1.     If you use it often and in the right ways, you will become a more skilled thinker and your ability to focus will increase. But if you never use your brain, or abuse it with harmful chemicals, your ability to think and learn will decrease. Here are some simple ways that may help you.

    2.    

Don’t you feel drained(劳累) after a couple of hours of watching TV? Your eyes are sore and tired of being focused on the light box for so long. When you feel like relaxing, try reading a book instead. If you’re too tired, listen to some music. When you’re with your friends or family, leave the tube off and have a conversation. All of these things use your mind more than television and allow you to relax.

Exercise.

I used to think that I’d learn more by not exercising and using the time to read a book instead.     3.     It improves productivity(生产力) during the time afterwards. Using your body clears your head and creates a wave of energy. Afterwards, you can concentrate(专注) more easily.

Read challenging books.

If you want to improve your thinking and writing ability, you should read books that make you focus. Reading a classic novel can change your view of the world and will make you think in more elegant English.    4.     Re-read it when necessary, and you’ll soon grow accustomed(习惯) to the author’s style.

Early to bed, early to rise.

     5.     You’ll be the most energetic if you go to bed early and don’t sleep for more than 8 hours. In my experience the early morning hours are the most productive. If you have the opportunity, take a 10-20 minute nap(小憩) when you are hit with a wave of drowsiness(睡意).

A. Take a time to reflect.

B. Reduce television watching.

C. Spending some time alone will be helpful.

D. Your brain needs exercise just like a muscle (肌肉).

E. Don’t be afraid to look up a word if you don’t know it.

F. Nothing makes it harder to concentrate than sleep loss.

G. But I realized that time spent exercising always leads to greater learning.

根据短文内容，从短文后的七个选项中选出能填人空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为 多余选项。
Does a Dog Help a Teen with Low Self-esteem?

A dog is known as man’s best friend for good reason. Loyal and affectionate _,a dog companion can enrich its owner’s life in many ways, 1_____ Many teenagers suffer from periods of low self-esteem (自尊）as they try to navigate the wavy waters of adolescence and deal with all of its associated highs and lows.
A teenager who lacks self-esteem may feel isolated from his peers and unable to tell his parents about personal issues. The company of a dog can be a huge comfort and ease feelings of loneliness and awkwardness. A dog offers genuine unconditional love. 2_____
All dogs need exercise，so taking his clog for a walk is the perfect opportunity for a teenager to get outdoors and benefit from fresh air and physical activity. Exercise allows people to take control of their bodies，which is often the first step toward regaining control of other aspects of their life，says mental health specialist Dr. Alan Cohen. 3    Exercise releases chemicals called endorphins (内排肽）into the brain_? which create positive responses in the body ，including improved self­esteem.
Dogs can help teenagers be more sociable and make new friends, suggests HELPGUIDE. 4_____ A dog is a great ice-breaker ，avoiding awkward social situations and putting the teenager at ease with people he meets. The more confident the teen becomes when out and about with his clog ，the more his self-esteem will improve.
5_____ If a teenager is suffering from depression or developing dangerous habits such as alcohol and drug abuse ，more extreme action may be required. In these cases ，professional help should be sought and all treatment plans considered. Parents who suspect that their teen’s low self­esteem is a sign of a far more serious problem should ask a suitably qualified health professional for advice.

阅读下面对话，掌握其大意，并根据所给首字母的提示，在标有题号的右边横线上写出一个英语单词的完整、正确形式，使对话通顺。

  The playwright George Bernard Shaw once said humorously, “England and America are two nations divided by a common language. If he were writing today, he might add ‘divided by a common technology--- e-mail’”.

  Two completely different styles of e-mail have formed on either side of the Atlantic-Euromail and Amerimail. Americail is informal and chatty. It’s likely to begin with a “Hi” and end with a “Bye”. The chances of Amerimail containing a smiley face or an “xoxo” are disturbingly high. We Americans are unwilling to dive into the meat of an e-mail. We feel we have to first inform recipients (收信人) about our vacation on the island which was really excellent except the jellyfish were biting and the kids caught a cold, so we had to skip the whale watching trip, but about that investors’ meeting in New York. Amerimail is a bundle of contradictions, casual and yet direct, respectful yet over proud. In other words, Amerimail is America.

  Euromail is stiff and cold often beginning with a formal “Dear Mr. X” and ending with a simple “Sincerely”. You won’t find any mention of kids or the weather or jellyfish in Euromail. It’s all business. It’s also slow. Your correspondent might take days even weeks to answer a message. Euromail is exactly like the Europeans themselves.

  Recently about 100 managers were asked on both sides of the Atlantic whether they noticed differences in e-mail styles. Most said yes. Here are a few of their observations:

  “Americans tend to write (e-mail) exactly as they speak.”

  “Why don’t you just call me instead of writing five e-mails back and forth?”

  “Europeans are less interested in checking e-mail”.

  “In general, Americans are much more responsive to e-mail—they respond faster and provide more information.”

  So which is better, Euromail or Amerimail? I realized it’s not popular these days to suggest we have anything to learn from Europeans, but I’m fed up with an inbox filled with casual, barely meaningful e-mails from friends and colleagues. If the alternative is a few earnestly written, carefully worded bits of Euromail, then I say, “Bring it on.”

What did George Bernard Shaw mean by saying “England and America are two nations divided by a common language”?

A. There is not much difference between British English and American English.

B. Both England and America speak the common language, so they are much the same.

C. Either England or America is a divided nation, though they share a common language.

D. There is sharp difference between England and America despite their common language.

Which of the following is most likely to be the “meat” of an Amerimail?

A. The jellyfish were biting.

B. We had an excellent vacation on the island.

C. We had to skip the whale watching trip.

D. We were to attend the investors’ meeting in New York.

On receiving an e-mail, Europeans tend to __________.

A. respond to it immediately and earnestly

B. take more time than Americans to respond to it

C. respond by calling up their correspondent

D. never respond to it all

What are characteristics of Amerimail?

A. Informal and chatty                                          B. Casual and indirect

C. Stiff and cold                                                       D. Formal and direc60

We can conclude from the passage that __________.

A. the different e-mail styles do much harm to the relationship between the two sides on Atlantic

B. Amerimail is more appreciated by the writer for being informative and casually written

C. Euromail always impresses the writer as something more pleasant to read

D. the writer doesn’t favor either e-mail style as both have their own shortcomings

单词拼写(共10小题;每小题1分,满分10分)
【小题1】I have no idea of the ___________(平均) size of classes in the UK.
【小题2】Great changes have taken place in our country ___________(近来).
【小题3】Good ________(准备) should be made before we have the important meeting.
【小题4】Don’t feel e__________ about being different from others.
【小题5】I would p________ playing outdoors to watching TV at home.
【小题6】__________ (注意力集中) more on your work or you will be fired.
【小题7】I found it difficult to keep my b________ on the icy road.
【小题8】She performed the most c_________ task without a mistake.
【小题9】I’m learning German, but I still can’t speak it p_________.
【小题10】Children should be encouraged to be i____________ thinkers.