If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?
According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.
The study also found the younger people learn a second language, the greater the effect is.
A team led by Dr Andrea Mechelli, from University College London, took a group of Britons who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals” who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.
Scans showed that grey matter density(密度)in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.
“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,” said the scientists.
It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales, has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible(灵活的),”he said. “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and 34. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world,” explained the scientists.
1.The main subject talked about in this passage is_____________.
A. science on learning a second language
B. language can help brain power
C. man's ability of learning a second language
D. language learning and maths study
2. In the second paragraph, the writer mentions “exercise” in order to_____________.
A. make people believe language learning helps grey matter work well
B. prove that one needs more practice when he (she) is learning a language
C. to show the importance of using the language when you learn the language
D. say language is also a kind of physical labor
3. The underlined word “bilingual” probably means_____________.
A. a researcher on language learning
B. an English native speaker
C. an active language learner
D. a person who can speak two languages
4.We may know from the scientific findings that_____________.
A. the ability of learning a second language is changing all the time
B. there is no difference between a later second language learner and one who doesn't know a second language
C. the experience of learning a second language has bad effect on people's brain
D. the earlier you start to learn a second language the higher the grey matter density is
5. In the last two paragraphs, the author wants to tell us that_____________.
A. early learning of a second language helps you a great deal in study other subjects
B. learning a second language is the same as studying maths
C. Italian is the best choice for you as a second language
D. you’d better choose the ages between 2 and 34 to learn a second language
“Everybody loves a bargain.” One person's useless, ugly, or broken object can be another person's bargain. That is why so many Americans do not throw things away. They put them outside their houses. They put on a “For Sale” sign. And, as simple as that, they have a yard sale.
The sellers put a paid announcement(付费通告)in a local newspaper. It tells when and where the yard sale will take place. These sales are very popular during weekends in spring, summer, and autumn. Early in the morning, all the things to be sold are carried out of the house. Then they sit all day in the sunlight----like tired guests at a party----waiting for someone to take them home.
Just about anything can be sold at a yard sale. Sometimes, there are more clothes than anything else. Cooking equipment is also popular. So are old toys, tools, books, tables and chairs. Then there are objects called “white elephants”. A white elephant is something you think is extremely ugly or useless. It may be an electric light shaped like a fish. You feel a sharp pain whenever you look at it. To someone else, however, it might be a thing of beauty and joy.
Some people go to yard sales to find a special thing that they collect. It may be old toy trains, for example, or painting of dogs. Experts say more Americans are collecting old things now than ever before. Most people who go to yard sales, however, are not looking for anything special. They might buy an object simply because it costs so little. They enjoy negotiating(谈判) over prices, even if they really do not need the object. Later, they may hold their own yard to sell all the things they have bought.
1.What kind of things will go to a yard sale?
A. Cheap and ugly things. B. Things people no longer use.
C. Things out of season. D. Things of great value.
2.A white elephant refers to _________.
A. something that can cause a feeling of pain
B. something disliked by the owners while appreciated by others
C. something sold at the lowest prices
D. a toy shaped like a fish
3.Most people go to yard sales to________.
A. find valuable paintings B. look for something special
C. find a bargain D. kill their time
4.Which of the following is NOT true about a yard sale?
A. It may not be held when the weather is very cold.
B. It can last for a whole day.
C. It is usually held with a party.
D. It is held outdoors.
5.We can infer from the last paragraph that__________.
A. people may find something of great value on a yard sale
B. yard sales only attract those who have a low income
C. things on a yard sale can cost people a lot
D. most people don’t want to go to yard sales.
It was a dark and cold night. The car driver didn’t have even one passenger all day. When he went by the railway station, he saw a young man coming out with two bags in his hands. So he quickly opened the door of the car and asked, “Where do you want to go, sir?”
“To the Star Hotel,” the young man answered. When the car driver heard that, he didn’t feel happy. The young man would give him only three dollars because the hotel was not far from the railway station. But suddenly, he had an idea. He took the passenger through many streets of the big city.
After a long time, the car finally arrived at the hotel. “You should pay me fifteen dollars,” the car driver said to the young man. “What! Fifteen dollars? Do you think I’m a fool? Only last week I took a car from the railway station to this same hotel and I only gave the driver thirteen dollars. I know how much I have to pay for the trip. I won’t pay you one dollar more than I paid to the other car driver last week. ”
1.Which of the following is true?
A. The young man went past the railway station.
B. The young man was working in the railway station.
C. The young man had just got off a train.
D. The young man was waiting for his friend there.
2.What do you think of the car driver?
A. He was a nice and clever man. B. He was good at driving.
C. He was a dishonest person. D. He liked to work very hard.
3.The driver felt very ____ when he saw the young man coming out of the railway station.
A. sorry B. happy C. proud D. worried
4. From the passage we know that the young man__________.
A. didn’t want to stay in this city.
B. had been to the hotel several times.
C. knew clearly how far it was from the station to the hotel.
D. must be a stranger and didn’t know the city very well.
5.The driver took the passenger through many streets so as to_________.
A. make the young man happy
B. get more than twenty dollars.
C. let the young man think it was very far from the station to the hotel.
D. let the young man have a good look at the city.
语法填空（共10 小题；每小题1.5分,满分15分）
Americans love pets. In America, there are more families with pets 16 those with children. It is common 17 U.S. homes have some sort of pets, such as monkeys, snakes and even wolves. But Americans’ all-time favorites are cats and dogs, because dogs can offer protection from thieves and unwelcome visitors and cats can help get rid 18 the home unwanted pests. Beneath keeping pets, there lies a basic American belief: Pets have a right to be treated well. In Houston, Texas, dogs can have their dinner 19 (deliver) to their homes, just like pizza. Pets can even go with 20 owners on vacation. Besides, at least 75 animal welfare organizations exist in America 21 provide care and adoption services for 22 (home) and ill-treated animals. To pay for the high-tech health care, people can buy health insurance 23 their pets. Pets are as basic to American culture as hot dogs or apple pie. By now researchers 24 (discover) that interacting with animals lowers a person's blood pressure. Pets even encourage social relationships: They give their owners an appearance of friendliness, and they provide 25 good topic of conversation.
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A, B, C 和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The ringing of the phone runs through my head, telling me someone needs help. I pick it up and 1 the routine, “Teen Lifeline, this is Amber.” About 45 minutes later I hang up, feeling pleased because I’ve helped another teen. Volunteering at Teen Lifeline has helped me realize how to deal with my own 2 and help others.
“My mom is always fighting with me. I want to run away.” Some teens feel their 3 is a prison, rather than a place of shelter and safety. They feel parents are only there to make their lives 4 . We try to help the teens realize the danger they could be in 5 giving them advice. All we can do is to ask questions. We also try to find out where the teens would go and how they would survive. We give them a phone number if they 6 don’t want to live in their “prison”.
“I don’t want to 7 any more” is something we hear, and suicide (自杀) calls are some of the hardest to 8 . We try to discover why they want to take their lives and how serious they are by asking them to rate it on a scale of one to ten. One means they are 9 suicide but haven’t decided how, and ten means they are always thinking about it and have a 10 . We ask them to make a promise that they will not hurt themselves. And sometimes we ask for their telephone numbers 11 we can call back to make sure that they are okay.
Although many calls are about relatively 12 problems, volunteering at Teen Lifeline has helped me realize I’m not the 13 person with problems, and has taught me how to 14 with my heart. I have made a 15 and saved many lives — possibly even my own, too.
1. A. set B. stop C. change D. start
2. A. decisions B. disadvantages C. problems D. opinions
3. A. school B. home C. bedroom D. classroom
4. A. simple B. unusual C. happy D. terrible
5. A. for B. of C. without D. besides
6. A. even B. almost C. still D. mostly
7. A. live B. study C. call D. listen
8. A. carry out B. deal with C. believe in D. find out
9. A. accepting B. considering C. objecting D. giving
10. A. plan B. doubt C. purpose D. question
11. A. in case B. if C. so that D. when
12. A. important B. small C. normal D. typical
13. A. very B. only C. exact D. possible
14. A. write B. see C. learn D. listen
15. A. difference B. choice C. promise D. decision
阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
No wonder English poses (构成) such a challenge to non-native speakers. This most global of languages has more words than any other, over 1 million according to the Global Language Monitor. Out of this number, the average American college student has mastered between 8,000-15,000.
Realizing that words are the building blocks of language, many Chinese students try hard to catch up. They make out long lists of words – often in alphabetical order – and simply memorize their definitions(释义) and Chinese meanings.
The bad news is that definition memorization does them little good when it comes to college entrance tests like the SATs. For these tests, a student needs to understand, not simply parrot words studied.
The good news is that there are better ways to build an academic English vocabulary.
Vocabulary learning system
The first thing to do is to develop an organized, but easy means of collecting and learning new words. We recommend a card system that includes the following information:
Word – Simple Definition in English – Phrase or Sentence – Related Words – Synonyms (同义词) and Antonyms (反义词) – with a Chinese translation on the reverse (背面) of the card.
The advantage of this system is that with a single card, a student can learn not just one word but a group of related words.
Keep your cards on a detachable (可分离的) metal ring, so you can carry them around and add to your collection daily.
【写作内容】
1. 以约30词概括以上短文的主要内容：
2. 然后以约120个词以“有什么记单词的好办法?”为主题写一篇短文，并包括如下要点：
1）举例说明你的英语老师教给你某种记忆单词的好方法；
2）说明好的记忆单词方法的重要性;
3）为应对高考你将如何加强单词记忆？
【写作要求】
1. 你可以使用实例或其他论述方法支持你的论点，也可以参照阅读材料的内容，但不得直接引用阅读材料中的句子
2. 作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称
