星期二 阅读理解＋七选五 (分值：22.5分) Ⅰ.阅读理解(每小题2.5分，共10分) If you think English means endless new words，difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation，you are wrong.Haven’t you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language According to a new study by a British university，learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power.Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter.This is the area of the brain which processes information.It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles(肌肉)． The study also found the younger people learn a second language，the greater the effect is.A team led by Dr Andrea Mechelli，from University College London(UCL)，took a group of Britons who only spoke English.They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals” who had learnt a second language before the age of five，as well as a number of later learners.Scans showed that grey matter density(密度) in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language.But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language，the smaller the difference was.“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language，” said the scientists. It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills.“Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible(灵活的)，” he said.“You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.” The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learnt English as a second language between the ages of two and thirty-four.Reading，writing，and comprehension were all tested.The results showed that the younger they started to learn，the better.“Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world，” explained the scientists. 1．Why does the writer mention “exercise” in the second paragraph A. To suggest language learning is also a kind of physical labor. B．To make people believe language learning helps grey matter work well. C．To prove that one needs more practice when he/she is learning a language. D．To show the significance of using the language when you learn a language. 2．What does the underlined word “bilinguals” probably mean in paragraph 3 A. Active foreign language learners. B．People who can speak two languages. C．Researchers on foreign language learning. D．People who are good at learning foreign languages. 3．What can we know from the scientific findings A. The ability of learning a second language is changing all the time. B．The experience of learning a second language has a bad effect on brain. C．The earlier you start to learn a second language，the higher the grey matter density is. D．There is no difference between a later s ... ...
