We all know that everyone becomes a little more forgetful as they get older, but men's minds decline(衰退) more than women's, according to the results of a worldwide survey.
General differences seem to be inherent in male and female brains: Men are better at maintaining and dealing with mental images (useful in mathematical reasoning and spatial skills), while women tend to excel (擅长) at recalling information from their brain's files. Many studies have looked for a connection between sex and the amount of mental decline 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 decline," said study team leader Elizabeth of the University of Warwick in England.
Scientists surveyed completed four t
asks that tested sex-related cognitive skills: matching an object to its rotated 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 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, women showed obviously less decline than men overall.
49．According to the passage, which of the following can NOT be typed into the same category?
A．cloud B．sheep C．trees D．goose
50．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.
51．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
52．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
The $ 11 billion self – help industry is built on the idea that you should turn negative thoughts like “ I never do anything right” into positive ones like “I can succeed.” But was positive thinking advocate Norman Vincent Peale right? Is there power in positive thinking?
Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply highlight how unhappy they are.
The study's authors, Joanne Wood and John Lee of the University of Waterloo and Elaine Perunovic of the University of New Brunswick, begin by citing older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse, not better. If you tell your dim friend that he has the potential of an Einstein, you're just underlining his faults. In one 1990s experiment, a team including psychologist Joel Cooper of Princeton asked participants to write essays opposing funding for the disabled. When the essayists were later praised for their sympathy, they felt even worse about what they had written.
In this experiment, Wood, Lee and Perunovic measured 68 students' self-esteem. The participants were then asked to write down their thoughts and feelings for four minutes. Every 15 seconds, one group of students heard a bell. When it rang, they were supposed to tell themselves, "I am lovable."
Those with low self-esteem didn't feel better after the forced self-affirmation. In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren't urged to think positive thoughts.
The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy (心理治疗) that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than fight them. In the fighting, we not only often fail but can make things worse. Meditation (静思) techniques, in contrast, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a larger, more realistic perspective. Call it the power of negative thinking.What do we learn from the first paragraph about the self-help industry?
| A．It is a highly profitable industry. |
| B．It is based on the concept of positive thinking. |
| C．It was established by Norman Vincent Peale. |
| D．It has yielded positive results. |
What is the finding of the Canadian researchers?
| A．Encouraging positive thinking many do more harm than good. |
| B．There can be no simple therapy for psychological problems. |
| C．Unhappy people cannot think positively. |
| D．The power of positive thinking is limited. |
What does the author mean by "you're just underlining his faults" in the third paragraph?
| A．You are not taking his mistakes seriously enough. |
| B．You are pointing out the errors he has committed. |
| C．You are emphasizing the fact that he is not intelligent. |
| D．You are trying to make him feel better about his faults. |
It can be inferred from the experiment of Wood, Lee and Perunovic that .
| A．it is important for people to continually keep their self - esteem |
| B．self – affirmation can bring a positive change to one’s mood |
| C．forcing a person to think positive thoughts may lower their self - esteem |
| D．people with low self – esteem seldom write down their true feelings |
MOSCOW(Reuters) – Russia hopes the United States will extend the deadline to retire its space shuttles beyond 2011 and has heard unofficially it is possible, the head of Russia"s space agency was quoted as saying on Friday.
The U.S. space agency NASA(美国宇航局) plans six more missions by its fleet of aging space shuttles by late next year or early 2011 after the construction of the $100 billion International Space Station (ISS) is completed. The shuttles will then be retired. But the head of Roscosmos, Russia"s space agency, said he would prefer to see further shuttle missions to the Space Station, now in orbit 360 km (225 miles) above Earth. "From some sources we have learned that it is possible to extend the life of the shuttle beyond 2011," Roscosmos chief Anatoly Perminov was quoted by RIA news agency as saying. Reuters was not invited to the briefing(简报会). "Then the situation would change substantially and it would be possible to work jointly with the Americans, unlike now, when the main burden (for the ISS) lies with the Russian side," Perminov was quoted as saying by Interfax. Perminov said he had not been told this through official channels, Interfax news agency reported. He added that NASA"s new chief and former astronaut Charles Bolden would visit Russia"s Baikonur cosmodrome on September 30 in his first foreign trip.
NASA"s future strategy is currently under review with the main focus on possible flights to Mars. It is also encouraging a private space taxi project to the ISS. NASA"s current plan, conceived under former President George Bush after the Columbia accident, is to complete the space station, retire the shuttles and build new spaceships. A new rocket and capsule to transport astronauts to the ISS is also being dev
eloped but will not be operational until about 2015. Until then, NASA will rely on Roscosmos and must pay $50 million per seat for flights to the ISS by Soyuz capsules.
The U.S., Russian and Chinese governments are the only entities currently capable of human orbital space flight, although several U.S. companies are developing vehicles and support services to do so.What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．NASA agrees to extend the life of the shuttles beyond 2011. |
| B．Reuters was not invited to the briefing. |
| C．The US would work jointly with Russia. |
| D．NASA’s new chief would visit Russia’s Baikonur cosmodrome. |
NASA’s current plan includes all the following EXCEPT .
| A．completing International Space Station |
| B．flights to Mars |
| C．retiring the current space shuttles |
| D．building new spaceships |
If the US doesn’t extend the life of the shuttles beyond 2011, .
| A．International Space Station will be quit |
| B．Roscosmos will have to build more spaceships |
| C．NASA will have to quicken the development of the new rocket and capsule |
| D．Roscosmos will be burdened with the transportation to ISS |
We can infer from the passage that .
| A．China has already been involved in the project of flights to Mars |
| B．it is certain the NASA will retire the current space shuttles as planned |
| C．NASA is considering Russia’s suggestion |
| D．NASA will be able to provide a private space taxi project to the ISS by 2015. |
We are seeking for qualified and experienced candidates to join our fast growing team for the following positions at Ratchathewi (Head Office), Pracha – Uthit (site), Pantai Norasing (site), Thepharak (site), and a few other incoming projects in Bangkok.
●Project Managers
－Degree in Civil / Structural Engineering
－Minimum 7 years’ working experience in similar capacity, preferably in building construction.
－Ability to plan and execute works, keep deadlines, control cost and implement continual quality improvement
－Possess leadership attributes, good interpersonal and follow-up skill to motivate subordinates and develop team spirit
－Possess a valid driving license
●Accounting Officer
—Degree in Accounting
—Minimum 1~2 years accounting experience
—Knowledge of accounting packages & spreadsheets
●Account Executive / Finance Executive
—Degree in Accounting
—Preferably 3 years’ accounting experience VAT, Withholding tax compliance & submission
—Knowledge of accounting packages & spreadsheets
—Expert at English and Thai (泰国语) spoken or written
—Ability to handle full set accounts
●Senior Admin. Asst.
—Minimum 5 years experience in Building Construction company is preferable.
—Computer literate with knowledge in Microsoft Office
—Good command of both written and oral English compulsory.
—Female preferred
●Site Supervisor
—Diploma / Certificate in Building or Civil Engineering
—Minimum 5 years’ working experience in building construction or precast (预制的) concrete manufacturing
—Able to work independently and co – ordinate work effectively
All positions mention above requires candidates with good command of both written and oral English. Interested candidate, please send your application stating full qualification, work experience and expected salary together with a copy of transcript and a recent photograph to the address below:
ASCE Construction Limited.
503/19E K.S.L. Tower (11TH Floor), Sri-Ayudthaya Rd., Thanon Phayathai,
Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400
TEL: - 02642-6272 , 02642-6120
FAX: - 02642-6273
E-MAIL: asce_construction@hotmail.comIf you want to apply for the position
of a project manager, you must have .
| A．the ability to work independently | B．a degree in accounting |
| C．six years of experience at least | D．the qualification to drive |
Most of the positions require the following EXCEPT .
| A．a suitable degree | B．certain working experience |
| C．professional computer knowledge | D．a good command of English |
Which position prefers a woman candidate?
| A．A ccounting Officer. | B．Senior Admin. Asst. |
| C．professional computer knowledge | D．a good command of English |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Candidates can only apply by mail. |
| B．More companies will be founded in Bangkok. |
| C．Candidates must be able to speak both English and Thai. |
| D．You will benefit from your work experience. |
Hikosaburo Yasuda of Nakano, Japan, plans to buy an iPad to keep up with junior members in his computer club．"It's
important to always try new things, otherwise you get left behind," he says．
Yasuda is 95 years old．He and his colleagues, looking for easier ways to search the Web and send e-mail, represent a potential market for Apple （AAPL）'s iPad．The company has sold 3．27 million iPads since its launch in April, 
but doesn't break down sales figures by customer age, making it impossible to know with certainty how many seniors are buying them．However, anecdotal evidence suggests it's a hit with the elderly．
The iPad's intuitive interface （直观界面） makes it appealing to senior citizens around the world, says Takahiro Miura, a researcher at the University of Tokyo: "The iPad is a good tool for the elderly because it's very forgiving of mistakes．" Miura's team uses computers to help train senior citizens to rejoin the workforce．"Unlike the PC, it doesn't require previous knowledge," he says．
James Cordwell, a technology analyst at Atlantic-Equities in London, says the iPad's popularity with the elderly is helping Apple reach beyond its traditional base of younger customer. “The world’s population, especially in developed markets, is getting older, and it’s probably a market where Apple has least entered,” Cordwell says. Elderly users are “a key source of growth for them in the future.”
The elderly in Japan, who make up an estimated 22 percent of the population, may prove particularly receptive to the iPad. They spend more than any other group in the country except for those under 30, according to a report by Japan's Cabinet Office. Motoo Kitamura, 78, a former gas salesman, bought an iPad to help him communicate with his 2-year-old grandson and stave off dementia. "Trying new things like that is a good mental exercise," he says. The underlined part “a hit” in Paragraph 2 may probably mean “”.
| A．a hard strike | B．a heavy burden | C．quite popular | D．very familiar |
Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the iPad over the PC?
| A．It has intuitive interface. | B．It is easier to operate. |
| C．It is more accessible to beginners. | D．It is a good mental exercise. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The people under thirty are the largest consumers in Japan except for the elderly. |
| B．The traditional customers of AAPL’s products are usually the yong. |
| C．The elderly will soon grow into the largest customer group in place of the young. |
| D．The elderly in Japan have great enthusiasm for latest hi – tech products. |
What could be the best title for the passage?
| A．The iPad leads Apple to the elderly |
| B．Ipad hits Japan’s store shelves |
| C．Ipad’s arrival in Tokyo causes Uapanese to reflect |
| D．AAPL attempts to balance the old and the yong |
It s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree．It has been there for the past 10 years or so．It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas—the commercial aspects of Christmas-overspending．Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to avoid the usual presents．The idea came in an unusual way．
Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a match against a team sponsored by a church．These youngsters, dressed in ragged clothes, presenting a sharp contrast to our boys in their beautiful dresses and shoes．As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears．It was a luxury that the poor team obviously could not afford．Well, we ended up defeating them．Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "
I wish just one of them could have won," he said．"They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them．" That's when the idea for his present came．That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought wrestling headgear and shoes for the youngsters and sent them anonymously （匿名地） to the church．On Christmas Eve? I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me．His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in the following years．
For each Christmas, I followed the tradition．The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas．It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed expectation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to show its contents．As the children grew, they joined．
May we all remember the reason for Christmas, and the true Christmas spirit this year and always．God bless梡ass this along to your friends and loved ones．The author avoids usual Christmas presents because her husband _____．
| A．likes cheap Christmas presents |
| B．likes expensive Christmas presents |
| C．dislikes spending much on large Christmas presents |
| D．dislikes spending much on unmeaningful Christmas gifts |
The underlined word "luxury" in Paragraph 2 means "_____"．
| A．something of poor quality | B．something abundant |
| C．something strange | D．something expensive |
From the passage we can infer that in character the husband is _____．
| A．modest and mature | B．kind and practical |
| C．strong-willed and vain | D．optimistic and outgoing |
What is the most exciting thing for the family at Christmas?
| A．Preparing gifts． | B．Exchanging gifts． |
| C．Opening the envelope． | D．Writing Christmas cards． |