【推荐1】Learning New Vocabulary During Deep Sleep

Sleeping time is sometimes considered unproductive time. This raises the question whether the time spent during sleeping could be used more productively, e. g. for learning a new language? Sleep research to date focused on the stabilization and strengthening of memories that had been formed during previous wakefulness. However, learning during sleep has rarely been examined.

There is considerable evidence for wake-learned information undergoing revision by a replay in the sleeping brain. The replay during sleep strengthens the still weak memory traces and embeds (嵌入) the newly acquired information in the preexisting store of knowledge. If the replay during sleep improves the storage of wake-learned information, then first-play, i.e. the initial processing of new information,   should also be possible during sleep.

The research group of Katharina Henke examined whether a sleeping person is able to form new semantic associations between played foreign words and translation words during the brain cells’ active states, the so-called “Up-states”. It turned out to be that what they thought was reasonable. When we reach deep sleep stages, our brain cells progressively coordinate their activity. During deep sleep, the brain cells are commonly active for a brief period of time before they jointly enter into a state of brief inactivity. The active state is called “Up-state” and the inactive state “Down-state”. The two states alternate (交替) about every half-second.

New evidence for sleep-learning challenges current theories of sleep and theories of memory. The concept of sleep as an encapsulated (被概括的) mental state, in which we are separated from the physical environment is no longer reasonable. “We could disprove that complex learning be impossible during deep sleep,” says Simon Ruch, co-first-author. “In how far and with what consequences deep sleep can be applied to the acquisition of new information will be a topic of research in upcoming years, ” says Katharina Henke.

The research group of Katharina Henke is part of the Interfaculty Research Cooperation (IRC). Thirteen research groups in medicine, biology, psychology and information science are part of the IRC. The aim of these research groups is to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in sleep, consciousness and cognition.

1. What can be inferred from Paragraph 3?

A．“Up-state” and “Down-state” appear in turn during deep sleep.

B．“Up-states” is another name for the brain cells’ active states.

C．Semantic associations are important for language learning.

D．The brain cells’ active states are central for sleep-learning.

2. What will researchers do within several years according to the passage?

A．Make study in the following fields such as medicine and biology.

B．Separate us from the physical environment.

C．Apply deep sleep to information learning.

D．Discover the concept of sleep.

3. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce a new way of vocabulary learning.

B．To gain a better understanding of the mechanisms.

C．To challenge current theories of sleep and theories of memory.

D．To explain the possibility of vocabulary learning during deep sleep.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A novel.

B．A guidebook.

C．A scientific research website.

D．A diary.

【推荐2】How to Improve Your Study Habits

Perhaps you are an average student with average intelligence. You do well enough in school, but you probably think you will never be a top student.     1    . You can receive better grades if you want to. Yes, even students of average intelligence can be top students without additional work. Here come some tips on how to make it.

1.     2    . Make a list of your weekly tasks. Then make a schedule or chart of your time. Fill in committed time such as eating, sleeping, meetings, classes, etc. Then decide on good, regular times for studying.     3    . Of course, studying shouldn't occupy all of the free time on the schedule. It's important to set aside time for relaxation, hobbies, and entertainment as well. This weekly schedule may not solve all of your problems, but it will make you more aware of how you spend your time.

2. Seek a good place to study. A good learning environment is vital for your efficiency.     4    , but it should be comfortable, and it should not have distractions. When you begin to work, you should be able to concentrate on the subject.

3. Skim before you read. This means looking over a passage quickly before you begin to read it more carefully.    5    . Later when you begin to read you will recognize less important material and you may skip some of these portions. Skimming helps double your reading speed and improves your comprehension as well.

A．Plan your time carefully

B．Save as much time as possible

C．It may be a desk or a chair at home or in the school library

D．You can choose a fixed place for your study area

E．As you preview the material, you get some idea of the content and how it is organized

F．Be sure to set aside enough time to complete your normal reading and work assignments

G．This is not necessarily the case, however

【推荐3】Technology is widely available to students in classrooms across the United States, a new study shows. Nearly nine in ten U. S. public school students say they use digital learning (数字化学习) tools at least a few days a week. And more than half of those who were questioned said they used digital technology to learn.

In the new survey, digital learning tools means technology. It includes websites, application software programs, and online classes, games, videos and programs. The survey found that classroom technology gets high marks from educators. At least eight in ten teachers and school leaders say they see great value in using classroom technology tools now and in the future.

When it comes to preparing students for future careers (职业), the study found that educators are likely to say technology is more effective than non-digital tools for connecting learning to students’ careers.

Derek Kelley of Virginia agrees. He manages technology for Fairfax County Public Schools, which serves nearly 200,000 students. He said, “The important thing is to help prepare the students for real world experience and knowledge about technology is something students need.”

In the report, more than half of the special education teachers questioned said technology could help their students. Tony Daniel, a special education teacher, agrees with that. He teaches children with learning difficulties at the Springfield Estates Elementary School in Springfield, Virginia.

Nearly all pupils say digital learning tools are fun. Most say the technology helps them learn things on their own and at their own speed.

Almost three-fourths of secondary students say the technology tools help them learn things on their own. Over 50% said they make school more interesting. 42% would like to use it more often at school, and only 8% said they would like to use them less. One thing everyone agrees on is that technology is here to stay in American classrooms.

1. What do educators think of technology according to paragraph 3?

A．It saves a lot of learning time for students.

B．It mixes education with career more effectively.

C．It offers much fun to students in learning process.

D．It makes teachers and students communicate more easily.

2. What can digital learning tools do for pupils?

A．Offer them high marks.	B．Force them to learn at home.
C．Speed up their physical growth.	D．Help them learn with their own steps.

3. What are the figures (数字) in the last paragraph about?

A．Students of different grades.	B．The advantages of technology.
C．Students’ views on technology.	D．The development of technology.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Technology Will Replace Traditional Teaching

B．Technology Completely Changed Our Society

C．Educators and Students Admit Technology Value

D．The Use of Technology in Teaching Is under Discussion

【推荐1】We have to make certain our limited money is well spent. But what should we spend our money on? A 20-year study conducted by Dr. Gilovich, a professor at Cormell University, reached a powerful and direct conclusion: don’t spend your money on things.

The trouble with things is that the happiness they provide peters out. We get used to new belongings, and what once seemed exciting quickly becomes normal. We keep raising the bar and always look for an even better one. Belongings, by their nature, cause comparisons. We buy a new car and are thrilled with it until a friend buys a better one—and there’s always someone with a better one. Most of us usually assume that the happiness we get from buying something will last as long as the thing itself. It seems intuitive(直觉的) that spending money on something we can see, hear, and touch on a lasting basis delivers the best value. But it’s not the case at all.

Gilovich has found that experiences deliver more-lasting happiness than things. Experiences become a part of our identity. Everyone’s experience is unique. We are not our belongings, but we are the total of everything we’ve seen, the things we’ve done, and the places we’ve been to. “Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods,” said Gilovich. “You can really like your material goods. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences.”

Besides, we don’t compare experiences in the same way that we compare things. It’s hard to measure the relative value of any two experiences, which makes them that much more enjoyable. And expectation of an experience causes excitement and enjoyment, while expectation of acquiring some goods causes impatience. Experiences are enjoyable from the very first moments of planning, all the way through to the memories you keep. The temporary happiness achieved by buying things can be regarded as “puddles(水坑) of pleasure.” In other words, that kind of happiness dies away and leaves us wanting more. Things may last longer than experiences, but the memories that remain are what matter most.

1. Which one can replace the underlined phrase “peters out” ?

A．is too little

B．disappears slowly

C．is not real

D．costs too much

2. What does Gilovich think of experiences?

A．Experiences deliver less-lasting happiness than things.

B．Experiences can exist in our memory forever.

C．We are only a part of our experiences.

D．Our experiences are what separate us from others.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Experiences can be compared with each other.

B．Expecting an experience increases our feeling of anxiety.

C．People are more likely to be impatient when buying things.

D．Spiritual wealth is the most valuable for us.

4. Which is the main idea of the passage?

A．How can we gain happiness with money?

B．How can we make happiness last long?

C．Why should we spend money on experiences instead of things?

D．Why do experiences achieve more lasting happiness than things?

【推荐3】No one knows for sure when advertising first started.It is possible that it grew out of the discovery that some people did certain kinds of work better than others did them.That led to the concept of specialization，which means that people would specialize，or focus，on doing one specific job.
Let’s take a man we’ll call Mr.Fielder，for example.He did everything connected with farming.He planted seeds，tended the fields，and harvested and sold his crops.At the same time，he did many other jobs on the farm.However，he didn’t make the bricks for his house，cut his trees into boards，make the plows(犁), or any of the other hundreds of things a farm needs.Instead，he got them from people who specialized in doing each of those things.
Suppose there was another man we shall call Mr.Plowright.Using what he knew about farming and working with iron，Mr.Plowright invented a plow that made farming easier.Mr.Plowright did not really like farming himself and wanted to specialize in making really good plows.Perhaps，he thought，other farmers will trade what they grow for one of my plows.
How did Mr.Plowright let people know what he was doing？Why，he advertised，of course.First he opened a shop and then he put up a sign outside the shop to attract customers.That sign may have been no more than a plow carved into a piece of wood and a simple arrow pointing to the shop door.It was probably all the information people needed to find Mr.Plowright and his really good plows.
Many historians believe that the first outdoor signs were used about five thousand years ago.Even before most people could read，they understood such signs.Shopkeepers would carve into stone，clay，or wood symbols for the products they had for sale.
A medium，in advertising talk，is the way you communicate your message.You might say that the first medium used in advertising was signs with symbols.The second medium was audio，or sound，although that term is not used exactly in the way we use it today.Originally，just the human voice and maybe some kind of simple instrument，such as a bell，were used to get people’s attention.
A crier，in the historical sense，is not someone who weeps easily.It is someone，probably a man，with a voice loud enough to be heard over the other noises of a city.In ancient Egypt，shopkeepers might hire such a person to spread the news about their products.Often this earliest form of advertising involved a newly arrived ship loaded with goods.Perhaps the crier described the goods，explained where they came from，and praised their quality.His job was，in other words，not too different from a TV or radio commercial in today’s world.
1. What probably led to the start of advertising?

A．The discovery of iron.

B．The specialization of labor.

C．The appearance of new jobs.

D．The development of farming techniques.

2. To advertise his plows，Mr.Plowright________.

A．praised his plows in public

B．placed a sign outside the shop

C．hung an arrow pointing to the shop

D．showed his products to the customers

3. The writer makes up the two stories of Mr.Fielder and Mr.Plowright in order to________.

A．explain the origin of advertising

B．predict the future of advertising

C．expose problems in advertising

D．provide suggestions for advertising

4. In ancient Egypt，a crier was probably someone who ________.

A．owned a ship

B．had the loudest voice

C．ran a shop selling goods to farmers

D．functioned like today’s TV or radio commercial

5. The last two paragraphs are mainly about ________.

A．the history of advertising

B．the benefits of advertising

C．the early forms of advertising

D．the basic design of advertising

【推荐1】Our culture is the system we use to build our identity. All living things are part of a culture. Even animals have a culture! So what is culture? It’s the way we behave in a group. It begins with each individual family. Within our families we do things to build relationships with each other. This can include routines like daily housework and weekly shopping. It also includes traditions. Traditions are activities that are repeated on a regular basis.

Culture is not limited to individual family groups. The real strength of culture is in larger community groups. These larger groups are called societies. Every society makes rules for itself. It decides how people should act in different situations. Some of these rules are written down. Some are just things that are naturally expected of all members of that society.

Often, cultures can be recognized by what the people believe. Cultures are also known by what they choose to include in their art. Sometimes a society forms around people who speak the same language. Cultures may also be known for their customs, including the foods they make and the things they do.

Our cultures help us understand who we are and what we believe. There are very strong feelings connecting us to our own society. Two different cultures may disagree on something, especially if they both feel strongly about it. When that happens, war is a common result.

People are learning better ways to communicate with each other. The more we learn, the more we appreciate the differences in cultures.

1. The underlined word “routines” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _______.

A．personal hobbies	B．personal behaviors
C．family activities	D．daily activities

2. Where does the real strength of culture?

A．In arts.

B．In societies.

C．In families.

D．In languages.

3. Which of the following may the author disagree with according to the passage?

A．Culture doesn’t exist in animals.

B．Culture is the way we behave.

C．Culture may not agree with each other.

D．Culture help us understand ourselves.

4. How can people appreciate cultural differences?

A．By building a wall.	B．By preparing to fight.
C．By communicating.	D．By making friends.

【推荐2】Scientists have made great discoveries. But how have they influenced our personal lives? Do kids in your classroom even know when Einstein lived? You may be wondering: but why is it important to teach kids about modern-day scientists?

First, stories of scientists can encourage kids. Chris Hadfield is a Canadian who went to space, and he’s a real guitar-playing person. He makes singing videos on YouTube! His story can make kids think scientists are also common people. Hearing scientists’ stories makes kids think “I can do that too!”

But not only that, the stories of famous scientists can encourage kids to never give up. Bill Nye was always refused when trying to be an astronaut. But today, he’s made a lot of successes in his role as a popular science educator and engineer. Besides, it’s no secret that scientific discoveries require trying, and trying again.

Another way some scientists can encourage kids is through their diversity (多样性). Neil deGrasse Tyson, for example, is an African-American, which is not common in his field. Such stories can make kids think anyone can be a scientist.

It’s important to know that scientists don’t need to be “gifted” or “good” at school.

Often we consider a scientist as being an extremely smart kid at school. That doesn’t have to be true. They just need to have a great interest in science. Telling students stories of scientists can encourage them to show interest in science. As long as they’re interested, they are likely to become a scientist in the future.

Modern scientists teach kids that knowledge builds upon the foundation (基础) others have laid. This is important — no one can do it alone. Scientists’ stories can encourage today’s young scientists to keep trying. They’ll be encouraged not to give up on the dream of making discoveries. Even if they haven’t made important discoveries, their research may help the following scientists.

1. What can Chris Hadfield’s story tell students?

A．Scientists are interested in different things.

B．Students should have a hobby of their own.

C．Scientists can be ordinary like people around us.

D．Students should consider scientists as their models.

2. Which of the following would the author agree with?

A．African-Americans are more likely to become scientists.

B．Scientists are not necessarily very smart at school.

C．Not all scientists really show interest in science.

D．Scientists are usually good at their schooling.

3. The last paragraph shows us that________.

A．scientists should help each other

B．a scientist should never give up trying

C．making discoveries is necessary for scientists

D．new scientific discoveries may depend on others’ findings

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Why scientists are important to us.

B．Why scientists can encourage students.

C．Why students love stories of scientists.

D．Why students should be taught about scientists.