Many people think of the brain as a mystery.They don't know much about intelligence and how it works.When they do think about what intelligence is，many people believe that a person is born smart，average，or dumb—and stays that way in the whole life.But new research shows that the brain is more like a muscle—it changes and gets stronger when you use it.And scientists have been able to show just how the brain grows and gets stronger when you learn.
Everyone knows that when you lift weights，your muscles get bigger and you get stronger.A person who can't lift 20 pounds when he/she starts exercising can get strong enough to lift 100 pounds after working out for a long time.That's because the muscles become larger and stronger with exercise.And when you stop exercising，the muscles shrink and you get weaker.That's why people say “Use it or lose it！”
But most people don't know that when they practice and learn new things，parts of their brain change and get larger a lot like muscles do when they exercise. Inside the cortex(皮层)of the brain are billions of tiny nerve cells，called neurons. The nerve cells have branches connecting them to other cells in a complicated network. Communication between these brain cells is what allows us to think and solve problems. When you learn new things，these tiny connections in the brain actually multiply and get stronger.The more you challenge your mind to learn，the more your brain cells grow.Then，things that you once found very hard or even impossible to do—like speaking a foreign language or doing algebra(代数)—seem to become easy after learning them for a period of time.The result is a stronger，smarter brain.
Scientists started thinking that the human brain could develop and change when they studied animals'brains.They found out that animals that lived in a challenging environment were more perspicacious—they were better at solving problems and learning new things.
【小题1】According to the first paragraph，________.
| A．the function of our brain is like that of the muscle |
| B．until now it's impossible to explain the brain's mystery |
| C．many people believe one's intelligence is naturally determined |
| D．one's brain grows stronger as the age increases |
| A．using the brain |
| B．connecting things in your brain |
| C．lifting weights |
| D．doing research about the brain |
| A．Strong. | B．Smart. |
| C．Popular. | D．Active. |
| A．the differences between animals'brains and humans'brains |
| B．the relation between human brains and muscles |
| C．scientists' findings about animals' brains |
| D．how to make your brain smarter through self?development |
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Way back in 1662，John Evelyn，a brilliant Englishman known for his detailed diaries，wrote about disastrous effects of coal-burning on the city of London .In it,he described an infernal scene of smog．air filled with “Columns and Clouds of Smoke’’given out by small industries and residences that burned coal for fuel．
I found the description in the 2003 book When Smoke Ran like Water，by epidemiologist(流行病学家)and environmental advocator(倡导者)Devra Davis．In it,Davis looks back at several historic pollution events and their disastrous effect on human human health-and at how these phenomena were often Ignored or even actively covered up by then people in charge at that time.
As Davis points out，John Evelyn was ahead of his time when writing about how London’s polluted air affected the well-being of its residents．It wasn’t until nearly 300 years later,after what became well-known as the Great Smog of 1952，that the government began to address the problem in a systematic way．
For four days．Between December 5th“and 9th“，due to all accident of the weather pattern，the city was buried in a heavy fog .People were still burning coal for fuel，and low-grade coal at that time， because 0f wartime condition．A temperature inversion(转向)trapped the smoke from the city’s fires， creating a black cloud in which people could barely find their way down the most familiar streets
Some tried to protect themselves，but most people simply went about their business. But l952’s fog was far worse than any other in memory．In the same week of the previous year, 1852 people had died in London；inl952，that number was 4703 And the deaths didn’t stop when the weather changed and the fog lifted．Davis and her colleagues analyzed data from the next several months and found that about 13000 more people died between December and March than one would have predicted from historical averages Many of them died of pneumonia(肺炎)．The government，she writes．Tried to blame a bad flu season．Her detailed analysis found that explanation simply did
not pan out．
Davis writes that even today in this country ,we still have not completely absorbed the lessons of similar events．Sixty years the killer fog lifted in London，people are dying preventable deaths and suffering life．changing illnesses，simply because they must breathe the air of the cities where they live
【小题1】The passage is written to
| A．warn people of the danger from air pollution |
| B．introduce London’s Great Smog of l952 |
| C．blame the government for the smog |
| D．explain the reasons for air pollution |
| A．imaginary | B．adventurous | C．unbelievable | D．annoying |
| A．people burned wood for fuel |
| B．a forest fire created a black cloud over the city |
| C．the government ignored the smog |
| D．most people went abouttheirbusine00 |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
【小题1】What is the colour of blood in a vein near the surface of the skin?
| A．Blue. | B．Light yellow. |
| C．Red. | D．Dark reddish purple. |
| A．Because their spine is in active use. |
| B．Because they are more easily affected by gravity. |
| C．Because they keep growing backwards. |
| D．Because their spine becomes more bent. |
| A．In the long run，our brain probably works harder than our heart. |
| B．When our brain senses the spinning，we will feel dizzy. |
| C．The brains of the other mammals are as complex as those of humans. |
| D．Our feelings and emotions come from the most developed area in our brain. |
| A．To give advice on how to stay healthy. |
| B．To provide information about our body. |
| C．To challenge new findings in medical research. |
| D．To report the latest discoveries in medical science. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
(2013·高考新课标全国卷Ⅱ，C)Given that many people’s moods (情绪)are regulated by the chemical action of chocolate，it was probably only a matter of time before somebody made the chocolate shop similar to a drugstore of Chinese medicine.Looking like a setting from the film Charlie&the Chocolate Factory，Singapore’s Chocolate Research Facility (CRF) has over 100 varieties of chocolates.Its founder is Chris Lee who grew up at his parents’ corner store with one hand almost always in the jar of sweets.
If the CRF seems to be a smart idea，that’s because Lee is not merely a seasoned salesperson but also head of a marketing department that has business relations with big names such as Levi’s and Sony.That idea surely results in the imagination at work when it comes to making different flavored (味道) chocolates.
The CRF’s produce is “green ”，made within the country and divided into 10 lines，with the Alcohol Series being the most popular.The Exotic Series－with Sichuan pepper，red bean (豆)，cheese and other flavors－also does well and is fun to taste.And for chocolate_snobs，who think that they have a better knowledge of chocolate than others，the Connoisseur Series uses cocoa beans from Togo，Cuba，Venezuela，and Ghana，among others.
【小题1】What is good about chocolate?
| A．It serves as a suitable gift. |
| B．It works as an effective medicine. |
| C．It helps improve the state of mind. |
| D．It strengthens business relations. |
| A．He knows the importance of research. |
| B．He learns from shops of similar types. |
| C．He has the support of many big names |
| D．He has a lot of marketing experience. |
| A．The Connoisseur Series. |
| B．The Exotic Series. |
| C．The Alcohol Series. |
| D．The Sichuan Series. |
| A．are particular about chocolate |
| B．know little about cocoa beans |
| C．look down upon others |
| D．like to try new flavors |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Today, when a fire breaks out, you can be sure a citizen with a cell-phone camera has posted it to Facebook or Twitter, or sent it to the media. But up to now, that citizen has not been able to easily send images and details of what is happening to the people who need it most: police, firefighters and building-security people who must respond, and whose ability to help is often measured in minutes, if not seconds.
That's about to change. A one-year old company called Elerts has developed a system that's designed to mobile and social technologies to speed the flow of information between citizens and emergency workers in time of danger. The system involves free mobile applications—iPhone and iPad app（应用软件）is available now—that eyewitnesses can use to report incidents and get public-safety warnings. And Elerts is offering a management console（控制台）for security firms and universities to receive the reports and distribute warnings and instructions, like a map with the best evacuation route（疏散路线）.
The service is the brainchild of Chris Russo, deputy fire chief in the coastal town of Hull, Mass. As mobile communications sped up, he grew increasingly frustrated by his inability to communicate effectively with colleagues and the public, particularly with people who are at the scene and might be able to provide help.
"Remembering situations when communications failed puts a pit in my stomach," Mr. Russo says. Last summer, he was in a search at a beach for a missing boy, who went into a bathhouse but didn't come out. First responders feared an abduction （绑架） on the beach or shark attack. The child's mother, who didn't speak English well, was so sad that she couldn't remember what color shorts he had on. Mr. Russo had no photo of the child, and no ability to turn to beachgoers.
Two long hours later, the boy was spotted by a low-flying helicopter lost and alone on the beach crying—a lucky break. "If 5 percent of beachgoers had an app to receive a message and send in sightings of a lost boy, the happy ending might have come much sooner," Mr. Russo said.
【小题1】What is the passage mainly about?
| A．A moving story of Chris Russo． | B．An app for reporting emergency． |
| C．A cell-phone instant service． | D．An app for firm management． |
| A．Makes me feel frustrated． | B．Causes a stomachache． |
| C．Arouses my interest． | D．Leaves a hole in my stomach． |
| A．have to carry out rescue work in minutes |
| B．must send images and details immediately |
| C．need images and detailed information badly |
| D．have to turn to Facebook and Twitter for details |
| A．advertise his creativity in communication |
| B．show readers the working principle of the new system |
| C．make the passage more interesting to read |
| D．inform readers how Russo got the idea of the service |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Did anyone find the names of “Great Britain”, “the United Kingdom”, “England” and “the British commonwealth” which have the same meaning? Strictly speaking, these names all refer to something different. None of them are exactly the same as any of the others.
The British isles refer to the main islands and several thousand small ones as well, which you can see on the map. Great Britain, or Britain, refers to the larger of the two main islands. But the word “Britain” is often used as a short form for the United Kingdom or you call it the UK.
Now as for England, it refers simply to the largest of the three countries on the island of Great Britain. The United Kingdom is the name of the state and the official name of the country, which many people popularly refer to England.
Finally, the Britain commonwealth is the usual name for what is left of the British Empire (帝国). This change shows the weakening of British Empire and the rising of the national liberation movements throughout the world today.
【小题1】According to the passage, we know that _____________.
| A．Great Britain has the same meaning as Britain |
| B．all the names refer to England |
| C．the United Kingdom has the same meaning as Britain or England |
| D．all the names in the first paragraph have the same meaning |
| A．Britain, England and the UK |
| B．the two main islands and thousands of small ones |
| C．three countries and several islands |
| D．Great Britain or the United Kingdom |
| A．The country hasn’t an exact name. |
| B．Few people know its real name. |
| C．All the names have exact meaning. |
| D．Generally speaking,the names can all be used to stand for the country. |
| A．Edinburgh, England |
| B．Edinburgh, Scotland ,Great Britain |
| C．Scotland, Edinburgh, England |
| D．Great Britain, Scotland, Edinburgh |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
In most situations, light helps us see. But when it comes to looking at the night sky, light is actually a kind of pollution. It prevents our view of some of life’s most striking sights: stars, planets, and even galaxies(银河系).
“When I was a little boy, I loved the night sky. I remember looking up and the sky was filled with stars. I became an astronomer because I was amazed by their beauty,” says Robert Gent, “Now in most big cities kids can’t see the stars like I did.”
Normally, about 2,500 individual (单个的) stars are visible to the human eyes without using any special equipment. But because of light pollution, you actually see just 200 to 300 and fewer than a dozen from some cities. Only one in three Americans can see our own galaxy with the naked eyes. Those people live far away from the lights of big cities, office buildings, and shopping malls.
Fortunately, there’s an inexpensive and useful way. If we shine lights down at the ground instead of up into the sky, and use lower brightness levels, we can save big amounts of energy and keep the beauty of the night sky. Many cities and towns have passed laws limiting lights at night, making sure enough shine for safety without creating much light pollution.
Light pollution affects more than our view of the heavens and can harm wildlife. Migrating birds(候鸟) sometimes fly over cities and become confused by the brightness, flying in circles until they drop from exhaustion. Sea turtles need dark beaches for nesting and won’t approach bright lights. Too much light at night may even affect human health. For all these reasons, researchers are working on ways to use lights only when and where they are truly needed. Everyone deserves to look up at the sky.
【小题1】According to the text, using our naked eyes, ________.
| A．people in remote areas can see more stars than those in big cities |
| B．over one third Americans can see our own galaxy |
| C．about one in three Americans in big cities can see our own galaxy |
| D．Americans can only see 200 to 300 stars |
| A．save the electricity |
| B．make sure of migrating birds’ safety |
| C．let you count the number of stars |
| D．avoid much light pollution |
| A．The cause of light pollution. |
| B．The way to reduce light pollution. |
| C．The effect of light pollution. |
| D．People’s attitude towards light pollution. |
| A．air pollution | B．tiredness | C．breath | D．brightness |
| A．Light Pollution | B．Seeking the Sky | C．Stars in the Sky | D．City Pollution |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Today, the biggest killers stem as much from our lifestyles as from bacteria and viruses. One of the worst of these is heart disease, and specifically high blood pressure. It’s a slow, but efficient killer that robs many people of what should be the last 10, 20 or 30 years of their lives.
Scientists are claiming that they have now separated unusual ingredients in a rare seaweed discovered by fishermen off the coast of Korea that offer incredible health benefits—including the ability to restore blood pressure to normal levels.
Dr. Haengwoo Lee, a famous biochemist conducted a clinical study on these two ingredients. The first is Seanol, an extremely rare seaweed extract(浓缩物) from Ecklonia Cava that's proven to be 100 times more powerful than any land-based antioxidant(抗氧化剂). That's because it stays working in your body for 12 hours, compared to land-based antioxidants that work for 30 minutes. "Its secret is its make-up of special chemicals that are a huge 40% fat soluble( 可溶的)," Dr. Lee explains. "Unlike nearly all land-based antioxidants that are water soluble, Seanol's protective compounds can get into things like the fatty tissues of your brain and penetrate（渗透） all three layers of your cells, including the outside, the oil-based cell membranes（细胞膜）, and your DNA." Indeed, Seanol is so powerful, it's the only FDA-approved Ecklonia Cava marine-algae (海藻) extract in existence.
The second ingredient is Calamarine, a deep-sea omega-3 discovery that delivers 85% more DHA omega-3s to your heart, brain, joints, and eyes. It's known to reduce the problems from tiredness and poor memory, joint pain, mood swings and depression.
With that research in mind, Dr. Lee combined Seanol and Calamarine with a high dose of vitamin D to form Marine-D3, the newest supplement in the fight against age-related illnesses and high blood pressure.
Dr. Lee found that Calamarine delivers some of the greatest concentration of omega-3s known to science. Combined with Seanol's ability to reduce body inflammation(炎症), as well as help cells get the nutrients they need to thrive, stay healthy and protected, Marine-D3 is able to boost a body's entire well being.
The makers of Marine-D3 are so confident that you'll see fast dramatic results from this product, that if you aren't happy after two full months, simply return the unused portion and they'll buy it back. They'll even give you ten dollars extra just for giving it an honest try! That kind of faith, combined with Dr. Lee's exhaustive research, shows that Marine-D3 really is a one-of-a-kind product.
【小题1】From the first paragraph we can infer that ________.
| A．Our lifestyles result from the biggest killers |
| B．our lifestyles do less harm to our bodies than bacteria and viruses do. |
| C．High blood pressure left untreated may cause shorter life. |
| D．Heart disease is incurable. |
| A．Fishermen off the coast of Korea have isolated unusual ingredients. |
| B．Scientists have purified ingredients that can lower blood pressure to normal standard. |
| C．Scientists discovered a rare seaweed. |
| D．Scientists have imagined a medicine that treat blood pressure. |
| A．According to FDA , Seanol reaches the agreed standard. |
| B．Seanol can be fat soluble entirely. |
| C．Seanol is a common seaweed extract fromEcklonia Cava. |
| D．Seanol's protective compounds can get into all things like the fatty tissues of your brain. |
| A．pessimistic | B．indifferent | C．doubtful | D．Optimistic |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Thoughts claim our attention continuously, and waste our time and energy on unimportant and useless matters. They actually rule our life. We have become so used to this slavery, that we take it for granted, and have become unconscious of this habit, except on certain occasions.
While breathing, we do not need to pay attention to each inhalation and exhalation. We become conscious of the process of breathing only when we have some difficulty with breathing, such as when our nose is blocked, due to a cold, or when we are in an unventilated(不通风的) room.
It is the same with thinking. We become conscious of the constant onslaught of our thoughts, and of our inability to calm them down, only when we need to concentrate, solve a problem or study. We are also aware of them when we have worries or fears.
Look at the following familiar situation. You need to study something for an exam. You sit comfortably on the sofa with the book in your hands and start reading. After a while you feel hungry and go to the kitchen to eat something.
You return to read, and then hear your people talking outside. You listen to them for several moments and then bring your attention back to the book.
After a while you feel restless and switch on the radio to listen to some music. You continue to read for a little while, and then remember something that happened yesterday, and you start thinking about it.
When you look at your watch, you are amazed to find out that one complete hour has passed and you have hardly read anything. And at this time, you feel you’re thinking.
This is what happens when one lacks concentration. Imagine what you could have accomplished if you could control your attention and focus your mind!
【小题1】When can you feel you are thinking?
| A．While breathing. | B．While not reading. |
| C．When you need to concentrate. | D．When you waste your time. |
| A．To explain the course of thinking awareness. |
| B．To show how to get ready for an exam. |
| C．To present an example of concentration. |
| D．To emphasize the importance of reading. |
| A．In a guidebook of natural science. |
| B．In the front page of a newspaper. |
| C．In an advertisement part of a magazine. |
| D．In the section of psychology of a magazine. |
| A．the relationship between thoughts and breathing |
| B．how people’s thought and mind work |
| C．what happens when one wants to think |
| D．the ways to increase your thought |
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