Question

How quickly can you count from one to ten? Do you use ten different words to do it? Can you do it in English,or do you have to use your first language? Do you count on your fingers? Many people think that numbers and math are the same all over the world. But scientists have discovered that it is not true.

People in different parts of the world use different ways to count on their fingers. In the United States, people begin counting with their first finger，which they extend or stick out. They then extend the rest of their fingers and finally the thumb(姆指) to count to five. Then they repeat this with the other hand to get to ten. In China,people count by using different finger positions. In this way,a Chinese person can easily count to ten on only one hand.

Besides ways of finger counting, scientists have found that cultures and languages are also different when it comes to numbers. Some languages have only a few words for numbers,and others have no words for numbers. A group of scientists studied aboriginal(土著的) people in Australia. These people don't have hand movements to stand for numbers. They don't even have words for numbers. However,they are still able to understand different ideas about numbers.

In a similar study,researchers from the Massa?chusetts Institute of Technology discovered that people of the Pi r a ha tribe(部落) in northwestern Brazil don't have words for numbers such as ** one" or " three". They are not able to say "five trees" or "ten trees" but can say "some trees", "more trees"? or "many trees". Professor Edward Gibson said that most people believe that everyone knows how to count, " but here is a group that does not count. They could learn,but it's not useful in their culture, so they've never picked it up.”Although all humans are able to understand quan- tities(数量) ，not all languages have numbers and not all people use counting. Number words in a certain lan- guage are a result of people needing numbers in their daily lives. Now we know that people have different ideas about numbers and math,too. 

(   ) 1. The writer begins with the four questions in order to    

   A. make a survey   B. interest readers   C. tell a story   D. solve math problems

(   ) 2. What do we learn from the difference in fin?ger counting between the U. S. and China?

   A.People from China count much faster than people from the U. S.

   B.People from China need two hands to count from one to ten.

   C.People of different cultures may use dif?ferent ways of finger counting.

   D.People of different cultures use the same way of finger counting.

(   ) 3. Which of the following is TRUE about abo?riginal Australians?

   A.They have only a few words for numbers.

   B.They have hand movements to stand for numbers.

   C.They can only count to five on their fingers.

   D.They can understand different ideas about numbers.

(   ) 4. The study of the Piraha tribe shows that

   A.people all over the world know how to count

   B.people of the tribe have words for numbers

   C.some groups of people are not smart enough to count

   D.counting is not useful in the culture of the tribe

(   ) 5. What is the main idea of the passage?

   A.People from different cultures have dif?ferent ideas about numbers and math.

   B.Chinese people can count more easily on their fingers than Americans.

   C.In some aboriginal cultures,people don't even know how to count.

   D.Some languages don't have number words because people don't need numbers.

Answer 1

1. B作者在文章的开头连问了四个问题，目的很明确，那就是引起读者的兴趣，因为这四个问题与文章阐述的内容一致。

2.C根据对第二段的理解，通过对比中国人和美国人用手指数数的差异可知不同文化的人们用手指数数的方式也不一样。

3.D根据第三段"A group of scientists studied aboriginal(土著的) people in Australia .. However,they are still able to..."可知澳大利亚的土著居民可以理解关于数字的不同观点。

4.D根据第四段的最后一句"They could learn,but it's not useful in…"可知在巴西的皮罗罕部落文化中数数是没有用处的。

5. A根据最后.段最后一句"Now we know that people have…"可知来自不同文化的人对于数字和数学有不同的观点。