Losing weight comes with a lot of health benefits—including making your brain sharper.
There have been few studies of overweight and cognitive functioning, (认知功能) possibly because it is generally believed that it is not a primary risk cause for poor cognitive performance. Yet, it turns out that overweight may damage cognitive functions such as memory and attention. Losing weight, therefore, may help improve these mental functions, according to a new research led by John Gunstad, assistant professor of psychology at Kent State University.
Growing evidence suggests that being fat is linked to cognitive deficits (缺陷). So Gunstad and his team guessed that losing weight might improve mental function. For their study, they measured memory and attention in a group of 150 overweight participants, some of whom had some kind of operation for weight loss and some did not. All of the volunteers completed mental skills tests to assess their abilities of memory and attention at the beginning of the study, and again 12 weeks later. To begin with, about 24% of the patients showed damaged learning and 23% showed signs of poor memory when tested. At the end of the study, those who had lost weight after operation improved their scores into the average or above average range for cognitive functions. Scores for the volunteers who didn’t lose weight dropped even further.
The study helped Gunstad to find out whether losing weight had any effect on mental function. Now that he’s seen the positive effect that weight loss can have on memory and attention, he says he will next study those who choose to lose weight by the traditional way—eating healthier and getting more active. He expects that losing weight in this way will have a similarly positive effect on the brain. “If we can improve the condition with operations, then we can probably produce the same change with behavioral weight loss as well,” he says.There is less research on overweight and cognitive functions because researchers _____.
| A．believe overweight only affects our body |
| B．have focused on ways to sharpen people’s mind |
| C．do not consider overweight a main cause for low cognitive ability |
| D．are clear about the relation between weight and mental functions |
The result of Gunstad’s study shows that ______.
| A．losing weight has little effect on people’s memory |
| B．losing weight can improve people’s mental functions |
| C．overweight people are likely to have psychology problems |
| D．overweight people’s abilities of concentration differ greatly |
What is Gunstad planning to prove next in his research?
| A．Slim people are smarter than overweight people. |
| B．Healthy diet is better than exercise in losing weight. |
| C．Traditional ways of losing weight are better than operation. |
| D．Overweight people will get smarter by taking more exercise. |
Which of the following is the best title for the text?
| A．Body Weight and Health |
| B．Losing Weight by Operation |
| C．Ways to Improve Mental Functions |
| D．Losing Weight to Sharpen Your Mind |
The first time Luca heard the Island of Inventions, he was very young, but the wonders he heard about sounded so unbelievable to him that they were forever kept in his memory. Since then, he never stopped searching clues which might lead him to that place of wonder. He read widely to collect information.
Taking a little from here and there, he got quite a clear idea of what the Island was really like. It was a secret place, where all the great men learn and invent together. To be able to join that select club, you had to have created great inventions. Only then could you receive the invitation.
To get a chance, Luca spend the years studying and inventing. Every new idea he got, he made it into an invention, and if there were anything he didn’t understand, he would seek help. Soon he met other brilliant inventors too, and he told them of the secrets of the Island. These young inventors would likewise dream of being sent “the letter”.
As time passed, the disappointment of not being sent the letter gave rise to even greater cooperation and help between them. Their inventions soon became known throughout the world.
But no invention came.
They didn’t lose heart. They continued learning and inventing, trying to come up with better ideas. Fresh talent was added to their group. One day, Luca, already very old, was speaking with a brilliant young man who had written to join their group. Luca told the young man the secrets of the Island, and of how he was sure that they would receive an invitation. Surprised, the young inventor said: “What? You mean this isn’t really the Island of Inventions?”
It inspired Luca and he realized that his dream had become true.Luca read widely to ________.
| A．get information about the great inventions |
| B．get clear ideas about the island for vacations |
| C．seek massages about the secret club of inventions |
| D．get more knowledge for the benefit of his inventions |
Luca and other brilliant inventors around him shared a dream of _______.
| A．being great inventors of worldwide fame |
| B．being accepted as members of the Island of Inventions |
| C．being inventors envied by members of the Island of Inventions |
| D．being remembered for the contribution to scientific development |
What is the effect of their not being given “the letter”?
| A．They were disappointed, while it encouraged them to work harder. |
| B．They became desperate and decided to have another way of living. |
| C．They changed their strategy and promote their inventions publicly. |
| D．They gave up their dream while continued their inventions together. |
The apartments for sales,40 minutes’ walk to the gold coast beach, on the ground floor is a private patio(天井), fully fitted kitchen, resting room with feature fireplace and a second reception room which could be used as a dinning room or third downstairs bedroom. On the first floor are two double bedrooms, one of which leads onto a sunny terrace(阳台), fully tiled bathroom with bath and shower. The property is in excellent condition throughout and is ready to move straight into Sky TV, telephone and broadband are connected.
Status: Available Price: EUR￠115,000
Telephone: 00351-981888988 Location: Mollina Malaga Province Spain
Apartment furnished for sale at an unbelievable price. The apartment is part of a small complex with swimming pool and a public resting-room with TV, relaxing area, changing areas, etc. The apartment is on the market fully furnished, air conditioning, with good environment to all divisions of the apartment. If you are thinking tapping into the rental market while the property is empty during the year, this property could be your best bet at the best possible price.
Number of Bedrooms: 2
Status: Available Price: EUR￠147,000
Telephone: 00331-961777017 Location: Sao Leiria Portugal
Nice villa for sale. The villa has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Beach at walking distance. Outside there is a swimming pool. The villa is just outside inland coast in a small villa of 20 houses.
Status: Available Price: EUR￠340,000
Telephone: 04811-961999018 Location: Inland Costal AreaThe apartments in the first advertisement have the following advantages Except ________.
| A．the rest room has a fire fireplace |
| B．the bathroom has bath and shower |
| C．the apartments are ready to move straight into |
| D．it has a public resting-room with TV |
If you want to buy an apartment with a public relaxing area, you should dial ________.
| A．00351-981888988 | B．00331-961777017 |
| C．04811-961999018 | D．05355-941445535 |
What’s the meaning of the underlined part in the second advertisement?
| A．Knocking into. | B．Putting into. | C．Taking advantages of. | D．Getting into. |
From the advertisements we can know the apartments ________.
| A．are in different areas | B．are in the same developing area |
| C．are of the same price | D．belong to the same developing company |
As a music teacher for twenty-seven years, I have always known that music touches the soul. It can break through all kinds of barriers 
to reach students in a very special way. It can b
e the means for each child to find their light.
A few years ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to teach pre-school students one afternoon a week. One of my most memorable students was Vanessa. She was five years old, 
had difficulty walking, and could not speak. We mostly sat on the floor for our music lessons and Vanessa liked to sit on my lap. One of her favorite songs was John the Rabbit. It was a call and response song where I sang the call and the students clapped two times while singing the repeating phrase, “Oh, yes!” Vanessa liked to put her hands together with mine and clap with me. We performed that song during every class, Vanessa and I clapping together. She never said or sang a word.
One day late in the school year, when the song was finished, Vanessa turned around, looked me in the eye, clapped her tiny hands two times and said the words “Oh, yes!” I opened my mouth and could not speak. Through music, we had made a connection.
Several years later, I came across Vanessa on the street in town. I stopped my car and waved to say hello. She waved back with a big smile on her face and then clapped her hands two times, mimicking(模仿) the song we had performed in our music class. This precious little girl, through her connection with music, left an impression on me that will last forever.
Every child has the ability to learn and grow. It is up to us educators to discover the way to reach each and every one of our students. We all must find each child’s light.The author thinks music ________.
| A．can make children calm down | B．can connect heart to heart |
| C．is difficult for pre-school students | D．is a good means to find a job |
According to the second paragraph, V
anessa ________.
| A．got used to singing songs | B．was too shy to speak |
| C．was the youngest in the class | D．enjoyed the author’s classes |
When Vanes
sa spoke the words “Oh, yes!”, the author felt ________.
| A．surprised | B．happy | C．frightened | D．satisfied |
What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?
| A．The author has been in touch with Vanessa for several years. |
B．Vanessa became as healthy as  other children. |
| C．The song made a deep impression on Vanessa. |
| D．Being a good educator became Vanessa’s dream.[ |
Birds don’t need lessons in building nests. Fish don’t need coaching to learn how to swim. All animals have instincts. They’re born with natural abilities to do certain things. Wild animals also learn by copying their parents and practicing. And pets learn through training.
But instincts and training aren’t the only keys to animals’ behavior. Scientists say animals’ thoughts and feelings also influence their actions. Animals often make choices, plans, and sensible changes. The
y can help others a
nd solve problems. Some even make and use tools!
If animals could talk, what would they say about their thoughts and feelings? A gorilla (大猩猩) born in captivity (关在笼子里) has helped answer that question. Koko, a gorilla, was taught to use sign language. She has l
earned hundreds of words!
Koko once had a pet cat she named All Ball. “Koko love Ball,” she signed. “Soft good cat.” One time, she blamed the cat for biting her by signing “You bad dirty toilet!” When her pet died, Koko cried. “Sad for sleeping cat,” she signed.
Koko calls herself “fine animal gorilla”. She uses sign language to argue, joke, and ask and answer q
uestions.
“Most animals can’t use words to tell us their thoughts,” says Dr. Jonathan Balcombe. “But Koko shows us that animals have their own ideas and feelings.” Dr. Balcombe is a scientist at the Humane Society of the United States. He says there’s even more to discover about animals through field studies. In field studies, people watch animals in their natural environment.
“Scientists who study animals’ natural behaviors learn how animals live and think,” Balcombe says. “That knowledge can help others respect every animal who shares the planet with us.”The underlined word “instincts” in Paragraph 1 probably refers to the ability that ________.
| A．animals copy their parents | B．animals learn by practicing |
| C．animals are born with | D．animals learn through training |
The example of Koko shows that ________.
| A．an animal likes to have its own pet | B．an animal can learn to speak through training |
| C．an animal has the natural ability to speak | D．an animal can speak its mind |
According to Balcombe, learning how animals live and think can ________.
| A．help people care for animals | B．teach animals to use words |
| C．train animals to use tools | D．train animals to be cleverer |
What might be the best title for the passage?
| A．Raising animals as pets | B．Understanding animals |
| C．Training animals to speak | D．Protecting animals from danger |
When you want to go shopping, decide how much money you can spend on new clothes. Think about the kind of clothes you really need. Then look for those clothes you really need. Then look for those
clothes on sale.
There are labels(标签) inside all new clothes. The labels tell you how to take care of your clothes. The label for a shirt may tell you to wash it in warm water. A sweater label may tell you to wash in cold water. The label on a coat may say “dry clean only”, for washing may ruin this coat. If you do as the directions on the label, you can keep your clothes looking their best for a long time.
Many clothes today mus
t be dry cleaned. Dry cleaning is expensive. When buying new clothes, check to see if they will need to be dry cleaned. You will save money if you buy clothes that can be washed.
You can save money if you buy clothes that are well made. Well-made clothes last longer. They look good even after they have been washed many times. Clothes that cost more money are not necessarily better made. They do not always fit better. Sometimes less expensive clothes look and fit better than more expensive clothes.If you want to save money, you had better buy clothes that ________.
| A．don’t fit you | B．don’t last long | C．need to be dry cleaned | D．can be washed |
The labels inside the clothes tell you ________.
| A．how to keep them looking their best | B．how to save money |
| C．whether they fit you or not | D．where to get them dry cleaned |
The first thing for you to do before you buy clo
thes is ________.
| A．to look for well-made clothes | B．to see how much money you can spend on it |
| C．to know how to wash them | D． to read the labels inside them |
The best title for the passage should be ________.
| A．Buy Less Expensive Clothes | B．Taking Enough Money When Shopping |
| C．Being a Clever Clothes Shopper | D．Choosing the Labels inside New Clothes |