There are two kinds of memory: short-term and long-term. Information in long-term memory can be remembered at a later time when it is needed. The information may be kept for days or weeks. However, information in short-term memory is kept for only a few seconds, usually by repeating the information over and over. The following experiment shows how short-term memory has been studied. Henning studied how students who are learning English as a second language remember vocabulary. The subjects in his experiment were 75 college students. They represented all levels of ability in English: beginning, intermediate , and native speaking students. To begin, the subjects listened to a recording of a native speaker reading a paragraph in English. Following the recording, the subjects took a 15-question test to see which words they remembered. Each question had four choices. The subjects had to circle the word they had heard in the recording, Some of the questions had four choices that sound alike. For example, weather, whether, wither, and wetter are four words that sound alike. Some of the questions had four choices that have the same meaning. Method, way, manner, and system would be four words with the same meaning. Finally the subjects took a language proficiency test. Henning found that students with a lower proficiency in English made more of their mistakes on words that sound alike; students with a higher proficiency made more of their mistakes on words that have the same meaning. Henning's results suggest that beginning students hold the sound of words in their short-term memory, and advanced students hold the meaning of words in their short-term memory. The word "subject" in the passage means _ . A) memory B) the theme of listening material C) a branch of knowledge studied D) the student experimented on
D
(Question)
Health experts have long known that vitamin D is important for healthy bones and teeth. It may also help to protect the body against diseases such as diabetes and cancer. And now, researchers say vitamin D might help fight brain diseases called dementia . Dementia is a brain disease that damages thinking and memory processes, which scientists call "cognitive abilities." Dementia is difficult to treat. Taking care of someone who has dementia is extremely _ . And the disease is very frightening to sufferers. Chris Roberts suffers from dementia. He says the worst part of living with this disease was getting lost while driving. "The worst thing that I found was getting lost in the car, not just forgetting where I was going-- I wouldn't know where I was." More than 47 million people around the world suffer from dementia. The World Health Organization reports that 60 percent of them live in low- and middle-income countries. We get vitamin D from some foods like nuts, lentils and fatty fish. We also get vitamin D from the sun. But that is not dependable. In some parts of the world, there is not enough sunlight to provide enough vitamin D. Also, sunblock prevents the vitamin from entering the body. To add to the problem, the skin's ability to process vitamin D weakens as a person ages. Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey are exploring the relationship between vitamin D and dementia. The team recently measured vitamin D levels and cognitive ability in older people. Nutritional sciences professor Joshua Miller led the team. He said cognitive abilities differed among the study subjects. He said tests showed that about 60 percent of the group was low in vitamin D. Where can we most probably read the passage? A) In a travel brochure. B) In a literature magazine. C) In a science journal. D) In a commercial advertisement.
(Answer)
C
Ques: A dog might be man's best friend, but my dogs are more like my kids! I think everyone should experience the unconditional love of a dog, but owning one is not for the nervousness. It's work--especially when it comes to the job of cleaning up their waste. When you clean up after your dogs, your neighbors will love you for keeping those smelly landmines out of their yards. But there are even bigger benefits. You'll not only be doing your part to keep bacteria out of your yard and neighborhood, you're also keeping harmful microorganisms away from the drinking water supply. There are more than 77 million pet dogs in the United States and their waste is found in backyards, neighborhood parks, and the green areas that frequently line small waterways. When you don't clean up after your dog, heavy rain can carry bacteria from the waste into drains. Dog waste left in parks and other such places can be swept directly into nearby streams. This affects the quality of the water in our streams. These small channels often empty directly into our local drinking water supply or the water where we boat or fish. Dog waste contains harmful microorganisms like roundworms that can be passed onto humans. This is why dog waste should not be used as fertilizer around your home. And it won't fertilize your yard either if you leave it behind like other types of fertilizer. Dogs don't eat the same kinds of natural material that cattle, horses or even elephants eat. The waste from those animals is actually beneficial for your yard and garden. You should always pick up after your dog and throw the waste into the trash can. Some smaller cities might prefer the waste to be washed down the toilet, but in cities where there are many dogs, it's best to send the waste to the landfill. When you properly deal with your dog's waste, you'll be doing your part to keep harmful bacteria out of your yards, your neighborhoods and your drinking water. What is the main purpose of this passage? A) To scold those who ignore their dog's waste. B) To introduce ways of cleaning up dog waste. C) To warn dog owners about the danger of dog waste. D) To argue it is the duty of the owners to clean up dog waste.
Ans: D
The winds had finally died down,and the rains stopped.Paige and her parents were inside their house,sitting in the living room,which was dark except for a single candlelight. "Let's find out what's going on outside,"Paige's mom suggested as she turned on the small radio. "...has moved out of the area,"an announcer's voice boomed. "Winds reaching nearly 100 miles an hour passed through our town this morning. But,the worst is over,and it is safe to go outside.In fact,the sun is now peeking out from behind the..." Suddenly,the radio went dead.The house was quiet again. "Well,"Paige's dad said, "at least we heard some good news,even if it was cut short.Let's look out of the window and survey the damage." Paige ran to the window and looked outside.She saw tree branches lie on the lawn.The mailbox was broken,and some of the address letters and numbers on the mailbox were missing. "The wind must have ripped them off," Paige's father noted.As he read the remaining letters he began to laugh. The mailbox dispalyed " _ _ RAIN." "It says "rain","Paige said. "That's appropriate for a day like today!" After the storm had passed,Paige's family felt _ . A) worried B) disappointed C) relieved D) scared
C