What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear.

We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle. It needs exercise. Mental (done with the mind) exercise is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists (心理学家) think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent. If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.

Parents should also be careful with what they say to young children. According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive (helpful) things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “You are such a smart child.”

The words “intelligent” and “brilliant” in the first paragraph probably mean _______ while “dull” in the second paragraph means ________.

A. bright and splendid; slow in thinking and understanding 

B. pretty and handsome; ordinary-looking

C. great and important; common                      

D. hopeful and helpful; careless 

According to the context we can guess that a genius is ________ while an idiot is ________.

A. a normal person; a funny person                       

B. a strong person; a weak person

C. a highly intelligent person; a foolish or weak-minded person 

D. a famous person; an ordinary person 

It is better for parents ________.

A. to praise and encourage their children more often 

B. to be hard on their children

C. to leave their children alone with nothing to do   

D. to give their children as much help as possible 

Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?

A. Parents play an important part in their children’s growth.

B. The less you use your mind the duller you may become.

C. Intelligence is obviously the result of where and how you live.

D. What makes a person bright or stupid is still under discussion

阅读下面短文,按照句子结构的语法性和上下文连贯的要求,在空格处填人一个适当的词或使用括号中词语的正确形式填空,并将答案填写在答题卡标号为26~35的相应位置上。

       This happened in a third-grade classroom. Jim sat  26  his desk and all of a sudden, there was a puddle(一滩水) between his feet and the front of his trousers was wet. He felt his heart was going to stop. He knew   27   would happen when his classmates found out. He looked up and there came the teacher with   28   look in her eyes that said he   29  (discover).

       As the teacher was walking towards   30  , a classmate named Susie was carrying a goldfish bowl full of water to her desk. Suddenly, Susie tripped(绊倒) and,   31  (strange), dumped the whole bowl of water in Jim’s lap. He pretended to be angry, but all the while he was saying deep in his heart, “Thank you!”

       Jim became the object of sympathy instead of ridicule. The teacher brought him gym shorts to put on. All the others crawled(爬) on their hands and knees,   32  (clean) up around his desk. But  33  life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his had been transferred(转移) to Susie. She tried to help,   34  they told her to leave the room   35  school was over, Jim walked over to Susie and whispered, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

       Susie whispered back, “I wet my trousers once, too!”

阅读下面短文,从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Many parents expect their children to be perfect. By giving up this myth (神话,不可能的事), we may gain something better—the good childhood. Tameka Watkins, ___36__, seems to have a natural skill for___37__. She sits with her ten-year-old ___38___ Cornelious—nicknamed C.D.— each night as he sets about doing his homework, but she doesn’t do it for him. ___39__ he tells her what he is learning, she listens with___40___. An investigation of the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that students like C.D. who __41___ their studies at home have __42__ average reading scores. The opportunity to talk about and to reflect on (思考) what he knows will ___43__ this honor student well through his school years.

While C.D. helps his mother clear the table, they talk about what’s on his__44__. Sometimes it’s his dream of being a police officer. Tameka encourages her son’s “what if” thinking, asks about his idea for the __45__, and ties it to his current (当前的) achievements. “You know, the police __46__solve problems,”  she might tell him, “just like you did in ___47__.” And when he visits his mom, who works as an exercise technician, his mother’s liking for her job___48___an example of satisfaction in a self-chosen task.

Takema is___49__ Robert Brooks call “a charismatic (有魅力的) ___50__”, one who helps the child learn about himself. “Children gather ___51___ strength and a resilient (适应能力强的) mind from this loving notice,” he says.

Not overpraised, not __52__ , not constantly rescued—__53___listened to, understood, and supported, C.D. is ___54__ the best possible gift of childhood from his __55___. It is the chance to be himself.

A. that is                    B. in other words          C. for example    D. such as

A. parenting               B. working                   C. teaching         D. exercising

A. daughter                B. son                          C. student           D. granddaughter

A. Whether                      B. Unless                      C. Though          D. When

A. doubt                    B. satisfaction               C. interest              D. surprise

A. analyze                  B. discuss                     C. like                   D. write

A. higher                   B. lower                             C. less                   D. fewer

A. benefit                  B. make                       C. do                    D. trust

A. study                    B. brain                        C. mind                 D. thought

A. homework           B. teacher                     C. future            D. family

A. can                      B. might                       C. shall                 D. have to

A. your play             B. science class       C. language class     D. the room

A. takes                   B. makes                      C. sets                   D. gets

A. what                    B. that                         C. which               D. who

A. teacher                B. technician                 C. adult                 D. friend

A. inner                  B. outside                     C. strong               D. full

A. overworked         B. overweighted            C. overslept           D. overprotected

A. nor                     B. but                       C. and                   D. also

A. receiving             B. refusing                   C. giving               D. buying

A. class                   B. school                   C. society                     D. mom

Dear Guys,

 I’d like to talk to you about the shame you subjected me to last night. Let me first refresh your memory: You, a group of fit, young men, were playing soccer on the field across from my apartment building. I, a better-than-average looking young woman, was walking along the sidewalk with my groceries. That’s when your ball came flying over the fence and landed in front of me.

One of you approached and asked politely if I would throw the ball back to you. Fighting the urge to drop my bags and run screaming down the street, I reluctantly (勉强地) agreed.

Before I continue, let me explain something that I didn’t have a chance to mention last night: I hate sports. More specifically, I hate sports involving balls. This results from my lack of natural ability when it comes to throwing, catching and hitting. I’m bad at aiming too. So you can understand why I’d be nervous at what I’m sure seemed to you like a laughably simple request.

However, wanting to appear agreeable, I put my bags down, picked up the ball and, eyes half-shut, threw it as hard as I could.

It hit the middle of the fence and bounced back to me.

Trying to act casually, I said something about being out of practice, then picked up the ball again. If you’ll remember, at your command, I agreed to try throwing underhand. While outwardly I was smiling, in my head, I was praying, Oh God, oh please oh please oh please. I threw the ball upward with all my strength, terrified by what happened next.

The ball hit slightly higher up on the fence and bounced back to me.

This is the point where I start to take issue with you. Wouldn’t it have been a better use of your time, and mine, if you had just walked around the fence and took the ball then? I was clearly struggling; my smiles were more and more forced. And yet, you all just stood there, motionless.

Seeing that you weren’t going to let me out of the trouble, I became desperate. Memories of middle school softball came flooding back. I tried hard to throw the ball but it only went about eight feet, then I decided to pick it up and dash with ball in hand towards the baseline, while annoyed thirteen-year-old boys screamed at me that I was ruining their lives. Children are cruel.

Being a big girl now, I pushed those memories aside and picked up the soccer ball for the third time. I forced a good-natured laugh while crying inside as you patiently shouted words of support over the fence at me.

“Throw it granny-style!” one of you said.

“Just back up a little and give it all you’ve got!” another offered.

And, most embarrassing of all, “You can do it!”

I know you thought you were being encouraging, but it only served to deepen the shame.

Anyway, I accepted your ball-throwing advice, backed up, rocked back and forth a little, took a deep breath and let it fly.

It hit the edge of the fence and bounced back to me.

I surprised myself-and I’m sure you as well-by letting out a cry, “DAMN IT!!!” I then willed myself to have a heart attack and pass out in front of you just so I’d be put out of my misery.

Alas, the heart attack didn’t happen, and you continued to look at me expectantly, like you were content to do this all night. I had become a sort of exhibition for you. I could feel your collective thoughts drifting through the chain-link: “Can she really not do it? But I mean, really?”

Unfortunately for you, I wasn’t really game to continue your experiment. Three failed attempts at a simple task in front of a group of people in a two-minute period was just enough blow for me for one night. I picked up the ball one last time, approached the fence and grumbled, “Please just come get the damn ball.”

And you did. And thanks to you, I decided at that very moment to never throw anything ever again, except disrespectful glances at people who play sports.

Sincerely, Jen Cordery

1.The writer agreed to throw the ball because ______.

A. she needed to have a relax carrying the heavy groceries

B. she wanted to refresh her childhood memories

C. she could not refuse the polite request from the young man

D. she had fallen in love with the young man at first sight

2.Why did the writer mention her middle school memory?

A. To explain why she failed the attempts to throw the ball back.

B. To complain that she had not mastered the ball throwing skills.

C. To show how cruel those 13-year-old boys were.

D. To express her dislike towards softball.

3.What the boys said before the writer’s third attempt actually made the writer _______.

A. inspired                B. encouraged             C. embarrassed                  D. depressed

4.What happened to the ball at last?

A. The writer managed to throw the ball back.

B. The boy got the ball back by himself.

C. The writer threw the ball away out of anger.

D. The boys got angry and left without the ball.

 

Hobbs was an orphan(孤儿). He worked in a factory and every day he got a little money. Hard work made him thin and weak. He wanted to borrow a lot of money to learn to paint pictures, but he did not think he could pay off the debts.

One day a lawyer said to him, “One thousand dollars, and here is the money.” As Hobbs took the package of notes, he was very dumbfounded. He didn’t know where the money came from and how to spend it. He said to himself, “I could go to find a hotel and live like a rich man for a few days; or I give up my work in the factory and do what I’d like to do: painting pictures. I could do that for a few weeks, but what would I do after that? I should have lost my place in the factory and have no money to live on. If it were a little less money, I would buy a new coat, or a radio, or give a dinner to my friends. If it were more, I could give up the work and pay for painting pictures. But it’s too much for one and too little for the other.”

“Here is the reading of your uncle’s will(遗嘱),” said the lawyer, “telling what is to be done with this money after his death. I must ask you to remember one point. Your uncle has said you must bring me a paper showing exactly what you did with his money, as soon as you have spent it.”

“Yes, I see. I’ll do that,” said the young man.

1.Hobbs wanted to borrow money to _____.

A.study abroad                           B.work abroad

C.pay off the debts                        D.learn to paint pictures

2.What does the underlined word “dumbfounded”(in Paragraph 2) probably mean?

A.Surprised.         B.Frightened.        C.Satisfied.          D.Excited.

3.With the money he got, at first Hobbs _____.

A.planned to have a happy life for a few days

B.decided to give up his work in the factory

C.was to give a dinner to his friends

D.had no idea what to do

4.Hobbs was asked to _____.

A.tell the lawyer what he did with the money after spending it

B.read his uncle’s will

C.tell the lawyer what was to be done with the money

D.buy some pictures

 

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