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 is Paragraph 3 mainly about_________?
The complex structure of the brain.
B. How changes in the muscles affect the brain.
C. The importance of the brain.
D. How the brain becomes stronger by learning new things.What does the underlined word “perspicacious” in the last paragraph probably mean_________?
| A．Strong. | B．Smart. | C．Popular. | D．Active. |
The paragraph that follows the passage 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 self-development |
第三部分阅读理解
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
By analyzing academic data from 10 states, representing the testing of more than 7.2 millions of youths, U.S. researchers found that gender differences in math scores were extremely small among all ethnic groups in grades 2-11.
These findings are in contrast to earlier results from 1990 that indicate measurable differences favoring males in complex problem-solving, beginning in the high school years.
Janet Hyde from University of Wisconsin and colleagues reported their study results in the journal Science on Friday.
Currently, women are largely absent from the highest levels of careers in mathematics, the physical sciences, and engineering. In the United States, Ph.D. programs in engineering currently average only about 15 percent women, and similar statistics have led to stereotypes (成见)about girls and women lacking in mathematical ability.
Now, it is clear that the general population no longer shows a gender difference in mathematical skills, according to this latest report.
And this new data on academic performance in the United States shows that students are tested frequently on "recall" and "skill/concept" items, but rarely on "strategic thinking"(战略思维) or "extended thinking" concepts.
If standardized tests do not assess (评估)the sorts of reasoning that are crucial to careers in science and math, then the skills may not be taught, putting American students at a disadvantage to students in other countries where testing and instruction focuses on more challenging content. "This is a gap that should be fixed," Hyde said.
56. What is the best title of the passage?
A. A new study result about math. B. No gender differences in math.
C. Girls are not good at math. D. Girls do better in math than boys.
57. The underlined word “crucial” in the last paragraph most probably means______.
A. necessary B. unimportant C. important D . cruel
58. What Hyde said in the last paragraph means that ________.
A. standardized tests should assess the sorts of reasoning so that the skills may be taught
B. testing and instruction focuses on more challenging content in the USA
C. students in other countries are cleverer than American students
D. students should be tested frequently on "recall" and "skill/concept" items
59. The passage is most probably taken from _______.
A. a science magazine B. a research paper C. a personal diary D. a newspaper
At 227 billion yuan ($33 billion) for 2008, Guangdong's cultural industries accounted for 6.4 percent of its GDP and experienced a growth rate of 13.8 percent. But Lai admits that size does not equal weight. "Our businesses are mostly small, financing difficult and brands few."
One local brand that has made it big is Pleasant Goat and Big, Big Wolf, also translated as Happy Sheep and Gray Wolf, China's most popular cartoon series currently being aired. But Liu Manyi, general manager of Creative Power Entertaining Inc, the firm behind the hit show, is not laughing to the bank. Instead she is bitter: "Pirate discs were all over the streets before our first movie hit the screen. Their images appear on all kinds of products. All this has no proper licensing."
In case you don't know, China produces the largest amount of animated(动画的) programming in the world. But quantity is not quality. Behind every Pleasant Goat there are tens of thousands of flops. The best way for the government to promote the country's creative industries is to crack down on piracy (盗版). Hollywood often raises its voice about being victimized (受害) in China. Truth be told, Hollywood is probably the least affected since there is a quota system for China's importation of Hollywood films.
Many Chinese producers are taking baby steps and the domestic market is all they have. If their rights in the home market are not protected, they will never see the day their products find a foreign audience.
The sudden closure(关闭) of BT websites where copyrighted materials used to flow freely suggests a determination on the part of the government to take intellectual property rights seriously. This kind of websites is bad for us, so we should ban them.
Much of the news coming out of the 2009 International Cultural Industries Forum was encouraging. China's film industry is expected to get 6 billion yuan ($879 million) in box office receipts this year. A decade from now, this number may go up to 30 billion, according to some forecasts.
If the government takes serious action against online and offline pirates, China's creative industries may well have a bright future.
51. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 1 mean?
A. Fast as the development of Guangdong's cultural industries is, they don’t have a big challenge in the world.
B. Guangdong's cultural industries can make a big profit although they are just the small companies.
C. Guangdong's cultural industries make a big contribution to its GDP because of their strong economic power.
D. The development of Guangdong's cultural industries cannot catch up with any other
industries.
52. What does Liu Manyi think about Pleasant Goat and Big, Big Wolf?
A. It is a failure since it is a local brand.
B. It is a success but cannot get the expected profit.
C. Its profit from the images has been shared legally.
D. Pirate discs make it more popular among the children.
53. Hollywood films are mentioned to tell us that __________.
A. Hollywood films make our creative industries have less space to survive
B. it is piracy that makes it possible for Hollywood films to get less influenced
C. our creative industries need enough protection to have a bright future
D. foreign films have taken up more market in China than the local ones
54. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Chinese creative industries are more advanced than foreign ones.
B. The domestic market is of little significance to the survival of Chinese creative
industries.
C. BT websites stand in the way of the development of Chinese creative industries.
D. The growth of China's film industry is always slow and needs more support.
55. In which column of a newspaper will you probably read this passage?
A. Regional B. Economic C. Sports D. Cartoon
About 97% of the world’s water is salty and is found in our oceans and seas. But, as we can’t drink sea water, how can it be important?
Every part of our seas and oceans contains an amazing number of animals and fish that live at different ocean depths. Most of the different species of animals and fish depend on simple plants for their food. These simple plants called algae (海藻) drift near the surface of the ocean and use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into food and oxygen. In fact, algae produce over half of the oxygen people breathe. How important sea water is!
Each plant or animal in our seas and oceans is an important link in a food chain. The algae are eaten in large amounts by microscopic animals, which are in turn consumed by larger animals. These food chains are delicately balanced.
The bad news about the food chains in the oceans is that they are under threat because of man. People once thought that the oceans were so big that it didn’t matter if we dumped rubbish into them or caught huge quantities of fish and whales for food. But we now know this is not true and fish stocks in the oceans have started to drop.
Thankfully, the world is taking steps to protect the future of our oceans by introducing international agreements to protect marine habitats. Most countries have introduced fishing restrictions to protect fish stocks in the oceans and new techniques are being pioneered to cope with pollution. Finally, the importance of protecting oceans is being made known to more people. This is just the beginning of a long process to protect the oceans for our future. We depend on the oceans for fish which are an important part of the human diet. How important sea water is!
46. Which of the following is the proper order of the food chain?
A. small animals→algae→microscopic animals→large animals→man
B. algae→microscopic animals→large animals→larger animals→man
C. small animals→algae→large animals→microscopic animals→man
D. microscopic animals→algae→large animals →larger animals→man
47. People used to think that the rubbish thrown into the sea ________.
A. wouldn’t harm the fish in the sea B. would change the balance of the food chain
C. would be broken down in the sea D. wouldn’t do much harm to the sea
48. From the passage, we learn that _________.
A. most fish and sea animals live at the surface of the seas
B. it is very difficult to break the balance of a food chain
C. excessive fishing has caused the decrease in fish stock
D. it won’t be long before the problems concerning oceans will be solved
49. Which of the following is NOT a way being used to protect oceans?
A. The use of international agreements.
B. Forbidding fishing to protect fish stocks.
C. The use of new techniques.
D. Raising people’s awareness of the need to protect oceans.
50. What would be the best title of the passage?
A. The importance of seawater.
B. Life in the oceans.
C. How to protect food chains.
D. How to deal with seawater pollution.
三、阅读（共两节，满分40分）
第一节：阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
There is an English saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programmes. The group that tolerated (忍耐) the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny programme. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.
41. According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?
A. Laughter is good for health.
B. Laughter can make you become old quickly.
C. Laughter helps to reduce pain.
D. Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good for our body.
42. The underlined word “diminishes” in the third paragraph means “ ”.
A. delays B. prevents C. increases D. reduces
43. Why do doctors hold laughter clinics?
A. Because they want to earn more money.
B. Because they think they will help the patients recover from illnesses.
C. Because they want to improve their patients’ health.
D. Because they want their patients to laugh more.
44. According to the author, we should __________ in our life.
A. laugh as much as possible B. watch more funny films
C. smile all the time D. spend time in the laughter clinics
45. What would be the best title for this passage?
A. Both laughter and physical exercise are good for health.
B. Laughter clinics can help patients improve their condition.
C. Laughter can reduce the effect of pain.
D. Laughter is the best medicine.
China Earthquake Leaves 5,000 Homeless
Beijing- An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale left 50,000 people homeless, killed at least one person and injured 39 others in southwest China on Thurday, with more accidents expected.
By late Thurday, 4,900 people were declared homeless after the quake destroyed their homes in a mountainous area lying on the border between Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. The dawn quake left one dead and 39 injured, destroyed 268 houses and damaging 1,132 other buildings so seriously that they were considered uninhabitable.
Another 2,400 houses suffered less serious damage. The epicenter( 震中 ) was near scenic Lugu Lake, a tourist site, where the local school was severely damaged. Preliminary (最初的) estimates put economic losses at 180 million yuan ( 22 million dollars ).
Governments in Yanyuan and the neighbouring Yunnan county of Ninglang has joined forces in the rescue effects and tents, clothes and medicine are badly in need of for the earthquake victims.
The mountainous terrain, heavy rain and several aftershocks all prevented rescue effects on Thursday. The rain could cause more badly damaged homes to fall down.
More dead and injured are expected “as rescuers have yet to reach many faraway areas”.It is very hard for rescue workers because most houses are scattered around the mountains, which are inhabited by Yi and other ethnic minority groups (少数民族)
The quake hit the area at 5:10 a.m. Beijing time (2,110 Wednesday GMT ). Earthquake regularly affect the two counties, with two quakes measuring 5.0 and 6.2 on the Richter scale killing at least three people and injuring more than 1,500 in Ninglang in November 1998.
The area is about 100 kilometers from the historic Yunnan town of Lijiang, which was struck in 1996 by an earthquake that killed more than 250 people anf injured 14,000.
( Reports from China Daily, May 25, 2001 )
6. The earthquake took place _______ .
A. in the early morning B. at noon
C.in the afternoonD. at night
7. All of the following things belong to the things that are most needed after the earthquake except _______ .
A. clothes B. food C. medicine D. tents
8. The author’s purpose in writing the passage is to _______ .
A.tell us the earthquake taking place in Yunnan has caused 5,000 homeless
B. warn the people in mountainous areas in Yunnan to take care of earthquake
C.call on more help from the people all over the country
D. analyze why the earthquake took place in this area
9. After reading the passage we know __________ .
A. the biggest earthquake happened in China in Ninglang in 1998
B. there will be no more than 2 persons dead in the earthquake
C. the earthquake took place in the places where minorities live
D. the total losses will add up to no more than 180 million yuan
10. “The two counties” here refers to ________ .
A. Yunnan and Sichuan B. Yanyuan and Ninglang
C. Yanyuan and Yunnan D. Yunnan and Ninglang