Parents are often amazed at how fast their child grows and develops. New research has determined that the ability to quantify may develop much sooner than most parents realize.
Kristy vanMarle, professor of the University of Missouri, has determined that contrary to what previous studies have shown, infants（婴儿）are able to quantify substances（物质）—like sand or water—as early as 10 months. As long as the difference between the two substances is large enough, infants will choose the larger amount, especially when it comes to food.
With the assistance of her team researchers, vanMarle tested the quantifying skills of babies by presenting them with two cups: one containing a small amount of food, and one containing a larger amount. Consistently, the babies chose the larger amount.
“Several studies throughout the last 15 years have shown that infants are very good at telling how many objects they see; however, infants don’t seem to count things like water or sand,” vanMarle said. “What we’re saying is that they can quantify substances; it’s just much harder. The infants can see how much food goes into each cup and compare that in their memories. They decide which amount is larger, and they almost always select the larger one.”
This information further refutes（驳斥）the long-held idea that babies “know nothing of the world,” vanMarle said.
“Since psychologists have begun studying infants with sensitive measures, we’ve discovered a lot of early abilities. I think for parents, it should be exciting to know that there’s somebody in there that has some fundamental and basic knowledge of the world, and that knowledge is guiding their development,” vanMarle said.
In the future, vanMarle says this kind of study could be linked to a child’s progress in math-related skills, although programs marketed to increase those abilities, such as “Baby Einstein,” still have mixed reviews when it comes to academic study.
1. The quantifying ability refers to the ability to .
A. choose between different substances
B. get much knowledge of the world
C. describe the quantity of something
D. obtain math-related skills
2. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 4?
A. The process of doing research.
B. The scientific findings.
C. The final choice of infants.
D. The observation of infants’ behavior.
3.Babies choose the larger amount of food .
A. by saying numbers B. with the help of parents
C. on personal preference D. through their natural abilities
4. What’s the best title of the text?
A. Breakthrough in Baby Studies
B. Amazing Baby-training Ideas
C. Early Human Abilities
D. Unique Quantifying Methods
The Fourth “21st Century Cup” National English Speaking Competition is to be held in Shanghai.
Organizers: China Daily and Shanghai Broadcasting Network.
Co-ordinater: China University English Speaking Association （CUESA）.
Co-sponsors（联办单位）: English Speaking Union （ESU）, Lotus Software （China）Co. Ltd., Times Publishing Group of Singapore, Hilton Shanghai, Pearson Education, Foreign Language Teaching & Research Press.
Date: March 26（Friday）, 1999.
Place: Hilton Shanghai.
Competition Format （形式）: Each student will present a prepared speech on the given topic, followed by a three -minute off - hand speech and a three - minute question and answer period with the judges.
Prepared speech period: six minutes.
Q & A period: three minutes.
Speech topic: People and Nature: In search of harmony （和谐）in a new age ＋ your personal opinion. （Topics for the off-hand speech will be given on the day of competition）.
Prizes: Besides books and certificates （证书）, the top two winners will be offered scholarships（奖学金） to travel to the annual international English -speaking competition which will be held by the English Speaking Union in London in May, 1999. The third and fourth place winners will be offered a study trip to Singapore, sponsored by the Times Publishing Group. The fifth through 10th place winners will be offered cash prizes. All the competitors will receive certificates from the English Speaking Union and book prizes provided by Pearson Education and Foreign Language Teaching & Research Press. The teachers of the top winners will also receive a one - year membership to the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language（IATEFL）
1.The main purpose of this passage is ________.
A. to invite you to take part in the competition
B. to tell you some information about the competition
C. to help to improve your spoken English
D. to show you how to win the competition
2.Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the Shanghai English Speaking Competition?________.
A. Where and when it will take place.
B. Its programs.
C. What each winner will be offered.
D. The number of its competitors.
3.Suppose you get the sixth place, you’ll________ .
A. travel to London for free.
B. become a one - year member of IATEFL
C. get some money, some books and a certificate
D. get a chance to study in Singapore
4. An “off- hand speech” is________.
A. a speech not longer than three minutes
B. a speech without preparation
C. a speech with a piece of paper in hand
D. a speech which is well prepared
完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
请阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。
I believe in my mother. My belief began when I was just a kid, 36 I dreamed of becoming a doctor.
My mother was a 37__. Through her work, she observed that 38 _ people spent a lot more time 39 __than they did watch television. She 40 ___ that my brother and I could only watch two to three pre-selected TV programs during the week. With our free time, we had to read two books each from the Detroit Public Library and41__ written book reports to her. She would mark them up with check marks and under-line the important 42 . Years later we realized her marks were only a 43 My mother was a illiterate (文盲). Although we had no money, between the covers of those books, I could go anywhere, do anything and be 44__.
When I entered high school I was an A-student, 45 not for long. I wanted the fancy clothes. I wanted to hang about with the guys. I went from being an A—student then to a B--student then to a C-student, but I didn't 46 . I was cool.
One night my mother came home from working her multiple jobs and I 47 about not having enough Italian knit shirts. She said, "Okay, I will give you all the money I make this week by scrubbing floors and 48 _bathrooms, and you can buy the family food and pay the bills. With everything left over, you can have all that you want." I was very 49 with that arrangement but 50 I got through allocating (分配) money, there was nothing left. I realized my mother was a financial genius to be able to keep a 51 _over our heads and any kind of food on the table, much less to buy clothes. I also52 ___ that immediate satisfaction wasn't going to get me anywhere. Success 53 intellectual preparation. I went back to my studies and became an A—student 54__, and eventually I fulfilled my dream and I became a 55___
1. A. where B. which C. when D. who
2. A. woman servant B. teacher C. worker D. nurse
3. A. healthy B. successful C. powerful D. clever
4. A. searching B. reading C. working D. training
5.A. ordered B. insisted C. suggested D. announced41. A .hand in B. turn over C. pick up D. write down
6. A. titles B. ideas C. books D. parts
7. A. game B. trick C. pleasure D. task
8. A. anybody B. nobody C. somebody D. everybody
9. A. and B. so C. but D. or
10.A. know B. care C. face D. stop
11. A. thought B. chatted C. complained D. worried
12. A. repairing B. cleaning C. rubbing D. watching
13.A. encouraged B. puzzled C. moved D. pleased
14.A. as soon as B. if C. once D. since
15. A. wall B. house C. window D. roof
16. A. realized B. imagined C. believed D. noticed
17.A. suited B. required C. made D. matched
18. A. even B. forever C. before D. again
19.A. professor B. expert C. doctor D. boss
— Remember to pick up your little sister on your way home.
— _______. You can depend on me.
A. Don’t mention it. B. No way C. Got it D. My pleasure.
Only when I left my parents for Italy____ how much I loved them.
A. I realized B. I had realized C. had I realized D. did I realize
He asked me just to sit down and drink some water ____ I could say anything about my travel plan.
A. while B. when C. if D. before
