Our brains work in complex and strange ways. There are some people who can calculate the day of the week for any given date in 40,000 years, but who cannot add two plus two. Others can perform complex classical piano pieces after hearing them once, but they cannot read or write.
Dr. J. Langdon Down first described this condition in 1887. He called these people idiot savants. An idiot savant is a person who has significant mental injury, such as in autism (自闭症) or retardation. At the same time, the person also exhibits some extraordinary skills, which are unusual for most people. The skills of the savant may vary from being exceptionally gifted in music or in mathematics, or having a photographic memory. One of the first descriptions of a human who could calculate quickly was written in 1789 by Dr. Benjamin Rush, an American doctor. His patient, Thomas Fuller, was brought to Virginia as a slave in 1724. It took Thomas only 90 seconds to work out that a man who has lived 70 years, 17 days, and 12 hours has lived 2,210,500,800 seconds. Despite this ability, he died in 1790 without ever learning to read or write.
Another idiot savant slave became famous as a pianist in the 1860s. Blind Tom had a vocabulary of only 100 words, but he played 5,000 musical pieces beautifully.
In the excellent movie Rain Man, made in 1988 and available on video cassette, Dustin Hoffman plays an idiot savant who amazes his brother played by Tom Cruise, with his ability to perform complex calculations very rapidly.
Today we more clearly recognize that the idiot savant is special because of brain impairment. Yet not all brain injury leads to savant skills. Some studies have shown that people who have purposeful interruption of the left side of the brain can develop idiot savant skills. However few people wish to participate in such experiments. There are many excellent reasons for not undergoing unnecessary experimentation on one’s brain. The term idiot savant is outdated and inappropriate. Virtually all savants have a high degree of intelligence and are thus not idiots.
1.The first paragraph is presented by ________.
A. stating the background of the text
B. making a definition of “idiot savant”
C. giving examples to lead in the topic
D. making comparison to show our brains work
2.According to the text, which of the following statements is true?
A. The concept “idiot savant” was first out forward by Dr. Rush.
B. Thomas Fuller who could calculate quickly is poor in art.
C. The idiot savant played by Dustin Hoffman is good at calculation.
D. Tom Cruise has the ability to perform rapid complex calculations.
3.From the last paragraph, we know that ________.
A. brain impairment is a kind of incurable disease
B. the idiot savant may result from the purposeful interruption of the brain
C. experiments on one’s brain are harmful
D. idiot savants are actually very clever in certain fields
4.The text mainly talks about ________.
A. the understanding of idiot savants
B. mental impairment in our work
C. the way that our brains work
D. how to be an idiot savant
My family was gathered for a barbecue when the discussion arose about a celebrity who earned a large amount of money. The major criteria for receiving millions of dollars seem to be determined by how much the audience will pay to watch the performer achieve.
The discussion led to a sudden self-questioning. Why did I choose teaching for a career? I half-listened to their conversation as I pondered the answer.
I remembered my three children watching me spend nights planning for my class. I remembered how they intently listened to my frustrations concerning materials, procedures and the amount of responsibility that seemed to endlessly be thrust into the laps of classroom teachers. I remembered when it came time for each of my own children to choose a profession. How I waited to hear if any had plans to follow Mom into teaching. Long considerations held no mention of anyone becoming a teacher.
Dessert was being served, and everyone was still involved in the discussion of the enormous salary of one individual, when the phone rang. My husband handed the phone to me.
“Hello, this is Bonnie Block,” I said.
“Is this the Bonnie Block who used to teach kindergarten?”
A nervous sensation swelled in me, and my mind raced with memories of those days long ago.
“Yes!” I exclaimed with a lump in my throat. It seemed like forever as I waited anxiously to hear what the caller would say next.
“I am Danielle—Danielle Russ. I was in your kindergarten class.”
Tears of surprise and joy rolled down my flushed cheeks.
“Yes,” I uttered softly as I remembered that darling, wonderful child.
“Well, I am graduating from high school this year, and I have been trying to find you. I wanted you to know what a difference you made in my life.”
She proceeded to give details. My influence on her wasn’t limited to kindergarten but remained a strong motivating force when she needed a coach to help her meet a challenge. “I pictured you praising and encouraging me all the way.”
Why choose teaching?
The pay is great!
1.The author’s children were not willing to be a teacher as their profession because ________.
A. they didn’t like the profession
B. they would give a lot but gain a little
C. they wanted to try different careers
D. their mother rejected it
2.Danielle rang the author mainly to ________.
A. express gratitude
B. make complaints
C. keep in touch
D. show off her achievements
3.When the author received the call, she felt ________.
A. embarrassed but delighted
B. confused but pleasant
C. unexpected but moved
D. astonished but regretful
4.The last sentence “The pay is great!” implies that the author ________.
A. suffers a lot as a teacher
B. pays a lot for teaching
C. is well-paid as a teacher
D. has her work recognized
假定你是李华，你校将迎接英国代表团，作为学校书法团团长，请你写一篇发言稿，要点如下：1.介绍书法用具；2.阐述书法学习的好处；3.邀请英国同学参与。
注意:1. 100词左右；2. 开头已写好，不计入总词数。3.参考词汇：书法 calligraphy；文房四宝 the Four Treasures of the Study(writing brush, ink stick, paper, ink slab)
Dear friends,
We’d like to share our culture with you by introducing you to the art of Chinese calligraphy ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。
文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多着（从第11处起）不计分。
Alice is writing to provide some advices for Ms Sanders to consider. She suggests that there should be of easy use of the cinema by the disability customers. She is the only one of those designers who are to design the new Bankstown cinema. She asks her to consider the access at the cinema for people in a wheelchair or those who have difficulty walking. She suggests there were earphones beside all seats. Besides, the seats at back of the cinema should be placed higher than the one at the front. There should be toilet and car parking spaces specially for the disabled. If so, it will be much more easier for the disabled there.
A robot used for housework was tested out in a family. He looked like 1.tall and handsome man with smooth hair, speaking 2. a deep voice. Larry was going to be away from home so he hired such a robot 3. (accompany) his wife Claire. Claire didn’t like the idea at the beginning, but she agreed to it at last. At her first sight of Tony, Claire was 4. (alarm). When Tony offered to help her dressing, Claire felt embarrassed. 5. (Gradual), Tony began to win Claire’s trust. He helped Claire realized her dreams by making her home elegant, giving her a new haircut, 6. (change) the makeup she wore and giving her advice on her dresses. Therefore at the party all the guests 7. were invited were filled with admiration 8. they saw her house was completely changed. At the same time, Tony left a deep 9. (impress) on all of them. After the test, the company 10. (satisfy) with Tony’s report because he had successfully made a woman regain her confidence, although he shouldn’t have her fall in love with him.
Sometimes people around you can change your life. The change may not be sudden or_______, but little habits can produce big _______that make you think about what is important in your life. The person who changed my life is Julia Masi. She has_______ me so many things that I will carry with me_______my life.
One thing I've learned from Julia is how to balance_______. Julia has shown me how to _______ahead so that I can finish all my school work, enjoy sports and_______ have time for my friends. She has taught me that you can do anything if you are_______ and if you never give up. I've also learned that you can find anything fun or _______if you connect it with something that you enjoy.
Last year I hated studying vocabulary, but I loved playing on my computer. Julia ________the two and showed me a website called “freerice.com” where you can________a word game that gives you 5 grains of rice to donate to the poor with every correct word. She ________me to learn a hundred new ________by filling up the rice bowl. I liked playing the game so much that I ________about 1,000 words in just one month.
Julia has always _________me to try new hobbies. She showed me that going to the theater could help me become a better writer.__________, she taught me that discussing a play can excite an interest in reading.
________it wasn't for Julia I probably wouldn't have________how easy it is to help the poor. There are so many ways that one person can ________. I've learned to be more appreciative of what I own. I am ________for the opportunities that I have been given. I will continue to think of ways to help those less fortunate for the rest of my life.
1.A. impressive B. simple C. necessary D. slight
2.A. results B. ideas C. problems D. decisions
3.A. bought B. served C. offered D. taught
4.A. throughout B. of C. for D. into
5.A. work B. money C. time D. career
6.A. plan B. get C. move D. stay
7.A. never B. seldom C. still D. yet
8.A. excited B. careful C. determined D. patient
9.A. interesting B. easy C. possible D. important
10.A. shared B. combined C. remembered D. separated
11.A. watch B. improve C. raise D. play
12.A. reminded B. invited C. permitted D. challenged
13.A. words B. skills C. lessons D. stories
14.A. used B. read C. learned D. spelled
15.A. encouraged B. warned C. forced D. allowed
16.A. Therefore B. Besides C. However D. Otherwise
17.A. If B. Since C. Although D. Unless
18.A. imagined B. noticed C. realized D. dreamed
19.A. make a difference B. turn away C. show off D. make a mistake
20.A. ready B. thankful C. sorry D. anxious
