Parents might tell older children to “Act your age”. But some researchers say that is what persons from thirteen to nineteen years old are doing. While teenagers can look all grown up, studies have shown that their brains are still developing. How much this explains their behavior, though, is a subject of debate.
Jay Giedd of America’s National Institutes of Health is a leader in this area of research. Doctor Giedd has been studying a group of young people since 1991. They visit him every two years for imaging tests of their brains. He says considerable development continues in young people from the teenage years into the twenties.
A part of the brain called the dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex appears especially undeveloped in teenagers. Researchers believe that this area controls judgment and consideration of risk. So, its underdevelopment may explain why young people seem more willing to take risks like driving too fast.
Laurence Steinberg is a psychology professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. He says stronger laws and stronger parental control are needed to protect teens from themselves. That includes raising the age for driving. He says research shows that teenage brains are not fully equipped to control behavior.
Other researchers, however, say there is not enough evidence to make a strong case for such findings. Psychologist Robert Epstein is a visiting scholar at the University of California in San Diego. Mr. Epstein notes that teen behavior differs from culture to culture. He says behavior depends for the most part on socialization. He believes that teenagers will demonstrate(表明) better, safer behavior if they spend more time with adults, and are treated more like them.
But is that always true? Mike Males works at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco. He suggests that all of this talk lately about brainless teens could be an attempt to take away attention from the reality. Writing in the New York Times, he says it is middle-aged adults whose behavior has worsened. In his words, if grown-ups really have superior brains, why don’t we act as if we do?
1.If your parents ask you to act your age, they really mean to advise that you __________.
A. behave yourself
B. take care of yourself
C. make yourself at home
D. do everything on your own
2.Why do young people seem more willing to take adventures?
A. Because they can all look grown up in that way.
B. Because their dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex appears undeveloped.
C. Because some researchers have been studying and encouraging them.
D. Because stronger laws and stronger parental control protect them
3.Which of the following is TRUE about teenagers?
A. Their brains have almost stopped developing.
B. Their cultures have influenced their behavior more or less.
C. The behavior of brainless teens has drawn a lot more attention.
D. Staying more often with adults makes things even worse.
4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that Mike Males _______.
A. agrees with what Robert Epstein says
B. keeps silent about the subject of debate
C. is a leader in this area of research
D. has the opinion of his own
5.The passage is written mainly to tell people that __________.
A. development continues in young people from the teens into the twenties
B. teenagers’ behavior differs from culture to culture
C. there is still a debate between researchers about people’s behaviors
D. the talk about brainless teens could take away attention from governments
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Parents might tell older children to “Act your age”. But some researchers say that is what persons from thirteen to nineteen years old are doing. While teenagers can look all grown up, studies have shown that their brains are still developing. How much this explains their behavior, though, is a subject of debate.
Jay Giedd of America’s National Institutes of Health is a leader in this area of research. Doctor Giedd has been studying a group of young people since 1991. They visit him every two years for imaging tests of their brains. He says considerable development continues in young people from the teenage years into the twenties.
A part of the brain called the dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex appears especially undeveloped in teenagers. Researchers believe that this area controls judgment and consideration of risk. So, its underdevelopment may explain why young people seem more willing to take risks like driving too fast.
Laurence Steinberg is a psychology professor at Temple University in Philadelphia. He says stronger laws and stronger parental control are needed to protect teens from themselves. That includes raising the age for driving. He says research shows that teenage brains are not fully equipped to control behavior.
Other researchers, however, say there is not enough evidence to make a strong case for such findings. Psychologist Robert Epstein is a visiting scholar at the University of California in San Diego. Mr. Epstein notes that teen behavior differs from culture to culture. He says behavior depends for the most part on socialization. He believes that teenagers will demonstrate(表明) better, safer behavior if they spend more time with adults, and are treated more like them.
But is that always true? Mike Males works at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco. He suggests that all of this talk lately about brainless teens could be an attempt to take away attention from the reality. Writing in the New York Times, he says it is middle-aged adults whose behavior has worsened. In his words, if grown-ups really have superior brains, why don’t we act as if we do?
1.If your parents ask you to act your age, they really mean to advise that you __________.
A. behave yourself
B. take care of yourself
C. make yourself at home
D. do everything on your own
2.Why do young people seem more willing to take adventures?
A. Because they can all look grown up in that way.
B. Because their dorsal-lateral prefrontal cortex appears undeveloped.
C. Because some researchers have been studying and encouraging them.
D. Because stronger laws and stronger parental control protect them
3.Which of the following is TRUE about teenagers?
A. Their brains have almost stopped developing.
B. Their cultures have influenced their behavior more or less.
C. The behavior of brainless teens has drawn a lot more attention.
D. Staying more often with adults makes things even worse.
4.It can be inferred from the last paragraph that Mike Males _______.
A. agrees with what Robert Epstein says
B. keeps silent about the subject of debate
C. is a leader in this area of research
D. has the opinion of his own
5.The passage is written mainly to tell people that __________.
A. development continues in young people from the teens into the twenties
B. teenagers’ behavior differs from culture to culture
C. there is still a debate between researchers about people’s behaviors
D. the talk about brainless teens could take away attention from governments
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
---Mum, can you tell me why some parents send their children to study abroad at a very young age?
---__________, darling. I have never thought about it.
A. You have got me there B. Take your time
C. You bet D. Don’t be silly
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Getting old might not be something that's yet to cross your mind. But ageing is unavoidably going to get the better of us one day. And that’s why scientists are constantly seeking out evidence that will show us what we need to do to achieve longevity.
We all know that regular exercise is good for us. In recent years, although we've been told to aim to walk 10,000 steps a day to remain healthy, other advice to do three quick and energetic 10-minute walks a day is thought to be even more effective. And the latest piece of research might put a spring in your step if you’re someone who walks at a fast pace. That’s because, according to scientists, the speed at which people walk in their 40s is a sign of how much their brains, as well as their bodies, are ageing.
Tests on 1,000 people from New Zealand born in the 1970s found that slower walkers tended to show signs of "accelerated ageing". Their lungs, teeth and immune systems were in worse shape than those who walked fester. And what’s worse, the study found not only did slower walkers' bodies age more quickly, their faces looked older and they had smaller brains.
This might be seen as a wake-up call for people with a slower pace who might feel it's time to work out get fitter. But it might be too late; researchers say they were able to predict the walking speed of 45-year-olds using the results of intelligence, language and motor skills tests from when they were aged three. They also suggest that even in early life, there are signs showing which people will go on to have a healthier life.
So, what's the point of knowing that a slower walking pace might mean a smaller brain? Well, researchers say measuring walking speed at a younger age, and understanding what this might mean, could be a way of testing treatments to slow human ageing. This might help us make lifestyle changes while we're still young and healthy. Any steps we can take to prolong a good mental and physical state is a no brainer!
1.Which of the following is considered to be a better choice?
A.Walking 10,000 steps a day. B.Doing three quick and energetic walks a day.
C.Doing irregular exercise every day. D.Frequently doing sports in spring.
2.What can be inferred from the passage?
A.Faster walkers will get fitter, be younger and have bigger brains.
B.People's health condition can be predicted from their walking speed at 45.
C.This study found that slower walkers age more slowly.
D.People who walk faster are more brilliant than slower walkers.
3.What does the underlined word "prolong" in Para.5 mean?
A.give something up B.transfer something at random
C.make something last longer D.put something off
4.What would be the best title?
A.Walking to Stay Young B.Getting Old and Doing Exercise
C.Having a Happy Life D.Slow Walking and Ageing
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Getting old might not be something that's yet to cross your mind. But aging is going to defeat us one day, so it's something we'd all like to control.
It would be great to have a long, healthy and happy life, and that's why scientists are constantly seeking out what we need to do to achieve it. We all know that regular exercise is good for us. But the latest piece of research might put a spring in your step if you're someone who walks at a fast pace. That's because the speed at which people walk in their 40s is a sign of how much their brains and their bodies are aging.
The BBC's Philippa Roxby writes that tests on 1,000 people found that slower walkers tended to show signs of "accelerated aging”. Their lungs, teeth and immune systems were in worse shape than those walking faster. The study also found not only did slower walkers bodies age more quickly, their faces looked older and they had smaller brains.
This might be seen as a wake-up call for people with a slower pace to work out and get fitter. But it might be too late； researchers say they were able to predict the walking speed of 45-year-olds using the results of intelligence, language and motor (运动)skills tests from when they were aged three. They also suggest that even in early life, there are signs showing which people will have a healthier life.
So, what's the point of knowing that a slower walking pace might mean a smaller brain? Researchers say measuring walking speed at a younger age and understanding what this might mean could be a way of testing treatments to slow human aging.
1.Why do scientists keep on studying?
A.To help people live a better life. B.To achieve their goals.
C.To find ways to stop aging. D.To find out who can live longer.
2.How did the researchers get the result?
A.By analyzing data. B.By doing experiments int he lab.
C.By doing surveys. D.By carrying out tests on people.
3.The findings can be used to .
A.treat certain illnesses B.find ways to slow aging
C.make people work harder D.urge people to walk slowly
4.Where is the text most likely from?
A.A diary. B.A guidebook.
C.A novel. D.A magazine.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Nakushi didn’t tell her parents when the older boys started to harass (骚扰) her on her way from her home to school in south Delhi, seizing her hand and shouting “kiss me”，because she knew she would get the blame. She was right: when her family found out, they banned her from going back to school，worried about the effect on their“honor”. The plan now is to get her married. She is 16.
Sumen，a 35-year-old mother， is battling for her child’s future， too. Her nine-year-old son， Kapil, has learning disabilities and she has tried and failed to get him into school every year. Finally, the authorities have agreed he should get some education，but it’s only for one day a week.
In India，a free and compulsory education is guaranteed for all children aged between 6 and 14. But going to school is one thing; the quality of the education you get is another. Within government schools，pupils face many challenges: overcrowded classrooms, absent teachers and dirty conditions are common complaints，which can lead parents to decide it is not worth their child going to school. Inside one of the schools, some of the classrooms have low benches and desks. In others，the lttle girls sit on the floor， books in their laps. In several, no teacher is present; one man appears to be responsible for three of the small rooms.
It is girls, the very poor and the disabled who are often left behind. Nakushi had imagined herself working for the police, or becoming a teacher.“ My parents are looking for a boy for me," she says. “They say I can get married and then I can study. But I know that once I get married, it will become very difficult. My dream will never come true.”
1.Why didn’t Nakushi tell her parents about the harassment?
A.She was unwilling to leave school. B.She didn’t want to get married.
C.She thought it wouldn’t help. D.She worried about the honor.
2.Why couldn’t Kapil have regular school education?
A.His family gave up on him. B.He had difficulty in learning.
C.His mother couldn’t afford it. D.The authorities treated him unfairly.
3.What can be inferred from the third paragraph?
A.All children must go to government schools.
B.Few parents choose government schools for their kids.
C.Facilities in government schools are far from satisfactory.
D.Shortage of teachers is the biggest problem in government schools.
4.Which could be the best title for the text?
A.Nakushi’s Impossible Dream
B.Big Challenges in Indian Children’s Education
C.Girls Facing Difficulty in Education
D.Hope for a Better Learning Environment
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You can’t see your sleeping pets brain waves, but its behavior can tell you when your cat might be dreaming. If you watch closely, you’ll see that as she falls asleep, her breathing becomes slow and regular with her body still. She has entered the first stage of sleep, called slow-wave sleep. After about 15 minutes you’ll notice a change in her breathing. Her eyes move under her closed lids, her paws twitch (抽动) and she flicks (尤指用手指或手快速地轻抚) an ear. She has entered dreaming. Although she twitches and makes little grunting (嘟嘟) noises, messages from her brain to the large muscles in her legs are blocked, so she can’t run about. She is in a state of “sleep paralysis (麻痹)”.
Michel Jouvet, a French scientist, interrupted their sleep paralysis. Even though they were completely asleep, the dreaming cats began to run for balls that Jouvet couldn’t see and arched (弓起) their backs at unseen enemies. He figures he was watching them act out their dreams! Obviously, the dreaming cats seemed to be practising important cat skills: following, pouncing (猛扑), and fighting.
In another study, Matt Wilson recorded rats brain waves while they learned mazes (迷宫). One day, he left the brain-wave-recording machine on while the rats fell asleep. The pattern of brain waves in the sleeping rats matched the pattern from the maze so closely that Wilson could figure out exactly which part of the maze each rat was dreaming about!
Many researchers now think that in both people and animals, one purpose of dreams is to practise important skills and figure out recent caning. This may explain why so many people dream about fighting and escaping, skills that were probably important to our ancestors, and why dreaming affects our ability to learn.
Do all animals dream? From looking at the brain waves of sleeping animals. How often animals dream seems to be tied to body size. Cats dream about every 15 minutes, mice every 9 minutes, and elephants every 2 hours. And though cows and horses usually sleep standing up, they only dream when lying down.
1.What does Michel Jouvet find in his study?
A. The dreaming cats are in a state of body paralysis.
B. The dreaming cats often practise their important skills.
C. The eyes of dreaming cats moved while bodies are still.
D. The muscles of the dreaming cats are blocked to move.
2.What can you know about dreaming from the passage?
A. Dreaming a lot can help humans learn more.
B. Learning mazes is the basic skill for cats to learn.
C. Rats often dreams to make certain their recent learning
D. Fighting and escaping are not important skills for ancestors.
3.Which animal may dream most frequently?
A. Rats. B. Dogs.
C. Cows. D. Elephants
4.How does the author develop his passage?
A. By making comparisons. B. By using figures
C. By telling stories D. By showing facts
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Some American parents might think their children need better educations to compete with China and other countries. But how much do the parents themselves need to change?
A new book called Battle Hymn(圣歌) of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua has caused a debate about cultural differences in parenting. Ms. Chua is a professor at the Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, and the mother of two daughters. She was raised in the American Mid-west by immigrant Chinese parents.
In the Chinese culture, the tiger represents strength and power. In her book, Ms Chua writes about how she demanded excellence from her daughters. For example, she threatened to burn her daughter’s stuffed animals unless she played a piece of music perfectly. She would insult her daughters if they failed to meet her expectations.
Ms. Chua told NBC television that she had a clear list of what her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were not permitted to do.
“Attend a sleepover, have a playdate, watch TV or play computer games, be in a school play, get any grade less than an ‘A’.”
Many people have criticized Amy Chua. Some say her parenting methods were abusive. She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, sometimes objected to her parenting style. But she says that was the way her parents raised her and her three sisters.
Ms. Chua makes fun of her own extreme style of parenting. She says she eased some of the pressure after her younger daughter rebelled and shouted, “I hate my life! I hate you!”
Ms. Chua says she decided to retreat when it seemed like there was a risk that she might lose her daughter. But she also says American parents often have low expectations of their children’s abilities.
“One of the biggest differences I see between Western and Chinese parenting is that Chinese parents assume strength rather than fragility.”
Stacey DeBroff has written four books on parenting. “I think that the stirring of intense debate has to do with what it means to be a successful parent and what it means to be a successful child.”
Ms. DeBroff says Amy Chua’s parenting style is not limited to Chinese families. She says it represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children.
But she also sees a risk. When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life. Stacey DeBroff advises parents to develop their own style of parenting and not just repeat the way they were raised.
1.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE about American parents?
A．Some of them expect their children to be competitive.
B．Some of them need to educate themselves better.
C．They should learn from Chinese parents.
D．They care their kids more than Chinese.
2.What can we learn about Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother?
A．It is a list of things for children to do.
B．It is a book about cultural differences.
C．It is a heated debate about parenting.
D．It is a book about how to raise children.
3.Based on the passage, Ms. Chua’s parenting is exposed to the following EXCEPT________
A．pressure B．management C．recreation D．compromise
4. Which of the following agrees with Ms. DeBroff?
A．Different cultures have different concepts of values.
B．Chua’s parenting is followed by many American families.
C．Immigrants are always bitterly struggling abroad.
D．Parents had better raise their children in person.
5. What’s the author’s attitude towards Ms. Chua’s parenting?
A．Positive B．Inactive C．Indefinite D．Negative
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Some American parents might think their children need better education to compete with China and other countries’ children． But how much do the parents themselves need to change?
A new book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother written by Amy Chua has caused a debate about cultural differences in parenting． Ms． Chua is a professor at the Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, and a mother of two daughters． She was raised in America by immigrant Chinese parents． In her book, Ms． Chua wrote about how she demanded excellence from her daughters． For example, she threatened to burn her daughter’s dolls unless she played a piece of music perfectly． She would scold her daughters if they failed to meet her expectations．
Ms． Chua had a clear list of what her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were not permitted to do: “Attend a sleepover, have a play date, watch TV or play computer games, be in a school play, get any grade less than an A．” Many people criticize Amy Chua, saying her parenting methods were cruel and violent． She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, sometimes objected to her parenting style． But she says that is the way her parents raised her and her three sisters．
Ms． Chua says she eased some of the pressure after her younger daughter rebelled and shouted “I hate my life! I hate you!” But she also says American parents often have low expectations of their children’s abilities． Amy Chua thinks one of the biggest differences between Western and Chinese parents is that Chinese parents take on strength rather than fragility．”
Stacy DeBroff, who has written four books on parenting, says: “Parents should rethink, what does it mean to be a successful parent and what does it mean to be a successful child?” She says Amy Chua’s parenting style is not limited to Chinese families． It represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children． But she also sees a risk． When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life． Stacey DeBroff advises parents to develop their own style of parenting and not just repeat the way they were raised．
1.Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is mainly about ___________．
A． how to teach children to learn music
B． how to change the ways of parenting
C． Amy Chun’s experience in parenting
D． Amy Chun’s reflection of her family life
2.The underlined word “rebelled” in Paragraph 4 probably means “____________”．
A． disobeyed B． succeeded C． failed D． panicked
3.According to Ms． Chua, Chinese way of parenting is powerful because ____________．
A． parents set good examples to children
B． parents understand their children better
C． parents usually treat their children as friends
D． parents have high expectations of their children
4.What is Stacy DeBroff’s warning to immigrant parents?
A． Don’t expect too much from their children．
B． Don’t allow them to communicate with others．
C． Don’t give them freedom to do what they want to．
D． Don’t bring up their children as their parents did．
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Some American parents might think their children need better education to compete with China and other countries’ children． But how much do the parents themselves need to change?
A new book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother written by Amy Chua has caused a debate about cultural differences in parenting． Ms． Chua is a professor at the Yale Law School in New Haven, Connecticut, and a mother of two daughters． She was raised in America by immigrant Chinese parents． In her book, Ms． Chua wrote about how she demanded excellence from her daughters． For example, she threatened to burn her daughter’s dolls unless she played a piece of music perfectly． She would scold her daughters if they failed to meet her expectations．
Ms． Chua had a clear list of what her daughters, Sophia and Louisa, were not permitted to do: “Attend a sleepover, have a play date, watch TV or play computer games, be in a school play, get any grade less than an A．” Many people criticize Amy Chua, saying her parenting methods were cruel and violent． She even admits that her husband, who is not Chinese, sometimes objected to her parenting style． But she says that is the way her parents raised her and her three sisters．
Ms． Chua says she eased some of the pressure after her younger daughter rebelled and shouted “I hate my life! I hate you!” But she also says American parents often have low expectations of their children’s abilities． Amy Chua thinks one of the biggest differences between Western and Chinese parents is that Chinese parents take on strength rather than fragility．”
Stacy DeBroff, who has written four books on parenting, says: “Parents should rethink, what does it mean to be a successful parent and what does it mean to be a successful child?” She says Amy Chua’s parenting style is not limited to Chinese families． It represents a traditional way of parenting among immigrants seeking a better future for their children． But she also sees a risk． When children have no time to be social or to follow their own interests, they might not develop other skills that they need to succeed in life． Stacey DeBroff advises parents to develop their own style of parenting and not just repeat the way they were raised．
1.Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is mainly about ___________．
A． how to teach children to learn music
B． how to change the ways of parenting
C． Amy Chun’s experience in parenting
D． Amy Chun’s reflection of her family life
2.The underlined word “rebelled” in Paragraph 4 probably means “____________”．
A． disobeyed B． succeeded C． failed D． panicked
3. According to Ms． Chua, Chinese way of parenting is powerful because ____________．
A． parents set good examples to children
B． parents understand their children better
C． parents usually treat their children as friends
D． parents have high expectations of their children
4.What is Stacy DeBroff’s warning to immigrant parents?
A． Don’t expect too much from their children．
B． Don’t allow them to communicate with others．
C． Don’t give them freedom to do what they want to．
D． Don’t bring up their children as their parents did．
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
How long does a year last? 1. But your parents might say that a whole year can pass “in the blink of an eye”. Why does time seem to pass faster as we get older?
2. This physical change causes the rate at which we take in and process new information to decline. Babies, for example, move their eyes much more often than adults because they’re processing images at a faster rate. They take in a lot of information and do many things in a single day. 3. However, as people’s brains degrade over time, fewer images are processed in the same amount of time. Therefore, older people receive less information during a day than younger people. This causes things to seem as though they’re happening more quickly.
4. People may measure time by the number of memorable events that can be recalled within a certain period. Have you ever noticed that when you recall your firsts (first day of school, first family vacation, first birthday party, etc.), they seem to be in slow motion? That’s because when something is a “first”, there are many exciting things to remember. Recalling these memories makes you feel like they took forever.
For many adults, life is routine. When they look back, they might feel like there are not many novel (新奇的) things to remember. 5.
A.Children might say that a year lasts forever.
B.Therefore, time seems to be moving faster to them.
C.Different people have different feelings toward time.
D.This makes them feel like a single day lasts for a long time.
E.As we grow older, we become less interested in new things.
F.According to scientists, our brains degrade and change over time.
G.In addition, people may also “feel” time differently due to psychological reasons.
高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析