1 . Are you preparing for a big test? If so, you may want to go playing some basketball in between hitting the books. Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and Science University, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels (血管), including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr Cameron is sure that this allows people who exercise to think better. As she says, “while we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can actually cause physical changes in the brain.”
The effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. Even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a scientist, also believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in primary school or high school can result from a lack of movement as babies. “Babies need movement that encourages and excites their five senses. They need to set up a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to connect physical activity with higher learning，” says Margaret.
Older people can develop their brains as well. Cornell University studied a group of seniors who have a shortterm memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for babies exercise for older people should not be too simple. Learning some new skills or actions, such as with yoga or taichi helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time. For most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main aim is to increase the brain’s flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as two to three hours of exercise a week.
1. What is the connection between exercise and brain development?| A．Exercise helps make our blood vessels. |
| B．Physical exercise helps us think better. |
| C．Exercise prevents us having brain diseases. |
| D．More physical exercises enlarge our brains. |
| A．Whether they are excited or not depends on movements. |
| B．A lack of movement results from their learning disabilities. |
| C．The more frequently they move, the cleverer they become. |
| D．The more activities they do, the greater their brains develop. |
| A．It helps them memorise quicker. |
| B．It decreases the heart rate. |
| C．It includes learning new actions. |
| D．It can be done in groups. |
| A．3 hours per week. | B．4.2 hours per week. |
| C．1 hour per day. | D．40 hours per month. |
2 . The biggest challenge faced by travelers, especially those who like to have a backpacking trip is how to ensure a steady supply of clean clothes. Now, thanks to a great invention called Scrubba Wash Pack, that worry may be a thing of the past.
The portable washing machine was invented by Ash Newland in 2010, while he was planning to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Struck by the limited packing space, he got inspiration from traditional washboards to create a bag that could be used to clean clothes. Then he quitted his career as a lawyer and focused on perfecting the bag’s design. By 2012, the bag was ready for the public. It weighed only 180 grams and required very little storage space, making it perfect for anyone wishing to travel light.
Not surprisingly, the bag which was worth 55 dollars was an instant hit with travelers, university students and even passengers. However, Newland was not satisfied. He still saw a disadvantage of his invention—dirty clothes had to be carried around in a separate bag! The recently introduced Scrubba Wash Pack solves that problem.
In order to make the pack active, dirty clothes are placed inside the bag along with two or three liters of water. The bag is then shut tightly to ensure all air is squeezed out and the clothes are massaged (按摩揉洗) for a few minutes. After a quick wash, they are clean and ready to be dried. According to Newland, the pack can clean anything from jeans to smelly socks! What's even more amazing is that with a capacity to hold 13 liters of water, it can be used to wash more clothes at a time.
The best part is that the 99-dollar pack that will be available for sale later this year, only weighs 300 grams and is completely foldable, making it easy to store when it’s not in use. With the Scrubba Wash Pack, wandering through foreign cities searching for a washing shop, or paying for washing machines may soon be a thing of the past!
1. What led Ash Newland to create the Scrubba Wash Pack?| A．His job requirements. |
| B．His career as a lawyer. |
| C．His interest in invention. |
| D．His personal experience. |
| A．Clothes couldn’t be washed well. |
| B．The invention was not so convenient. |
| C．The bag was not beautiful and fashionable. |
| D．The cost of the invention was very high. |
| A．turns out to be not environmentally friendlier |
| B．will replace the traditional washing machines |
| C．will be widely used by more travelers in the future |
| D．can encourage all people to travel a long distance |
3 . Diana Ross, American pop singer and actress, achieved international popularity, first as the leader singer of the Supremes and later as a solo(独唱的) artist. Diana Ross was born on March 26, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan. She was the second of six children of Fred and Ernestine Ross, who lived in one of Detroit’s poor districts. Because her family were closely connected with each other,Ross almost didn't notice the difficult life as she grew up.
Ross professional career began in 1959, when she joined several neighborhood friends to form the Primettes. The group was renamed the Supremes after signing a recording contract (合同) with Motown late the following year. The group produced many number-one hit singles (热门单曲) on the US Billboard hot 100, including Baby Love, Stop! In The Name of Love and Someday We Will Be Together. In 1967, the group was renamed Diana Ross and the Supremes, foreshadowing（预示） Ross’solo career,which she started in 1970.
Beginning with Ain’t No Mountain High Enough from her first solo album, Ross enjoyed more than ten years of great success with her hit singles. Ross also developed a film-acting career in the 1970s, beginning with a starring role as blues singer Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues and continuing with Mahogany, for which she also recorded the theme song Do You Know Where You’re Going To.
However, in the mid-1980s, Ross saw her career begin to wane. Most of her albums were re-recordings of earlier material. In 2006, she produced I Love Y ou, a collection of love songs by many artists, and she started an energetic concert tour the following year to make the album publicly known. Although you can’t find her songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 now, Ross remains popular as one of the leading musical performers of all time.
1. According to the passage, the Supremes ____.| A．had to break up in 1967 |
| B．used to be named the Primettes |
| C．was made up of Ross and her classmates |
| D．signed a contract with Motown in 1959 |
| A．Baby love. |
| B．Stop! In the name of love. |
| C．Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. |
| D．Someday We’ll Be Together. |
| A．It was the theme song of Mahogany. |
| B．It was one of Ross’No.1 hit singles. |
| C．It was sung by a blues singer. |
| D．It was from Ross’first film. |
| A．Develop faster. |
| B．End quickly. |
| C．Start again. |
| D．Become weaker. |
