Hacking our senses to boost learning power Some schools are pumping music, noises and pleasant smells into the classroom to see if it improves exam results. Could it work? Why do songs stick in our heads? What does your school smell like? Is it noisy or peaceful? It might not seem important, but a growing body of research suggests that smells and sounds can have an impact on learning, performance and creativity. Indeed, some head teachers have recently taken to broadcasting noises and pumping smells into their schools to see whether it can boost grades. Is there anything in it? And if so, what are the implications for the way we work and study? There is certainly some well-established research to suggest that some noises can have a harmful effect on learning. Numerous studies over the past 15 years have found that children attending schools under the flight paths of large airports fall behind in their exam results. Bridget Shield, a professor of acoustics at London South Bank University, and Julie Dockrell, from the Institute of Education, have been conducting studies on the effects of all sorts of noises, such as traffic and sirens , as well as noise generated by the children themselves. When they recreated those particular sounds in an experimental setting while children completed various learning tasks, they found a significant negative effect on exam scores. "Everything points to a bad impact of the noise on children's performance, in numeracy, in literacy, and in spelling," says Shield. The noise seemed to have an especially harmful effect on children with special needs. Whether background sounds are beneficial or not seems to depend on what kind of noise it is -- and the volume. In a series of studies published last year, Ravi Mehta from the College of Business at Illinois and his colleagues tested people's creativity while exposed to a soundtrack made up of background noises -- such as coffee-shop chatter and construction-site drilling -- at different volumes. They found that people were more... Which of the following is most likely to follow up the research findings? A) Experts' research into other senses that can improve students' grades. B) More successful examples of boosting learning power by using music. C) Suggestions for pumping lots of pleasant smells into school campuses. D) Debates on whether noises can really have positive effect on students' performance.
A
Everybody knows that words can carry messages. People communicate with words. Books, magazines, TV,radio and films all help us to know what is going on in the world and what people are thinking about. Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are happy or friendly. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad. When you put up your hand in class, the teacher knows that you want to say something or ask a question. You shake your head, and people know you are saying "No". You nod and people know you are saying "Yes". Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the wall of your school helps you to find the library. Signs on doors tell you where to go in or out. Have you ever noticed there are a lot of signs around you and you receive messages from them all the time? People can communicate in many ways without words. For example, an artist can use his drawings to tell about beautiful mountains, seas and many other things. Which of the following is NOT a way for communication without words? A) A cry for help B) A smile on your face C) Making a face D) Nodding your head
A
Q: Education is an expensive part of American life. Its size is matched by its variety. Differences in American schools compared with those found in the majority of other countries lie in the fact that education here has long been intended for everyone. Schools are expected to meet the needs of every child, regardless of ability, and also the needs of society itself. This means that public schools offer more than academic subjects. It surprises many people when they come here to find high schools offering such courses as typing, sewing, radio repair, computer programming or driver training, along with traditional academic subjects such as mathematics, history, and languages. Students choose their courses depending on their interests, future goals, and level of ability. The basic goal of American education is to develop every child to the utmost of his or her own possibilities, and to give each one a sense of community. Schools have traditionally played an important role in creating national unity and "Americanizing" the millions of immigrants who have poured into this country from many different backgrounds and origins. Schools still play a large role in the community, especially in the small towns. The teaching may seem unfamiliar to many, not only because it is informal, but also because there is not much emphasis on learning facts. Instead, Americans try to teach their children to think for themselves and to develop their own intellectual and creative abilities. Students spend much time learning how to use materials, libraries, statistics, and computers. Americans believe that if children are taught to _ and to research well, they will be able to find whatever facts they need throughout the rest of their lives. Knowing how to solve problems is considered more important than the accumulation of facts. This is America's answer to the searching question that thoughtful parents all over the world are asking themselves in the fast-moving time, "How can one prepare today's child for a tomorrow that one can... American schools place great emphasis on the learners' _ . A) knowledge B) accumulation of facts C) creativity D) ability to work with hands
A: C
*Question*
A 1. 6-meter tall robot may soon become the best friend for lonely elderly people,as Chinese scientists are making the final sprint toward its market launch ,said a senior researcher on the robot project on Saturday. "We are working on testing the exact functions and ways to reduce the cost in preparations for an expected market launch of the robot in two to three years,"said Li Ruifeng,a member of the project. He said the team hoped to reduce the cost so that the robot can be priced at 30,000 to 50,000 yuan,which is expected to be an affordable price for most of China's better-off families. The robot has been developed with the functions of fetching food,medicine,sounding alarms in case of water or gas leakage,sending texts or video images via wireless communications,and even singing a song or playing chess to entertain its masters. Li said that the robot,developed independently in China, has technology at the same level as those in western labs. China set about the research of the robot in 2007,when it was listed as a national key project. It is _ by government funding . China has the world's largest elderly population with 159 million people over 60,accounting for 12 percent of its total population. According to a survey by the Ministry of Civil Affairs,more than 10 million caregivers and nurses are needed to attend the elderly population,as most of Chinese elderly prefer to live their retired lives at home. The author wrote the passage to_. A) advertise a robot caregiver to the elderly B) tellprefix = st1 /Chinaelderly not to worry about their life C) explain how robot caregivers work in the future D) introduce a newly-developed robot caregiver
**Answer**
D