Question

    Do you believe that only boys do well in science? Does it seem to you that girls have better language skills than boys? In your opinion, are boys better at building things? If your answer to each of those questions is “Yes,” you are right, according to an article in Current Science." There are exceptions(例外), but here are the facts.

Usually, boys score higher on tests about math, while girls do better in tests about words, spelling and memory. But these differences may not always be true. In the future, a person’s abilities may not be decided by sex. As one scientist says, “Nothing is impossible for a person to be or do.”

A recent study by Jerome Kagan, a scientist at Harvard University is studying the watching ability of children 10 months old. Baby boys and baby girls are watching a “show” while seated on their mothers’ laps. In Act One of the show, an orange-colored ball is lifted from a blue box and moved slowly. Then it is returned to the box. This is repeated six times. Act Six is almost the same, except that the orange ball is smaller.

Baby boys do not seem to notice the difference in the size of the ball, but girls immediately become excited and begin to make noises that sound like language.

It’s also known that baby girls usually talk at an earlier age than baby boys do. Scientists believe that the left side of the brain develops faster in girls than in boys. As a result, by the time they start to school, little girls have an advantage that boys don’t have, but what have the boys been doing in the year before starting school? They have been developing something called aggression. An aggressive person feels strong and independent. He is often the first one to start a fight. It is said that aggression is caused by hormones (荷尔蒙). Scientists believe that hormones are not the only cause. They say aggression in boys is also caused by mothers.

1.According to the article in Current Science, what are girls better at?

A.Finding facts B.Using language C.Learning science D.Building things

2.Which is right about Jerome Kagan’s study?

A.Girls don’t like the show.

B.Boys are strong enough to lift a blue box.

C.Boys and girls have the same watching abilities.

D.Girls quickly notice the difference in the size of the ball.

3.Why do girls have an advantage when they start to school?.

A.Girls become independent earlier. B.Mothers teach girls more patiently.

C.Girls’ hormones develop more completely. D.The left side of the brain develops faster in girls.

4.What does the underlined word “aggression” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A.An angry feeling. B.A good habit. C.A friendly action. D.A strong person.

5.What is the passage mainly about?

A.The research on girls’ advantages. B.The result of school education.

C.The differences between boys and girls. D.The children’s abilities to memorize.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.D

4.A

5.C

【解析】

这是一篇科技报道。从科学的角度分析了男孩与女孩的不同特点。男孩更擅长理科，而女孩比较擅长语言和记忆，观察力更强。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段“Does it seem to you that girls have better language skills than boys?... those questions is ‘Yes,’ you are right,”可知，女孩更擅长语言技能。故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据第四段“Baby boys do not seem to notice the difference in the size of the ball, but girls immediately become excited and begin to make noises that sound like language.”可知女孩立刻察觉到了球大小的不同。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据第五段“Scientists believe that the left side of the brain develops faster in girls than in boys”可知女孩在一上学时更有优势，是因为她们的左脑比男孩发育的更快一些。故选D。

4.词义猜测题。根据划线单词所在的语境“An aggressive person feels strong and independent. He is often the first one to start a fight.”可知，具有这种特征的人会感觉强壮和独立，经常会挑起事端，由此可知aggression的意思是“侵犯”，感到生气的时候才会挑起事端。故应选A。

5.主旨大意题。根据短文开头“Do you believe that only boys do well in science? Does it seem to you that girls have better language skills than boys? …an article in Current Science. ”以及文意可知，这篇短文对比了男孩和女孩在各方面能力发展上的不同。故选C。