You hear the same complaint all the time: “My memory is terrible.” Is it all in the mind, or do real changes take place in the brain with the passing of time? The answer is that the brain’s cells decline and die with age. However, according to Professor Arthur Shimamura of the University of California, people vary greatly in how they change mentally with age, as well as how much their mental ability declines.
There are three main ways in which mental function changes. The first concerns speed, such as how quickly you can react to fast-moving incidents on the road. Drivers 高一 in their late teens react quickly but often drive too fast, while the over -60’s are more careful but react more slowly. This type of mental slowing results from a reduction in the efficiency with which the brains’s neurons (神經細胞) work.
The fact that adults find it harder to learn musical instrument than children points to a second type of mental decline, the loss of learning ability with age. The part of the brain which is known to control new learning is particularly sensitive to the effects of ageing. This means we have to depend more on diaries and other mental aids as we get older, take longer to learn a new language and are slower to master new things at work.
“Working memory” is the third brain function that is sensitive to the effects of ageing. Absentmindedness occurs at all ages because of imperfections in the working memory system. For example, you may continually lose your glasses, or find yourself walking into a room of your house only to find that you cannot remember what you came for. Such absent-mindedness also occurs more often as we get older.
However, evidence also shows that the principle “use it or lose it” applies to the ageing brain. Professor Shimamura studied a group of university professors who were still mentally active, and compared their performance on neuro?psychological tests with that of others of their age group, as well as with younger people. He found that on several tests of memory, the mentally active professors in their 60’s and early 70’s performed better than those of the same age, and as well as the younger group.
問題：Which of the following well-known sayings best expresses the idea of the third paragraph? A. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. B. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. C. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. D. It’s never too old to learn.
答案：B
解析： A. 雙鳥在林不如一鳥在手。 B. 老狗學不到新把戲。（朽木不可雕。） C. 有志者事竟成。 D. 活到老，學到老。
B
Life is raw material. We are artisans (n.工匠). We can sculpt our existence into beautiful or debase (vt. 降低，貶低) it into ugliness. It’s in our hands. ---- Cathy Better.
It’s in Our Hands
Isn’t it amazing how few of us ask ourselves the important question?
Several years ago, I was invited to hear an important speaker address the students body of a small college in South Carolina. The auditorium was filled with students excited about the opportunity to hear a speaker of her status (n. 地位，身份) speak. After the governor gave the introduction, the speaker moved to the microphone, looked at the audience from left to right, and began:
“I was born to a mother who was deaf and couldn’t speak. I don’t know who my father is or was. The first job I ever had was in a cotton field.”
The audience was spellbound. “Nothing has to remain the way it is if that’s not the way a person want it to be. She continued “it isn’t luck, and it isn’t circumstances, and it isn’t being born a certain way that causes a person’s failure to become what it becomes.” And she softly reported, “Nothing has to remain the way it is if that’s not the way a person wants it to be.”
“All a person has to do,” she added in a firm voice, “to change a situation that brings unhappiness or dissatisfaction answers the question: ‘How do I want this situation to become?’ then the person must commit totally to personal actions that carry them there.”
Then a beautiful smile shone forth as she said,, “My name is Azie Taylor Morton. I stand before you today as treasurer (n.財務主管) of the United States of America.”
問題：Which of the following can best tell the main idea of the passage? A. Where there is a will, there is a way. B. Experience is the best teacher. C. A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. D. Still waters run deep.
答案：A
解析：A. 有志者，事竟成。 B. 經驗是最好的老師。（有經歷必受益） C. 吃一塹，長一智。 D. 靜水流深。（沉默者深謀。）
One possible version: Dear editor, I am a student of Senior Tree in a middle school in Fujian Province. In order that we can make the best of learning materials, the Students’Union of our school is arranging an activity. We students of Senior Three are called on to give away our used books, newspapers or magazines to the students in the lower grades. The idea, which is intended to promote friendship and encourage economy, is highly praised and supported by the teachers and students alike. The activity will last about ten days, from June 10 to 20. Saving is getting. / Waste not, want not. As a student, I am strongly for the activity because it is very meaningful and helpful. I hope that this kind of activity will continue in the future. Yours sincerely, Lin Hua
（2014年江蘇卷） 2014年4月29日上午10點到11點，全國億萬學生陽光體育活動在各地大中小學校同時進行，江蘇省1，100萬學生積極參與了這項活動。 教育部倡導學生： •每天鍛煉一小時 •健康工作五十年 •幸福生活一輩子 請你根據以上提示，用英語準備一份發言稿，向同學們講述一下陽光體育活動的有關情況，并就高三學生是否需要每天花一小時鍛煉，談談你的看法及理由。 注意： ① 發言稿應包括以上所有信息，要有適當發揮。 ② 詞數：120左右。發言稿的開頭和結尾已經寫好，不計入總詞數。 ③ 參考詞匯：陽光體育活動——a national student sports program; 教育部——the Ministry of Education Good afternoon, everyone,
One possible version: Good afternoon, everyone. On the morning of April 29, 2014, from 10:00 to 11:00, hundreds of millions of students from primary, middle schools and universities all over China joined in a national student sports program. Eleven million students in Jiangsu took an active part in this program. The Ministry of Education calls on students to exercise for an hour every day, in the hope that they will have good health to work fifty years and enjoy the whole life. The advocation is good for our students, especially in Grade Three. The students in Grade Three should have sports for one hour every day. As long as we have a healthy body, we can achieve our goal. And we will be a strong power to construct our country. My dear friends , come on! Health is great riches. Let us build our strong and healthy body so as to spare no effort to contribute to our country. Thank you! 考題回放： 1. --- It took me ten years to build up my business, and it almost killed me. --- Well, you know what they say. ____. (2014•江蘇卷) A. There is no smoke without fireB. Practice makes perfect C. All roads lead to RomeD. No pains, no gains 2. If you are traveling ____ the customs are really foreign to your own, please do as Romans do. (2014•天津卷) A. in whichB. whatC. whenD. where 3. … Analyzing the law of the talion --- an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth --- William Ian Willer presents an original thinking over the concept of “pay back”…（2014•上海卷閱讀C篇） The word “talion” in introducing the book Eye for an Eye is probably a concept of ____. A. medicineB. tradec. avengingD. striving 4. --- Never thought to see you here, Jay! --- ____. A. It’s a small worldB. Don’t let it worry you C. It’s always the caseD. I’d like to meet you every day 5. --- I’ve given up smoking already, darling. --- You should have taken the doctor’s advice years ago. ____, anyway. A. Better late than neverB. It’s easier said than done C. No pains, no gainsD. Well begun is half done 6. “First come, first ____” is an English proverb. A. serviceB. servedC. servingD. to serve 7. All work and no play ____ Jack a dull boy. A. makeB. madeC. makesD. making 8. Give him an inch ____ he’ll take an ell. A. orB. butC. andD. otherwise 答案與解析： 1. D. A. 無風不起浪。 B. 熟能生巧。 C. 條條大路通羅馬（殊途同歸） D. 不勞無獲。 2. D. 3. C. an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth 以眼還眼，以牙還牙；avenge vt. 報復，報仇 4. A. It’s a small world 這世界真小。（我們又見面了。） 5. A. A. 遲做總比不做好。 B. 說比做容易。 C. 不勞無獲。 D. 好的開始是成功的一半。 6. B. First come, first served. 先到者先受用。（先到先得。） 7. C. 全句意思為：只工作（學習）不玩耍聰明的孩子也變傻。 8. C. 全句意思為：得寸進尺。 附：高考英語常考英語諺語（含句子結構分析） （1）Actions speak louder than words. 行動比言語更有說服力。（事實勝于雄辯。） （2）Better late than never. 遲做總比不做好。 （3）Honesty is the best policy. 誠實總是上策。 （4）The best fish are / swim near the bottom.好魚居水底。（有價值的東西不能輕易得到。） （5）The more you get, the more you want. 擁有越多，想要越多。 （注：以上五句諺語運用了形容詞、副詞比較級、最高級。） （6）A rising tide lifts all boats. 水漲眾船高。 （7）Time lost cannot be recalled. (recall vt. 召回，恢復) 光陰一去不復返。 （8）To stand still is to move back. 逆水行舟，不進則退。 （9）Saving is getting. 節約而后有。（節約就是獲得。） （10）It is no use crying over spilt milk. 覆水難收。（打翻牛奶，哭也沒用） （注：以上五句運用了非謂語動詞。） （11）All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. 只工作（學習）不玩耍，聰明孩子也變傻。 （12）Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. 早起早睡使你健康、富裕、聰明。 （13）An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 多吃水果利健康。（一天一蘋果醫生遠離我。） （14）Absence makes the heart grow fonder. 久別情深。 （15）Money makes the mare go. (mare n. 母馬，母驢) 有錢能使鬼推磨。 （16）You may take a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink. 領馬河邊易，逼馬飲水難。（不要逼人做不愿做的事。） （注：以上六句運用了“vt. + 賓語+ 賓語補足語”。） （17）A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 雙鳥在林不如一鳥在手。 （18）An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. 一日之計在于晨。 （19）Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. 抱最好的希望，作最壞的準備。 （20）It’s never too late to mend. 改過遷善從不嫌晚。（亡羊補牢，未為遲也。） （21）One is never too old to learn. 活到老，學到老。 （22）Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. 閱讀對于我們心靈之重要，猶如運動對于身體一樣。 （注：以上六句運用了be worth…, hope for…, prepare for…, too… to…, A is to B what C is to D 固定結構） （23）All that glitters is not gold. / All is not gold that glitters. (glitter vi. 閃光，閃爍) 閃光的并非都是金子。 （24）All that dogs bark at are not thieves. / All are not thieves that dogs bark at. 狗吠者未必是賊。（勿以貌取人。） （25）Every couple is not a pair. / Not every couple is a pair. 成雙未必能配對。 （注：以上三句運用了部分否定結構。） （26）It is a good horse that never stumbles, and a good wife that never grumbles. (stumble vi. 絆倒，失足 grumble vi. 發牢騷，抱怨) 良馬會失蹄，賢妻有牢騷。 （27）It’s a long lane that has no turning. (lane n. 小巷) 否極泰來。 （路必有彎，事必有變。）（沒有彎曲的路真長。）（不順是暫時，轉機定出現。） （28）It is love that makes the world go round. 愛使世界更美好。 （29）It is the early bird that catches the worm. 早出的鳥兒吃到蟲。（疾足者先得。） （注：以上四句運用了強調句型。） （30）A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. （pit n. 坑，陷井 wit n. 智力，才智） 吃一塹，長一智。 （31）An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. 以眼還眼，以牙還牙。 （32）Never put off till tomorrow. 今日事，今日做。（今日事，今日畢。） （33）Once bitten, twice shy. 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井繩。（一次上當，下次小心。） （34）Out of sight, out of mind. 眼不見，心不想。（不見就忘。）（離久情疏。） （35）Waste not, want not. 不浪費，不愁缺。 （注：以上六句運用了“省略”，表達精練，語言生動。） （36）All’s well that ends well. 結果好就是一切好。 （37）He laughs best who laughs last. 誰笑在最后，誰笑得最好。 （38）Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. 家居玻璃房，切忌亂扔石。（自己有弱點，勿揭他人短。） （注：以上三句運用了定語從句。） （39）Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched. (hatch vt. 孵出) 小雞孵出前，先別忙點數。（辦事尚未果，不把成功言。）（不要過早樂觀。） （40）When in Rome do as the Romans do. 身處羅馬學意人，到了一地尊風俗。（入鄉隨俗） （41）What’s learnt in the cradle lasts till the tomb. (cradle n. 搖藍) 搖藍中所學，受用到墓穴。（孩提時代學到的東西，至死不忘。） （注：以上三句分別運用了時間狀語從句、方式狀語從句、主語從句。） （42）If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. 再接再厲，終會成功。 （43）If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing well. 凡值得一做的都值得做好。 （44）While there is life there is hope. 有生命就有希望。（留得青山在，不怕沒柴燒。） （注：以上三句運用了條件狀語從句） （45）Where there’s a will, there’s a way. 有志者事竟成。（日本豐田汽車公司曾把該諺語改為一句瑯瑯上口的廣告：Where there’s a road, there’s a Toyota.） （46）Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. 無風不起浪。 （注：以上兩句運用了地點狀語從句）
