Frederic Mishkin, who's been a professor at Columbia Business School for almost 30 years, is good
at solving problems and expressing ideas. Whether he's standing in front of a lecture hall or engaged in a
casual conversation, his hands are always waving and pointing. When he was in graduate school, one of
his professors was so annoyed by this constant gesturing that he made the young economist sit on his
hands whenever he visited the professor's office.
     It turns out, however, that Mishkin's professor had it exactly wrong. Gesture doesn't prevent but
promotes clear thought and speech. Research demonstrates that the movements we make with our hands when we talk form a kind of second language, adding information that's absent from our words. It's
learning's secret code: Gesture reveals what we know. It reveals what we don't know. What's more, the
agreement (or lack of agreement) between what our voices say and how our hands move offers a clue to
our readiness to learn.
     Many of the studies establishing the importance of gesture to learning have been conducted by Susan
Goldin-Meadow, a professor of psychology at the University of Chicago. "We change our minds by
moving our hands," writes Goldin-Meadow in a review of this work. Particularly significant are what she
calls "mismatches" between oral expression and physical gestures. A student might say that a heavier ball
falls faster than a light one, for example, but make a gesture indicating that they fall at the same rate, which
is correct. Such differences indicate that we're moving from one level of understanding to another. The
thoughts expressed by hand motions are often our newest and most advanced ideas about the problem
we're working on; we can't yet absorb these concepts into language, but we can capture them in
movement.
     Goldin-Meadow's more recent work strews not only that gesture shows our readiness to learn, but
that it actually helps to bring learning about. It does so in two ways. First, it elicits (引出) helpful behavior
from others around us. Goldin-Meadow has found that adults respond to children's speech-gesture
mismatches by adjusting their way of instruction. Parents and teachers apparently receive the signal that
children are ready to learn, and they act on it by offering a greater variety of problem-solving techniques.
The act of gesturing itself also seems to quicken learning, bringing new knowledge into consciousness and
aiding the understanding of new concepts. A 2007 study by Susan Wagner Cook, an assistant professor
of psychology at the University of Iowa, reported that third-graders who were asked to gesture while
learning algebra (代數(shù)) were nearly three times more likely to remember what they'd learned than
classmates who did not gesture.

1. According to Paragraph 1, Frederic Mishkin was asked to sit on his hands because ____.  

A. he could litter express his ideas that way
B. he always pointed his finger at his professor
C. his professor did not like his gesturing
D. his gestures prevented his professor from thinking

2.  How is gesturing important in acquiring knowledge? 

A. It draws tasteful responses from others and increases learning speed.
B. It promotes second language learning and quickens thinking.
C. It provides significant clues for solving academic problems.
D. It reduces students' reliance on teachers' instruction.

3. What can be inferred from the passage about gesture-speech mismatches?   

A. They can stimulate our creativity.
B. Instructors should make full use of them.
C. Teachers can hardly explain new concepts without them.
D. They serve as a stepping stone to solving real life problems.

4. What could be the best title of the passage?

A. Hand Motions, a Second Language      
B. Gesturing: Signal of Understanding
C. New Uses of Gesturing                    
D. The Secret Code of Learning

     It doesn't come as a surprise to you to realize that it makes no difference what you read or study if
you can't remember it.You just waste your valuable time.  1  One dependable aid that does help you
remember what you study is to have a specific purpose or reason for reading.
     Why does a clerk in a store go away when your reply to her offer to help is, "No, thank you.I'm just
looking."? Both you and she know that if you aren't sure what you want, you are not likely to find it. But
suppose you say instead, "Yes, thank you.I want a pair of sun glasses." She says, "Right this way, please"
  2    If you choose a book, "just looking" for nothing in particular, you are likely to get just that-nothing.
But if you do know what you want, you are almost sure to get it.Your reasons will vary; they will include
reading or studying "to find out more about", "to understand the reasons for" and "to find out how".
  3    Before you start to study, you say to yourself something like this, "I want to know why Stephen
Vincent Benet happened to write about America".Because you know why you are reading or studying,
you relate the information to your purpose and remember it better.
       4    At least two important processes go on at the same time. As you read, you take in ideas rapidly
and accurately. But at the same time you express your own ideas to yourself as you react to what you
read.You have a kind of mental conversation with the author.
     This additional process of thinking about what you read includes evaluating it, relating it to what you
already know, and using it for your own purposes.   5    One part of critical reading, as you have
discovered, is distinguishing between facts and opinions.Facts can be checked by evidence, Opinions are
one's own personal reactions.Another part of critical reading is judging sources.Still another part is
drawing accurate inferences.

A. Maybe you have already discovered some clever ways to keep yourself from forgetting.
B. It is important for students to have a positive attitude to their study.
C. You remember better when you know what you' re reading.
D. In other words, a good reader is a critical reader.
E. It's quite the same with your studying.
F. Reading is not one single activity.
G. This is the way it works.

Complete preparation course for the TOEIC test.
●See your estimated TOEIC score level.
●See your strengths and weaknesses and focus your training.
●Our unique training coach shows you exactly what to learn.
●Your own private teacher will help you even more by email.
Exercises and short practice tests to focus on weaknesses.
●Over 1,500 specific exercises for each type of TOEIC question.
●Answer review so you can see your mistakes and learn.
●Short practice tests during training to estimate your level.
●The course sets a training plan specifically for your needs and level.
Clever tips and advice make the TOEIC test easier.
●Clever tips to help you score higher in the TOEIC test.
●Advice about the TOEIC question methods and what could con{use you.
●Advice on how to answer the TOEIC questions more quickly.
●Information to plan a strategy for a higher TOEIC score.
Get accustomed to a TOEIC test.
●Simulate (模擬) 2 hour TOEIC test; randomly chosen from over 1,500 questions.
●Thousands of different simulated tests.
●Simulate the feeling of sitting the real TOEIC test.
●Review your answers and where you made mistakes.
●Practice your strategy, timing and gain an advantage.
Extra English language exercises for an even higher TOEIC score.
●Over 3,000 grammar, tense and vocabulary exercises.
●Business phrase and jargon (術(shù)語(yǔ)) exercises.
●English word pair, synonym (同義詞) and phrasal verb exercises.
●English idiom and idiomatic phrase exercises.
●All with teacher explanations and review to see your mistakes.
●Core skill intensive reading practice exercises.
●Plus much more...

1. The preparation course for the TOEIC test ______.

A. will offer students useful test-taking suggestions
B. only can be studied in the classroom
C. doesn't need students to do exercises
D. offers students chances to get together

2. We can be familiar with the TOEIC test by ______.

A. setting a training plan for our level
B. focusing on our own weaknesses
C. taking lots of simulated tests
D. remembering business phrases and jargons

3. For what purpose is the passage written?

A. To persuade students to take the TOEIC test.
B. To introduce TOEIC test preparation course.
C. To inform the public of the TOEIC test.
D. To offer teachers education information.

4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an advantage of the course?

A. It helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses.
B. Students can communicate with teachers by email.
C. Students' personal needs are carefully considered.
D. The course guarantees a 20% increase in test scores.

     Several animal species including gorillas (大猩猩) the in Rwanda and tigers in Bangladesh could risk
extinction if impact of climate change and extreme weather on their homes is not handled, a UN report
showed on Sunday.
     Released during the course of global climate negotiations in Durban, the report by the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) shows how higher temperatures, the rise in sea levels,
deforestation and overuse of land have damaged the habitats of certain species, especially in Africa.
"Many ecosystems have already been affected by increasing population, historical and recent
deforestation, short-lasting management practices and even invasive species," Eduardo Rojas, assistant
director general at the UNFAO's forestry department, said at the release of the report.
     The most affected areas include mountains, islands and coastal areas, which limit the possibilities for
animals to move elsewhere and create new habitats. "The remaining populations are limited to very small
ecosystems. They have inbreeding (近親繁殖) problems.., and at the end these species may disappear,"
he added.
     Other examples of affected animals include elephants in Mall, lions in Serengeti and crocodiles in
Malawi. The report says about 20~30 percent of plant and animal species will be at higher risk of
extinction due to global warming and a significant number of local species may disappear by 2050 as a
consequence. Other consequences could include the spread of invasive species and infectious diseases,
it said.
     The report urges more focus on restoration of damaged ecosystems, especially those key to dealing
with climate change such as inland waters, forests and grasslands. The UNFAO also called for the
creation of movement channels for animals in areas where their movement was affected. The organization
said while more resources (資源) were flowing to biodiversity conservation, more action at th
government and policy level was needed. It also urges local communities to develop projects that ease
the effect of climate change on wildlife, naming ecotourism activities as an example.

1. What does the author tell us in Paragraph 2?

A. The theme of global climate negotiations in Durban.
B. The subject of research done by Eduardo Rojas.
C. Harmful effects of damage done to ecosystems.
D. Causes of damage done to ecosystems.

2. Why are animals living in mountains, islands and coastal areas most affected?

A. They are frequently attacked by invasive species and infectious diseases.
B. They have difficulty finding enough food for survival.
C. They have little chance of moving to other places.
D. They can hardly find mates to produce their young.

3. To avoid extinction of some animal species, the UNFAO suggested all the following ways
       EXCEPT ______.

A. restoring damaged ecosystems
B. limiting world population growth
C. creating movement channels for animals
D. urging governments and local communities to take action

4. What would serve as the best title for the passage?

A. Climate change and ecotourism
B. Human activities and the animal kingdom
C. Gorillas, tigers at risk due to climate change
D. How to balance human development and animal rights

     Traditional fairytales (童話(huà)) are being given up by parents because they are too scary for their young
children, a study found.
     Research uncovered that one in five parents has got rid of old literature such as Snow White and the
Seven Dwarves and Rapunzel in favor of more modern books.
     One third of parents said their children have been left in tears after hearing the gruesome details of
Little Red Riding Hood.
     And nearly half of mothers and fathers refuse to read Rumplesliltshin to their kids as the themes of the
story are kidnapping and killing.
     Similarly, Goldilocks and the Three Bears was also a tale likely to be left on the book shelf as parents
felt it forgives stealing.
     The survey of 2,000 adults was completed to mark the launch of the hit US drama GRIMM ( 格林
童話(huà)劇) , which starts tonight at 9pm on Watch, and sees six drama series based on traditional fairytales.
The survey found a quarter of parents questioned wouldn't consider reading fairytales to their kids.
     And 52 percent of the parents said Cinderella didn't send a good message to their children as it
describes a young woman doing housework all day.
     Steve Hornsey, General Manager of Watch, said: "Bedtime stories are supposed to calm children
down and send them off to sleep soundly.But as we see in GMMM, fairytales can be dark and dramatic
so it's understandable that parents worry about reading them to young children.As adults we can see the
innocence in fairytales, but a five - year - old child could take them too literally.Despite the dark nature of
classic fairytales as we see in GRIMM, good will defeat evil and there is always a moral to the story."
     The study also found two thirds of mums and dads try to avoid stories which might give their children
nightmares.The most popular book read at bedtime is now 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle.
     However half of parents said traditional tales are "more likely to have a strong moral message than a
lot of modern kids' books, such as The Gruffato, The Hungary Caterpillar and the Mr. Men books.

1. Classical works for children are being avoided by parents they think           .

A. they contain unmoral themes
B. they are terrifying
C. they encourage stealing, kidnapping and killing
D. they are tired of answering questions

2. What does the underlined word "gruesome" mean?

A. Very horrible    
B. Very amusing  
C. Very disappointing  
D. Very amazing

3. Which stories are the popular bedtime stories that parents like to tell their children now?

A. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Cinderella
B. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Little Red Riding Hood.
C. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Mr. Men
D. Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Cinderella

4. According to Steve Hornsey , adults can see innocence in a fairy tale but a 5-year-old child
       might ______.

A. think it is different from the reality      
B. dislike it because it is scary
C. believe exactly what the tale says        
D. feel there is a moral to the story

     Some of Britain's most favoured spring visitors are disappearing in their thousands. Scientists say
birds such as the cuckoo (布谷鳥(niǎo)), whose song announces the arrival of warm weather in Britain, are
dropping in numbers.
     A typical migrant bird (候鳥(niǎo)) from Africa, cuckoo may no longer make its annual appearance in the
woodlands in Britain, says a scientist. Numbers of migrant birds from Africa have declined seriously in
the UK since 1995.For cuckoos the figure is 44%.The call of the cuckoo could be silenced in the near
future.
     The real problem is that there are so many different possible causes for the loss-which makes it
difficult to find out the real reasons for their decline and to prepare plans to put things right.
     The loss could be the result of changes in farmland use in Britain which are affecting the way cuckoos
breed (繁殖) when they arrive here in spring. On top of changes of land use, scientists suspect that many
cuckoos are finding it increasingly difficult to feed themselves when they come to breed in Britain. The
large insects they eat have dropped rapidly in number here.
     Climate change might be another important reason. Migrant cuckoos arrive and breed at times which
are no longer the best periods when food, such as insects, is available. Climate changes also affect timings of breeding cycles.
     Or the loss could be due to the increase of human populations in Africa and the destruction of natural
living environment where they make their homes in winter.
     Apart from these, the killing takes place in spring and autumn when cuckoos, flying from and to
Africa, cross islands in the Mediterranean Sea. They are shot in their hundreds of thousands by hunters
who just enjoy killing them for the "sport" .It is against the European Union law, but that doesn't stop it
happening.
     Sheehan, a scientist, said, cuckoos "arrive in our countryside just as the first good weather arrives.
We associate them with spring and warmth. That is why they appear so often in old English stories. They
are part of our culture-which makes the decline in their number so worrying."

1. What can be inferred from the underlined part in Paragraph 2?

A. Cuckoos may arrive in warm weather.
B. Cuckoos may rarely be seen in Britain.
C. Cuckoos may appear every two years.
D. Cuckoos may come back to the woodlands.

2. Concerning the rapid decrease in the number of cuckoos, scientists _______.

A. find it difficult to discover the real reasons
B. know few possible causes for the loss
C. have plans to put things right
D. doubt if the data are accurate

3. According to the passage, what happens in Britain that possibly causes the decline of cuckoos?

A. Many hunters kill cuckoos for fun.
B. Cuckoos' main food is getting less.
C. Policies on land use have changed.
D. Human population increases rapidly.

4.Which could be the best title for the passage?

A. Cuckoos, Who Take Away Your Food?
B. Climate Change: A Danger to Cuckoos
C. Spring May Lose Song of Cuckoos
D. A Song for England's Cuckoos

     Do American children still learn handwriting in school? In the age of the keyboard, some people seem
to think handwriting lessons are on the way out. 90% of teachers say they are required to teach
handwriting. But studies have yet to answer the question of how well they are teaching it. One study
published this year found that about three out of every four teachers say they are not prepared to teach
handwriting. Some teachers are teaching handwriting by providing instruction for 10-15 minutes a day,
and then other teachers who basically teach it for 60 to 70 minutes a day - which really for handwriting is
pretty much.
     Many adults remember learning that way - by copying letters over and over again. Today's thinking is
that short periods of practice are better. Many experts also think handwriting should not be taught by
itself. Instead, they say it should be used as a way to get students to express ideas. After all, that is why
we write.
     Handwriting involves two skills. One is legibility, which means forming the letters so they can be read.
The other is fluency-writing without having to think about it. Fluency continues to develop up until high
school.
     But not everyone masters these skills. Teachers commonly report that about one fourth of their kids
have poor handwriting. Some people might think handwriting is not important any more because of
computers and voice recognition programs.
     But Steve Graham at Vanderbilt says word processing is rarely done in elementary school, especially
in the early years. American children traditionally first learn to print, and then to write in cursive(草體字), which connects the letters. But guess what we learned from a spokeswoman for the College Board,
which administers the SAT college admission test. More than 75 percent of students choose to print their
essay on the test rather than write in cursive.

1. We can learn ________ from Paragraph 1.

A. teaching handwriting is a basic requirement in teaching job
B. most teachers prefer to teach handwriting
C. teachers spend little time in teaching handwriting
D. a keyboard has taken the place of the handwriting entirely

2. Which of the following is WRONG for traditional handwriting in the USA?

A. The students are taught by practicing a long period.
B. The letters are repeated many times.
C. Handwriting includes two skills.
D. To write in cursive is taught first.

3. The best title for the passage is ______.

A. How to improve handwriting in school
B. Right or wrong: the death of handwriting
C. Handwriting involves two skills
D. Handwriting lessons are on the way out

4. The author's attitude towards whether still to learn handwriting in school is______.

A. negative    
B. objective    
C. critical    
D. optimistic

     "My kids really understand solar and earth-heat energy," says a second-grade teacher in Saugus,
California. "Some of them are building solar collectors for their energy course." These young scientists
are part of      City Building Educational Program (CBEP), a particular program for kindergarten through
twelfth grade that uses the stages of city planning to teach basic reading, writing and math skills and more.
     The children don't just plan any city. They map and analyze (分析) the housing, energy, and
transportation requirements of their own district and foretell its needs in 100 years. With the aid of an
architect (建筑師) who visits the classroom once a week, they invent new ways to meet these needs
and build models of their creations. "Designing buildings of the future gives children a lot of freedom,''
says the teacher who developed this program. "They are able to use their own rich imagination and
inventions without fear of blame, because there are no wrong answers in a future context. In fact, as the
class enters the final model-building stage of the program, an elected 'official' and 'planning group' make
all the design decisions for the model city and the teacher steps back and becomes an adviser.
     CBEP is a set of activities, games and imitations that teach the basic steps necessary for
problem-solving: observing, analyzing, working out possible answers, and judging them based on the
children's own standards.

1. The program is designed to________.

A. direct kids to build solar collectors
B. train young scientists for city planning
C. develop children's problem-solving abilities
D. help young architects know more about designing

2. An architect pays a weekly visit to the classroom to ________.

A. find out kids' creative ideas      
B.  help kids with their program
C.  discuss with the teacher          
D.  give children a lecture

3. The children feel free in the program because ________.

A. they can design future buildings themselves
B. they have new ideas and rich imagination
C. they are given enough time to design models
D. they need not worry about making mistakes