If you want to stay young，sit down and have a good think．This is the research finding of a team of Japanese doctors, who say that most of our brains are not getting enough exercise, and as a result，we are ageing unnecessarily soon．
Professor Taijiu Matsuzawa wanted to find out why otherwise healthy farmers in northern Japan appeared to be losing their ability to think and reason at a relatively early age, and how the process of ageing could be slowed down．
With a team of partners at Tokyo National University，he set about studying the brain volumes(体积)of a thousand people of different ages and various jobs．
Computer technology enabled the researchers to get exact measurement of the volume(容量)of the front and side sections of the brain，which relate to intellect(智能)and feelings，and determine the human character．The back section of the brain，which controls functions like eating or breathing，does not connect with age．One can continue living without intellectual or feeling abilities．
Contraction(收缩)of front and side parts－as cells die off－was observed in some subjects in their thirties, but it was still not obvious in some sixty and seventy year olds．
Matsuzawa concluded from his tests that there is a simple cure for the contraction normally connected with age using the brain．
The findings show in general conditions that contraction of the brain begins soon among people in the country than in the town．Those are at least at risk，says Matsuzawa，who are lawyers，followed by university professors and doctors．White collar workers doing regular work in government offices are, however，as likely to have shrink(收缩)as the farm workers，bus drivers and shop assistants．
Matsuzawa’s findings show that thinking can prevent the brain from shrinking．Blood must flow through a circle properly in the head to supply the fresh oxygen the brain cells need．"The best way to keep good blood movement is through using the brain，"he says．"Think hard and engage in conversation．Don’t depend on pocket calculators．"
(1)
The team of doctors wanted to find out ________．
[ ]
A．
how to make people live longer
B．
why certain people age sooner than others
C．
how people stay young
D．
which people are most intelligent
(2)
On what are their research findings based?
[ ]
A．
A study of farmers in northern Japan．
B．
Tests performed on a thousand old people．
C．
The study of brain volumes of different people．
D．
The latest development of computer technology．
(3)
The underlined word "subjects" in paragraph 5 means ________．
[ ]
A．
something to be considered
B．
branches of knowledge studied
C．
persons chosen to be studied in an experiment
D．
any member of a stage except the great ruler
(4)
According to the passage, which people seem to age slower than the others?
One night when my wife was preparing dinner, our little son took a piece of paper to her which read：
For washing the car ＄5.00
For making my own bed this week ＄1.00
Going to the provision shop ＄0.50
Playing with little sister ＄0.25
Taking out the rubbish ＄1.00
Getting a good report card ＄5.00
And for sweeping the common corridor ＄2.00
Total ＄14.75
His mother looked at him standing there expecting payment．I could see a thousand memories flashed through her mind．So she picked up the pen and turning the paper over, this is what she wrote：
For nine months I carried you, growing inside me No Charge
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you No Charge
For the toys, food and clothes and wiping your nose No Charge
When you add it all up, the full cost of my love No Charge
Well, when he finished reading, he had big tears in his eyes．He looked at his mother and said,“Mummy, I love you．”Then he took the pen and in great big letters wrote on the“bill”“All paid．”
(1)
What's the best title for this passage?
[ ]
A．
Part-time Job
B．
Mother's Love, No Charge
C．
Payment for House Work
D．
Greedy Mother
(2)
The write wrote the passage in order to ________．
[ ]
A．
show that children should be paid for their housework
B．
show that children should not be paid for their housework
C．
show a clever way of teaching children
D．
tell children how to spend their spare time
(3)
How do you think of the mother in the passage?
[ ]
A．
Clever
B．
Greedy
C．
Cold－hearted
D．
Selfish
(4)
From the last passage we know that ________
[ ]
A．
the boy got all the money he wanted
B．
the mother was unwilling to give the money to the boy
C．
the boy realized that it was not right to ask for money for the housework
D．
the mother was angry with what the boy said
阅读理解
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel．Green said,“Clearly I am the most important．I am the sign of life and hope．I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves．Without me, all animals would 1 ．”
Blue interrupted,“You only think about the 2 , but consider the sky and the sea． 3 the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea．Without my peace, you would all be 4 ．”
Yellow chuckled(笑道),“You are all so serious．I bring laughter, fun, and 5 into the world．”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet,“I am the color of health and strength．I may be 6 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life．When I fill the sky 7 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 8 to any of you．”
Red could stand it 9 and he shouted out,“I am the ruler of all of you．I am the color of danger and of bravery．I am willing to 10 truth．I am also the color of passion and of love．”
Then came Purple and Indigo(深蓝)…．
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 11 ．Their quarreling became louder and louder．Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder．Rain started to pour down 12 ．The colors crouched(蜷缩)down 13 , drawing close to one another for comfort．
In the midst of the clamor(叫嚷), rain began to speak,“You foolish colors, fighting 14 yourselves, each trying to dominate 15 ．Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, 16 ?Join hands with 17 and come to me．”
Doing as they were told, the colors 18 and joined hands．They formed a colorful rainbow．From then on, whenever a good rain 19 the world, a rainbow appears in the sky．They remember to 20 one another．
阅读快车系列答案