PeoplePeopleisAmerica’sNo.1mag-优题课

Newborns begin to develop language skills long before they begin speaking. And, compared to adults, they develop these skills more quickly. People have a hard time learning new languages as they grow older, but babies have the ability to learn any language easily.
For a long time, scientists have tried to explain how such young children can learn the complicated grammatical rules and sounds of a language. Now, researchers are getting a better idea of what’s happening in the brains of the tiniest language learners. This new information might help kids with learning problems as well as adults who want to learn new languages. It might even help scientists who are trying to design computers that can communicate like people do.
Most babies go “ma ma” by 6 months of age, and most children speak in full sentences by age 3. For many years, scientists have wondered how the brains of young children figure out how to communicate using language. With help from new technologies, scientists are now finding that babies begin life with the ability to learn any language. They get into contact with other people, listen to what they say and watch their movements very closely. That is why they quickly master the languages they hear most often.
Studies show that, up to about 6 months of age, babies can recognize all the sounds that make up all the languages in the world. Starting at around 6 months old a baby’s brain focuses on the most common sounds it hears. Then, children begin responding only to the sounds of the language they hear the most.
In a similar way older babies start recognizing the patterns that make up the rules of their native language. For example, English children who are about 18 months old start to figure out that words ending in “-ing” or “-ed” are usually verbs, and that verbs are action words.
The new research in the second paragraph can be helpful in _____.

A．finding successful language learners

B．teaching kids with learning problems

C．designing human-shaped computers

D．improving babies’ language ability

The researchers found out that babies learn a language mainly by _____.

A．repeating the words of other people

B．remembering the full sentences they hear

C．hearing and closely watching others speak

D．figuring out the meaning of different sounds

The purpose of the text is to _____.

A．discuss	B．educate
C．inform	D．Entertain

(Q =" Question;" A = Answer)
Situation I
Q: If someone sits right next to me in an empty movie theater, is it rude to move?
A: Maybe, but nobody will fault you for it. Chances are that the close sitter doesn’t realize he disturbs you, so he may miss your annoyance. You undoubtedly aren’t the first person he’s met who needs enough room. Forgive his bad judgment, move quietly and enjoy the show.
Situation II
Q: If I use the bathroom at a store, do I need to buy something?
A: Consider frequency and urgency. Is this a one-time thing or an emergency? If so, you don’t have to buy anything, but it would be kind if you did. However, if you regularly use the bathroom at this place, then you are a customer, and you should act like one.
Situation III
Q: If someone is talking loudly on the bus, is there a nice way to ask him to keep it down?
A: No. Try other means: 1) Stare at him until he gets aware of it and quiets down. 2) Lift your finger in a silence motion(动作) and smile. 3) Put on earphones and ignore him.
Situation IV
Q: If I remember my friend’s birthday a day late, should I apologize or just wish her a happy birthday like nothing happened?
A: This is the reason why the word belated was invented. “Happy belated birthday!” is short for: “Well, I know I forgot, but then I remembered. Forgive me and happy birthday.”
Situation V
Q: Can I lie about seeing a text because I was loo busy or lazy to respond to it?
A: Don’t lie. Receiving a text does not mean you need to respond(回复) to it. Why waste a perfectly good lie when the truth will serve? “Yes,” you can say if ever asked, “I saw it.” No explanation is needed as to why you don’t respond.
How will you quiet someone down in a public place?

A．By talking to him directly.

B．By pointing angrily at him.

C．By looking purposefully at him.

D．By making fun of him continuously.

The underlined word “belated” in Situation IV probably means ________.

A．delayed

B．returned

C．predicted

D．regretted

You will get annoyed in a theater when ________.

A．a person is too rude to you

B．a person sits too close to you

C．a person is too active

D．a person talks too loudly

What is the passage mainly about?

A．Different ways to change others’ manners.

B．Good manners to talk to people.

C．Proper manners to offer help to others.

D．Modern ways to mind your manners.

My roommate Lily was well organized, while I was not. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Lily got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Lily came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming. “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Lily answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing. Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Lily had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”
Lily and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
What made Lily so angry one evening?

A．She heard the author shouting loud.

B．She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed.

C．She got the news that her grandma was ill.

D．She couldn’t find her books.

How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?

A．By analyzing causes.

B．By following time order.

C．By showing differences.

D．By describing a process.

The author tidied up the room most probably because _______.

A．she wanted to show her care

B．she hated herself for being so messy

C．she was asked by Lily to do so

D．she was scared by Lily’s anger

What might be the best title for the story?

A．Hard Work Pays Off	B．Learning to Be Roommates
C．My Friend Lily	D．How to Be Organized

Online shopping has become more and more popular these years. Women have jumped ahead of men for the first time in using the Internet to do their holiday shopping, according to a study published last week in the US.
For years men have been more likely to shop on the Internet than women, but during the 2013 holiday season 58 percent of those shopping online were women.
“It shows how mainstream the Internet is becoming,” said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project group, which carried out the study. Rainie said it was only a matter of time before women shoppers caught up with men. This is because women traditionally make decisions about spending.
Users were more likely to shop online to save time. Internet users between the ages 18 and 29 were responsible for some of the surprising increase in the online gift-buying population this time around.
However, three-quarters of the US Internet users did not buy holiday gifts online in 2013. They worried about credit card security(安全), or just compared online prices with off-line prices, then dashed off to the shops to get the best deals.
“But even if shoppers don’t buy online, websites are becoming promotion(促销) tools for stores, ” said Dan Hess, vice president of Com Score Network Inc. Hess said that actually most stores’ websites can make customers fully believe the security of their credit card numbers. And most are able to ensure that gifts arrive on time.
“It’s all about making the shopping experience more efficient, more reliable and more comfortable.” Hess said.
Which of the following statements is true?

A．There were fewer women online shoppers than men in 2013.

B．More women shopped online than men in 2013.

C．Most of the Internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 are women.

D．People in the US were more likely to buy gifts online.

What does the underlined part “dashed off” probably mean ?

A．关闭

B．推迟

C．匆忙

D．起飞

According to Dan Hess, shopping online ______.

A．is unsafe	B．is convenient
C．is a waste of money	D．is cheaper

It was lucky to have a teacher at home. Mom was a teacher most of her life. When she wasn’t in the classroom, she was educating her children or grandchildren: correcting our grammar; starting us on collections of butterflies, flowers or rocks; or inspiring a discussion on her most recent “Book of the Month Club” topic. Mom made learning fun.
It was sad for my three brothers and me to see her ailing in her later years. At eighty-five, she suffered a stroke(中风) and she went steadily downhill after that.
Two days before she died, my brothers and I met at her nursing home and took her for a short ride in a wheelchair. While we waited for the staff to lift her back into bed, Mom fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her, we moved to the far end of the room and spoke softly.
After several minutes our conversation was interrupted by a muffled sound coming from across the room. We stopped talking and looked at Mom. Her eyes were closed, but she was clearly trying to communicate with us. We went to her side.
“Whirr,” she said weakly.
“Where?” I asked. “Mom, is there something you want?” “Whirr,” she repeated a bit stronger. My brothers and I looked at each other and shook our heads sadly.
Mom opened her eyes, sighed, and with all the energy she could muster said, “Not was, say were!”
It suddenly occurred to us that Mom was correcting brother Jim’s last sentence. “If it was up to me…”
Jim leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom,” he whispered. We smiled at each other and once again shook our heads…this time in awe of a remarkable teacher.
When Mom said, “Whirr”, what did she really want to do?

A．She wanted to tell her sons her will.

B．She wanted to have something to eat before she died.

C．She wanted to correct the mistakes Jim made while talking.

D．She wanted to teach her sons more because she was dying.

Which of the following statements is NOT right?

A．Mom was a good teacher and never wanted to stop her teaching.

B．Mom was always making her teaching fun.

C．Mom didn’t forget her teaching until she died.

D．Mom was no longer a teacher when she was at home.

Which of the following is the best title of this passage?

A．Once a teacher, always…	B．Mom’s will
C．A teacher’s life	D．A teacher’s story

A．It has lots of cartoons.	B．It has pictures of stars.
C．It tells you where to find bargains.	D．It has information no one else has.

A．hot events and famous stars	B．festivals and celebrations
C．political events	D．daily life

A．on a magazine club website	B．in an educational magazine
C．in a guide to magazines	D．in a magazine sales report