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, 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,”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 34. 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.?

1... 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. language can help brain power?      D. language learning and maths study?

2...In the second paragraph, the writer mentions “exercise” in order to_______.

A. say language is also a kind of physical labor?

B. prove that one needs more practice when he (she) is learning a language?

C. to show the importance of using the language when you learn the language?

D. make people believe language learning helps grey matter work well?

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?

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 study 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

I am trying to muster(鼓起)the courage to toss away my mobile phone to enjoy a more peaceful and ring –free life．

Can you imagine not having your mobile phone? In our high-tech, in-a-hurry age, a cell-free life is a hard concept to swallow． Our mobile phones can now access the Internet, and many people feel the need to express their every thought on their blog pages． If I gave up my cellphone, people would think I was mad．

I wish I had the strength to toss away my technology ． I have an office phone, a home phone, e-mail and if people want to contact me． they can． If I’m out, people can leave a message． Do they really need to find me 24/7 ? However, I’m a bit like Frodo in the movie Lord of the Rings． The power of the ring is too strong and I can’t let it go．

Mobile phones have become necessary tools in our busy life． For most people , they hold all contacts and many of us don't write up address books any more． The latest phones carry our music, pictures, movies and everything else． We feel lost without this device and when we do misplace it , we feel cut off from our fellow,

“Where have you been?” said a friend, who saw me a week after I lost my cell, “I tried calling you , but you disappeared． You disappeared off the face of the Earth。” See, when you don’t have a mobile phone, you don’t exist．

I’m not really going to toss my mobile phone away, in fact． We humans are such social animals and mobile phones serve us well． So in 2009, I’ve dicided not to serve my mobile phone． Like all machine, I can always turn it off．

1．What does the underslined phrase“toss away”mean?

A．give away      B．get away     C．break away      D．throw away

2．The writer mentions Frodo to        

A．show it is difficult to get rid of the mobile phone

B．show how much he likes Frodo

C．suggest a cell-free life is what he wants

D．introduce a film character to us

3．What do we know about mobile phones in the 4 th paragraph?

A．Mobile phones can do anything for us ．

B．Mobile phones have become very important in our life

C．We could not live without mobile phones

D．We would be cut off by our fellow without mobile phones

4．What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The writer is not really going to toss his mobile phone away．

B．When you don't have a mobile phone, you don’t exist．

C．The writer decides not to serve his mobile phone

D．We humans can control ourselves and machines will．

On August 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover（探测器）named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat.

My name is Clara, and when I was in Grade 6, I won the essay contest NASA held to name its next Mars rover. The essay I wrote was not even 250 words long, but somehow it was enough to change my life.

I still remember that cold December day, sitting in a science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and decided to get a Time for Kids magazine off Mrs. Estevez’s bookshelf. It was the 2008 Invention Issue, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. In the magazine, there was an article about a girl who named the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The article also talked about the essay contest NASA was holding to name its next Mars rover. Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.

I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer and typed until my fingers ached. It turned out that I was just in time. A few days later, and the contest would have closed.

Five months later, shortly after I had turned 12, I was watching a National Geographic special on mammoths when the phone rang. My mom answered, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face. When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being, I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.

Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandfather and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. He’d tell me stories and point out the stars.

My grandfather lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess some mystery.

In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like – you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.

People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. Why do we explore? My answer to that is simple: because we can; because we’re curious; because we as human beings do not just stay holed up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.

The curiosity rover is more than just a robot. It is more than just a titanium body and aluminum wheels. Curiosity represents the hard work, passion, love and commitment of thousands of people from all over the world who were brought together by science. Science is so awesome. It is breathtaking and mind-blowing; and sometimes, it’s just a little bit crazy. The discoveries we make about our world are incredibly humbling. They move us forward and have the potential to benefit all of mankind.

This December it will be four years of my life that have been tied to Curiosity in some way. I’ve met so many amazing people through this experience, from scientists to engineers to administrators to volunteers. Their devotion and enthusiasm inspire me greatly. My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.

And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.

1. The method the writer uses to begin the passage is _____.

A．telling a story                          B．giving an example

C．offering an explanation                   D．describing a scene

2.Why did the writer hurry home to finish the essay for the contest NASA held?

A．She had just gathered enough information from Time for Kids

B．She wanted to write down what flashed through her mind in time.

C．She knew from Mrs. Estevez the deadline for the contest was approaching.

D．She was afraid she might miss the chance to compete with the former winner.

3. The writer mentions her grandfather in order to show that ______.

A．she missed him very much.

B．he knew a great deal about space

C．he influenced her to love the stars

D．she treasured their happy moments

4.Which of the following serves as a summary of Paragraph 11?

A．The writer was inspired to be a volunteer by the people she met.

B．The writer owed her success to her team members’ encouragement.

C．The writer met many difficulties in her four-year life with Curiosity.

D．The writer has benefited a lot from her experience tied to Curiosity.

5.Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?

A．Sharp.            B．Proud.            C．Aggressive.        D．Enthusiastic.

6.What is conveyed in the passage?

A．Curiosity is important to human beings.

B．A thirst for knowledge helps one grow up.

C．Entering a contest is a way to achieve success.

D．Curiosity changes people’s attitude towards science.

Eat, drink and be merry. That’s what Spring Festival is all about. But there are millions of people, too, who love to let happiness go up in smoke.

Offering cigarettes to guests is a traditional Chinese way of showing respect to them. A cup of tea and cigarettes are perhaps the most common way of welcoming a guest in China, especially during festive occasions.

No wonder, 40 percent of the people surveyed(调查) recently said they would smoke at least twice the usual number of cigarettes during the Spring Festival because of all those gatherings and parties. Only 20 percent of the respondents said they would refuse a cigarette when offered one. Why can’t the others do the same? Because they could be seen as being rude, said more than half in the respondents. 15 percent feared they could be taken as “someone who cannot get along well with others”.

The Think-tank Research Centre for Health Development and sohu. com survey shows 61 percent Chinese think offering a cigarette is useful for socialising, and 52 percent have offered cigarettes to others. The study surveyed 3,800 people, and 64 percent of them were men.

One-third of those surveyed were smokers, out of which 57 percent said they couldn’t give up smoking because of the offering-and-accepting culture. “People have accepted offering cigarettes as an effective way of making friends,” research centre director Wu Yiqun says.

China has more than 350 million smokers, catering to the tobacco market that is worth 500 billion yuan. “The survey shows we still have a lot of work to do,” Wu says. “It is time to let people know that offering a cigarette is a bad habit and it should be given up immediately.”

1.The passage is written with the purpose of ________.

A. telling us a custom about the Chinese Spring Festival

B. introducing a way to make friends with Chinese

C. stopping smoking during the Chinese Spring Festival

D. telling us that offering cigarettes is a bad habit

2.The third paragraph mainly tells us ________.

A. the fact that smokers are greatly increasing during the festival

B. the reason why refusing cigarettes is acceptable

C. the fact that many people have to smoke more cigarettes during the festival

D. it is rude to attend parties without smoking cigarettes

3. Which of the following may NOT be the reason that makes many people fail to refuse the offered cigarettes?

A. It’s impolite to refuse.                   B. Smoking is harmful for non-smokers.

C. They want to be friendly                 D. It’s a kind of social habit.

4.The writer mentions the 500 billion yuan tobacco market because ________.

A. the tobacco market is not developing smoothly

B. the writer thinks that smoking wastes a lot of money

C. smoking is helpful to the tobacco market

D. the tobacco market attracts too many smokers

Americans Spend Their Free Time In Various Ways

America is a country of sports—of hunting，fishing and swimming，and of team sports like baseball and football．Millions of Americans watch their favorite sports on television．They also like to play in community orchestras(管弦乐队)，make their own films or recordings，go camping，visit museums，attend lectures，travel，garden，read，and join in hundreds of other activities．The people also enjoy building things for their homes，sewing their own clothes，even making their own photographs．They do these things for fun as well as for economy．

But as much as Americans enjoy their free time，the country is at the same time a“self-improvement” country．More than 25 million adults continue their education，chiefly by going to school in the evening， during their own free time，at their own expense．Added to the time spent on personal activities，Americans a1so devote a great amount of their time to the varied needs of their communities．Many hospitals，schools，libraries，museums，parks，community centers，and organizations that assist the poor depend on the many hours citizens devote to these activities，often without any pay. Why do they do it?

There are several answers．The idea of cooperating and sharing responsibility with one another for the benefit of all is as old as the country itself．

When the country was first founded in 1776，it was necessary for the settlers to work together to live．They had crossed dangerous seas and risked all they had in their struggle for political and religious freedom．There remains among many Americans a distrust of central government．People still prefer to do things themselves within their communities，rather than give the government more control．

Sometimes people offer their time because they wish to accomplish something for which no money is paid，to do something that will be of benefit to the entire community．It is true that some people use their leisure because they are truly interested in the work；or they are learning from the experience．

No matter what the reason is，hundreds of thousands of so-called leisure hours are put into hard，unpaid work on one or another community need．

1.The writer mentions the foundation of the country in order to indicate ____．

2.Which of the following best explains the meaning of the underlined word “leisure”?

A．work time         B. spare time        C. energy      C. effort 

3.This passage is mainly about ________ ．