Did you know that women’s brains are smaller than men’s? The average women’s brain weighs 10% less than men’s. Since research has shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent(聪明的) than women. Right? Wrong. Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size. Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it’s what’s inside that matters, not just the size of the brain. The brain consists of “grey matter” and
It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women. This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time. When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time.
There are other important differences between two sexes. As white matter is the key to spatial(空间的) tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things. “A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher. That may explain one of life’s great mysteries: why men refuse to ask for directions … and women often need to!
The differences begin when fetuses(胎儿) are about mine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children ad young as one. A boy would try to climb a barrier (障碍物) before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others. These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills. It may all go back to our ancestors(祖先) ,among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research.
If all this disappoints you, it shouldn’t. “The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it.” says a biologist.
1.Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph?
A. Women’s brain is 10% less than men’s
B. Grey matter plays the same role as white matter.
C. Grey matter controls thinking in the brain.
D. Both sexes have the same amount of white matter.
2.What can we infer from the second and third paragraphs?
A. Women prefer doing many things at a time.
B. Men do better dealing with one job at a time.
C. Women do not need to tell directions.
D. Men have weaker spatial abilities.
3.Which of the following do you agree with according to the fourth paragraph?
A. Young boys may be stronger than young girls.
B. More women take up jobs requiring speech skills
C. Women may have stronger feelings than men.
D. Our ancestors needed more spatial skills.
4.What is the writer’s attitude in writing this passage?
A. Defensive. B. Persuasive.
C. Supportive. D. Objective.
Runners in a relay(接力) race pass a stick in one direction. However, merchants passed silk, gold, fruit, and glass along the Silk Road in more than one direction. They earned their living by traveling the famous Silk Road.
The Silk Road was not a simple trading network. It passed through thousands of citied and towns. It started from eastern China, across Central Asia and the Middle East, and ended in the Mediterranean Sea. It was used from about 200 B, C, to about A, D, 1300, when sea travel offered new routes(路线) , It was sometimes called the world’s longest highway. However, the Silk Road was made up of many routes, not one smooth path. They passed through what are now 18 countries. The routes crossed mountains and deserts and had many dangers of hot sun, deep snow and even battles. Only experienced traders could return safe.
The Silk Road got its name from its most prized product. Silk could be used like money to pay taxes or buy goods. But the traders carried more than just silk. Gold, silver, and glass from Europe were much found in the Middle East and Asia. Horses traded from other areas changed farming practices in China. Indian merchants traded salt and other valuable goods. Chinese merchants traded paper, which produced an immediate effect on the West. Apples traveled from central Asia to Rome. The Chinese had learned to graft(嫁接) different trees together to make new kinds of fruit. They passed this science on to others, including the Romans. The Romans used grafting to grow the apple. Trading along the Silk Road led to world-wide business 2,000 years before the World Wide Web.
The people along the Silk Road did not share just goods. They also shared their beliefs. The Silk Road provided pathways for learning, diplomacy(外交), and religion (宗教)
1.It’s probable that traders along the Silk Road needed .
A. to remember the entire trade route B. to know the making of products
C. to receive certain special training D. to deal with a lot of difficulties
2.The Silk Road became less important because .
A. it was made up of different routes B. silk trading became less popular
C. sea travel provided easier routes D. people needed fewer foreign goods
3.New technologies could travel along the Silk Road because people .
A. learned from one another B. shared each other’s beliefs
C. traded goods along the route D. earned their living by traveling
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Silk Road ; Past and Present B. The Silk Road; East Meets West
C. The Silk Road; Routes Full of Dangers D. The Silk Road; Pathways for Learning
This was no ordinary class. The students who came together were all science or engineering professors at Cornell University. They had interrupted their research to accept an invitation to take part in an unusual experiment: “an interesting week of poetry.” This class was part of a study to answer the questions: Why is science difficult for many nonscience students? What can teachers learn about teaching if they take a class that is not in their field?
The students in the poetry class listened to lectures and took notes. They had reading tasks and had to write three short papers. All students noticed one thing – the importance of spoken words. In science and engineering classes, the instructors put tables and drawings on the blackboard. But in this poetry class, the instructors just talked. They didn’t write anything on the board.
The scientists and engineers noticed one similarity between science and poetry. In both subjects, students need to find layers (层次) of meaning . Some layers are simple, clean, and on the surface; other layers are deeper and more difficult. This search for different levels of meaning doesn’t happen much in undergraduate(本科) science classes, but it is important later, in graduate school. And it is always important in humanities(人文科学).
Both the poetry instructors and their students learned something about teaching from this experience. One poetry instructor, for example, now sees the importance of using informative as he teaches. Most of the scientists agreed on several points. First, humanities classes might help science students to see patterns and decide which information is important. Second, the poetry class was fun. One engineer decided, “We need to change the way we teach engineering to make to make it an enjoyable experience for students.”
But perhaps the most important result of the experience was this; All of the professors began to think about how they teach and how they cam teach better.
1.What do we know about this unusual class?
A. The teachers did lots of writing on the board
B. The teacher were invited to attend several lectures.
C. The student were professors from a university
D. The students were studying science and humanities.
2.The experiment was designed to find out
A. how to teach the students in the science class
B. whether poetry is difficult for science students
C. what to be taught in the humanities class
D. why many humanities students find science hard.
3.Finding levels of meaning is .
A. important for graduate students in humanities
B. difficult for graduate students in humanities
C. common for undergraduate students in science
D. easy for undergraduate students in science.
4.What did the science professors learn after the experiment?
A. They should change the way they teach
B. A poem could be explained in clear definitions.
C. A poetry class could be more informative.
D. Their teaching was an enjoyable experience.
Photographs are everywhere. They decorate (装饰) the walls of homes and are used in stores for sales of different goods. The news is filled with pictures of fires, floods, and special events. Photos record the beauties of nature. They can also bring things close that are far away. Through photos, people can see wild animals, cities in foreign lands, and even the stars in outer space. Photos also tell stories.
Reporting the news through photos is called photojournalism. At times photojournalists tell their stories through a single picture. At other times, they use a group of pictures to tell a story. Each picture is like a chapter in a book, which can do more than record the facts. It can also be a strong force for social change.
Jacob Riis was among the first photojournalists. He took pictures of parts of New York City where the poor lived. Riis believed that poverty(贫穷) caused crime, and he used photos to help him prove his point. A few years later, the photos of small children working in factories by Lewis Hine shocked the public. Hine’s pictures helped bring about laws to protect such children.
Hundreds of pictures may have to be taken in order to get one or two really good photos. It takes science to have the photo come out clearly and art to make a photo that has a good design and expresses feeling. Photojournalists make an actual record of what they see. A photo, however, can be both a work of art and an actual record. It can record an important event as a beautiful or exciting picture.
As historical and artistic documents(文献) ,photos can become more important over time. Today photojournalists still have their pictures appear in newspapers and magazines. They also publish(发表) them in books and on the Internet.
1.The underlined word “They” in the first paragraph refers to .
A. beauties B. photos C. goods D. events
2.The photos of the small children by Hine show us that photos .
A. are also works of art B. are popular ways of reporting news
C. often shock the public D. can serve as a force for social change
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. News with pictures is encouraging. B. Photos help people improve
C. News photos mean history in a sense. D. People prefer reading news with pictures.
4.The text is mainly about .
A. telling the story through picture B. decorating the walls of homes
C. publishing historical papers D. expressing feeling through pictures
They say there are three ways to experience the Grand Canyon; on foot, on mules(骡子) or by air. We chose the first. Up early; my husband and I and our three children couldn’t wait to get started. We decided to walk along a lovely path named Bright Angel Trail.
As we set out, I was shocked at how narrow the path was. And I couldn’t help noticing that the other tourists weren’t like us. They had heavy backpacks, water bottles, and hats. But as usual we were dressed, As the sun rose higher, Arizona’s famous heat seemed to roast(烘烤) us. There was no shade and our legs were aching. We decided to go back, with the girl on my back and the boys far behind. By the time we finally got back, our legs were like jelly.
The next day, after we’d had a long rest and a good breakfast, we were ready for another view of the Canyon – by air. After our last walk, this would be the easiest thing in the world.
We called to each other excitedly as the plane took off and circled around the Canyon. But the smiles on our faces disappeared as the pilot tossed(翻转) the plane around, pretending he was going to hit the ground. I shouted, “STOP, TAKE US BACK!” When we finally arrived back on land, once again our legs were like jelly. We hardly spoke as we drove back.
As I said, there are three ways to view the Grand Canyon. We never tried the mules, but personally I’d suggest a fourth: buy yourself a good magazine like National Geographic. That way, you can see the Canyon, without fear or tiredness.
1.Which of the following is true according to the second paragraph?
A. They made a careful preparation before the trip
B. They children were more joyful than their parents.
C. Bright Angel Trail was not as lovely as they expected.
D. The summer heat prevented them from enjoying the view.
2.The underlined expression “Our legs were like jelly” probably means .
A. we were weak B. we were unhappy
C. we were dissatisfied D. we were disappointed
3.Which of the following best describes their Canyon trip by air?
A. It proved to be frightening. B. It was more comfortable
C. It turned out to be exciting D. It made each of them tired.
4.We can infer from the passage that .
A. experiencing the Canyon on mules would be the best way
B. one needs to dress less when visiting the Grand Canyon.
C. the writer was not serious when she made the suggestion.
D. the whole family narrowly escaped from the air accident.
阅读下在短文，从短文后各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出适合填入对应空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。
A woman id her sixties lived alone in her little cottage with a pear tree at her door. She spent all her time taking care of the tree. But the children nearby drover her 1by making fun of her. They would climb her tree and then run away with pears, 2“Aunty Misery” at her.
One evening, a passer by asked to 3for the night. Seeing that he had an 4Face, she let him in and gave him a nice 5. The next morning the stranger, actually a sorcerer (巫师), thanked her by granting (允准) her 6that anyone who climbed up her tree 7not be able to come back down until she 8it.
When the children came back to steal her 9, she had them stuck on the tree. They had to beg her
long 10she gave the tree permission to let 11go. Aunty Misery was free from the 12at last.
One day another man 13her door. This one did not look trustworthy to her, 14she asked who he was . “I am Death, I’ve come to take you 15me.” said he.
Thinking fast Aunty Misery said, “Fine, but I’d like to 16some pears from my dear tree to remember the 17
it brought to me in this life. But I am too 18to climb high to get the best fruit. Will you be so 19as to do it for me?” With a deep sigh, Mr. Death climbed up the tree 20and was immediately stuck to it. No matter how much he warned or begged, Aunty Misery would not allow the tree to let Death go.
1.A. hopeless B. painful C. dull D. crazy
2.A. calling B. shouting C. announcing D. whispering
3.A. stay B. live C. hide D. lie
4.A. interesting B. honest C. anxious D. angry
5.A. gift B. kiss C. treat D. smile
6.A. suggestion B. demand C. permission D. wish
7.A. could B. should C. might D. must
8.A. permitted B. promised C. answered D. declared
9.A. branch B. food C. tree D. fruit
10.A. after B. while C. since D. before
11.A. it B. them C. him D. her
12.A. trick B. question C. trouble D. difficulty
13.A. stepped into B. left for C. stopped at D. walked around
14.A. so B. but C. although D. because
15.A. with B. off C. upon D. for
16.A. choose B. pick C. shake D. hit
17.A. honor B. pleasure C. hope D. excitement
18.A. light B. short C. old D. thin
19.A. proud B. kind C. fine D. smart
20.A. disappointedly B. cheerfully C. unwillingly D. eagerly
