Everyone becomes a little more forgetful as they get older, but men's minds decline more than women's, according to the results of a worldwide survey.
Certain differences seem to be inherent in male and female brains: Men are better at maintaining and dealing with mental images (useful in mathematical reasoning<推论；说服> and spatial <空间的>skills), while women tend to excel (擅长) at recalling information from their brain's files (helpful with language skills and remembering the locations of objects).
Many studies have looked for a connection between sex and the amount of mental decline (衰退) people experience as they age, but the results have been mixed.
Some studies found more age-related decline in men than in women, while others saw the opposite or even no relationship at all between sex and mental decline. Those results could be improper because the studies involved older people, and women live longer than men: The men tested are the survivors, "so they're the ones that may not have shown such cognitive（认知的；认识的） decline," said study team leader Elizabeth of the University of Warwick in England.
People surveyed completed four tasks that tested sex-related cognitive skills: matching an object to its rotated（旋转的） form, matching lines shown from the same angle, typing as many words in a particular category (范畴) as possible in the given time, e.g. "object usually colored gray", and recalling the location of objects in a line drawing. The first two were tasks at which men usually excel; the latter are typically dominated(占有主导地位的) by women.
Within each age group studied, men and women performed better in their separate categories on average. And though performance declined with age for both genders（性别）, women showed obviously less decline than men overall（全部地）. The underlined word in the second paragraph means_________.
| A．natural | B．great | C．obvious | D．absolute |
According to the passage, which of the following can Not be typed into the same category?
| A．cloud | B．sheep | C．trees | D．goose |
Which of the following statements is true according the article?
| A．Men do better than women when it comes to learning English. |
| B．Women stand out at remembering people’s names. |
| C．Men excel at typing as many words in a particular category as possible in the given time. |
| D．Women excel at dealing mathematic problems. |
One important factor that affects the correctness of the results is that _________.
| A．the old men tested may not have shown such cognitive decline | |
| B．people surveyed are all old | |
| C．people taking part in this test came from all over the world | D．women live longer than men |
The author aims to tell us that __________.
| A．women’s minds perform better than men’s |
| B．men’s minds decline more with age |
| C．everyone becomes a little more forgetful as they get older |
| D．a survey on human’s mind decline was done recently |
One of the most important things in the world is friendship. In order to have friends, you have to be a friend. But how can you be a good friend at school?
Listen — Listen when they are talking. Don’t say anything unless they ask you a question. Sometimes it’s not necessary for you to have anything to say; they just need someone to talk to about their feelings.
Help them — If your friend is ever in need of something, be there to help them. You should try to put them first, but make sure you don’t do everything they want you to do. Try to take an extra (额外的) pencil or pen with you to classes in case (以防) they forget one. Have a little extra money in your pocket in case they forget something they need.
Be there for them — Try to make something for your friend to help make them feel better in hard times. Making cards and encouraging them are among the nicest things you can do for a friend. Marilyn Monroe, a famous U.S. actor, once said, “I often make mistakes. Sometimes I am out of control. But if you can’t stay with me at my worst, you are sure not to deserve (值得) to be with me at my best.” Always remember this! If you don’t want to stay with your friends when they’re in hard times, then you don’t deserve to be with them when they’re having a good time!
______ — Try to make plans with your friends. Go shopping, go for ice cream, have a party, go to a movie and so on. Take time to know each other even better by doing something you both enjoy. By planning things together, you both can have a good time. And you’ll remember these things when you’re all old! While your friend is talking to you about his or her feelings, you should _____.
| A．give him or her some advice |
| B．just listen unless asked |
| C．calm him or her down |
| D．share your feelings as well |
When we provide help for our friends, we should _____.
| A．try to do everything for them |
| B．put them before ourselves |
| C．change their bad habits first |
| D．ignore their faults |
What can we learn from Marilyn Monroe’s words?
| A．Life without a friend is death. |
| B．A friend is easier lost than found. |
| C．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| D．A man is known by his friends. |
Which of the following can be put in the blank of the last paragraph?
| A．Make plans. | B．Enjoy yourself. |
| C．Understand your friends. | D．Play with your friends. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．How to find a good friend. |
| B．How to help friends in trouble. |
| C．How to be a good friend. |
| D．How to make more friends. |
Some colors people see late at night could cause signs of clinical(临床的) depression(沮丧). That was the finding of a study that builds on earlier study findings. They show that individuals(个人) who live or work in low levels of light overnight(整夜) can develop clinical depression. Doctors use the word “clinical depression” to describe severe form of depression. Signs may include loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, low energy levels and thoughts of death or suicide.
In the new study, American investigators designed an experiment that exposed hamsters(仓鼠) to different colors. The researchers chose hamsters because they are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are active at night.
The animals were separated into four groups. One group of hamsters was kept in the dark during their night-time period. Another group was placed in front of a blue light, a third group slept in front of a white light, while a fourth was put in front of a red light.
After four weeks, the researchers noted how much sugary water the hamsters drank. They found that the most depressed animals drank the least amount of water.
Randy Nelson heads the Department of Neuroscience at Ohio State University. He says animals that slept in blue and white light appeared to be the most depressed. “What we saw is that these animals didn’t show any sleep uneasiness(不安) at all but they did mess up biological clock genes and they did show depressive sign while if they were in the dim(微弱) red light, they did not.”
Randy Nelson notes that photosensitive(感光) cells in the eyes have little to do with eyesight. He says these cells send signals to the area of the brain that controls what has been called the natural sleep-wake cycle.
He says there’s a lot of blue in white light. This explains why the blue light and white light hamsters appear to be more depressed than the hamsters seeing red light or darkness.Researchers use hamsters in the experiment because __________.
| A．they are similar to humans in dealing with colors |
| B．they are easy to observe and study |
| C．they are sensitive to colors like human beings |
| D．they are active at night and sleep during the day |
What sign shows that the hamsters are being depressed?
| A．They drink less sugary water. |
| B．They don’t sleep well. |
| C．Their eyesight becomes worse. |
| D．Their energy level becomes low. |
__________ tends to cause hamsters to be depressed.
| A．Dim light | B．Red light |
| C．Blue light | D．Darkness |
What can help people who work late at night to avoid being depressed?
| A．Not being exposed to dim red light when using computers. |
| B．Equipping their computer screens to put it more in the reddish light. |
| C．Living or working in low levels of light overnight. |
| D．Going to see doctors of clinical depression regularly for help. |
London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to stay in, but there are many budget hotels that offer accommodation(膳宿) at a reasonable cost. Please take careful note of the facilities (设施) described for each budget hotel; the very cheapest accommodation may offer good budget deals but a minimum(最少量) of facilities. The higher the price per room, the greater the number and quality of facilities you can expect.
Arriva Hotel
This 2-star Arriva Hotel lies at the heart of the city centre--just a short walk from King’s Cross Tube station London’s famous attractions are all easily accessible by foot or public transport. A short stroll(闲逛) will bring you to the British Museum and the fashionable area of Bloomsbury.
With 75 en-suite rooms(浴室套间) available, the Arriva Hotel is a large budget hotel that offers accommodation for tourists at a very reasonable price. Also, Wi-Fi Internet(无线网络) connection is available in most rooms and a Continental(欧式) breakfast is included in the rates.
From: $ 50.00
Accommodation Rating: ★★
Beaconsfield Hotel
The Beaconsfield Hotel is situated on Green Lanes, North London, famous for its Turkish community. The Beaconsfield Hotel is housed in an attractive Victorian building, which is also home to a traditional pub(客栈, 酒馆)--if you want to experience real British culture, an afternoon in the pub is the place to do it! Manor House Station is just a short walk to Beaconsfield Hotel, so you will find traveling around the city quick and easy. The Beaconsfield Hotel offers ten comfortable rooms, each with a television, fridge and kettle.
There is a shared kitchen where you can prepare your meals. Bathroom facilities at Beaconsfield Hotel are also shared, but there are enough facilities for all guests to use.
From: $ 30.00
Accommodation Rating: unratedWhat might be the purpose of writing the text?
| A．To show the problems of London hotels. |
| B．To give warnings to some illegal hotels. |
| C．To blame the travel industry of London. |
| D．To tell us two budget hotels. |
Budget hotels attract guests mainly because of their __________.
| A．good service |
| B．low prices |
| C．convenient locations |
| D．accommodation conditions |
Compared to the Arriva Hotel, the Beaconsfield Hotel ___________.
| A．is smaller |
| B．is rated higher |
| C．is more expensive |
| D．is nearer to the city center |
The Chinese art of paper cutting has a long history. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has recognized the art, called Jianzhi, on its Intangible Cultural Heritage List(无形文化遗产). But Jianzhi is at risk of disappearing. Voyo Woo, a Chinese immigrant(移民) to the US, hopes to bring the art back to life.
Voyo Woo loves paper cutting. And she works hard to celebrate the ancient art form. On a recent Saturday, Ms. Woo held a paper cutting show at a shopping center near Washington. She demonstrated the art for hours to crowds at the center.
Voyo Woo began to study the art of Jianzhi as a 14-year-old in her hometown in southeastern China. She says all the students at school had to learn the art. But she says she discovered a special love for it. So, her teacher gave her extra training after class. Later, she won second prize in a national painting and calligraphy competition. Ms. Woo came to the U.S. after she finished college in 2008. Soon after, she became involved in an event to support and expand understanding of Chinese paper cutting. She has been invited to demonstrate the art at a wide collection of events. She also has shown her skill at famous museums like the Smithsonian Institution’s Freer and Sackler art galleries in Washington. Ms. Woo says paper cutting represents Chinese cultural values, history and stories of people’s lives. She uses the art as a tool to present Chinese culture to people who know little about it.
Ms. Woo placed examples of her art around her as she demonstrated paper cutting at the shopping center. Some shoppers, like Ann Russ, took part in a workshop. Ms. Russ was struck by the finely detailed nature of the work. She said it put her at ease. Voyo Woo says Chinese art is for all people. “It is amazing how Chinese art can resonate, can echo with people from other cultural backgrounds.”What can we learn from Paragraph 1?
| A．Paper cutting is popular now in the US. |
| B．Jianzhi isn’t regarded as cultural heritage in the world. |
| C．Ms Woo hopes to make the art of Jianzhi come back to life. |
| D．Paper cutting has a long history in the US. |
Ms Woo held a paper cutting show at a shopping center to _________.
| A．earn more money |
| B．do her job for the United Nations |
| C．celebrate an art festival |
| D．make paper cutting well-known |
What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
| A．Ms Woo’s success as a paper cutting artist. |
| B．Ms Woo’s experience as a Jianzhi artist. |
| C．The story of Ms Woo and her teacher. |
| D．The school life of Ms Woo in China. |
The events mentioned in Paragraph 3 are developed __________.
| A．in order of time | B．in order of space |
| C．by giving examples | D．by comparison(比较) |
One spring, when I was 10, during one of my father’s layoffs(失业), I could tell my mother was unhappy. I decided to cheer her up by buying her a special Mother’s Day gift.
One day after school I rode my bike to the Agins, which, I learned years later, was known for its high-end fashions(时尚) and style. I introduced myself to Sylvia Agins, telling her I was looking for a Mother’s Day present.
“Do you think she’d like a purse?” she asked. I told her. I thought she might.
She took out an Italian handbag made of leather.She asked me what I thought, and I told her that my mom would like it.
“How much money do you have?” she asked.
“Twelve dollars,” I said.
“You’re in luck,” she told me. “It’s only $11. You have a dollar left over for the card.” She gift-wrapped the purse and thanked me for my business, and I rode off home with the package under my arm.
When my mother opened the gift the next Sunday morning, she asked in an accusing tone, “Where did you get this?”
“I bought it at the Agins. It cost me $11.” I said.
My mother was shocked into silence.
It wasn’t until many years later, when I learned that the purse was worth several hundred dollars, that I appreciated just how wonderful Sylvia Agins had been to me. I always felt bad that I never had a chance to properly thank her.
“You know, my son, what really amazes me to this day,” my mother said, “Letting you have the purse for just a few dollars was unbelievable enough. But the fact that she let you leave the store with a dollar for the card was a touch of kindness that I’ll never forget.”The author bought his mother a purse to ________.
| A．surprise his mother |
| B．make his mother happy |
| C．show his ability of making money |
| D．thank his mother for buying him a bike |
Why was the author’s mother shocked into silence?
| A．She wasn’t expecting a gift from her son. |
| B．The purse was bought from the Agins. |
| C．The author bought a card to go with the purse. |
| D．The Agins charged so little money for the purse. |
Sylvia Agins’s behavior shows that________.
| A．she is good at making money |
| B．she is kind and thoughtful |
| C．she knows how to choose presents |
| D．she is critical and mean |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．An Unforgettable Event. |
| B．A Considerate Mother. |
| C．A Priceless Mother’s Day Gift. |
| D．A Kind-hearted Shop Owner. |