It is common to believe that learning just takes place in school, but much of human learning happens outside the classroom, even from birth and people continue to learn throughout their lives.

Even before they enter school, young children learn to walk, to talk, and to use their hands to use toys, food, and other objects. They use all of their senses to learn about the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells in their environments. They learn how to communicate with their parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and other people important to their world. When they enter school, children learn subjects like reading, writing, and maths. They also continue to learn a lot outside the classroom. They learn which behaviors are likely to be rewarded and which are likely to be punished. They learn social skills for communicating with other children. After they finish school, people must learn to deal with many changes that affect their lives, such as getting married, raising children, and finding and keeping a job.

Because learning continues throughout our lives and influences almost everything we do, the study of learning is important in many different fields. Teachers need to understand the best ways to educate children. Scientists, social workers and other human service workers need to understand how certain experiences change people’s behaviors.

Learning is closely related (相关的) to memory, which is the storage(储存) of information in the brain (大脑). Scientists who study memory are interested in how the brain stores knowledge, where this storage takes place, and how the brain later offers knowledge when we need it. However, scientists who study learning are more interested in behavior and how behavior changes as a result of a person’s experiences. ?

1.The underlined word “siblings” in Paragraph 2 probably means _________.

A．teachers          B．classmates         C．doctors           D．brothers or sisters

2.When do children begin to know to behave well according to the passage?

A．After they go into society.                 B．Before they enter school.

C．When they are at school.                 D．Before they are born.

3.Which of the following is WRONG according to the passage?

A．As a matter of fact, learning begins at a person’s birth and last the whole life.

B．Teachers need to understand the best ways to educate their students.

C．People need to understand how certain experiences change their behaviors.

D．Social workers need to study how experiences affect people’s thoughts.

It is common to believe that learning just takes place in school, but much of human learning happens outside the classroom, even from birth and people continue to learn throughout their lives.
Even before they enter school, young children learn to walk, to talk, and to use their hands to use toys, food, and other objects. They use all of their senses to learn about the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells in their environments. They learn how to communicate with their parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, and other people important to their world. When they enter school, children learn subjects like reading, writing, and maths. They also continue to learn a lot outside the classroom. They learn which behaviors are likely to be rewarded and which are likely to be punished. They learn social skills for communicating with other children. After they finish school, people must learn to deal with many changes that affect their lives, such as getting married, raising children, and finding and keeping a job.
Because learning continues throughout our lives and affects almost everything we do, the study of learning is important in many different fields. Teachers need to understand the best ways to educate children. Scientists, social workers and other human service workers need to understand how certain experiences change people’s behaviors.
Learning is closely related (相关的) to memory, which is the storage of information in the brain (大脑). Scientists who study memory are interested in how the brain stores knowledge, where this storage takes place, and how the brain later offers knowledge when we need it. However, scientists who study learning are more interested in behavior and how behavior changes as a result of a person’s experiences. ?
【小题1】The underlined word “siblings” in Paragraph 2 probably means _________.

Maybe you know floods, droughts, earthquakes, sandstorms and so on. But have ever heard of typhoons（台风）?

         Typhoons are some of the worst storms, usually around the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. Most happen in July, August and September.

         How does a typhoon happen? When lots of sea water gets hot in the summer sun, it evaporates into the air. This makes the air hotter. When the air gets warm enough, it starts to move higher up into the sky. Then, cooler air around it rushes in. It fills the space that is left. After the air gets warmer, it starts to move quickly, making wind. The wind goes in circles, and it keeps moving higher in the sky. The warmer the air gets, the quicker the wind moves. And when the wind moves faster than 30 meters a second, a typhoon begins.

A typhoon has two parts, One is called the “eye”. In the eye, the wind does not move so fast. The other part is the wall of clouds around the eye. This is where the strongest with and hardest rains are.

Typhoons are very dangerous. In 2004, Typhoon Yunna killed 164 people in Zhejiang, and 24 people were missing. In May 2006, Typhoon Pearl hit Guangdong and Fujian, and thousands of houses were damaged.

What to do when a typhoon hits:

Stay inside, Close all the windows and stay away from them.

Try to bring all of your things inside. Strong winds could even blow away your bikes!

Listen to the radio or TV for important information.

If you’re told to go to a safer place, do so right away.

1. Typhoons often happen      

A. in the hot season                                       B. in the cold season

C. only in China                                               D. under the sea

2. Which picture can tell the meaning of the underlined sentences“…，it starts to move higher up into the sky. Then, cooler air around it rushes in.”?

3. When a typhoon comes, we cannot      

A. close all the windows                                B. listen to typhoon news

C. stay outside with our bikes                       D. stay inside the strong house

4. This passage is mainly about      

A. the knowledge of typhoon                       B. the eye of a typhoon

C. the most dangerous typhoon Yunna       D. the names of typhoon

5. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The warmer the air gets, the slower the wind moves.

B. In 2006, Typhoon Peal killed 164 people in Zhejiang.

C. The strongest winds and harder rains are in the eye of typhoon.

D. A typhoon will happen when the wind goes faster than 30 meters a second.

The Vieira family moved to the United States in 1981. At that time, they decided to stop speaking Spanish at home and only communicate in English. This was because they were now living in an English-speaking country.

     Now the Vieira children are adults, and they sometimes travel to Spain to visit their family and friends. But they cannot communicate with them. Unfortunately this is common. When people move to new countries, they often leave their own customs and mother language behind. This is a mistake because there are many benefits to knowing more than one language.

     One advantage of speaking more than one language is that you can communicate directly with more people around the world. You do not have to depend on others to talk for you, so you’re more independent. People who know only one language must use others to help them communicate.

     Furthermore, speaking a second language also allows people to experience other cultures and customs more effectively. Local expressions, vocabulary, and even jokes can have a powerful effect on a person’s understanding of another culture. So, knowing more than one language increases your knowledge of other cultures.

     Finally, having more multi-language speakers improves relationships between countries. If people from different countries can communicate well, the world can become closer. Countries will then have more respect for each other and better understand each other’s problems.

     The benefits of knowing more than one language are clear. In fact, there are no disadvantages. It is very sad that many people don’t try to learn another language. It is even worse when people let themselves forget their mother language and become silenced.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

A. The benefits of learning other languages.

B. The reasons why people come to America.

C. The importance of learning English.

D. How to learn another language.

2.The passage begins with the experience of the Vieira family in order to_______.

A. discuss the need for teaching a new language

B. introduce the passage’s main characters to the readers

C. describe the advantages of moving to another country

D. show the problems of speaking only one language

3.The underlined phrase “multi-language speakers” (Paragraph 5) means “people who know ______.”

A. their mother language          B. a new language

C. more than one language        D. body language

4.According to the passage, if you can speak more than one language, you can____.

A. find a better job

B. make more friends

C. better understand history

D. communicate more independently

5.Based on the last paragraph, which of the following is the worst?

A. Not knowing another language.

B. Forgetting one’s mother language.

C. Refusing to learn another language.

D. Failing to communicate with others.