A team of US psychologists(心理学家) have found that talking to another person for ten minutes a day helps with memory.
“Socializing(交际) is just as effective as more traditional kinds of mental exercise in boosting memory and intellectual(智力的) performance,” Oscar Ybarra, a psychologist at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, said in a statement.
In one investigation, they analyzed data on 3610 people, aged 24 to 96.
They found that the higher their level of social interaction(交流), the better their cognitive(认知的) functioning. Social interaction includes getting together or having phone chats with relatives, friends and neighbors.
In another experiment, the researchers conducted laboratory tests on 76 college students, aged 18 to 21, to evaluate(评估) how social interactions and intellectual exercises affected the results of memory and mental performance tests.
The students were divided into three groups: the social interaction group had a discussion of a social issue for 10 minutes before taking the tests; the intellectual activities group completed three tasks (including a reading comprehension exercise and a crossword puzzle) before the tests; and a control group(对照组) watched a 10-minute clip(电影片段) of the Seinfeld television show.
“We found that short-term social interaction lasting for just 10 minutes improved participants’ (参与者) intellectual performance as much as engaging in (从事) so-called ‘intellectual’ activities for the same amount of time,” Ybarra said.
The study was expected to be published in the February issue of the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.What does the underlined word “boosting” in the second paragraph probably mean?
| A．Improving. | B．Reducing. |
| C．Preventing. | D．Training. |
Which is not included in social interaction?
| A．Having a talk with a neighbor. |
| B．Attending a birthday party. |
| C．Watching TV at home alone. |
| D．Calling your classmates. |
What’s the purpose of the experiment on 76 college students?
| A．To judge the effect of social interaction on memory and intelligence. |
| B．To find out what is real social interaction. |
| C．To learn how much time is needed for social interaction. |
| D．To show the function of people's cognition. |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Intellectual exercises make your memory better. |
| B．Different people have different ways of communication. |
| C．Communicating with others keeps you healthy. |
| D．Social interaction makes you smart. |
Wedding Customs around the World
| Finland |
| Brides(新娘) will wear beautiful golden hats. After the wedding(婚礼) , girls dance around the bride. Her eyes are covered. All the girls are waiting for her to put the hat on someone's head. The woman who gets it will be the next to marry. At the party, the bride holds a sieve(筛子). When the people put money into it, their names are read at the wedding. |
| Korea |
| People bring ducks with them in the wedding group, because ducks live together for life. In the old days, the groom(新郎) went to the bride's house on a little white horse with a pair of ducks. These animals love each other for life. |
| Malaysia |
| Children carry the groom's presents to the bride's home. They also carry baskets of food and paper money. The money was made into animals or flowers. Everyone in the wedding is given an egg. It means he will have a baby. |
| Mexico |
| During the wedding a "lasso"(一串珠子) is put around the bride and the groom's hands. That means the groom and the bride will always stay together. Friends at the wedding will dance around the bride and the groom in a large ring at the party. The ring is like a heart. |
根据材料内容选择最佳答案，并将其标号填入题前括号内。Why do people bring ducks with them in the wedding group in Korea?
| A．Because ducks are people's favorite animals in Korea. |
| B．Because it means the couple will have a baby soon. |
| C．Because people think ducks can bring them good luck. |
| D．Because ducks are good choices for wedding dinner. |
In which country is everyone in the wedding given an egg?
| A．In Mexico. | B．In Malaysia. |
| C．In Korea. | D．In Finland. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．In Korea, brides will wear beautiful golden hats. |
| B．In Finland, the groom always holds a sieve at the party. |
| C．In Mexico, people will dance around the bride and the groom after the wedding. |
| D．In Malaysia, children carry baskets of food and paper money to the bride's home. |
People in ______ always dance at the wedding party.
| A．Mexico and Malaysia | B．Korea and Finland |
| C．Malaysia and Finland | D．Finland and Mexico |
What will happen if someone puts some money into the sieve held by the bride in Finland?
| A．He or she will be given an egg. |
| B．He or she will be the next to marry. |
| C．His or her name will be read at the wedding. |
| D．He or she will receive presents from the bride. |
Six days before the 63rd birthday of New China, our country received a great gift. The country's first aircraft carrier(航母) , Liaoning, has made China become the l0th country in the world to have an aircraft camer.
An aircraft carrier is a kind of ship that planes can fly from and land on—like an airport on the sea. It stands for a country's military strength(军事力量). It plays an important role in modern wars.
In August last year, the air craft carrier began its trial run at Dalian Port in Liaoning. The carrier was at first called the Varyag. It was built in the former Soviet Union. However, the Soviets failed to finish the ship. China bought the Varyag in 1998. Now after 10 trial runs, the aircraft carrier, renamed Liaoning, is in active service.
Liaoning is about 300 meters long and 70 meters wide. It can take 30 planes and hold 2,000 soldiers.
According to Xinhua News, Liaoning will be used for scientific research and military training.
The aircraft carrier will help protect our country and promote(促进) world peace. The BBC said that Liaoning coming into service " marks China as a rising power".
根据材料内容选择最佳答案，并将其标号填入题前括号内。When was China's aircraft carrier born?
| A．September 25th. | B．September 30th. |
| C．October lst. | D．October 6th. |
How many countries in the world had had aircraft carriers before China did?
| A．9. | B．10. | C．30. | D．70. |
Which of the following about the aircraft carrier is true?
| A．Liaoning was developed on the basis of Varyag. |
| B．rrhe former Soviet Union gave the ship to China for free. |
| C．Liaoning is specially made for New China’s 63rd birthday. |
| D．The aircraft carrier ended its trial run at Dalian Port. |
What’s the correct order of the following things?
a. The aircraft carrier was built but not finished in the former Sovitet Union.
b. The aircraft carrier got the new name Liaoning.
C. China bought the aircraft carrier.
d. The aircraft carrier went through some trial runs.
e. The aircraft carrier came into service.
A. a- b-c-d- e B. a-c-b-d-e
C. a-c-d-b-e D. a- d-c-b-e According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a use of Liaoning?
| A．To help protect the country. |
| B．To help with world peace. |
| C．To be a place for military training. |
| D．To mark China as a rising power. |
One afternoon I took a trip to an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting. I was looking forward to a quiet view of the masterpieces(名作).
A young couple looking at the paintings in front of me chatted non—stop. I watched them for a moment and realized she was doing all the talking. I admired(佩服)this man for being so patient with her. Bored by their noise, I moved on.
I met them several times as I moved through those rooms of art. Each time I heard her voice, I moved away quickly. I was standing at the museum gift shop buying some cards when the couple walked to the exit.
" He's a brave man, " the clerk said. "Most of us would give up if we were blind at such a young age. But behind his wife come in whenever there's a new art show. "
"But what does he get out of the works of art?" I asked. "Hecan't see. "
" His wife describes each painting so that he can see it in his head. "
I learned something about patience, courage and love that day. I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person without sight and the courage of a husband who would not allow blindness to change his life. And I saw the love shared by two people as I watched this couple walk away holding each other's hands.
Just then, I can't help getting close to them and said, "______ "
根据材料内容选择最佳答案，并将其标号填入题前括号内。 Why did the writer admire the husband in the beginning when hearing the woman's talking?
| A．Because he could enjoy art with his wife. |
| B．Because he wasn't bothered by the talkative wife. |
| C．Because he could face the problems in his life. |
| D．Because he had a kind and great wife. |
The woman kept talking while she and her husband were enjoying the art show because ______ .
| A．she was too excited to keep silent |
| B．she preferred talking to listening |
| C．she had to explain everything to her blind husband |
| D．she liked to show off in front of others in the museum |
What's the missing sentence in the last paragraph?
| A．You are so impressing! |
| B．You are so knowledgeable |
| C．You are so noisy and outgoing! |
| D．You are so brave but unhappy! |
What does the underlined word " sight" mean in Chinese?
| A．景色 | B．视力 | C．思想 | D．名胜 |
What can be the best title for this passage?
| A．Watching the paintings | B．A brave husband |
| C．Trusting your wife | D．Seeing true love |
Mr. King is a tall and strong . man. He teaches P.E. in a middle school. He wears a long beard（胡子）and takes good of it.
It was Sunday yesterday. There was a big football match of the year on the playground in the centre of the city. Mr. king likes the game very much and of course he was going to watch it. With his friends' help he got a ticket a few days ago. After breakfast he hurried to the bus stop, but a lot of people were waiting there. A bus came and he hardly got on. There were plenty of people in it and it was difficult for them to put their feet. He had to grip（抓住）a back of the chair. At the next stop a boy got on the bus. He was short and couldn't grip anything. Suddenly the bus stopped and the boy hardly fell to the floor. He looked around and saw Mr. King's beard and grip it. The man found it at once and called out, "Let go of（松开）my beard, boy!"
"Are you going to get off, sir?" asked the boy.Mr. King is a ___.
| A．player | B．runner | C．teacher | D．driver |
.It was difficult for Mr. King to stand because ___.
| A．he had drunk too much | B．the bus was too small |
| C．he got on the bus too late | D．it was very crowded in the bus |
The boy gripped Mr. King's beard because ___.
| A．he was afraid to fall again |
| B．he wanted to make the man angry |
| C．he hoped the man to find a seat for him |
| D．he hoped the man to get off soon |
.Mr. King was afraid ___, so he shouted at him.
| A．the boy would pull him down | B．the boy would hurt his beard |
| C．the boy could be hurt again | D．the boy would borrow his ticket |
Americans have used colors to create many expressions they use every day.
We say you’re ‘in the pink’ when we are in good health. It is easy to understand how this expression was born. When my face has a nice fresh, pink color, it is a sign my health is good.
The color green is natural for trees, it is an unnatural color for humans. When someone doesn’t feel well, someone who is sick, for example, we say he ‘looks green’. When someone is angry because he doesn’t have what someone else has, we say he is ‘green with envy’.
Some people are ‘green with envy’ because someone else has more dollars, or ‘green backs’. Dollars are called ‘greenbacks’ because that’s the color of the backside of the money.
Blue is a cool color. The traditional blue music of American blacks is the opposite of red hot music. It is slow, sad and soulful ( 深情的 ). To be blue, of course, is to be sad.
The color black is often used in expressions. People describe a day in which everything grows wrong as a ‘black day’. A ‘black sheep’ is the member of a family or group who always seems to be in trouble. If someone meets a ‘black cat’, something unlucky might happen to him. Not all the ‘black’ expressions have bad meaning. A company ‘in the red’ is losing money. If someone tells you to put someone ‘in black and white’, they want you to write it down. After reading the passage, we can infer ( 推断 ) if someone ‘looks grey’, he _______.
| A．looks well | B．may need a doctor |
| C．is healthy | D．is ‘in the pink’ |
I was really _________ when I saw his nice new car.
| A．red | B．blue | C．green | D．black |
Which of the following is true?
| A．A company surely likes to be ‘in the red’. |
| B．All the color expressions in the passage come from Britain English. |
| C．Not all the ‘black’ expressions have bad meanings. |
| D．Dollars are called ‘greenbacks’ because they have trees on the backside. |