Your brain controls everything you do．It makes it possible for you to think，learn，create and feel；to blink （眨眼）and breathe and for your heart to beat﹣this fantastic control center is you brain．It is so amazing that a famous scientist once called it"the most complex （复杂）thing we have yet discovered in our universe"．
Can this small grey organ （器官），which weights less than one and a half kilos，really do so much？Amazingly，your brain contains about 100 billion neurons （神经元）﹣it would take you over 3000 years to count them all．Believe it or not，the activity in your brain never stops．Your neurons create and send more messages than all the phones in the world．And although one neuron creates only a little electricity，all your neurons together can producce enough electricity to power a light bulb （灯泡）．"
So exactly how fast does your brain work？Well，imagine this：a bee lands on your foot．Neurons in your skin send this information to your brain at a speed of more than 240 kilometers per hour．Your brain then uses other neurons to send the message back to your foot to shake the bee off quickly．These neurons can send this information at more than 320kilometers per hour．No computer has your brain's unbelievable ability to deal with the amount of information coming from your eyes，ears and other sensory organs．
But how does your brain allow you to learn things that you will use in the future？The structure （结构）of your brain changes every time you have a new thought，remember or learn something．For example，riding a bike seems impossible at first，but soon you are able to do it．How？As you practice，your brain sends"bike riding"messages again and again．Soon，the actions are learnt and Yuri are able to ride a bike easily from then on．
42．From the passage we know that neurons ．
A．receive messages very slowly
B．are only found in your skin
C．send messages to your brain
D．need electricity to work
43．In Paragraph 3，the writer mentions computers to ．
A．compare them with the human brain
B．show how fast they have become
C．say that computers have no abilities
D．ask people to use computers more
44．When you have a new thought， ．
A．your brain will power a light bulb
B．your heart beats faster
C．you remember something
D．the structure of your brain changes
45．The article is mainly about ．
A．all the steps when your brain learns things
B．what an unbelievable organ the human brain is
C．how the brain makes people smarter than computers
D．the things you can do to make your brain work faster．
If your mother told you to eat carrots so you’d be able to see in the dark, she was right. It turns out that feeding kids carrots is just one of a number of things to keep eyes healthy. Other things include regular eye exams, and sunglasses or hats are also very helpful, experts say.
While eye disease is sometimes hereditary(遗传的), some are still preventable（可预防的）, said Dr. Ron Weber, an Atlanta-based ophthalmologist. For example, nearsightedness, “not only has a genetic(基因的) component but is also influenced by how kids use their eyes during childhood,” he told Reuters Health by phone.
He said that extended close work, such as reading, has long been thought to cause nearsightedness. Recent support has come from a study in which people with a higher level of education were more likely to have nearsightedness, because they spend more time reading or working on computers. Another study showed that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to become nearsighted.
But these findings don’t mean kids should be stopped from reading or working on the computer. Instead, Weber suggests, make sure a child’s environment is bright enough while they are doing close work. Parents should also help kids get into the habit of holding their reading material at the perfect distance – about 18 to 22 inches, he said. Finally, taking a break every five minutes or so, to let the eyes relax and focus on an object in the distance, will also help.
One of the most important things a parent can do to help head off eye disease and vision problems is to make sure their child gets regular eye exams, beginning early in life. “The majority of vision problems in children are preventable and treatable,” said Dr. Ida Chung.What does the writer want to tell us in the passage?
| A．It is important to keep your eyes healthy. |
| B．People seldom pay attention to eye health. |
| C．It is necessary to give your kids carrots. |
| D．All the eye disease are hereditary. |
Which one is good for our eye health according to the third paragraph?
| A．Spend more reading on computers. |
| B．Spend more time indoors. |
| C．Spend more time doing outdoor activities. |
| D．Spend more time working on computers. |
The underlined part in the last paragraph means__________.
| A．treat | B．stop | C．cover | D．increase |
Which can be the BEST title for this passage?
| A． Eating carrots |
| B．Eye disease |
| C．How to keep eyes healthy |
| D．The importance of eye health. |
Social customs and ways of behaving change．Things which were considered impolite many years ago are now acceptable．Just a few years ago，it was considered impolite behavior for a man to smoke on street．No man who thought of himself as being a gentleman would make a fool of himself by smoking when a lady was in a room．
Customs also differ from country to country．Does a man walk on the left or the right of a woman in your country? Or doesn’t it matter? What about table manners? Should you use both hands when you are eating? Should you leave one in your lap，or on the table?
The Americans and the British not only speak the same language but also share a large number of social customs．For example，in both America and England people shake hands when they meet each other for the first time．Also Englishmen will open a door for a woman or offer their seat to a woman，and so will most Americans. While waiting in line, Englishmen will never push their way to the front. Neither do Americans. Promptness is important both in England and in America．That is，if a dinner invitation is for 7 o’clock，the dinner guest either arrives close to that time or calls up to explain his delay．
The important thing to remember about social customs is not to do anything that might make other people feel uncomfortable——especially if they are your guests．There is an old story about a man who gave a formal dinner party. When the food was served，one of the guests started to eat his peas with a knife．The other guests were amused or shocked，but the host calmly picked up his knife and began eating in the same way．It would have been bad manners to make his guest feel foolish or uncomfortable．According to Paragraph1,____________________________.
| A．Customs differ from country to country. |
| B．Some customs considered impolite in the past are accepted by people now. |
| C．Gentlemen like to smoke in front of women. |
| D．Smoking on streets were considered polite behaviors in the past. |
If one has accepted a dinner invitation, what should he do if he can’t arrive on time?
| A．He should find an excuse. |
| B．He should ask for excuse. |
| C．He should say “sorry”. |
| D．He should telephone to explain his being late. |
The Americans and the British also share a large number of social customs except(除了)___________.
| A．shaking hands when meeting for the first time |
| B．offering their seat to a woman |
| C．waiting in line |
| D．being late for dinner |
According to the passage, the best host______________.
| A．tries his best to make his guests feel comfortable |
| B．makes his guests feel excited |
| C．tries to avoid being foolish to his guests |
| D．tries to behave the same as the guests |
Some people like to collect stamps. Others prefer posters or coins. But Pinky Bhutia is different. She collects children. In her mountain village, in Sikkim, she is known as the wonderful young woman who adopts(领养) all the children she can.
Pinky was 14 when she adopted her first child, a Nepali baby girl, whose patents passed away. Pinky’s parents did not mind. Pinky left school and started working full time because she had a baby to feed. Today , she has twelve adopted children, and two sons from her marriage.
Pinky is about 30 years old and she comes from a common family. If you passed her on the street, you wouldn’t give her a second look. She lives in a brown mud-washed(泥刷的) house. There is a vegetable garden outside. Red hens with noisy chicks run all over the garden looking for food.
If you ask her why she provides a home to so many kids, she smiles shyly. But her eyes are serious. “I know what it is to be poor and hungry.” As a child, her only dream was to eat a full meal, and her favorite amusement was watching people with shoes and imagining what it felt like. By adopting poor and homeless children she is making sure that they never feel that hopeless.
Pinky feels very proud when she sees her children happy and bright, Her oldest baby, Aarita Rai, is now 20 years old, Then, there is 19-year-old Nimbe who came to Pinky because her mother was unable to look after her. She started to work in a government office two years ago. Ten-year-old Bhim and 14-year-old Kumar came to Pinky five years ago, after their father’s death. They started living on a patch of land given by Pinky and grew vegetables for sale.
“I like children. It’s not one more mouth to feed but one more soul saved,” Pinky says.After Pinky adopted her first child, she______________.
| A．began to raise some chickens |
| B．didn’t go to school anymore |
| C．asked her parents for help |
| D．left her mountain village |
By adopting those poor and homeless children, Pinky wants to ______________.
| A．teach them to grow vegetables | B．offer them good jobs |
| C．make sure they live in hope | D．help them become rich |
Whic of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Pinky likes collecting coins and posters. |
| B．Bhim and Kumar are from the same family. |
| C．People in Pinky’s village have no shoes to wear. |
| D．Sartita Rai works in a government office. |
We can infer from the passage that Pinky is a ________ person.
| A．kind | B．strict | C．bright | D．careful |
There are a few wonderful island countries in the world that are definitely worth visiting. Summer is coming and it’s time to start planning your vacation.
Malta
Malta is a beautiful southern European country in the Mediterranean Sea, which has a rich history and culture. There are amazing sky-high cliffs(悬崖) to climb, great temples to explore, , and lots of wonderful places to go diving. In fact, there are plenty of interesting things to see and to do in Malta and this island country has something for everyone.
Fiji
Fiji is a wonderful island that has plenty of surprises for any adventurous(爱冒险的) traveler. There is one of the world’s best surf scenes, and many people travel to Fiji yearly to ride the great waves. Well, if surfing is not for you and you love sitting on the beach and relaxing or hiking, seeing breathtaking waterfalls, Fiji is certainly the best island country to visit.
Greece
Greece is a beautiful country, known for its long history and its clean beaches. Mykonos island, Santorini island, Crete island, Corfu island are among the best Greek islands to visit. If you’re interested in history, there are many historical sites you can visit in Greece.
Maldives
Not only is the Maldives one of the most beautiful island countries, it is also one of the most popular honeymoon destinations. There is a beautiful ocean, with fascinating beaches and luxury resorts. If you are looking for the best honeymoon destination, the Maldives will be perfect for you.
In Malta, you can______________ .
| A．see breathtaking waterfalls | B．climb sky-high cliffs |
| C．ride the great waves | D．visit historical sites |
Which of the following islands is not among the best Greek islands to visit?
| A．Crete island | B．Corfu island |
| C．Mykonos island | D．Cuba island |
If a newly-married couple are looking for the best honeymoon destination, they will choose__________
| A．Malta | B．Fiji |
| C．Greece | D．Maldives |
Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything—tutors (家庭教师), cards, special learning centers—in short, everything they could think of. Finally they took Tommy to a catholic (天主教的) school.
After the first day, little Tommy came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn’t kiss his mother hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread (铺开) out all over the room and little Tommy was hard at work. His mother was surprised. She called him down to dinner and as soon as he finished eating, he went back to his room, without a word. In no time he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day while the mother tried to understand what was happening.
Finally, little Tommy brought home his report card. He quietly put it on the table and went up to his room and hit the books. His mom looked at it and to her surprise, little Tommy got an A in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity (好奇心). She went to his room and asked, “Son, what was it? Was it the nuns (修女)?”
Little Tommy looked at her and shook his head, “No. ”
“Well then,” she asked again. “WHAT was it?”
Little Tommy looked at her and said, “Well, on the first day of school, when I saw that man nailed (钉) to the plus sign (加号), I knew they weren’t joking. ” Why did Tommy’s parents send him to a catholic school?
| A．Because he could eat well there. |
| B．Because he could earn more about nuns. |
| C．Because his parents wanted him to do better in his math. |
| D．Because his parents didn’t want him to learn math any more. |
Tommy’s mother felt surprised that his son _______.
| A．was still the same as usual |
| B．ate so much at dinner |
| C．kissed her hello after school |
| D．worked hard but said little |
“Hitting the books” means “_______” in Chinese.
| A．用功 | B．捶书 | C．发泄 | D．振作 |
The last sentence in the passage shows that _______.
| A．Tommy felt sorry for the mail |
| B．Tommy was afraid of being nailed |
| C．Tommy didn’t like the plus sign |
| D．Tommy liked playing jokes on others |
From the passage, we can infer (推断) that _______.
| A．teachers should be strict with their students |
| B．mistaking (误解) might do good sometimes |
| C．a catholic school is much better than other ones |
| D．nuns are good at helping children with their math |