E
Speaking two languages can actually help offset(抵消) some effects of aging on the brain, a new study has found,
Researchers tested how long it took participants to switch from one cognitive(认知的) task to another, something that-s known to take longer for older adults, said lead researcher, Brian Gold, a neuroscientist at the University of Kentucky.
Gold’s team compared task-switching speeds for younger and older adults, knowing they would find slower speeds in the older population because of previous studies. However, they found that older adults who spoke two languages were able to switch mental activities faster than those didn’t . The study only looked at life long bilinguals(会说两种语言的人) defined in study as people speaking a second language daily since they were at least 10 years old.
Gold and his team asked 30 people, either bilingual or monolingual(只僮一种语言 人) , to have a series of tests. They found that bilingual people were not only able to switch tasks faster they had different brain activity than their monolingual peers.
Kristina called bilingualism "a beautiful natural experiment”, because people grow up speaking two languages,and studies have shown that they get certain cognitive benefits from switching between languages and determining which to respond with based on what's going on around them.
Gold said he grew up in Montreal, where he spoke French at school and English at home, prompting relatives to question whether his French language immersion would somehow hinder his ability to learn English.
"Until very recently, learning a second language in childhood was thought of as dangerous," he said. "Actually, it's beneficial. "
1.What-s the main idea of the passage?
A. Researchers found that speaking two languages is important.
B. Researchers found that bilingual people respond slowly.
C. Researchers found that bilingual people can slow down the speed or aging on the brain and respond fast.
D. Researchers found that bilingual people are great.
2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Older bilinguals can-t respond faster in mind.
B. Older adults speaking a second language daily since they were at least 10 years old can respond faster than those who don't
C. Young bilinguals can respond faster in mind than those monolinguals.
D. Bilingual children respond slower in mind than those monolinguals.
3.Kristina called bilingualism "a beautif'ul natural experiment" because
A. people grow up, benefiting from speaking two languages
B. people speaking two languages are natural
C. people speaking two languages are beautiful
D. people speaking two languages like the experiment
4.We can learn from the last paragraph that learning a second language in childhood is________
A. dangerous to children
B. not beneficial to children
C.dangerous but beneficial to children
D. not dangerous but beneficial to children
D
Whenever you buy something, it is possible that someone has already worn, eaten, or tested
it to make sure it is safe and do what is supposed to do. But what if you wanted a special suit to keep a shark from hurting you? Who wants to test a product like it?
"I do! " says Jeremiah Sullwan, a scientist in California "You have to believe in what you sell, right?"
Sullivan. owns SharkArmor Tech, a company that makes a $ 49400 sharksuit that even a great white shark can’ t bite through. Before Sullivan could sell his sharksuits, he needed to make sure his design would work. Sullivan put on the sharksuit and jumped into a shark feeding ground. "I need to know exactly what a human body could expect to go through," he says. Sharks moved all around him and then attacked his arm. Sullivan felt the bite but no teeth. He was uncomfortable at times, but not painful. The suit works! "
"I’ve now been bitten thousands of times but. never badly," says Sullivan, who now works with shows like Wild Kingdom, and programs for the Discovery Channel’s Shark Week.
So,are you all set to buy a sharksuit? Before you do, you should know that the suit weighs 20 pounds and makes swimming almost impossible--not so practical for a day on the beach. And in fact, Sullivan wants only professionals, such as filmmakers, scientists and drivers, to have sharksuits. Why? Because even if someone is wearing a sharksuit, they could get seriously hurt if they treat diving with a 4,OOO-pound shark as a game.
During sharksuit testing, sharks have thrown Sullivan to a bottom o/ reefs(礁) and tried to take him off into the deepest part of the ocean. "However," Sullivan says," you don't need to be afraid of sharks. It’s actually pretty hard to get a shark to bite you, "
1.The first paragraph is written to .
A. start a discussion
B. introduce the topic of the text
C. show the main points of the text
D. test readers' knowledge
2.Why did Sullivan get close to sharks?
A. To see if his sharksuit works.
B. To study what sharks feed on.
C. To catch a special kind of white shark.
D. To learn how to swim with sharks safely,
3.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 5 mean?
A. Most people won't wear the sharksuit to the beach
B. People like to go to the beach with the sharksuit.
C. The sharksuit makes a perfect day on the beach
D. The sharksuit can’t be worn for a whole day.
4.We can learn from the text that the sharksuit _
A.works well for swimmers
B. is light but uncomfortable
C. keeps sharks away from humans
D. is designed for special purpose
C
Join the Family Read-Aloud Celebration, held by the Gonda Family Library and the Family School Alliance at UCLA Lab School, from February 21 to March 14,2014. We ask you to spend time reading aloud to your children at least 20 minutes each day.We hope to help families develop a habit of reading aloud every day throughout and beyond primary school. We'll finish the celebration with a party on March 14 for the whole school.
Ways to join:
● Visit Book Corner for reading aloud suggestions.
Come to the start of the activity on Friday, Feb, 21.
● Add books to our list of favorite read aloud
● Send us a photo of your family reading together (jkan,tor@ucta. edu). We will share it at the party.
● Record your family's reading journey! .
● Join us for th︿ party on March 14,5一7 p. rn.
Go on a reading journey!
Books can introduce your family to interesting people, exciting places, adventures and information. Let your journeys take you through these categories:
●Fiction ● Picture books ● Poetry
●Science ● History ● Sports
●Arts ● other Non-Fiction ● Benefits of Reading Aloud
Reading aloud helps a cloud to read with pleasure, create background knowledge, and build vocabulary. It also provides children with a reading model. Reading aloud doesn't just benefit young children. Parents should continue reading aloud as their children grow because listening comprehension is more important than reading skills in middle school.
Jim Trelease, in his Read-Aloud Handbook, has noted that almost as big a mistake as not reading to children at all is stopping too soon Until about the eighth grade, children listen and comprehend on a higher level than their reading skills allow them to read independently, This means children can hear and understand stories that are more difficult and more interesting than anything they can read on their own
1.What’s the purpose of the Family Read-Aloud Celebration?
A. To celebrate the joys of reading.
B. To help improve family relationship,
C. To change families bad reading habits.
D. To get families into the habit of reading aloud.
2.If you want to join the activity, you're supposed to __
A. mail a book to the school
B. make an appearance at the starting day
C. read out loud from 5～7 p. m every day
D. share your reading experience at the party
3.We can infer from Jim Tyelease that.
A. young children show greater skills at listening than reading
B. children should be allowed to make mistakes in reading
C. interesting stories are easier for children to understand
D. the eighth-graders can-t read on their own
4.In which part of a website can We find the text?
A. Culture B. Lifestyle.
C. Education. D. Science.
B
We answer some questions this week in our series on getting into an American college or university.
The first question is about our recent discussion of English language test. Vo Ngoc from Vietnam would like to know about the TOEIC, which is designed to measure skills of English as spoken in the workplace.
The Educational Testing Service administers the TOEIC. It says the test measures the language skills of people working in an international environment. American colleges and universities accept scores from the TOFEL and often the IELTS. If you miss our report on these tests, you can find it at our website www. unsv. com..
Tahir Mahood from Pakistan asks how to improve his English before taking these kinds of tests. Well, you can start by looking for ways to use English as much as you can Watch American movies and TV shows and read books in English Look for English speakers to talk to.
The Internet has many free materials for Engiish learners. Visitors to www. unsv. com. for example, can read, listen and watch programmes on many different subjects. The U.S. Department of Education recent launched a free website designed to help immigrants learn English.
The site is called USA Learns at www. usalearns, org, like www. chinadaily. cn, intended for English learners in China
Next,a question from Turkey:Hasan Eker asks about getting a postdoctoral position in the U. S. This is work generally done by a person who recently earned a PhD. The National Post-doctoral Association in Washington has information about international postdocs on its website www. Nationalpostal.org.
And, finally, we have questions from Iran, Afghanistan and Indonesia about how to pay an education through jobs. There’re rules that restrict the kinds of jobs that foreign students
can have while studying in the U. S.
1.What-s the purpose of the passage?
A. To attract more people to the website.
B. To introduce the TOEIC to readers.
C. To ask questions on entering American universities.
D. To help deal with some puzzles on entering American colleges.
2.According to the passage, TOEIC is .
A. a must for those who go to American universities
B. designed for whoever apply for a job with companies
C.to test a student’s language skills in the workplace
D. a test for students to graduate from universities
3.A person wb.o wants to learn. English can go to the following EXCEPT.
A. www. unsv. Com
B. www. national postdoc. org
C. www. usalearns. Org
D.www chinadaily. cn,
4.What can we know from the passage?
A. Foreign students are not allowed to do whatever jobs they like in the U. S.
B. Every graduate from colleges can get a postdoctoral position if they want to.
C. The IELTS is also necessary for job application like the TOEIC.
D. Students from Iran aren’t allowed to have jobs in the U. S.
A
Two workers was rescued 188 hours after they trapped in a coal mine collapse(倒塌)in the south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region The two were among 18 miners trapped after the mine, collapsed midday on July 2 because of days of heavy rain.
A total of 71 miners were working underground when the accident occurred on July 2---49 managed to escape. Rescuers have got eight bodies so far.
Ye Fangyong, commander of the rescue headquarters, said that the place where the survi- vors were found was at 320 meters underground. It was filled with mud after the collapse, but there was still room for fresh air. He said three more miners trapped at a work platform390 meters underground may survive because the place also have some space for fresh air.
Rescuers had believed that four other miners would be found with the rescued two, but the chances of the remaining 12 being found alive are not good due to the conditions in the mine.
However, the rescuers have not given up. They are using scientific measures such as a water-proof radar device(裟置)to help find the exact locations of trapped workers. Moreover, rescuers have been offered 2 million yuan for each miner they pull out alive.
The two survivors have been identified a) 41-year-old Liu Jiagan and 35-year-old Qin Hongdang. They are in safe condition.
Before they were rushed to Heshan People's Hospital for treatment, they told rescuers in weak voices that they survived under the mine by drinking spring water that seeped(渗漏) through the top of the shaft(矿井).
1.The local mine coal accident was probably reported on.
A.July8 B.Julylo C.July2 D.July3
2.What caused the coal mine break down?
A. Workers abnormal xvc}rking
B. Typhoonn.
C. Days of heavy rajp
D. Shock of the ca:thquake
3.According to the passage,th. e rrmPrs could be alive unaerground if .
A. there is some space for fresh air
B. they are equippeci with water-proof raciar device
C. they drink enough water
D. there is enough food
4.Which of the following is TRUE accoraing to the passage?
A. Scientific measures are used to help rescue the trapped workers.
B. Each miners being pulled out alive will be offered 2 miliion yuan.
C. Officials offered to give the continuing rescuers higher rank
D. Water-proof radar- will be puf down to give light.
I spend this morning clearing up the home where I live Now I am not talking about the house I am sitting in right now. As I I can see the sink is still full of dirty dishes.
Dust is starting to on the pictures, tables ,and even my computer again Dirt to he swept from the floor and pet hair needs to be cleaned the couch. What is more, the in the turtle’ s aquarium（鱼缸）has to be changed．
Yet, as I looked my dirty, little house I have to smile because I know that the Home in which I live is right now. That home is my soul. When I this morning I noticed that it also had become again I wasn't willing to let it the way for long, though I have learned that a dusty soul leads to a terrible day and the terrible days lead to a(an) life.
I spent the morning clearing my soul from top to_ I swept the negative thoughts from my mind and the feelings from my heart. Worries, anger and fear were into the garbage can. When I was done I felt in my home once more.
The house in which I sit may need a lot of ,but it will have to wait its turn. The home in which I live is what I am most about. I hope that the same is for you. I hope that you always make efforts to keep your soul ,beautiful and full of love and care.
Remember some day you will leave your house behind, but you will your home with you.
1.A. look around B. put forward C.move back D. take down
2.A. attack B. jump C. gather D. sit
3.A. hopes B. needs C. expects D. wants
4.A. of B.out C. away D.off
5.A.plant B.stone C.sand D.water
6.A.ever B.still C. never D.hardly
7.A. clean B.dirty C. quiet D.comfortable
8.A. turned up B.stood up C. took up D.woke up
9.A. crazy B.lazy C.dusty D.rainy
10.A.lie B.stay C. keep D.hold
11.A. interesting B.frightened C. satisfying D.wasted
12.A.top B.side C. bottom D.middle
13.A.harmful B.useful C. healthy D.enjoyable
14.A. collected B.thrown C. set D.arranged
15.A.safe B.sad C. calm D.excited
16.A. work B.t ime C.pack D.decoration
17.A.bored B.interested C. upset D.concerned
18.A.suitable B.wrong C. true D.helpful
19.A. dark B.bright C. sharp D.clever
20.A. bring B.join C.take D.move
