If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?

According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.

The study also found the effect is greater when the younger people learn a second language. A team led by Dr. Andrea Mechelli, from University College London, took a group of Britons who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals” who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.

Scans showed that grey matter density (密度) in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.

“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,” said the scientists.

It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.

Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales, has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible (灵活的),” he said. “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”

The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and thirty-four. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world,” explained the scientists.

The main subject talked about in this passage is ________.

A. science on learning a second language

B. man’s ability of learning a second language

C. that language can help brain power

D. language learning and maths study

【小题２】The underlined word “bilingual” probably means _______.

A. a researcher on language learning

B. a second language learner

C. a person who can speak two languages

D. an active language learner

【小题３】 We may know from the scientific findings that ________.

A. the earlier you start to learn a second language, the higher the grey matter density is.

B. there is no difference between a later second language learner and one who doesn’t know a second language

C. the experience of learning a second language has bad effect on people’s brain

D. the ability of learning a second language is changing all the time

【小题４】In the last two paragraphs, the author wants to tell us that _________.

A. learning a second language is the same as studying maths

B. early learning of a second language helps you a great deal in studying other subjects

C. Italian is the best choice for you as a second language

D. you’d better choose the ages between 2 and 34 to learn a second language

根据句意和汉语注释，在答题卡标有题号的横线上，写出单词的正确形式。

1.Our guests __________ （称赞）the meal as the best they had had for years.

2.It’s__________(或许) the best movie I have ever seen.

3.It’s said that many _________（导演）telephone numbers are put on the Internet.

4.I am wondering which is _________(安全), traveling by train or by air.

（B）根据句意, 写出括号内所给单词的适当形式。

5.Don’t get _______(patient) with your daughter. She is only a three-year-old girl.

6.Working for _______(she) meant that she could be her own woman.

7.What a hot day! The temperature must be in the _______(30) today.

8.There were four famous __________(invent) in the history of China. Paper was one of them.

动词填空 用括号内所给动词的适当形式填空，并将答案写在答题卡标有题号的横线上。（本大题共8分，每小题1分）

1.How unlucky he was __________ (fall) off the bike yesterday!

2.No matter how nice this fruit _________ (smell), I prefer not to eat it.

3.People were told that the plane __________ (not take) off until the rain stopped.

4.---Be careful not to fall into the river.

---Thank you, we didn’t know we_____(stand) so close to it.

5.More than a year __________ (pass) since we moved to this new town.

6.More young men ____________ (require) in this factory if it develops fast.

7.--- Grandpa has changed a lot.

--- So he has. He spends more time than he used to ________ (play) games with the children.

8.--- May I see your ticket, please? I think you _________ (sit) in my seat.

--- Oh, sorry. My seat is upstairs.

任务型阅读 根据短文内容完成表格中所缺信息，在答题卷上相应的横线上填写答案，每空限填一个单词。（本大题共5空，每空1分，共5分）

Beggars are often seen sitting by the side of a street with heads bowed as people pass them by. Some ask people passing by for a small amount of money and some just sit and wait to be given money.

To solve the problem , another giving plan has been suggested. Ten blue money boxes will be placed in busy places such as the market and the railway station. It aims to encourage people not to give money directly to beggars but instead to give generously to local homeless people.

Supporters of this plan think it will be an effective way to solve the beggars’ alcohol and drug problems（酗酒和吸毒）. But the police oppose the plan arguing that beggars who do not receive cash may turn to criminality（犯罪） to feed their addictions. The homeless charity “Crisis” said the success of any plan will depend on its style. They think that imaginative and positive（积极的） plans can help create local understanding and sympathy（同情心） instead of hardness. Most of the beggars dislike the plan because they think they will not get enough money from the boxes for their showers, food and clothes.

Begging is a big social problem both in developing and developed countries. Governments must play a big role in solving this problem. Training beggars to work and helping them to find appropriate jobs is one option. This is especially true for developing countries where many low-skill jobs exist.

The general community should also be educated to see beggars not as dirty and dangerous, but as people who need understanding and help.

完成句子 按所给的汉语，用英语完成下列句子，并将答案写在答题卡标有题号的横线上。（本大题共9分，每小题1.5分）

1.据说，那个小男孩 在11岁之前有阅读障碍。

It is said that the little boy________________________________________ by the age of 11.

2.谁能告诉我Tom打算去农场多久？

Who can tell me how long ____________________________________________________?

3.那位年轻人太急于求成以至于摔倒了。

The young man was ______________________________________________that he fell over.

4.Julie是个很有魅力的女性，有一种让人感到宾至如归的天赋。

Julie is a charming lady that______________________________________ people feel at home..

5.自从他搬到新居，就和隔壁的邻居合不来。

He and his neighbours____________________________________________ since he moved to the new flat.

6.周杰伦是个天生的音乐人，许多80后是听CD里他的歌长大的。

Jay Zhou is a born musician, many people in the 1980s _______________________________in the CDs.

书面表达 （本大题共10分）

假如你是Simon, 你购买了某公司生产的手机，但出现故障。请根据下列要点，给该公司售后服务部写一封电子邮件。

注意：1.词数90左右。短文的开头和结尾已写好，不计入总词数；

2.短文应把表格中所示内容表达完整，句式规范，字迹工整；

3.省略部分作2-3句合理发挥，使条理清晰，内容完整，意思连贯。

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you for the mobile phone by your company.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely

Simon

The leaders from all over the world met and discussed the importance of working together in APEC-China 2014.

A. a B. an C. the D. /

Every time the train goes ____ the village, all the houses will shake.

A. across B. on C. through D. over

Linda didn't find ____ she liked and went home with empty hands finally.

A. something B. anything

C. nothing D. everything

---Peter is ill in hospital.

--I'm not ____ to hear that. I've been telling him not to work so late every day!

A. surprised B. sorry

C. glad D. excited