A team of US psychologists have found that talking to another person for ten minutes a day helps with memory.
"Socializing is just as effective as more traditional kinds of mental exercise in boosting memory and intellectual performance," Oscar Ybarra, a psychologist at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, said in a statement.
In one investigation, they analyzed data on 3610 people, aged 24 to 96.
They found that the higher their level of social interaction (交流), the better their cognitive (认知的) functioning.  Social interaction includes getting together or having phone chats with relatives, freinds and neighbors.
In another experiment, the researchers conducted lab tests on 76 college students, aged 18 to 21, to evaluate how social interactions and intellectual exercises affected the results of memory and mental performance tests.
The students were divided into three groups: the social interaction group had a discussion of a social issue for 10 minutes before taking the tests; the intellectual activities group completed three tasks (including a reading comprehension exercise and a crossword puzzle) before the tests; and a control group (对照组) watched a 10-minute clip (电源片段) of the Seinfeld television show.
"We found that short-term social interaction lasting for just 10 minutes improved participants’ intellectual performance as much as engaging in so-called ’intellectual’ activities for the same amount of time," Ybarra said.
The study was expected to be published in the February issue of the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

1. 1.

   The underlined word "boosting" in the second paragraph can be replaced by ______.

   1. A.
      improving
   2. B.
      decreasing
   3. C.
      preventing
   4. D.
      training
2. 2.

   Which is not included in social interaction?

   1. A.
      Having a talk with a neighbor.
   2. B.
      Attending a birthday party.
   3. C.
      Watching TV at home alone.
   4. D.
      Calling your classmates
3. 3.

   What’s the purpose of the experiment on 76 college students?

   1. A.
      To judge the effect of social interaction on memory and intelligence.
   2. B.
      To find out what is real social interaction.
   3. C.
      To learn how much time is needed for social interaction.
   4. D.
      To show the function of people’s cognition.
4. 4.

   Which of the following questions may be asked in the social interaction group in the experiment?

   1. A.
      What does the author want to show us?
   2. B.
      Do you like living in a big city or a small one?
   3. C.
      Which word can be used to fill in the blank?
   4. D.
      What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
5. 5.

   What’s the main idea of the passage?

   1. A.
      Intellectual exercises improve memory.
   2. B.
      Different people have different ways of communication
   3. C.
      Communicating with others keeps you healthy.
   4. D.
      Social interaction makes you smart

A bowl of soup a day could keep the pounds at bay.

Health experts have discovered that adding low-calorie vegetable soup to the start of a meal can actually help to lose weight. Because you tend to feel full sooner, you eat less of your main course.

The soup method was tested by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, led by Dr Barbara Rolls. They found that when participants in the study ate a first course of soup before lunch they reduced their total calorie intake by 20 per cent, compared with those who did not begin the meal with soup. But those who favour creamy soups should beware. Researchers stressed the soup must be low-calorie and based on stock, not cream.

All of the soups tested in the study were made from the same elements—chicken stock (原汁鸡汤), broccoli (菜花), potato, cauliflower (花椰菜) and carrots. They were mixed together to create four different textures and thickness from separate stock and vegetables through to pureed (蔬菜泥) soup.

Scientists thought that thick soups with thick pieces of vegetables which required chewing might be more filling, but to their surprise they found all forms had the same effect. The findings were presented to the Experimental Biology conference in Washington, DC, and the research was part funded by the National Institutes of Health. 

The passage mainly discusses _____.

A. how to lose weight in a simple way  B. what kind of soup to be served at a meal

C. how to form a healthy eating habit   D. why eating soup could help lose weight

What does the sentence “A bowl of soup a day could keep the pounds at bay” imply?

A. Eating soup equals to swimming in a sea.

B. Eating a bowl of soup every meal is enough to keep fit.

C. Eating soup every day can help you to lose weight.

D. Making soup every day could cost you a lot of money.

Which of following is the possible result of eating soup before a meal?

A. Dropping the amount of calorie intake. B. Reducing your weight by 20%.

C. Doing good to your growing high. D. Helping you eat more.

Which of the following statements is correct in making the soup?

A. The materials for making soup must be limited to vegetables.

B. The soup must be made low- calorie.

C. The thickness of the soup makes a difference.

D. The soup must be mixed with some cream.

Have you ever thought about what determines the way we are when we grow up? Remember the TV program Seven Up? It started following the lives of a group of children in 1973. We first meet them as wide-eyed seven-year-olds and catch up with them at seven-year intervals: nervous 14-year-olds, serious 21-year-olds and then grown-ups.

Some of the stories are inspiring, others sad, but what is interesting in almost all the cases is the way in which the children’s early hopes and dreams are shown in their future lives. For example, at seven, Tony is a lively child who says he wants to become a sportsman or a taxi driver. When he grows up, he goes on to do both. How about Niki? She says, “I would like to find out about the moon.” And she goes on to become a space scientist. As a child, soft-spoken Bruce says he wants to help “poor children” and ends up teaching in India.

But if the lives of all the children had followed this pattern, the program would be far less interesting than it actually was. It was the children whose childhood did not prepare them for what was to come that made the program so interesting. Where did their ideas come from about what they wanted to do when they grew up? Are children influenced by what their parents do, by what they see on television or by what their teachers say? How great is the effect of a single important event? Many film directors, including Steven Spielberg, say that an early visit to the cinema was the turning point in their lives. Dr. Margaret McAllister, who has done a lot of research in this area, thinks that the major factors are parents, friends and their wider society.

What does the text mainly discuss?

A. New ways to make a TV program interesting.

    B. The importance of TV programs to children.

    C. Different ways to make childhood dreams come true.

    D. The influence of childhood experience on future lives.

What does the underlined word “influenced” mean in the last paragraph?

    A. Impressed.     B. Improved.        C. Affected.          D. Attracted.

What are the examples in Paragraph 2 meant to show?

    A. Many people’s childhood hopes are related to their future jobs.

    B. There are many poor children in India who need help.

    C. Children have different dreams about their future.

    D. A lot of people are very sad in their childhood.

Spielberg’s story is meant to show that _______.

    A. going to a movie at an early age helps a child learn about society

    B. a single childhood event may decide what one does as a grown-up

    C. parents and friends can help a child grow up properly

D. films have more influence on a child than teachers do

On May 27, 1995, our life was suddenly changed. It happened a few minutes past three, ___36___ my husband, Chris, fell from his horse as it ___37___ over a fence. Chris was paralyzed(瘫痪) from the chest down, ___38___ to breathe normally. As he was thrown from his horse, we entered into a life of ___39___ with lots of unexpected challenges(挑战). We went from the “haves” to the “have-nots”. Or so we thought.

___40___ what we discovered later were all the gifts that came out of ___41___ difficulties. We came to learn that something ___42___ could happen in a disaster. All over the world people ___43___ Chris so much that letters and postcards poured in every day. By the end of the third week in a ___44___ center in Virginia, about 35,000 pieces of ___45___ had been received and sorted.

As ___46___, we opened letter after letter. They gave us ___47___ and became a source of strength for us. We used them to ___48___ ourselves. I would go to the pile of letters marked with “Funny” if we needed a ___49___, or to the “Disabled” box to find advice from people in wheelchairs or ___50___ in bed living happily and ___51___.

These letters, we realized, had to be shared. And so ___52___ we offer one of them to you.

Dear Chris,

My husband and I were so sorry to hear of your___53___ accident last week. No doubt your family and your friends are giving you the strength to face this ___54___ challenge. People everywhere are also giving you best wishes every day and we are among those who are keeping you ___55___.

Yours Sincerely,

Nancy Reagan

36.A.since      B. before C. when  D. while

37. A. walked B. climbed      C. pulled D. jumped

38. A. able     B. unable C. suitable      D. unsuitable

39. A. disability     B. possession  C. convenience       D. experience

40. A. So       B. For     C. Or      D. Yet

41. A. sharing B. separating   C. fearing       D. exploiting

42. A. terrible B. similar       C. wonderful  D. practical

43. A. wrote for     B. cared for    C. hoped for   D. sent for

44. A. medical       B. postal  C. experimental      D. mental

45.A. news     B. paper  C. equipment  D. mail

46. A. patients       B. a family     C. nurses D. a group

47. A. effect   B. effort  C. comfort      D. explanation

48. A. encourage    B. express       C. control       D. treat

49. A. cry       B. laugh  C. chat    D. sigh

50. A. much   B. never  C. even   D. seldom

5l. A. bitterly  B. fairly  C. weakly       D. successfully

52. A. here     B. there   C. therefore    D. forward

53. A. driving B. flying C. running      D. riding

54. A. technical      B. different     C. difficult     D. valuable

55. A. nearby  B. close   C. busy   D. alive

     On May 27, 1995, our life was suddenly changed. It happened a few minutes past three,  36   my husband, Chris, fell from his horse as it  37  over a fence. Chris was paralyzed (瘫痪) from the chest down,   38   to breathe normally. As he was thrown from his horse, we entered into a life of  39   with lots of unexpected challenges( 挑战). We went from the "haves" to the “have-nots". Or so we thought.

        40   what we discovered later were all the gifts that came out of   41  difficulties. We came to learn that something  42   could happen in a disaster . All over the world people  43   Chris so much that letters and postcards poured in every day. By the end of the third week in a  44  center in Virginia, about 35,000 pieces of  45   had been received and sorted.

     As   46  , we opened letter after letter. They gave us   47   and became a source of strength for us. We used them to  48   ourselves. I would go to the pile of letters marked with "Funny" if we needed a  49  , or to the "Disabled" box to find advice from people in wheelchairs or  50  in bed living happily and  51  .

    These letters, we realized, had to be shared. And so   52   we offer one of them to you.

Dear Chris,

      My husband and I were so sorry to hear of your  53   accident last week. No doubt your family and your friends are giving you the strength to face this   54   challenge. People everywhere are also giving you best wishes every day and we are among those who are keeping you   55  .

Yours Sincerely,

Nancy Reagan

36. A.since            B. before             C.  when                    D. while

37. A. walked               B. climbed            C. pulled             D. jumped

38. A. able                    B. unable              C. suitable           D. unsuitable

39. A. disability            B. possession         C. convenience      D. experience

40. A. So                      B. For                  C. Or                          D. Yet

41. A. sharing         B. separating       C. fearing                    D. exploiting

42. A. terrible               B. similar            C. wonderful        D. practical

43. A. wrote for            B. cared for           C. hoped for        D. sent for

44. A. medical              B. postal               C. experimental     D. mental

45.A. news              B. paper                    C. equipment         D. mail

46. A. patients               B. a family          C. nurses              D. a group

47. A. effect            B. effort                    C. comfort           D. explanation

48. A. encourage           B. express             C. control            D. treat

49. A. cry                 B. laugh                   C. chat                D. sigh

50. A. much           B. never              C. even                 D. seldom

51.A. bitterly           B. fairly                    C. weakly            D. successfully

52. A. here                   B. there               C. therefore          D. forward

53. A. driving               B. flying                      C. running           D. riding

54. A. technical             B. different          C. difficult                   D. valuable

55. A. nearby                B. close               C. busy                D. alive