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1. Many of us think that computers are many times faster, more powerful andmore capable when compared to our brains. Do you think there are certainaspects in which the human brain is superior to a computer? What are these?2. You are about to read an article about the amazing powers of your brain.Before that, do the quiz below to test your knowledge on the subject.1. How much does your brain weigh? \-a) 500 g b) 900 g c) 1.4 kg2. How many brain cells do you have?a) one million b) one thousand million c) one hundred thousand million3. The electricity generated by all your neurons can power:a) a light bulb b) an electric heater c) a loudspeaker4. The speed at which the information travels from senses to the brain isabout.a) 150 km/h b) 250 km/h c) 300 km/h5. You are more receptive to learning after:a) you have exercised b) you have watched TV c) you have eatenNow read the text and check your answers.

You carry around a three-pound mass of wrinkly material in your head thatcontrols every single thing you will ever do. From enabling you to think, learn,create, and feel emotions to controlling every blink, breath, and heartbeat -this fantastic control centre is your brain. lt is a structure so amazing that afamous scientist once called it "the most complex thing we have yet discoveredin our universe."16

Your kitten is on the kitchen counter. She's about to step onto a hot stove.You have only seconds to act. Accessing the signals coming from your eyes,your brain quickly calculates when, where, and at what speed you will needto dive to intercept her. Then it orders your muscles to do so. Your timing isperfect and she's safe. No computer can come close to your brain's awesomeability to download, process, and react to the flood of information coming fromyour eyes, ears, and other sensory organs.Your brain contains about 100 billion microscopic cells called neurons - somany it would take you over 3,000 years to count them all. Whenever you dream,laugh, think, see, or move, it's because tiny chemical and electrical signals areracing between these neurons along billions of tiny neuron highways. Believe

it or not, the activity in your brain never stops. Countless messages zip aroundinside it every second like a supercharged pinball machine. Your neurons createand send more messages than all the phones in the entire world. And whilea single neuron generates only a tiny amount of electricity, all your neuronstogether can generate enough electricity to power a low-wattage bulb.A bee lands on your bare foot. Sensory neurons in your skin transmit thisinformation to your spinal cord and brain at a speed of more than 150 miles(241 kilometres) per hour. Your brain then uses motor neurons to transmitthe message back through your spinal cord to your foot to shake the bee offquickly. Motor neurons can relay this information at more than 200 miles (322kilometres) per hour.Riding a bike seems impossible at first. But soon you master it. How? Asyou practise, your brain sends "bike riding" messages along certain pathwaysof neurons over and over, forming new connections. In fact, the structure ofyour brain changes every time you learn, as well as whenever you have a newthought or memory.It is well known that any exercise that makes your heart beat faster, likerunning or playing basketball, is great for your body and can even help improveyour mood. But scientists have recently learned that for a period of time afteryou've exercised, your body produces a chemical that makes your brain morereceptive to learning. So if you're stuck on a homework problem, go out andplay a game of soccer, then try the problem again. You just might discover thatyou're able to solve it.

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3. The structure of your brain changes every time you learn.4. But scientists have recently learned that for a period of time after you'veexercised, your body produces a chemical that makes your brain morereceptive to learning.a) action which has recently happened, with visible results in the presentb) habitual actionc) action which happened at an indefinite time in the pastd) imaginary past event meant to seem more exciting and real life8. Here are some more uses of present tenses. Match the correct halvesof the given sentences and then decide on the appropriate use for each ofthem.

1. I'm going to the cinema2. He has written two letters3. You beat the eggs,4. I've been ironing5. We leave London at 10.00 next

Tuesday6. He is always going away7. English peoPle8. I will phone you9. lt is raining heavilY

10. He has been a cat salesman

a) drink a lot of tea.b) and arrive in Paris at 13.00.c) when I wake uP.d) and then you add the flour.e) since 1990.f) this morning.g) at thg moment.h) tomorrow evening.i) for weekends.j) my shirts all morning.

Uses:) frequently repeated action which annoys the speaker -emphasis on duration -permanent situation -uture planned activitY -action which started in the past and are still continuing in the present -fixed arrangement in the near futureaction which took place in a period of time Which is not over yet -instructionsfuture action after a time word/in a'time clause.present event in Progress

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9. Put the verbs in the following anecdote in the right present tense.Vlasdashir Kukashivr is desperate. Once again, he ......... (commit) agrave sin - the same one he .. (struggle) to overcome for many years.Discouraged, he .. (decide) to impose a penalty on himself. "From nowon," he says, "l will pull ten strands of hair from my head each time I(sin). When not a single strand of hair .. (be) left on my head, lwill killmyself."After a month, Vlasdashir Kukashivr ......... (become) almost bald. He ..(continue) to pull ten strands of hair whenever he ......... (commit) a sin."lndeed, there is no more hope for me! l'll kill myself!" exclaims Vlasdashirupon seeing his bald head in the mirror. With that, he ..(take) a gun and.. (aim) it at his head. Before he can pull the trigger, however, an angel

.. (come) floating into his room, saying, "Stop! What .. (you/try)?""l made an oath to kill myself when my hair .. (be) all gone," Vlasdashiranswers."That's why I am here," the angel says. "God .. (want) you to have this."The angel hands Vlasdashir a package, and the sinner hastens to open it.Vlasdashir is moved to tears when he ......... (see) what is inside: a toupeel.

riting10. The Present Simple sometimes refers to events in the past, especiallywhen telling stories, as it makes the events more exciting and true to life.Retell a funny incident you have heard of or witnessed, trying to make use ofthis value of Present Simple (120 words).

1 toupee = a man's wig2l