The ability to memorize things seems to be a vanishing （消失的） technique．So what can we do to bring out brain cells back into action? A newly published book on memory, Moomvalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, by American journalist Joshua Foer, makes a telling point, one that is an analysis of the importance of memorising events and stories in human history; the decline of its role in modem life; and the techniques that we need to adopt to restore the art of remembering．
As For points out, we no longer need to remember telephone numbers．Our mobile phones do that for us．We don't recall addresses either．We send emails from computers that store electronic addresses．Nor do we bother to remember multiplication tables （乘法表） ．Pocket calculators do the job of multiplying quite nicely．Museums, photographs, the digital media and books also act as storehouses for memories that once we had to keep in mind．
As a result, we no longer remember long poems or folk stories by heart, feats （技艺） of memory that were once the cornerstones of most people's lives．Indeed, society has changed so much that we no longer know what techniques we should employ to remember such lengthy works．We are, quite simply, forgetting how to remember．
And let's face it, there is nothing sadder than someone who has lost their mobile phone and who finds they cannot even phone home or call their parents or partners because they cannot remember a single telephone number．That is a sad example of loss of personal independence．So, yes, there is a need for us to he able to remember certain things in life．
Therefore, Foer's book outlines the methods that need to be mastered in order to promote our memories and regain the ability to recall long strings of names, numbers or faces．In the process, he adds, we will become more aware of the world about us．
The trick, Foer says, is to adopt a process known as " elaborative encoding", which involves transforming information, such as a shopping list, into a series of "absorbing visual images"．If you want to remember a list of household objects—potatoes, cottage cheese, sugar and other items, then visualise them in an unforgettable manner, he says．Start by creating an image of a large jar of potatoes standing in the garden．Next to it, imagine a giant tub of cottage cheese—the size of an outdoor pool—and then picture Lady Gaga swimming in it．And so on．Each image should be as fantastic and memorable as possible．
Using methods like this, it becomes possible to achieve great feats of memory quite easily, Foer says．It certainly seems to have worked for him: he won the annual US Memory Championships after learning how to memorize 120 random digits in five minutes; the first and last names of 156 strangers in 15 minutes; and a deck of cards in under two minutes．"What I had really trained my brain to do, as much as to memorise, was to be more mindful and to pay attention to the world around," he says．
These techniques employed by Foer to master his memory were developed by Ed Cooke—a British writer and a world memory championship grandmaster．He acted as Foer's trainer during preparations for the book and helped him achieve his championship performances．" Memory techniques do just one thing: they make information more meaningful to the mind, making the things we try to learn unforgettably bright and amusing," said Cooke．
【小题1】Which of the following is conveyed in this article?

How often do you change your hairstyle or ask for new dresses? You may try to follow trends in Western countries，but your peers(同龄人)in the United States don't care as much about fashion(时尚)as you do．
A recent survey among high school students in China，Japan，South Korea and the US found that Asian teenagers care more about their looks than young people in the US．
This survey was held in 156 high schools in the four countries. More than 7,000 teenagers were questioned about their view on life and the world.
South Koreans, at 83 percent, cared most about their appearance. They were followed by the Chinese and Japanese while US students showed the least interest in fashion at only 33 percent.
“The different results show differences of cultural background,” said Sun Yunxiao from the China Youth and Children Research Centre.
He explained that in the US there are many different standards of beauty, so teens are more likely to be confident about their appearance.
US teenagers’ high self-confidence is showed in survey. About 85 percent are happy with themselves. The percentage of self-confident Chinese students stands at only 30 percent.
Strong ambition( 雄心) is seen in Chinese high schools. Only two in five high school students are satisfied with “an average living”. Koreans are next at 48 percent，Japanese come in at 66 percent and Americans are at 71．
“According to the survey，Chinese students are happy. But Chinese students need to be more independent and learn how to relax．”said Sun．
【小题1】According to the survey，_________ cared little about their appearance．

How often do you change your hairstyle or ask for new dresses? You may be   16  to follow trends（潮流）in Western countries, but young people in the United States don’t care as much about   17  as you do.

A recent survey among high school   18  in China, Japan, South Korea and the US found that   19  teenagers care more about their appearance than young people in the US.

This survey was held in 156 high schools in the four countries. More than 7,000 teenagers were  20  about their views on life and the world. South Koreans, at 83 per cent, cared most about their looks. They were   21  by the Chinese and Japanese, while US students showed the least interest in fashion at only 33 per cent.

“The different results show   22  of cultural background,” said Sun Yunxiao from the China Youth and Children Research Centre. He explained that in the US there are many different   23  of beauty, so teens are more   24  to be confident about their appearance.

US teenagers’ high self-confidence is displayed in the   25 . About 85 per cent are happy with themselves. The percentage of self-confident Chinese students stands at only 30 per cent.

What’s   26 , US students showed more individuality, with 88 per cent   27  that “people should follow their own interests rather than   28 of others”. This is much   29  than South Korea’s 69 per cent, China’s 49 and Japan’s 48.

Japanese students, at 52 per cent, are most dissatisfied with modern society. Chinese and Koreans follow at second and   30  most dissatisfied.

“  31  to the survey, Chinese students are happy and disciplined. They have a strong wish to make a difference.   32  Chinese students need to be more independent and learn how to relax,” said Sun.

The students have different   33  backgrounds. But home and places where friends gather are the favorite places all teens seek happiness.

Exams and worries about life after graduation cause much   34  among most of the teens  35  for the survey.

Vending machines （投币式自动售货机） are found in 16% of U．S．elementary schools, 52% of middle schools and 88% of high schools．About 22% of students in grades 1 through 12 buy food in vending machines each day—and those purchases added an average of 253 calories to their diets, according to a new study in the September issue of the Journal of School Health．
Just to be clear, those were not 253 calories' worth of tofu, yogurt or carrot．The most popular vending machine items included soft drinks, candy, chips, crackers, cookies, cakes and ice cream．On the plus side （好的方面）, kids also bought low-fat milk, fruit juice and even fruit, the study found．
But the eventual effect on kids' diets was not good．Those who bought from vending machines ate an average of 156 grams of sugar per day, compared with 146 grams for those who abstained （节制）．They also consumed less fiber, iron and vitamin B．
One silver lining: Vending machine customers ate 4% less sodium （钠） than other students--an average of 3,287 milligrams per day compared with 3,436 mg for those who didn't buy from vending machines．That's probably because the extra snacks made kids too full to eat as much at mealtimes, when dishes are especially Salty．In any event, kids should eat no more than 1,200 to 1,500 mg of sodium each day, according to the Mayo Clinic．Even for adults, the government recommends a daily limit of 2,300 mg．
Overall, vending machines in school appear to be a threat to children's health．The researchers calculated that all that snacking adds up to about14 extra pounds per child per school year．For some students this might be a serious contributor to weight issues．The study was based on data collected from 2,309 children nationwide for the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study, which was
conducted by the U．S．Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service．
【小题1】The students using vending machines take in less of all the following EXCEPT ．

How often do you change your hairstyle or ask for new dresses? You may be __ to follow trends in Western countries, but young people in the United States don’t care as much about__   as you do.

 A recent survey among high school __  in China, Japan, South Korea and the US found that __  teenagers care more about their appearance than young people in the US.

 This survey was held in 156 high schools in the four countries. More than 7,000 teenagers were__   about their views on life and the world. South Koreans, at 83 percent, cared most about their looks. They were __ by the Chinese and Japanese, while US students showed the least interest in fashion at only 33 percent.

 “The different results show __  of cultural background,” said Sun Yunxiao from the China Youth and Children Research Centre. He explained that in the US there are many different     of beauty, so teens are more __  to be confident about their appearance.

 US teenagers’ high self-confidence is displayed in the __. About 85 percent are happy with themselves. The percentage of self-confident Chinese students stands at only 30 percent.

 What’s   , US students showed more individuality, with 88 percent___  that “people should follow their own interests rather than    of others”. This is much    than South Korea’s 69 percent, China’s 49 and Japan’s 48.

  Japanese students, at 52 percent, are most dissatisfied with modern society. Chinese and Koreans follow at second and_  most dissatisfied.

  “  to the survey, Chinese students are happy and disciplined. They have a strong wish to make a difference.  __   Chinese students need to be more independent and learn how to relax,” said Sun.

 The students have different  __   backgrounds. But home and places where friends gather are the favorite places all teens seek happiness.

 Exams and worries about life after graduation cause much  _ _ among most of the teens ___  for the survey.

1.A. absorbed            B. willing           C. careless      D. unhappy

2.A. hairstyle            B. dresses          C. fashion       D. culture

3.A. teachers              B. students          C. citizens      D. colleagues

4.A. Asian                 B. American        C. African       D. Western

5.A. answered             B. requested        C. persuaded    D. questioned

6.A. followed             B. decreased        C. reduced       D. compared

7.A. relations             B. barriers           C. customs       D. differences

8.A. awareness           B. standards         C. consciences   D. expenses

9.A. admirable           B. confused         C. likely          D. unbelievable

10.A. survey               B. setting            C. reference       D. paper

11.A. worse                 B. better             C. less             D. more

12.A. disagreeing         B. observing         C. agreeing       D. puzzling

13.A. those                 B. that                C. it              D. one

14.A. lower                 B. larger             C. smaller         D. higher

15.A. first                 B. third               C. fourth            D. last

16.A. leading              B. devoting          C. appealing        D. According

17.A. But                   B. And                C. So                D. Or

18.A. political             B. cultural           C. economical      D. commercial

19.A. expectation          B. hesitation       C. concern           D. ambition

20.A. interviewed          B. advised          C. overlooked       D. invested