Newborns begin to develop language skills long before they begin speaking. And, compared to adults, they develop these skills more quickly. People have a hard time learning new languages as they grow older, but babies have the ability to learn any language easily.
For a long time, scientists have tried to explain how such young children can learn the complicated grammatical rules and sounds of a language. Now, researchers are getting a better idea of what’s happening in the brains of the tiniest language learners. This new information might help kids with learning problems as well as adults who want to learn new languages. It might even help scientists who are trying to design computers that can communicate like people do.
Most babies go “ma ma” by 6 months of age, and most children speak in full sentences by age 3. For many years, scientists have wondered how the brains of young children figure out how to communicate using language. With help from new technologies, scientists are now finding that babies begin life with the ability to learn any language. They get into contact with other people, listen to what they say and watch their movements very closely. That is why they quickly master the languages they hear most often.
Studies show that, up to about 6 months of age, babies can recognize all the sounds that make up all the languages in the world. Starting at around 6 months old a baby’s brain focuses on the most common sounds it hears. Then, children begin responding only to the sounds of the language they hear the most.
In a similar way older babies start recognizing the patterns that make up the rules of their native language. For example, English children who are about 18 months old start to figure out that words ending in “-ing” or “-ed” are usually verbs, and that verbs are action words.
1.The new research in the second paragraph can be helpful in _____.
A. finding successful language learners
B. teaching kids with learning problems
C. designing human-shaped computers
D. improving babies’ language ability
2. The researchers found out that babies learn a language mainly by _____.
A. repeating the words of other people
B. remembering the full sentences they hear
C. hearing and closely watching others speak
D. figuring out the meaning of different sounds
3.The purpose of the text is to _____.
A. discuss B. educate
C. inform D. Entertain
(Q = Question; A = Answer)
Situation I
Q: If someone sits right next to me in an empty movie theater, is it rude to move?
A: Maybe, but nobody will fault you for it. Chances are that the close sitter doesn’t realize he disturbs you, so he may miss your annoyance. You undoubtedly aren’t the first person he’s met who needs enough room. Forgive his bad judgment, move quietly and enjoy the show.
Situation II
Q: If I use the bathroom at a store, do I need to buy something?
A: Consider frequency and urgency. Is this a one-time thing or an emergency? If so, you don’t have to buy anything, but it would be kind if you did. However, if you regularly use the bathroom at this place, then you are a customer, and you should act like one.
Situation III
Q: If someone is talking loudly on the bus, is there a nice way to ask him to keep it down?
A: No. Try other means: 1) Stare at him until he gets aware of it and quiets down. 2) Lift your finger in a silence motion(动作) and smile. 3) Put on earphones and ignore him.
Situation IV
Q: If I remember my friend’s birthday a day late, should I apologize or just wish her a happy birthday like nothing happened?
A: This is the reason why the word belated was invented. “Happy belated birthday!” is short for: “Well, I know I forgot, but then I remembered. Forgive me and happy birthday.”
Situation V
Q: Can I lie about seeing a text because I was loo busy or lazy to respond to it?
A: Don’t lie. Receiving a text does not mean you need to respond(回复) to it. Why waste a perfectly good lie when the truth will serve? “Yes,” you can say if ever asked, “I saw it.” No explanation is needed as to why you don’t respond.
1.How will you quiet someone down in a public place?
A. By talking to him directly.
B. By pointing angrily at him.
C. By looking purposefully at him.
D. By making fun of him continuously.
2.The underlined word “belated” in Situation IV probably means ________.
A. delayed B. returned C. predicted D. regretted
3.You will get annoyed in a theater when ________.
A. a person is too rude to you
B. a person sits too close to you
C. a person is too active
D. a person talks too loudly
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. Different ways to change others’ manners.
B. Good manners to talk to people.
C. Proper manners to offer help to others.
D. Modern ways to mind your manners.
My roommate Lily was well organized, while I was not. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Lily got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Lily came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming. “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Lily answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Lily had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”
Lily and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1.What made Lily so angry one evening?
A. She heard the author shouting loud.
B. She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed.
C. She got the news that her grandma was ill.
D. She couldn’t find her books.
2.How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?
A. By analyzing causes. B. By following time order.
C. By showing differences. D. By describing a process.
3.The author tidied up the room most probably because _______.
A. she wanted to show her care
B. she hated herself for being so messy
C. she was asked by Lily to do so
D. she was scared by Lily’s anger
4.What might be the best title for the story?
A. Hard Work Pays Off B. Learning to Be Roommates
C. My Friend Lily D. How to Be Organized
书面表达
假设你是李华，你打算利用假期出国旅游。请你就此给你的美国朋友Michael发一封电子邮件，谈谈你出国旅游的原因，并邀请Michael有时间来中国。
要点： 1. 出国旅游很有意义；
2. 开阔眼界，了解国外的风俗和历史；
3. 和来自不同文化背景的人交朋友，学外语；
4. 放松身心，欣赏美景。
注意：100词左右；可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Michael,
How are you?
.
.
.
Best wishes!
Yours truly,
Li Hua
阅读下面短文，按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求，在空格处填入适当的词（每空不多于三个词）或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空。
It was a busy day at the grocery store and the old couples were in line behind me with birthday balloons.
They were chatting together about their rush to get ready for the party. From 1. they said, I knew their nephew had a twin and something bad happened to the baby at birth. Though they did all they could 2. (help) them but times were still tough for them.
They seemed to be too nervous and were too 3. (anxiety) to leave, so I asked 4. they wanted to go ahead of me or not. They didn’t understand what I 5. (mean) at first. After knowing it, they were very appreciative. But they stood behind me.
At that time I knew it had to be a significant day to them. Nothing could be 6. (good) if someone offered to help them. So I told the cashier to add the balloons to my purchases. The old couples refused at first 7. I insisted. I said, “You tell your sweet nephew that there are always nice people who want to give them 8. hand in this world.” They thanked me over and over and the cashier got teary-eyed, 9. (say) there was an angel in her line today.
That little act of 10. (kind) made everyone who saw it feel good—but it made me feel the best of all!
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
In recent years, research on the human brain has been attracting more and more scientists. 1. If we compare a human brain to a hard disc(硬盘), what the scientists are doing is to make better use of the hard disc.
Experiments have started on animals. In 1999, a transplant(移植) experiment was done at the Defense and Military Physiology Research Institute in the U.S. and turned a bear into a dolphin(海豚). 2. They were made of the memory area in the dolphin’s brain containing information about swimming. They obtained a series of useful information, which was saved into a button-sized chip(芯片). Later the information was transplanted into the action memory area in the bear’s brain. 3. It proved to be a highly successful experiment and a bear was turned into a dolphin.
Not long ago, another memory transplant was performed at the Motor Nerve Research Institute of the University of California. The experiment had an entire transplant of the memory area. 4. The transplant was performed from a dog named “Genius” to a dog named “Idiot”. “Genius” could understand and follow up to 100 gestures and orders made by its master. It was a real genius in memorizing. However, “Idiot” had no contact with people at all since its birth. It became an animal with nothing in its brain, without any memory.
5. When the two dogs woke up, “Idiot” had grasped all the abilities “Genius” had; it was good at memorizing and sensible. It could follow every gesture and any command given by its master. But “Genius” gave no response to its master, and in fact did not recognize him at all.
A. The experiment was a complete success.
B. Then it was released(释放) by means of electric power.
C. One of the latest research topics is how to change the human brain or combine it with the computer.
D. Different images have different meanings in the memory area.
E. It included actions, moods, logic, words, images, etc.
F. Discoveries show that messages are carried by the central nervous system in the brain.
G. Using the most advanced technology, detailed images were produced.
