Work your brain!

    Between 2 and 3 pounds of wonder, it controls everything we say, do or think, who we are and what we care about. The way we walk or laugh or figure out things. What we like and the talents we possess. How we see and talk and run and jump and process our food.

    The brain uses 20 percent of our body’s oxygen and 20 percent of its blood. Somewhere within its protein, fat, 100,000 miles of blood vessels and 100 billion nerve cells, it helps us remember where we put our gym shoes. Change our temperature so we don’t die because of the heat or cold. Speed us up or slow us down. Help us choose between orange juice or orange­flavored drinks.

    Its complexity are stunning, far beyond anything most of us can imagine. To keep this work of art as polished as possible we need to eat right, exercise and keep mentally stimulated（增强）. Good nutrition helps brain cells communicate with each other. Exercise stimulates a hormone in our brain that improves memory. Mental stimulation keeps you sharp even as you age.

“It’s very important that we tell people to be physically active and mentally active,” said neurologist Malcolm Stewart.“People cannot stop aging, but you’re able to reduce the damage; you’re able to keep the function up.”

Following are Dr. Stewart’s advice for improving brain health：

56. The purpose of the author in writing this passage is to ______.

A. inform us how the brain works

B. give us advice on how to keep the brain healthy

C. tell us that the brain plays an important role in our lives

D. show how special the brain is to us

57. The underlined word “stunning” means ______.

A. interesting 　          B. strange                        C. significant　          D. amazing

58. According to the text，more exercise ______.

A. keeps our mind sharp       B. helps improve our memory

C. gives our brain a rest 　    D. is good for brain cells communicating with each other

59. In order to keep brain healthy，we should avoid ______.

A. eating a good lunch                                  B. doing puzzles

C. eating a large supper                               D. taking aerobic exercise

When I was 8, a gentleman came to my orphanage and taught us how to do woodworking projects.

I remember my first project—a small table. I was so   36   of it that I looked upon it as if I had created a(an)   37  . It was absolutely beautiful and it had taken me six weeks to   38   it. I could hardly wait to give it to Mother Winters as a   39  . She was the head mistress of our orphanage, who was always   40   with us.

As the tables were not dry from the clear coating, the man told us to wait a few days before taking them to our dormitories. But I was just so   41   and happy that I couldn’t wait. I dashed out like a   42  , carrying my table, smiling from ear to ear.

When I reached the dormitory I placed the little table beside my bed. I was   43   it when Mother Winters entered. She walked over to the table. Running her hand   44   it, she noticed that it was still wet.

“Were you   45   to bring this home?” she asked.

“No, ma’am,” I   46   with my head down.

She ordered me to throw the table out and so I did. After she left, I immediately opened the door to get it back. There was   47   stuck all over. I brushed and cried, but it would not come off.

I hid the table in my closet and never   48   it. A year later while cleaning up, I gave the table to Mother Henderson, my houseparent（宿管员）, thinking that she would   49   it away.

Thirty years later at a reunion, I   50   that Mother Henderson was living nearby, so I drove up to see her. We talked cheerfully for long. As I was about to leave, she asked me to come down to her   51   to get something important. I followed her   52   into a dark corner. She picked something up.   53   she turned around, I could see that she was holding a little table.

Mother Henderson kept the little table that I had given up for lost so long ago.

Today, I look at that table with bittersweet memories but full of   54   to Mother Henderson, who kept it for a young orphan who tried very hard to   55  .

36. A. tired                  B. ashamed         C. proud                        D. aware

37. A. award               B. wonder         C. record                 D. product

38. A. design                  B. invent               C. paint                       D. complete

39. A. gift              B. reward             C. prize                          D. souvenir

40. A. satisfied         B. strict                C. patient                    D. angry

41. A. upset             B. amazed            C. confident                D. excited

42. A. thief            B. hero                 C. sword                            D. flash

43. A. drying            B. observing        C. admiring                 D. hiding      

44. A. into                B. across                 C. above                            D. after

45. A. supposed         B. embarrassed   C. encouraged            D. determined

46. A. agreed                  B. sighed             C. whispered            D. argued

47. A. dirt                    B. glue                 C. paint                    D. wood

48. A. removed           B. touched           C. shook                         D. split

49. A. put                    B. give                 C. take                        D. throw

50. A. learned         B. expected       C. remembered        D. recommended

51. A. bathroom          B. balcony         C. basement        D. bedroom

52. A. curiously           B. unwillingly C. doubtfully            D. worriedly

53. A. Before                  B. Since               C. As                           D. Until

54. A. admiration        B. gratitude       C. sympathy                D. regret

55. A. adapt                B. study               C. perform                  D. please

Will you attend the meeting this afternoon?

– But I _______ told anything about it.

A. wasn’t           B. am not           C. haven’t         D. won’t

Although we hadn’t met for about 20 years, I recognized her_______ she entered the room.

A. rapidly           B. quickly          C. eventually       D. directly

The professor considers_______ no good _______ without understanding.

A. it; to read         B. it; reading        C. that; to read      D. this; reading

By the year she arrives in London, scientists probably_______ a cure for H5N1

A. will be discovering                 B. are discovering  

C. will have discovered                D. have discovered

______  a satisfactory operation, the doctor believed the patient would recover from his illness very soon.

A.  Giving          B. Having given      C. Given      D. Having been given

 As most of their houses were badly damaged after the earthquake, many people had to be_______ in a stadium.

   A. put forward        B. put up           C.  put out       D.  put away

 If you have a job,  _______ yourself to it and finally you’ll succeed.

A．  do devote        B.  don’t devote      C.  Devoting      D. not devoting

 _________ you may have, you should gather your courage to face the challenge.

A. Whatever serious a problem                 B. However serious a problem 

C. However a serious problem                       D. No matter how a serious problem