The works of Shakespeare and Wordsworth are boosters to the brain and better therapy than some guide books, researchers say this week. Scientists, psychologists and English academics at Liverpool University have found that reading the works of the Bard and other classical writers has a beneficial effect on the mind, catches the reader's attention and triggers moments of self-reflection. Using scanners , they monitored the brain activity of volunteers as they read works by William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, T.S Eliot and others. They then "translated" the original texts into more "straightforward", modern language and again monitored the readers' brains as they read the words. Scans showed that the more "challenging" essays and poetry set off far more electrical activity in the brain than the much plainer versions. Scientists were able to study the brain activity as it responded to each word and record how it was "activated" as the readers encountered unusual words, surprising phrases or difficult sentence structure. This "activation" of the mind lasts longer, shifting the brain to a higher speed, encouraging further reading. The research also found that reading poetry, in particular, increases activity in the right hemisphere of the brain, helping the reader to reflect on their own experiences, which they compare with what they have read. This, according to the researchers, meant that the classic works were more useful than guide books. Philip Davis, an English professor believes "The research shows the power of literature to shift thinking patterns, to create new thoughts, shapes and connections in the young and adults alike." What might be the author's attitude towards reading classics as therapy? A) Doubtful B) Positive C) Indifferent D) Opposing
B
(Question)
Late that afternoon I took the train back to Sydney. There I found another surprise waiting for me. My room at the hotel had been given to somebody else and they had no room for me. Harkin had known my travel plans and had planned everything. How could he have booked the room only for three days? There was nothing to be done but to find another hotel. The waiters were happy to find me a new hotel, and when I said that I was happy to stay at the airport, thinking it might be cheaper than staying in the city, they suggested the Holiday Inn at the airport. There was one small matter: the room rate was 300$ per night. The best hotel in Katoomba had wanted only 145$. I asked if there was anything cheaper they might suggest but they warned that most hotels would already be full by this time. The hotel was far from the train station, so I had to take a taxi, as 25$. On the way to the Holiday Inn, we passed a hotel just two blocks from the Holiday Inn that advertised a room rate of 104$. At the desk I asked if their room rate could go down a lot. "No, this is a 4star hotel," the waiter told me. "In that case," I replied, "I'll just walk the two blocks to the cheap hotel." But she warned me that they were probably full and that if I didn't take the room, it might not be available when I came back. Finally, I decided to take the room. The room itself was big, but the air conditioning couldn't keep up with the Australian heat. I couldn't get to sleep until about 1:00 am. What was the weather like at that moment? A) Cold . B) Hot. C) Cool. D) Warm.
(Answer)
B
Ques: Across the planet there are millions of people who engage in some type of meditation, the practice of concentrating and clearing the mind to bring the body into a state of peace, at least a semi-regular basis. For some, particularly among practitioners of Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, this is _ of their religious practice. For others, particularly in Western cultures, meditation tends to be a response to stress. With the world economy approaching meltdown and people worried about their job or their ability to keep their home, it's a way for people to attain a state of peace of mind and well-being. For those interested in taking up the practice, instruction in meditation for beginners can be found in literally thousands of sources. One of the most popular styles of mediation in the West, with classes offered in most major cities, is called Transcendental Meditation. TM, as it is known among its practitioners, first came to worldwide attention when the Beatles began practicing it in 1967. For direct, guided, personal instruction in meditation for the beginner, TM may be the hallmark. Part of the confusion about how to practice meditation effectively is due to the fact that there are literally hundreds of techniques championed by various groups and individuals. As a general principle, it might be said that all meditation techniques seek to have the practitioner attain a state of consciousness that is different to our ordinary state of awareness. They attempt to train people to clear their minds and achieve a sense of inner peace. It sounds simple enough, but of the huge number of people experiment with meditation, very few are able to maintain its practice over the long haul. In most cases, this is due to frustration over the inability to experience any dramatic, instantly recognizable effects. This is quite a sad state of affairs, that so few these days are willing or equipped to persist in something that doesn't provide immediate life-changing results. It reflects a culture in which demands... Who is the probable audience for this article? A) Experienced meditation practitioners. B) People interested in starting to learn meditation. C) Buddhists and Hindus. D) People who are very religious.
Ans: B
(Q).
When someone says "well, I guess I'll have to face the music", it doesn't mean that he is planning to go to hear a singer. It is something far less happy, as you are called in by your leader to explain why you did this and did that or why you did not do this or that. At some time or another, every one of us has to "face the music", especially as children. We can all remember father's angry word "I wasn't to talk to you" and only because we did not listen to him. What a bad thing it was ! In the middle or at the end of every term, we students have to "face the music". The result of the exam will decide whether we will face the music or not. If ...that means parents' cold faces and the contempt of the teachers and classmates. "To face the music" is well known to every American, younger or old. It is at least 100 years old. It really means that you have to do something, no matter how terrible the whole thing might be, because you know you have no choice. If you didn't listen to your father's words, you would "face the music" ,or _ . A) do something to please him B) do something to make him angry C) be punished by him D) be pleased with him
(A).
C
Ques: Helen Thomas, born on August 4, 1920, is a famous news reporter, a Hearst Newspapers columnist, and member of the White House Press Corps. She served for fifty-seven years as a correspondent and White House bureau chief for United Press International (UPI). She is called "First Lady of the Press". Born in Kentucky, Helen Thomas was raised in Detroit, Michigan where she attended public schools and later graduated from Wayne State University. Upon leaving college, Helen served as a copy girl in an old company in Washington. In 1943, Ms. Thomas joined United Press International and the Washington Press Corps. Thomas served as president of the Women's National Press Club from 1959 to 1960. In November, Helen began covering then President-elect John F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January 1961 as a UPI correspondent. She later became White House Bureau Chief for UPI, where she was employed until her resignation on May 17, 2000. Thomas then became a White House correspondent and columnist. Thomas was the only woman journalist traveling with then President Nixon to China in January, 1972. She has traveled around the world several times with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, during the course of which she covered every Economic Summit.The World Almanachas cited her as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in America. On March 21, 2006, Thomas was called upon directly by President Bush for the first time in three years. Thomas asked Bush about Iraq. Helen Thomas has written four books and she is also a popular speaker at events nationwide. From the passage, we can conclude that Thomas is a _ woman. A) courageous B) ambitious C) successful D) stubborn
Ans:
C