We hear with our ears, right? Yes, but scientists have known for years that we also hear with our eyes. In a study published in 1976, researchers found that people combined both auditory cues(聽力提示) and visual ones，like mouth and face movements, when they heard speech.

A new study that looks at a different set of sensory cues adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests such combination is natural. In a paper, Bryan Gick and Donald Derrick report that people can hear with their skin.

The researchers had volunteers listen to spoken syllables. Meanwhile, they connected the volunteers to a device that would blow a tiny puff (氣流) of air onto the skin of their hands or necks. The syllables included “ba” and “pa”, which produce brief puffs from the mouth when spoken, and “da” and “ta,” which do not produce puffs. They found that when listeners heard “da” or “ta” while a puff of air was blown onto their skin, they considered the sounds as “ba” or “pa”.

Dr. Gick said the findings were similar to those from the 1976 study, in which visual cues defeated auditory ones — volunteers listened to one syllable but thought it another because they were watching a video of mouth movements corresponding to the second syllable. In his study，he said，cues from sensory receivers on the skin defeated the ears as well. “Our skin is doing the hearing for us,” he said.

Dr. Gick noted that it would normally be rare that someone actually sensed a puff of air produced by another, although people might occasionally sense their own puffs. “What’s so persuasive about this particular effect,” he added. “is that people are picking up on this information that they don’t know they are using.” That supports the idea that combining different sensory cues is natural.

Dr. Gick said the finding also suggested that other sensory cues might be at work in speech perception(知覺) — that, as he put it, “we are these fantastic perception machines that take in all the information available to us and combine it faultlessly.”

“Da” or “ta” were considered as “ba” or “pa” when __________.

A. they were spoken quickly

B. puffs of air were blown onto the listener’s skin

C. they were pronounced using a special device

D. they were made with face movements

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Humans combine different sensory cues through experience.

B. Dr. Gick’s new study is more important than the one in 1976.

C. People sometimes can sense their own puffs when speaking

D. Only auditory and visual cues are at work in speech perception.

What is the best title of the text?

A. We Can Hear with Our Skin

B. Our Visual Cues Is Doing the Hearing for Us

C. Facial Expressions Are Important

D. We Are Fantastic Machines

It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”

   “No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.

    My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and went. I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.

When I reached the hospital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened. A broken rib(肋骨) might have pierced(穿透) a lung....”

    My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?

   It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.

   “Daddy... I am so sorry....”

   “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay.”

   “No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”

   My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me and said, “Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though.” He managed a weak smile.

    My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.

The author was in bad mood that morning because ______.

  A. his father had a terrible accident

  B. he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends

C. his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema

  D. his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends

Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?

  A. Because he didn’t go along with his father.

 B. Because he was rude to his father that morning.

  C. Because he failed to come earlier after the accident.

  D. Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital.

The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that___.

 A. he had a poor memory            B. he didn’t want to forgive his son

 C. he just wanted to comfort his son    D. he lost his memory after the accident

What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?

 A. Don’t treat your parents badly.      

 B. Don’t hurt others with rude words.

 C. Don’t move the injured in an accident.

D. Don’t be angry with friends at small things.

__________! Let’s go there and have a look at it.

   A. How beautiful picture                             B. How a beautiful picture

   C. What beautiful picture                             D. What a beautiful picture

We must ________ our task, however hard it is.

A. carry about               B. carry off                  C. carry on                   D. carry away.

In which part of the play is it　　　　Lily will play a role?

  A. where                          B. which               C. that                          D. who

       Could you imagine your parents choosing your husband or wife for you? And can you imagine not setting eyes on him or her until your wedding day? This situation is common in India, the Middle East and many parts of Africa．Marriage customs around the world often differ from our own．We don’t realize that people in other places often get married in very different ways and with different motives．

       In many countries, marriage is a practical matter．A marriage provides a safe and stable home for the husband and wife．It also joins two families, which benefits the couple’s parents and makes them happy．Marriage also brings children, making sure the couple will be taken care of in old age．Because a marriage is important for the whole family, some cultures don’t let young people choose whom to marry．

       Just as there are many different reasons for marriage, there are also many different wedding rituals．Every culture has its own ways of bringing good luck to the happy couple．In a typical Western wedding, the bride seeks good luck by wearing “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”．Something old represents the past．Something new represents success in the future．Something borrowed reminds the bride she can get help from her friends and family．And something blue reminds her to be true to her husband．

       In Poland, one wedding tradition is not only lucky, but also very practical．The wedding guests pin money to the bride’s dress while she is dancing．The money is meant to bring luck and to help the young couple build their new life．In Bermuda, the young couple plants a tree in the yard of their new home．Once they move in, they take good care of the tree and make it grow．The planting of the tree is a good metaphor（比喻） for marriage．A truly good marriage is something that grows with care．

Which of the following statements does NOT support the idea that marriage is a practical matter?

       A．The couple may have a safe home through their marriage．

       B．The parents had better help their children choose whom to marry．

       C．A marriage benefits the couple’s parents and makes them happy．

       D．A marriage brings children who will take care of the couple when they are old．

The underlined word “rituals” （Para．3） means 　　　．

       A．forms　   B．customs   C．traditions　      D．ceremonies

Although cultures differ in different countries, one thing in common when a young couple gets married is that 　　　．

       A．people wish them to take care of each other

       B．people wish them to get practical benefits from the marriage

       C．people wish them to have good luck in their new life

       D．people wish them to make money at the wedding ceremony

Which of the following statements best summarizes（總結(jié)） the subject of this passage?

       A．People across the world get married in different ways and for different reasons．

       B．Every culture has its own ways of bringing good luck to the young couple．

       C．A truly good marriage is something that grows with care．

       D．In many countries, marriage is a practical matter．

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。選項(xiàng)中有兩項(xiàng)為多余項(xiàng)。

Michael Jackson was a huge success, but he was also a very troubled man.      He had many operations to change his face.

_____ Jackson bought a huge property in California which he called “Neverland ” after the children’s story of Peter Pan. He had amusement park rides, a zoo and a large movie theater built for his home. Michael Jackson also went in major debt. And he suffered from injuries and illnesses that reportedly led him to take many kinds of painkilling medicines.

During this time, Michael Jackson kept recording and performing music. His later albums include “ Dangerous”, “ History” and “ Invincible ”.

_____  He later married a nurse named Deborah Rowe. They had two children, Michael Joseph Jackson and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. The couple divorced in nineteen ninety-nine. Mister Jackson later had a third child, Prince Michael Jackson.

After his two thousand five trial, the singer spent much of his time in Europe and the Middle East.      Michael Jackson died of heart failure on June twenty-fifth, two thousand nine. He was just days away from launching a series of fifty concerts in London.

      Prisoners in a jail in the Philippines danced for him. Fans in Paris, France attended a service at the city’s ancient religious center in his honor. Famous performers around the world told about the influence he had on their work.

A. He was the lead singer and danced with great energy.

B. He acted and spoke in a childlike way.

C. He returned to the United States with the aim of planning what was to be a victorious comeback.

D. He recorded it with many other famous performers.

E. His behavior and appearance became increasingly strange.

F. Fans around the world mourned his death.

G. Michael Jackson was briefly married to Lisa Marie Presly.

Dogs have a very good____ of smell and are often used to search for survivors in an earthquake.

A. sense       B. manner     C. means     D. idea

The poem is hard to understand. Can you make ___ of it?

   A. idea      B. knowledge      C. sense     D. understanding

完形填空（共20小題，每小題1.5分，滿分30分）

  When Wilson got to the airport, 36 flight was already being called 37 the loudspeakers. The day before he had given up his 38 for a morning flight and had booked（預(yù)定）an afternoon 39 instead. He had to go to the reservations（預(yù)定）desk to collect his 40ticket.

　　He apologized for being 41.The reservations clerk（預(yù)訂票的職員）smiled and began to look through the reservations in front of her. Then her 42 disappeared and 43 began to look 44 .

　　“Your ticket doesn’t seem to be here, ” she said. “Let me check it with the computer. ”The　45 clicked（滴答聲）and whirred（颼颼聲）and 46 began to flash 47 , his flight was called a second time. Wilson became very 48 .  49 the girl looked 50 .

　　“There’s been a mistake. Your new ticket was sent to you by post. That’s why it isn’t here”, she said. 51 took her only a 52 time to write 53 a new one. Wilson managed to catch the plane just before it took 54 . “What a way to start a 55 !” he thought.

A. he 　　　　B. his　　　　  C. him 　　　　  D. her

A. up 　　　　B. with 　　　  C. over 　　　   D. out

A. ticket 　　  B. wallet　　　 C. money　　　  D. plane

A. plane　　　 B. ticket　　　  C. flight　　　   D. fight

A. first　　　  B. new　　　　 C. old　　　　   D. another

A. later　　　  B. late　　　　 C. last　　　　   D. early

A. smile　　　 B. smiling　　   C. smiled 　　   D. laugh

A. he　　　　  B. his 　　　　 C. her 　　　　  D. she

A. happy 　　  B. angry 　　　 C. sad 　　　    D. worried

A. flight 　    B. loudspeakers  C. clerk 　　     D. computer

A. lights 　    B. light 　　　  C. flight 　　    D. computer

A. just 　　    B. just then 　   C. then 　　　  D. when

A. angry　　   B. happy 　　　 C. nervous 　 　 D. sad

A. Finally 　   B. Last 　　　  C. Then 　　　   D. Just

A. at 　　　   B. down 　　　  C. up 　　　　  D. out

A. That 　　   B. It 　　　　   C. She 　　　　 D. He

A. long　　　  B. short　　　   C. some 　　　  D. few

A. down 　　  B. out　　　　   C. away 　　　  D. of

A. off 　　　  B. out　　　　   C. away　　　　 D. place

A. travel 　    B. work 　　　  C. job 　　　　  D. holiday