2 . We all know what a brain is. A doctor will tell you that the brain is the organ (器官) of the body in the head. But a brain can mean so much more.

To tease is to make fun of someone. But a brainteaser is not one who makes fun of someone else’s brain. A brainteaser is a puzzle that makes you think.

To understand the next brain expression you first need to know the word “drain”. As a verb, to drain means to remove something by letting it flow away. So, a brain drain may sound like a disease where the brain flows out the ears. But a brain drain is when a country’s most educated people leave their country to live in another.

Next, we have a brainchild. A brainchild sounds like a really smart kid. But it isn’t. A brainchild is an idea that one has without any help from others. If you have a really great idea, it is your brainchild — no one else’s.

However, if many people are responsible for a great idea, you can say they brainstormed it. It is a process of thinking creatively about a difficult topic. For example, business leaders may use brainstorming to create new products.

But if you can’t find a solution to a problem, you may have to rack your brains. In this way, you may find a solution. Sometimes, you have to rack your brains, trying to remember someone’s name.

Now, if people are brainwashed, it does not mean their brains are nice and clean. To brainwash means to make someone accept new ideas by using repeated pressure in a forceful way. Keep in mind that brainwash is never used in a positive way.

1. What can we learn about a brain drain?

A．It refers to a brain disease.	B．It means a very difficult puzzle.
C．It may put a country at a disadvantage.	D．It means something that flowed away.

2. Which of the following explains the saying that they brainstormed the idea?

A．They got the idea quickly.	B．They thought up the idea together.
C．They thought poorly about the idea.	D．They didn’t know how to use the idea.

3. What does the underlined phrase “rack your brains” mean?

A．Think hard.	B．Become smarter.
C．Create new things.	D．Touch your head.

4. How does a man do if he is brainwashed?

A．He thinks very clearly now.	B．He looks at things passively.
C．He is under a lot of pressure.	D．He is forced to accept new things.

3 . Benefits of Reading to a Dog

Here are five great reasons why your kid should read to a dog.

Dogs create a stress-free environment

It's hard to be really stressed(焦虑) around a cozy, friendly dog. Classrooms can be tense for kids who aren't great readers or presenters.     1    

Your kid won't even know she's building her vocabulary

    2    Without even knowing it, she'll be building her vocabulary, becoming more interested in books and improving her oral skills. Kids may also become more active to read aloud in other settings, as they get better at reading out loud to a dog.

A confidence-booster(增幅器)

Dogs are nonjudgmental. Kids will feel less self-conscious about reading aloud to them rather than, say, a judgmental human being.    3     .Thus they will be less afraid to read aloud in class.

Dogs like what your kid likes

Wanna talk about video games? Woof! Mermaids? Woof! A favourite cartoon? Woof! Dogs are interested in whatever your kid is interested in.

    4     They're not going to roll their eyes when your kid reads the Pokemon Go manual to them for the hundredth time. In fact, they'll just woof for more.

Petting a dog reduces stress and can even improve movement skills

Just grooming(梳毛)can help to improve a child's movement skills.

    5    Petting or hugging a dog also provides valuable breaks in reading, which gives children a chance to process what they've just read.

A．It's also been proven to reduce anxiety

B．They'll listen for hours and never get bored

C．Reading to a dog makes the whole situation less stressful

D．Keeping a dog as a pet also improve a child's confidence

E．As kids read to a dog, they feel as if they're in a formal environment.

F．Kids who read out loud to dogs become more confident in their reading skills

G．Reading to a friendly dog is a great way for your child to practice her pronunciation

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

I’m not Chinese, but I love Chinese New Year. There are many fun New Year     1     (celebrate), but nothing quite matches the excitement of the lion dance which can wake up the spirit     2     (complete).

The sound of the drums,       3     you can feel throughout your entire body, is quite inspiring. The two performers are very flexible. But it is actually very difficult as the lion head is very heavy and being the     4     (low)part of the lion is tiring as he has to bend his back and also carry     5     person in front sometimes. The lion head is made with paper over a bamboo frame,       6     (cover)in gauze (纱布), and decorated with beautifully-colored materials.

The lion dance     7     (believe)to have first appeared in the Qianlong Emperor's dream during his Southern tour, and he ordered an animal     8     (make)in the likeness of his description and used in festivals from then on.

I love all about the lion dance. The other day, I saw a film about a left-behind teenager who insisted on pursuing his dreams despite difficulties and     9     (succeed)in lion dance. As Master Xu translates: “Heaven has made us talents; we’re not made     10     vain.”