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Being Left-handed in a Right-handed World
The world is designed for right-handed people, but why does a tenth of the population prefer the left? 1.
The answer to it remains a bit of a mystery. Since scientists have noticed that left-handedness tends to run in families, it’s assumed that left-handedness has a genetic(基因的) component to it. 2. In fact, identical twins, who share the same genes, can sometimes prefer to use different hands. There are also plenty of theories on what else might determine which hand you write with, but many experts believe that it’s kind of random.
Historically, the left side and left-handedness have been considered a negative thing by many cultures. 3. In some areas, the left hand became known as the “unclean” hand. In many religions, the right hand of God is the favored hand. For example, Jesus sits at God’s right side. God’s left hand, however, is the hand of judgement. Various activities and experiences become rude or even signs of bad luck when the left hand becomes involved. In some parts of Scotland, it is considered bad luck to meet a left-handed person at the start of a journey. 4.A person giving directions will put their left hand behind them and even physically try to point with their right hand if necessary. 
In some Asian countries, eating with the left hand is considered impolite.
5.People come to realize that left-handedness is natural. People even noticed that many famous people are left-handed, including Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Charlie Chaplin. Some researchers find out that lefties are more creative and can deal with abstract thinking better. The left-handedness is more easily adaptable to the right-handed world as well. Being left-handed is no longer a sad story now; instead, it is a wonderful gift or maybe it is something you should take pride in.
A．In other words, left-handers are born that way.
B．Left-handedness used to be regarded as a disability.
C．The unfavorable associations of the use of the left hand among cultures are varied.
D．Why do they prefer to use their left hand rather than their right hand for ro-utine activities?
E. Why do some parents force their left-handed children to become right-handed when writing?
F. In Ghana, pointing, gesturing, giving or receiving items with the left hand is considered rude.
G. Fortunately, nowadays most societies and cultures no longer reject left-handedness like before.
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Being Left-handed in a Right-handed World
The world is designed for right-handed people, but why does a tenth of the population prefer the left? 1..
The answer to it remains a bit of a mystery. Since scientists have noticed that left-handedness tends to run in families, it's assumed that left-handedness has a genetic(基因的) component to it. 2.. In fact, identical twins, who share the same genes, can sometimes prefer to use different hands. There are also plenty of theories on what else might determine which hand you write with, but many experts believe that it's kind of random.
Historically, the left side and left-handedness have been considered a negative thing by many cultures. 3.. In some areas, the left hand became known as the "unclean" hand. In many religions, the right hand of God is the favored hand. For example, Jesus sits at God's right side. God's left hand, however, is the hand of judgement. Various activities and experiences become rude or even signs of bad luck when the left hand becomes involved. In some parts of Scotland, it is considered bad luck to meet a left-handed person at the start of a journey. 4.. A person giving directions will put their left hand behind them and even physically try to point with their right hand if necessary. In some Asian countries, eating with the left hand is considered impolite.
5.. People come to realize that left-handedness is natural. People even noticed that many famous people are left-handed, including Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Charlie Chaplin. Some researchers find out that lefties are more creative and can deal with abstract thinking better. The left-handedness is more easily adaptable to the right-handed world as well. Being left-handed is no longer a sad story now; instead, it is a wonderful gift or maybe it is something you should take pride in.
A. In other words, left-handers are born that way.
B Left-handedness used to be regarded as a disability.
C. The unfavorable associations of the use of the left hand among cultures are varied.
D. Why do they prefer to use their left hand rather than their right hand for routine activities?
E. Why do some parents force their left-handed children to become right-handed when writing?
F. In Ghana, pointing, gesturing, giving or receiving items with the left hand is considered rude.
G. Fortunately, nowadays most societies and cultures no longer reject left-handedness like before.
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Being Left-handed in a Right-handed World
The world is designed for right-handed people, but why does a tenth of the population prefer the left? 1.
The answer to it remains a bit of a mystery. Since scientists have noticed that left-handedness tends to run in families, it’s assumed that left-handedness has a genetic(基因的) component to it. 2. In fact, identical twins, who share the same genes, can sometimes prefer to use different hands. There are also plenty of theories on what else might determine which hand you write with, but many experts believe that it’s kind of random.
Historically, the left side and left-handedness have been considered a negative thing by many cultures. 3. In some areas, the left hand became known as the “unclean” hand. In many religions, the right hand of God is the favored hand. For example, Jesus sits at God’s right side. God’s left hand, however, is the hand of judgement. Various activities and experiences become rude or even signs of bad luck when the left hand becomes involved. In some parts of Scotland, it is considered bad luck to meet a left-handed person at the start of a journey. 4.A person giving directions will put their left hand behind them and even physically try to point with their right hand if necessary. In some Asian countries, eating with the left hand is considered impolite.
5.People come to realize that left-handedness is natural. People even noticed that many famous people are left-handed, including Benjamin Franklin, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Charlie Chaplin. Some researchers find out that lefties are more creative and can deal with abstract thinking better. The left-handedness is more easily adaptable to the right-handed world as well. Being left-handed is no longer a sad story now; instead, it is a wonderful gift or maybe it is something you should take pride in.
A．In other words, left-handers are born that way.
B．Left-handedness used to be regarded as a disability.
C．The unfavorable associations of the use of the left hand among cultures are varied.
D．Why do they prefer to use their left hand rather than their right hand for ro-utine activities?
E. Why do some parents force their left-handed children to become right-handed when writing?
F. In Ghana, pointing, gesturing, giving or receiving items with the left hand is considered rude.
G. Fortunately, nowadays most societies and cultures no longer reject left-handedness like before.
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Is it true that left-handed people are smarter than right-handed people? Chris McManus, professor of psychology and medical education at University College London, responds;
“If by intelligent you mean someone who performs better on IQ tests, the simply answer is no. Studies in the U.K., U. S. and Australia have revealed that left-handed people differ from right-handers by only one IQ point, which is not noteworthy.”
Left-handedness is, however, much more common among individuals with severe learning difficulties. A slightly higher proportion of left-handers have a stutter(口吃). Other problems, such as a higher rate of accidents reported in left-handers, mostly result from a world designed for the convenience of right-handers, with many tools not made for the left-handed.
However, if by smarter you mean more talented in certain areas, left-handers may have an advantage. Left-handers’ brains are structured differently from right-handers’ in ways that can allow them to process language, relations and emotions in more diverse and creative ways. Also, a slightly larger number of left-handers than right-handers are especially gifted in music and maths. A study of musicians in professional orchestras（管弦乐队）found a greater proportion of talented left-handers, even among those who played instruments that seem designed for right-handers, such as violins. Similarly, studies of adolescents who took tests to assess mathematical ability found many more left-handers in the population. The fact that mathematicians are often musical may not be a coincidence.
For other talents and skills, the benefits of being left-handed are less clear. In one-on-one competitive sports, being in the minority can be an advantage. For example, most right-handed tennis players have little experience of playing left-handers, but left-handers have plenty of experience of playing right-handers.
Whatever the advantages are, handedness seems to be genetic. With 10 percent of people preferring their left hand, there must be some selective advantages, or else the genes would probably not survive.
1.The underlined word, “noteworthy”, in the second paragraph, probably means“_______”.
A. remarkable B. convincing
C. helpful D. beneficial
2. What is one of the characteristics of left-handed people?
A. They have a much higher IQ than right-handed people.
B. They have an obvious advantage in tennis.
C. They are more likely to be talented in certain fields.
D. They usually don’t have learning difficulties.
3.We can learn________ from the passage.
A. right-handers have a higher rate of accidents.
B. most right-handed tennis players are good at playing left-handers.
C. left-handers can sometimes be more gifted in music and maths than right-handers.
D. left-handers’ brains process language in the same way as right-handers’.
4.You are most likely to find this passage in the ____________ section of a magazine.
A. travel and entertainment
B. gene and health.
C. fashion and trends
D. health and lifestyle
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According to a survey, only 4% of the people in the world are left-handed. Why? One theory centers on the two halves of the brain. For example, the left half and the right half, each of which functions differently. Medical science believes that the left half of the brain dominates over the right half. The foundation of this theory is the fact that nerves from the brain cross over at neck-level to the opposite side of the body, and nerves from the other side of the brain reciprocate (互换). The end result is that the opposite sides of the body are controlled by the opposite sides of the brain.
The dominant left half of the brain, which kindly supplies the right half of the body, theoretically makes it more skillful in reading, writing, speaking, and working, and makes most people right-handed. Lefties, however, whose right half of the brain dominates, work best with the left side of their bodies.
Theory number two focuses on the asymmetrical nature of the body. Examples of the asymmetry, which flows from head to toe, are that the right side of our faces differs slightly from the left, that our legs differ in strength, or that our feet vary in size. One aspect of this asymmetry is that for most people the right hand is stronger than the left.
There is no doubt that all exist in a “right-handed society”, which produces most basics, including scissors, doorknobs, locks, screwdrivers, automobiles, buttons on clothing, and musical instruments for the 96%. Left-handed people make up for the unfairness by being members of an elite (精英) society, which includes many of the greatest geniuses, including Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Left-handed people are better at speaking
B. Left-handed people are believed to have stronger left halves of the brains
C. Right-handed people are cleverer than left-handed people
D. Right-handed people work best with the right side of their bodies
2.Which of the words or phrases is closest in meaning to the word “asymmetrical”?
A. valuable B. not typical
C. not balanced D. negative
3.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Left-handed people may feel inconvenient in this right-handed society
B. This is an equal society for the left-handed people
C. Most great geniuses are left-handed
D. Left-handed people are considered to be disabled
4. What’s the best title for the passage?
A. Which proves to be the better way to live, right-handed or left-handed?
B. How do left-handed people differ from right-handed ones?
C. Why are some people left-handed?
D. Are left-handed people equally treated in society?
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Do you know what is the most beautiful sound in the world?
Being in the same dormitory in university, one of my classmates, who was from a big city, had never______his parents. He said that there was no phone at home and it was OK for. him ,to write to his parents. We were_____ - he lived in a modern city, why not_______ a telephone at home?
After the summer vacation, he often went to bed to listen to a tape_____, which was taken from his home. Sometimes he was crying in______. We proposed to_____ his tape to listen to. However, he____. One time when he was out, we got the ___. After we listened to it, it seemed that there wasn't______ in it. We were puzzled and put it back under his pillow. In the coming of graduation, he told us that his parents were deaf and unable to____. To make a living； his parents_____ all hardships and never got others’ ____. For his study, his parents' paid much attention to creating the best conditions for him. He had to ____ his parents to go to university after their living condition was better. He often_____them, especially when the night fell. His____was from “Silent Love” of his parents. He taped the sound of their______. He listened to it every night, feeling his_____ being with him.
We were_____ . Care from family is like light to____our misfortune ,and_____love is the most beautiful sound in the world.
1.A.commented B.phoned C.contacted D.mentioned
2.A.surprised B.delighted C.excited D.interested
3.A.change B.select C.carry D.fix
4.A.eagerly B.patiently C.secretly D.casually
5.A.doubt B.sadness C.panic D.anger
6.A.borrow B.wipe C.record D.release
7.A.sighed B.nodded C.hesitated D.refused
8.A.pillow B.recorder C.telephone D.tape
9.A.something B.everything C.anything D.nothing
10.A.speak B.read C.see D.walk
11.A.forgot B.suffered C.overcame D.feared
12.A.blame B.abuse C.commitment D.respect
13.A.allow B.leave C.persuade D.abandon
14.A.missed B.accompanied C.upset D.misunderstood
15.A.achievement B.confidence C.kindness D.talent
16.A.singing B.quarreling C.breathing D.sobbing
17.A.friends B.roommates C.parents D.relatives
18.A.confused B.scared C.puzzled D.touched
19.A.put out B.settle down C.cast away D.take in
20.A.blind B.silent C.deep D.true
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It is said that sixty percent of all energy ________ in the world today is being lost as waste heat.
A．produced B．producing
C．to produce D．having produced
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(2013·福建毕业班质检)It is said that sixty percent of all energy ________ in the world today is being lost as waste heat.
A．produced B．producing
C．to produce D．having produced
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It is said that sixty percent of all energy ________ in the world today is being lost as wasted heat.
A．produced B．producing
C．to produce D．having produced
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The Rugby (英式橄榄球) World Cup is currently being held in New Zealand. The tournament, due to finish on October 23, is living up to the famous English saying, “Rugby is a thug's (暴徒) game played gentlemen. ”
The games are physically aggressive; the tackles (冲撞) on the pitch are brutal; but the end of each match is a civilized affair. Players shake hands and applaud each other. Of course, the other side to this saying is: "Football is a gentleman's game played by thugs. " Indeed, unlike soccer players, rugby players don't often question the referee's (裁判员) decisions or pretend to be injured when they are not.
“Football could learn a lot from rugby," said Brian Moore, a former England rugby player "The wonderful spirit of rugby is: there is a gentlemanly code to it. You play hard on the pitch, but you always respect your opponent..
Rugby is mainly played in Europe. Australia, New Zealand and parts of Africa. "It is more enjoyable to play than soccer because you are always involved in the game," said Peter, a Welsh rugby coach. "Rugby is also a far superior test of strength, stamina (耐力) and determination. "
Most professional rugby players are large, strong and weigh over 90 kilograms. People who play the sport need to be tough and be prepared to get hurt. Black eyes, broken bones, lost teeth and being knocked unconscious—all these are common injuries. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is blind in one eye thanks to a rugby accident at school.
In England, children begin playing the game at school at the age of 8. When they enter high school, many begin to play full contact rugby. Children are taught to play for around one hour a week during their PE lessons. Most schools have a rugby team. Children who play for the school team are usually the sportiest kids, and are seen as brave and athletic.
1.What can be concluded from the first three paragraphs?
A. Football players are not real gentlemen.
B. There is a better spirit in playing rugby than football.
C. Football players are not as athletic as rugby players.
D. Brian Moore thinks that rules should be stricter in football.
2.According to the passage, Peter thinks ______.
A. rugby players pretend to be injured when they are not
B. rugby is not very popular in America and Asia
C. rugby makes people enjoy sports better than soccer
D. rugby needs players' strong will rather than strength
3.The example of Gordon Brown is mentioned in order to .
A. prove that playing rugby can earn people fame
B. explain why Gordon Brown is blind in one eye
C. support the point that rugby players often get hurt
D. warn teenagers against playing rugby at school
4.What can we infer from the passage?
A. Teenagers will lose interest in football.
B. English children have a talent for rugby.
C. Playing rugby doesn't involve skills.
D. Rugby is not suitable for everyone.
In some Asian countries, eating with the left hand is considered impolite.