside return box.But there was a 4;it was locked.
He went into the building,only a few minutes 5closing time.He put the books into the return box.And after a brief 6in the toilet,he would be on his way to the playground to 7Eric.
David stepped out of the toilet and stopped in 8—the library lights were off.The place was 9.The doors had been shut.They 10be opened from the inside.He was trapped(被困)—in a library!
He tried to 11a telephone call,but was unable to 12.What’s worse,the pay phones were on the outside of the building. 13the sun began to set,he searched for a light and found it.
14he could see.David wrote on a piece of paper:“ 15!I’m TRAPPED inside!”and stuck it to the glass door. 16,someone passing by would see it.
He was surprised to discover that this place was not so unpleasant, 17.Rows and rows of shelves held books,videos and music.He saw a book about Michael Jordan and took it off the shelf.He settled into a chair and started to 18.
He knew he had to 19,but now,that didn’t seem to be such a 20thing.
1.A.but B.because C.or D.since
2.A.ever B.nearly C.never D.often
3.A.pass B.drop C.carry D.take
4.A.problem B.mistake C.case D.question
5.A.during B.after C.over D.before
6.A.rest B.break C.walk D.stop
7.A.visit B.meet C.catch D.greet
8.A.delight B.anger C.surprise D.eagerness
9.A.lonely B.empty C.noisy D.crowded
10.A.wouldn’t B.shouldn’t C.couldn’t D.needn’t
11.A.make B.fix C.use D.pick
12.A.get on B.get up C.get through D.get in
13.A.If B.As C.Though D.Until
14.A.On time B.Now and then
C.By the way D.At last
15.A.Come B.Help C.Hello D.Sorry
16.A.Surely B.Thankfully C.Truly D.Gradually
17.A.at most B.after all C.in short D.as usual
18.A.watch B.play C.read D.write
19.A.wait B.stand C.sleep D.work
20.A.bad B.cool C.strange D.nice
_______ by a greater demand for vegetables,farmers have built more green houses.
A.Driven B.Being driven
C.To drive D.Having driven
The open-air celebration has been put off _______ the bad weather.
A.in case of B.in spite of
C.instead of D.because of
The play had already been on for quite some time when we _______ at the New Theatre.
A.have arrived B.arrived
C.had arrived D.arrive
