题目内容
A girl asked her teacher how old she was.The teacher said,“When I was your present age, you were only two years old, when you are my present age, I will be thirty-eight years old.”Can you tell us how old the teacher is and how old the girl is?
Did you know that women’s brains are smaller than men’s? The average women’s brain weighs 10% less than men’s.Since research has shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent than women.Right? Wrong.Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size.Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it’s what’s inside that matters, not just the size of the brain.The brain consists of “grey matter” and “white matter”.While men have more of the latter, the amount of “thinking” brain is almost exactly the same in both sexes.
It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women.This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time.When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time.
There are other important differences between two sexes.As white matter is the key to spatial tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things.“A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher.That may explain one of life’s great mysteries: why men refuse to ask for direction and women often need to!
The differences begin when fetuses(胎儿)are about nine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children as young as one.A boy would try to climb a barrier before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others.These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills.It may all go back to our ancestors, among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research.
If all this disappoints you, it shouldn’t.“The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it.”says a biologist.
【小题1】Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph? ________.
| A.Women’s brain is 10% less than men’s |
| B.Grey matter controls thinking in the brain. |
| C.Grey matter plays the same role as white matter. |
| D.Both sexes have the same amount of white matter. |
| A.Men do better dealing with one job at a time. |
| B.Women prefer doing many things at a time. |
| C.Women do not need to tell directions. |
| D.Men have weaker spatial abilities. |
| A.More women take up jobs requiring speech skills |
| B.Young boys may be stronger than young girls. |
| C.Women may have stronger feelings than men. |
| D.Our ancestors needed more spatial skills. |
| A.Defensive. | B.Objective. | C.Persuasive. | D.Supportive. |
Real-life Friends
Most people know the saying: A man's best friend is his dog; and that Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. However, dogs can’t offer advice or make you a cup of tea when you need one; and precious stones are cold comfort when you need a hug, and a shoulder to cry on.
What are Friends?
There are many ways to describe a friend. Friends are the family you can choose for yourself. Friends are a much better medication(医疗)than medication is, and people who spend time with friends are happier with their lives as they are less lonely.
A good friend will put you to bed when you’re lost consciousness. Ensure you’re not laid on your back, and remember to remove your shoes. You should be able to tell a true friend anything without being judged by them.
How do Friendships Begin?
This is an easy question. Find someone else who has similar interests with you. You now have another person to talk to about your shared interest but remember they like to talk too, so be prepared to shut up and listen once in a while. Hopefully they will have other friends and will introduce you to them, thereby expanding your circle.
Friendships which begin due to location, for example, next-door neighbors or school classmates, rarely survive transitions such as moving to other neighborhoods, schools, colleges, jobs, immigration, and so forth. Attend a school reunion and you’ll wonder what on earth you ever had in common with these people other than your age, although it is possible to have a friendship with someone you met at school. Mutually maintain it, and eventually become godparent or “uncle” to each others’ children.
How Friendships are Maintained
To have a friend you must also be a friend and be prepared to be there for them should they need you. Failure in this respect would label you a fair-weather friend and you would most probably be abandoned.
Boundaries
Like every other relationship you have in your life, there are boundaries you shouldn’t cross with your friends. One of those is money: Don’t lend to your friend and don’t ask for a loan yourself.
Friends are unpaid counselors(顾问),but phoning them at 2 am because you’re awake and would like a chat is not a good idea. Neither is phoning them at 10 am if you know they’re a shift-worker. Friends are people who need some space and quiet time. Generally, it all boils down to mutual respect and understanding.
It’s not a good plan to interrupt your friend while they’re on a date/on holiday/attending an orchestral recital/at a funeral.
Trust
Trust is the most vital element in any relationship. If you’re not trustworthy then you probably don’t deserve friends, so try to remember that you promised to see that dull film with them or applaud them at their first attempt at a karaoke or an Open Mic night. If you have promised to look after their clothes while they go for a bet, then make sure you do. You might like to carry enough cash to help them out too, as you never know when that situation might be reversed.
Don’t lie to your friend: if they know you well they’ll know you’re lying or will at least be suspicious. If you find out something that you know will hurt your friend, be tactful(圆滑). Do they need to know? Would they appreciate knowing? Can you tell their mum so she can break the news? Cowardly, yes, but mums usually have a much better way with words. Remember, if you do decide to tell them and it’s painful, they will probably need some time alone, after lashing out at(抨击)the closest thing—you. In that case, play the waiting game. Then don’t beat them up about it afterwards.
A Friend for Life
Strong friendships can last a lifetime with care and consideration. The benefits are multi-folds; you’ve got someone to share birthday cake with, and especially for single people, a pub meal or a trip to the cinema is no fun alone, is it? Plus it’s always nice to know there’s someone there for you, as you’re there for them, through the bad times as well as the good. Altogether now: Oh I get by with a little help from my friends. Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends.
【小题1】According to the passage we can learn that good friends should be ___________.
| A.paid counselors | B.money lenders |
| C.good listeners | D.next-door neighbors |
| A.giving negative examples | B.raising a relative question |
| C.describing a natural fact | D.explaining what friends are |
| A.likes only fine weather |
| B.will always stand by you |
| C.likes to make friends in fine weather |
| D.will run away from you when you need help badly |
| A.The more friends you have, the happier you will be. |
| B.Medication is also a better way to maintain strong friendships. |
| C.You may lose a friend if you are always telling lies to him or her. |
| D.We should only make friends with those having similar interests. |
| A.doubt whether there are true friends and friendship |
| B.has lost a lot of good friends without any reasons |
| C.has already benefited a great deal from his friends |
| D.has been tired of making friends with single people |
| A.How to make friends. | B.Friends and friendship. |
| C.Ways to maintain friendship. | D.Boundaries of friends. |