Noah felt like he was always hitting the books. While his friends were meeting for pickup soccer games after school, he was back home in his room reading and rereading the same material. But no matter how hard Noah studied, he had difficulty remembering things and his grades stayed average. Meanwhile, his friend Sean, who never seemed to study, always aced tests. It didn't seem fair. Because Noah was so frustrated , his dad and teachers made an appointment with the school psychologist. She diagnosed Noah with a learning disability. Although Noah felt relieved to know what was going on, he was also worried. He didn't like the "disability" label. And he was concerned about what it might mean for his future. Would he be able to go to college and study engineering as he'd hoped? For someone diagnosed with a learning disability, it can seem scary at first. But a learning disability doesn't have anything to do with a person's intelligence. After all, such successful people as Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities. Learning disabilities are problems that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. These problems can make it difficult for a student to learn as quickly as someone who isn't affected by learning disabilities. The way our brains process information is extremely complex --- it's no wonder things can get messed up sometimes. Take the simple act of looking at a picture, for example: Our brains not only have to form the lines into an image, they also have to recognize what the image stands for, relate that image to other facts stored in our memories, and then store this new information. It's the same thing with speech - we have to recognize the words, interpret the meaning, and figure out the significance of the statement to us. Many of these activities take place in separate parts of the brain, and it's up to our minds to link them all together. If, like Noah, you've been diagnosed with a learning disability, you're not... The writer take Walt Disney and Alexander Graham Bell for example to explain a learning disability has nothing to do with _ ? A) intelligence B) habits C) success D) confidence
A
(Question)
As is known to us, Washington University in St. Louis became the first college in the United States to ban selling bottled water in 2009. Since then, more than a dozen small colleges and schools have done the same. The ban isn't because the schools don't want students to have easy access to water. Instead, the goal is to encourage students to bring reusable bottles to save money and, more importantly, to save the environment. Many people believe that producing and using bottled water not only wastes money but also harms the environment. They say that bottled water is unnecessary because public water supplies in the U.S. are among the best in the world. These people believe that water fountains and reusable bottles with easy access to filling stations are a better choice. But the makers of bottled water argue that plastic bottles make up a small part of the nation's total waste. They say it's unfair to single out their product when so many other items are packaged in plastic containers, and what's more, water is a healthy choice compared to some sodas and juices that are also sold at school. What do you think: Should sales of bottled water be banned from schools? We want to hear your opinion. Write a 200-word response. Send it to tfkasks4you@timeforkids.com . Your response may be published in a future issue of Time For Kids. Please include your grade level and contact information for your parent or teacher if you want your response to be published. The deadline for responding is August 31, 2012. The purpose of the passage is to _ . A) ask for students' opinions B) tell people a piece of news C) call on students to save the environment D) wish more schools to ban selling bottled water
(Answer)
A
Ques: How to Become Cleverer? Once a boy came to ask a fisherman how to become cleverer, because his mother always called him "foolish boy". "That's easy," answered the fisherman. "I know one way to make you become cleverer." "Really?" "Of course. It is said a fish head is good for brain. If you eat one, you'll become cleverer indeed. Pay only three pounds for one fish head." The boy paid him three pounds and the fisherman cut off a fish head and handed it to him. A raw fish head is not good--not even for a hungry boy to eat but the boy ate it up in two gulps. "Do you feel anything?" asked the fisherman. "Not in my head," said the boy. The boy lay on the ground and thought. "One whole fish costs only two pounds. I had paid him three pounds for the fish head. Why couldn't I have the whole fish for soup, a head for brain and one pound left over?" He jumped up and shouted at the fisherman. "You thief! You are fooling me!" The fisherman laughed, saying, "The fish head works now, you see. " The boy ate up the raw fish head only in two gulps, because he _ . A) enjoy it B) wanted to taste it C) took it as a good medicine D) was a foolish boy
Ans: C
Sitting on a chair all day in school can make anyone want to move around. So, more and more teachers are letting students have a ball. By sitting on exercise balls instead of chairs , teachers find students' posture and attention improve. Dottie Pownall, a fifth-grade teacher in West Virginia, USA, has been using balls as chairs since December 2008. "The students love them", she says. Pownall took a survey of her students. She found that 80% of the students thought sitting on the balls helped them pay more attention to what they were learning. The teacher, Pisa Witt, felt so strongly about the use of balls as chairs, she started Witt Fitt. This company encourages the use of the balls. And the company educates not only teachers but also students on how to use them. "Our products are used in 24 states, three provinces in Canada, Puerto Rico and Japan," says Witt, " Research shows that sitting on the balls makes them sit up straighter . You can slouch on a ball," says Witt, "but it feels bad." Because the students are moving, their blood increases. That carries more oxygen( ) to the brain , so the kids have more energy and can pay attention longer. "Besides, they're fun." says Pownall. Teachers choose balls instead of chairs because sitting on balls helps the kids _ . A) improve the students' posture and attention B) slouch on the chairs C) have fun D) Both A and C are correct answers
D