Question

    Are some people born clever, and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience? Strangely enough, the answer to these questions is yes. To some degree our intelligence is given to us at birth, and no amount of education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence. On the other hand, a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings. Thus the limits of person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment. This view, now held by most experts, can be supported in a number of ways.

It is easy to show that intelligence is to some degree something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people, the closer they are likely to be intelligent. Thus if we take two unrelated people at random from population, it is likely that their degree of intelligence will be completely different. If, on the other hand, we take two identical twins, they will very likely be as intelligent as each other. Relations like brothers and sisters, parents and children, usually have similar intelligence, and this clearly suggests that intelligence depends on birth. Imagine now that we take two identical twins and put them in different environments. We might send one, for example, to a university and the other to a factory where the work is boring. We would soon find differences in intelligence developing, and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part. This conclusion is also suggested by the fact that people who live in close contact with each other, but who are not related at all are likely to have similar degree of intelligence.

1.The writer is in favor of the view that man’s intelligence is given to him         .

A. at birth B. through education

C. both at birth and through education D. through environment of one’s family

2.If a child is born with high intelligence, he can         .

A. surely become a genius

B. still become a genius if he isn’t given good education

C. reach his intelligence limits through his own efforts

D. probably reach his intelligence limits in rich and varied surroundings

3.The example of the twins going to a university and to a factory separately shows         .

A. the importance of their intelligence B. the role of environment on intelligence

C. the importance of their positions D. the part that birth plays

4.The best title of the passage can be         .

A. On Intelligence B. On Genius

C. Dependence on Environment D. Effect of Education on Intelligence

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

本文主要讲述的是遗传和环境都对智力起着重要的作用。有些人天生就聪明？而有些人天生就愚钝吗？还是人的智商是随着我们的环境和经验而获得的呢？让人奇怪的是，这些问题的答案都是肯定的。在某种程度上人的智力是天生的，但是随着环境的变化，经验的增长，人的智商也在随之增长。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段“Thus the limits of person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, but whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment.”可知，一个人的智力在出生时就固定了，但能否达到极限，要视后天的环境而定。以及第二段的描述It is easy to show that intelligence is to some degree something we are born with. this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part.可知作者赞同的观点是，人的智力受到出生和教育的影响。故选C。

2.细节理解题。根据第一段的内容“Thus the limits of person’s intelligence are fixed at birth, but whether or not he reaches those limits will depend on his environment.”可知，一个人的智力在出生时就固定了，但能否达到极限，要视后天的环境而定。以及上句a child who lives in a boring environment will develop his intelligence less than one who lives in rich and varied surroundings.生活在无聊环境中的孩子没有生活在富足多边环境中的孩子智力发展得快。可知一个出生时高智商的孩子，可能在富有的环境中可能到达他的智力极限。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据第二段的句子We would soon find differences in intelligence developing, and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part.我们很快能发现他们智力发展的区别，这就暗示了环境和出生一样对智力有影响。故选B。

4.主旨大意题。通读全文可知，文章主要讲述的是遗传和环境都对智力起着重要的作用。故标题用On Intelligence合适，故选A。