It takes years of school to develop math skills, but learning about numbers starts earlier than you might think. Now according to a new study, at three months, babies have already started acquiring a concept (概念) of “how much”.
Previous research had suggested that very young babies can tell when the number of objects (物体) in a group has changed. But the babies in these studies were simply reacting generally to the fact that something had changed, they suspected.
Researchers of Harvard University studied 36 babies, all three months old. During the tests, each baby wore a hat with sensors (传感器). The babies watched a series of images on a computer screen. They showed the same object, such as a cartoon character. For a while, the number of the objects in the pictures didn’t change. Then the images began to display a different object, or a different number of one of the objects the babies had previously looked at. As soon as something changed, the babies’ brains responded with a specific pattern of electrical signals, which would be recorded by sensors.
By analyzing these signals, the researchers discovered that one part of the brain (near the top on the left side) responded when the object in the image changed. A different part of the brain (lower and on the right side) responded when the number of objects in the image changed. This was not the area of the brain that is involved in attention. That suggests that the babies’ brains are doing more than just reacting to a change in what they’re seeing – they actually seem to be able to tell number changes from other types of changes.
Numbers and amounts are important concepts in our lives. Even though babies are years away from adding, subtracting (减), multiplying, and dividing, their brains seem to be preparing for a time when they finally will.
1.Why were hats with sensors used in the study?
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A．To record the images on the computer screen. |
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B．To remind babies of the changes of numbers. |
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C．To record the electrical activity of each baby’s brain. |
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D．To help babies concentrate on the computer screen. |
2.What does the underlined word “They” in the third paragraph refer to?
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A．Babies involved in the study. |
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B．Sensors worn by the babies. |
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C．Numbers marked on the objects. |
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D．Images shown on the computer screen. |
3.Which part of the brain is responsible for responding to the changes of numbers?
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A．The top. |
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B．The left side. |
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C．The lower and the right side. |
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D．The upper and the left side. |
4.The last paragraph mainly implies that .
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A．babies are in fact cleverer than they are thought |
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B．it is impossible to understand human brain completely |
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C．numbers play the most important part in people’s lives |
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D．the ability of babies remain a mystery to scientists |
5.The purpose of the study is to prove that .
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A．math skills should be developed as early as possible |
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B．numbers are easier for babies to judge than images |
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C．babies really do have some sense of numbers |
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D．babies can react differently to what they see |
Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March, 1853---29 July, 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist. He is considered one of the greatest artists with great influence on the greatest artists with great influence on the 20th-century art.
Van Gogh spent his early adult life working for a firm of art dealers. After a brief period as a teacher, he became a missionary (传教士) in a very poor mining region. He did not begin his career as an artist until 1880; however, during the last ten years of his life, he produced more than 2,000 pieces, including around 900 paintings and 1,100 drawing and sketches (素描). He worked only with somber colours until he met Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism in Paris. Van Gogh used their bright colours and style of painting in a uniquely recognizable style. Most of his best-known works were produced during his final two years, when he was suffering from serious mental illness.
In 1890, at the age of 37, van Gogh shot himself in the chest. He died two days later, with Theo, his brother and his best friend, at his side, who reported his last words as “The sadness will last forever”. It would not take long before his fame grew higher and higher.
Van Gogh’s mother threw away quite a number of his paintings. The only painting he sold during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia. Several paintings by van Gogh rank among the most expensive paintings in the world. On March 30, 1987 van Gogh’s painting Irises was sold for a record of $53.9 million at Southby’s, New York. On May 15, 1990 his Portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold for $83.5 million at Christie’s, thus setting a new price record.
1.When did van Gogh begin his career as an artist?
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A．At the age of 17. |
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B．At the age of 27. |
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C．In his early adult adult life. |
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D．In his early childhood. |
2.The underlined word “somber” in Para. 2 means .
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A．colourful |
B．different |
C．dark |
D．bright |
3.What’s the right order of van Gogh’s life experience?
a. worked as a teacher
b. took up drawing
c. worked in an art firm
d. worked as a missionary
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A．c, a, b, d |
B．c, a, d, b |
C．b, c, a, d |
D．b, a, c, d |
4.Which of the following can best describe van Gogh’s final two years?
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A．Sand and boring. |
B．Normal and peaceful. |
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C．Happy but fruitless. |
D．Painful but productive. |
5.What can we learn from the passage?
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A．Van Gogh didn’t become famous until he dies. |
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B．Van Gogh sold many paintings in his life. |
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C．Van Gogh had become famous as an artist when he was alive. |
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D．Irises was the most expensive among van Gogh’s paintings. |
There was a wonder-filled little girl who was hurt so badly that when she entered adult life, she thought she was so bad that others just couldn’t be nice to her.
But she had a lot of curiosity, which kept her going. She sought many wise people to help her understand why she was so bad that her mother hurt her and why she was unable to be better so that men wouldn’t hurt her.
She was on a journey that she thought was to help her be “better”. She carried a big bag with her everywhere she went. Inside it were all the hurts she had experienced. Because she was so eager to please those who offered their wisdom, she willingly agreed with what they said about forgiving. But she held that bag of hurts tightly.
After 50 years of carrying that bag around and showing it to all she met as if it were proof that she was a good person, she decided to open it up and just see what happened.
When she looked inside it was filled with bits of paper. At one time they had words on them, detailing the hurts. But time had faded (使褪色) the words and all that was left was some useless paper. She had been struggling to carry this bag that held nothing but the image of something that once was.
She saw the absurdity of carrying that bag around. It made her laugh. By letting go of the paper and having pity for those that hurt her, this little girl was able to become a woman with beautiful hair. The woman looked in the mirror and said, “I am lovable.”
Although it took many years, she was finally open to bringing love and respect into her life.
1.When she grew up, the little girl wondered .
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A．where she should go |
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B．why she couldn’t be loved |
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C．how she could be a sweet girl |
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D．why she was hurt so deeply |
2.What advice did girl get from wise people?
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A．To please those who hurt her. |
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B．To keep carrying the bag of hurts. |
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C．To record the hurts she suffered. |
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D．To forgive those who hurt her. |
3.The woman laughed in the end because .
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A．she had beautiful hair |
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B．she became lovable |
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C．she realized her silliness |
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D．she became a wise woman |
4.According to the passage, which of the following can be used to describe the woman?
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A．Curious. |
B．Kind-hearted. |
C．Easy-going. |
D．Devoted. |
5.What lesson can we learn from the story?
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A．You will walk fast without carrying a load. |
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B．You will get peace after forgiving others. |
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C．You will become young if you forget your hurts. |
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D．You will be loved after changing your image. |
The beggar’s well-deserved dinner
Many years ago, there lived two woodcutters, Rahim and Rahman in a village. They went out every 36 to cut fire wood. After cutting wood. They would sit down and 37 their lunch from their boxes. Next they would 38 the firewood till the end of the day in the marketplace before going 39 .
One day, they were eating their lunch when Rahim noticed a beggar. The beggar 40 eyed the lunch and said, “I wonder if you can spare a little food for me.” Rahim, who felt 41 for him, was about to give him some of it, but was 42 back by Rahman. “ We 43 hard throughout the morning and 44 enough food for ourselves to see us through the 45 . So you see we cannot give you any food. But if you 46 , I can lend you my axe and we both will teach you how to cut firewood and sell it. And you’ll have 47 to eat and buy yourself a(n) 48 axe to cut more fire wood. This way, you can 49 a livelihood with dignity (尊严).”
The beggar joined them. 50 , Rahman showed him how to cut firewood. Thereafter they took him to the 51 and told him how to sell it.
At the end of the day, the beggar proudly took the 52 to Rahman to show them his earnings. Rahman took him to buy a new axe. Then the beggar entered an inn (客栈).
After he had gone, Rahman told Rahim, “By teaching him how to 53 his own trade, we have taught him a skill, which will last him a 54 . Now he will hever go hungry again.” As a very famous saying goes, “Don’t give them fish 55 teach them how to catch the fish.”
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—Please let me know where David is. I couldn’t find him anywhere.
—Well, he _____have gone far—his coat’s still here.
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A．shouldn’t |
B．mustn’t |
C．can’t |
D．wouldn’t |
Recently, I have begun to do rides with a group of guys who ride professionally (老练地). The first day, I finished the ride with great 36 , though I tried hard to keep up with one guy for most the ways. To my 37 , I did a little better the second time.
I decided to work harder to 38 . Yesterday, I 39 so much on my ride that I missed the short route (路线) I usually take; 40 , I stayed on the long route. I had never used this route, so I wasn’t really sure about which 41 I should take. Thankfully, a group of four riders 42 , and I just followed them.
A few minutes later, one of the guys got a flat tire (爆了的轮胎), and, with the help of the others, he had it 43 in about a minute. We all waited there 44 he changed his tire. After we started riding again, I noticed something 45 . The guy at the front would ride 46 for a couple of minutes, then he would move over to the side, 47 his way to the end of the line, and the guy behind him would move into the lead position. The process (过程) would 48 every few minutes. This was a lot easier than riding alone, trying to 49 the first rider. This time I had a great time – and I think it is the 50 I’ve ever gone.
This made me realize how important teamwork is, and the 51 of having a great team. The point is that you don’t have to be at your best 52 . You give it your all for a while, and then you let the guy 53 you do the same. The entire team improves because you don’t have to be the 54 all the time. You get your time to shine, and so does everyone else. You cannot get anywhere – or even make any worthwhile improvement – without a 55 . Who else will stop and help you to change your flat tire?
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