You know that eating a suitable diet and getting plenty of exercise help make your body healthy and strong. But did you know that there are ways to make your brain healthier and smarter?
Studies show that when the brains is forced to do something new, it creates new neural (神经元) pathways. The more pathways you have, the faster you can think and the better memory you will have. Wonderful steps towards a smarter brain are as follows:
Choose proper TV programs
Watching an average TV show needs very little brain power and brings the same result as giving no care to physical exercise. Your brain will become weak just as your muscles do,if you watch TV, choose something educational and full of information.
Travel
Traveling to a new country forces you to see and do things in a new way, making your brains more active.
Learning a new language
A new language learner usually uses different learning methods. Learning a language sharpens your brain and helps you prevent memory problems in later years.
Master a new subject
Each week, choose an animal, a bird or a fish, and read everything you can about it. Go on learning unitl you become an expert on the subject.
Use your non-dominant hand
If you are right-handed,use your left hand for everyday activities, or use your right hand if you are left-handed. Doing familiar things in a new way will cause your brain to create new neural networks.
Read often
As you read, take the time to look up people or places that aren’t familiar. Reading can enlarge your vocabulary if you search for words and expressions that you don’t know.
Calculate while you shop
As you put things in your shopping bag, total everything in your head. See how close you get to the actual total.
Play video games
Studies have found that some video games force you to use critical decision-making skills and can even improve students’ math grades.
So get into the habit of challenging your brain, and make yourself smarter!
【小题1】The passage can most probably be found in a _____book.

Each nation has many good people who help take care of others. For example, some high school and college students in the United States often spend many hours as volunteers in hospitals, orphanages(孤儿院) or homes for the aged(老人). They read books to the people in these places, or they just visit them or listen to their problems. Other young volunteers go and work in the homes of people who are sick or old. They paint, clean up, or repair houses, do shopping and mow(割草) their lawns(草坪). For boys who no longer have fathers, there is an organization called Big Brothers. College students and other men take these boys to basketball games or on fishing trips and help them get to know things that boys usually learn from their fathers.

Some cities have a number of clubs where boys and girls can go to play games or learn crafts(手艺). Some of these clubs show movies or organize short trips to the mountains, the beaches, museums or other places of interest. Most of these clubs use a lot of high school and college students as volunteers because they are young enough to remember the problems of younger boys and girls.

Volunteers believe that some of the happiest people in the world are those who help bring happiness to others.

根据短文内容，选择正确答案（10分）

1.From the short passage we can see that      are often helped by the volunteers.

A、workers in the factory        

B、students in school

C、people in the home for the elderly(老人)

2.Young volunteers often go and work in the homes when people are        .

A、very busy                                B、hungry                                     C、in trouble

3.Big Brothers is an organization      .

A、to play basketball with the boys who no longer have fathers

B、to help the boys who no longer have fathers

C、to teach the boys who no longer have fathers how to fish

4.Which of the following don’t the clubs do for the boys and girls?

A、Show movies.

B、Organize short trips.

C、Make new clothes for them.

5.The clubs use many students as volunteers because       .

A、they believe that the happiest people are those who help bring happiness to others

B、they are so young that they can remember the problems of younger boys and girls

C、they can work very long a day without having a rest

Each nation has many good people who help take care of others. For example, some high school and college students in the United States often spend many hours as volunteers in hospitals, orphanages(孤儿院) or homes for the aged(老人). They read books to the people in these places, or they just visit them or listen to their problems. Other young volunteers go and work in the homes of people who are sick or old. They paint, clean up, or repair houses, do shopping and mow(割草) their lawns(草坪). For boys who no longer have fathers, there is an organization called Big Brothers. College students and other men take these boys to basketball games or on fishing trips and help them get to know things that boys usually learn from their fathers.
Some cities have a number of clubs where boys and girls can go to play games or learn crafts(手艺). Some of these clubs show movies or organize short trips to the mountains, the beaches, museums or other places of interest. Most of these clubs use a lot of high school and college students as volunteers because they are young enough to remember the problems of younger boys and girls.
Volunteers believe that some of the happiest people in the world are those who help bring happiness to others.
根据短文内容，选择正确答案（10分）
【小题1】From the short passage we can see that     are often helped by the volunteers.
A、workers in the factory  
B、students in school
C、people in the home for the elderly(老人)
【小题2】Young volunteers often go and work in the homes when people are       .
A、very busy                B、hungry               C、in trouble
【小题3】Big Brothers is an organization     .
A、to play basketball with the boys who no longer have fathers
B、to help the boys who no longer have fathers
C、to teach the boys who no longer have fathers how to fish
【小题4】Which of the following don’t the clubs do for the boys and girls?
A、Show movies.
B、Organize short trips.
C、Make new clothes for them.
【小题5】The clubs use many students as volunteers because      .
A、they believe that the happiest people are those who help bring happiness to others
B、they are so young that they can remember the problems of younger boys and girls
C、they can work very long a day without having a rest