Welcome to this year’s English speech competition.
That’s all. Thank you.
Babies are surrounded by human language, always listening and processing. Eventually, they put sounds together to produce a “Daddy” or a “Mama”. But what still confuses neuroscientists is exactly how the brain works to put it all together.
To figure it out, a team of researchers turned to a frequent stand-in (代替) for babies when it comes to language learning: the song-learning zebra finch. “We’ve known songbirds learn their song by first forming a memory of their father’s song or another adult’s song. Then they use that memory to guide their song learning,” said Neuroscientist Todd Roberts. “It’s been a long-term goal of the field to figure out how or where in the brain this memory is. This type of imitative learning that birds do is very similar to the type of learning that we engage in regularly—particularly when we’re young, we use it to guide our speech learning.”
Roberts and his team had a feeling that the interface (交叉区域) between sensory areas and motor areas in the brain was critical for this process, and they focused on a group of brain cells called the NIf.
“In order to prove that we could identify these circuits, we thought if we could implant a false memory.” First, they used a virus to cause the neurons (神经元) in the birds’ NIf to become sensitive to light. Then, using a tiny electrode as a flashlight, they activated (激活) the neurons. The length of each pulse of light corresponded with the amount of time the neurons would fire. And the birds’ brains interpreted that time period as the length of each note.
Soon enough, the birds began to practice the notes they had learned, even though they never really heard the sounds. Amazingly, the birds produced them in the correct social situations. The researchers say this is the first time anybody has found exactly a part of the brain necessary for generating the sorts of memories needed to copy sounds.
“This line of research is going to help us identify where in the brain we encode memories of relevant social experiences that we use to guide learning. We know that there are several neurodevelopmental disorders in people that have really far-reaching effects on this type of learning.”
1．The zebra finch is researched because its song-learning mode ________.| A．decides whether it will sing songs |
| B．helps it to say “Daddy” or “Mama” |
| C．is like the way babies learn speech |
| D．reflects its talent for imitating its father’s song |
| A．The interface in the brain. |
| B．Guidance from adults. |
| C．Imitative learning type like birds’. |
| D．The way of regular learning. |
| A．Scientists activated some neurons by using an electrode. |
| B．A bird only sings what it heard before. |
| C．The brain produces tiny electrodes. |
| D．Birds are sensitive to light. |
| A．A change in our way of listening and processing. |
| B．A chance to have relevant social experiences. |
| C．A better knowledge of the secrets of learning. |
| D．Identification of neurodevelopmental disorders. |
The Power of Determination
Your quest for success and happiness begins with right intentions. It culminates (达到顶点) when you reach your chosen goals. What sustains your effort in between is your determination. What carries you towards your goals is your determination. It means the firmness of purpose or intention.
If there is one gift that you can give to yourself in your life to be what you want to be, it is the power of determination. Without it you are a mere passive spectator in the drama of your life. If there is one quality that makes a difference between a winner and a loser or a leader and a follower, it is the power of determination. Without it, you may dream wild dreams, but you will not accomplish much in life. If you have determination, nothing can stop you and deter you from following your course of action to achieve your goals or realize your dreams.
Obstacles may arise and obstruct your progress. They may delay your success, disturb you temporarily, and may even mislead you, but they cannot withstand the power of determination. It is the power that you generate within yourself to remain committed to your path and conviction, and march towards your cherished goals. Before you take up any project or goal, you should know whether you have the determination to stick to your plans and reach your goals. Your determination has to arise from within and derive its reinforcement from your thinking and beliefs rather than circumstances. Only then will you be able to sustain your effort, even when the going gets tough. Determination is your inner strength. Like the hardwood inside a tree, it gives you the power to stand tall and face the winds of turmoil.
With determination, you can crush the mountains of fear and doubts in you. You can find your way through the most difficult situations. Determination does not mean you will be insensitive to the reality of the situation. A determined person is also an adaptable and flexible person. He is not interested in being tough for toughness sake, but to overcome obstacles and reach his goals. Hence, he remains open-minded about possibilities and opportunities, but firm in his commitment and convictions. Discipline and determination go together. If you have them, you become unstoppable.
1．According to the passage, what is determination?I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or six years old. The teams were pretty evenly (平均地) matched. I will just call them Team One and Team Two. Nobody scored in the first period. They fell over their own feet, they fell over the ball, they kicked at the ball and missed it, but they didn’t seem to care. They were having fun.
In the second quarter, the Team One coach pulled out what must have been his first team and put in the uniforms, except for his best player who now guarded the goal. The game took a dramatic turn.
Team Two gathered around the little guy who was now the Team One goalkeeper. He was an outstanding athlete, but he was no match for three or four who were also very good. Team Two began to score. The little guy gave it everything he had, recklessly (不顾一切地) throwing his body in front of incoming balls, trying bravely to stop them. Team Two scored two goals quickly. With all the strength, he covered the boy who now had the ball, but that boy kicked it to another boy twenty feet away, and by the time he re-positioned himself, it was too late—Team Two scored a third goal.
After the third goal,the little kid changed. He could see it was no use. The little boy needed help so badly, and there was no help to be had. He got the ball from the net and handed it to the coach and then he cried. He just stood there while huge tears rolled down both cheeks. He went to his knees and put his fists to his eyes—and he cried, helpless and broken-hearted.
When the boy went to his knees, I saw the father start onto the field.
“Daddy,” the boy cried.
A Turning-point Party
The cold snow was falling as Kelly struggled home from school in December. How much she hated the snow---and everything else about Pinetree, Wyoming, America. How much she missed Thailand! “I hate it here! I want to go home!” Kelly thought.
She reached for a small white envelope in her pocket. In it was an invitation to Jennifer’s party: Kelly didn’t want to go. She felt awkward at the thought of being at a party with a bunch of kids she barely knew. She closed her eyes and remembered this time of year people would hold a festival to thank the Mother of Water in Thailand, They used banana leaves to make a little boat with a candle lit in it, made a wish for the coming year and set the boat floating on the river.
Kelly sighed and pushed open the door to her parents’ restaurant. They were busy working. “Maybe I should go just this once for Mama and Papa. They are so worried that I’m not making any friends.” Kelly went over and tied an apron around her waist. As she was washing dishes, she told her mother that she had been invited to a party on Friday night. Mama smiled saying now she might be happy in their new home. Kelly nodded, thinking Pinetree could never be her home.
On Friday evening, Papa drove Kelly to the party. Jennifer met her at the door and led her into the dining room. Six kids from her classes were seated around the table, on which were sitting small brown cookie houses. They were selecting colorful candies and gluing them to their own houses, Wow, she loved making things. For this part of the party, she could be herself. She decided to decorate her cottage like one of the golden temples of Thailand. As she was making it, Jennifer wondered how she did it. The others joined staring at Kelly with admiration, Kelly felt a warm glow. Maybe I could fit in here-----a little, she thought.
After dinner, the party went on and the talk turned to the coming holidays.
Suddenly, Kelly came up with an idea.
Whose gold coins?
In a village, a wise man often thought, “Nothing can come to a village whose people only complain and expect others to solve their problems.” One day, he bad an idea to teach people a lesson.
The wise man dressed up and went to the main road of the village. He placed a large stone in the middle of the street and hid gold coins under the tone. Then he hid behind a huge tree and watched.
The first person who came along the street was a milkman with his ear. He crashed into the stone, spilling (酒出) the milk everywhere. “What fool put this stone here?” he shouted. He picked himself up and angrily went away.
A moment later, a group of women down the street, each balanced a pot of water on her head. One woman tripped (绊倒) over the stone and her water pot went crashing to the ground. She picked herself up and walked away in tears. Neither she nor her friends thought about moving the stone out of the road.
The wise man kept watching all day as many people complained about the stone, but he found nobody making an attempt to move it. The wise man was deeply disappointed. “What a shame! Is there no one in this village who feels it very important to keep their neighbors from harm?”
Just then, a young girl was coming along.
The wise man stepped out from behind the tree.
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