Have you ever noticed what happens to an idea once you express it? Just talking about it or writing it down causes you to make it clear in your own mind. How can you use this to increase your brain power? Start writing.
By putting thoughts into words, you are telling yourself the logic (逻辑) behind what you think, feel, or only partly understand. Often, explaining a thought is the process of understanding. In other words, you increase your brain power by exercising your “explain power.”
Try this experiment. Explain how you’ll increase your brain power, even if you have no idea how right now. Just start with anything, and create an explanation. For example, start with “I’ll learn chess,” or “I’ll read an article on the mind every week.” Explain how that will help. You’ll be surprised how often this becomes a workable plan, and if you actually do this, you’ll have a better understanding of your brain twenty minutes from now.
Another benefit of writing is that it helps you remember. Many, if not most, highly productive people are always taking notes. You can try keeping it all in your head, but if you keep a journal of your ideas the next time you’re working on a big project, you’ll probably have more success.
Want to understand a topic? Write a book about it. That’s an extreme example, but if you are learning some
thing new, write a letter to a friend about it, and you will understand it better. Want to invent something? Write an explanation of the problem, why you want to solve it, and why it is worth solving, and you’re half-way there.
Write
rs don’t always write because they clearly understand something beforehand. Often, they write about something because they want to understand it. You can do the same. Writing will help bring you to an understanding. Give it a try. What would be the best title for the text?
| A．A Way on How to Write |
| B．Increase Your Brain Power through Writing |
| C．Brain Power Helps Improve Your Writing |
| D．How to Start Your Writing |
According to the text, writing can help you a lot in the following ways EXCEPT ______.
| A．the increase of your brain power | B．the ability to remember |
| C．the development of your interest in study | D．the better understanding of a topic |
The underlined sentence “you’re half-way there
” in the fifth paragraph implies that ______.
| A．you are already successful | B．you still need to work hard |
| C．writing can help you walk half way | D．writing is important to solve problems |
What’s the main purpose of the writer writing the text?
| A．To advise readers to start their writing. |
| B．To explain the importance of writing. |
| C．To persuade readers to become writers. |
| D．To increase readers’ brain power. |
When Frida Kahlo’s paintings were on show in London, a poet described her paintings as “ a ribbon （丝带）around a bomb”. Such comments seem to suggest Kahlo had a big influence on the art world of her time. Sadly, she is actually a much bigger name today than she was during her time.
Born in 1907 in a village near Mexico City , Kahlo suffered from polio（小儿麻痹症）at the age of seven. Her spine （脊柱）become bent as she grew older. Then, in 1925, her back was broken in several places in a school-bus accident. Throughout the rest of her life, the artist had many operations, but noting was able to cure the terrible pain in her back. However, the accident had an unexpected side effect. While lying in her bed recovering, Kahlo taught herself to paint.
In 1929, she got married to Diego Rivera, another famous Mexican artist. Rivera’s strong influences on Kahlo’s style can be seen in her early works, but her later works from the 1940s, known today as her best works, show less influence from her husband.
Unfortunately, her works did not attract much attention in the 1930s and1940s, even in her home country. Her first one-woman show in Mexico was not held until 1953.For more than a decade after her death in 1954, Kahlo’s works remained largely unnoticed by the world, but in the 1970s her works began to gain international fame at last.What does the phrase “a much bigger name” in paragraph 1 most nearly mean?
| A．a far better artist |
| B．a for more gifted artist |
| C．a much stronger person |
| D．a much more famous person |
The terrible pain Kahlo suffered was caused by ________.
| A．polio |
| B．her bent spine |
| C．back injuries |
| D．the operations she had |
Kahlo’s style had become increasingly independent since the________.
| A．1930s |
| B．1940s |
| C．1950s |
| D．1970s |
What is author’s attitude toward Kahlo?
| A．Devotion |
| B．Sympathy |
| C．Worry |
| D．Encouragement |
The Basics of Math—Made Clear
Basic Math introduces students to the basic concepts of mathematics, as well as the fundamentals of more tricky areas. These 30 fantastic lectures are designed to provide students with an understanding of arithmetic and to prepare them for Algebra(代数) and beyond.
The lessons in Basic Math cover every basic aspect of arithmetic. They also look into exponents(指数), the order of operations, and square roots. In addition to learning how to perform various mathematical operations, students discover why these operations work, how a particular mathematical topic relates to other branches of mathematics, and how these operations can be used practically.
Basic Math starts from the relatively easier concepts and gradually moves on to the more troublesome ones, so as to allow for steady and sure understanding of the material by students. The lectures offer students the chance to “make sense” of mathematical knowledge that may have seemed so frightening. They also help students prepare for college mathematics and overcome their anxiety about this amazing—and completely understandable—field of study.
By the conclusion of the course, students will have improved their understanding of basic math. They will be able to clear away the mystery(神秘性) of mathematics and face their studies with more confidence than they ever imagined. In addition, they will strengthen their ability to accept new and exciting mathematical challenges.
Professor H. Siegel, honored by Kentucky Educational Television as “the best math teacher in America,” is a devoted teacher and has a gift for explaining mathematical concepts in ways that make them seem clear and obvious. From the basic concrete ideas to the more abstract problems, he is master in making math lectures learner-friendlier and less scary.
With a PhD in Mathematics Education from Georgia State University, Dr. Siegel teaches mathematics at Central Arizona College. His courses include various make-up classes and a number of lectures for future primary school teachers.
If the course fails to provide complete satisfaction to you, you can easily exchange it for any other course that we offer. Or you can get your money back. What does the course Basic Math mainly cover?
| A．Algebra. |
| B．College Mathematics. |
| C．Arithmetic. |
| D．Mathematics Education. |
What benefits can students expect from Basic Math?
| A．Stronger imaginative ability. |
| B．Additional presentation skills. |
| C．More mathematical confidence. |
| D．Greater chances of becoming teachers. |
What can we learn about Professor H. Siegel?
| A．He is a guest lecturer at Kentucky Educational Television. |
| B．He is to deliver 30 lectures in Basic Math. |
| C．He works in Georgia State University. |
| D．He specializes in training teachers. |
Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?
| A．A news report. |
| B．A book review |
| C．A lesson plan. |
| D．An advertisement |
When did you last visit a shopping mall? In many places, the answer would be “last weekend”.Some people go even more often. Why? For one thing, malls offer goods and services that people need all in one place: food, clothing, things for their houses, entertainment, even medical services. So, are malls one of the highlights of modem civilization? Environmental activists would say No! They would go even further and say that consumer behavior is causing a huge enwronmental disaster. They cause consumers of ignorance of the side effect of their shopping-urban sprawl (扩大) .
Social scientists agree that patterns of development have changed the landscape a great deal in the last half century. Prior to 1950, most people lived in towns or cities and either walked to work or took public transportation. Only very wealthy people had automobiles. Farmers lived in rural areas or isolated villages and came into town only when they needed things they couldn’ t produce themselves. If you gazed at the landscape you would see towns surrounded by countryside. Then a massive change occurred.
Automobiles became affordable and people were quick to adopt them. Now ambitious workers could live in the suburbs, the areas just outside cities, which started to grow rapidly. As long as there was lots of cheap land in the suburbs, no one paid much attention to le usage of that land. Malls, fast food restaurants, cinemas, and car dealerships spread out in large, flat buildings. These one-storey buildings and their parking lot took up a great deal space. Well-meaning farmers thought they were better off selling their land than growing crops. In ignorance, no one realized that once the land was built up in urban sprawl, the good farming land would be ruined forever. There was no way to preserve it.
Only in recent years have people come to mourn the old way of life as they have developed insight into the problems of unconditional grows. Now people realize that urban sprawl has come with serious environmental problems. The negative aspects of sprawl include air and water pollution, loss of agricultural land, traffic jams, and the death of businesses in the old town centers. Many scholars think the time has come to analyze the problems better so we can develop appropriate policies to control further sprawl. Some think the best way to do is to educate citizens about their priceless environment. What is mainly discussed in the passage?
| A．Weekend Fun. |
| B．Urban Sprawl. |
| C．New Automobiles. |
| D．Isolated Villages. |
What does the underlined word "They" refer to in the first paragraph?
| A．Malls. |
| B．Activists. |
| C．Farmers. |
| D．Scientists. |
Who do activists blame for environmental problems?
| A．Endangered animals. |
| B．Shopping mall owners. |
| C．Unthinking shoppers. |
| D．Ambitious farmers. |
What do scholars think should be done about urban sprawl?
| A．Understand the situations better. |
| B．Follow customary policies. |
| C．Start school in shopping mails. |
| D．Charge polluters a lot of money. |
What is the scholars' attitude toward urban sprawl?
| A．Respectful. |
| B．Disapproving. |
| C．Pessimistic. |
| D．Doubtful. |
The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honoured by their children. On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated to dinner or otherwise made to feel special.
However，the idea for creating a day for children to honour their fathers began in Spokane，Washington．A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909．Having been raised by her father，Henry Jackson Smart，after her mother died，Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her．
It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was，in the eyes of his daughter，a selfless and loving man．Sonora’s father was born in June，so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spokane，Washington on the 19th of June，1910．
In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge declared the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day．Roses are the Father’s Day flowers：red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died． When children can’t visit their fathers or take them out to dinner，they send a greeting card．Traditionally，fathers prefer greeting cards that are not too sentimental．Most greeting cards are too special so fathers laugh when they open them．Some give heartfelt thanks for being there whenever the child needs Dad． The United States is special in Father’s Day because _______.
| A．many people celebrate the day |
| B．only America celebrates the day |
| C．America makes it an official day |
| D．all men are honoured in America |
At first，Father’s Day was fixed on June 19th because _______.
| A．Sonora honoured her father on her father’s birthday |
| B．Sonora’s birthday was June 19th |
| C．it was decided by the President at that time |
| D．her mother died on June 19th |
How many years has passed before Father’s Day became an official day since the Father’s Day was celebrated?
| A．4． |
| B．10． |
| C．14． |
| D．24． |
According to the passage，on Father’s Day，_______.
| A．people will wear the same flowers to honour their fathers |
| B．only daughters wear red flowers to honour their fathers |
| C．children must go home to honour their fathers |
| D．fathers are often honoured in different ways |
According to the passage，we can infer that Henry Jackson Smart _______．
| A．was very kind to anyone |
| B．did a lot for his daughter |
| C．was the first father honoured in 1924 |
| D．always helped others by giving money |
Occasionally, my father came back drunk. Late at night, he beat on the door, pleading to my mother to open it .He was on his way home from drinking, gambling, or some combination thereof, misspending money that we could have used and wasting time that we desperately needed.
It was the late-1970s. My parents were separated. My mother was now raising a group of boys on her own. My father spouted off about what he planned to do for us, buy for us.In fact, he had no intention of doing anything. As a father who was supposed to love us, in fact, he lacked the understanding of what it truly meant to love a child—or to hurt one. To him, this was a harmless game that kept us excited and begging. In fact, it was a cruel, corrosive lie. I lost faith in his words and in him. I wanted to stop caring, but I couldn’t.
Maybe it was his own complicated relationship to his father and his father’s family that caused him cold. Maybe it was the pain and guilt associated with a life of misfortune. Who knows. Whatever it was, it stole him from us, and particularly from me.
While my brothers talked about breaking and fixing things, I spent many of my evenings reading and wondering. My favorite books were a set of encyclopedias(百科全书) given by my uncle. They allowed me to explore the world beyond my world, to travel without leaving, to dream dreams greater than my life would otherwise have supported. But losing myself in my own mind also meant that I was completely lost to my father. Not understanding me, he simply ignored me—not just emotionally, but physically as well. Never once did he hug me, never once a pat on the back or a hand on the shoulder or a tousling of the hair.
My best memories of him were from his episodic attempts at engagement with us. During the longest of these episodes（插曲）, once every month or two, he would come pick us up and drive us down the interstate to Trucker’s Paradise, a seedy, smoke-filled, truck stop with gas pumps, a convenience store, a small dining area and a game room through a door in the back. My dad gave each of us a handful of quarters, and we played until they were gone. He sat up front in the dining area, drinking coffee and being particular about the restaurant’s measly offerings.
I loved these days. To me, Trucker’s Paradise was paradise. The quarters and the games were fun but easily forgotten. It was the presence of my father that was most treasured. But, of course, these trips were short-lived.
It wasn’t until I was much older that I would find something that I would be able to cling to as evidence of my father’s love.
When the Commodore 64 personal computer debuted, I convinced myself that I had to have it even though its price was out of my mother’s range. So I decided to earn the money myself. I mowed every yard I could find that summer for a few dollars each, yet it still wasn’t enough. So my dad agreed to help me raise the rest of the money by driving me to one of the watermelon farms south of town, loading up his truck with wholesale melons and driving me around to sell them. He came for me before daybreak. We made small talk, but it didn’t matter. The fact that he was talking to me was all that mattered. I was a teenager by then, but this was the first time that I had ever spent time alone with him. He laughed and repeatedly introduced me as “my boy,” a phrase he relayed with a sense of pride. It was one of the best days of my life.
Although he had never told me that he loved me, I would cling to that day as the greatest evidence of that fact. He had never intended me any wrong. He just didn’t know how to love me right. He wasn’t a mean man. So I took these random episodes and clung to them like a thing most precious, storing them in my mind for the long stretches of coldness when a warm memory would prove most useful.
It just goes to show that no matter how friendless the father, no matter how deep the damage, no matter how shattered the bond, there is still time, still space, still a need for even the smallest bit of evidence of a father’s love.
“My boy.”From the passage, the father was_____ in the writer’s memory.
| A．selfish and cruel | B．proud and cold |
| C．imperfect but loving | D．shy but thoughtful |
The writer used not to feel Father’s true love because______ .
| A．father showed his love but had no good way to express himself to his children |
| B．he just lost himself in his own mind without getting close to his father |
| C．father was too busy so unable to communicate with his children enough |
| D． he had a prejudice（偏见） and was too stubborn to feel it |
The underlined phrase “cling to” can be replaced by __________.
| A．catch hold of | B．depend on |
| C．stick to | D．keep |
From the last parts (para7-11), we can infer that ______ .
| A．father liked to show off his family before others |
| B．I couldn't understand Father’s love unless he expressed to me |
| C．father intended to show a loving father he was but failed. |
| D．I would definitely treasure all the small love from father |
What’s the right order of the episodes?
1. His dad agreed to help him.
2. The Commodore 64 personal computer was just on sale.
3. The writer decided to buy it and earn the money himself.
4 His dad drove the writer to one of the watermelon farms south of town, loaded up his truck with wholesale melons and drove the writer around to sell them.
5. The writer didn’t have enough money.
| A．23541 | B．23514 | C．32541 | D．32514 |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Remembrances of my father | B．Father and son |
| C．My boy | D．The past days |