完形填空

Stop and listen! What do you __1__? You may hear many different sounds. Some of the sound __2__ noise. Noise is a loud or unwanted sound. Noise can be caused by many kinds of machines, __3__, cars, planes, farm tractors (拖拉机) and so on. And, to some people, rock music is __4__ a noise. What happens __5__ people who live near noisy machines or use them over a period of time? Doctors have found that these people have trouble __6__. But, more importantly, constant loud noise can cause a loss of __7__.

Scientists use a unit of measure __8__ a decibel to check the loudness of a sound. The sound of a quiet room, for example, measures 35 decibels. Talking measures __9__ 40 and 65 decibels. Sounds from traffic and from some rock bands can measure over 120 decibels. Noise at this high level __10__ the greatest hearing loss.

阅读下面短文，根据所读内容，在文章后小题的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。

注意：每个空格只填一个单词。

Improve Homework Habits

Do you want to make homework simpler? It can be done readily with a little guidance from specialists (专家) in this field. Oxford Learning founder and CEO Dr. Nick Whitehead, said that homework doesn’t always have to be a headache. “Homework might be an unavoidable (不可避免的) part of school, but it doesn’t have to be the boring part. With the right skills in place, students can turn homework from headache-including to trouble-free.” These steps will make an obvious difference.

Use your notebooks

The brain is able to finish great works, but it is not perfect. Students should never rely on (依赖) it to remember all school details. When a teacher assigns homework, students should write the details in their notebooks. Many schools provide notebooks because they are the best organizational tools available.

According to Whitehead, to make them effective, students need to remember to take the notebooks out of their school bags at night, open them up, and read over the night’s list.

Remove distractions (使注意力分散的事物)

Computers on, music on, text messages receiving … this is not multitasking, it’s distracting.

Whitehead says that unless students are doing research, they should turn off all electronics and focus on the task at hand for a set period of time. They’ll find that it is easier to concentrate (全神贯注) and that homework takes less time. He adds that this fact has been confirmed by studies.

Think actively

Getting homework done is the name of the game, but what happens if students are struggling with a question, or can’t work out an answer? When facing difficulties, it is wise for the student to take a small break then return to look at the problem again.

According to Whitehead, students should look up their textbooks and school notes, take a step back to ask what the particular unit is all about, and even move ahead a few questions and see if the next part can help explain a little better. If not, use the Internet.

“Don’t stare at (盯着) the question; ask how this question relates to what is being learned overall.” he says.

Get organized

Homework is as much a part of daily routine as waking up in the morning and going to bed at night, but it’s often the most disorganized part. Whitehead recommends streamlining (使合理化) the process.

“Students should keep all the homework-related things in a bin or a bucket so they don’t waste time searching for pens or rulers.” He also recommends picking the same place to do homework every night, and (when possible) completing homework at the same time each day.