Who would win in a competition to memorize numbers, a chimp (黑猩猩) or a teenager? The teenager? Think again. Scientists have proved that chimps perform better than human beings when it comes to this kind of problem. We may have to rethink what we believe about human memory.
Memory is our ability to learn something, save it and recall it when needed. Our memories are important to our sense of self, our personalities, and our ability to understand the world.
Scientists say that there are different types of memory. There is short-term memory and long-term memory. Your short-term memory saves information for a few seconds or a few minutes. For example, the time it takes to compare the prices of a few items in a store. Long-term memory involves the information you try hard to keep, because it’s meaningful to you (an example is data 数据 about family and friends. ) And then there is visual memory and sound memory. But these are not hard and fast: scientists argue a lot about the nature of memory.
Scientists have also found that people memorize things in different ways. Some memorize better with the help of pictures. Others are helped more by sounds. One thing’s for sure. If you can combine different kinds of memory together, you will remember a lot! So why not try pictures with English words? At the same time listen to recordings of the same group of words. It may help when it comes to memorizing it.
Imagination and association can be useful too. By imagination scientists mean picturing a word in your mind. Association means relating the word to something you already know.What can we learn from Paragraph 1?
| A．Human beings are less clever than chimps. |
| B．Human memory is not as good as before. |
| C．Chimps can memorize numbers better than teenagers. |
| D．Chimps perform better than human beings in many aspects. |
How many kinds of memory are mentioned in the article?
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
According to the article, which of the following is the best way to memorize words?
| A．By watching TV. |
| B．By listening to music. |
| C．By writing them out many times. |
| D．By listening and watching pictures. |
According to the article, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．Memory is the most important ability for human beings. |
| B．Long-term memory usually involves more important things. |
| C．Scientists have made sure of the nature of memory. |
| D．Imagination is better than association in memorizing things. |
Where do we probably read the passage?
| A．A textbook | B．A science magazine |
| C．An advertisement | D．A news report |
Kites have a long history. They may date back(追溯到) long time ago. They were made of bamboo and silk in China. Nobody knows exactly how or when a kite was first flown, but it is said that when a Chinese farmer tied a string(绳子) to his hat to keep it from blowing away in a strong wind, the first kite was born.
Children like playing with kites. Kites for work or play are made of wood, bamboo, paper, or silk. In 478 B.C., a Chinese philosopher(思想家), Mo Zi, spent three years making a kite out of light wood and bamboo. The earliest record of kite flying was in about 200 B.C. when the Chinese General(将军) Han Xin of Han Dynasty flew a kite over the walls of a city. He wanted to know how far his army would have to travel.
In the 13th century, Marco Polo wrote about how the shipping businessmen flew the huge kite in the wind before the ship set sail. They predicted the voyage(航海) in this way. If the kite went high and straight it meant a quick and successful voyage, but if it did not fly well， it was a bad omen(预兆). In the late 1500s, the kite was introduced to Europe by the Italians. Kite flying was first mentioned in England in a popular book in 1589.The first kite was born when _________.
| A．kites were used for sailing |
| B．a Chinese farmer tied a string to his hat to keep it from blowing away |
| C．a Chinese general called Han Xin flew a kite to train his army |
| D．Mo Zi used light wood and bamboo to make a kite |
Kites are made of the following materials EXCEPT ________ according to the passage.
| A．silk | B．bamboo | C．cloth | D．paper |
The kite was introduced to Europe by_______
| A．Marco Polo | B．the Italians |
| C．Mo Zi, | D． Han Xin |
The passage tells us_______.
| A．how to make a kite |
| B．how to fly a kite |
| C．how kite flying was introduced to Europe |
| D．what a kite is like |
Hans Christian Andersen(安徒生)
Hans Christian Andersen is a great writer. He wrote many popular stories for children all over the world. April 2 is his birthday and it is also Children’s Book Day.
Andersen was born(出生) in 1805. When he was a little boy, his father read him a story every day. He felt very happy at that time. But his father died when he was 11 years old. Then he had to leave school. Andersen started working as an actor and singer. He loved reading books so much that he went back to school at 17. His first book came out in 1835. From then on, he wrote about one book a year for 37 years.
There will be a park about Andersen’s sales(传说) and life in Shanghai. If you like Andersen, you can go there to learn about his life and tales, and you can play games ，too.Andersen liked stories because of .
| A．his jobs | B．his father |
| C．his school | D．his friends |
Andersen was good at .
| A．singing | B．dancing | C．running | D．drawing |
The Chinese meaning(意思) of the underlined phrase“came out”is .
| A．启蒙 | B．翻译 | C．流传 | D．出版 |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Andersen was happy to be with his father. |
| B．Andersen wrote books for about 37 years. |
| C．Andersen went back to school because he lost his job. |
| D．Children can play games in the park in Shanghai. |
Sports are important in English life. The people of England are sports lovers. Some of the world’s famous sports began here such as football and cricket(板球).
Football is a fast game played in winter and early spring. Lots of people play football in parks or playgrounds just for fun. With hundreds of years’ history, it’s one of the most popular sports in England. The English love football very much and they turned most of their main players into famous persons. David Beckham and Bobby Charlton became heroes（英雄） for many children. The most interesting part of the English football year is the FA (Football Association) Cup Final each May.
Cricket is a national sport in England. It is a very popular summer sport. It is a game played on grass(草地 )by two teams of eleven players. Players wear white clothes and score points（得分） by hitting（击打） the ball with a bat(棒子). People can sit around the green, enjoying the sun, having drinks and watching the team games.Bobby Charlton is a hero in children because _________.
| A．he is helpful | B．he plays football well |
| C．he is cool | D．he plays cricket well |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “green”
| A．the green room | B．the green house |
| C．the green grass land | D．the green clothes |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．English hero | B．Famous sports in England |
| C．Football in England | D．Cricket is popular |
Cathy is 1.53 meters tall, but she is 160 pounds(磅). So she decided to lose weight(减肥) from now on. She makes a plan for losing weight and puts it on the wall.
| Exercise 1. Run for 30 minutes every morning. 2. Swim in the club twice a week. 3. Go to work on foot instead of (代替) by bus every day. 4. Take a walk after supper every day. |
| Food 1. Have only a glass of milk and an egg for breakfast every morning. 2. Just have fruit for supper three times a week. 3. Eat more vegetables and less meat for dinner. 4. Never eat junk food. 5. Drink at least(至少) eight cups of water every day. |
Cathy usually went to work .
| A．on foot | B．by bike |
| C．by bus | D．by car |
Cathy wants to have for breakfast.
| A．some rice and milk | B．a glass of milk and an egg |
| C．some milk and noodles | D．some hamburgers and milk |
Does Cathy plan to just have fruit for supper and take a walk every morning?
| A．Yes, she does. |
| B．Sorry, I don’t know. |
| C．She has some vegetables and meat. |
| D．No, she doesn’t. |
Nowadays, more and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It is fun, healthy and good for environment. Maybe that’s why there are 1,400 million bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads all over the world today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil (油)cost.
Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood(附近地区)，you may find something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and enjoy exercise without polluting (污染)the environment. You don't even have to ride all the way.
Folding (折叠) bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. You can put a folding bike in a box. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers.
Health Benefits(益处) of Bicycling:
It helps to prevent heart diseases.
Bicycling helps to control your weight. A 15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year.
Bicycling can improve your mood (心情). Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.
Bicycling is healthier than driving.From the passage, we know that bicycling is becoming very __________.
| A．surprising | B．exciting |
| C．expensive | D．popular |
When you are riding your bicycle around your neighbourhood, you may ________.
| A．pollute the environment around |
| B．find something you didn’t notice before |
| C．go everywhere and use a little oil |
| D．get off your bike and begin to work |
Which one is the bigger number on roads all over the world today, bicycles or cars?
A. Cars. B. Bicycles.
C. A and B. D. I don’t know. One of the benefits from bicycling is that __________.
| A．you can have a new bike |
| B．you will be friendly to others |
| C．you will be more relaxed |
| D．you may get fatter and fatter |
Which is TRUE according to the passage (根据短文)?
| A．Bicycling is enjoyable exercise for people. |
| B．Bikes can take you anywhere. |
| C．Riding a bike pollutes your neighborhood. |
| D．You will become fat if you ride every day. |