If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you  noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?
According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter. This is the area of the brain which processes information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.
The study also found the effect is greater, the younger people learn a second language.
A team led by Dr Andrea Michelle, from University College London, took a group of Britons who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals” who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.
Scans showed that grey matter density (密度) in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.
“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,” said the scientists.
It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible (靈活的).” he said. “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of two and 34. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world,” explained the scientists.
【小題1】The main subject talked about in this passage is ______.

A．science on learning a second language

B．man’s ability of learning a second language

C．language can help brain power

D．language learning and maths study

【小題2】In the second paragraph, the writer mentions “exercise” in order to ______.

A．say language is also a kind of physical labor

B．prove that one needs more practice when he (she) is learning a language

C．to show the importance of using the language when you learn the language

D．make people believe language learning helps grey matter work well

【小題3】We may know from the scientific findings that ______.

A．the earlier you start to learn a second language, the higher the grey matter density is

B．there is no difference between a later second language learner and one who doesn’t know a second language

C．the experience of learning a second language has bad effect on people’s brain

D．the ability of learning a second language is changing all the time

【小題4】The underlined word “bilingual” probably means ______.

A．a(chǎn) researcher on language learning

B．a(chǎn) person who is good at learning foreign languages

C．a(chǎn) person who can speak two languages

D．a(chǎn)n active language learner

Each new school year brings fresh reminders of what educators call the summer learning gap. Some call it the summer learning setback. Simply speaking, it means the longer kids are out of school, the more they forget. The only thing they might gain is weight.
Most American schools follow a traditional nine-month calendar. Students get winter and spring breaks and about ten weeks of summer vacation. Some schools follow a year-round calendar. They hold classes for about eight weeks at a time, with a few weeks off in between. The National Association for Year-Round Education says there were fewer than three thousand such schools at last count. They were spread among forty-six of the fifty states.
But many experts point out that the number of class days in a year-round school is generally the same as in a traditional school. Lead researcher Paul von Hippel said, "Year-round schools don't really solve the problem of the summer learning setback. They simply spread it out across the year."
Across the country, research shows that students from poor families fall farther behind over the summer than other students. Experts say this can be prevented. They note that many schools and local governments offer programs that can help.
But calling them "summer school" could be a problem. The director of the summer learning center at Johns Hopkins, Ron Fairchild, said research with groups of different parents in Chicago and Baltimore found that almost all strongly disliked the term summer school”. In American culture, the idea of summer vacation is connected to beliefs about freedom and the joys of childhood. The parents welcomed other terms like "summer camp," "enrichment," "extra time" and "hands-on learning."
【小題1】According to the first paragraph the summer learning gap         .

A．helps children to gain weight

B．leads children to work harder

C．improves children’s memories

D．a(chǎn)ffects children’s regular studies

【小題2】Compared to traditional schools, students in the year-round ones          .

A．perform better and have more learning gains

B．have much less time for relaxation every year

C．have generally the same number of class days

D．hold more classes with more free weeks off

【小題3】Which of the following statements is true?

A．Students from poor families often fall behind after the vacation.

B．Year-round schools can solve the problem of the learning gap.

C．There are schools in each state following a year-round calendar.

D．Nothing can help the students who fall behind after the vocation.

【小題4】Why did almost all parents dislike the term “summer school”?

A．They cherish the children’s rights of freedom very much.

B．They are worried about the quality of the “summer school”.

C．They want their children to be forced to make up the gap.

D．They can’t afford to the further study during vacation.

【小題5】What would be the best title of this passage?

A．Opening Summer Camps

B．Forbidding Summer Schools

C．Spreading Year-Round Education

D．Minding the Summer Learning Cap

Most American students go to traditional public schools．There are about 88, 000 public schools, all over the US．Some students attend about 3000 independent public schools called charter schools．        
Charter schools are self-governing．Private companies operate some charter schools．They are similar in some ways to traditional public schools．They receive tax money just as other public schools do．Charter schools must prove to local or state governments that their students are learning．These governments provide the schools with the agreement called a charter that permits them to operate．
Charter schools are different because they do not have to obey most laws governing traditional public schools．Local, state, or federal governments cannot tell them what to teach．Each school can choose its own goals and decide the ways it wants to reach them．Class size is usually smaller than in traditional public schools．
The Bush Administration strongly supports charter schools as a way to re-organize public schools that are failing to educate students．But some education agencies and unions oppose charter schools．One teachers' union has just made public the results of the first national study comparing the progress of students in traditional schools and charter schools．
The American Federation of Teachers criticized the government's delay in releasing the results of the study, which is called the National Assessment of Educational Progress．Union education experts say the study shows that charter school students performed worse on math and reading tests than students in regular public schools．
Some experts say the study is not a fair look at charter schools because students in those schools have more problems than students in traditional schools．Other education experts say the study results should make charter school officials demand improved student progress．
【小題1】If a private company wants to operate a charter school, it must______．

A．try new methods of teaching

B．prove its management ability

C．obey the local and state laws

D．get the government's permission

【小題2】Charter schools are independent because_____．

A．they make greater progress

B．their class size is smaller

C．they enjoy more freedom

D．they oppose traditional ways

【小題3】What's the government's attitude toward charter schools?

A．Doubtful

B．Supportive.

C．Subjective．

D．Optimistic．

【小題4】What can we learn from the text?

A．More students choose to attend charter schools．

B．Charter schools are better than traditional schools．

C．Students in charter schools are well educated．

D．People have different opinions about charter schools．

【小題5】It can be interred from the text that ___.

A．charter schools are part of the public education system

B．one-on-one attention should be paid to students

C．the number of charter schools will be limited

D．charter schools are all privately financed

Each new school year brings fresh reminders of what educators call the summer learning gap. Some call it the summer learning setback. Simply speaking, it means the longer kids are out of school, the more they forget. The only thing they might gain is weight.
Most American schools follow a traditional nine-month calendar. Students get winter and spring breaks and about ten weeks of summer vacation. Some schools follow a year-round calendar. They hold classes for about eight weeks at a time, with a few weeks off in between. The National Association for Year-Round Education says there were fewer than three thousand such schools at last count. They were spread among forty-six of the fifty states.
But many experts point out that the number of class days in a year-round school is generally the same as in a traditional school. Lead researcher Paul von Hippel said, "Year-round schools don't really solve the problem of the summer learning setback. They simply spread it out across the year."
Across the country, research shows that students from poor families fall farther behind over the summer than other students. Experts say this can be prevented. They note that many schools and local governments offer programs that can help.
But calling them "summer school" could be a problem. The director of the summer learning center at Johns Hopkins, Ron Fairchild, said research with groups of different parents in Chicago and Baltimore found that almost all strongly disliked the term summer school”. In American culture, the idea of summer vacation is connected to beliefs about freedom and the joys of childhood. The parents welcomed other terms like "summer camp," "enrichment," "extra time" and "hands-on learning."
【小題1】According to the first paragraph the summer learning gap         .

A．helps children to gain weight

B．leads children to work harder

C．improves children’s memories

D．a(chǎn)ffects children’s regular studies

【小題2】Compared to traditional schools, students in the year-round ones          .

A．perform better and have more learning gains

B．have much less time for relaxation every year

C．have generally the same number of class days

D．hold more classes with more free weeks off

【小題3】Which of the following statements is true?

A．Students from poor families often fall behind after the vacation.

B．Year-round schools can solve the problem of the learning gap.

C．There are schools in each state following a year-round calendar.

D．Nothing can help the students who fall behind after the vocation.

【小題4】Why did almost all parents dislike the term “summer school”?

A．They cherish the children’s rights of freedom very much.

B．They are worried about the quality of the “summer school”.

C．They want their children to be forced to make up the gap.

D．They can’t afford to the further study during vacation.

【小題5】What would be the best title of this passage?

A．Opening Summer Camps

B．Forbidding Summer Schools

C．Spreading Year-Round Education

D．Minding the Summer Learning Cap

Most American students go to traditional public schools．There are about 88, 000 public schools, all over the US．Some students attend about 3000 independent public schools called charter schools．        
Charter schools are self-governing．Private companies operate some charter schools．They are similar in some ways to traditional public schools．They receive tax money just as other public schools do．Charter schools must prove to local or state governments that their students are learning．These governments provide the schools with the agreement called a charter that permits them to operate．
Charter schools are different because they do not have to obey most laws governing traditional public schools．Local, state, or federal governments cannot tell them what to teach．Each school can choose its own goals and decide the ways it wants to reach them．Class size is usually smaller than in traditional public schools．
The Bush Administration strongly supports charter schools as a way to re-organize public schools that are failing to educate students．But some education agencies and unions oppose charter schools．One teachers' union has just made public the results of the first national study comparing the progress of students in traditional schools and charter schools．
The American Federation of Teachers criticized the government's delay in releasing the results of the study, which is called the National Assessment of Educational Progress．Union education experts say the study shows that charter school students performed worse on math and reading tests than students in regular public schools．
Some experts say the study is not a fair look at charter schools because students in those schools have more problems than students in traditional schools．Other education experts say the study results should make charter school officials demand improved student progress．
【小題1】If a private company wants to operate a charter school, it must______．

A．try new methods of teaching

B．prove its management ability

C．obey the local and state laws

D．get the government's permission

【小題2】Charter schools are independent because_____．

A．they make greater progress

B．their class size is smaller

C．they enjoy more freedom

D．they oppose traditional ways

【小題3】What's the government's attitude toward charter schools?

A．Doubtful

B．Supportive.

C．Subjective．

D．Optimistic．

【小題4】What can we learn from the text?

A．More students choose to attend charter schools．

B．Charter schools are better than traditional schools．

C．Students in charter schools are well educated．

D．People have different opinions about charter schools．

【小題5】It can be interred from the text that ___.

A．charter schools are part of the public education system

B．one-on-one attention should be paid to students

C．the number of charter schools will be limited

D．charter schools are all privately financed

Everyone knows about straight-A students. We see them frequently in TV situation comedies and in movies like Revenge(報(bào)復(fù))of the Nerds. They get high grades, all right, but only by becoming dull laborers, their noses always stuck in a book. They are not good at social communication and look clumsy while doing sports.
How, then, do we account for Domenica Roman or Paul Melendres?
Roman is on the tennis team at Fairmont Senior High School. She also sings in the choral group, serves on the student council and is a member of the mathematics society. For two years she has maintained A’s in every subject. Melendres, a freshman at the University of New Mexico, was student-body president at Valley High School in Albuquerque. He played soccer and basketball well, exhibited at the science fair, and meanwhile worked as a reporter on a local television station. Being a speech giver at the graduation ceremony, he achieved straight A’s in his regular classes, plus bonus points for A’s in two college-level courses.
How do super-achievers like Roman and Melendres do it? Brains aren’t the only answer. “Top grades don’t always go to the brightest students, ” declares Herbert Walberg, a professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who has conducted major studies on super-achieving students. “Knowing how to make the most of your innate(天生的)abilities counts for more. Much more.”
In fact, Walberg says, students with high IQ sometimes don’t do as well as classmates with lower IQ. For them, learning comes too easily and they never find out how to get down.
Hard work isn’t the whole story, either. “It’s not how long you sit there with the books open, ” said one of the many-A students we interviewed. “It’s what you do while you’re sitting.” Indeed, some of these students actually put in fewer hours of homework time than their lower-scoring classmates.
The kids at the top of the class get there by mastering a few basic techniques that others can readily learn.
【小題1】The underlined word “nerds” can probably be________ .

A．dull bookworms lacking sports and social skills

B．successful top students popular with their peers

C．students with certain learning difficulties

D．born leaders crazy about social activities

【小題2】What can we conclude from the first paragraph?

A．Most TV programs and films are about straight-A students.

B．People have unfavorable impression on straight-A students.

C．Everyone knows about straight-A students from TV or films.

D．Straight-A students are well admired by people in the society.

【小題3】Some students become super-achievers mainly because_________ .

A．they are born cleverer than others

B．they work longer hours at study

C．they make full use of their abilities

D．they know the shortcut to success

【小題4】What will be talked about after the last paragraph?

A．The interviews with more students.

B．The role IQ plays in learning well.

C．The techniques to be better learners.

D．The achievements top students make.

【小題5】What can we infer from the passage?

A．IQ is more important than hard work in study.

B．The brightest students can never get low grades.

C．Top students certainly achieve all-around developments.

D．Students with average IQ can become super-achievers.

Learning a Second Language
Some people learn a second language easily. Others have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language, such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting.
The first step is to feel positive about learning English. If you believe that you can learn, you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes. In other words, do not worry about taking risks.
The second step is to practice your English. For example, write a diary every day. You will get used to writing it in English, and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. Several weeks later, you will see that your writing is improving. In addition, you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes, but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English.
The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class, think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult, but you tried to understand it.
You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English, and you will feel more confident in yourself.
【小題1】To feel positive about learning English means _______.

A．if you are patient, you will learn

B．you can understand everything all at once

C．if you make mistakes, you can learn from your mistakes

D．if you believe you can learn, you will learn

【小題2】When you learn English, you do not need to ______.

A．be patient	B．make mistakes
C．express your ideas in English	D．understand everything all at once

【小題3】What is not helpful for you to enjoy learning English?

A．To communicate in English.

B．To worry about taking risks.

C．To think about what has been done after each class.

D．To make a record of the achievements.

【小題4】What is the main idea of this passage?

A．It is very important to learn a second language.

B．Some people learn a second language easily while other people do not.

C．There are ways to help you learn a second language more easily.

D．Don’t worry about taking risks when learning a second language.

【小題5】What does the underlined word “journal” in the 4^th paragraphmean?

A．Diary

B．Composition

C．Poem

D．Newspaper

Language-learners who say they never or hardly ever use dictionaries often speak English well but usually write poorly, because they make many mistakes.
The students who use dictionaries most do not learn especially well either. The ones who look up every new word do not read fast. So they do not have time to read much. Those who use small two-language dictionaries have the worst problems. Their dictionaries often give only one or two words as translations (翻譯) of English. But one English word often has many translations in a foreign language and one foreign word has many translations in English.
The most successful students are those who use large college edition dictionaries with about 100,000 words but do not use them too often. When they are reading, these students first try to get the general idea and understand new words from the context. Then they reread and use the dictionary to look up only key words that they still do not understand. They use dictionaries more for writing. If they are not sure how to spell a word, or divide it into syllables (音節(jié)), they always use a dictionary. Also, if they think a noun might have an unusual plural form, they check these in a dictionary.
【小題1】Students who never use dictionary speak well but write poor, because_______

A．They can’t remember words.

B．They may make mistakes.

C．They are not interested in writing.

D．They are afraid of writing.

【小題2】According to the passage, which of the following is right?

A．Students who never use dictionary can speak well and write well.

B．Whatever new words you meet while reading, just look them up in the dictionary.

C．Small two-language dictionaries are bad for learning English.

D．An English word only has one translation.

【小題3】When does the writer advise students to use a good dictionary in reading?

A．At the beginning of the reading

B．At the end of the reading

C．During the first reading

D．After the first reading

【小題4】This passage mainly tells us        .

A．that students shouldn’t use small two-language dictionaries

B．what were the defects (缺點(diǎn)) of small two-language dictionaries

C．why students should use large college edition dictionaries

D．what dictionary students should choose and how to use it

【小題5】Which is not mentioned in this passage?

A．How to make good use of a dictionary.

B．When to use a dictionary.

C．How to improve spoken English.

D．How to practice reading fast.

Whatever field we are involved in，we always have to look for ways to expand our knowledge.An increase in knowledge in a particular subject can lead to a better understanding，grasp，judgment，intelligence and ability in that area.So how do we go about gaining knowledge?
I think people are the biggest source of knowledge for anybody.Right from childhood，we have learned things by watching others.Whatever field you want to gain knowledge in，there must be many who have experience in that field.So make use of this valuable source of information by learning from the experience，success，mistakes and skills of others. Study carefully and associate with people who are experts in the field you want to gain knowledge in.
The next best source of knowledge should be books.There are millions and millions of books in every language and on almost any topic imaginable.Whatever problem you are facing must have been faced by somebody else before，and its solution is likely to have been preserved in the form of a book.If you are serious about gaining knowledge about a topic，then read any book，magazine，article etc.You can lay your hands on the books related to that topic.Read as much as you can.
It is said that experience is a great teacher，so learn from your past experience and the experience of others.Learn from your and others’ past and present achievements as well as mistakes.
Experimenting with new things and observing new things can help you learn very quickly. Keep in mind，though，that while experimenting，you may encounter a few failures , too.Do not become discouraged as failures are a part of the learning curve，especially while attempting something new.Try to earn from failures instead of becoming disheartened.
【小題1】Which of the following statements is TRUE according to this text?

A．Books are the biggest source of knowledge.

B．An expert can teach people everything useful.

C．Mistakes are the best source of knowledge.

D．People from an early age have learned things from others.

【小題2】If a person decides to learn about a topic，he or she should________.

A．prepare well for the coming problems

B．experiment or observe as much as possible

C．read as many books related to that topic as possible

D．make friends with as many experts in that field as possible

【小題3】The author would NOT agree that________.

A．experimenting with new things is the quickest way to learn

B．people can learn from their own experience and others’

C．people can learn from both achievements and mistakes

D．failures teach people something

【小題4】This text mainly talks about________.

A．the importance of learning

B．means of gaining knowledge

C．ways to become successful

D．the advantages of reading

Let children learn to judge their own. A child who learns to talk does not learn by being corrected all the time; if corrected too much, he will stop talking. He notices a thousand times a day the difference between the language he uses and the language those around him use. Little by little, he makes the necessary changes to make his language like other people’s, in the same way, children learn to do all the other things without being taught—to walk, run, climb, ride a bicycle—compare their own performances with those of more skilled people, and slowly make the needed changes. But in school we never give a child a chance to find out his mistakes if we thought that he would never notice a mistake unless it was pointed out to him, or correct it unless he was made to. Let him work out, with the help of other children if he wants it, what this word says, what the answer is to that problem, whether this is a good way of saying or doing this or not. If it is a matter of right answers, as it may be in mathematics or science, give him the answer book. Let him correct his own papers. Why should we teachers waste time in doing such work? Our job should be to help the child when he tells us that he can’t find the way to get their own understanding, how to know what they know or do not know.   
【小題1】According to the passage, the best way for children to learn things is ___  

A．to listen to skilled people’s advice

B．to ask older people many questions

C．to make mistakes and have them corrected

D．to do what other people do

【小題2】According to the writer, teachers in school should ___

A．a(chǎn)llow children to learn from each other

B．point out children’s mistakes whenever they are found

C．correct children’s mistakes as possible as they can

D．give children more book knowledge

【小題3】Which of the following does the writer think teachers should not do?

A．Give children correct answers

B．a(chǎn)llow children to make mistakes

C．Point out children’s mistakes

D．Let children judge their own work

【小題4】The passage suggests that learning to speak and learning to ride a bicycle are ___.

A．different from learning other skills

B．the same as learning other skills

C．more important than other skills

D．not really important skills