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　　Across the world, students are sweating as they prepare for all kinds of exams．Many teenagers complain that while they do well in their homework, they don't get 　　1　　 marks in exams．They are wondering why．

　　In a new study U．S．psychologists think they have found the answer．Researchers report that heavy exam 　　2　　 is actually more likely to affect the performance of very good students than average ones．

　　Worried about 　　3　　 others, these students can lose their most valuable 　　4　　 weapons：short-term or working memory．This is their ability to 　　5　　 numbers and ideas, while focusing on problem at hand．According to the study, when 　　6　　 pressure is put on people with good skills, their performance drops．

　　People with strong working memory skills 　　7　　 to do well in intellectual ability test．Their analytical skills and creative 　　8　　 depend on their short-term-focused processor．

　　In the study, researchers 　　9　　 the working memory of 93 students．They were divided into two groups, with a high and a low 　　10　　 memory．

　　The students then took two maths tests each under 　　11　　 conditions．One was called a practice test．In the other, the students were told they were part of a team that was depending on them to 　　12　　 their score in order to win a reward．

　　The results were 　　13　　：the group with high working memory scored about 10 percent higher than the others on the low-pressure practice test．But the two groups' 　　14　　 were about equal when the pressure was on to perform．

　　The study shows how memory performance is 　　15　　 by fear of failure, according to the scientists．

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　　During a recent holiday I visited Dusseldorf, a city in the former West Germany．The nine-day trip left a deep impression 　　1　　 me．I arrived at Dussedorf airport at 7 pm．It was already 　　2　　 outside．The first thing I needed to do was to find a place to stay．I decided to telephone the Youth Hotel．But to use the phone I needed some 　　3　　．I asked a lady for help．To my 　　4　　 she gave me three coins．But all the phones in the airport needed phone cards．And phone cards could only be bought at post offices during the 　　5　　．I was 　　6　　 I would not be able to call the hotel．An old gentleman helped me．He couldn't speak English 　　7　　 understood that I needed to 　　8　　 a phone call．He showed me where the phone was and inserted his phone card．I called the Youth Hotel and found a place to stay that night．

　　The 　　9　　 of the German people made me feel that I was not far away．My first day in Germany wasn't as 　　10　　 as I expected．Wherever I went, I asked people for 　　11　　．It surprised me that 　　12　　 every young German could speak English fluently．Older Germans couldn't speak English very well, but they would try to help me whenever they could．One middle-aged man I asked for directions even 　　13　　 me to the place I was looking for．

　　My 　　14　　 in Germany totally changed my impression of Germans．Now I think the people are very 　　15　　．

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　　Today's English learner has a wide choice of dictionaries．There are 　　1　　 with AmericanEnglish, with British English, with idioms or slang, and 　　2　　 with pictures．One of the most 　　3　　 dictionaries I have seen among many students is the 　　4　　 electronic dictionary．All you have to do is to 　　5　　 a word in your language and you can see it and 　　6　　 it in English．That's great, right?Well, I think it's great, too…but only sometimes．

　　Bilingual electronic dictiooaries are fast and 　　7　　．They can be great 　　8　　 you are traveling and need information quickly．　　9　　 I am against electronic dictionaries and even bilingual 　　10　　dictionaries in many cases．Let me explain．

　　When you reach an intermediate(中等的)level of English, you know 　　11　　 of the language to ask the meaning of certain things while using English．Translating between languages in your head 　　12　　 time．You should be translating as little as possible and 　　13　　 in English as much as possible．I strongly recommend that intermediate and advanced students should 　　14　　 an English-English dictionary that is made 　　15　　 for your understanding．For example, Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press has good dictionaries for students and 　　16　　 publishing houses do, too．

　　I also feel that paper dictionaries are better for studying than electronic dictionaries．True, they take longer to use．But, for some reason, the information you 　　17　　 seems to stay in your head longer．It may be 　　18　　 you are forced to spell the word in your head and therefore“see it”more clearly in your 　　19　　．

　　So what do you do if you have checked an English-English dictionary and still don't understand something?Go to your bilingual dictionary．It is useful sometimes．Just remember to try to 　　20　　 in English a s much as possible．

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　　Theodore, the manager of the Paradise Hotel, told a middle-aged couple that they would have to leave the hotel after just one night．The couple, visiting from Texas, had 　　1　　 a room for eight nights．

　　“They 　　2　　 a sterile(无菌的)environment,”Theodore said．“They should have rented a room in a hospital, maybe an operating room．This hotel is clean, but it isn't 　　3　　 clean．”

　　On the very first day, the couple brought all the sheets, pillowcases, and bedspreads down to the main lobby(大厅)and just 　　4　　 them next to the front desk．They stood there next to this pile of bedding 　　5　　 other guests looked, pointed, and murmured(低语)．The hotel got three cancellations(取消)within the hour from people who 　　6　　 this strange event．

　　When Theodore asked the couple what the 　　7　　 was, they said that their bedding was dirty and they wanted it 　　8　　．The couple could not 　　9　　 any specific“dirt”on the bedding．The wife just said,“We're paying good money to stay here．How dare you 　　10　　 us?We know the dirt is there．That's all”Theodore called room service, 　　11　　 the bedding was replaced immediately．

　　Early the next evening, however, the couple marched to the front desk again and 　　12　　 seven cans of spray disinfectant(喷雾杀虫剂)．“We need a can for 　　13　　 night．We have to spray the phone, the TV, all the door handles, the toilet handle, the sink, and any hotel staff(东西)entering our room．”

　　　　14　　 what their demands might be in the following days, Theodore 　　15　　 suggested that a hotel more 　　16　　 for them was just around the corner．He then called ahead to book a“very clean”room, and 　　17　　 them free transportation in the hotel bus．

　　“They seemed 　　18　　 that I suggested a different hotel, but they liked the 　　19　　 that I didn't charge them for the second day, and they really liked the 　　20　　 service,”said Theodore．

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　　I went to Beijing this National holiday, and it was an interesting experience of my life．

　　My friends told us the taking the“hard 　　1　　”to Beijing would be really terrible．So we didn't know what to 　　2　　．But we were pleasantly surprised when we finally boarded the 　　3　　, which was relatively modern and 　　4　　．During the 14-hour ride we ate peanuts and talked．It was not 　　5　　 at all．

　　It was morning when we arrived．We stepped out of the railway station, having sat in hard seats and not getting much 　　6　　．However, we had energy．First we tried to get return tickets to Shanghai, but the ticket seller 　　7　　 us that tickets would not be on 　　8　　 for another two days．We were a little worried about getting 　　9　　, but we made up our minds to 　　10　　 for the hotel to put our bags down．After 　　11　　 our way past the“gypsy”taxi drivers that tried to 　　12　　 us 100 yuan for the ride, we found a taxi and it 　　13　　 cost us 30 yuan to get 　　14　　 we had planned to go．When we reached the hotel, there was a 　　15　　 for airplane and train tickets．Somehow the man behind the counter could get tickets that day, which we 　　16　　．The most important lesson about China I ever 　　17　　 is to get someone to do your work for you, and it seems to work out much 　　18　　．We were not able to get tickets, but the travel agents could．

　　While in Beijing we saw a lot of places of 　　19　　, most of which were very 　　20　　．It was fun to be with thousands of people in one place．There aren't any words to describe it．

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　　Some boys join the Navy when they are young．They are then given a 　　1　　 of training as sailors．It is a long course, both on land and at sea．During it, the boys study things 　　2　　 mathematics and science, learning to tie the knots(打结), fire guns and to 　　3　　 other practical things．

　　One of the important things they are taught is, of course, how to swim．In the old days, many sailors were unable to swim．

　　At one school for sailors, the swimming instructor was very good．He had 　　4　　 had a boy whom he had failed to teach to swim by the time the course was 　　5　　．One year, however, there was one 　　6　　 boy on the training course who seemed quite unable to learn to 　　7　　．The instructor tried giving him extra lessons, but he had no 　　8　　 at all, whatever he did．In the end, 　　9　　 the time drew near for the 　　10　　 to end, he had to admit failure．

　　One day, he called the boy to him after the swimming lesson and said to him,“John, I have tried very hard to teach you to swim, but I have failed for the first time in my life．Now I want to give you a(n)　　11　　．Listen carefully．”

　　“Yes, sir,”answered the boy．“Well,”the instructor 　　12　　,“if you are ever in a ship and it 　　13　　, just jump over the side into the sea, go right down to the bottom and 　　14　　 to the shore as fast as you can．That is the only 　　15　　 you will save your life．”

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　　When Andra Rush started her trucking company, all she had was an old van, two used pick-up trucks and the simple certainty of a 23-year-old girl．But she planned to make her fortune in about four years to 　　1　　 her true goal：dealing with poverty on Native American reservations across North America．“I thought I could retire by the time I was 27,”says Rush,“At that age, you don't know 　　2　　 you don't know．”

　　Rush is 49 now and 　　3　　 working hard．Her tiny start-up just outside Detroit has 　　4　　 to a ＄400 million North American business．Today Rush is a(an)　　5　　 not only for Native Americans but also for women in the male-controlled world of trucking．

　　Rush was 　　6　　 30 miles outside Detroit．When the teenage Rush visited the reservation for the first time, she was 　　7　　 by the poverty and lack of hope．“I really wanted to 　　8　　”she says．

　　She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1982．She took a nursing job with a 　　9　　 pay and then practiced at an air goods company, 　　10　　 the speed of package pickups and deliveries made a little more a little more profits．“I thought I could do that 　　11　　,”Rush says．

　　Within six months, Rush had ten employees, and clients(客户)　　12　　 Ford and GM were paying her to 　　13　　 small packages from the airport．Ford was the first to offer her a job trucking parts between its plants and supplier．

　　By 2001, many of Rush's 1,000 employees were Native Americans, working alongside people of every 　　14　　 But she felt she hadn't done enough．　　15　　 she joined forces with a Canadian parts maker to design and gather auto components．

　　She located the plants near reservations, 　　16　　 opportunities where they were needed most．By 2009, her auto parts business was earning ＄370 million 　　17　　．

　　She's come a long way from the 　　18　　 23-year-old who thought“the cash would just roll in．”But Rush wouldn't change a thing：“I love my job,”she says．“I　　19　　 the fact that you can start to get some motivation and keep 　　20　　 yourself－and then suddenly you lift your head and it's been 25 years”

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　　Blind from birth, I have never had the opportunity to see myself and have been completely dependent on the image I create in the eyes of others．

　　There are those who believe that 　　1　　 I can't see, I obviously also cannot hear．Very often people will talk with me at the top of their 　　2　　．Conversely(相反地)to this, people will also often 　　3　　, thinking that since my eyes don't work, my ears don't either．For example, when I go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for 　　4　　 to the plane, he or she will always pick up the phone and call a ground hostess in a very low voice．“Hi, Jane, we've got a 76 here．”I have concluded that the word“　　5　　”is not used because they are unwilling to inform me of my condition of which I may not have been previously 　　6　　．

　　On the other hand, others know that of course I can hear, but believe that I can't talk．Once I became ill and was hospitalized．Immediately after I was 　　7　　, I was wheeled down to the X-ray room．Just at the door sat an elderly woman(judging from her voice)asked the orderly(护工)who had been wheeling me：“What is your name?”“What's your name?”the orderly 　　8　　 to me．“Harold Krents”, I replied．“Harold Krents”, he repeated．“When was he born?”“When were you born?”This continued for about five minutes before I finally interrupted,“Look, this is absolutely 　　9　　．OK, I can't see, but it's going to become pretty 　　10　　 to both of you that I don't need an interpreter．”“He says he doesn't need an interpreter,”the orderly reported to the woman．

　　The 　　11　　 misconception(误解)of all is the view that because I can't see, I can't 　　12　　．I was turned down by over forty law firms, 　　13　　 my qualifications(资格证书)included a cum laude(优等成绩)degree from Harvard Law School．The 　　14　　 to find jobs, the continuous 　　15　　 of being told that it was impossible for a blind person to 　　16　　 law, the rejection letter, not based on my lack of 　　17　　 but rather on my disability, will always remain one of the most upsetting experiences of my life．

　　　　18　　, the Department of Labor issued laws that demand equal 　　19　　 opportunities for the disabled．The business community's response has been 　　20　　．The attitude towards the disabled is beginning to change．

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　　Robby was 11 years old when his mother(a single mom)dropped him off for his first piano lesson．I prefer students begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby．　　1　　 Robby said that it had always been his mother's 　　2　　 to hear him play the piano．So I took him as a student．

　　Hard as Robby tried, he lacked the 　　3　　 of music．However, he persisted and at the end of each weekly 　　4　　 he'd always say,“My mom's going to hear me play someday．”But it seemed 　　5　　．I only knew his mother from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged car to 　　6　　 him up．She always 　　7　　 and smiled but never visited my class．Then one day Robby 　　8　　 coming to our lessons．He telephoned me and said his mother was 　　9　　．

　　A few weeks after that, I was 　　10　　 my students for the upcoming recital when Robby came and asked me 　　11　　 he could be in the recital．“Miss Hondorf…I'll just go to play!”he insisted．

　　The night for the recital came．The high school gym was 　　12　　 with parents, friends and relatives．The recital 　　13　　 well．Then Robby came up on stage．I was 　　14　　 when he announced that he had chosen Mozart's Concerto No．21 in C Major．I was not prepared for what I had heard 　　15　　 his fingers were light on the keys．They even 　　16　　 on the keys…He played so well that everyone was on their 　　17　　 in wild applause(鼓掌)．In tears I ran up on stage．“Oh Robby!How 　　18　　 you do it?”

　　“Well Miss Hondorf…I 　　19　　 on practicing at home．Remember I told you my mom was sick?Well, 　　20　　 she had cancer and passed away this morning．She was born deaf so tonight was the first time she ever heard me play…”

Cloze．

　　An earthquake hit Kashmir on Oct．8, 2005．It took some 75000 lives, 　　1　　 130000 and left nearly 3.5 million without food, jobs or homes．　　2　　 overnight, scores of tent villages bloomed 　　3　　 the region, tended by international aid organizations, military 　　4　　 and aid groups working day and night to shelter the survivors before winter set in．

　　Mercifully, the season was mild．But with the 　　5　　 of spring, the refugees will be moved again．Camps that 　　6　　 health care, food and shelter for 150000 survivors have begun to close as they were 　　7　　 intended to be permanent．

　　For most of the refugees, the thought of going back brings 　　8　　 emotions．The past six months have been difficult．Families of as many as 10 people have had to shelter 　　9　　 a single tent and share cook stoves and bathing 　　10　　 with neighbours．“They are looking forward to the clean water of their rivers,”officials say．“They are dreaming of free fresh fruit．They want to get back to their herds and start 　　11　　 again．”But most will be returning to 　　12　　 but heaps of ruins．In many villages, electrical 　　13　　 have not been repaired, nor have roads．Aid workers 　　14　　 that it will take years to rebuild what the earthquake took away．And for the thousands of survivors, the 　　15　　 will never be complete．