【推荐2】Language Learning

Learning a new language can be tricky at any age. But in a recent study, scientists have pinpointed the exact age at which your chances of reaching fluency in a new language seem to quickly drop off: 10. Does this mean you should quit your French class if you’re older than 10? Non!

    1     It found that it’s “nearly impossible” to reach fluency if you start learning a language after age 10. That’s not because language skills start to go downhill. “You’re still learning fast,” says Joshua Hartshorne, one of the study’s coauthors. “It’s just that you run out of time, because your ability to learn starts dropping at around 17 or 18 years old.” People who start learning a new language after age 10 may still become quite good, the authors say.     2    

Kids may be better than adults at learning new languages for many reasons. Children’s brains are more adaptable than those of adults.     3     “All learning involves the brain changing,” Hartshorne says. “Children’s brains seem to be a lot more good at changing.” Kids may also be more willing than adults to try new things. And while adults tend to fall back on the rules and patterns of their first language, kids are able to approach a new one with a blank slate.

    4     It promised to guess people’s native language, dialect, and home country, based on their responses to English grammar questions. At the end of the quiz, people entered their actual native language. They also reported if and when they had learned any other languages and where they had lived. Nearly 670,000 people took the quiz. Analyzing people’s responses and grammar mistakes allowed them to draw conclusions about language learning.

The findings also offer ideas for adults hoping to pick up a new language.     5     Moving to a place where your chosen language is spoken all the time is the best way for adults to learn. Learners of all ages can search out native speakers in their community to talk with. By creating an immersive environment, it’s possible to become good at speaking a new language.

A．Now that’s worth talking about!

B．But they are unlikely to become fluent.

C．The study appeared in the journal Cognition.

D．For the study, the researchers created an online quiz.

E．This means they’re better able to respond to new information.

F．This gave researchers huge amounts of data from English speakers of many ages and backgrounds.

G．Researchers found that people did better when they learned by immersion rather than only in a classroom.

【推荐3】The United States will introduce a new and comprehensive(综合的) exam for students who seek to study in American and other English-speaking countries, Xinhua News Agency reported from New York.

The exam, which stands for a great change from the current English level test, was disclosed by Theresa Chang Wei Jen, associate director of the International Service of the US College Board, America’s leading educational organization.

The Advanced Placement International English Language (APIEL) will be offered for the first time throughout the world on May 10, 2002, said Jen.

However, the APIEL is a strange title to most Chinese students, and it is unlikely to soon gain the similarity of other already existing exams, such as the TOEFL(Test of English as a Foreign Language), the GRE(Graduate Record Examination), or the IELTS(International English Language Testing System).

“I have never heard of such a test and I would prefer the IELTS if I need another exam,” said Xu Jingyan, a graduating student from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, who wants to study in England and has already taken the TOEFL.

Most of Xu’s classmates have never heard of the APIEL. “The APIEL is designed for international students who wish to get university studies in English-speaking countries, including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia.” said Jen.

The APIEL has been adopted, said Jen, because the TOEFL can no longer accurately reflect the abilities of students of using the English language comprehensively in an academic environment. Xinhua reported that a fairly large number of foreign students who earned high scores in TOEFL exam turned out to be very ordinary educational performers after admission.

Compared with the TOEFL, the APIEL measures a student’s ability to read, write, speak and understand English through testing his or her skills in listening comprehension, speaking with accuracy(精确) and resourcefulness, and writing with clarity(清晰) and fluency, Jen said.

1. The United States will introduce a new exam because _______.

A．more and more students want to get further education in the USA

B．the Chinese people pay special attention to English studies with China’s entry into the WTO

C．the already existing exam systems seem to be far from perfect

D．it will bring the US government quite a lot of money

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the selection？

A．It will take quite a period of time for people to accept the APIEL.

B．The TOEFL is more popular with the Chinese than the IELTS.

C．A student will have to take the APIEL if he or she wants to study in English—speaking countries from 2002.

D．Chinese students will prefer the IELTS rather than the APIEL even in the future.

3. The underlined word current in the second paragraph means _______.

A．modern	B．present
C．standard	D．formal

4. Which is the best title for this news report?

A．The Key to English-speaking Countries

B．The Four Skills in Learning English

C．TOEFL, IELTS and GRE to be Out of Date

D．New Exam Designed for Students

【推荐2】The shadow play is a typical traditional entertainment that has survived and thrived over the centuries. It is taken as an earliest ancestor of modern cinema.

Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, Emperor Wu of Han was very depressed about the death of his favorite concubine (妃子). To help him get over his sadness, a minister made a puppet out of cotton and silk in the likeness of the concubine and projected its shadow on a curtain for the emperor to see. The show brought the emperor some comfort. He somehow believed the shadow was his lover's spirit. This is thought to be the beginning of the shadow play.

One mouth tells stories of thousands of years; a pair of hands operate millions of soldiers. This is how the shadow puppeteer works. Nicknamed “the business of the five”， a shadow play group is made up of five people. One operates the puppets, one plays a suona and a yueqin, one plays the banhu, one is in charge of percussion (打击乐器) instruments, and one sings.

During performances, “actors” are held close to a white curtain with their colored shadows cast on it by a strong light from behind. The operator plays five puppets at the same time, each of which has three threads. Ten fingers handle fifteen threads. Moved by guiding sticks, the puppets play roles with musical accompaniment. The popularity of the shadow play in some way lies in the equipment being light and easy to carry, the small number of people needed for a performance, and the flexible requirements for performance places. The plays can be quite dramatic and, when it comes to myths or kung fu stories, the “actors” may be made to ride on clouds or perform unusual feats, to the great enjoyment of the audience, especially children.

The design of the figures follows traditional moral evaluation. The audience can tell a figure's character by seeing his mask. Like the masks in Beijing opera, a red mask represents loyalty and bravery, a black mask, integrity (正直) and selflessness, and a white one, wickedness and betrayal.

Nowadays, the shadow play has been industrialized and developed a series of tourist products for the promotion of Chinese culture and tourism.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．A love story of Emperor Wu of Han.

B．How to please an emperor.

C．The origin of the shadow play.

D．How to make a cotton puppet.

2. According to the author, the audience may take great pleasure ________.

A．when roles are played without music

B．because the equipment is light to carry

C．when the puppets give lively performances

D．because the number of the operators is small

3. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Rapid Development of Beijing Opera

B．Shadow Puppetry: A Traditional Art

C．The Business of the Five: A Shadow Play Group

D．Traditional Characters and Masks in Beijing Opera

4. What is the author's attitude towards the future of the shadow play?

A．Negative.	B．Doubtful.
C．Positive.	D．Unconcerned.

【推荐3】An estimated eight million people in Britain enjoy walking in the Peak District every year. But what many who enjoy outdoor hobbies don’t know is that their “right to walk” was won by men who sacrificed their own freedom to gain access to the countryside for all.
In 1932 wealthy landowners had private use of large areas of uplands for hunting. Walkers were kept out by guards, until a group of 400 people from Manchester and Yorkshire, led by Benny Rothman, engaged on a mass trespass（侵入）. The campaigner was put into prison with four other men.
The event is supported by many with starting a movement that paved the way for the establishment of national parks. Mr Rothman died in 2002 but he is now being honoured for his contribution with the revealing of a blue plaque(匾额) on his former home in Crofton Avenue, Timperley, Greater Manchester.
Retired professor, Harry, who followed in his father’s footsteps by specialising in environmental issues, says: “He was a very optimistic man and he made the best of it when he went to prison. It did’'t put him off campaigning, he went on campaigning on environmental issues most of his life." Mr Rothman did live to see the Countryside Rights of Way Act passed by Parliament in 2000, ensuring the freedom of the countryside for future generations.
Roly Smith, a friend of Mr Rothman and an author of walking guidebooks, said: “It is because of them that we have got what we have today.”
Councillor Jonathan Coupe, of Trafford Council, said: “The honour of having a blue plaque attributed(归因于) to you means you have really made an impression on society.”
“Mr Rothman contributed to the changing of history and it is because of him that we are able to enjoy the local countryside as often and freely as we can today.”
1. What do we know about people in Britain according to Para. 1?

A．They value freedom.

B．They have wide interests.

C．They are fond of hiking.

D．They tend to live in the countryside.

2. A blue plaque was revealed on Mr. Rothman’s former home         .

A．to support his campaign

B．to honor his contribution

C．to remind people of the past

D．to celebrate the establishment of national parks

3. Besides “optimistic”, which of the following best describes Mr. Rothman?

A．Cautious	B．Determined
C．Considerate	D．Ambitious

4. From the last three paragraphs we learn that Mr. Rothman        .

A．has served as a councilor

B．has made achievements in different fields

C．has been highly thought of for his contributions

D．has devoted his life to environment protection

【推荐1】The Right Thing

“Hi, Mrs. Grady,” said Mark when their neighbor opened her door. “Would you like us to shovel your sidewalk and driveway?” Shoveling was Jamie’s idea, a way to earn enough money for the new Ocean Kingdom video game that came out the next day .Mrs. Grady was happy, “That would be wonderful, boys. I think the job is getting to be too much for me.

“It will cost 10 dollars,” Jamie said.” If that’s OK “, Mark added.

“Oh dear, ”Mrs. Grady said disappointedly, “I haven’t been able to get to the bank. I can offer homemade cookies, but I realize that’s not what you had in mind.”

Mark was going to say that Mrs. Grady could pay them another time, but Jamie cut him off. “We’ll come back later.”

Mrs. Grady doesn’t look like the person who’d come to his rescue last summer when Mr. Dunn’s collie, Goldie had just wanted to play, but Mark didn’t feel comfortable around big dogs. He wanted to call for help, but his tongue seemed locked behind his teeth. Then Mrs. Grady’s front door had flown open. She must have seen him from across the street. “Hold on, Mark. I’m coming!” “Goldie” she’d called. As soon as Goldie had turned her head, Mrs. Grady had slipped between Mark and the dog. She wasn’t much taller than Mark, but she’d stood firm as a rock in front of him. “Goldie, go home!” Then she’d swept her broom to hurry the dog along. “ Get!” Goldie had obeyed.

When Mark showed thanks to Mrs. Grady, Mrs. Grady laughed. “It was nothing. Good neighbors watch out for each other, don’t they? ”

And now Mrs. Grady needed Mark as much as he’d needed her last summer. He smiled and waved at Mrs. Grady, then his shovel deep into the snow.

“Hey!” Jamie shouted. “What are you doing?” Mark couldn’t explain about Goldie and watching out for neighbors.” I like Mrs. Grady’s cookies,” he said.

1. Why did Jamie and Mark plan to clear the snow for Mrs. Grady at first?

A．To help the lady	B．To do volunteer work
C．To earn pocket money	D．To visit New Kingdom

2. Mrs. Grady couldn’t pay them most probably because     .

A．she didn’t have enough cash	B．she couldn’t find the bank
C．she thought it was worthless	D．she couldn’t afford it

3. According to the story, which of the following word cannot be used to describe Mrs. Grady?

A．Positive

B．Helpful

C．Hopeful

D．Brave

4. Which of the following proverb can best summarize the story?

A．A clear conscience	B．Kindness is repaid with kindness
C．A penny saved is a penny earned	D．Actions speak louder than work

【推荐3】A former teacher who went on to join the navy discovered the influence his small act of kindness had on one student thanks to a chance meeting years later.

Sharing the story online, the man said while teaching science in 2014 and 2015, there was one girl who sat at the front of the class and was “filled with typical middle school anxiety”. She was quiet and “kept to herself”, but was always writing in a notebook during lessons.

He said, “I decided to look over her shoulder and see what she was writing.” I suck. I’m ugly. I’m stupid. No one likes me. I hate me. etc. ‟Without thinking, I took the notebook from her and started writing in it.” You’re great; you’re beautiful; you’re intelligent; you’re loved, “the opposite of everything she wrote, then handed it back.” He said neither of them made a big deal of it at the time, but she slowly started opening up to him, talking more and coming out of her shell in class.

Fast forward a few years, the teacher was in the navy, serving on the other side of the country. One day when he talked to a woman they discovered they were from the same area. They realized he had taught at the same school her cousin attended and she asked if he remembered teaching her. After telling the story about the notebook, the woman replied, “It is you. She still has that notebook. She looks at it time to time to get her through the tough times.”

In the story he wrote, “I was amazed. I almost started crying right there. Teachers always talk about how rare it is to hear from students in the future about how they influenced them. I only taught for a few years but I really tried and really cared. Even though that path didn’t turn out how I had planned, it’s comforting to know that I did some good in that time.”

1. What attracted the attention of the teacher?

A．The girl was ugly and no one liked her.

B．The girl didn’t speak to her classmates in class.

C．The girl sitting at the front of the class was active.

D．The girl kept quiet and writing in her notebook during lessons.

2. What do the underlined words mean in paragraph 3?

A．No longer feeling inspired.	B．No longer keeping silent.
C．No longer hiding in the shell.	D．No longer writing in a notebook.

3. Why did the author feel amazed?

A．Because his former job did not meet his expectation.

B．Because he only taught for a few years but he succeeded.

C．Because he learned how he had influenced a former student.

D．Because he met the cousin of a student he taught a few years ago.

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Encouragement can make a great difference.

B．It’s unusual that a student lacks confidence.

C．Students usually don’t communicate with their teachers.

D．Almost all students have experienced middle school anxiety.

【推荐1】Researchers at Stanford University have developed a new material that can move heat from buildings into space. The researchers say the material can cool buildings even on hot days.

The cooling material is a new kind of panels that could be placed on a roof like solar panels. However, instead of turning sunlight into energy as solar panels do, the new panels turn heat into infrared radiation (红外线辐射).

Shanhui Fan, a professor at Stanford University, says that the panels have a layer of material that is like sand, serving as a mirror. They take heat from buildings and reflect the light from the sun. Both the heat and sunlight are sent into outer space. Mr. Fan adds, “ They cool themselves without using electricity, even in the sun. So, what they do is send heat into outer space and also reflect the sunlight, so they don`t get heated up by the sun. And they can reduce the indoor temperature by nearly 5 degrees below the temperature outside”

Mr. Fan says it is like having a window into space and the heat is sent directly into space without warming air. Therefore, buildings in developing countries that do not have electricity or air conditioners could use the cooling panels.

The Stanford researchers say the main problem is creating actual cooling systems using the material. They say it may be possible to develop a cooling spray (喷洒) technology. The researchers believe the cooling spray technology could be developed in the next three to five years. They say as much as 15 percent of the energy used in the United States is spent providing power for air conditioning systems.

1. What is the feature of the new panels ?

A．They are more expensive.

B．They cannot turn sunlight into energy.

C．They will become hot under direct sunlight.

D．They can create infrared radiation by themselves.

2. What do we know about the cooling panels?

A．They can warm air when they work.

B．They are cool to touch even in the sun.

C．They are developed to help poor countries.

D．They encourage people to give up air conditioners.

3. How can the cooling panels cool buildings?

A．By reflecting sunlight into space directly.

B．By turning sunlight into infrared radiation.

C．By turning the heat of buildings into energy.

D．By covering buildings so that heat cannot reach them.

4. What is Mr. Fan `s attitude towards the new panels?

A．Negative

B．Doubtful

C．Positive

D．Unconcerned

【推荐2】Whenever we see a button, we are eager to press it because we know something will happen. This is true in most cases, for example on a doorbell and on the “on/off” button on the TV. But some buttons are actually fake, like the “close” button on a lift.

Many people are in the habit of pressing the “close” button because they don’t have the patience to wait for the lift doors to shut. But lifts’ “close” buttons are a complete scam (骗局), at least in the US － the doors will not close any faster no matter how hard you press.

It started in the 1990s when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the US, making sure that all lifts stayed open long enough so that people with disabilities could enter. Only US firefighters and repairmen can use the buttons to speed up the door-closing process if they have a code or special keys.

But to normal lift riders, the buttons aren’t completely useless. According to psychologists, fake buttons can actually make you feel better by offering you a sense of control.

“Perceived (能够感知的) control is very important. It reduces stress and increases well-being,” Ellen J. Langer, a psychology professor, said, “having a lack of control is associated with depression（沮丧）.”

Experts have revealed that a lot of buttons that don’t do anything exist in our lives for this same purpose. For example, many offices in the US have fake thermostats (温度调节器) because people tend to feel better when they think they can control the temperature in their workplace.

Pedestrian(行人) crosswalk buttons don’t live up to their names either. Pressing them used to help make the traffic signals change faster, but that was before computer-controlled traffic signals were introduced.

But psychologists found it interesting that even when people are aware of these little “white lies”, they still continue to push fake buttons because as long as the doors eventually close, it is considered to be worth the effort.

“That habit is here to stay,” John Kounios, a psychology professor, said. “Even though I have real doubts about the traffic light buttons, I always press them. After all, I’ve got nothing else to do while waiting. So why not press the button in the hope that this one will work?”

1. What was the author’s main purpose in writing the article?

A．To analyze the functions of fake buttons.

B．To describe some different kinds of fake buttons.

C．To explore people’s different habits when it comes to pushing buttons.

D．To explain the advantages and disadvantages of fake buttons.

2. In America,the“close”buttons on lifts_______.

A．work only when people press them hard for a while

B．cannot speed up the process of closing the door in any case

C．are fake for the convenience of disabled people

D．were specially designed to give people a sense of control

3. The underlined part“for this same purpose”in Paragraph 6 refers to_______.

A．helping people to build up confidence

B．making people more patient

C．making people with depression feel better

D．giving people perceived control

4. According to John Kounios,people who press fake buttons______.

A．don’t know that what they press is fake

B．should give up this habit

C．consider what they do to be meaningless

D．probably do so to kill time

【推荐3】Over a cup of iced tea at the midtown Radiance Tea House&Books,whose noise is not much louder than a coffee machine's,Gregory Scott Farber,a non-practicing lawyer who works as a research analyst, described SoundPrint he created as"Yelp for noise". SoundPrint allows users to search for and grade restaurants and bars according to their sound level. "laces are getting louder,"Farber said. "People tell me thirty or forty years ago you could go somewhere to eat and expect to have a conversation. "

Farber suffers from permanent hearing loss,caused by meningitis(脑脊膜炎)which he contracted when he was a baby. Like so many great inventions,Farber's invention arose from a desire to find love-or,at least,a place to have a date. "When I was dating,I put a lot of efforts into trying to pick quiet spots,"he said. "I'd google' quiet restaurants'. Then I would show up,but it would be noisy. " His hearing aid helped,but not enough. "Out of curiosity,I started taking decibel(分贝)measurements. "He sent a list of his favorite quiet places to friends in the hearing-loss community,and soon found many requests from his normal-hearing friends.

SoundPrint includes a sound-level meter,so diners and drinkers can take measurements using their smartphones,and upload data to the database. Farber said that the app brings no profit. SoundPrint covers about two thousand cities,though only fifteen have a significant number of users. Farber recently analyzed the data from 2,376 Manhattan restaurants and bars,and the findings are not good for ears. More than 70%of the former and 90%of the latter were rated as"loud"-defined as between 76 and 80 decibels,or as noisy as an air-conditioner.

1. What does Gregory Scott Farber do for a living?

A．He sells hearing aids.

B．He develops computer programs.

C．He defends people in a court of law.

D．He makes a detailed analysis of data.

2. Why did Farber create SoundPrint?

A．Because he wanted to earn more money.

B．Because he could hear nothing without a hearing aid.

C．Because he wanted to help his friends who suffer hearing loss.

D．Because he suffered hearing loss and wanted to find a quiet place for dating.

3. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．SoundPrint can be downloaded to user's phones.

B．SoundPrint can detect noise from air-conditioner.

C．SoundPrint is widely used in 2,000 American cities.

D．SoundPrints can analyze data from restaurants and bars

4. The data collected by SoundPrint showed that ______in Manhattan.

A．restaurants are noisier than bars

B．a large majority of bars are noisy

C．there are more restaurants than bars

D．all the bars are as noisy as air-conditioners