With large and small keyboards everywhere, neither children nor adults need to write much of anything by hand. That’s a big problem. Study after study suggests that handwriting is important for brain development — helping kids get fine motor skills and learn to express and create ideas. Yet the time devoted to teaching penmanship in most schools has shrunk to just one hour a week. Is it time to give up handwriting? Have a look at the link between the brain and penmanship, and you may get the answer.

A test among students in grades 2, 4 and 6 found that they not only wrote faster by hand than by keyboard, but also created more ideas when composing essays with handwriting. And other research shows that the finger movements required to write by hand activate brain areas involved with thought, language, and short-term memory.

A recent Indiana University study had one group of children practice writing letters by hand while a second group just looked at those letters. Then, both groups of kids entered a functional MRI (核磁共振) that scanned their brains as the researchers showed them the same letters. Researchers found that the brain activity in the first group was far more advanced and “adult-like”.

Handwriting also affects other people’s way they think of adults and children. Several studies have shown that the same average essay will score much higher if written with good penmanship and much lower if written out in poor handwriting. These studies have also found that people judge the quality of a person’s ideas based on his or her handwriting. And the consequences are real: On standardized tests with handwritten sections, like the SAT, all essay that is considered hard to recognize gets a big zero.

Studies show that this isn’t only an English-language phenomenon. Chinese and Japanese youths are suffering from “character amnesia”. They can’t remember how to write characters, thanks to computers and text messaging. Some experts fear that Chinese writing and reading are so closely linked in the brain that China’s reading ability as a nation could suffer.

1.According to the passage, it can be learned that ________________.

A. many researches have been done on handwriting

B. essays can’t be composed without handwriting

C. all children write faster by keyboard than by hand

D. most schools are trying to teach more handwriting

2.What does the Indiana University study imply?

A. Children should practice writing letters

B. Handwriting can increase brain activity

C. It’s good for children to enter a functional MRI. 

D. Letters should often be shown to children

3.What does the 4th paragraph mainly talk about?

A. Handwriting affects both adults and children.    

B. Handwriting helps a person write better essays.

C.SAT should be done with good handwriting.     

D. Good handwriting makes a person seem smarter.

4.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Essays written with keyboards will get lower scores.

B. The quality of your ideas depends on your handwriting.

C. Chinese and Japanese youths don’t know how to write.

D. Less handwriting may affect China’s reading ability.

5.The passage tries to tell us that __________________.

A. keyboards are more popular than handwriting     

B. we shouldn’t judge people by their handwriting

C. handwriting is of great importance              

D. it’s time to give up using keyboards

  With large and small keyboards everywhere, neither children nor adults need to write much of anything by hand. That’s a big problem. Study after study suggests that handwriting is important for brain development — helping kids get fine motor skills and learn to express and create ideas. Yet the time devoted to teaching penmanship in most schools has shrunk to just one hour a week. Is it time to give up handwriting? Have a look at the link between the brain and penmanship, and you may get the answer.

    A test among students in grades 2, 4 and 6 found that they not only wrote faster by hand than by keyboard, but also created more ideas when composing essays with handwriting. And other research shows that the finger movements required to write by hand activate brain areas involved with thought, language, and short-term memory.

  A recent Indiana University study had one group of children practice writing letters by hand while a second group just looked at those letters. Then, both groups of kids entered a functional MRI (核磁共振) that scanned their brains as the researchers showed them the same letters. Researchers found that the brain activity in the first group was far more advanced and “adult-like”.

    Handwriting also affects other people’s way they think of adults and children. Several studies have shown that the same average essay will score much higher if written with good penmanship and much lower if written out in poor handwriting. These studies have also found that people judge the quality of a person’s ideas based on his or her handwriting. And the consequences are real: On standardized tests with handwritten sections, like the SAT, all essays that are considered hard to recognize gets a big zero.

    Studies show that this isn’t only an English-language phenomenon. Chinese and Japanese youths are suffering from “character amnesia”. They can’t remember how to write characters, thanks to computers and text messaging. Some experts fear that Chinese writing and reading are so closely linked in the brain that China’s reading ability as a nation could suffer.

1.According to the passage, it can be learned that ________________.

  A. many researches have been done on handwriting

  B. essays can’t be composed without handwriting

  C. all children write faster by keyboard than by hand

D. most schools are trying to teach more handwriting

2. What does the Indiana University study imply?

  A. Children should practice writing letters           

B. Handwriting can increase brain activity

  C. It’s good for children to enter a functional MRI     

D. Letters should often be shown to children

3.What does the 4th paragraph mainly talk about?

  A. Handwriting affects both adults and children.    

B. Handwriting helps a person write better essays.

  C.SAT should be done with good handwriting.     

D. Good handwriting makes a person seem smarter.

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

  A. Essays written with keyboards will get lower scores.

B. The quality of your ideas depends on your handwriting.

  C. Chinese and Japanese youths don’t know how to write.

  D. Less handwriting may affect China’s reading ability.

5. The passage tries to tell us that __________________.

A. keyboards are more popular than handwriting     

B. we shouldn’t judge people by their handwriting

C. handwriting is of great importance              

D. it’s time to give up using keyboards

With large and small keyboards everywhere, neither children nor adults need to write much of anything by hand. That’s a big problem. Study after study suggests that handwriting is important for brain development — helping kids get fine motor skills and learn to express and create ideas. Yet the time devoted to teaching penmanship in most schools has shrunk to just one hour a week. Is it time to give up handwriting? Have a look at the link between the brain and penmanship, and you may get the answer.
A test among students in grades 2, 4 and 6 found that they not only wrote faster by hand than by keyboard, but also created more ideas when composing essays with handwriting. And other research shows that the finger movements required to write by hand activate brain areas involved with thought, language, and short-term memory.
A recent Indiana University study had one group of children practice writing letters by hand while a second group just looked at those letters. Then, both groups of kids entered a functional MRI (核磁共振) that scanned their brains as the researchers showed them the same letters. Researchers found that the brain activity in the first group was far more advanced and “adult-like”.
Handwriting also affects other people’s way they think of adults and children. Several studies have shown that the same average essay will score much higher if written with good penmanship and much lower if written out in poor handwriting. These studies have also found that people judge the quality of a person’s ideas based on his or her handwriting. And the consequences are real: On standardized tests with handwritten sections, like the SAT, all essay that is considered hard to recognize gets a big zero.
Studies show that this isn’t only an English-language phenomenon. Chinese and Japanese youths are suffering from “character amnesia”. They can’t remember how to write characters, thanks to computers and text messaging. Some experts fear that Chinese writing and reading are so closely linked in the brain that China’s reading ability as a nation could suffer

1. 1.

   According to the passage, it can be learned that ________________

   1. A.
      many researches have been done on handwriting
   2. B.
      essays can’t be composed without handwriting
   3. C.
      all children write faster by keyboard than by hand
   4. D.
      most schools are trying to teach more handwriting
2. 2.

   What does the Indiana University study imply?

   1. A.
      Children should practice writing letters
   2. B.
      Handwriting can increase brain activity
   3. C.
      It’s good for children to enter a functional MRI
   4. D.
      Letters should often be shown to children
3. 3.

   What does the 4th paragraph mainly talk about?

   1. A.
      Handwriting affects both adults and children
   2. B.
      Handwriting helps a person write better essays
   3. C.
      SAT should be done with good handwriting
   4. D.
      Good handwriting makes a person seem smarter
4. 4.

   Which of the following statements is TRUE?

   1. A.
      Essays written with keyboards will get lower scores
   2. B.
      The quality of your ideas depends on your handwriting
   3. C.
      Chinese and Japanese youths don’t know how to write
   4. D.
      Less handwriting may affect China’s reading ability
5. 5.

   The passage tries to tell us that __________________

   1. A.
      keyboards are more popular than handwriting
   2. B.
      we shouldn’t judge people by their handwriting
   3. C.
      handwriting is of great importance
   4. D.
      it’s time to give up using keyboards

It is a mystery that has puzzled doctors for decades. But experts believe they have now finally solved the tricky question of why winter is notoriously known as the flu season.
According to a new research, the influenza virus coats itself in a protective fatty shield that is tough enough to resist cold temperatures. The butter-like material only melts when it hits the respiratory tract（呼吸道）, leaving the virus free to infect cells-- a process scientists say is like an M&M melting in the mouth.
However, in warmer outdoor temperatures, the protective coating melts before it reaches a person or an animal, killing the bacteria before they can infect someone. Joshua Zimmerberg, from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), in the US, which led the study, said: “Like an M&M in your mouth, the protective covering melts when it enters the respiratory tract. It's only in this liquid period that the virus is able to enter a cell to infect it.”
In the past, scientists worked on theories that flu is more common in winter because people spend more time inside or the radiation from the sun in summer kills off germs. But no research successfully explained the spread of the disease.
Researchers have already claimed that the report, which is published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, could lead to new ways to prevent and treat flu. “Now that we understand how the flu virus protects itself so that it can spread from person to person, we can work on ways to prevent it.”
Influenza and other respiratory viruses are spread in small drops broadcast by coughing, sneezing and talking and which can also settle onto surfaces, to be picked up on fingertips.
1. What can be the best title of the passage?
A. The mystery that has puzzled doctors for decades.    B. New ways to prevent and treat flu.
C. A discovery of how flu strikes in Winter.            D. Ways found to prevent flu.
2. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Doctors have been trying hard to discover why flu strikes in winter.
B. In the past, scientists didn’t know how flu spreads.
C. It is possible that flu virus will no longer threaten humans in winter.
D. People get affected by flu because they spend much more time inside in winter.
3. Where should you insert the following paragraph into the passage?
Duane Alexander, the director of NICHD, said: “The study results open new avenues of research for thwarting (使…受挫)winter flu outbreaks.”
A. Between Paragraphs 1 and 2.     B. Between Paragraphs 3 and 4. 
C. Between Paragraphs 4 and 5.     D. Between the last two paragraphs.
4.In what process or order does flu occur?
a. The virus infects cells                 b. The influenza virus was born
c. The butter-like material melts           d. The virus hits respiratory tract
e. The virus coats itself in butter-like shield  f. The virus is free
A. a, c, d, e, b, f .     B. c, f, d, b, e, a.    C. b, e, d, c, f, a.    D. d, b, e, c, f, a.