As we know, Human beings each have unique brains. The brain is of the greatest importance to the body. It is the boss of the body．Your eyes，ears，nose，and skin tell your brain what is going on around you．Other parts of your body tell your brain what is going on inside of you．Your brain takes in the signals．It tells your body what to do with them．When you touch fire，your skin tells your brain that your finger is too hot．Your brain tells you to move your finger．All these happen very fast．Your brain also controls your breathing，blinking，and heartbeat．It controls your feelings and thoughts too．

　　Humans have the most developed brain of all animals．Yet it is not the largest brain．The human brain weighs three pounds．The brain of an elephant weighs 11 pounds．So the largest brain is not always the best brain．In people，a larger brain does not mean a clever person．

What is the main idea of this passage?

　  A．The human brain works very fast．

 B．The largest brain is not always the best brain．

　　C．The brain controls the body．

　　D．The best brain is the largest brain．

What happens after the brain takes in the signals from the body?

　A．The brain grows faster and larger． B．The brain tells the body what to do．

　C．The body becomes more developed．D．We don't know．

What does “the boss of the body” mean?

　　A．The signals．            B．The most developed body part．

　　C．The main part of the body.  D．The centre of the body．

Which brain is the most developed?

　　A．The largest brain．　　　　　　　B．The human brain．

　　C．The smaller brain．　　　　　　　D．Not too big brain．

What are the things that the human brain does?

　　A．Takes in signals．　　　　　　　B．Controls breathing．

　　C．Controls feelings and thoughts．　D．A，B and C．

　　Fear can be fun. Many young people queue up to ride very fast and scary roller coasters, screaming but enjoying themselves. Other people like to read “goose bumps (鸡皮疙瘩)” books or watch horror movies at night, scared to death but feeling excited. Why do people like being scared?

　　Fear is an ancient way of surviving. Being scared makes animals, including humans escape from danger and save themselves. It is because of fear that we have lived through millions of years of evolution. Those who lacked a strong fear response were more likely to be killed, leaving the more fearful and careful to pass their genes onto the next generation.

　　How do scientists explain why shaking over such scary things is fun? “Some kids will go to a scary movie and love it and laugh over it, others will feel anxious and hide their faces and some won’t even set foot in the cinema,” said Ned Kalin, a US scientist. “Which kind of person you are depends partly on experiences you’ve had and partly on your genes.”

　　What happens in the brain when something frightens you? Nerves that begin at the eyes and ears lead to a part of the brain called the amygdale. When you suddenly see a snake, for example, the amygdale makes you freeze, sweat, have a quickened heartbeat, or run very fast. However, seeing the snake also uses another part of the brain, the cortex. It analyzes the situation, and if it finds that the snake is only made of rubber it tells your heart and the rest of your body to calm down. Think of the amygdale as the engine and the cortex as the brake.

　　Back to the first question: Why do some people like to make themselves scared? “One reason is that we can play games with fear, find ways to reduce the scariness by looking away or thinking of something else,” Kalin said. “To believe we have control over a situation gives us a feeling of power.” “Scary movies or novels are good practice to prepare young people for the real thing. Thrills such as roller coaster rides also go to the brain’s pleasure centre.”

　　And there might be some evolutionary advantage to being able to adjust this system that is there to protect people.

　　72. How many questions are answered in the passage?

　　A. 2. 　　　B. 3. 　　　C. 4.　　　 D. 5.

　　73. Some people like to be scared because______.

　　A. they are afraid that the fear genes will be passed onto their children

　　B. it’s a good practice to get prepared for the real frightening situation

　　C. it can help them show their own personalities

　　D. they will feel powerful after getting rid of fear

　　74. Which of the following is true about the people who are not easily scared?

　　A. Their cortex is better at analyzing the situations.

　　B. They are more likely to suffer from potential danger.

　　C. They are born unaffected by anything horrible.

　　D. They lack a strong response towards threat.

　　75. What is the best title of the passage?

　　A. Ready to scream? 　　　　B. How to be scared?

　　C. Willing to shake?　　　　D. Why to be scared?

Maybe you are an average student. You probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessary so, however. Anyone can become a better student if he or she wants to. Here is how.　　

1). Plan your time carefully. When you plan your week, you should make a list of things that you can have to do. After making the list, you should make a schedule of your time. First time for eating, sleeping, dressing, etc. Then decide a good, regular time for studying. Don’t forget to set aside enough time fro entertainment. A weekly schedule may not solve all your problems, but it will force you to realize what is happening to your time.　　

2). Find a good place to study. Look around the house for a good study area. Keep this space, which may be a desk or simply a corner of your room. Free from everything but study materials. No games, radios, or television. When you sit down to study, concentrate on the subject. 　　

3). Make good use of your time in class. Take advantage of class time to listen to everything the teachers say. Really listening in class means less work later. Taking notes will help you remember what your teachers say.　　

4). Study regularly. When you get home from school, go over your notes. Review the important points that your teachers mentioned in class. If you want to know what your teacher is going to discuss the next day, read the material in advance. This will help you understand the next class. If you do these things regularly, the material will become more meaningful, and you will remember it longer.　　

5). Develop a good attitude about tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. They help you remember your new knowledge. The world won’t end if you don’t pass a test, so don’t be overly worried.　

There are other methods that might help you with your studying. You will probably discover many others after you have tried these.　　

How to Become A Better Student?

I used to be ashamed of my grandma. I know that's a　 36　 thing to say, but it was true until today, so I have to　 37　 it.

The　 38　 started when my friend Katy found Grandma's false teeth floating in a glass on the bathroom sink. I was so used to seeing them that I　 39　 took notice of them. But Katy shouted, laughing and　 40　 to talk to them. I had to get down on my knees and　 41　 her to shut up so my grandma wouldn't　 42　 and get hurt.

After that happened, I　 43　 there were a million things about Grandma that were embarrassing（令人窘迫）.

Once she took Jill and me out to Burger King.　 44　 ordering our hamburgers well-done, she told the person behind the counter, "They'll have two Whoppers (巨无霸) well-to-do. " Jill burst out laughing, but I almost　 45　.

After a while, I started wishing I could　 46　 Grandma in a closet. I even complained to my parents. Both my parents said I had to be careful not to make Grandma feel　 47　 in our home.

Then last Wednesday, something happened that　 48　 everything completely. My teacher told us to help find interesting old people and　 49　 them about their　 50　 for a big Oral History project. I was trying to think of someone when Angie pushed me gently.

"Volunteer your grandmother," she whispered. "She's　 51　 and rich in experience."

That was the last thing I ever thought Angie would say about my grandma.

This is how I ended up on　 52　 today interviewing my own grandmother before the whole school assembly (集合). All my friends and teachers were listening to her　 53　 she was a great heroine. I was　 54　 of my grandma and hoped she would　 55　 know that I had been ashamed of her.

36. A. funny　　　　 B. common　　　　C. terrible　　 　D. clear

37. A. admit　　　　 B. receive　　　  C. refuse　　　　 D. show

38. A. quarrel　　　  B. accident　　　 C. trouble　　 　  D. adventure

39. A. already　　　  B. always　　　　C. simply　　　 　D. hardly

40. A. enjoying　　　 B. pretending　 　C. imagining　 　 D. continuing

41. A. warn　　　　　B. demand　　　　C. advise　　　  D. beg

42. A. mind　　　　　B. hear　　　　　C. see　　　　　 D. fall

43. A. expected　　 　B. declared　　　 C. realized　　 　D. doubted

44. A. Because of　　 B. Except for 　  C. Such as 　　 　D. Instead of

45. A. died 　　　　  B. cheered 　　　C. disappeared　　D. suffered

46. A. meet 　　　　 B. avoid　　　　 C. arrange 　　 　D. hide

47. A. independent　  B. inconvenient　 C. unwelcome　　 D. unfamiliar

48. A. changed 　　　B. finished　　　 C. stopped　　　　D. Prepared

49. A. interview 　　 B. report 　　　  C. tell 　　　　　 D. write

50. A. news 　　　　 B. lives　　　　 C. advantages　　  D. achievements

51. A. free　　　　 　B. popular　　　 C. interesting　　  D. embarrassing

52. A. show 　　　　 B. stage　　　　 C. duty　　　　　 D. time

53. A. and then 　　  B. even if　　　  C. so that　　　　 D. as if

54. A. sure　　　　 　B. proud　　　　 C. ashamed　　　 D. afraid

55. A. never　　　　  B. even　　　　　C. still　　　　　 D. once