Teenagers around the world can be glad with the news that their brain deserves the blame when parents' orders go ignored while they tap on their smartphones. A new scientific study from the University College London has found that humans may suffer temporarily deaf when they're simultaneously focusing on something visual. Research found that the 13 volunteers experienced inattentional deafness to the normal-volume sounds playing in the background as their visual tasks became increasingly difficult. 'We found that when volunteers were performing the demanding visual task, they were unable to hear sounds that they would normally hear,' study co-author Maria Chait said in a statement. 'The brain scans showed that people were not only ignoring or filtering out the sounds, they were not actually hearing them in the first place.' The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, suggest that the visual and auditory processing centers that make sense of the sights and sounds that surround us share limited resources. Inattentional deafness is a common everyday experience and the study explains why, according to UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience Professor Nilli Lavie, a co-author of the study. 'This could also explain why you might not hear your bus or train stop being announced if you're concentrating on your phone, book, or newspaper. ''If you try to talk to someone focusing on a book, game, or television program and don't receive a response, they are not necessarily ignoring you, they simply might not hear you! ' she said. Loud sounds--like ambulance sirens--will still be able to break through, but some situations could become potentially dangerous when the quieter ones go unheard, according to Medical Daily. 'This has more serious implications in situations such as the operating theater, when a surgeon concentrating on their work might not hear the equipment beeping,' Lavie said. 'It also applies to drivers concentrating on complex directions as well as cyclists and motorists who are focusing intently... If a person concentrates on a book _ A) you cannot expect him to respond to you B) he doesn't want to give you a reply C) he wants you to be away from him D) he may get angry because of your disturbance
A
(Question)
Astronaut Zhai Zhigang became the first Chinese man to walk in space on Saturday, climbing out of prefix = st1 /China's Shenzhou VII spacecraft in a technological feat that made the Chinese people excited. "I'm feeling quite well. I greet the Chinese people and the people of the world," Zhai said as he climbed out of the craft at around 16:40 Beijingtime, a historic achievement telecast live on CCTV. Tens of millions of Chinese viewers gathered before TV screens to watch the moment. Chinese President Hu Jintao and other top leaders had appeared at the BeijingAerospaceControlCenterto watch the live transmission of Zhai's spacewalk. Zhai, 42, chosen by an expert team for the first "extra-vehicular activity". unveiled a red national flag, helped by colleague Liu Boming, who also briefly popped his head out of the capsule. Zhai slowly made his way towards a test sample of solid lubricant outside the capsule, took a sample and handed it to Liu. Zhai safely returned inside the craft after about 20 minutes. The walk marked the high point of China's third manned space journey, which has received widespread media coverage. Zhai wore a$4.4 million Chinese-made suit weighing 120kg. Liu wore a Russian-made one and acted as a back-up. The third crew member, Jing Haipeng, monitored the ship from inside the re-entry module. The risky manoeuvre is a step towards China's longer-term goal of assembling a space lab and then a larger space station, analysts said. "On this flight, Chinese people's footprints will be left in space for the first time," said a commentary by the Xinhua News Agency. The astronauts embarked on their walk after receiving a clean bill of health from doctors on the ground at mission control in Beijing, Xinhua said. Zhai's suit has 10 layers and takes up to 15 hours to assemble and put on. China's first manned spaceflight was in 2003. A second, two-manned flight followed in 2005. The only other countries that have sent people into space are Russiaand theUnited States. Astronaut Zhai Zhigang will be remembered as the first Chinese _ . A) to walk in space B) to enter space C) to land on the moon D) to speak with people on earth in space
(Answer)
A
Step into Pat Lundin's home and you'll be greeted by 500 smiling faces of dolls. Lundin, 82, describes herself as "doll crazy". And she's not alone. As a member of Timeless Treasures Doll Club of Largo, she frequently meets with 25 other women who share her hobby. Once a month, they gather at the Palms of Largo to show off their latest finds and catch up on news in the world of doll collecting. On Saturday, the club will hold the Palms of Largo Fifth Annual Doll Show. The program will include 37 vendors with both classic and contemporary dolls for sale. "Timeless Treasures is a club that's open to doll lovers regardless of the age of the doll," said Judy Smith, president of the organization. "Some doll clubs require members have a certain number of antique dolls, but we don't. we make sure we are not terribly formal." Smith, 71, is a retired schoolteacher who owns Judy's Doll Hospital, a part-time business she operates out of her home. She will have a table offering repair and appraisal services. Smith firs began studying and collecting dolls in her early 20s,in Glassboro, New Jersey, she does not know how many dolls she owns, or how many repairs she has made over the years. But she does know the age of her oldest doll. "She's 129," Smith said. "It is a German-made doll that belonged to my grandmother , and it sits in my living room." The show is for both the beginner as well as the experienced collector, said Anita Munson, one of the show's organizers. Over the years, Munson, 82, has learned how to identify a valuable doll. "Generally speaking porcelain dolls are the most valuable," she said. "But the porcelain will not be shiny." Smith believes many people will attend to find out how much their dolls are worth. She wants them to know more. "Because the dolls reflect what the children were wearing and doing at a particular period of time, they can be a great history lesson for children now," she said. We can infer that the show has been held _ . A) twice B) four times C) six times D) eight times
B