Is there a connection between music and language? According to recent studies, the answer is yes: {#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here, we look at two examples

    A recent study by researcher Kraus shows that playing a musical instrument can improve a person's hearing ability.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}The people in the first group were musicians, while those in the second group had no musical training. The musicians were able to hear the talking person more clearly.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}Think about violinists in an orchestra (管弦乐团). When the violinists play with the group, they hear their own instrument and many others, too. But the violinists must listen closely to what they are playing, and pay no attention to the other sounds. In this way, musicians are able to focus on certain sounds, even in a room with lots of noise.

    Schlaug, a doctor at Harvard Medical School, works with stroke (中风) patients. Because of their illness, these people cannot say their names, addresses, or other information normally. However, they can still sing.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Why does this work? Schlaug isn't sure. Music seems to make different parts of the brain work, including the damaged (损坏的) parts. This might help patients to use that part of the brain again.

    Music improves concentration (注意力), memory, listening skills, and our overall language abilities.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Playing an instrument or singing can help us do better in school and keep our brain sharp (敏锐的) as we get older. Music is not only enjoyable, it's also good for us in many other ways.

    American schools are quite different from those in China. In America, at the beginning of the term, students must select (挑选) their subjects and teachers first.

    Selecting is very important for your marks in America. So at the first term, don't select too many subjects, or you'll feel very nervous and tired. Then you have to ask for some teaching plans. There is some information about subjects, time arranging, marks and textbooks. At the same time, you must choose the teachers. Different teachers have different teaching methods. If the teacher is called "killer" by the last grade, many students will give up choosing him, because this kind of teacher will leave too much homework, too many exams and give too low grades. There is another thing after you select the subjects and teachers. How to buy textbooks makes each student feel hard. The textbooks in America are very expensive. Each one is about $30—50. In order to save money, many students buy some used textbooks, and some students usually borrow textbooks from the school library.

    In class, discussing is very important. The teacher encourages you to ask questions or show your own opinions. They don't usually ask you to sit well. Instead they allow you to sit or stand anywhere you like.

Have you ever shouted at your computer because it wasn't working? Of course, your computer can't "shout" back. But Al researchers have been working on computers that can argue and perhaps even win debates (辩论) with humans. 

IBM scientists recently published a paper in Nature about their new AI system— Project Debater. It can debate with people in front of a live audience. After listening to arguments from its opponent (对手), the system can search around 400 million online articles in less than five minutes. And then it looks for ideas that can support its own argument. 

Testing on the system began in 2019. When it debated with Harish Natarajan, a professional debater who holds the world record for the most debate competition victories. The topic was about subsidizing preschool (资助幼儿园) —and Project Debater argued to support this idea. Although Project Debater lost the debate in the end, the audience said it performed very well. Interestingly, 58 percent of the audience said that Project Debater increased their knowledge about the topic—only 20 percent said the same about Natarajan. 

According to Scientific American, results show that the system is able to form logical statements (有逻辑的陈述) . However,  ★ . Their goal is to help humans make better decisions, according to Ranit Aharanoy, manager of the Project Debater team. "It can debate both sides, so it can very quickly help you understand both sides of the problem, so you can have a wider view of the problem and make a more thoughtful decision." Aharanoy said. 

Let's wait and see how the Project Debater will develop in the near future. 

Many people are interested in talking about life in the future. Some people 1 that life in the future will be easier and better. But others believe that it will be worse and more difficult than now. As for me, I 2 the idea of the first team.

First, as for education（教 育）, people will have 3 education. This is because of technology（科技）. E-books will take the place of（代替）books students use now, robots（机器人）will take the place of teachers, and students will not have to go to school every day. They will 4 at home through online teaching and will find learning more interesting.

Second, people's 5 will improve. Technology will also play a very important role. New medi‐ cine will help people get better quickly. Robots will help doctors and sometimes take the place of 6 . Also, doctors will be able to fight more diseases, 7 people will live longer.

Third, housing problems will end. People will build houses under the sea. Also, some people will live 8 the moon. Then everyone will have a place to live.

Fourth, nobody in the world will be hungry. People will grow crops（庄稼）everywhere 9 on the top of buildings.

Now what about you? 10 do you think life in the future will be like?

Good Luck Charlie is an American television sitcom. It is very 1 in the United States. Most people like to watch it.

It tells a 2 of an American family, the Duncans. There are 3 people in the family.They are father Bob, mother Amy and four children,PJ, Teddy, Bab e and Charlotte.

Charlotte is the 4 child in the family. She also has 5 name, Charlie. The little Charlie is very lovely. She always laughs happily and 6 cries. But there is a problem. Bob and Amy can't look after Charlie every day, 7 they have to work. So, they ask the three older children,PJ, Teddy and Bab e to help take care of their little sister. However, it is not a (n) 8 job for them. because they have different problems at school.

Every day after school, Teddy makes a video diary of himself for Charlie. In the video diary,Teddy always 9 some advice to Charlie about school life. And at the end of the video, Ted would always say,"Good 10 Charlie."That's why this sitcom is called Good Luck Charlie.