【题目】 You may have heard that humans only use ten percent of their brain, and that if you could unlock the rest of your brainpower, you could do so much more. You could become a super genius, or acquire psychic powers like mind reading.

This “ten-percent myth” has inspired many references in the cultural imagination. In the 2014 movie Lucy, for example, a woman develops godlike powers thanks to drugs that release the previously inaccessible 90 percent of her brain.

Contrary to the ten-percent myth, however, scientists have shown that humans use their entire brain throughout each day.

Over the years, brain scientists have shown that different parts of the brain are responsible for specific functions, whether it’s recognizing colors or problem solving. Contrary to the ten-percent myth, scientists have proven that every part of the brain is integral for our daily functioning.

Research has yet to find a brain area that is completely inactive. Even studies that measure activity at the level of single neurons(神经元) have not revealed any inactive areas of the brain.

Many brain imaging studies that measure brain activity when a person is doing a specific task show how different parts of the brain work together. For example, while you are reading this text on your smartphone, some parts of your brain, including those responsible for vision and reading comprehension, will be more active.

A more direct counter to the ten-percent myth lies in individuals who have suffered brain damage – like through a stroke(中风)– and what they can no longer do, or do as well, as a result of that damage. If the ten percent myth is true, then damage to many parts of our brain shouldn’t affect your daily functioning. Studies have shown that damaging a very small part of the brain may have devastating consequences.

If someone experiences damage to Broca’s area(布罗卡氏区), for example, they can understand language but can’t speak fluently.

In one highly publicized case, a woman in Florida permanently lost her “capacity for thoughts, perceptions, memories, and emotions that are the very essence of being human” when a lack of oxygen destroyed half of her brain.

1What is the passage mainly about?

A.The ten percent myth is not true.

B.Brain scientists have a long way to go.

C.Human brain is much more powerful than we imagine.

D.All parts of the brain are equally important.

2Why does the writer mention the movie “Lucy”?

A.To show the power of women.

B.To introduce an interesting story.

C.To fight against the ten percent myth.

D.To show the influence of ten percent myth.

3It can be inferred that Broca’s area is responsible for ________.

A.listeningB.writingC.speakingD.reading

【题目】 NASA’s (美国宇航局的) newly announced space tourism program is possibly the biggest mistake in the agency’s history.

Beginning as early as 2020, NASA will offer visits to the International Space Station for $35,000 per night, not including transportation, to pretty much anyone who can pass a physical.

The reason this is a mistake, and a big one, is that NASA has worked for generations to create an image of astronauts as extraordinarily skilled, highly trained, courageous heroes. For example, NASA invites grade schools to participate in creating experiments that are carried on the space station. The astronauts talk to kids from space, sending a message that if you study, work hard and learn math and science, you may reach these heights, too.

According to one report, Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace is making plans to haul four tourists at a time to the space station on SpaceX rockets. U.S. taxpayers forked over a hundred billion dollars to build the International Space Station. It would be nice to try to preserve the image of it as an inspirational achievement, instead of turning it into a flying Howard Johnson’s.

NASA’s press release about the space tourism program tries to cast it as a partnership with the private sector to “provide expanded opportunities” at the space station to “manufacture, market and promote commercial products and services.” But it also states that one goal is “quantifying NASA’s long-term demand for activities in low-Earth orbit.”

The space station has been costing U.S. taxpayers between $1.5 billion and $3 billion each year. If it’s perceived as a private Disneyland for the top tax bracket, public support for the entire space program could be at risk.

But worse, we will have degraded what once inspired us. Sometimes a nation needs stars in its eyes.

1What is NASA’s space tourism program?

A.To invite students to attend their experiments.

B.To send visitors to the space station.

C.To run a restaurant in the space station.

D.To build a Disneyland in the space station.

2Why does the writer view the space tourism program as a big mistake?

A.It may influence the science experiment negatively.

B.It will cost people a lot of money.

C.It is too dangerous for visitors.

D.It may destroy the image of astronauts.

3What does the underlined word “stars” refer to?

A.Planets.B.Satellites.C.Wealthy tourists.D.Astronauts.

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