The Central Nervous System

The adult brain weighs about three pounds. This doesn’t seem like much, but it is one of the most important organs in the human body. The brain is made up of millions of nerve cells. These nerve cells tell the rest of the body what to do. Without a brain, we could not live. The spinal chord is connected to the brain. It runs from our neck down through our back. The spinal chord and the brain make up what is called the central nervous system. The brain is like the body’s computer. It controls body temperature and reminds us to breathe. The brain allows the body to have voluntary movement, thought, language, and reasoning. Different parts of the brain have different jobs. The brain tells us when we are hungry and thirsty. It also is responsible for memory and emotion. Our brain relies on food to give it energy. You need to eat healthy foods to keep your brain and the rest of your body working right. Healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, cereals, grains, milk, and other dairy products are all important foods for us to eat. We also need to keep our brains active. Research has shown that the less active our brain is, the less we are able to remember and do. So keep thinking, moving, and doing. It’s great for your brain.

1. After reading the passage, what do you think would happen if your brain was injured?

A. It would immediately double in size.                      B. Our bodies might not be able to perform certain things.

C. The heart would begin to take over the body.   D. Doctors have not yet determined what happens in this case.

2. The main idea of this passage is ________.

A. to inform the reader about what happens when they are thinking

B. to inform the reader about the connection between the heart and brain

C. to inform the reader about how important healthy food is to the brain

D. to share general information about the brain and the spinal chord and how they work

3. The word "relies" in line 8 can be replaced by _______?

A. depends       B. requires                    C. moves                      D. works

4. The word "it" in line 1 refers to ________.A. brain     B. this              C. organ                       D. body

5. Which of the following statement is false?

A. Our brain needs to be fed.                             B. Inactivity is not good for our brain.

C. The whole brain has one function.                 D. The brain is a very important part of our body.

II. Multiple choice:

1.       The ..............system of the body lets us break down the food we eat and turns it into energy.

A. respiratory                     B. digestive                  C. circulatory               D. skeletal

2.       Therapies like acupuncture are believed to be effective..........to modern medicine.

A. devices                          B. precautions              C. capabilities              D. alternatives

3.       Daily exercise and weight control strongly influence your chances of staying.............

A. passive                          B. healthy                    C. active                       D. lazy

4.       The row of bones down the middle of a human's back is called the.......... 

A.brain                               B. skull                         C. skeleton                    D. spine

5.       Playing sports will............a lot of your energy.        

A. spend                            B. comsume                 C. have            D. waste

6.       To attend the concert, you need to book a .......... in advance.     

A. ticket                              B. fare                          C. fine                          D. place

7.       Mary has grown up and turned...........a beautiful girl.           

A. up                                  B. down                       C. into                           D. in

8.       Using acupuncture, doctors must know all.............. points.   

A. soreness                         B. pressure                    C. massage        D. section

9.       In under a minute, your ____ can pump blood to bring oxygen and nutrients to every cell in your body.

A. brain                        B. heart            C. lungs                        D. vessels

10.   The human ____ system is a series of organs responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide.

A. circulatory               B. digestive                  C. nervous                   D. respiratory

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

The brain of the average human weighs approximately 14 kilograms and consists of three main parts-the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum is by far the largest of the three parts, taking up 85% of the brain by weight. The outside layer of the cerebrum, 5 the cerebral cortex, is a grooved and bumpy surface covering the nerve cells beneath. The various sections of the cerebrum are the sensory cortex, which is responsible for receiving and decoding sensory messages from throughout the body; the motor cortex, which sends action instructions to the skeletal muscles; and the association 10 cortex, which receives, monitors, and processes information. It is in the association cortex that the processes that allow humans to think take place.

The cerebellum, located below the cerebrum in the back part of the skull, is the section of the brain that controls balance and posture. The brain stem connects the cerebrum and the 15 spinal cord. It controls various body processes such as breathing and heartbeat.

Question: The passages states that the most massive part of the brain is the _____

A. cerebellum

B. brain stem

C. cerebral cortex

D. cerebrum

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

The brain of the average human weighs approximately 14 kilograms and consists of three main parts-the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum is by far the largest of the three parts, taking up 85% of the brain by weight. The outside layer of the cerebrum, 5 the cerebral cortex, is a grooved and bumpy surface covering the nerve cells beneath. The various sections of the cerebrum are the sensory cortex, which is responsible for receiving and decoding sensory messages from throughout the body; the motor cortex, which sends action instructions to the skeletal muscles; and the association 10 cortex, which receives, monitors, and processes information. It is in the association cortex that the processes that allow humans to think take place.

The cerebellum, located below the cerebrum in the back part of the skull, is the section of the brain that controls balance and posture. The brain stem connects the cerebrum and the 15 spinal cord. It controls various body processes such as breathing and heartbeat.

Question: Which of the following is true about the cerebellum?

A. It is the outside layer of the cerebrum.

B. It is responsible for balance

C. It is located above the cerebrum

D. It controls breathing.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

The brain of the average human weighs approximately 14 kilograms and consists of three main parts-the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum is by far the largest of the three parts, taking up 85% of the brain by weight. The outside layer of the cerebrum, 5 the cerebral cortex, is a grooved and bumpy surface covering the nerve cells beneath. The various sections of the cerebrum are the sensory cortex, which is responsible for receiving and decoding sensory messages from throughout the body; the motor cortex, which sends action instructions to the skeletal muscles; and the association 10 cortex, which receives, monitors, and processes information. It is in the association cortex that the processes that allow humans to think take place.

The cerebellum, located below the cerebrum in the back part of the skull, is the section of the brain that controls balance and posture. The brain stem connects the cerebrum and the 15 spinal cord. It controls various body processes such as breathing and heartbeat.

Question: According to the passage, which part of the brain analyzes information?

A. The cerebellum

B. The association cortex

C. The sensory cortex

D. The brain stem

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

The brain of the average human weighs approximately 14 kilograms and consists of three main parts-the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum is by far the largest of the three parts, taking up 85% of the brain by weight. The outside layer of the cerebrum, 5 the cerebral cortex, is a grooved and bumpy surface covering the nerve cells beneath. The various sections of the cerebrum are the sensory cortex, which is responsible for receiving and decoding sensory messages from throughout the body; the motor cortex, which sends action instructions to the skeletal muscles; and the association 10 cortex, which receives, monitors, and processes information. It is in the association cortex that the processes that allow humans to think take place.

The cerebellum, located below the cerebrum in the back part of the skull, is the section of the brain that controls balance and posture. The brain stem connects the cerebrum and the 15 spinal cord. It controls various body processes such as breathing and heartbeat.

Question: What is the author’s main purpose?

A. To describe the functions of the parts of the brain

B. To explain how the brain processes information

C. To demonstrate the physical composition of the brain

D. To give examples of human body functions

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

The brain of the average human weighs approximately 14 kilograms and consists of three main parts-the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum is by far the largest of the three parts, taking up 85% of the brain by weight. The outside layer of the cerebrum, 5 the cerebral cortex, is a grooved and bumpy surface covering the nerve cells beneath. The various sections of the cerebrum are the sensory cortex, which is responsible for receiving and decoding sensory messages from throughout the body; the motor cortex, which sends action instructions to the skeletal muscles; and the association 10 cortex, which receives, monitors, and processes information. It is in the association cortex that the processes that allow humans to think take place.

The cerebellum, located below the cerebrum in the back part of the skull, is the section of the brain that controls balance and posture. The brain stem connects the cerebrum and the 15 spinal cord. It controls various body processes such as breathing and heartbeat.

Question: The sensory cortex _____

A. provides a surface covering for nerve cells.

B. senses that messages should be sent out to the muscles.

C. receives and processes information from the senses.

D. is where the human process of thinking occurs.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions.

The human brain is 8 times the size of a monkey’s. It weighs about 1,400 grams

A. The size of human brain is 8 times that of a monkey’s which is about 1,400 grams weigh

B. The human brain, which weighs about 1,400 grams, is 8 times the size of a monkey’s.

C. The size of a monkey’s brain is 1,400 grams, 8 times that of the human one.

D. The weight of a monkey’s brain is 1,400 grams, 8-fold than that of the human one.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions

The human brain is ten times the size of a baboon‟s. It weighs about 1,400 grams

A. The size of human brain is ten times that of a baboon‟s which is about 1,400 grams weigh

B. The size of a baboon‟s brain is 1,400 grams, ten times that of the human one

C. The human brain, which weighs about 1,400 grams, is ten times the size of a baboon’s

D. The weight of a baboon‟s brain is 1,400 grams, ten-fold than that of the human one