At a physics conference dinner with my husband Alex, I sat next to a man I'll call Clayton. Clayton kept talking about himself all through the entire conversation: he had solved problems no one else could; only his views were right; other researchers' work was inaccurate or unimportant. I could not put in a word. Extremely annoyed, I planned to avoid Clayton in that future. In fact, I decided never to have another conversation with him.

A few days later I was in an education class. Our professor explained how one child could become the target of the other students' ridicule(讥笑)．

“Usually it's because the class sees their own weaknesses glaringly magnified(放大) in that student. They don't want to admit they have the same weakness, so they ridicule and exclude the student. The behavior of both the class and the excluded student is caused by personal insecurity.”

As I took notes, suddenly I thought of Clayton. It struck me that I have many of the same faults. How easily I rule a conversation and leave others out. I, too, sometimes feel that only my opinion is right. My concerns or work easily seems most important. As my professor had described, I reacted negatively to someone in whom I experienced my own weakness.

I changed my mind. Instead of avoiding Clayton, I'll try to listen patiently with the same kindness and acceptance that I need.

20．The writer was extremely annoyed with Clayton partly because ________．

A．he said not all his views were right

B．he wouldn't let her put in a word

C．he kept silent all through the dinner

D．he was too particular about the food

21．Who said the words in Paragraph 3?

A．Clayton. 

B．The writer's husband.

C．The writer. 

D．The writer's professor.

22．The fourth paragraph was written to show ________．

A．why the writer changed her mind

B．how the writer was annoyed

C．when the writer had her education

D．what weakness the writer had

23．We can infer from the last paragraph that ________．

A．the writer will see other people more positively

B．Clayton will not rule a conversation any longer

C．the writer will try to avoid talking with Clayton

D．Clayton will find out he has his own weakness

       Many psychologists in the early twentieth century believed that humans use only 10 percent of their brains, and even the great Albert Einstein once wrote that most people use only a small portion of the grey matter between their ears. It's a theory that has often been put forward in television documentaries; magazines, advertisements and books over the past century.

       But nearly all scientists now agree the 10 percent theory is completely unfounded. In fact, they question how this figure was ever arrived at in the first place and what areas of the brain are supposed to be unneeded. The theory supposes that if 90 percent of the brain were removed, a person would Still be able to function normally, while in reality it is known that damage to even a small area of the brain can result in extremely serious physical injury different activities and that many areas of the brain are used at the same time for some complex activities or thought processes.

       Throughout the course of one day, most .areas of the brain are active at some time, even during sleep. The 10 percent theory suggests that certain areas o' the brain are not used, but scans slow activities throughout the entire brain and not in any separate part. The final argument against the 10 percent theory is the fact that doctors carefully map the brain before removing brain cancers so that they don't affect other essential areas.

       From an evolutionary point of view, it's highly unlikely butt our comparatively larger brains would have evolved from our ancestors if the extra areas were not needed. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence support the 10 percent theory.

41．How did the 10 percent theory get such widespread popularity?

   A. It was promoted in various types of copular media.

   B. Albert Einstein argued strongly in support.

   C. It was proven in scientific research.

   D. Few people could prove it wrong.

42．The underlined word "unfounded" is chest in meaning to _________.

   A. undiscovered         B. unproven        C. unknown        D. unnecessary

43．Which of the following is true according to the writer?

   A. We use less than 10% of our brains.

   B. Most brain disorders affect the same part of the brain.

   C. The brain is less active during times of sleep.

   D. The 10 percent theory does not make evolutionary sense.

44．What can we infer from the passage?

   A. People today use more of their brain than in the past.

   B. Scientific opinion about the topic of brain use is equally divided.

   C. Our understanding of the brain has changed greatly in the past decades.

   D. Modern scientists have a complete picture of how the brain works.

45．What is the main purpose of the passage?

   A. To present two sides of brain theory.

   B. To criticize the 10 percent theory.

   C. To explain how brain works.

   D. To describe the history of brain research.

Americans Spend Their Free Time In Various Ways

America is a country of sports—of hunting，fishing and swimming，and of team sports like baseball and football．Millions of Americans watch their favorite sports on television．They also like to play in community orchestras(管弦乐队)，make their own films or recordings，go camping，visit museums，attend lectures，travel，garden，read，and join in hundreds of other activities．The people also enjoy building things for their homes，sewing their own clothes，even making their own photographs．They do these things for fun as well as for economy．

But as much as Americans enjoy their free time，the country is at the same time a“self-improvement” country．More than 25 million adults continue their education，chiefly by going to school in the evening， during their own free time，at their own expense．Added to the time spent on personal activities，Americans a1so devote a great amount of their time to the varied needs of their communities．Many hospitals，schools，libraries，museums，parks，community centers，and organizations that assist the poor depend on the many hours citizens devote to these activities，often without any pay. Why do they do it?

There are several answers．The idea of cooperating and sharing responsibility with one another for the benefit of all is as old as the country itself．

When the country was first founded in 1776，it was necessary for the settlers to work together to live．They had crossed dangerous seas and risked all they had in their struggle for political and religious freedom．There remains among many Americans a distrust of central government．People still prefer to do things themselves within their communities，rather than give the government more control．

Sometimes people offer their time because they wish to accomplish something for which no money is paid，to do something that will be of benefit to the entire community．It is true that some people use their leisure because they are truly interested in the work；or they are learning from the experience．

No matter what the reason is，hundreds of thousands of so-called leisure hours are put into hard，unpaid work on one or another community need．

1.The writer mentions the foundation of the country in order to indicate ____．

A．the reason for Americans’ willingness to cooperate and share responsibility

B．the American people’s determination to live

C．the American people’s love for freedom

D．the early history of America

2.Which of the following best explains the meaning of the underlined word “leisure”?

A．work time         B. spare time        C. energy      C. effort 

3.This passage is mainly about ________ ．

A．how Americans are devoted to their community activities

B．why America is a “self-improvement” country

C．why America is a country of sports

D．how Americans spend their free time

 

阅读理解

阅读下列文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳答案。

It is commonly believed in the United States that school is where people go to get an education. Nevertheless, it has been said that today children interrupt their education to go to school. The difference between schooling and education implied by this remark is important.

    Education is much more open-ended and all-inclusive than schooling. Education knows not limits. It can take place anywhere, whether in the shower or on the job whether in a kitchen or on a tractor. It includes both the formal learning that takes place in schools and the whole universe of informal learning. The agent (doer) of education can vary from respected grandparent to the people arguing about politics on the radio, from a child to a famous scientist. Whereas schooling has a certain predictability(可预料性), education quite often produces surprises. A chance conversation with a stranger may lead a person to discover how little is known of other religions(宗教). People receive education from infancy(婴儿时期)on. Education, then, is a very broad, inclusive term. It is a life-long process, a process that starts long before the start of school, and one that should be a necessary part of one's entire life.

    Schooling, on the other hand, is a specific, formalized process, whose general pattern varies little from one setting to the next. Throughout a country, children arrive at school at about the same time, take the assigned seats, are taught by an adult, use similar textbooks, do homework, take exams, and so on. The pieces of reality that are to be learned, whether they are the alphabet or an understanding of the workings of government, have been limited by the subjects being taught. For example, high school students know that they are not likely to find out in their classes the truth about political problems in their society or what the newest filmmakers are experimenting with. There are clear and undoubtful conditions surrounding the formalized process of schooling.

1．The passage is organized by ________.

    A. giving examples of different schools

    B. telling stories about excellent teachers

    C. listing and discussing several educational problems

    D. telling the difference between the meanings of two related words

2．The passage supports which of the following statements?

    A. Education systems need to be changed as soon as possible.

    B. Without formal education, people won't be able to read and write.

    C. Going to school is only part of how people become educated.

    D. Schooling is of no use because students do similar things every day.

3．What does the writer mean by using the expression “children interrupt their education to go to school” in Paragraph one?

    A. All of life is education.

    B. Learning takes place everywhere.

    C. Education is totally ruined by schooling.

    D. Schooling prevents people from discovering new things.

4．What is the main idea of the passage?

    A. The best schools teach a variety of subjects.

    B. Education and schooling are quite different experiences.

    C. The more years the students go to school, the better their education is.

D. Students benefit from schools, which require long hours and homework.