In all the world’s cultures, people sing, play instruments, and celebrate with music. It plays such an important role in our lives that whole fields work hard at its study, including one looking at the biology of music. Experts are finding that because of the way our brains process(处理)  music, learning to play an instrument or just listening to music can have a wide range of benefits.

Music education has received a lot of attention. Learning to play an instrument can help children improve math, science, and language skills. One study in Canada tracked （追踪）children’s IQ scores for nine months, discovering that children who studied music had the biggest test score improvements. The secret may lie in the way reading music and playing notes uses several areas of the brain, helping develop our ability to learn school subjects.

   Music is also used for medical purposes, such as the treatment of diseases which affect memory. Scientists explain that one area near the forehead connects music with memories. That’s why an old song can remind you of something that happened years ago. For patients suffering from certain diseases, listening to music can help unlock memories by building up musical pathways to memories.

Studies of the music-brain connection often concentrate on classical music, since it activates both the left and right sides of brains. One study found the brain activity was the highest during the short breaks between the movements of a piece of music. During each break, the person’s brain predicted what would come next, while organizing what he had just heard. This process is similar to the way our brain organizes information. It may explain why classical music can help improve memory. Some people take the music- brain connection to another level by listening to personalized “brain music.” which can help a person concentrate and prepare for a difficult task.

It’s amazing how attuned our brains are to music. Some scientists even think we’re born with the ability to learn music, just as we all have the skills to learn language. After all, children without any training often make up songs while playing. With the evidence of music’s benefits pouring in, it’s no wonder some countries make music study a part of their education systems. People are realizing that music is more than just a form of entertainment.

56. In the study in Canada, who had the biggest IQ score increase?

   A. The children who did well in science.

   B. The children who had good memories.

   C. The children who had fun learning languages.

   D. The children who studied music for some time.

57. The writer probably agrees that                 .

   A. we get a lot from teaching children to make up songs.

   B. it takes steps to make full use of music-brain connection.

   C. memory can be improved by training to organize information

   D. music treatment helps build up unlocked pathways to memories

58. What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?

   A. It’s great that our brains go well with music.

   B. It’s wonderful for us to listen to brain music.

   C. It’s surprising that music makes our brains active.

   D. It’s fantastic to know how brains work with music.

59. What may be the best title for the passage?

A. Music and Memory           B. Music and the Mind

C. The Biology of Music         D. The Benefits of Music

阅读理解

Dear Fang,

How are you these days? I have been in England for two months. It’s not a long time for a newcomer, and there are still a lot of things to do. Sorry for not being able to write to you soon.

London is an old but beautiful city. There are lots of places of interest to visit. Last weekend I went along Thames River with some friends from Japan, Korea and some other countries. The modern skyscrapers(摩天大楼) among the old buildings impressed(给…留下印象) us deeply. The classes started two weeks after I arrived here alone. Besides the language, I’m trying to learn about the culture as well. British people are quite different from the Chinese. Do you know the people here do not shake hands as much as we do in China? And it’s never a good habit to make noise when you eat. They think it’s impolite.

There is so much to say, but I have to stop.

I will write to you soon again.

Love,

Harry

1.Harry came to London from ________.

2. Two months ago Harry came to London _________.

3. Harry has studied in London _______.

4. Last weekend Harry was impressed by _____________.

5. English people _______________.

根据对话内容，在下列横线上填入适当的话语，使对话完整正确。

A：Hey! Maria! 1.????????

B：I’ve been to the River Park.

A：You’ve lived there for three months. 2.?????????

B：It’s great. But I wasn’t used to the air when I first arrived.

A：There are more and more cars. It creates the air pollution.

B：I agree. But ? 3.?????????

A：We should do something to protect the environment, I have some videos about that?

B：How nice! Would you mind me watching them?

A：? 4.???????? You can come and get them at any time this afternoon.

B：? 5.????????

A：It’s my pleasure.

For many school in Thailand, there are two terms. The first term is from the first week of May to the first week of October. The second term starts from the first week of November and finishes at the last week of February or the first week of March. The students don't get a break for Christmas（圣诞节）. But they get a 3-4 days' break for the New Year.

For many students, a school day is very long. They usually get to school at 7:30 a.m. Classes begin at 8:00 a.m. there are three classes in the morning and they are 50 minutes each（每个）. Students have lunch at 11:00 a.m. they don't have dining halls so they have to eat in the classroom. Lunch time finishes at 12:25 p.m. there are three classes in the afternoon. School finishes at 3:15 p.m. many schools have a "homework" lesson after school, so students usually go home after 4:45 p.m.

1.How long is the first term in Thailand schools?

A．For six months.     B．For five months.     C．For four months.    D．For three moths.

2.What does the underlined word "break" mean in Chinese?

A．假期             B．节目             C．游览             D．计划

3.When do students usually get to school?

A．At 7:00 a.m.       B．At 7:30 a.m.        C．At 8:00 a.m.        D．At 8:30 a.m.

4.Why do students have to eat lunch in the classroom?

A．Because their dining halls are very small.

B．Because they must do their homework after lunch.

C．Because they don't have dining halls.

D．Because they bring lunch to school.

5.What can we learn from the passage?

A．There are three terms in Thailand schools.

B．Students don't go to school in November.

C．Students usually go home at 3:15 p.m.

D．Students have six classes a day.