【题目】For some people, music is no fun at all. About four percent of the population is what scientists call “amusic.” People who are amusic are born without the ability to recognize or reproduce musical notes(音调). Amusic people often cannot tell the difference between two songs. Amusics can only hear the difference between two notes if they are very far apart on the musical scale.

As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amusics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. Their inability to enjoy music set them apart from others. It can be difficult for other people to identify(识别) with their condition. In fact, most people cannot begin to grasp what it feels like to be amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping mall can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics have to stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in withdrawal and social loneliness. “I used to hate parties,” says Margaret, a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify this unusual condition.

Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different from the brains of people who can appreciate music. The difference is complex, and it is not connected with defective hearing. Amusics can understand other nonmusical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding ordinary speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can’t see certain colors.

Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed (诊断). For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem with music. Now she knows that she is not alone. There is a name for her condition. That makes it easier for her to explain. “When people invite me to a concert, I just say, ‘No thanks, I’m amusic,’” says Margaret. “I just wish I had learned to say that when I was seventeen and not seventy.”

【1】Which of the following is true of amusics?

A. Listening to music is far from enjoyable for them.

B. They love places where they are likely to hear music.

C. They can easily tell two different songs apart.

D. Their situation is well understood by musicians.

【2】How did scientists learn to identify amusics?

A. By studying different kinds of music.

B. By going to parties regularly.

C. By studying amusic people.

D. By comparing music to color.

【3According to paragraph 3, a person with “defective hearing” is probably one who ______.

A. dislikes listening to speeches

B. can hear anything nonmusical

C. has a hearing problem

D. lacks a complex hearing system

【4】In the last paragraph, Margaret expressed her wish that ______.

A. her problem with music had been diagnosed earlier

B. she were seventeen years old rather than seventy

C. her problem could be easily explained

D. she were able to meet other amusics

【5What is the passage mainly concerned with?

A. Amusics’ strange behaviours.

B. Some people’s inability to enjoy music.

C. Musical talent and brain structure.

D. Identification and treatment of amusic

【题目】The debate over whether personality is determined by nature has taken a further twist after scientists found adoptive parents have a greater influence on personality than directly genetic inheritance (遗传) from birth parents. 【1】

The research measured personality by placing the zebra finches (斑雀) in a new environment and counting the number of places they visited. 2 Male and female birds were then paired up (配对) and allowed to breed.

The eggs of each pair was adopted by another pair just before hatching (孵化). 3 The size of young birds was also measured and was found to be primarily genetically inherited from birth parents and not influenced by adoptive parents.

Dr. Nick Royle from the University of Exeter said: 4 Because they show that, for zebra finches, personality is primarily determined by the environment they experience after hatching.

He added: Although this study considers personality inheritance in zebra finches, it raises questions about the inheritance of personality in other species, including humans. 5

A. Some were shy, staying mainly in one place while others explored widely showing a more outgoing personality.

B. Researchers at the University of Exeter used the zebra finches to investigate how personality is transferred between generations.

C. Our research findings are therefore surprising.

D. This experiment show that behavior can be non-genetically transmitted from parents to child.

E. Most previous studies have found personality to be genetically inheritable.

F. Personality of young birds was measured once they were adults.

G. Do adopted children inherit the personality characteristics of their birth parents or their adoptive parents?

【题目】Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be gone in no time.

Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil and some self-control.

First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns, list your sources of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.

Sample Monthly Budget

Monthly income

Amount

Monthly Expenses

Amount

Allowance

$ 20.00

Snacks

$ 26.00

Money earned

selling drinks

$ 25.00

Music downloads

$ 12.00

Money earned

babysitting

$ 12.50

Movies

$ 18.00

Money earned

delivering newspapers

$ 30.00

Video Rentals

$ 10.00

Total:

$ 87.50

Total:

$ 66.00

The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget.

Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in that space simply because you wish you were spending less.

If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!

1The purpose of making a budget is to help people ___.

A. learn to be realistic

B. manage their money well

C. increase their savings

D. test their power of self-control

2What should people do when planning a budget?

A. Fill in the expenses as they really are.

B. Avoid spending money on expensive things.

C. Set aside a fixed amount of money as savings.

D. List income and expenses on two pieces of paper.

3Who is the passage written for?

A. Bank manager B. Parents

C. Breadwinners D. Children

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