Parents who feel disappointed at their teenagers’ failure to pay attention in class, and inability to sit quietly long enough to finish homework or plan ahead, should take solace. Their children are not being lazy or careless, according to new research.
The research has found that teenagers’ brains continue developing far longer into adulthood than we used to think. Teens may look like young adults but their brain structure is similar to that of much younger children.
“It is not always easy for teens to pay attention in class without letting their minds wander, or to ignore distractions from their younger brothers or sisters when trying to solve a maths   problem,” said Dr Iroise Dumon-theil. “But it’s not the fault of teenagers that they can’t pay attention and are easily distracted. It’s to do with the structure of their brains. Teens simply can’t think as well as an adult.”
The research showed that the brain of a teenager works less effectively than that of an adult. “We knew that the front of the brain of teens functioned in a chaotic  (混乱的) way but we  didn’ t realize it continued until the late 20s or early 30s,” said Dr Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who led the research.
Chaotic thought patterns are a result of teenagers’ brains containing too much grey matter — the cell bodies and connections which carry messages within the brain. As we age, the amount of grey matter in our brain reduces.
“What our research has shown is that there is simply too much going on in the brains of teens,” said Blakemore. “The result is that their brain energy and resources are wasted and their decision-making process is badly influenced. Adults, on the other hand, have less grey matter. This means that the brain works far more effectively.”
【小题1】The underlined word “solace” in Paragraph 1 may mean _____.

根据短文内容，从短文后的A-G选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余项。

Everyone tries instant noodles方便面. It is very easy to cook by putting them into the boiling water and add in those MSG(味精) packets. However, have you ever wondered whether this is the correct way of cooking it? ___1____ .In order to make the noodles join together nicely side by side and achieve beautiful instant noodles in front of us, some form of wax coating涂蜡 is needed. __2__. It is advisable to have a break of 2-3 days before we start to eat another packet of instant noodles as our bodies need about 3 days to clear that layer of wax coating away from our system. Do you know the danger of having too much wax coating stored in our stomach? ___3  

Here are the key points to take note of while preparing instant noodles.

____4____.

Repeat Step 1 and try to stir the noodles again to wash away the wax coating on the noodles before cooking it in a new pot of water.

The importance is not eating too many instant noodles. It is very important that we should follow the key points while having our meal of instant noodles.

___5____..

A．Nothing is more important than health, so drink enough water.

B．However, the layer of wax coating on the noodles is quite harmful.

C．It is very easy to cook instant noodles, but we must take note of the harm of it.

D．When you first see the noodles, you will notice them nice.

E. Wash the instant noodles.

F. Wash and stir with warm water.

G. It will lead to cancer if it is stored in our body for long.

_____ having some money raises our level of happiness, having too much money does not.

D
Having too much confidence is not good. And now, a new study has proved this by finding that overconfident teenage students can stunt crucial（决定性的）reading skills.
The study shows a clear connection between overconfident students and low reading comprehension.
“While some self-confidence is helpful, overconfident 15-year-olds are often below-average (平均水平) readers in all 34 countries we studied, ” says Ming Ming Chiu, the lead author of the study.
“In contrast, under-confident 15-year-olds are more likely to be above-average readers in all 34 countries, ”the expert added.
The difference lies in a student’s ability to exactly assess (估计) and evaluate his or her own reading level, according to Chiu. Those who can accurately assess their strengths and weaknesses are usually in a better position to identify realistic goals and achieve them.
“If an overconfident student chooses a book that is too hard—such as The Lord of the Rings rather than Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone—he or she might stop reading after a few pages and let it sit on a bookshelf,”says Chiu.
“In contrast, a more self-aware student is more likely to finish an easier book and continue reading more books, ”the expert added.
67．The underlined word “stunt” in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by          .
A. improve                   B. help                         C. prevent                    D. find
68．Which of the following is true?
A. Under-confident 15-year-olds are less likely to be above-average readers.
B. Overconfident 15-year-olds are often below-average readers.  
C. Under-confident 15-year-olds are more likely to be below average readers.
D. Overconfident 15-year-olds are often above-average readers.
69．People who can exactly assess their strengths and weaknesses can          .
A. choose a better book                                     B. gain more money
C. have realistic goals and achieve them              D. have a great improvement in their marks
70．A more self-aware student is more likely to          .
A. stop reading after a few pages                       B. put the book on a bookshelf
C. finish an easier book                                     D. write books

 Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

      Behind our house is the start of a fascinating trail (小径). This trail is one of the old roads that wind through untold miles of forest. My   36  , Beans, and I walk the trail frequently. Normally, Beans sniffs alongside the trail to follow the smell of a deer track or   37   some cause known only to him.

      Beans is a white dog, quite handsome and very   38 . He not only understands what we tell him, but also often makes sounds as if he were trying to   39   back.

      One morning, we took a different route, which led us to an unfamiliar trail. I was sure this trail would eventually lead us to our familiar   40  . But, no. We seemed to be far off course. After two hours, I suddenly realized that Beans probably   41   the way home. So I urged, "Beans, take me home." He ran down a new trail. But it merely led to an intersection (岔道口) of trails.

      Soon it became   42   that we were getting nowhere. I began to picture the rest of the day in the   43   without food or drink. We had walked about ten miles. But Beans seemed totally   44 . The sniffing and exploring was going well for him.

     Finally, we   45  a crossroad near a highway. Lady Luck suggested I should turn left. We did and   46   reached a cottage beside a field. I knocked on the door and explained my situation to an old man. He laughed and then drove us home.

     Since our adventure, I  47  that Beans probably knew all along how to get home.

He was just having too much fan exploring new trails.

1.A. deer                     B. dog                          C. lady                          D. man

2.A. imagine                         B. consider                 C. explore                   D. present

3.A. smart                   B. sweet                      C. slow                         D. shy

4.A. turn                      B. kick                          C. jump                        D. speak

5.A. driveway             B. path                         C. crossroad               D. highway

6.A. knew                    B. saw                          C. showed                   D. made

7.A.mysterious           B. ridiculous               C. fascinating              D. apparent

8.A. house                            B. forest                      C. field                         D. cottage

9.A. unconcerned              B. unconscious C. undecided              D. uncomfortable

10.A. left for                        B. went off                  C. came to                   D. drove toward

11.A. punctually                  B. frequently              C. formally                  D. shortly

12.A. regretted                   B. remembered         C. concluded              D. confirmed