If you want to improve your child’s results at school, you could do a lot worse than ensuring that they do plenty of exercise. Scientists have already shown that physical activity can make you brainier. But a team in America has used scans to show that an important part of the brain actually grows in children who are fit. These youngsters tend to be more intelligent and have better memories than those who are inactive.

  Scientists also found that one of the most important parts of their brains was 12 percent larger than those of unfit children. They believe that encouraging children to take exercise from a very young age could help them do better at school later. Researchers from the University of Illinois, in the U.S., studied the brains of 49 children aged nine and ten using a magnetic resonance imaging scan (核磁共振摄影扫描), a technique which provides very detailed pictures of organs and tissues in the body.

  They also tested the fitness levels of the children by making them run on a treadmill (跑步机). The scientists found that the hippocampus, a part of the brain responsible for memory and learning, was around 12 percent larger in the fitter children.

  Professor Art Kramer, who led the study published in the journal Brain Research, said the findings had important implications for encouraging individuals to take part in sport from a young age. “We knew that experience and environmental factors and socioeconomic status all impact brain development,” he said. “If you get some terrible genes from your parents, you can’t really fix that, and it’s not easy to do something about your economic status. But here’s something that we can do something about.”

If you want to improve your children’s result in school, ____________.

A. it is worse to ensure that they do plenty of exercise

B. you can have their brain scanned

C. it could be better to make sure that they do a lot of exercise

D. you can do a lot except ensuring that they do exercise

According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. The fitness level of the children is linked to their intelligence.

B. Children who have a larger hippocampus will probably have better memories.

C. You can do something about the genes from your parents.

D. Unhealthy children will probably have a smaller hippocampus than others.

All the following factors that have some influence on one’s brain are mentioned EXCEPT ____________.

A. genetic factor    B. economic status   C. physical fitness  D. economic development

 A few months ago, it wasn't unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15 hours per day online. She'd wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs – leaving her bed for only brief breaks. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty laundry, but it took constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem.
  "I was starting to feel like my whole world was falling apart – kind of slipping into a depression," said Carla. "I knew that if I didn't get off the dating sites, I'd just keep going," detaching (使脱离) herself further from the outside world.
  Toebe's conclusion: She felt like she was "addicted" to the Internet. She's not alone.
  Concern about excessive Internet use isn't new. As far back as 1995, articles in medical journals and the establishment of a Pennsylvania treatment center for overusers aroused interest in the subject. But as reliance on the Web grows, there are signs that the question is getting more serious attention: Last month, a study published in CNS Spectrums claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse. The American Psychiatric Association may also consider listing Internet addiction in the next edition. And scores of online discussion boards have popped up, on which people discuss negative experiences tied to too much time on the Web.
The new CNS Spectrums study was based on results of a nationwide telephone survey of more than 2,500 adults. Like the latest survey, this one was conducted by Stanford University researchers. About 6% of respondents reported that "their relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use." About 9% attempted to conceal "nonessential Internet use," and nearly 4% reported feeling " still occupied by the Internet when offline."
  "The Internet problem is still in its early stage," said Maressa Orzack, a Harvard University professor. No single online activity is to blame for excessive use, he said. "They're online in chat rooms, checking e-mail, or writing blogs. The problem is not limited to porn (色情) or gambling websites.”
  “Excessive Internet use should be defined not by the number of hours spent online but in terms of losses.”said Maressa Orzack. "If it's a loss where you're not getting to work, and family relationships are breaking down as a result, then it's too much."
  Since the early 1990s, several clinics have been established in the U. S. to treat heavy Internet users. They include the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and the Center for Internet Behavior.
  The website for Orzack's center lists the following among the psychological symptoms of computer addiction:
  ● Having a sense of happiness or excitement while at the computer.
  ● Longing for more and more time at the computer.
  ● Neglect of family and friends.
  ● Feeling empty, depremssed or irritable when not at the computer.
  ● Lying to employers and family about activities.
  ● Inability to stop the activity.
  ● Problems with school or job.
  Physical symptoms listed include dry eyes, backaches, skipping meals, poor personal hygiene (卫生) and sleep disturbances.
  “People who struggle with Internet overuse maybe depressed or have other mood disorders.” Orzack said. When she discusses Internet habits with her patients, they often report that being online offers a "sense of belonging, and escape, excitement and fun," she said. “Some people say relief…because they find themselves so relaxed.”
  Some parts of the Internet seem to draw people in more than others. Internet gamers spend countless hours competing in games against people from all over the world. One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites by posters complaining of a "gaming addiction."
  Andrew Heidrich, an education network administrator from Sacramento, plays World of Warcraft for about two to four hours every other night, but that's nothing compared with the 40 to 60 hours a week he spent playing online games when he was in college. He cut back only after a full-scale family intervention (干预), in which relatives told him he'd gained weight.
  “There's this whole culture of competition that sucks people in with online gaming, ”said Heidrich, now a father of two. People do it at the expense of everything that was a constant in their lives." Heidrich now visits websites that discuss gaming addiction regularly “to remind myself to keep my love for online games in check”.
  Toebe also regularly visits a site where posters discuss Internet overuse. In August, when she first realized she had a problem, she posted a message on a Yahoo Internet addiction group with the subject line:“I have an Internet Addiction.”
  “I'm self-employed and need the Internet for my work, but I'm failing to accomplish my work, to take care of my home, to give attention to my children,”she wrote in a message sent to the group. “I have no money or insurance to get professional help; I can't even pay my loan and face losing everything.”
  Since then, Toebe said, she has kept her promise to herself to cut back on her Internet use. "I have a boyfriend now, and I'm not interested in online dating," she said by phone last week. "It's a lot better now."
【小题1】 What eventually made Carla Toebe realize she was spending too much time on the Internet?

A.Her daughter's repeated complaints.
B.Tiredness resulting from lack of sleep.
C.The poorly managed state of her house.
D.The high financial costs adding up.
【小题2】What is the main idea of para4?
A.A study claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse.
B.The American Psychiatric Association plans to list Internet addiction in its edition.
C.There are heated discussions about negative experiences over internet overuse.
D.There is a growing concern towards internet addiction.
【小题3】 According to Professor Maressa Orzack, Internet use would be considered excessive if ______.
A.it seriously affected family relationships
B.one visited porn websites frequently
C.too much time was spent in chat rooms
D.people got involved in online gambling
【小题4】 According to Orzack, people who struggle with heavy dependence on    
the Internet may feel ______.
A.discouragedB.pressuredC.depressedD.puzzled
【小题5】 Andrew Heidrich now visits websites that discuss online gaming addiction to _____.
A.improve his online gaming skills
B.control his desire for online gaming
C.show how good he is at online gaming
D.exchange online gaming experience
【小题6】Which of the following best describes the tone(口吻) of the passage ?
A.HumorousB.IronicC.ObjectiveD.Casual

 

People in several American states may be surprised to see cars on city streets without a driver. Experimental driverless vehicles now are legal in Florida, Nevada and California. They are pointing the way to a future that is not far down the road. The high-tech company Google has a number of self-driving cars, which had covered 480,000 kilometers by August. Volvo is among the companies doing road tests and says it plans to sell driverless cars by 2020.

   In September, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an act to allow autonomous vehicles on the roads of his state. " Today we're looking at science fiction becoming tomorrow's reality-the driverless car. " The technology for these cars includes cameras, radar and motion sensors. The systems have been improved through competitions sponsored by the U. S. government agency DARPA. Engineer Richard Mason of the Rand Corporation helped design driverless vehicles for DARPA challenge races.

   Cars have become much more fuel-efficient, and new electronic features are' making Hondas safer, said Angie Nucci of Honda America. " A camera on the passenger-side mirror actually engaged on your guiding screen so you can safely change lanes. " Other safety features include warning systems on the front and the sides of the cars. These systems help drivers , but don't replace them. Curator Leslie Kendall of the Petersen Automotive Museum said autonomous cars will make the high ways safer.

   "By taking out drivers, you also remove most risks of an accident," Kendall said. He said consumers, however, may be unwilling to lose control. "It may take them time to come to realize that the technology is indeed reliable, but it will have to prove itself first. "

   Mason said the technology already works and the biggest challenge now is getting down the cost for driverless vehicles from hundreds of thousands of dollars to something more affordable. He said this will happen as the technology is improved.

1.What can we learn from Paragraph l?

A. Driverless vehicles are now legal in the whole USA.

B. Volvo will be the first to sell driverless cars.

C. Driverless cars are pointing us' a faraway future.

D. Google's self-driving cars have covered a long distance.

2.We learn that Governor of California Jerry Brown_________.

A. helped design self-driving cars.

B. supports self-driving cars on roads.

C. considers self-driving cars science fiction.

D. improved the self-driving car systems.

3.What is the role of the systems mentioned in Paragraph 3?

A. They can help people drive more safely.

B. They can take the place of drivers now.

C. They can make cars run without fuel.

D. They can help cars run much faster.

4.According to Richard Mason, what is the biggest challenge for driverless cars?

A. They are not allowed to run on the road.

B. Their technical problems remain to be solved.

C. They are now too expensive for consumers.

D. They are more dangerous for people on the street.

5.What's the best title of the passage?

A. The benefits of the self-driving cars.

B. The biggest challenge of the self-driving cars.

C. Safer or more dangerous-self-driving cars.

D. Self-driving cars-science fiction future is near.

 

My sister and I grew up in a little village in England.Our father was a struggling ___36___, but I always knew he was ___37___.He never criticized us, but used ___38___ to bring out our best.He’d say, “If you pour water on flowers, they flourish.If you don’t give them water, they die.” I ___39___ as a child I said something ___40___  about somebody, and father said, “___41___ time you say something unpleasant about somebody else, it’s a reflection of you.” He explained that if I looked for the best ___42___ people, I would get the best ___43___.From then on I’ve always tried to ___44___ the principle in my life and later in running my company.

Dad’s also always been very ___45___.At 15, I started a magazine.It was ___46___ a great deal of time, and the headmaster of my school gave me a ___47__: stay in school or leave to work on my magazine.

I decided to leave, and Dad tried to sway me from my decision, ___48___ any good father would.When he realized I had made up my mind, he said, “Richard, when I was 23, my dad ___49__ me to go into law.And I’ve ___50___ regretted it.I wanted to be a biologist, ___51__ I didn’t pursue my ___52__.You know what you want.Go fulfill it.”

As ___53__ turned out, my little publication went on to become Student, a national ___54__ for young people in the U.K.My wife and I have two children, and I’d like to think we are bringing them up in the same way Dad ___55__ me.

1.A.biologist       B.manager      C.lawyer            D.gardener

2.A.strict          B.honest        C.special            D.learned

3.A.praise         B.courage       C.power           D.warmth

4.A.think           B.imagine         C.remember      D.guess

5.A.unnecessary     B.unkind          C.unimportant     D.unusual

6.A.Another    B.Some    C.Any           D.Other

7.A.on             B.in              C.at             D.about

8.A.in case          B.by turns       C.by chance      D.in return

9.A.revise           B.set            C.review         D.follow

10.A.understanding    B.experienced     C.serious         D.demanding

11.A.taking up        B.making up      C.picking up      D.keeping up

12.A.suggestion       B.decision        C.notice         D.choice

13.A.and        B.as       C.even if        D.as if

14.A.helped          B.allowed   C.persuaded      D.suggested

15.A.always     B.never          C.seldom  D.almost

16.A.rather           B.but                 C.for             D.therefore

17.A.promise         B.task       C.belief           D.dream

18.A.this        B.he              C.it              D.that

19.A.newspaper       B.magazine C.program      D.project

20.A.controlled       B.comforted  C.reminded          D.raised

 

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