The term “multitasking” originally referred to a computer’s ability to carry out several tasks at one time. For many people, multitasking has become a way of life and even a key to success. In fact, some excellent mental aerobic exercises (大脑训练) involve engaging the brain in two or more challenging activities at a time. Although checking e-mail while talking on a phone and reading the newspaper may be second nature for some people, many times multitasking can make us less productive, rather than more. And studies show that too much multitasking can lead to increased stress, anxiety and memory loss.

In order to multitask, the brain uses an area known as the prefrontal cortex (前额叶脑皮层). Brian scans of volunteers performing multiple tasks together show that as they shift from task to task, this front part of the brain actually takes a moment of rest between tasks. You may have experienced a prefrontal cortex “moment of rest” yourself if you’ve ever dialed (拨电话) a phone number and suddenly forgotten who you dialed when the line is answered. What probably occurred is that between the dialing and the answering, your mind shifted to anther thought or task, and then took that “moment” to come back. Research has also shown that for many volunteers, job efficiency (效率) declines while multitasking, as compared to when they perform only one task at a time.

Multitasking is easiest when at least one of the tasks is habitual, or requires little thought. Most people don’t find it difficult to eat and read the newspaper at the same time. However, when two or more attention-requiring tasks are attempted at one time, people sometimes make mistakes.

We often don’t remember things as well when we’re trying to manage several details at the same time. Without mental focus, we may not pay enough attention to new information coming in, so it never makes it into our memory stores. That is one of the main reasons we forget people’s names---even sometimes right after they have introduced themselves. Multitasking can also affect our relationships. If someone checks their e-mail while on the phone with a friend, they may come off as absent-minded or disinterested. It can also cause that person to miss or overlook key information being passed on to them.

Why are some mental aerobic exercises designed to engage people in multitasking?

A. To make them more productive.     

B. To reduce their stress and anxiety.

C. To develop their communication skills.

D. To help them perform daily tasks more easily.    

According to Paragraph 2, why may a person suddenly forget who has called?

A. He may leave his prefrontal cortex temporarily damaged.

B. He is probably interrupted by another task.

C. He is probably not very familiar with the person he has called.

D. He may need a rest between dialing and speaking.

People tend to make mistakes when ____.

A. they perform several challenging tasks at a time.

B. new messages are processed one after another

C. their relationships with others are affected

D. the tasks require little thought

What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Multitasking has become a way of life.

B. Multitasking often leads to efficiency decline.

C. Multitasking exercises need to be improved.

D. Multitasking enables people to remember things better.

Self-employed private physicians who charge a fee for each patient visit are the foundation of medical practice in the United States. Most physicians have a contract relationship with one or more hospitals in the community. They send their patients to this hospital, which usually charges patients according to the number of days they stay and the facilities(operating room, tests, medicines that they use). Some hospitals belong to a city, a state or, in the case of veteran's hospitals, a federal government agency. Others are operated by religious orders(教会) or other non-profit groups.

Some medical doctors are on salary. Salaried physicians may work as hospital staff members, or residents, who are often still in training. They may teach in medical schools, be hired by corporations to care for their workers or work for the federal government's Public Health Service.

Physicians are among the best paid professionals in the United States. In the 1980s, it was not uncommon for medical doctors to earn incomes of more than $ 100 000 a year. Specialists, particularly surgeons, might earn several times that amount. Physicians list many reasons why they deserve to be so well rewarded for their work. One reason is the long and expensive preparation required to become a physician in the United States. Most would be physicians first attend college for four years, which can cost nearly $ 20 000 a year at one of the best private institutions. Prospective physicians then attend medical school for four years. Tuition alone can exceed $ 10 000 a year. By the time they have obtained their medical degrees, many young physicians are deeply in debt. They still face three to five years of residency(实习阶段) in a hospital, the first year as an apprentice physician. The hours are long and the pay is relatively low.

Setting up a medical practice is expensive, too. Sometimes several physicians will decide to establish a group practice, so they can share the expense of maintaining an office and buying equipment. These physicians also take care of each other's patients in emergencies.

Physicians work long hours and must accept a great deal of responsibility. Many medical procedures, even quite routine ones, involve risk. It is understandable that physicians want to be well rewarded for making decisions which can mean the difference between life and death.

According to the passage, it is very unlikely that an American hospital is owned by _______.

A. a church            B. a corporation            C. a city                       D. a state

The expenses for becoming a doctor are spent on _______.

A. schooling and retraining                        B. practice in a hospital

C. facilities he or she uses                          D. education he or she receives

According to the passage, how long does it take for a would-be physician to become an independent physician in the USA?

A. About seven years.                                B. Eight years.

C. Ten years.                                             D. About twelve years.

Sometimes several physicians set up a group medical practice mainly because _______.

A. there are so many patients that it is difficult for one physician to take care all of them

B. they can take turns to work long hours

C. facilities may be too much of a burden for one physician to shoulder

D. no one wants to assume too much responsibility

Which of the following statements could fully express the author's view towards physicians’ payment in the USA?

A. For their expensive education and their responsibility, they deserve a handsome pay.

B. It is reasonable for physicians to have a large income because their work is very dangerous.

C. Physicians should be better paid because they work long hours under bad conditions.

D. Physicians have great responsibility, so it is understandable that they should be well rewarded.

第一节:完型填空(共10小题,每小题1分,共10分)

阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从21 - 30各题所给的四个选项中,选出最佳选项。

Small moments sometimes last a very long time. And a few words---though they mean ___21___ at the time to the people who say them --- can have great power.

I recently heard a story from Malcolm Dalkoff, who has been a professional ___22___ for the last twenty-four years, mostly in advertising.

As a boy, Dalkoff was terribly shy and ___23___. He had few friends and no self-confidence. Then one day, his high school English teacher, Ruth Brauch, asked the class to write their own chapter that would ___24___ the last chapter of the novel since they had been reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Dalkoff wrote his chapter and turned it in. Today he cannot recall anything special about the chapter he wrote, or what ___25___ Mrs. Brauch gave him. ___26___, what he does remember is the four words in the paper: “This is good writing.” Thanks to the four words, his life has been ___27___ greatly.

“ Until I read those words, I had no idea of who I was or what I was or what I was going to be,” he said, “ After reading her ___28___, I went home and wrote a short story, ___29___ I had always dreamed of doing but never believed I could do.”

Over the rest of that year in school, he wrote many short stories, and always brought them to Mrs. Brauch for instruction. “She was ___30___, helpful and honest. She was just what I needed,” Dalkoff said.

21.   A. much  B. little   C. well    D. ill

22.   A. report            B. designer      C. writer D. teacher

23.   A. weak  B. independent       C. troublesome       D. helpless

24.   A. follow       B. change       C. connect      D. explain

25.   A. help    B. encouragement   C. grade  D. words

26.   A. Therefore   B. However    C. Meanwhile D. Besides

27.   A. improved   B. developed   C. changed     D. enriched

28.   A. chapter      B. novel  C. note    D. explanation

29.   A. everything  B. something  C. nothing      D. anything

30.   A. encouraging      B. careful       C. strict   D. effective

第二节 信息匹配(共5小题;每小题2分,满分10分)

       阅读下列应用文及相关信息,并按照要求匹配信息。 请在答题卡上将对应题号的相应选项字母涂黑。

以下是旅游景点的信息:

A. Agra Fort

Near the gardens of the Taj Mahal stands the important 16th-century Mughal monument known as the Red Fort of Agra. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5-km-long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers. It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, such as the Jahangir Palace and the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan; audience halls, such as the Diwan-i-Khas; and two very beautiful mosques.

B. Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world, and some Western historians have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The Taj is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India. Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. It was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers. It was completed in 1648 C.E. at a cost of 32 Million Rupees.

C. Keoladeo National Park

This former duck-hunting reserve of the Maharajas is one of the major wintering areas for large numbers of aquatic birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia. Some 364 species of birds, including the rare Siberian crane, have been recorded in the park.

D. Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal. The gardens also contain the red-and-white sandstone and black-and-yellow marble tomb of Humayun’s wife and the tomb of Humayun’s barber.

E. Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon is perhaps the most awesome sight in the United States--and one of the wonders of the world. Much of the park's beauty is related to its geology and ecology. Schmidt explores the shape of the land, its plants and animals, and its human history. A fascinating book that everyone visiting the Grand Canyon should read. The Skywalk at Grand Canyon West is really exciting.

F.Sundarbans National Park

The Sundarbans covers 10,000 sq. km of land and water (more than half of it in India, the rest in Bangladesh) in the Ganges delta. It contains the world's largest area of mangrove forests. A number of rare or endangered species live in the park, including tigers, aquatic mammals, birds and reptiles.

请阅读以下旅游者的信息,然后匹配旅游者和他/她拟旅游的景点。

46. Carina is fond of art and likes travelling very much. In order to take part in the following exhibition, she wants to take some photos of birds from all over the world, especially the rare Siberian crane. In the meanwhile, she doesn’t want to spend too much money.

47. Daisy’s major is biology. She is interested in studies of tigers in India. Before graduation, she needs to write an essay on the tiger. She hears that it is one of the largest tiger populations of any of India’s parks. And so she wants to go there to do some research.

48. Alexander is a college student of Physics. He learns that this canyon is a gift from past generations that goes beyond what we experience. He is looking forward to going there and experiencing the Skywalk in the park.

49. Sammy majors in history. He will visit it again this summer. He says it’s built entirely of white Marble and is one of the eight wonders of the world. Its beauty is beyond description, particularly at dawn and sunset. It seems to glow in the light of the full moon. On a foggy morning, the visitors experience it as if suspended when viewed from across the Jamuna river.

50. Nancy comes from the history department. Last summer she visited the ancient markets of Agra and this year she wants to visit it again. Not long ago she said: “Arriving at the Delhi airport, we representatives were warmly received. Our tirdness flew in seconds by the traditional welcome that we got at the hotel’s reception.” The next day they visited the famous tomb.

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