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 math 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 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. Which part will change more when a person studies a second language?
| A． grey matter density | B． the brain |
| C． mental system | D． musles |
Who can study a second language easier?.
| A． The adults | B．The teenagers |
| C． The children | D．The old |
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 |
How do you understand the underlined sentence ( in paragraph 4 ) in the passage?
| A． It means that we can practise our brain by studying a second language |
| B． It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn |
| C． It means that learning a second language makes you more flexable |
| D． It means that learners will better understand the difficult ideas. |
When I was growing up, I was unhappy to be seen with my father. He was disabled and quite short. He used to walk together with me and his hand was on my arm for balance. At this time, people would look at us strangely. I was afraid to look at others but he never cares.
It was difficult to coordinate our steps — his slow, mine impatient. But each time, he always said, “You set the pace, I'll follow you.”
He never talked about himself as a disabled man and nor did he envy other people’s good fortune or health. What he looked for in others was a “good heart” — a good heart in man.
Now that I am older, I believe that is a right standard to judge people, even though I still don’t know exactly what a “good heart” is. But I know the times when I don’t have it. Unable to take part in many activities, my father still tried to participate in some way. When I played ball, he “played” it too. When I joined the Navy, he “joined” too. He often introduced me, saying “This is my son, but it is also me, and I could have done this if things had been different.”
He has been gone many years, but I am so sorry for my unwillingness to walk with him. I never told him how I regretted it. I think of him often when I complain about small affairs and when I don’t have a “good heart ”. At such times, I want to put my hand on his arm and say, “You set the pace, I'll try to follow you. ”The author felt unhappy walking with his father because ______.
| A．he was pitiful for his father’s disability |
| B．it was easy for them to walk together |
| C．he didn’t want others to know he had a disabled father |
| D．his father often blamed him |
In his father’s view, the most important quality a good person should have is ______.
| A．excellent health | B．a good heart |
| C．smart hands | D．beautiful appearance |
What does the underlined word “coordinate” mean?
| A．行走 | B．协调 | C．抚平 | D．暂停 |
According to the last paragraph, by saying “You set the pace. I will try to follow you.” the author means that ______.
| A．he will follow father’s standards of being a good man |
| B．his father didn’t participate in any activities |
| C．he is glad to walk on his own |
| D．he still cares more about the appearance |
About five to seven million people who lived in England spoke English at the end of the 16th century. Later in the next century, people from England overcame other parts of the world and because of that, English began to be spoken in many other countries. Today, more people speak English as their first, second or a foreign language than ever before.
Look at this example:
British Betty: Would you like to see my flat?
American Amy: Yes. I’d like to come up to your apartment.
So why has English changed over time? All languages change and develop when cultures meet. At first the English spoken in England between about AD 450 and 1150 was very different from the English spoken today. It was based more on German than the English we speak at present. Then between about AD 800 and 1150, English became less like German because those who ruled England spoke first Danish and later French. These new settlers improved the English language and especially its vocabulary. So by the 1600’s Shakespeare was able to make use of a wider vocabulary than ever before.
Finally by the 19th century the language was settled. At that time two big changes in English spelling happened: first Samuel Johnson wrote his dictionary and later Noah Webster wrote The American Dictionary of the English Language. The latter gave a separate identity to American English spelling.
English now is also spoken as a foreign or second language in South Asia. For example, India has a very large number of fluent English speakers because Britain ruled India from 1765 to 1947. During that time English became the language for government and education. Today the number of people learning English in China is increasing rapidly.When did English begin to be spoken in many other countries?
| A．In 16th century. |
| B．In 17th century. |
| C．In 18th century. |
| D．In 19th century. |
Shakespeare could use a wider vocabulary than ever before because English_______.
| A．developed when new settlers came to Britain |
| B．was based on Germany during the 5th century |
| C．became the language for government and education |
| D．was spoken wide all over the world |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．British settlers moved to America in the 18th. |
| B．It’s easy for Chinese people speak fluent English. |
| C．English once became the official language in India. |
| D．English was influenced by Danish invaders in AD 450 . |
What showed the differences of American English spelling?
| A．Samuel Johnson’s dictionary | B．Shakespeare’s books |
| C．French ruler’s language | D．Noah Webster’s dictionary |
For what purpose does the author write the passage?
| A．To settle English in many countries. |
| B．To understand English-speaking people. |
| C．To describe the development of English. |
| D．To tell people changes of American English. |
A new Australian research indicates that children with a stutter (结巴) do not suffer disadvantages at school, More than ten percent of children have a stutter by the age of four but they score just as high as other children on tests designed to judge their language, thinking skills and character.
Professor Reilly’s team studied over 1600 children from Melbourne, Australia. Their mothers had been filling out regular questionnaires since their babies were eight months old and the children were judged by a range of language and behaviour tests when they reached the age of four. Reilly and her colleagues asked the parents to call the study group if their children started showing signs of stuttering. Diagnoses were confirmed by a researcher, who then visited the homes of children with a stutter every month to check on their progress.
By the age of four, 181 of the children studied had been diagnosed with a stutter. Follow-up visits to the 181 children who were judged after diagnoses showed just nine no longer had a stutter one year later. Stuttering children scored 5. 5 points higher than that of their non-stuttering children on language tests and 2. 6 points higher on the test of non-verbal intelligence. The researchers said it was possible that stuttering could improve language skills, or that stuttering could result from very fast language development among some children.
The research suggests parents of children who stutter are usually advised to wait a year before looking for treatment —which can be expensive — to see if the stutter goes away by itself, unless the children become very unhappy or stop talking.Children with a stutter at school _______.
| A．are poor in their lessons |
| B．have normal language skills |
| C．work much harder than others |
| D．are looked down upon by others |
According to Reilly, parents should make a telephone to the study members when ______.
| A．they wanted to turn in the questionnaires |
| B．their children were rude to other people |
| C．they wanted to seek some practical advice |
| D．their children had a symptom of stuttering |
The author shows the result of the research by _______.
| A．presenting some statistics |
| B．offering some good examples |
| C．telling some interesting stories |
| D．performing some operations |
Some children may stutter probably because_______.
| A．they become angry very easily |
| B．their intelligence is very poor |
| C．they don’t have any patience at all |
| D．their language develops very quickly |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _______.
| A．it costs quite a lot to treat children with a stutter |
| B．it is hard for stuttering children to speak normally |
| C．children with a stutter should be treated in a proper way |
| D．stuttering children can’t be any worse off than they are already |
A couple of years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out of the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator (短吻鳄) was swimming toward the shoe. His mother in the house was looking out of the window and saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In great fear, she ran toward the water, shouting to her son as loudly as she could.
Hearing her voice, the little boy became worried and made a return to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.
From the bank. the mother caught her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began a tug-of-war (拔河) between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too determined to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.
After weeks and weeks in hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred (留下伤疤) by the attack of the animal and on his arms were deep scratches where his mother’s fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy after the injury, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pants legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter. “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn’t let go.The boy’s legs were scarred by_______.
| A．his mother | B．an alligator |
| C．a farmer | D．a reporter |
What does the underlined word “snatched” probably mean?
| A．Kicked. | B．Touched. | C．Bit. | D．Knocked. |
Why did the farmer help the mother?
| A．He didn’t want to see the alligator killing the boy. |
| B．She was much too determined to let go of the boy. |
| C．Her nails dug into the boy’s flesh to hang on to the boy. |
| D．The boy lifted his pants legs to show his scars. |
What did the boy think of the scars on his arms?
| A．fearful. | B．Shy. | C．worried. | D．Proud. |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．A Brave Boy | B．The scars of Love |
| C．A Helpful Farmer | D．A Mother and An Alligator |
On Tuesday, Apple’ CEO, Tim Cook, announced the Apple Watch. It is like a normal watch, but it can do all the things a mobile phone does — and more.
At US $349, the Apple Watch is expensive. Some people doubt that they will become as successful as smartphones. However, it seems that it will open another door for the use of computers. The watch taps you whenever a new message comes in. It prepares answers to questions you receive from friends. It checks your health. “It’s the most personal product we’ve ever made,” Cook said.
If the Apple Watch becomes popular, it will change the way the world communicates with computers. “It might not only be a change for Apple, but for the whole industry,” says technology expert, Daniel Ives.
How does it work?
The Apple Watch has a speaker that users can both hear and feel. You can press the side button to communicate with people quickly and easily. The Apple Watch also introduces health and fitness apps(应用程序)that can help people lead healthier lives.
You can try it.
According to Matt Vella, a writer for TIME magazine, the watch is “the most thrilling product since the iPad.”
After actually trying the watch, he says: “ There’s a lot we don’t know about the Apple Watch. How long will its battery last? How exactly will it connect with the iPhone? But wearing the watch answers some other questions. It is very comfortable. You can easily forget you are wearing the Apple Watch.”What does the underlined sentence probably mean?
| A．The Apple Watch will be successful as the Smartphone. |
| B．Contrary to popular belief, many people dislike the Apple Watch. |
| C．Some people don’t think the Apple Watch will be as popular as smartphones. |
| D．Some people think the Apple Watch will be more popular than smartphones. |
Who is Tim Cook according to the passage?
| A．An officer . | B． An editor. |
| C．A writer. | D． A teacher. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．The Apple Watch has a speaker. |
| B．The Apple Watch can check your health. |
| C．You can send messages with the Apple Watch. |
| D．The Apple Watch doesn’t need a battery. |
What does Matt Vella think about the Apple Watch?
| A．Beautiful. | B．Exciting. |
| C．normal | D．Expensive. |
This passage is about ________.
| A．how to choose the Apple Watch |
| B．why people buy the Apple Watch |
| C．a new product |
| D．a new method |