A study showed that the experiences children have in their first few years are important . These experiences affect the development of the brain. When children receive more attention, they often have higher IQs. Babies receive information when they see, hear and feel things, which makes connections between different parts of the brain. There are a hundred trillion (万亿) connections in the brain of a three-year-old child.
Researcher Judit Gervain tested how good newborns are at distinguishing different sound patterns. Her researchers produced images of the brains of babies as they heard different sound patterns. For example, one order was mu-ba-ba. This is the pattern “A-B-B". Another order was mu-ba-ge. This is the pattern “A-B-C”. The images showed that the part of the brain responsible for speech was more active during the “A-B-B” pattern. This shows that babies can tell the difference between different patterns. They also were sensitive to where it occurred in the order.
Gervain is excited by these findings because the order of sounds is the building block of words and grammar. “Position is key to language," she says. “If something is at the beginning or at the end, it makes a big difference: ‘John caught the bear.’ is very different from ‘The bear caught John.’ ”
Researchers led by scientist Patricia Kuhl have found that language delivered by televisions, audio books,the Internet, or smartphones－no matter how educational－doesn’t appear to be enough for children’s brain development. They carried out a study of nine-month-old American babies. They expected the first group who’d watched videos in Chinese to show the same kind of learning as the second group who were brought face-to-face with the same sounds. Instead they found a huge difference. The babies in the second group were able to distinguish between similar Chinese sounds as well as native listeners. But the other babies －regardless of whether they had watched the video or listened to the audio－learned nothing.
1.What makes connections in a baby’s brain?
A. Having a higher IQ. B. The connection with other babies.
C. The baby’s early age. D. Experiencing new information.
2.What did Judit Gervain and her team find in the experiment?
A. Word order is relevant to meaning. B. Babies identify different sound patterns.
C. A certain brain region processes language. D. Babies can well understand different words.
3.What does the underlined sentence mean in Paragraph 3?
A. Words have different sounds.
B. Grammar is important in learning languages
C. Different orders have different meanings.
D. Different languages have different grammar.
4.What is the main conclusion from the study led by Patricia Kuhl?
A. Babies shouldn’t watch a lot of television.
B. Social communication improves babies’ brain development.
C. Listening to different languages helps to develop babies’ brain
D. Foreign languages are beneficial to babies’ brain development
Judy Wright and her husband decided to move closer to their son, Chris, who lived in Georgia. About a month after the move, Judy fell ill, suffering from her ongoing (不间断的) battle against Parkinson disease.
Her condition worsened rapidly and she required medical care at home. The family hired a nursing aid who canceled at the last minute. Instead, a woman named TunDe Hector showed up in her place.
One day, TunDe shared a story with Judy and her family. She remembered a particularly difficult day in 2014, when a stranger had helped her with a kind gesture. She had run out of gas, and with only $5 in her pocket, was walking to a gas station. A man saw her walking and turned his car around. He paid for her gas and gave her all the cash left in his wallet. Upon hearing the story, Judy’s son, Chris, took off his hat and said ,“That was me!” He was the stranger that had helped TunDe on that difficult day.
During the care of Judy, the Wright family learned about TunDe’s family and her own dream. The nursing aid, TunDe hoped that one day she could become an OB-GYN nurse. Her tuition was past due (逾期) and she had a family to care for, but she was determined to achieve that goal for herself and her family.
Judy died on July 9,2017. Instead of flowers, her family asked mourners (悼念者) to donate to TunDe’s education, to assist her in paying for her nursing school. In less than a week, they raised more than $8,000 and presented her with the surprise check.
1.Why did Judy’s family choose TunDe in the end?
A. To help her with a kind gesture. B. To look after Judy in the hospital.
C. To replace another nursing aid. D. To give Judy the best medical care.
2.How might Chris feel when hearing TunDe’s story?
A. Thrilled B. Shocked
C. Puzzled D. Delighted
3.How did the Wright family help TunDe after Judy’s death?
A. They paid for her education. B. They helped care for her family.
C. They bought her a surprise present. D. They helped her realize her dream.
4.What does the whole story mainly tell us ?
A. Kindness comes full circle. B. Constant dropping wears stone.
C. The truth never fears investigation. D. Actions speak louder than words.
Hiking is a great way to get active and reduce stress while you are exploring the city. Visit our page to find some of the best free walking tours across New York City.
Greenbelt on the Go
Tuesday, August 14, 2018 10:00a.m.---11:30a.m.
Join us for relaxing walks through our parks. Enjoy the pretty views of them, as we point out a few of the distinct features that make each park special. The length of each hike will be determined by the pace of the group. Considering the environment, your foods are not allowed. Registration is required. To register, please email naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org before August 14.
Position: Greenbelt Nature Center in Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Avenue at Brielle Avenue Staten Island
Event Organizer: Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy, Greenbelt Environmental Education Department
Phone Number: (718)351-3450
Contact Email: naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org
Adult Afternoon Hikes
Wednesday, October 10,2018 1:30p.m.---3:00p.m.
Get familiar with the Greenbelt and local parks by hiking with other adults! You’re encouraged to bring small meals and drinks for the break time.
Position: Greenbelt Nature Center in Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Avenue at Brielle Avenue Staten Island
Event Organizer: Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy, Greenbelt Environmental Education Department
Phone Number: (718)351-3450
Contact Email: naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org
The South Pole at Wards Point
Thursday ,November 15,2018 7:00a.m.---7:00p.m.
The three miles of nearby natural shoreline are a sandy beach. Shells, rocks, and stones of every shape and size can be found here. Not to be missed are the park’s other attractions: four galleries, and five historic houses!
Position: Conference House Park Visitor Center in Conference House Park, 298 Satterlee Street ,Staten Island
Event Organizer: Conference House Park
Contact Email: john.kilcullen@parks .nyc.qov
Community Days at Conference House Park
Wednesda, September 19, 2018 12:00p.m.---2:00p.m.
Enjoy new gardens at the Visitor Center. Explore and help repair the three self-designed gardens: vegetable, native plant, and sculpture. Experience kids crafts, adult art programs, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Peking Opera and more in this lovely setting.
Position: Conference House Park, 298 Satterlee Street, Staten Island
Event Organizer: Conference House Park
Phone Number: (718)227-1463
Contact Email: john.kilcullen@parks .nyc.qov
1.Which walking tour may attract people interested in Chinese culture?
A. Greenbelt on the Go. B. Adult Afternoon Hikes.
C. The South Pole at Wards Point . D. Community Days at Conference House Park.
2.What do we know about Greenbelt on the Go?
A. The length of the hike is settled. B. Visitors need to register in advance.
C. People will visit three distinct parks. D. It takes place in Conference House Park.
3.What do the four walking tours have in common?
A. They all charged no fees. B. They are all open to adults.
C. They’re held by the same organizer. D. They require visitors to bring food.
请认真阅读下面短文，并按照要求用英语写一篇 150 词左右的文章。
The Palace Museum, as known as the Forbidden City, began selling souvenirs and other peripheral ( 周边的 ) products on Alibaba’s Taobao in October 2010. The latest statistics show sales reached 1.5 billion yuan in 2017, said Shan Jixiang, the Former museum curator (馆长). Meanwhile, the number of cultural and creative products available for sale at the Palace Museum increased from 195 in 2013 to 9,170 in 2016. “The income from the cultural and creative industries made it possible for the Palace Museum to hold 62,000 educational activities in 2018, bringing more visitors to our museum,” Shan added. | The Number of Visitors (million per year)
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（写作内容）
1. 用约 30 个单词概括图表及文字的内容；
2. 用约120个单词发表你的观点，内容包括：
（1）故宫推出文化创作产品的意义（不少于两点
（2）你想为故宫文化创作推出一款什么样的产品（上图仅供参考）并作简要说明。
（写作要求）
1.表明个人观点，同时提供理由或论据；
2.阐述观点或提供论据时，不得直接引用原文中的句子；
3.文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称；
4.不必写标题。
（评分标准） 内容完整，语言规范，语篇连贯，词数适合
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请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的 单词。注意：请将答案谢在答题纸上相应题号的横线上，每个空格只填一个单词。
On the surface, one would be hard-pressed to find many similarities between German chancellor Angela Merkel, Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf --- except for the fact that they are all female leaders of nations. Merkel, for example, spent more than a decade as a chemist before going into politics, while Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh ’s first president, served as her father’s political assistant while at college, and Johnson Sirleaf worked at multiple financial institution s before running for vice president. Is there something deeper than they share?
The researcher Susan R. Madsen of Utah Valley University interviewed women in some countries about their paths to leadership. She was surprised by the similarities among the women when they spoke about how they became leaders. “Every single one of them talked about finding their voices and their confidence at dinner-table conversations with their families. Their parents talked about politics, about what was happening in the community, and when the women had something to say, their parents didn't stop them,” Madsen said.
As part of a series of interviews on women and leadership, I spoke to three women from different countries who have each become leaders in their respective fields: Agnes lgoye of Uganda, who works with her government to counter human trafficking; Ikram Ben Said, the founder of Tunisian women’s rights organization Aswat Nissa; and Sairee Chahal of India, who started a digital platform that helps women get back into the workforce.
All three of my interviewees pointed to the family environment they had been raised in --- particularly a father figure who taught and empowered the women in the family to learn, ask questions, and form their own opinions. Also, mothers broke convention by displaying leadership within the family.
Igoye, for example, credited her father with having the foresight to send his daughters to school despite opposition from others in their village. Her mother went back to school as an adult to improve her career as a teacher, which lgoye described as being a big influence on her. Similarly Ben Said talked about how her father encouraged political debate among the family when she was growing up, even when her opinions contradicted his. Meanwhile, Chahal said that even in her younger days, her parents went against the general convention of expecting their daughters to aim only for a good husband.
Another conclusion from Madsen's work is that women's leadership development doesn't look like men's. “Men tend to follow a more straight path to becoming a leader. Women's paths are much emergent. They tend to not necessarily look ahead and think, ‘I want to be on top.’ Women would point to a number of experiences--- motherhood, or working with a non-profit, or sitting on a board, as shaping their path to becoming leaders,” she said.
Actually, women leaders tend to be held to higher standards than their male counterparts. lgoye has felt this in Uganda. “Women who take up leadership positions in my country have to be tough, it's not easy at all,” she said. “You are always aware that you are representing all women. You have to work extra hard to deliver, to perform, because if you do something wrong, they will say, ‘Ah, you see, women!’ ”
Therefore, merely having women leaders can change the opportunities available for generations of women in a country. What leadership looks like in their country, how much of a voice the women leaders are having, influences what leadership is and what it means to its women.
What do women leaders have in common?
Introduction | These female leaders come from different cultural and political backgrounds, but do they share any 1. ? |
Findings of Madsen’s research | In their early years, these female leaders were enabled to express themselves 2. and develop their confidence at dinner table. They got more chances to be 3. to politics. ⚫ Different from men, their previous experiences help them work their way to the 4. of their career ladder. |
Findings of the author’s research | All these female leaders 5. their success to their family environment. ◇Unlike other children in her village, Igoye received 6. with her sisters. ◇Ben Said was encouraged to debate among the family even when her opinions went 7. her father’s. ◇Despite the general convention of 8. well, Chahal was brought up otherwise. ⚫ Women leaders have to work 9. than men
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Conclusion | Female leadership 10. a lot to a nation and its women as well. |
British children used to play conkers (板栗游戏) in the autumn when the horse-chestnut trees started to drop their shiny brown nuts. They would select a suitable chestnut, drill a hole in it and thread it onto a string, then swing their conker at that of an opponent until one of them broke. But the game has fallen out of favour. Children spend less time outdoors and rarely have access to chestnut trees. Besides, many schools have banned conkers games, worried that they might cause injuries or nut allergies.
That sort of risk-averseness(规避风险) now spreads through every aspect of childhood. Playgrounds have all the excitement designed out of them to make them safe. Many governments, particularly in societies such as America, have tightened up their rules, requiring parents to supervise(监管) young children far more closely than in the past. Frank Furedi of the University of Kent, a critic on modern parenting, argues that allowing children to play unsupervised or leaving them at home alone is increasingly described as a symptom of irresponsible parenting.
In part, such increased caution is a response to the huge wave of changes. Large-scale urbanization, smaller and more mobile families, the move of women into the labor market and the digitization of many aspects of life have unavoidably changed the way that people bring up their children. There is little chance that any of these trends will be changed, so today's more intensive(精细化的) parenting style is likely to go on.
Such parenting practices now embraced by wealthy parents in many parts of the rich world, particularly in America, go far beyond an adjustment to changes in external conditions. They mean a strong bid to ensure that the advantages enjoyed by the parents’ generation are passed on to their children. Since success in life now turns mainly on education, such parents will do their best to provide their children with the schooling, the character training and the social skills that will secure access to the best universities and later the most attractive jobs.
To some extent that has always been the case. But there are more such parents now, and they are competing with each other for what economists call positional goods. This competition starts even before the children are born. The wealthy classes will take their time to select a suitable spouse and get married, and will start a family only when they feel ready for it.
Children from less advantaged backgrounds, by contrast, often appear before their parents are ready for them. In America 60% of births to single women under 30 are unplanned, and over 40% of children are born outside marriage. The result, certainly in America, has been to widen already massive social inequalities yet further.
All the evidence suggests that children from poorer backgrounds are at a disadvantage almost as soon as they are born. By the age of five or six they are far less “school-ready” than their better-off peers, so any attempts to help them catch up have to start long before they get to school. America has had some success with various schemes involving regular home visits by nurses or social workers to low-income families with new babies. It also has long experience with programmes for young children from poor families that combine support for parents with good-quality child care. Such programmes do seem to make a difference. Without extra effort, children from low-income families in most countries are much less likely than their better-off peers to attend preschool education, even though they are more likely to benefit from it. And data from the OECD’s PISA programme suggest that children need at least two years of preschool education to perform at their best when they are 15.
So the most promising way to ensure greater equality may be to make early-years education and care for more widely available and more affordable, as it is in the Nordics. Some governments are already rethinking their educational priorities, shifting some of their spending to the early years.
Most rich countries decided more than a century ago that free, compulsory education for all children was a worthwhile investment for society. There is now an argument for starting preschool education earlier, as some countries have already done. In the face of crushing new inequalities, a modern version of that approach is worth trying.
1.What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?
A. More attention is placed on children’s safety.
B. More and more parents are becoming irresponsible.
C. Children are no longer interested in outdoor activities.
D. Parents are advised to spend more time with their children.
2.Which of the following about intensive parenting style is TRUE?
A. Chances are that this style could be changed.
B. Financial pressure forces parents to be stricter.
C. Rich families adopt such style to keep their advantages.
D. Such style is largely influenced by the size of the family.
3.What does the underlined sentence imply?
A. Economists offer practical advice to guide parenting.
B. A happy marriage secures children’s social positions.
C. Unfair division of social resources drives parents mad.
D. Parents are struggling for their children’s edge over peers.
4.Which is the proper measure to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor?
A. Parents are persuaded to give birth to babies in their later years.
B. Funds are provided for poor children after they are admitted to school.
C. New babies in low-income families are sent to nurses or social workers.
D. Children from low-income families are ensured to receive early education.
5.What’s the author’s attitude towards investment in pre-school education?
A. Supportive B. Disapproving
C. Skeptic D. Unconcerned
6.The author begins the passage with the game of conkers to .
A. show competition overweighs cooperation
B. imply educational inequalities should be broken
C. make readers aware of the rules of the game
D. indicate the game has lost its appeal to children
