Baby girls make their way directly for dolls as soon as they can crawl, while boys will head for the toy cars, a study has shown. The findings, the first to show differences in very young babies, suggest there is a biological basis to their preferences.
Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd from City University London carried out an experiment involving 90 infants aged nine months to 36 months. The babies were allowed to choose from seven toys. Some were stereotypically boys' toys - a car, a digger, a ball and a blue teddy. The rest were girls’ toys: a pink teddy, a doll and a cooking set. They were placed a meter away from the toys, and could pick whichever toy they liked. Their choice and the amount of time they spent playing with each toy were recorded.
Of the youngest children (nine to 14 months), girls spent significantly longer playing with the doll than boys, and boys spent much more time with the car and ball than the girls did. Among the two-and three-year-olds, girls spent 50 percent of the time playing with the doll while only two boys briefly touched it. The boys spent almost 90 percent of their time playing with cars, which the girls barely touched. There was no link between the parents’ view on which toys were more appropriate for boys or girls, and the children’s choice.
Dr Brenda Todd said: “Children of this age are already exposed to much socialization. Boys may be given ‘toys that go’ while girls get toys they can care for, which may help shape their preference. But these findings agree with the former idea that children show natural interests in particular kinds of toys. There could be a biological basis for their choices. Males through evolution have been adapted to prefer moving objects, probably through hunting instincts(本能), while girls prefer warmer colors such as pink, the color of a newborn baby.”Baby boys and girls have different toy preferences probably because .
| A.baby boys are much more active |
| B.baby girls like bright colors more |
| C.their parents treat them differently |
| D.there is a natural difference between them |
What can we infer from Paragraph 3 ?
| A.Nine-month-old baby boys don’t play with dolls at all. |
| B.Two-year-old baby girls sometimes play with cars and balls. |
| C.The older the babies are, the more obvious their preference is. |
| D.Parents should teach their babies to share each other’s toys. |
What conclusion did Dr. Brenda Todd draw from the results of the study?
| A.Adults purposely influence their babies preference. |
| B.Babies’ preference isn’t affected by social surroundings. |
| C.Baby boys preferring to moving toys will be good at hunting. |
| D.Baby girls preferring warmer colors will be warm-hearted. |
We may read this article in a section of a newspaper.
| A.science | B.health | C.education | D.entertainment |
Science can’t explain the power of pets, but many studies have shown that the company of pets can help lower blood pressure and raise chances of recovering from a heart attack, reduce loneliness and spread all-round good cheer.
Any owner will tell you how much joy a pet brings. For some, an animal provides more comfort than a husband/wife. A 2002 study by Karen Allen of the State University of New York measured stress (紧张) levels and blood pressure in people ---half of them pet owners ---while they performed 5 minutes of mental arithmetic (算术) or held a hand in ice water. Subjects completed the tasks alone, with a husband/wife, a close friend or with a pet. People with pets did it best. Those tested with their animal friends had smaller change in blood pressure and returned most quickly to baseline heart rates. With pets in the room, people also made fewer math mistakes than when doing in front of other companions. It seems people feel more relaxed (放松)around pets, says Allen, who thinks it may be because pets don’t judge.
A study reported last fall suggests that having a pet dog not only raises your spirits but may also have an effect on your eating habits. Researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital spent a year studying 36 fat people and their equally fat dogs on diet-and-exercise programs; a separate group of 56 people without pets were put on a diet program. On average, people lost about I1 pounds, or 5% of their body weight. Their dogs did even better, losing an average of 12 pounds, more than 15% of their body weight. Dog owners didn’t lose any more weight than those without dogs but, say researchers, got more exercise overall---mostly with their dogs --- and found it worth doing.What does the text mainly discuss?
| A.What pets bring to their owners. |
| B.How pets help people calm down. |
| C.People’s opinions of keeping pets. |
| D.Pet’s value in medical research. |
We learn from the text that a person with heart disease has a better chance of getting well if _____.
| A.he has a pet companion |
| B.he has less stress of work |
| C.he often does mental arithmetic |
| D.he is taken care of by his family |
According to Allen, why did the people do better with pets around when facing stressful tasks?
| A.They have lower blood pressure. |
| B.They become more patient. |
| C.They are less nervous. |
| D.They are in higher spirits. |
Most recently, it’s very common in students who need a parent present for job interviews.Naturally, it’s easy to blame the students in these situations, but the bigger problem is us. We—as parents—are so eager to shelter our kids that we fail to realize that this in itself is harming them.As the mother of two young sons, I have to remind myself constantly that the biggest responsibility I have as a parent is to help them develop the skills needed to live in, to live without me.So, I’ll let them fail.
I’ll let them fail because as long as they are safe and warm inside their comfort zones, they will never grow.And failure with loss, heartbreak, disappointment, etc —will be part of growth for them.Call me the anti-tiger mom, but leaving them alone is my way of helping them become equipped to fit in this world as we know it today.From terrorism and seemingly endless natural disasters, to our national debt and beyond, if we expect the next generation to stand up to the very real problems of our time, we need to stop feeding them and start teaching them how to fish.
It’s a small price to help them learn a skill they’ll use for the rest of their lives, including when I don’t accompany them on job interviews.Why do parents accompany their kids on job interviews?
| A.Because they want to protect their kids from difficulties. |
| B.Because they think they can help them on the questions. |
| C.Because their kids are too shy to attend interviews. |
| D.Because their kids strongly request them to do so. |
According to the author, what is beneficial to kids’ development?
| A.Sheltering them. |
| B.Keeping them safe. |
| C.Leaving them alone. |
| D.Blaming them. |
Why does the author stress(强调) failure in kids’ life?
| A.To make them stronger than other kids. |
| B.To help them grow in this tough world. |
| C.To help them develop all social skills. |
| D.To make them learn to compromise. |
Which of the following might be the best title for the text?
| A.Never Shelter Your Kids |
| B.Let Your Kids Fail |
| C.Be Eager to Grow Up |
| D.Live Without Parents |
Maple Lane Bakery
At 8260 S. State Rd. Claypool, IN. (574) 566-2917, it offers a variety of cooked pies, cookies, and bread. With 20 years’ experience Maple Lane Bakery has specialized in the making of pies. The menu includes peach pie $7.19, berry pie $ 7.70, apple pie $7.19 and banana pie $6.99. Feel free to place an order at least 24 hours in advance.
Berry’s Cakes &Candy Shop
At 816 E. Winona Avenue Warsaw, IN. (574)269-1231, it specializes in cakes and offers cookies and candies. The chocolate cookies are sold at $8.99 a dozen. Betty’s Cakes &Candy Shop, started half a century ago, specializes in wedding cakes and birthday cakes. Buying a cake from Betty’s will not disappoint you as they are always excellent.
Crepes’ Quality Bakery
At 217 S. Cavin Street Ligonier, IN. (260)894-3024, this bakery with a history of over a century is located downtown Ligonier. It offers cookies and cupcakes, and specializes in rolls and bread. If you plan to buy cookies for the office or work area, you had better get there early as the building workers arrive just before 5:00am waiting for the doors to open.
Olympia Candy Kitchen
At 136 N. Main Street Goshen, IN. (574)533-5040, it has been welcoming visitors for almost a century in its unchanged location in downtown Goshen, Indiana. Its tradition began in 1912 when Greek Nicholas began making his own chocolates. Today this family-owned operation offers all kinds of candies and boxed candies.
If you need an order, you should call ahead of time to see if they can meet your request. Which of the following pies is the most expensive?
| A.Peach pie. | B.Banana pie. | C.Apple pie. | D.Berry pie. |
If you want to order a birthday cake, you are advised to call______.
| A.(574)533-5040 | B.(574)269-1231 | C.(260)894-3024 | D.(574)566-2917 |
Which of the following bakeries has the shortest history?
| A.Crepes’ Quality Bakery |
| B.Betty’s Cake & Candy Shop |
| C.Olympia Candy Kitchen |
| D.Maple Lane Bakery |
The author wrote this passage mainly to ______.
| A.tell readers some travel information |
| B.persuade more people to eat pies |
| C.make the bakeries better known to readers |
| D.warn customers to order bakeries in advance |
Suppose you want to buy some new clothes or a new TV. Or maybe you need some work done on your car. How can you find the best price without shopping all over town? Ads can help you. Ads can show you lots of prices. And you don’t have to go anywhere to see them. Just open a newspaper or magazine, and you’ll find plenty of ads.
The following is an ad about TV sets for sale. Please read it and answer the questions below. 
How many different kinds of TV sets does the store advertise( 打广告) here ?
| A.Four. | B.Three. | C.Two. | D.Five. |
Which of the following statements is true according to the advertisement?
| A.You can buy any kind on July 14th. |
| B.The service time is9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day except Monday. |
| C.The larger the screen is, the higher the price will be. |
| D.The lowest price is a little more than 300. |
Which is NOT mentioned in the advertisement?
| A.The deadline(最后期限) of all the TV set sales. |
| B.The post code of the area where the store is. |
| C.The address of the store. |
| D.The name of the store. |
What can ads do for us according to the passage?
| A.They can help us cut down the prices before shopping. |
| B.They can show us plenty of prices after shopping all over town. |
| C.They can help us learn about the quality of the advertised things. |
| D.They can help us find the best price without shopping everywhere. |
The Cost of Higher Education
Individuals (个人) should pay for their higher education.
A university education is of huge and direct benefit to the individual. Graduates earn more than non-graduates. Meanwhile, social mobility is ever more dependent on having a degree. However, only some people have it. So the individual, not the taxpayers, should pay for it. There are pressing calls on the resources (资源) of the government. Using taxpayers' money to help a small number of people to earn high incomes in the future is not one of them.
Full government funding (资助) is not very good for universities. Adam Smith worked in a Scottish university whose teachers lived off student fees. He knew and looked down upon 18th-century Oxford, where the academics lived comfortably off the income received from the government. Guaranteed salaries, Smith argued, were the enemy of hard work; and when the academics were lazy and incompetent, the students were similarly lazy.
If students have to pay for their education, they not only work harder, but also demand more from their teachers. And their teachers have to keep them satisfied. If that means taking teaching seriously, and giving less time to their own research interests, that is surely something to celebrate.
Many people believe that higher education should be free because it is good for the economy (经济). Many graduates clearly do contribute to national wealth, but so do all the businesses that invest (投资) and create jobs. If you believe that the government should pay for higher education because graduates are economically productive, you should also believe that the government should pay part of business costs. Anyone promising to create jobs should receive a gift of capital from the government to invest. Therefore, it is the individual, not the government, who should pay for their university education. The underlined word "them" in Paragraph 2 refers to ______.
| A.taxpayers | B.pressing calls | C.college graduates | D.government resources |
The author thinks that with full government funding ______.
| A.teachers are less satisfied | B.students are more demanding |
| C.students will become more competent | D.teachers will spend less time on teaching |
The author mentions businesses in Paragraph 5 in order to ______.
| A.argue against free university education | B.call on them to finance students' studies |
| C.encourage graduates to go into business | D.show their contribution to higher education |