Question

14．If English means endless new words，difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation，you are wrong．Haven't you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language？
According to a new study by a British university，learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power．Researchers found that learning other lan guages changes grey matter．This is the area of the brain which processes information．It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles．
The study also found the effect is greater when the younger people learn a second language．A team led by Dr．Andrea Mechelli，from University College London，took a group of Britons who only spoke English．They were compared with a group of"early bilinguals"who had learnt a second language before the age of five，as well as a number of later learners．
Scans showed that grey matter density （密度） in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language．But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language，the smaller the difference．
"Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language，"said the scientists．It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn．
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales，has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills．"Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible （灵活的），"he said．"You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas．"
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and thirty-four．Reading，writing，and comprehension were all tested．The results showed that the younger they started to learn，the better．"Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world，"explained the scientists．
32．The main subject talked about in this passage isC．
A．science on learning a second language    
B．man's ability of learning a second language
C．that language can help brain power       
D．language learning and maths study
33．The underlined word"bilingual"probably meansC．
A．a researcher on language learning        
B．a second language learner
C．a person who can speak two languages    
D．an active language learner
34．We may know from the scientific findings thatA．
A．the earlier you start to learn a second language，the higher the grey matter density is
B．there is no difference between a later second language learner and one who doesn't know a second language
C．the experience of learning a second language has bad effect on people's brain
D．the ability of learning a second language is changing all the time
35．In the last two paragraphs，the author wants to tell us thatB．
A．learning a second language is the same as studying maths
B．early learning of a second language helps you a great deal in studying other subjects
C．Italian is the best choice for you as a second language
D．you'd better choose the ages between 2 and 34 to learn a second language．

Answer 1

分析 如果英语只是无尽的新词汇、复杂的语法和一些奇怪的发音，那你就错了． 你难道没有觉得你从开始学习英语那一刻起正变得也来越聪明？
根据英国某所大学的最新研究，学习一门外语可以使你的脑力增加． 学者们发现，学习外语改变脑力． 正是大脑处理着信息． 这与健美锻炼肌肉的道理是相似的． 研究同时发现年轻人学习外语会得到更好的效果． 由来自伦敦学院的安德里 米歇丽博士领导的团队挑选了一组只说英语的英国人． 他们与一组"早期的双语者"也就是在5岁以前就学习了一门外语和一组学习外语较晚的人进行比较．
扫描显示学习过外语的人大脑中的灰质密度要比没有学习过的人来得高．
"我们的发现显示有学习外语的经历可以改变大脑的结构．"科学家们说． 这意味着这种改变本身就增强了我们的学习能力． 威尔士大学的迪兰 佛汉 琼斯教授已经对双语的使用和数学能力进行了研究．他指出："使用两种语言好比世界向你打开了两扇窗户并且使得你的大脑更灵活．这使得你超越了语言的范畴并且对不同观点有更好的理解．"
这项发现与一项研究所得出的结果一致．这项研究对以意大利为母语在两岁到34岁之间学习英语的人中进行．测试项目包括阅读、写作和理解． 结果显示外语学习越早开始，效果越好． 科学家解释说："学习一门外语意味着你进入了一个不同的世界．"

解答 32．C．主旨大意题．根据通过阅读全文以及According to a new study by a British university，learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power可知，本文主要讲述了学习一门外语可以增加你的脑力．故选C．
33．C．判断推理题．根据in people withouta second language"没有第二语言"可知，前面应是说掌握第二语言的人，所以bilingual的意思应是a person who can speak two languages．故选C．
34．A．判断推理题．根据Scans showed that grey matter density （密度） in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people withouta second language和The results showed that the younger they started to learn，the better可知，学习第二语言越早，灰质密度就越高．故选A．
35．B．主旨大意题．通过阅读最后一段可知，本段主要讲述了学习第二语言越早越好，这有利于对其他科目的学习．故选B．

点评 阅读理解题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释．考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点．