格致中学 二〇一九学年度第一学期第一次测验
高二年级 英语试卷（共11页）
(测试100分钟内完成，总分100分，试后交答题卷)
I. Listening Comprehension （16%） Section A
Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard. 1. A. A salesperson. B. A teacher. C. A coach.
D. A doctor. 2. A. I n a hospital.
B. At a bank.
C. In a restaurant .
D. At a clothes store.
3. A. Youngsters don’t really know what fashion is. B. People should care more about their appearance. C. Styles change more quickly than necessary nowadays. D. It’s not sensible to go after brand name clothing.
4. A. The man is concerned about critics’ comments on the show. B. The man believes that the woman’s paintings will sell well. C. The woman is confident in the sales of her paintings. D. The woman dreams of becoming a critic someday.
5. A. He didn’t expect to get full marks.
B. He needs to find a new part-time job.
C. The woman must have done well in the exam.
D. The woman didn’t tell him anything about her job. 6. A. She is fully engaged.
B. She doesn’t like parties.
C. She has an invitation already.
D. She questions the man’s purpose. 7. A. He was held up by the traffic jam.
B. He failed to phone the woman’s secretary.
C. He was a stranger to the place.
D. He forgot where to meet the woman.
8. A. The man made a bad suggestion. B. The woman takes the man’s advice. C. The woman has taught Jim in a pleasant way. D. The man has spoiled the peaceful atmosphere. 9. A. Pointless.
B. Out-of-date.
C. Informative.
D. Amusing.
10. A. The man forgot to go to the cinema with the woman. B. Both of the speakers enjoyed the film. C. An exciting film will be on next week. D. The woman was interested in space exploration. Section B
Directions: In Section B, you will hear two short passages and one longer conversation, and you will be asked
班级____________姓名________________学号____________准考证号______________
several questions on each of the passages and the conversations. The passages and the conversations will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.
Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage.
11. A. His father seldom asked others to help with the work.
B. He was considered to be able to take the responsibility.
C. He was the first one to undertake the job in his family.
D. His father gave him six dollars for his efforts.
12. A. His father scolded him severely. B. His father took back the money.
C. His father made him redo the cutting.
D. His father cut the leaves himself.
13. A. One can benefit a lot from working with his father.
B. Manual laborers shouldn’t be looked down upon.
C. One should always take his job seriously.
D. Teenagers tend to be careless.
Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage.
14. A. The loss of their careers. B. The passing away of their friends.
C. The failing of their memory.
D. The decline of their physical health.
15. A. Both depend on genes. B. Both need some kind of exercise.
C. Both have connections with thinking.
D. Both can be enhanced without efforts.
16. A. It records users’ progress. B. It varies users’ muscle use.
C. It offers users medical advice.
D. It encourages users to give feedback.
II. Grammar and Vocabulary (19%)
Section A (10%)
Directions:After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
Does City Living Hurt Mental Health?
People often move to cities (17)_____ better jobs and more cultural activities. But are they putting (18)_____ at risk? Maybe.
Experts at the American Psychiatry Association say that “natural environments or green spaces” do much for good our mental health and (19)_____ (experience) nature helps people recover from the mental tiredness that comes from day-to-day work.
On the other hand, (20)_____ they cannot say exactly why, mental health experts say some research suggests that city living might hurt our mental health.
Andrea Mechelli is a doctor with the Institute of Psychiatry at Kings College, London. “There have been studies (21)_____ people were taken out of an urban environment into a rural environment, and their symptoms would improve. And we also see that the greater the city the greater the risk.”
Kings College researchers, along with city planners and land and building designers hoped (22)_____ (learn) more about city living and mental illness. So, they created a smartphone app called Urban Mind. They say they
wanted to understand (23)_____ different parts of the urban environment affect mental wellbeing.
The Urban Mind app (24)_____ (measure) your experience of city living in the moment. Researchers collected real time information from 108 people, who answered just over 3,000 questions during a one-week period.
The researchers found that being outdoors, seeing trees, hearing birdsong, seeing the sky, and feeling in contact with nature (25)_____ (associate) with higher levels of mental well-being. They also found that these seeming effects of nature were especially strong in those individuals at greater risk of mental health problems.
The Urban Mind Project team says it hopes “the results will inform future urban planning and social policy (26)_____ (intend) to improve design and health.”
Section B (9%)
Directions:Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
A. distinct
B. rescue
C. advocate
D. initial
E. uncommon
F. exhibit G intense H. comments I. assess J. responses
Phases Of A Crisis
Disaster survivors normally experience a range of psychological and physiological reactions, the strength and type of which depend on several factors:
? Prior experience with the same or a similar event.
? The intensity of the disruption.
? The length of time that has elapsed between the event occurrence and the present.
? Individual feelings that there is no escape, which sets the stage for panic.
? The emotional strength of the individual.
Survivors’ reactions may become more 27 as the amount of disruption to their lives increases. That is, the more the survivors’ lives are disrupted, the greater their psychological and physiological reactions may become.
Some research studies have indicated that survivors go through 28 emotional phases following a disaster:
In the impact phase, survivors do not panic and may, in fact, show no emotion. They do what they must to keep themselves and their families alive.
In the inventory phase, which immediately follows the event, survivors 29 damage and try to locate other survivors. During this phase, routine social ties tend to be abandoned in favor of the more functional relationships required for 30 response activities such as search and rescue and emergency medical operations.
In the 31 phase, emergency services personnel, including CERTs, are responding and survivors are willing to take their directions from these groups without protest. They 32 a sense of trust that their rescuers will address their needs and that they can then put their lives together quickly. This is why CERT identification, such as helmets and vests, is important.
In the recovery phase, however, survivors may believe that rescue efforts are not proceeding quickly enough. That feeling, combined with other emotional stressors (for example, dealing with insurance adjustors and having to find temporary living accommodations), may cause survivors to pull together against their rescuers.
As CERT members, you should expect that survivors will show psychological effects from the impact of the event and that, at some point, some degree of psychological warfare will be directed toward you. You should expect
to see a range of responses that will vary from person to person. You should not, however, take the survivors’33 and actions personally.
Children also may experience psychological or physical upset following a disaster. These feelings may not last long, but it is not 34 to have disturbing reactions many months after the event.
It is important to remember that emotional 35 apply to both disaster victims and rescue personnel. Be alert to signs of disaster trauma创伤in yourself and coworkers, and take steps to alleviate stress. Also, incorporate stress-relieving elements (exercise, rest, good nutrition) into your everyday life to better prepare yourself for disaster situations.
III. Reading
Section A (15%)
Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.
She wants to be a singer; you think she should go for a long-term career with job security and eventually retire with a good pension. But a new report suggests that in fact she’s the practical one. Why do parents make terrible careers 36 ?
Today’s 14 and 15-year-olds are 37 . They look at their working future in a different way to their parents.
A job for life is not in their vocabulary; neither is a dead-end but secure job that is 38 but pays the bills.
In the past, this might have counted as 39 news. Certainly when I was 15, my guidance counselors 40 my plans to become a writer. I’m glad I didn’t change my plans to suit them. But the world has changed. The global economy is not 41 to yesterday’s diligent and dependable worker. The future belongs to quick-thinking people who are resourceful, ambitious and can take the 42 . This means that a 14-year-old who sees her working future as a kind of 43 , to be made up as she goes along is not necessarily being unrealistic.
44 , she has to have the training and guidance to help her develop the right skills for today’s market. Many young people 45 that redundancy (冗余), downsizing and freelancing are all part of modern working life, but no one is telling them how they might be able to turn the new rules of the 46 game to their advantage. This is what they need to know if they are to make a life for themselves.
So what is to be done? A good first step would be to 47 the way in which schools prepare young people for adult life. The education system is becoming less flexible and stick more to traditional skills at just the time that the job market is going in the 48 direction.
What, then, can we as parents do to help them? The best thing is to 49 all the advice that your parents gave you, and step into your teenager’s shoes. Give them the courage to follow their dreams—however odd they might sound right now. In a world that offers economic security to almost no one, imagination is a terrible thing to 50 .
36. A. advisers B. pioneers C. reformers D. pursuers
37. A. curious B. realistic C. depressed D. ambitious
38. A. well-paid B. temporary C. boring D. rewarding
39. A. big B. bad C. exciting D. latest
40. A. were ignorant of B. were horrified at
C. were amazed at
D. were conscious of
41. A. common B. opposed C. kind D. committed
42. A. initiative B. responsibility C. advantage D. measures
43. A. reality B. terminal C. destiny D. adventure
44. A. Instead B. However C. Therefore D. Moreover
45. A. object B. declare C. conclude D. understand
46. A. competition B. employment C. knowledge D. modernization
47. A. neglect B. follow C. change D. cancel
48. A. opposite B. former C. regular D. inevitable
49. A. take B. forget C. recall D. spoil
50. A. inherit B. keep C. simplify D. waste
Section B (19%)
Directions:Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read.
(A)
Women still have an uneasy relationship with power and the characteristic necessary to be a leader. There is this internalized fear that if we are really powerful, we are going to be considered heartless or unpleasantly aggressive or forceful. We are still working at trying to overcome the fear that power and womanliness are mutually exclusive.
In my case, I think I may have had an easier time dealing with this fear because my first taste of leadership came in a situation in which I was a joyfully ignorant outsider. It was in college, when I became president of the Cambridge Union debating society. Since I had grown up in Greece, I had never heard of the Cambridge Union or the Oxford Union and didn’t know about their place in English culture, so I wasn’t weighed down with the kinds of overwhelming ideas that may have stopped British girls from even thinking about trying for such a position.
The same thing happened when my first book, The Female Woman, came out. I was 23 and my U.S. publisher, Random House, flew me from London to New York. They handed me my schedule, and my first interview was with Barbara Walters on the Today show. This didn’t confuse and shock me since I had never heard of the Today show. So I was less nervous than if I had been on a local show in Athens that my family and classmates could have watched.
In this way, it was a blessing that I started my career outside my home environment. It had its own problems in that I was laughed at for my accent and was demeaned（贬低）as someone who spoke in a funny way. But it also taught me that it is easier to overcome people’s judgments than to overcome our own self-judgment, the fear we internalize.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said, “If you want to change the world, who do you begin with, yourself or others?” I believe if we begin with ourselves and do the things that we need to do and become the best person we can be, we have a much better chance of changing the world for the better.
51. According to the first paragraph, women leaders fear that they may be regarded as _________.
A. short of power of leading
B. lacking in feminine qualities
C. ignorant of others’ judgments
D. inconsiderate to others
52. What was the author’s attitude towards “the kinds of overwhelming ideas”?
A. She was ignorant.
B. She was unhappy.
C. She wasn’t troubled.
D. She wasn’t satisfied.
53. In what situation did the author find it easier to deal with fear?
A. When she had her first book published.
B. When she was in an unfamiliar culture.
C. When she was with friends and family.
D. When she got used to facing the public.
54. The author suggests that it is more difficult to _________________.
A. conquer fear for the unpredictable future
B. influence others to respect women
C. overcome our own internalized fear
D. change an unfavorable opinion about women leaders
(B)
Making these easy tasks part of your morning schedule will improve your nutrition, energy, and mood today—and beyond.
6:00 a.m.
STRETCH IN BED
Try this even before you open your eyes. Lift one arm and begin by stretching each finger, then your hand, then your wrist, and then your whole arm. Move on to the other arm. Then stretch your toes, feet, ankles, and legs. Finally, end with a neck and back stretch that propels you out of bed. You’ve just limbered up your muscles and joints and enhanced blood flow throughout your body, providing a shot of oxygen to all your tissues. Take up the entire length of the bed when you stretch. According to Harvard University psychologist Amy Cuddy, this display of power is typical of a bold person, making you feel more confident all day long.
7:00 a.m.
EXERCISE A BIT—ON AN EMPTY STOMACH
Working out before you eat, researchers say, encourages your body to burn more fat for energy rather than relying on carbohydrates from food. In a Journal of Physiology study, participants who exercised after breakfast still gained weight (as did a control group who didn’t exercise), but those who exercised on an empty stomach did not. Moreover, research from the University of Vermont shows that the mood-enhancing benefits of a 20-minute workout can last for 12 hours, a boost you’ll want to enjoy all day long.
BREAK YOUR FAST TWICE
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not have two? A study published in the journal Pediatric Obesity tracked the weight and breakfast-eating patterns of 584 students over two years. They found that frequent breakfast skippers showed increased odds of becoming overweight or obese compared with those who ate two breakfasts (one at home and one at school). The sensible takeaway: If you eat more in the morning, you’ll be less likely to snack at night, when it’s harder to burn off calories.
8:00 a.m.
SEEK OUT GOOD NEWS
In a 2015 study, researchers asked one group of participants to watch just three minutes of positive, solutions-
focused news (such as a video of a 70-year-old man who got his graduation certificate after failing the test dozens of times). These participants were 27 percent more likely to report a few hours later that their day had been “happy” than people who watched negative news in the morning. Study author Gielan also cited substantial evidence that negative moods affect workplace performance.
V oilà! You’ve improved your state of mind, your health, and your productivity—all before the weekday has even begun. Now you’re ready to conquer your to-do list for today and every day.
55. The article is written to _______.
A. give professional guidance on keeping fit
B. reveal some research results about health
C. put forward several suggestions for morning routines
D. offer some tips on how to improve workplace performance
56. It is suggested that you should occupy the entire bed when you stretch because it especially _______.
A. increases your confidence
B. helps you out of bed easily
C. stimulates your blood circulation
D. has an effect on your overall health
57. Who is least likely to gain weight according to the article?
A. Those who skip breakfasts frequently.
B. Those who do morning stretching in bed.
C. Those who have double breakfasts in the morning.
D. Those who have their breakfast before morning exercise.
(C)
A parent might place his daughters tadpole drawing on the fridge out of a love for his child rather than for the wonderful image, but for many people, that tadpole art is actually quite exquisite. In fact, adult abstract artists were often inspired by children’s drawing. Observers have found similar patterns in modern abstract art and kids’ drawing; one example is the “X-ray” drawing, or a drawing in which the “inside” of a person is made visible “like a baby shown inside a woman’s stomach”. For the museum-goers out there who tend to point to a piece of modern art and say, “My kid could have made that,” it’s worth remembering that often, that’s actually just what the artist had in mind.
Lucky accident or artistic genius, acknowledging that young kids aren’t as intent (专心的) on producing a realistic image helps demonstrate what the drawing experience means to them. For many kids, drawing is enjoyable not because of the final product it leads to, but because they can live completely in the world of their drawing for a few minutes. Adults may find it hard to relate to this sort of full-body, fleeting experience. But the opportunities for self-expression that drawing provides have important, even therapeutic, value for kids.
Even simple scribbles are meaningful. Now it’s been shown that when children are scribbling, they’re representing through action, not through pictures. What’s more, they often tell different stories about a given piece of art depending on the day, perhaps because they weren’t sure what they intended to draw when they started the picture.
Ultimately, what may be most revealing about kids, art isn’t the art itself but what they say during the drawing process. They’re often telling stories that offer a much clearer window into their world than does the final product. Asking them what their drawing is “supposed to be” wouldn’t yield as many answers, either; some have even argued
that kids might be naming their work because they’re used to the ritual of their teachers asking them to describe their drawing and then writing a short title on the piece of paper. Studies suggest that kids will create an elaborate narrative while drawing, but when telling adults about their work they’ll simply name the items or characters in the image.
And what about those odd or scary-looking drawings? Does that mean kids are telling themselves stories that are odd or scary?
It’s hard to say, but it’s rarely a good idea to over-interpret it. Ellen Winnder, a psychology professor at Boston College, pointed to parents who worry when their kid draws a child the same size as the adults, wondering whether she’s suffering from, say, a feeling of impotence — a desire to feel as powerful as older people. But the likely reason is that the child hasn’t yet learned how to differentiate size in his or her representation; the easiest solution is to just make all the figures the same size.
What’s most important to remember is that “children’s art has its own logic,” Winner said. “Children are not being crazy.”
58.Why did the writer quote a museum-goer’s remark “My kid could have made that”?
A. To make a comparison between abstract art and children’s scribbles.
B. To remind the audience of what the artist thinks of children’s drawings.
C. To prove how exquisite children’s tadpole art can actually be.
D. To illustrate that adult abstract artists draw inspiration from children’s art.
59. What can we infer from the second paragraph?
A. Young kids’ scribbles are realistic works true to life.
B. Young kids' scribbles are full of imagination.
C. The completion of the final product brings kids joy.
D. Self-expression in children’s drawing has therapeutic value for viewers.
60.The best way to figure out the hidden meaning behind kids' art is to _____.
A. visit museums to appreciate modern abstract art
B. ask them to describe their drawings or add titles
C. listen to their stories while they are drawing
D. over-interpret their drawings in every possible way
61.Which of the following is probably the best title for the passage?
A. The Hidden Meaning of Kids’ Scribbles
B. Are Children Being Crazy about Art?
C. Kids’ Scribbles, Source of Artistic Inspiration
D. How to Appreciate a Tadpole Drawing
Section C (4%)
Directions:Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.
When reading the news, it’s easy to feel discouraged and pessimistic about human nature. However, recent psychology studies have suggested that people aren’t actually as selfish or greedy as they sometimes seem. A growing body of research is showing that most people want to help others.
You may have heard in the news: when one person offers a small favor (like paying for the meal or coffee of the person behind them in line), the receiver is likely to offer the same favor to someone else. A study by researchers at Northeastern University has found that people do want to help others when someone else helps them. _________62_______
Psychologist Carol Ryff is known for studying what is called mental well-being——our sense that life is meaningful and has a purpose. In his study, participants who spent more time helping others reported that their lives had a greater sense of purpose and value, so did those participants writing a letter of gratitude to someone else. ________63_________.
Psychologist Stephanie Brown and her colleagues found in a study that the participants who spent the most time helping others had the lowest risk of death. _________64_______ Thus we actually end up helping ourselves, too.
Although it can sometimes be easy to be discouraged about humanity——especially after reading news stories about war and crime——research shows that this doesn’t paint a full picture of humanity. _______65_______. In fact, humans are actually more generous and caring than you might have thought.
第II卷(共27分)
I. Directions: Complete each sentence with the right form of the words or phrases chosen from the box below. (7%)
https://www.doczj.com/doc/c612813902.html,ck of fund and human resources ____________the company’s failure in the project last year.
67.People who work in the offices ____________ as white collars for the simple reason that they wear a collar and
tie to go to work.
68.Dad brought a notebook along to the beach ____________ he was seized by sudden inspiration.
69.This/It is the first time that he ____________ my clothes seriously, surprising me by his encouraging remarks.
70.He attempted ____________ the government of the state for an extension of unemployment benefits.
71.We checked in at the hotel, amazed at the pretty and comfortable room ____________ a flower-filled garden.
https://www.doczj.com/doc/c612813902.html,nguage practice needs ____________ enough vocabulary.
II. Translation （12% 2+2+2+3+3）
73.我给他发了一封电子邮件，祝贺他升职。(congratulate)
74.那些英语达标的人可以胜任这个职位。（qualify）
75.你的网站内容越实用，就越有可能成功。(the more…, the more…)
76.垃圾分类不仅有助于环境保护还有利于废物循环利用。(Not only)
77.不久之后，格致将庆祝145周年校庆，这让翘首以盼的格致人激动不已。（before）
III. Guided Writing（8 %）
Directions: Write an English composition in 100-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
二〇一九学年度第一学期高二英语第一次测验答案
Keys for Reference:
I. Listening Comprehension (16%)
1—5 DBDAC 6—10 ADBCB 11—16 BCC CBA
II. Grammar and V ocabulary (19%)
Section A (10%)
21.for 22.themselves 23.experiencing 24.Although/though 25.where
26.to learn 27.how 28.measures 29.were associated 30.intended
Section B (9%)
27-35 GAIDBFHEJ
III. Reading
Section A （15%）
36~40 ADCBB41~45 CADBD46~50 BCABD
Section B （19%）
51-54 BCBC (8%) 55-57 CAC (3%) 58-61 DBCA 8%
Section C （4%）
62-65 ACFD
第II卷
I.
66.accounted for 67. are referred to 68. in case 69. has commented on
70. to appeal to 71. overlooking 72. to be based on
II. 2+2+2+3+3=12%
73.I sent him an email / I sent an e-mail to him, congratulating him on his promotion.
74.Those whose English meets the standards are qualified for the post.
75.The more practical the content of your website is, the more likely it will succeed.
76.Not only does classifying/sorting rubbish help protect the environment, but also it helps recycle waste materials.
77.It won’t be long before Gezhi High School celebrates the 145th anniversary, which excites the Gezhiers who
have been looking/are looking forward to it.
I. Listening Comprehension
Section A
Directions: In Section A, you will hear ten short conversations between two speakers. At the end of each conversation, a question will be asked about what was said. The conversations and the questions will be spoken only once. After you hear a conversation and the question about it, read the four possible answers on your paper, and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.
1.M: I’m not entirely sure whether I need glasses. Would you please give me some professional advice?
W: I’ll be able to tell you once you have looked at this vision chart.
Q: What is most probably the woman?
2.W: Good afternoon, sir. What can I do for you?
M: I’d like to close my savings account.
Q: Where does this conversation most probably take place?
3.M: I can’t figure out why those youngsters are so crazy about brand name clothing.
W: I feel the same way. It really doesn’t make sense when they know how quickly styles change nowadays.
Q: What does the woman mean?
4.W: I can’t believe this is really happening! But it’s still a dream that has come true.
M: Well, remember, we don’t know what the critics are going to write about your show yet. Their reviews are important for the sales of your paintings.
Q: What can we learn from the conversation?
5.W: I heard you got full marks in the math exam. Congratulations!
M: Thanks. I am sure you also did a good job.
Q: What does the man mean?
6.M: So, can we have a get-together sometime this week? I mean any day. Any day’s fine.
W: Sorry. This week’s out of the question. I have a pile of paperwork to finish.
Q: What does the woman mean?
7.M: I’m so sorry that I’m late. I know we’d arranged to meet today, but the place completely slipped my mind.
I phoned your secretary, and fortunately, she had it in her diary.
W: Oh, don’t worry. I haven’t been here long.
Q: What can we learn about the man?
8.M: You can teach Jim in a more pleasant way. You’ll spoil his appetite.
W: Maybe you’re right. I shouldn’t have blamed him before I taught him.
Q: What can we learn from the conversation?
9.W: Well, in my opinion, the news reports don’t tell you anything.
M: Oh, I don’t know about that. Presenting the news is what TV does best and I always learn a lot from the reports.
Q: What does the man think of the news reports?
10.W: Do you remember the film about space exploration that was on last week?
M: Sure, we watched it together and were quite impressed.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
Section B
Directions: In Section B, you will hear two short passages and one longer conversation, and you will be asked several questions on each of the passages and the conversations. The passages and the conversations will be read twice, but the questions will be spoken only once. When you hear a question, read the four possible answers on your paper and decide which one is the best answer to the question you have heard.
Questions 11 through 13 are based on the following passage.
My father woke me up early one morning when I was fourteen, and announced “Get up! You are going with me to cut grass.” I felt proud and excited, because my father thought I was responsible enough to help him in his business. Still, that first day was very hard. From sunrise to sunset, my father, my younger brother and I cut and trimmed very large yards in a well-to-do part of the city. By the end of the day, I was exhausted, but I felt good. I had put in a hard day’s labor and had earned six dollars. One day, my father spotted some leaves I had missed cutting, and pulled me aside. “Cut that section again,” he said firmly, “and don’t make me have to tell you to do it again.” The message was clear. Today, I stress the importance of doing a job right the first time. Every job I have held, from cutting lawns to washing dishes to working on a machine on the construction site, I have learned something that helps me in my next job. If you work hard enough, you can learn from any job you do.
Now listen again.
Questions
11.Why did the speaker feel proud and excited when his father asked him to help cut grass for the first time?
12.What did his father do when the speaker missed cutting some leaves?
13.What did the speaker want to tell us in this passage?
Questions 14 through 16 are based on the following passage.
As we hit middle age, we often start to notice that our memory and mental clarity are not what they used to be. We suddenly can’t remember where we put the keys just a moment ago, or an old friend’s name, or the name of an old band we used to love. This loss of mental focus can potentially have a bad impact on our professional, social, and personal well-being.
Scientists are increasingly showing that there’s actually a lot that can be done. It turns out that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do, and the right mental workouts can significantly improve our basic brain functions. Thinking is essentially a process of making neural connections in the brain. To a certain extent, our ability to excel in making the neural connections that drive intelligence is inherited. However, because these connections are made through practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and vary according to mental effort. Now, a new San Francisco web-based company has taken a further step and developed the first “brain training program”, Lumosity, to actually help us improve and regain our mental sharpness. Lumosity is far more than an online place to exercise our mental skills. The program keeps track of our progress and provides detailed feedback on our performance and improvement. Most importantly, it constantly modifies and enhances the games we play to build on the strengths we are developing—much like an effective exercise routine requires us to increase resistance and vary our muscle use.
Now listen again.
Questions
14. What problem do middle-aged people have in common?
15. Why is the brain compared to muscles in the passage?
16. What function does Lumosity have?