Question

Grown-ups are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as children but have never practiced ever since. A man who has not had a chance to go swimming for years can still swim as well as ever when he gets back in the water. He can get on a bicycle after many years and still ride away. A mother who has not thought about the words for years can teach her daughter the poem that begins "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" or remember the story of Cinderella or Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

One explanation is the law of overlearning, which can be stated as follows: Once we have learned something, extra learning attempts or tries to increase the length of time we will remember it.

In childhood we usually continue to practice such skills as swimming, and bicycle riding long after we have learned them. We continue to listen to and remind ourselves of words such as "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" and childhood tales such as Cinderella and Goldilocks. We not only learn but overlearn.

The multiplication tables(乘法口诀表) are an exception（例外） to the general rule that we forget rather quickly the things that we learn in school, because they are another of the things we overlearn in childhood.

The law of overlearning explains why cramming(突击学习)for an examination, though it may result in a passing grade, is not a satisfactory way to learn a college course. By cramming, a student may learn the subject well enough to pass the examination, but he is likely soon to forget almost everything he learned. A little overlearning, on the other hand, is really necessary for one's future development.

1.What is the main idea of paragraph 1?

A. People remember well what they learned in childhood.

B. Children have a better memory than grown-ups.

C. Poem reading is a good way to learn words.

D. Stories for children are easy to remember.

2.The author tells the experience in childhood in order to __________.

A. remember the good old days

B. let readers follow the example

C. explain the law of overlearning

D. help readers understand the importance of knowledge

3.According to the author, being able to use multiplication tables is__________.

A. a step towards studies    B. a result of overlearning

C. a special case of cramming    D. a skill to deal with math problems

4.What is the author's opinion on cramming?

A. It's helpful only in a limited way.    B. It causes failure in college exams.

C. It's possible to result in poor memory.    D. It increases students' learning interest.

Answer

1.A

2.C

3.B

4.A

【解析】本文是一篇议论文。成年人常常惊叹他们能很好地记着儿时学过的东西。作者认为这是儿时过度学习的结果，是因为当我们儿时学会一样东西的时候，我们不是就此停止，而是继续练习，才使我们记忆深刻。文章用例证法说明了过度学习的概念。 最后作者谈到了过度学习的好处和突击学习的弊端。

1.根据文章的第一段的Grown-ups are often surprised by how well they remember something they learned as children but have never practiced ever since.可知：文章讲得是成年人常常惊叹他们非常好的记着儿时学过的东西。C、D断章取义，讲得太具体，B项错误，因为那是过度学习的结果，不是儿时记忆力好。所以A正确。

2.推理判断题。根据第三段的内容，作者讲述了自己童年的经历，再根据最后一句We not only learn but overlearn.可知作者是解释过度学习理论。

3.根据第四段we forget rather quickly the things that we learn in school, because they are another of the things we overlearn in childhood.可知，学会乘法口诀也是过度学习的一个结果。

4.根据文章的最后一段中的“By cramming, a student may learn the subject well enough to get by on the examination, but he is likely soon to forget almost everything he learned.”可知：突击学习只在有限的方面有帮助。所以A正确。