Many psychologists in the early twentieth century believed that humans use only 10 percent of their brains, and even the great Albert Einstein once wrote that most people use only a small portion of the grey matter between their ears. It’s a theory that has often been put forward in television documentaries; magazines, advertisements and books over the past century.
But nearly all scientists now agree the 10 percent theory is completely unfounded. In fact, they question how this figure was ever arrived at in the first place and what areas of the brain are supposed to be unneeded. The theory supposes that if 90 percent of the brain were removed, a person would Still be able to function normally, while in reality it is known that damage to even a small area of the brain can result in extremely serious physical injury different activities and that many areas of the brain are used at the same time for some complex activities or thought processes.
Throughout the course of one day, most .areas of the brain are active at some time, even during sleep. The 10 percent theory suggests that certain areas o’ the brain are not used, but scans slow activities throughout the entire brain and not in any separate part. The final argument against the 10 percent theory is the fact that doctors carefully map the brain before removing brain cancers so that they don’t affect other essential areas.
From an evolutionary point of view, it’s highly unlikely butt our comparatively larger brains would have evolved from our ancestors if the extra areas were not needed. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence support the 10 percent theory.
【小题1】How did the 10 percent theory get such widespread popularity?

It doesn’t matter when and how much a person sleeps, but everyone needs some rest to stay alive. That’s what all doctors thought, until they heard about Herpin. Herpin, it was said, never slept. Could this be true? The doctors decided to see this strange man themselves.

     Herpin was 90 years old when the doctors came to his home in New Jersey. They thought for sure that he got some sleep of some kind. So they stayed with him and watched every movement he made. But they were surprised. Though they watched him hour after hour and day after day, they never saw him sleeping. In fact, he did not even own a bed. He never needed one.

The only rest that Herpin sometimes got was sitting in a comfortable chair and reading newspapers. The doctors were puzzled by this strange continuous sleeplessness. They asked him many questions, hoping to find an answer. They found only one answer that might explain his condition. Herpin remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he was born. But that was all. Was this the real reason? No one could be sure. Herpin died at the age of 94.

1.The main idea of this passage is that_____.

A. large numbers of people do not need sleep

B. a person was found who actually didn’t need any sleep

C. everyone needs some sleep to stay alive  

D. people can live longer by trying not to sleep

2.The doctors came to visit Herpin, expecting_____.

A. to cure him of his sleeplessness

B. to find that his sleeplessness was not really true

C. to find out why some old people did not need any sleep

D. to find a way to free people from the need of sleeping

3.After watching him closely, the doctors came to believe that Herpin_____.

A. needed some kind of sleep

B. was too old to need any sleep

C. needed no sleep at all

D. often sleep in a chair

4.One reason that might explain Herpin’s sleeplessness was _____.

A. his mother’s injury before he was born

B. that he had gradually got rid of the sleeping habit

C. his magnificent physical condition

D. that he hadn’t got a bed

5.Herpin’s condition could be regarded as ______.

A. a common one   B. one that could be cured   C. very healthy    D. a rare one

If a person forgets names , places or facts —and has trouble with everyday things like reading or shopping —it may not mean you are getting old. It could be Alzheimer’s disease. So it’s important to see a doctor as soon as you can.
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s. But a drug called ARICEPT has been used by millions of people to help their symptoms (症状).
In studies, ARICEPT has been proved to work for Alzheimer’s. It has helped people improve their memory over time. It has also helped them to keep doing everyday things on their own.
Ask your doctor if ARICEPT is right for you or your loved one. It is the Number One drug for Alzheimer’s in the world. The sooner you know it’s Alzheimer’s, the better ARICEPT can help.
ARICEPT is good for many but may not be good for everyone. Some people may experience not sleeping well, feeling very tired, or not wanting to eat. In studies, these side effects weren’t serious at all and went away over time. Some people taking ARICEPT may feel light-headed. In this case you should tell your doctors because your condition may get worse.
【小题1】 If one suffers from Alzheimer’s, ________.

Australia---The vote for euthanasia(安乐死)was finally taken at 3:45 this morning. After six months’ argument and final 16 hours’ hot debates, Australia’s Northern Territory became the first legal authority in the world to allow doctors to take the lives of incurably ill patients who wish to die. The bill was passed by the vote of 15 to 10. Almost immediately word flashed on the Internet and was picked up, half a world away, by John Hofsess, the director of the Right to Die Society of Canada. He sent it on through the group’s on-line service, Death NET. Hofsess says, “We posted it all day long, because this isn’t just something that happened in Australia. It’s world history.”
The full import may take a while to understand. The NT Rights of the Terminally III law has left physicians and citizens trying to deal with its moral and practical meaning. Some have breathed sighs of relief, but others, including churches, right to life groups and the Australian Medical Association, bitterly attacked the bill and the haste(匆忙,急忙) of its passage. But the tide is unlikely to turn back. In Australia — where an aging population, life extending technology and changing community attitudes have all played their part — other states are going to consider making a similar law to for euthanasia. In the US and Canada, where the right to die movement is gathering strength, observers are waiting for the dominoes(多米诺骨牌) to start falling.
Under the new Northern Territory law, an adult patient can request death — probably by a deadly injection or pill — to put an end to suffering. The patient must be diagnosed as incurably ill by two doctors. After a “cooling off” period of seven days, the patient can sign a certificate of request. After 48 hours the wish for death can be met. For Lloyd Nickson, a 54 year old Darwin man suffering from lung cancer, the law means he can get on with living without the fear of his suffering: a terrifying death from his breathing condition. “I’m not afraid of dying from a spiritual point of view, but what I was afraid of was how I’d go, because I’ve watched people die in the hospital fighting for oxygen and clawing at their masks,” he says.
【小题1】According to the text ,which of the following statements is TRUE?

It's easy to take your hearing for granted until it's too late.
With the wide    1   _(popular) of digital entertainment products, it is not uncommon to see people wearing headphones and listening to music    2    running in the park or using public transport. And the volume is often so loud that people around    3    can hear the music as well.
However, doctors warn that such behavior can    4   _(potential) damage their hearing. "In noisy places, people tend   5  _(turn) the volume up to get the same clarity of sound. Unfortunately, that can damage the hearing   6  people being aware of it," said Feng Yongfeng, chief ENT physician at Beijing Tian'an Hospital.
After Spring Festival, the hospital witnessed   7   slight increase in the number of teenagers coming in with hearing problems,  8   Feng attributed to them wearing headphones at home for long periods during the holiday. Feng said both in-ear and overhead headphones can harm the ears and    9   (advise) against using them for long periods. He said if you do use headphones it is worth    10   (invest) in the highest quality you can afford.