In the mid-1940s, the young ambitious Ruth and Elliot Handler, owned a company that made wooden picture frames. In 1945, Ruth and Elliot joined their close friend Harold Mattson to form a company that would be known for the most famous and successful doll ever created. This company would be named Mattel after Mattson and Elliot.

In the mid—1950’s, while visiting Switzerland， Ruth Handler purchased a German Lilli doll. Lilli was a shapely， pretty fashion doll first made in 1955. She was originally fashioned after a famous cartoon character in the West German Newsletter, Build.

Lilli is the doll that would inspire Ruth Handler to design the Barbie doll（芭比娃娃）. With the help of her technicians and engineers at Mattel， Barbie was born. Ruth then hired Charlotte Johnson， a fashion designer， to create Barbie’s wardrobe. It was in 1958 that the patent for Barbie was obtained. This would be a fashion doll unlike any of her time. She would be long-limbed（长肢的）, shapely, beautiful, and only 11.5 inches tall. Ruth and Elliot would name their new fashion doll after their own daughter, Barbie.

In 1959, the Barbie doll would make her way to the New York Toy Show and receive a cool reception from the toy buyers.

Barbie has undergone a lot of changes over the years and has managed to keep up with current trends in hairstyles, makeup and clothing. She is a reflection of the history of fashion since her introduction to the toy market.

Barbie has a universal appeal and collectors both young and old enjoy time spent and memories made with their dolls.

59．What can we know about Barbie from the passage?

       A．She was fashioned after a famous cartoon character.

       B．She reflects the history of fashion.

       C．She was first made in 1958.

       D．She was Ruth’s daughter’s doll.

60．When Ruth and Elliot created the first doll,            .

       A．they had learned about the toy market

       B．they asked a fashion designer to help

       C．the doll had a universal appeal

       D．the doll had created a promising market

61．The Barbie doll is well received because            .

       A．she is always keeping up with fashion           B．she stands for the toy tendency

       C．she is popular with children                         D．she has a large market in the world

62．Which is the best title for this passage?

       A．Barbie Doll-Symbol of Fashion                     B．Barbie Doll-Toy of New Time

       C．Current Trend of Barbie Doll                        D．Birth and Popularity of Barbie Doll

It was Christmas Eve. When Paul came out of his office, a poor boy was walking around the shiny new car,　 36 it. “Is this your car, Mister?” he asked.

Paul nodded, “It is a gift from my brother for Christmas.” The boy was surprised, “You mean your brother gave it to you and it did not cost you anything? Oh, I wish. . . ”He paused.

Of course Paul　 37　 what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a 38 like that. But what the boy said jarred Paul all the way down to his feet.

“I wish,” the boy went on, “that I could 　39 a brother like that. ”

Paul looked at the brother in 40 ,then he added, “Would you like to take a ride in my car?”

“Oh yes, I would love that.”

After a short ride, the boy, with his eyes shining, requested, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?”

Paul 　41 . He though the knew what the boy wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong　 42　 .

“Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked.

He ran up the steps. Then in a 　43 while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming quickly. He was carrying his little crippled（瘸腿的）brother. He sat him down on the bottom step, then pointed to the car.

“There she is, Buddy, Just like It old you 44 . His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it cost him 45 . And some day I am going to gave you one just like it . . . then you can　 46 for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas shopping windows. ”

Paul got out and lifted the young boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began an 47 holiday ride.

36. A. admiring 　　　　　 B. selling 　　　　　　　　　　 C. examining 　　　　　　　 D. stealing

37. A. realized 　　　　　　 B. recognized 　　　　　　 C. heard 　　　　　　　　　　 D. knew

38. A. Christmas 　　　　 B. brother 　　　　　　　　　 C. car 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. gift

39. A. have 　　　　　　　　 B. share 　　　　　　　　　　 C. be 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. borrow

40. A. astonishment 　　 B. sadness 　　　　　　　　 C. pleasure 　　　　　　　　 D. anger

41. A. accepted 　　　　　 B. smiled 　　　　　　　　　 C. refused 　　　　　　　　　 D. laughed

42. A. next 　　　　　　　　 B. again 　　　　　　　　　　 C. then 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. now

43. A. short 　　　　　　　　 B. long 　　　　　　　　　　　 C. small 　　　　　　　　　　 D. large

44. A. here 　　　　　　　　 B. there 　　　　　　　　　　 C. downstairs 　　　　　　 D. upstairs

45. A. something 　　　　 B. nothing 　　　　　　　　　 C. anything 　　　　　　　　 D. everything

46. A. drive 　　　　　　　　 B. buy 　　　　　　　　　　　 C. have 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. see

47. A. interesting 　　　　 B. adventurous 　　　　　 C. unforgettable 　　　　　 D. exciting

Sorry to say, our brains naturally start slowing down at the Cruelty young age of 30. It used to be thought that this couldn't be helped, but new studies show that people of any age can train their brains to work faster. "Your brain is a learning machine," says University of California scientist Dr. Michael Merzenich. Given the right tools, we can train our brains to act like they did when we were younger. All that's required is the practice designed just for the purpose: a few exercises for the mind.
Merzenich has developed a computer-based training method to speed up the process(过程)  in which the brain deals with information (positscience.com). Since much of the data we receive comes through speech, the Brain Fitness Program works with language and hearing to better speed and accuracy (准确性).
Over the course of training, the program starts asking you to distinguish (辨别) sounds (between "dog" and "bog", for example) at an increasingly faster speed. It's a bit like tennis instructor, says Merzenich, hitting balls at you ~faster and faster to keep you challenged(受到挑战). You may start out slow, but before long you're pretty quick.
The biggest finding in brain research in the last ten years is that the brain at any age is highly plastic. If you ask your brain to learn, it will learn. And it may even speed up while in the process.
To keep your brain young and plastic you can do one of a million new activities that challenge and excite you: playing table tennis or bridge, doing crossword puzzles, learning a language.... "When it comes to preventing ageing, you really do 'use it or lose it' ," says Barbara Sahakian, professor at Cambridge University.

1. 1.

   Dr. Merzenich’s training method mainly depends on ________.

   1. A.
      speech training
   2. B.
      computer languages
   3. C.
      the activities one joins in
   4. D.
      the information being dealt with
2. 2.

   By saying "the brain at any age is highly plastic ", the writer probably means the brain can be______.

   1. A.
      used
   2. B.
      mastered
   3. C.
      developed
   4. D.
      researched
3. 3.

   What can we learn from the text?

   1. A.
      Practice makes a quick mind.
   2. B.
      Brain research started ten yeas ago.
   3. C.
      Dr. Merzenich is a scientist in computer,
   4. D.
      People believed nothing could stop the brain slowing down.
4. 4.

   Which of the following agrees with the writer's idea?

   1. A.
      The training methods work better for the old.
   2. B.
      People should use the brain to stop it from ageing.
   3. C.
      The training of the brain should start at an early age.
   4. D.
      It's necessary to take part in as many activities as possible.