What if our babies could somehow tell us what they're thinking about, what they want, and what makes them unhappy? Robyn Holt, researcher for Baby Talk New Zealand, says they can. Holt heard about baby sign language through an advertisement and decided to go along to a workshop . "Sign language is something that's always interested me, and I thought, it could be really cool to try this with a baby because we are always guessing all the time what they actually want." Holt started using baby sign language with her baby son Benjamin, now 12, and within two weeks he started to sign the sign for milk. She has since used it with her two younger sons Dominic, 8, and Matthew, 3. Baby sign language is nothing new: the practice (which is based on adult sign language) has been out in America for more than 30 years. But it is enjoying a rebirth in New Zealand. The idea behind baby sign language is that babies do have the ability to communicate their needs if they are given the right tools to do so. Although many mothers develop an intuition about whether their baby's crying is from hunger, tiredness, or pain, baby sign language creates a direct form of communication that unlocks _ . When babies are between 6-months and 12 to 13-months, parents can begin to teach them sign language: use the sign for milk while feeding, and also talk about milk, so that the child begins to make the link in their brain. Then they can begin to add other signs, i.e. food, sick or pain. "I know of one parent. Her child was signing the sign for hurt by his mouth, and she realised his first teeth were growing. It makes life so much easier," said Holt. Holt mentioned a parent and her child to show baby sign language is _ . A) helpful B) difficult C) interesting D) special
A
There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with the students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee, the students would be in fear, because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave. A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again. Now a student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all. The professor began to ask. The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK. Then the professor asked about the cure for illness, and the student, too, answered just as right. "Good," said the professor, "and how much will you give the patient?" "A full spoon," answered the student. "Now you may go out and wait for what you can get," said the professor. At the same time the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given. Suddenly the student noticed that there was something wrong with his last answer. "A full spoon is too much," he thought to himself. Anxiously he opened the door of the room and cried, "Mr Professor, I've made a mistake! A full spoon is too much for the patient. He can take only five drops." "I'm sorry, sir," said the professor coldly, "But it is too late. Your patient has died." The student were afraid of the professor because _ . A) they often angered and disappointed him B) their answers often astonished him C) their answers seldom satisfied him D) he often misunderstood them and gave them bad marks
C
Q: For poets, bird song is a beautiful expression of nature in full bloom. But for scientists, the chirps of birds are far more meaningful than just pretty sounds. Latest studies show the way that young birds learn to sing is similar to that of a human baby learning to speak. "The question we're trying to answer is how a young bird learns its song," says Professor Michale Fee of MIT. Bird's creative, trial-and-error type of learning provides an ideal model for studying similar processes in humans. An example is how a baby's babble turns into the recognizable syllables of mama and papa. Also the part of the brain that is involved in bird song is very similar to that of a human. So birds may have something to teach us about our own brains, Fee said. The study shows that young birds like to create new and imperfect songs. Gradually, the youngsters' songs become less different and more similar to the sound of their parents. Scientists disabled part of a young finch's brain and stopped the learning in midstream. The bird still sings. But never learns the right songs. Fee's team found that the part of the brain involved is called the anterior forebrain pathway. Its neurons produce random bursts that make the young bird make new sounds and compared it with that of their parents. They also find out that once a bird is old enough that part of the brain will be less active. The study does not enable us to really understand the meaning of bird language. But Fee believes it will eventually be applied to human brain diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. Which of the following statements is NOT true? A) Birds learn to sing songs in a trial-and-error fashion. B) The study of bird song will enable us to understand bird language. C) The study of bird song might help find cure for human brain diseases. D) The chirps of young birds can be imperfect but creative.
A: B
(Question)
People who drink alcohol earn more at their jobs than non-drinkers, according to a US study that highlighted "social capital " gained from drinking. The study concluded that drinkers earn 10-14 percent more than _ and that men who drink socially bring home an additional seven percent in pay. "Social drinking builds social capital," said Edward String ham, an economics 'professor, "Social drinkers are outgoing, building relationships, and keeping in contacts, which results in bigger paychecks." The researchers said the most likely explanation is that drinkers have a wider range of social contacts that help provide better job and business opportunities. "Drinkers may be able to socialize more with clients and co-workers, giving drinkers ;an advantage in important relationships.Drinking may also provide individuals with opportunities to learn people, business, and social skills." They also said these conclusions provide arguments against policies aimed at controlling alcohol use in university and public places. "Not only do anti-alcohol policies reduce drinkers' fun, but they may also decrease earnings," the study said, "One of the consequences of alcohol restrictions is that they push drinking into private behavior.By preventing people from drinking in public, anti-alcohol policies ignores one of the most important aspects of drinking: increased social capital." The researchers found some differences in the economic effects of drinking among men and women.They concluded that men who drink earn 10 percent more than non-drinkers and women drinkers earn 14 percent more than non-drinkers. However, unlike men, who get a 7 percent income increase from drinking in bars, women drinkers who visit bars frequently do not show higher earnings than those who do not visit bars. What can we infer from the result of the study? A) To build social capital, you have no choice but to drink. B) Drinking is a good and common way to increase social capital C) Drinkers build wider social contacts. D) Drinkers may be provided more opportunities.
(Answer)
B