Question

B

American researchers found females are the more talkative sex because of a special “language protein(蛋白质)” in the brain.

The study, conducted by neuroscientists (神经学家)and psychologist from the University of Maryland, concluded that women talked more because they had more of the Foxp2 protein. The research, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found that higher levels were found among humans that were women but in rats that were males. Their findings came after it was previously claimed that ladies speak about 20,000 words a day – over 13,000 more than men. “This study is one of the first to report a sex difference in the expression of a language-associated protein in humans or animals,” said Prof Margaret McCarthy, who led the study. In their study, the researchers attempted to determine what might make male rats more vocal than their female friends.

They separated four-day-old rats from their mothers and then counted the number of times they cried out in the “ultrasonic range”, the frequencies higher than humans can hear, over five minutes. While both sexes called out hundreds of cries, the males called out twice as often, they found. But when the pups were returned to their mother’s cage, she fussed over her sons first. Tests conducted on the parts of the brain known to be associated with vocalcalls showed the male pups have up to twice as much Foxp2 protein as the females. The researchers then increased the production in the brains of female pups and reduced it in males. This led to the female rats crying out more often and their mothers showing more interest to them. In contrast, males became less “talkative”.

The researchers then tested samples from ten children, aged between three and five, which showed that females had up to 30 per cent more of the Foxp2 protein than males, in a brain area key to language in humans.

“Based on our observations, we assume higher levels of Foxp2 in girls and higher levels of Foxp2 in male rats is an indication that Foxp2 protein levels are associated with the more communicative sex,” said Prof McCarthy. “Our results imply Foxp2 as a component of the neurobiological basis of sex differences in vocal communication in mammals. “

1.What can be inferred from the second paragraph？

A. women always speak more words than men.

B. men and male rats have low levels of language protein.

C. McCarthy isn’t the first to find females more talkative

D. women and male rats have similar levels of Foxp2.

2.What does the underlined phrase “fussed over” in the third paragraph mean?

A.relyed on B. related to

C. put pressure on D. paid attention to

3. What’s the purpose of the experiments on rats carried out by the researchers?

A.To test which part of the brain is key to language in rats and humans.

B. To discover the association between Foxp2 protein and vocal communication.

C. To determine the reason why female rats are more talkative than male rats.

D. To prove the levels of Foxp2 protein in humans and rats are different.

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage ?

A. Why women are the talkative sex

B. Tests on humans and rats

C. Sex differences in Foxp2 protein

D. Foxp2 protein determines oral ability

Answer 1

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文研究了蛋白质和人类的谈话能力的关系，结果发现女性比男性更为健谈。

1.推理题。根据文章第二段Their findings came after it was previously claimed that ladies speak about 20,000 words a day – over 13,000 more than men. “This study is one of the first to report a sex difference in the expression of a language-associated protein in humans or animals,” said Prof Margaret McCarthy, who led the study可知他并不是第一个研究女性更为健谈的人。故C正确。

2.猜词题。根据本句But when the pups were returned to their mother’s cage, she fussed over her sons first.可知当小老鼠回到母亲的笼子的时候，母亲先关注她的儿子们。所以“fussed over”是“注意”的意思，故D正确。

3.细节题。根据文章第三段4,5行“Based on our observations, we assume higher levels of Foxp2 in girls and higher levels of Foxp2 in male rats is an indication that Foxp2 protein levels are associated with the more communicative sex,”可知这个研究关注的是研究Foxp2蛋白质和人的语言能力的关系。故B正确。

4.标题确定题。根据文章主题段第一段American researchers found females are the more talkative sex because of a special “language protein(蛋白质)” in the brain.可知本文研究的是为什么女性更加健谈。故A正确。

考点：考查科普类短文阅读