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 extent our intelligence is given to us at birth, and no amount of special 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, but 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 extent something we are born with. The closer the blood relationship between two people, the closer they are likely to be intelligence. 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 probably 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 degrees of intelligence.

1.Which of these sentences best describes the writer’s point in Paragraph 1?

A. To some extent, intelligence is given at birth.

B. Intelligence is developed by the environment.

C. Some people are born clever and others born stupid.

D. Intelligence is fixed at birth, but is developed by the environment.

2.It is suggested in this passage that ________ .

A. unrelated people are not likely to have different intelligence

B. close relation usually have similar intelligence

C. the closer the blood relationship between people, the more different they are likely to be in intelligence

D. people who live in close contact with each other are not likely to have similar degrees of intelligence

3.The phrase “at random” (Line 3, Para.2) means ________ .

A. purposely B. regularly

C. independently D. aimlessly

4.The best title for this article would be ________ .

A. What Does Intelligence Mean?

B. We are Born with Intelligence

C. On Intelligence

D. Environment Plays a Part in Developing Intelligence

Answer 1

1.D

2.B

3.D

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：文章主要讲的是人的智力。许多专家现在持有的观点是，智力的极限是由先天决定的，但能否达到极限则取决于后天的生活环境。

1.小题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，故选D。

2.2】推理判断题。根据第二段“The closer the blood relationship between two people, the closer they are likely to be intelligence”可知，两个人的血缘关系越近，他们的智力水平越接近，故选B。

3.3】猜测词意题。由第二段第二句可知，血缘关系接近的人，他们的智力水平也较接近，那么，从居民中随机抽取两个人的话，他们的智力可能会完全不同。由此可知，划线短语是“随机、随意”的意思，故选D。

4.题4】选择最佳标题。根据第一段“Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experience?”和第二段“It is easy to show that intelligence is to...”与第三段“and this indicates that environment as well as birth plays a part.”可知，文章主要讲的是智力，专家持有的观点是，智力的极限是先天决定的，而能否达到极限，取决于后天的环境，故选C。

考点：科学类短文阅读