Do you know that women’s brains are smaller than men’s? The average women’s brain weighs 10% less than men’s. Since researches have shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent than women. Right? Wrong. Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size. Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it’s what’s inside that matters, not just the size of the brain. The brain consists of “grey matter” and “white matter”. While men have more of the latter, the amount of “thinking” brain is almost exactly the same in both sexes.
It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women. This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time. When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time.
There are other important differences between two sexes. As white matter is the key to spatial(空間的) tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things. “A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher. That may explain one of life’s great mysteries—why men refuse to ask for directions … and women often need to!
The differences begin when fetuses(胎兒) are about nine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children as young as one. A boy would try to climb a barrier (障礙物) before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others. These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills. It may all go back to our ancestors, among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research. www. .com
If all this disappoints you, it shouldn’t. “The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it.” says a biologist.
小題1:Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph?
A．Women’s brain is 10% less than men’s
B．Grey matter plays the same role as white matter.
C．Grey matter controls thinking in the brain.
D．Both sexes have the same amount of white matter.
小題2:What can we infer from the second and third paragraphs?
A．Women prefer doing many things at a time.
B．Men do better dealing with one job at a time.
C．Women do not need to tell directions.
D．Men have weaker spatial abilities.
小題3:Which of the following do you agree with according to the fourth paragraph?
A．Young boys may be stronger than young girls.
B．More women take up jobs requiring speech skills.
C．Women may have stronger feelings than men.
D．Our ancestors needed more spatial skills.
小題4:What is the writer’s attitude in writing this passage?
A．Defensive.B．Persuasive.C．Supportive.D．Objective.

小題1:C
小題2:B
小題3:B
小題4:D

試題分析：文章分析了男女腦量的不同，以及男女所擅長的不同方面和不同的特點。
小題1:推理題。根據(jù)第一段最后一句The brain consists of “grey matter” and   “white matter”. While men have more of the latter, the amount of “thinking” brain is almost exactly the same in both sexes.可知男性的white matter更多，而grey matter男女幾乎一致，而這一部分正是控制思維的。故C正確。
小題2:推理題。根據(jù)第二段最后When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it’s women who come out on top every time.可知女性可以同時兼顧好幾項工作，可以推斷出男性一次做一份工作可能會更好一點，故B正確。
小題3:推理題。根據(jù)第4段These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills.可知女性更擅長語言技能，故選B。
小題4:觀點態(tài)度題。通讀全文可知作者是以一種客觀的態(tài)度闡述事實，并沒有太多的個人傾向，故D正確。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Babies who are slow to gain weight in the first months of their lives generally catch up to their peers by age 13,a large UK study shows, Researchers said the results would make parents whose babies fail to put on weight quickly less worried.
The researchers looked at data from ,11,499 children who took part in a large study, It showed that 507 who were slow to gain weight in the first eight weeks of life recovered fairly quickly and had almost caught up by age 2. Another group of 480 who were slow to gain between eight weeks and nine months continued to put on weight slowly until they were seven years ,but then had a sudden increase and caught up by age 13, The different pattems of recovery between the two groups were likely due to different reasons for slow weight gain ,the researchers said, All the children were still lighter and shorter than their peers by the time they were teenagers ,but within the normal range.
The findings highlight the importance of monitoring a baby’s weight and height gain during the first few weeks and months ,but not creating anxiety with parents of slow-growing babies, said the study leader Prof Alan Emond from the University of Bristol.
“In the past, a lot of parents have been caused unnecessary anxiety by heaith professionals and this is a positive and reassuring message.”He said in many cases of slow growth where children do not follow the standard’curve’(曲線)it is just because they are following their genetic potential.
Dr Simon Newell, vice-president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said he broadly agreed with the concluslons of the researchers but stressed that poor weight gain was something that needed to be monitored closely, “I would encourage parents to use growth charts but if measurements show your baby is smaller than averager it may be completely normal, ”he said.
小題1:What can we know from the findings of the research?
A．All the cases of slow weight gain in the first months of the babies’ lives are caused by the same reason
B．Slow-growing babies will have the same height and weight with their peers by age13
C．Many cases of children whose growth don’t meet the growing standard curve cannot be treated as abnormal
D．The findings won’t cause parents’ anxiety so monitoring a baby’s growth from his/her birth is unnecessary
小題2:Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A．It’s important to monitor a baby’s weight and height gain for new parents
B．New parents should feel anxious about their baby’s weight and height gain
C．Researches still couldn’t find the reasons for slow weight gain
D．All the children’s weight and height became normal by age 13
小題3:What does the underlined word in the fourth paragraph mean?
A．Making sure something is certain to be true
B．Making someone calmer and less anxious
C．Confirming something is to happen again
D．Being sure that someone can be attracted
小題4:Which of the statements would Dr Simon Newell agree to?
A．To some degree, growth charts can help parents monitor their babies’ weight gain
B．It’s abnormal for babies are smaller than average
C．He agreed with the researchers completely
D．Babies’ weight gain can only be monitored and measured by using growth charts.
小題5:The writer wrote this passage in order to        
A．tell us how to help babies grow faster
B．explain why babies are gain weight slowly
C．report on the findings of a research
D．reduce the anxiety of some parents

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Many of us believe that a person’s mind becomes less active as he grows older. But this is not true, according to Dr Jarvik, professor of psychiatry at the University of California. She has studied the mental functioning of aging persons for several years. For example, one of her studies concerns 136 pairs of twins (雙胞胎), who were first examined when they were already 60 years old. As Dr Jarvik continued the study of the twins into their 70s and 80s, their minds did not generally decline (衰弱) as was expected.
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　　It is true that older people themselves often complain that their memory is not as good as it once was. However, much of what we call “l(fā)oss of memory” is not that at all. There usually was incomplete learning in the first place. For example, the older person perhaps had trouble hearing, or poor vision, or was trying to learn the new thing at too fast a speed. In the cases where the older person’s mind really seems to get worse, it is not necessarily a sign of decline due to old age. Often it is simply a sign of a sad emotional state. 
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A．what caused mental decline
B．a(chǎn) new discovery about mental decline
C．the difference between middle-aged and older persons
D．how Dr Jarvik studied mental functioning of the twins
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A．the study of diseases of the mind
B．the study of physical diseases
C．the study of twins’ growth
D．the study of human behavior
小題3:More often than not, what we call mental decline is actually a sign of _______.
A．a(chǎn) worsening state of healthB．old age
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

U.S. Bottled Water Sales Are Booming Again Despite Opposition
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Why do so many people seem to think they should have any input on what other American’s choose to buy or do?
If they want to buy bottled water, let them.
If they want to eat fast food, let them.
If they want to smoke pot, let them.
— Barackalypse
People just get tired of paying for others’ bad behavior. If many people eat excessive fast food, you pay higher insurance premiums. If many people frequently buy bottled water, your trash bills go up and landfills fill up quickly.
It’s about personal responsibility, which really should be a cornerstone of libertarianism.
— Bdbr
So? This is the price you pay to live in a free society. You want to control the life of another just so you can save a few bucks? What would you say when someone do the same to you?
— Norman619
Defend selfish pricks all you like; I’m just glad there are still people who still believe personal responsibility is a good and decent thing. We make your life cheaper and less bothersome.
— Yoyo
What a waste of money! It’s fine when you’re on the road and you need a cold drink, but people who buy cases of bottled water for home are completely crazy.
— Agmlauncher
I wish we all can find a way to improve things and benefit from this. The environment needs a lot of help but businesses will always work on what people would need and demand. Is this part of the balance? Hope we can find better ways.
— Skipweis
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A．Americans are consuming more bottled water than tap.
B．US bottled water sales have increased for the first time.
C．Activists in several regions have been fighting against it.
D．Some people worry about its bad effect on the environment.
小題2:Who would agree with Barackalypse on this matter?
A．Bdbr. B．Norman619.C．Yoyo.D．Agmlauncher.
小題3:According to the text, Agmlauncher is _____ bottled water.
A．partly supportive ofB．extremely against
C．strongly in favor ofD．not concerned about
小題4:Which of the following statements goes with Skipweis’ opinion?
A．The environment is emphasized too much.
B．It’s impossible for people to find a better way.
C．Business is not totally responsible for the problem.
D．At present we can’t benefit from bottled water at all.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Scientists say they now have proof to support the old-fashioned advice that it's best to sleep on a problem. They say sleep strengthens the memory and helps the brain organize the masses of information we receive each day.
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C．show their knowledge of words
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A．It shows sleep may help us manage information
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While the most typical gesture of embarrassment is a downward gaze to one side while partly covering the face, a person who feels shame, as distinguished(區(qū)別) from embarrassment, will typically cover the whole face, Feinberg said.
The results were got from a series of experiments. In the first experiment, 60 college students were videotaped describing embarrassing moments, such as making incorrect assumptions(假想) based on appearances. The college students also participated in the “Dictator Game” which is used in economics research to measure altruism(利己主義). For example, each was given 10 raffle tickets(獎券) and asked to keep a share of the tickets and give the reminder(提示物) to a partner.
The findings, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, showed that those who showed greater levels of embarrassment tended to give away more of their raffle tickets, indicating(﹦showing) greater generosity.
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A．A person who feels shame.
B．A person who hides his embarrassment.
C．A person who shows his embarrassment.
D．A person who gives away more raffle tickets.
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A．it’s useless to fight our embarrassment
B．people should try to overcome their embarrassment
C．embarrassed people are not good at doing business
D．people who show embarrassment can be good business partners
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B．test whether a student is generous or not
C．determine the different levels of embarrassment
D．record how each student reacts during embarrassing moments
小題4:We learn from the last paragraph that those who showed greater levels of embarrassment ____.
A．proved to be more generousB．kept more of the raffle tickets
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Nickname (昵稱): Hawaii’s Island of Adventure.
Size: 4,028 square miles.
Population: 148,677. The most heavily populated areas are Hilo on the east side and     Kailua-Kona on the west.
Temperature: Averages between 71℉ and 77 ℉ year around —expect the mercury ( 水銀柱) to drop at higher Heights.
Beaches: 47  Golf Courts: 20   Highest Peak: Mauna Kea, 13,796 feet.
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Airports: Hilo International Airport on the east side and Kona International Airport on the west
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Resources: Call (800) 648-2441 to order a video, a poster, brochures and maps from the Big Island Visitors Bureau. Turn to www. Bigisland. org for updated information.
Shopping: The largest shopping centers are in Hilo, Kona, Waimea and the Kona Coast.
小題1:_____ are mostly interested in reading the passage.
A．TouristsB．StudentsC．BusinessmenD．Officials
小題2:The average population per square mile on the island is about _____.
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B．Dropping things from higher places is expected
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Unlike traditional commercials, Public Service Advertisements（PSA）are primarily designed to inform and educate rather than sell a product or service. The goal of a PSA is not to make a big sale, but rather to change public opinion and raise awareness for a problem.
Smokey Bear has been a recognized symbol of the protection of America’s forests from fire. It is created to educate the public about the dangers of wildfires. Smokey Bear was started in 1944 with the slogan, “Smokey Bear Says—Care will prevent 9 out of 10 forest fires”. Smokey Bear’s later slogan,  “Remember! Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires”, was created in 1947 by the Advertising Council in America. In April 2001, the message was changed to “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires”.
The wildfire prevention campaign with Smokey Bear is one of the longest and most successful campaigns in advertising history. The Advertising Council often was in partnership with other organizations and groups to create various advertising for Smokey Bear since 1944.
The Advertising Council teamed with Walt Disney Company to create a series of PSAs. The ads feature（以···為形象）characters form the classic film Sleeping Beauty and aim to reach parents and children. The lovely Bambi also appeared in the advertisements. Mickey Mouse is much more popular throughout the country.
Those PSAs, which appear on television, on the radio, in the newspaper and on the website continue to remind Americans about the importance of wildfire prevention have helped to reduce the number of acres burned annually by wildfires. According to recent survey, Smokey Bear and his famous words of wisdom “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires” are recalled by 3 out of 4 adults.
In addition to the PSA campaign, Smokey Bear has his own U.S. postage stamp and website for more information about wildfire prevention. From the website, you can also learn all about wildfires and how we can protect our forests.
小題1:PSA are primarily designed to     .
A．educate the publicB．change people’s status
C．discuss a problemD．sell products or services
小題2:Which of the following is true of the Smoky Bear?
A．It is one recognized symbols of Walt Disney cartoons.
B．It firstly appeared in America in 1944 with no slogan.
C．It is created to warn Americans of the dangers of wildfires.
D．Its slogan changes every three years.
小題3:How does the author support his topic in Paragraph 4?
A．By summing up.B．By giving examples.
C．By comparison.D．By asking questions.
小題4:According to this text, Smoky Bear      .
A．helps a lot to reduce wildfires in America
B．isn’t popular among the American pupils
C．has set up its own website to advertise products
D．becomes the symbol of the Advertising Council

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

You can’t always predict a heavy rain or remember your umbrella. But designer Mikhail Belyaev doesn’t think that forgetting to check the weather forecast before heading out should result in you getting wet. That’s why he created Lampbrella, a lamp post with its own rain sensing umbrella.
The designer says he came up with the idea after watching people get wet on streets in Russia. “Once, I was driving on a central Saint Petersburg street and saw the street lamps lighting up people trying to hide from the rain. I thought it would be appropriate to have a canopy(傘蓬)built into a street lamp,” he said.
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In addition to the rain sensor, there’s also a 360° motion sensor on the fiberglass street lamp which detects whether anyone is using the Lampbrella. After three minutes of not being used the canopy is closed.
According to the designer, the Lampbrella would move at a relatively low speed, so as not to cause harm to the pedestrians. Besides, it would be grounded to protect from possible lightning strike. Each Lampbrella would offer enough shelter for several people. Being installed at 2 meters off the ground, it would only be a danger for the tallest of pedestrians.
While there are no plans to take Lampbrella into production, Belyaev says he recently introduced his creation to one Moscow Department, and insists this creation could be installed on any street where a lot of people walk but there are no canopies to provide shelter.
小題1:For what purpose did Belyaev create the Lampbrella?
A．To predict a heavy rain.
B．To check the weather forecast.
C．To protect people from the rain.
D．To remind people to take an umbrella.
小題2:What do we know from Belyaev’s worlds in Paragraph 2?
A．His creation was inspired by an experience.
B．It rains a lot in the city of Saint Petersburg.
C．Street lamps are protected by canopies.
D．He enjoyed taking walks in the rain.
小題3:Which of the following show how the Lampbrella works?
A．motor→canopy→sensors B．sensors→motor→canopy
C．motor→sensors→canopyD．canopy→motor→sensors
小題4:. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A．The designer will open a company to promote his product.
B．The Lampbrella could be put into immediate production.
C．The designer is confident that his creation is practical.
D．The Lampbrella would be put on show in Moscow.

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