Many people think of the brain as a mystery.They don't know much about intelligence and how it works.When they do think about what intelligence is，many people believe that a person is born smart，average，or dumb—and stays that way in the whole life.But new research shows that the brain is more like a muscle—it changes and gets stronger when you use it.And scientists have been able to show just how the brain grows and gets stronger when you learn.
Everyone knows that when you lift weights，your muscles get bigger and you get stronger.A person who can't lift 20 pounds when he/she starts exercising can get strong enough to lift 100 pounds after working out for a long time.That's because the muscles become larger and stronger with exercise.And when you stop exercising，the muscles shrink and you get weaker.That's why people say “Use it or lose it！”
But most people don't know that when they practice and learn new things，parts of their brain change and get larger a lot like muscles do when they exercise. Inside the cortex(皮层)of the brain are billions of tiny nerve cells，called neurons. The nerve cells have branches connecting them to other cells in a complicated network. Communication between these brain cells is what allows us to think and solve problems. When you learn new things，these tiny connections in the brain actually multiply and get stronger.The more you challenge your mind to learn，the more your brain cells grow.Then，things that you once found very hard or even impossible to do—like speaking a foreign language or doing algebra(代数)—seem to become easy after learning them for a period of time.The result is a stronger，smarter brain.
Scientists started thinking that the human brain could develop and change when they studied animals'brains.They found out that animals that lived in a challenging environment were more perspicacious—they were better at solving problems and learning new things.According to the first paragraph，________.
| A．the function of our brain is like that of the muscle |
| B．until now it's impossible to explain the brain's mystery |
| C．many people believe one's intelligence is naturally determined |
| D．one's brain grows stronger as the age increases |
Training muscles is compared to ________.
| A．using the brain |
| B．connecting things in your brain |
| C．lifting weights |
| D．doing research about the brain |
What does the underlined word“perspicacious”in the last paragraph probably mean?
| A．Strong. | B．Smart. |
| C．Popular. | D．Active. |
The following paragraph will most probably talk about ________.
| A．the differences between animals'brains and humans'brains |
| B．the relation between human brains and muscles |
| C．scientists' findings about animals' brains |
| D．how to make your brain smarter through selfdevelopment |
While most people consider that laughter is one of the nature’s great treatments for a whole range of mental and physical diseases, it is still a serious scientific subject that researchers are trying to figure out.
“Laughter is social.” says Robert R. Provine, author of the book “Laughter: A Scientific Investigation”, who has been studying laughter for decades. “Almost all people laugh ‘ha-ha-ha’ basically the same way. Whether you speak Mandarin, French or English, everyone will understand laughter. There is a pattern generator(发生器) in our brain that produces this sound.
Laughing is also a good way of communicating. Babies laugh long before they speak. No one teaches them how to laugh. They just do it. People may laugh at a prank(恶作剧) on April Fools’ day. But surprisingly, only 10 to 15 percent of laughter is the result of someone making a joke. Laughter is mostly about social responses rather than reaction to a joke. Deaf people laugh without hearing and people on cell phones laugh without seeing, which shows that laughter isn’t dependent on a single sense but on social interactions.
And laughter is not just a human thing. Chimps tickle(挠痒) each other and even laugh when another chimp pretends to tickle them.
Jaak Panksepp studies rats that laugh when he tickles them. It turns out rats love to be tickled. They return again and again to the hands of researchers tickling them, Panksepp’s video shows.
By studying rats, scientists can figure out what’s going on in the brain during laughter. It has been found that laughter in rats produces a chemical that acts as an antidepressant(抗抑郁药) and anxiety-reducer. Scientists think the same thing probably happens in humans, too. This would give doctors a new chemical target in the brain in their effort to develop drugs that fight depression and anxiety in people.
Even so, laughter itself has not been proved to be the best medicine, experts said. “No study has shown that laughter produces a direct health benefit,” Provine said, “largely because it’s hard to separate laughter from just feeling good.” Why does the writer say “laughter is mostly about social responses rather than reaction to a joke”?
| A．because people can communicate with each other by laughing. |
| B．because laughter is the same sound in all the human’s languages. |
| C．because laughter is considered a basic language all people can learn. |
| D．because everyone can understand the meaning of the word laughter. |
From the last two paragraphs we know that______.
| A．laughter has no direct connection with good feelings |
| B．laughing every day can cure people of many diseases |
| C．the medical functions of laughter are still under experiment |
| D．scientists have learned what is happening in a human brain when he laughs |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Laughter depends on many senses. |
| B．Laughter is a social response shared by all creatures. |
| C．If you speak different languages, you will laugh differently. |
| D．A new medicine has been developed based on the laughter research. |
Chinese International School
Application Form
Before an applicant can be invited to take part in an assessment, an application form should be returned to the Admissions Office, and the application fee of HK$1,000 cannot be returned. For overseas applicants wishing to pay in currencies other than HK dollars, the fee is US$145. Checks are also good for payment to “Chinese International School”.
The application should include:
※ Applicant’ academic report from the last school year.
※ A recent passport-sized photo (attached to the application form).
※ A copy of the applicant’s Hong Kong ID card or a passport showing a valid Hong Kong visa.
※ A company letter confirming the application.
Please note that the application fee is non-returnable. Applicants who would like to re-apply for another academic year are asked to submit a new application and application fee.
Acceptance
Applicants will be informed of their acceptance status in writing by postal mail. Initial(最初的) offers for Reception will be sent out from late March once all assessments have been completed.
Some applicants who have been assessed may be held on a reserve list. Acceptances may also be made on a conditional basis among the applicants on the reserve list.
Applicants who have been assessed but who have not been admitted are welcome to reapply for the next academic year. Please note that such applicants will be asked to submit a new application and application fee.
Confirmation of Acceptance and Enrollment(录取)
Once an applicant has been admitted, the applicant family will be asked to confirm acceptance and hold the student’s place with immediate payment of the required fees for the Nomination Right (HK$ 500), plus the sum of HK$ 7,500 as the first tuition payment.
In addition, enrollment will not be considered complete until the following have been received, normally one month before the start of the new school year:
•Physical examination results
•Tuition (first month)According to the passage, if the applicants reapply for an academic year, ______.
| A．the application fee can be reduced to a half |
| B．applicants on a reserve list needn’t be assessed |
| C．a new application and application fee are to be required |
| D．the initial application form should be returned to the Admissions Office |
How will the applicants possibly be informed of the acceptance status?
| A．By fax. | B．By regular mail |
| C．By telephone. | D．By e-mail. |
If an applicant has been admitted, the applicant family ______.
| A．will be asked to submit a new application |
| B．will receive physical Examination results |
| C．will be asked to only pay the first month fee |
| D．will be asked to confirm acceptance and pay the fees |
Which of the following is true?
| A．Applicants held on a reserve list will not be admitted. |
| B．Once applicants are refused, they can’t apply for it again. |
| C．The applicants should show a Hong Kong visa or a Hong Kong ID card. |
| D．Applicants don’t have to get a company letter to confirm their application. |
Last week I was riding my special motorbike and then stopped at a convenience store. As I was getting my wheelchair off the back, a man watched me from his car and I noticed a wheelchair in his back seat. We spoke for a moment and I asked him about the wheelchair. He answered that it was for his daughter. “Well, do you think she would like to go for a ride on my motorbike with me?” I asked. He seemed shocked that a total stranger would ask him this. He thought about it for a second and said, “OK, as long as I can follow you.”
He introduced me to Amy and he sat her on my back seat. Her father followed me for a few miles and she talked non-stop about what she wanted for Christmas.
As we came back to the convenience store, she said, “This ride is the best Christmas present I could ever receive. I have been in a wheelchair my whole life and didn’t know I could do this.” I told her about some of the other things I do (ski, travel the world by myself, etc.). As her father was taking her off my bike, she turned to him and said, “Oh Daddy, I’m going to be OK. Mr. Bryant does all kinds of things, and I will too.” Her father turned away as a tear of joy rolled down his cheek. He hugged me and said, “I was sitting here praying for a gift for Amy that would encourage her. She often felt that her life was dull compared to other children. God answered my prayer just now. Now I pray that God will bless you for your gift to Amy today.” I believed what he said. Being kind and thoughtful to others, we can be an answer to prayer. How did the father feel at first when the author invited his daughter for a ride?
| A．He felt surprised because he didn’t know the author. |
| B．He was happy because his daughter could gain excitement. |
| C．He was moved because the author offered to help his daughter. |
| D．He felt nervous because he was worried about his daughter’s safety. |
What can we know about the author?
| A．He was a disabled man. |
| B．He worked in a convenience store. |
| C．He often helped people who were in trouble. |
| D．He usually drove too fast. |
According to the passage, the girl _______.
| A．used to be a completely healthy person |
| B．was not allowed to do some fierce sports |
| C．was unwilling to communicate with a stranger |
| D．usually felt sad about life due to her disability |
What did the author’s gift refer to according to the girl’s father?
| A．The motorbike. | B．The wheelchair. |
| C．The ride. | D．The blessing. |
Isn’t it interesting how we expect others to behave in a certain way so we can feel good about ourselves? And then when people don't behave as we want them to, we feel so disappointed and angry ––– when really, most times, we’re not actually surprised at their actions? We just want those actions to be different ––– actions we’d be more comfortable with.
This week I shared a friend a wonderful home-cooked meal and a bottle of wine. About the time we got to the freshly-baked cookies, the conversation turned to her somewhat crazy sister. I had to smile, just a little, since her sister-stories had had much the same theme for the last two decades.When her frustration was just about to peak over her sister’s latest unbelievably selfish act, I suggested she begin trying “The Law of Patient Acceptance.” “How can I possibly accept her behavior?” my friend asked. “Acceptance doesn’t necessarily mean tolerance,” I shared. “It just means that you accept the person for who they are and you stop knocking yourself out trying to change them.”
Everyone has these difficult people in their lives from time to time. “Think of it this way,” I said. “If you were to go out and buy an ottoman(搁脚凳) today, thinking you were buying a chair, you’d be really angry that the ottoman was such a pathetic(差劲的) chair. But once you realize what you’re dealing with, once you accept the ottoman for what it is and you stop trying to turn it into a chair, your anger largely goes away.”
You have to accept people for who they are. Even when you’ve had high hopes that they might have been able to be someone else. “You can’t change people,” my Mother always said. And she was right. The best we can do is to see people as clearly and objectively as possible. For they rarely change.According to the second paragraph, we can know that ________.
| A．the writer thinks her friend should talk about her sister that way |
| B．the writer’s friend often complains about her sister |
| C．the writer advises her friend to spend more time with her sister |
| D．the writer doesn’t think her friend’s sister is selfish |
By mentioning the example of buying an ottoman, the writer intends to explain ________.
| A．how “The Law of Patient Acceptance” works |
| B．what the meaning of “The Law of Patient Acceptance” is |
| C．why greed and selfishness exist |
| D．when we should use “The Law of Patient Acceptance” |
According to the writer, ________.
| A．we should accept others for who they are |
| B．we should try to change others |
| C．we shouldn’t make friends with difficult people |
| D．we shouldn’t have high hopes for ourselves |
Cooler temperatures, attractive colors, smaller crowds autumn is the perfect time for travel and tourism. Here, three places are listed as the best fall trip destinations. Don’t worry if you can’t go to these places. By reading this page, we hope to take you on grand tour and let you experience fun and culture around the world.
| Cannstatter Volkfest, Stuttgart, Germany Stuttgart’s Cannstatter Volkfest is listed as the world’s second largest beer-drinking event––– following Munich’s Oktoberfest. But it is considered Germany’s more authentic celebration of local heritage and, of course, beer. Started as an agricultural fair in 1818––– a symbolic 24-meter-high “fruit column” pays homage (敬意) to the past ––– the three-week festival (from September 23 to October 9 this year) features live music, a re-created Alpine village, and carnival rides. In addition, Stuttgart is recognized as a global car capital. Both the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums are worth a visit. |
| Churchill, Manitoba, Canada Here in the northern Canadian town at Hudson Bay, visitors can see the area’s most famous fall residents ––– polar bears. More than a thousand of the world’s largest land carnivores migrate through the “polar bear capital of the world” during October and November, when the first ice forms on the edge of Hudson Bay. The frozen conditions make it easier for hungry bears to hunt for seals (by walking instead of swimming). Under the snowy, winter weather, visitors can hardly have too many clothes to put on. Insulated boots, jackets, and gloves; layered clothing; thermal underwear; and woolen socks and hats are required. |
| Dublin, Ireland The Ireland’s capital and largest city is a center for arts, entertainment, culture and commerce. With few tourists and lower temperatures, fall is the ideal season for walking the historic Georgian streets and cruising the River Liffey. Visitors can explore the city’s 20 square kilometers of public gardens, nature reserves, and parks, including St. Stephen’s Green, which borders Grafton Street, one of the world’s most expensive retail locations. Along the way, enjoy traditional, paper-wrapped fish and chips at Leo Burdock. Healthier eats will be on the menu on October 31, when more than 12,000 runners are expected for the National Lottery Dublin Marathon, named “the Friendly Marathon” for the friendly crowds cheering there. |
The passage is presented for those who ________.
| A．care for fun and culture around the world |
| B．have planned to go for traveling this autumn |
| C．hate to have their holidays in other seasons |
| D．have not ever been to Europe and America |
If you spend your holidays on October 31, you may ________.
| A．enjoy live music at the beer – drinking festival |
| B．watch polar bears hunt seals |
| C．taste traditional, paper–wrapped fish and clips |
| D．win a prize in “the Friendly Marathon” |
According to the passage, we can know that ________.
| A．Car exhibitions will be held for two months |
| B．It’s not necessary to take more clothes with you to Churehill, Martitoba |
| C．The beer–drinking event in German dates from the eighteenth century |
| D．Your favourite goods might be available in the expensive shop in Dublin |
The passage is probably taken from the column of ________ in a newspaper.
| A．economics | B．science |
| C．tourism | D．fashion |