Do women’s minds work the same as men’s? Absolutely not.At least, that is what most men are convinced of.Psychologists view the subject either as a matter or frustration or a joke.Now the biologists have moved into this minefield, and some of them have found that there are real differences between the brains of men and women.But being different, they point out hurriedly, is not the same as being better or worse.
There is, however, a definite structural variation between the male and female brain.The difference is in a part of the brain that is used in the most complex intellectual processes-the link between the two halves of the brain.
The two halves are linked by a trunkline of between 200 and 300 million nerves, the corpus callosum.Scientists have found quite recently that the corpus callosum in women is always larger and probably richer in nerve fibres than it is in men.This is the first time that a structural difference has been found between the brains of women and men and it must have some significance.The question is "What?", and, if this difference exists, are there others? Research shows that present-day women think differently and behave differently from men.Are some of these differences biological and inborn, a result of evolution? We tend to think that is the influence of society that produces these differences.But could we be wrong?
Research showed that these two halves of the brain had different functions, and that the corpus callosum enabled them to work together.For most people, the left half is used for word handing, analytical and logical activities; the right half works on pictures, patterns and forms.We need both halves working together.And the better the connections, the more harmoniously the two halves work.And, according to research findings, women have the better connections.
But it isn't all that easy to explain the actual differences between skills of men and women on this basis.In schools throughout the world girls tend to be better than boys at "language subjects" and boys better at maths and physics.If these differences correspond with the differences in the hemispheric trunkline, here is an unalterable distinction between the sexes.
We shan't know for a while, partly because we don't know of any precise relationship between abilities in school subject and the functioning of the two halves of the brain, and we cannot understand how the two halves interact via the corpus callosum.But this striking difference must have some effect and, because the difference is in the parts of the brain involved in intellect, we should be looking for differences in intellectual processing.Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
| A．Results of scientific research fail to support popular belief. |
| B．Brain differences point to superiority of one sex over the other. |
| C．Biologists are conducting research where psychologists have given up |
| D．The structural difference in the brain between the sexes has long been known. |
The corpus callosum functions in __________.
| A．forming the nerve fibers. |
| B．differing man from woman. |
| C．enabling the brain to work. |
| D．processing the most complex intellectuality. |
According to the passage it is commonly believed that brain differences are caused by ______
| A．social | B．psycological | C．physical | D．biological |
"these differences" in paragraph 5 refer to those in ________.
| A．school subjects |
| B．skills of men and women |
| C．the brain structure of men and women |
| D．activities carried out by the brain |
At the end of the passage the author proposes more work on ________.
| A．the brain structure as a whole |
| B．the functioning of part of the brain |
| C．the distinction between the sexes |
| D．the effects of the corpus callosum |
Reading is very important to help you learn English. To learn as much as you can from reading, you need to read different kinds of English. This book provides not only different kinds of English but also a good way to check your reading ability.
There are four parts in the book:
Part 1 is Messages: In this part somebody wants to wad information in writing to somebody else. There is a test on timetables and a test on text messages.
Part 2 is People: In this part all the tests are about people. For example, there is an informal letter between friends. There is formal ( 正式的) English in biography ( 传记). There is a job application as a model to help with your writing, as welt as testing your reading.
Part 3 is Places: In this part, too many different kinds of English are shown, some informal and some formal. There is the informal English of a holiday postcard. There is also the formal English in a letter of complaint.
Part 4 is Things: You will find some descriptive writing in this part. There are descriptions of clothes and of a computer.
You can do these tests in any order you like, or you can do alt the tests with a formal or informal text. I enjoyed writing this book and I hope you enjoy using it,We can find the introduction to a product in ______,
| A．Part 1 | B．Part 2 | C．Part 3 | D．Part 4 |
Which of the following is most probably written in informal English?
| A．A letter of complaint. | B．A computer handbook. |
| C．A letter to a friend. | D．A story of a president. |
The passage is most probably written for _____.
| A．test designers | B．students | C．test-takers | D．teachers |
What is the best title of the book?
| A．Test Your Reading | B．Help with Your Writing |
| C．Learn Different Kinds a/English | D．Practise English in Different Ways |
Television has opened windows in everybody’s life. 55Millions of people now have seen the effects of a battle. And the result has been a general dislike of the war and perhaps more interest in helping those who suffer from all the terrible things that have been shown on the screen.
56The most distant areas can now follow state affairs, see and hear the politicians before an election. Better informed, people are more likely to vote, and so to make their opinion count.
57 Children do not have enough experience to realize that TV shows present an unreal world, that TV advertisements lie to sell products that are sometimes bad or useless. They believe and want to practice what they see. 58.
All educators agree that the “television generation” are more violent than their parents and grandparents. Also, the young are less patient. Used to TV shows, where everything is quick and interesting, they do not have the patience to read an article without pictures, t read a book that requires thinking, to listen to a teacher who doesn’t do funny things like the people on children’s programs. And they expect all problems to be solved happily in ten, fifteen , or thirty minutes.59 .
| A．Unfortunately, television’s influence has been extremely harmful to the young. |
| B．Young men will never again go to war as they did in 1914. |
| C．That’s the time it takes on the screen. |
| D．They do believe that the violence they see is normal and acceptable. |
E. People have become used to crimes now.
F. Television has also changed politics.
G. In the past, many young people were willing to be soldiers.
The Bedouin people think most highly of people who show loyalty. To them loyalty does not mean that one is devoted to a country, a place, or a leader. Loyalty means being faithful to one’s family and tribe（部落）。
The Bedouin people take pride in their ancestors（祖先）。 They do not admire a hero from an ordinary or poor family as much as one who comes from an honored family. They particularly respect those who have received a good name from their ancestors and then have passed it on to their children.
A man’s position among the black-tent people depends upon his ancestors, relatives, and fellow tribesmen. If they are honored, he is also honored. If they are disgraced, he too is disgraced. Therefore one carefully guards the honor of his family, his lineage（血统），and his tribe.
A man can protect his family’s honor by being brave and generous and by giving protection to those who ask for it. He also guards it by carefully watching the women of his family.
A Bedouin woman cannot bring honor to her family, but she can bring disgrace. Even if a woman only looks as if she has done wrong, she may be killed. The honor of her family depends upon her virtue（美德）。It can be inferred from the passage that a Bedouin man will feel disgraced if he____.
| A．does not succeed in business |
| B．needs to ask for help from his brothers |
| C．does nothing when a member of his family is badly treated |
| D．does not help a stranger who asks for assistance |
The Bedouin people respect those who____.
| A．leave their families to seek success on their own |
| B．value their families more than anything else |
| C．become heroes with an ordinary family background |
| D．are devoted to their country |
We can learn from this passage that Bedouin women are____.
| A．treated as the equals of men |
| B．listened carefully when they tell their side of a story |
| C．respected for the many things they do |
| D．not respected as much as men |
The word “disgrace” means “____” in this text.
| A．honor | B．danger | C．pride | D．shame |
The fact that blind people can see things using other parts of their bodies apart from their eyes may help us understand our feeling about color. If they sense color differences, then perhaps we, too, are affected by color without knowing it.
Salesmen have discovered by experience over a long period of time that sugar sells badly in green wrappings（包装）， that blue foods are considered not agreeable to the taste, and that cosmetics（化妆品） should never be packed in brown. Their discoveries have grown into a whole subject of color psychology（心理学）。 Some of our preferences（偏爱） for colors are clearly psychological. Dark blue is the color of the night sky and therefore connected with calm, while yellow is a day color connected with energy and encouragement. Experiments have shown that colors, partly because they are connected with psychology, also have a direct effect on people’s mind. People in bright red surroundings show an increase in breathing speed, heartbeat and blood pressure; red is exciting. Pure blue has exactly the opposite effect; it is a calming color. Being exciting, red was chosen as the signal for danger, but a close study shows that a bright yellow can produce a more basic state of alarm, so fire engines in some advanced areas are now rushing around in bright yellow colors that stop buses, trucks and cars.The passage tells us that salesmen have __________.
| A．discovered the relationship between color and psychology |
| B．tried out colors on blind people |
| C．found out that color affect sales |
| D．developed a special subject of color psychology |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．what color we prefer depends on our state of mind |
| B．foods sell well in green or blue wrappings |
| C．blind people cannot sense color difference |
| D．a bright yellow has exactly the opposite effect to red |
If people are exposed to（置身于） pure blue, _________.
| A．their blood pressure rises | B．they want to taste blue foods |
| C．they will feel like buying things | D．they won’t easily feel nervous |
The most effective color in the passage for warning people is _______.
| A．red | B．dark blue | C．bright yellow | D．green |
Which of the following do you think is the best title of the passage?
| A．Colors and sales | B．Colors and feelings |
| C．The blind and colors | D．Preferences for colors |
The city of Venice，in Italy，is one of a kind．It is built on more than 120 islands，just off arrival．After explaining where my new house was，I told him that I had left the key under the doormat．Since I knew it would be quite late before I could get back，I suggested that be make himself at home and help himself to anything that was kept in the refrigerator（冰箱）．
Two hours later my friend phoned me from the house．At the moment，he said，he was listening to some of my records after having had a nice meal．He had found the pan and meat in the refrigerator．Now，he was drinking a cup of tea and hoped that I would join him soon．When I asked him if he bad any difficulty finding the house，he answered that the only problem was that he had not been able to find the key under the doormat，but luckily，the living room window by the apple tree had been left open and he had climbed in through the window．I listened to all this in great surprise．There is no apple tree outside my window，but there is one by the living room window of my next-door neighbor’s house！
When my friend arrived，I could not go to meet him because________．
| A．we were not good friends |
| B．I was busy at work |
| C．he had not told me that he would come |
| D．I did not want to see him |
A doormat is a mat______．
| A．used as a door |
| B．for cleaning the bottom of shoes |
| C．put up on a door as an ornament（装饰物） |
| D．near a door under which people put their keys |
I listened to my friend’s phone call in great surprise because____．
| A．he had not waited for me to eat together |
| B．he had eaten too much of the food |
| C．he mistook my neighbor’s house for mine |
| D．he had left the house with the window open |
At last my friend______．
| A．did not enter my house |
| B．entered my house after he opened the door |
| C．entered my house by climbing through the window |
| D．entered my house with the help of my neighbor |
The writer left the key under the doormat so that______．
| A．nobody would find it |
| B．he might not lose it |
| C．his family could use the same key |
| D．his friend could easily get it |