Numbers
Most kids learn how to count on their fingers. However, many people think finger-counting looks a little silly. As kids grow older, their teachers often tell them not to count using their fingers.
But these teachers may be wrong. Scientists now believe it is a great idea for children to count using their fingers. The habit is good for their math study. It’s not hard to see why. By using fingers, an abstract（抽象的）idea becomes easy to understand（理解）. Kids then find it easier to work out difficult math problems.
In fact, there is an area in our brain called the “finger area”. In 2015, a group of US scientists made a study about the area. They found the “finger area” became active when students worked on math problems. This is true even when the students don’t use their fingers. If students are good at finger-counting in the first grade, they will be better at math in the second grade. The ability（能力）to count by using fingers can decide students’ future grades in math tests. Other studies also showed the finger use is good for math ability. For example, some scientists find pianists（钢琴家）are often good at math.
However, ________. That’s why few of them ask students to count on their fingers. Maybe it is time for people to have a new understanding of finger-counting. Teachers should help students of any age develop（开发）their “finger area” by using fingers.
1. Why do many people tell older kids not to count on their fingers?| A．It is too easy. | B．It looks a silly thing. |
| C．It is not good for their brain. | D．It is not helpful for their math study. |
| A．The finger use can’t help with math study. |
| B．Some pianists are good at music and sports. |
| C．The finger area is always active when students study. |
| D．Finger-counting helps students get good grades in math tests. |
| A．School teachers don’t think the finger use is important. |
| B．School teachers also think the finger use is useful. |
| C．Scientists think it’s easier to work out math problems by using fingers. |
| D．School teachers have no idea about the finger use. |
| A．easy and funny | B．easy and useful |
| C．important and useful | D．boring and useless |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Birds are amazing animals. They live in all parts of the planet, from hot deserts to the ice of Antarctica. They fly nonstop for days. They find food easily. One out of five birds migrates (迁徙) . They find safe places to rest.
Insects, fish, and other animals take in chemicals from the environment. Birds eat insects and fish.Some birds cat dead animals. This is giving birds health problems.
| A．Clearly, birds are in trouble. |
| B．Some penguins are dying because of hunger. |
| C．Then what are these chemicals doing to humans? |
| D．According to Morrissey, birds are sending us messages. |
| E．But, unfortunately, all of this is changing in recent years. |
Which animal do you think is "the king of the animals", the elephant, the lion or the tiger? They are all large and strong. But I think the tiger is "the king of the animals". If you watch carefully, you can find some black lines on the tiger's forehead(前额). The lines look like the Chinese word "WANG". The word means "the king of the world" in Chinese.
Most of the tigers come from China and India. Tigers are dangerous animals. They look scary(吓人的). They like eating meat. They have yellow fur with black lines. They usually weigh about 200 to 300kg. Tigers can run fast. They run at a speed of 20 meters per second.
Some people think they are dangerous. But they don't know tigers are in danger now. There are only 20 to 30 wild South China Tigers in China and less than 300 in the world. Lots of people kill them for their fur. We should take action to protect them.
1. Which animal does the writer think is "the king of the animals" ?
| A．The elephant. | B．The lion. |
| C．The tiger. | D．The lion and the tiger. |
| A．王 | B．汪 | C．主 | D．丰 |
| A．Tigers like eating meat. |
| B．All of the tigers come from China. |
| C．Tigers usually weigh about 200 to 300 kg. |
| D．Tigers can run at a speed of 20 meters per second. |
| A．There are less than 20. |
| B．There are only 20 to 30. |
| C．There are less than 200. |
| D．There are less than 300. |
| A．Because the tigers couldn't find enough food to eat. |
| B．Because lots of people kill them for their safety. |
| C．Because lots of people think they are dangerous. |
| D．Because lots of people kill them for their fur. |
【推荐3】There is so much we have to remember and recall every day, from what we learn at school to where we leave our things, etc. If we can’t remember or recall things, we can’t live well.
Remembering and recalling things is an important function of our brain. Memory allows the brain to store information and get it back when required. Our short-term memory can hold a small amount (数量) of information for a short time, while our long-term memory can hold an unlimited amount of information for a long time.
It’s possible we don’t always store information in our memory effectively, maybe because we are in a rush or we don’t think it matters at the time. When we do store information, we often make connections with other things, which helps us recall it later.
It is also possible that memories decay (衰退) over time. As they have not been revisited, their biological “trace (痕迹)” becomes weak. It’s true that if you don’t perform a task for a long period of time, it can be difficult to recall how to do it.
But sometimes even our short-term memory can let us down. Have you ever gone into a room to fetch something only to forget what you wanted when you got there? This is called “The Doorway Effect”. This happens because we change both the physical and mental environments, moving to a different room and thinking about different things.
However, Forgetting is not always a bad thing! It would waste cognitive (认知的) resources if we remembered every detail of the world around us. So it’s also necessary to learn to judge (判断) what is worth remembering and what is not!
根据材料内容，从下面五个选项中选出能填入文中空缺处的最佳选项，使短文意思通顺，内容完整。
| A．If we don’t have these connections, then it can be easier to forget. |
| B．So, if your memory is like a sieve (滤网), it could be because you have too much on your mind. |
| C．So we do need to keep our memory clear by continually using it. |
| D．Then do you know how we remember and recall things? |
| E．Our memory is amazing, but why do we still forget things? |
【推荐1】Our brains believe information automatically — even if it’s false(假的) — because we can learn efficiently this way. “We’re learning false information not because we’re poor learners or not working hard,” says David Rapp, a psychology and education professor at Northwestern University. “In many cases, it’s a useful skill for us to accept what people tell us, because often what people tell us is true.”
When we hear new information, those fresh facts don’t cover what we knew before. We’ll draw on old or new information when the situation comes up. ▲ Short-term memories are easier for our brains to access than facts we heard longer ago, because they’re fresher in our minds-even if they’re wrong. Since we have to think back further to remember old information, we will often ignore it in favor of new information. New information is what we’re currently thinking about or has been recently presented to us, while the old one isn’t as readily available.
We also buy into the facts that seem more reasonable. Often, this means they fit better with what we want to believe, which can explain why people quote（引用）different facts in political debates. Both candidates said something that was objectively true or not, but people would go with what they hope to be true.
Things get even trickier when truth and falsehood coexist in the information. For instance, our brains aren’t sure whether to believe the descriptions of London in Harry Potter. “Don’t look for that train station to Hogwarts, but there might be streets mentioned that are real,” says Dr. Rapp. In fact, our brains can keep track of what’s true or false by mentally tagging（标记）facts as either true or false, but sorting all that information takes time. In many cases, we are unlikely to think critically to get information, especially when we are reading for pleasure.
However, it’s worth putting in the extra effort to have a second thought about the information that seems doubtful. “With the ease that we can look things up on the Internet,” says Dr. Rapp, “there’s no reason not to.” “Seek out reliable sources,” he adds.
1. Which of the following is best for the missing sentence in Para. 2?| A．We always find the information updating fast nowadays. |
| B．From time to time, we fail to remember unimportant things. |
| C．Oftentimes, we use the information we heard most recently. |
| D．We hardly see old information that is different from the truth. |
| A．learn from | B．believe in | C．care about | D．come up with |
| A．To show the information we get can be a mix of true and false. |
| B．To suggest people are unable to think critically when reading. |
| C．To warn readers of the negative influence of false information. |
| D．To explain how typical facts are mentally tagged as true or false. |
| A．Our brains can do very little with false information. |
| B．Short-term memories can cover long-term memories. |
| C．Dr. Rapp calls on people not to depend on the Internet. |
| D．People need to double-check the information they question. |
【推荐2】The famous scientist Stephen Hawking spoke at a science festival in 2017, “We are running out of space and the only places to go to other worlds... Spreading out (扩张) may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves. I believe that humans need to leave the earth.”
Hawking was not alone in this opinion. Many scientists feel that the only way for humans to go far into the future is to take control of other planets. Mars (火星) is one of the most attractive (有吸引力的) places, humans have thought about. NASA, the United Arab Emirates, the private company Space X, and the organization Mars One all have plans to send humans there. “Either we spread the earth to other planets. Or we risk dying out,” Space X founder Elon Musk said.
▲ The most common argument (争论) against spreading is that it’s just too expensive or dangerous. It will take a lot of money and other effort just to get people there, let alone set up a place for them to live. It’s not even clear if humans could survive on Mars.
Maybe all the time and money people would pour into a Mars programme would be better spent on more urgent ones here on the earth, like dealing with a problem while staying here on the earth would be much easier and less expensive than surviving on a new planet.
What’s more, moving to a new planet could harm or destroy (破坏) anything that already lives there. Mars seems deserted, but it could possibly have microbial (微生物的) life. Human visitors may destroy this life or change or damage the environment on Mars forever. Some feel that’s too much of a risk to take.
1. The underlined sentence “Hawking was not alone in this opinion.” means ________.| A．many people like Hawking, so he was not lonely |
| B．Hawking was a great scientist with different opinions |
| C．Hawking’s opinion was widely known by many people |
| D．many people shared the same opinion with Hawking |
| A．Then moving to Mars or other planets is on the plan. |
| B．It is easy for humans to move to Mars or other planets. |
| C．Most of the scientists from different countries support Elon’s ideas. |
| D．But not everyone agrees moving to Mars or other places is such a great plan. |
①There will be more space rubbish.
②It will cost too much money and effort.
③People will put themselves at risk if they live on Mars.
④Humans may destroy the possible life and environment on Mars.
⑤The earth is more comfortable for humans to live on.
| A．①②⑤ | B．①③④ | C．②③④ | D．②④⑤ |
| A．Spread Out or Not | B．Mars or other Planets |
| C．Stephen Hawking’s Prediction | D．Living a Better Life on the Earth. |
【推荐3】As people say, you can’t change the environment, but you can change your own. You can’t change the facts, but you can change attitudes. You can’t control other people, but you can be master of your own. You can’t do everything well, but you can be careful with everything. You can’t control the weather, but you can change your mood. You can’t choose what you look like, but you can show a smile.
One key to success lies in his or her mind. There are some difference between winners and losers. Winners always think troubles and difficulties are due to personal ability and experience. They would like to improve and develop in the right direction. While losers will blame on the opportunity, and the environment injustice (不公). They always complain, wait and give up.
In many cases, a humble (出身卑微的) person looks down upon his own. A person’s appearance and his family may not be mind. If he can’t deal with the mind, how can he deal with more difficult things? No matter what the situation is, a person’s attitude is very important. Emerson said, “A move towards their goals is always people who gave him the whole world to give way.” On the contrary, failure is not because we do not have the strength, but because we can’t stick to ourselves, and always follow others’ examples. We should believe the strength of mind, and now it’s up to you to make the final decision.
1. Although people can’t do everything well, they can choose to ________.| A．be master of their own | B．control other people |
| C．change the environment | D．be careful with everything |
| A．their chances | B．their families | C．their minds | D．their jobs |
| A．complain about | B．think about | C．worry about | D．care about |
| A．It’s important to work quickly. | B．We should always move forward. |
| C．It’s necessary to work for the world. | D．We should give way to people. |
| A．Believe the Power of Mind | B．Follow Other’s Examples |
| C．Have Your Strength | D．Improve the Environment |
阅读下面短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
A
Mr and Mrs Brown have two children, Mike and Liz．The whole family are all busy, so they often leave notes(便条) for each other．Read these four notes of today and answer the following questions.
1. Who should walk the dog today?
| A．Mike |
| B．Mrs Brown |
| C．Liz． |
| D．Mr Brown |
| A．Practicing football． |
| B．Doing his homework |
| C．playing tennis． |
| D．looking for shoes |
考点：日常生活类阅读
| A．Mike’s mother |
| B．Mike’s brother |
| C．the dog in the family |
| D．Mike’s friend |
In my twenties, I had a good job. I was strong and happy. Then I married and had a child. In those days, I didn’t have much time to think. Every day I was busy and worked very hard. And so, I started to get some white hair. The summer of my life passed quickly.
Then the days got shorter. Leaves fell from the trees. My child was a university student, and then an engineer. My home was much quieter. I started walking more slowly. One day I stopped walking. I had more time. I understood this was my autumn, a beautiful time when the trees change color and give us delicious fruits.
But the days kept getting shorter and colder. Winter has come. I am getting older and older. I know I do not have many days left, but I will enjoy them to the end and try to make my winter a warm one.
1. The writer started walking more slowly in the ________ of his life.
| A．spring | B．summer | C．autumn | D．winter |
| A．14. | B．27. | C．61. | D．89. |
| A．Sad. | B．Exciting. | C．Wonderful. | D．Bored. |
| A．The writer was an engineer. | B．The writer has a garden with flowers. |
| C．The writer was always happy as a child. | D．The writer is old and weak, but he still enjoys his life. |
| A．My life | B．Four seasons | C．Four seasons in a year | D．Four seasons in my life |
【推荐3】Do you know why it seems that some people can have enough time to do everything they want, but others can’t? Is it that the first kind of people has less to do? No, it’s much more possible that they are practicing good time management skills.
Time management is hard to practice well. But once done, you will manage time much better. With minor tweaks and little efforts, you can do all you need to do in an effective（有效率的）way.
The key to good time management is to understand the difference between the urgent and the important. “Urgent” tasks need your immediate（立即的）attention, but whether you give that immediate attention may or may not matter（要紧）. “Important” tasks matter, because not doing them may have serious or even bad results.
For example, answering the phone is urgent. If you don’t do it, you may miss something important. However, it may be a stranger who just wants to sell you a phone you don’t need at all. That’s not important.
Going to the dentist（牙医）is important. If you don’t, you may get gum disease. But it’s not urgent. If you leave it too long, however, it may become urgent, because you may get a toothache.
Helping to pick up your brother or sister from school is both urgent and important. If you are not there at the right time, they will keep waiting and worry too much. Seeing Wechat moments（朋友圈）is neither urgent nor important. So why do you put it first?
Knowing the difference between the urgent and the important is the key to managing time well. Try to put your tasks into their right groups. Don’t forget that your health is important. You should pay enough attention to your health even though there are many urgent things to do.
Although it’s not easy to group your tasks properly, try to be a good time manager so that you can have time to spend with the people you love and on the activities you like. The better you manage your time, the more successful you can be.
1. Which of the following is an important task according to the writer?| A．Going to the dentist. | B．Seeing Wechat moments. |
| C．Answering the phone. | D．Buying a new cellphone. |
| A．the ways of managing time |
| B．making a phone call is urgent |
| C．the difference between the urgent and the important |
| D．picking up children from school is urgent and important |
| A．经理 | B．管理人 | C．经纪人 | D．管理 |
| A．How to Manage Time Well? |
| B．How to Make Time for Health? |
| C．The Importance of Making Time for Study |
| D．The Importance of Free Time Management |
Hi Henry,
Thank you for your invitation to visit this week. I’m sorry, but I can’t come. I have a really busy week. This evening I’m going to my cousin’s birthday party. And tomorrow, I have to go to the dentist. (Yuck!) On Wednesday, I’m playing tennis with the school team. And I have to study for my science test on Thursday. On Friday, I’m going to the movies with some friends. Can you come to the movies with us on Friday?
Write soon.Sonia
1. Sonia can come to visit Henry this week.
2. On Monday evening, Sonia is staying at home.
3. On Wednesday, Sonia is playing tennis with the school team.
4. On Friday, Sonia is going to see a movie with her friends.
5. Sonia has a very busy week.
【推荐2】 What do you know about the sea? Everybody knows that the sea looks beautiful when the sun is shining on it. But it becomes very terrible when there is a strong wind. If you study the map of the world, you’ll learn that about three quarters of the world is sea.
Have you ever been at sea? The sea is very deep. In some places the sea is much deeper. The highest mountain in the world is about 9 kilometers high while the deepest place of the sea is almost 11 kilometer deep.
The sea can be very cold. At the top of the sea the water may be warm.But if you go down it becomes colder and colder. In most places of the sea, there are lots of fishes and plants. Some live near the top of the sea. Others live deep down.
You know the sea water is salty. The water of Dead Sea is very salty. It is so salty that swimmers cannot sink! Fish cannot live in the Dead Sea! What a strange sea!
1. The land takes up______of the world.| A．25% | B．75% | C．30% | D．45% |
| A．The sea looks beautiful when it is calm |
| B．The sea is 6 kilometers in depth on average (平均) |
| C．The sea becomes very horrific（可怕的） when there is a strong wind |
| D．The Dead Sea is so salty that nothing can live in it. |
| A．the more comfortable he feels | B．the warmer he feels |
| C．the cooler he feels | D．the colder he feels |
| A．Most of the plants and fishes live near the top of the sea |
| B．Some of the plants and fishes live near the top of the sea. |
| C．Few of the plants and fishes live near the top af the sea |
| D．Most of the plants and fishes live near deep down of the sea |
| A．There are many kinds of fishes in it |
| B．It is a safe place for the swimmers |
| C．No fish can be found in it |
| D．It is very salty |
【推荐3】Tokyo（东京）may be one of those places that you love and hate（憎恨）at the same time. In Tokyo, there are always too many people in the places where I want to go. There are also too many cars. Tokyo drivers often spend a long time in the busy street, just like drivers in London, Paris and New York.
Tokyo also has a lot of people on foot, and sometimes it is really difficult to walk in the street. The worst time in the street is at 11：30 at night. That is because the nightclubs are closing at that time and everybody wants to go home then. There are 35, 000 nightclubs in Tokyo, and usually none（没有一个）of them is empty at night.
During the day, most people go to work by train. Six million train tickets are sold（被销售）every year in Tokyo. At most stations, trains arrive every two or three minutes, but at certain hours it is not enough at all. Although（尽管）trains are always crowded, they are very good in many ways. They always leave and arrive on time. In London, trains, you may see everybody reading a newspaper. But in Tokyo trains, everybody seems to be sleepy, no matter（不管；无论）whether（是否）his journey is long or short. If you stand outside the station for five minutes, there will be three fire engines going past you. They are on the way to one of the fires that Tokyo has every day. Tokyo has so many surprises that none of them can really surprise me now.
1. In London, Paris and New York, there are _________ in the street.| A．a few trains | B．many trains | C．too many cars | D．no cars |
| A．don't often leave and arrive on time | B．are not crowded |
| C．are good for sleep | D．are the important traffic tools（工具）for Japanese |
| A．敞篷车 | B．越野车 | C．洒水车 | D．消防车 |
| A．The writer like Tokyo more than he hates. |
| B．The writer hates Tokyo more than he likes. |
| C．The writer wants to leave Tokyo as soon as possible. |
| D．The writer has got used to the life in Tokyo. |
| A．The best time in the street is at 11：30 pm. Because there are few people. |
| B．During the day, most people go to work by train. |
| C．Trains arrive every two or three minutes in Tokyo. |
| D．There are about 35, 000 nightclubs in Tokyo. |
