Some people seem to have extraordinary (非凡的）memories. Zheng Aiqiang, a “memory athlete” on TV show Super Brain, can remember 2,660 numbers in just one hour!

    You would think people like this have special brains. But according to a recent study by researchers from the US and the Netherlands, the brain structures（结构）of ordinary people and 23 of the world's leading memory athletes show no difference.

    That's because good memories can be trained. New research in the journal Neuron (神经元期刊) suggests that you can become a super memorizer with just six weeks of hard training.

    Researchers found that technique (技巧）called loci, invented by ancient Greeks, can greatly help improve memory. By using loci, you are using your imagination to improve the brain's memory networks. You can link（关联）something you need to remember with a place that you know very well. For example, to remember a list of numbers, imagine yourself walking through your house. Each thing is linked to a number. For example, zero could be handle（把手）on the door and five could be the painting on the wall.

    In one study, some ordinary people were given 20 minutes to remember 72 words. First they could only remember 26 of them. But when they were taught loci, they could remember 62 words.

    “Not everyone can become a memory champion. But everyone using the technique can improve a lot from the level they're at,” said Boris Konrad, one of the researchers in the study.

    The world is an interesting place. Different people like different things.

    Some people like loud music. Other people don't. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Many people like sport, but they don't all like the same sport. In some countries, cricket(板球运动) is a very popular sport. In other countries, no one plays it or watches it on TV. However, most people like soccer. The World Cup is very popular. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    Different people like different foods. Some people don't like meat. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Some people don't like potatoes or bread. They prefer rice.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Most people have their favorite colors. Some people like bright colors. Others prefer black colors.

    Many people like traveling. Different people like different places. Some people like to go to the country. They like the fresh air. Some people like to go to the city. Because they like shopping. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}.

A. They like soft music.

B. Not everyone like the same color.

C. Millions of people watch the games on TV.

D. Different people like different kinds of pets.

E. They eat fruit and vegetables most of the time.

F. Some other people enjoy beautiful places like the mountains or beaches.

    Once a king got two nice falcons(猎鹰) from his son. He had never seen such beautiful falcons before. He loved them so much and he ordered the best falconer to train them to fly.

    After several months, the king came to see how the training was going on. He found that one falcon had already been able to fly high in the sky, while the other one was staying on the branch(树枝) of a tree quietly without moving.

    The king called all his falconers together and ordered them to try every way they could to make it fly. But none of them succeeded. One day, while the king was taking a walk in the forest, an idea came to his mind. He decided to find someone who knew the natural environment well to solve the problem. Then he sent for a farmer who lived in the forest into his palace to train it at once.

    The next morning, the king saw the other falcon flying above in the sky freely. "It is unbelievable!" shouted the king. "How could you make it happen?"

    The farmer replied, “It's very easy. I just cut off the branch where the falcon rested.”

    It is always the same to humans. We all have "two flying wings in our hearts as well, but we often seem not to notice them and stay where we feel safe and comfortable. We won't realize we can fly so high and freely until the "branch" we are resting on breaks.

    Beijing Opera used to sound strange to Dou Yi. The 14-year-old Beijinger said whenever she came across Beijing Opera on TV. she changed the channel(频道).{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    But since Dou entered the Xuanwu branch school of Beijing No.15 Middle School, she has been studying Beijing Opera in music class every week.

    Dou and her classmates listen to Beijing Opera and learn the basics(基础知识) from professional actors.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    “We laugh sometimes because the tunes(声调) are really hard to learn. ” said Dou.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    “After all. I am no longer a layman(外行). ”she said.

    Since 2008, schools around the country have been teaching students Beijing Opera.{#blank#}4{#/blank#} Clearly. Dou's school has been taking the job seriously.

    Yang Ning, 14, is Dou's classmate. She has been studying Beijing Opera since she was 8.She is a member of the school's Beijing Opera club.

    Yang said she had learned a lot from Beijing Opera.

    “I learn a lot of history from the operas. ”she said.“ I've also found out about many ancient poems. since there are so many of them in the operas.”

    Yang doesn't think everyone can learn to sing Beijing Opera well. But she does say that it's helpful for all people to learn about it.

    “The more you learn about it, the more you understand it.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} It would be a great pity if it did！” she said.

    A young man entered the last interview of a company. The director learnt that the young man's academic (学业的) grades were very good. "Did you get any scholarships (奖学金) in school?" the director asked. "None." The young man answered. "Did your father pay for your school fees?" the director asked. "My father died when I was one year old, so my mother paid my school fees." The young man answered.

    "Where did your mother work?" the director asked. "My mother washed clothes." The young man said. The director looked at the young man's hands. He had a pair of smooth and perfect hands.

    "Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" the director asked. "Never." The young man answered. "I have a request," the director said. When you go back today, wash your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning."

    The young man felt that his chance of getting the job was high. When he went back. He happily asked his mother to let him wash her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings. She showed her hands to the kid. The young man washed his mother's hands slowly. His tears fell when he did that. It was the first time he had noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled (有皱纹的).He realized it was this pair of hands that helped him pay the fees.

    The next morning, the young man went to the director's office. "I washed my mother's hands, and I know that without my mother, I would not be the person I am today." He said.

    "This is what I am looking for," the director said. "I want a person who can appreciate (感激) the help of others to get things done. You will be a member of our company.