Question

Do you know how it is when you see someone yawn (打哈欠) and you start yawning too? Or how hard it is to be among people laughing and not laugh yourself? Well， obviously it’s because we have mirror neurons (神经元) in our brains.

Put simply， the presence of mirror neurons suggests that every time we see someone else do something， our brains model after it， whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile， talk， walk， dance or play sports. But the idea goes further： mirror neurons not only appear to explain physical actions，they also tell us that there is a biological basis for the way we understand other people.

Mirror neurons can undoubtedly be found all over our brains，but especially in the areas which relate to our ability to use languages，and to understand how other people feel. Researchers have found that mirror neurons relate strongly to language. A group of researchers discovered that if they gave people sentences to listen to (for example： “The hand took hold of the ball”)， the same mirror neurons were triggered as when the action was actually performed (in this example， actually taking hold of a ball).

Any problems with mirror neurons may well result in problems with behavior. Much research suggests that people with social and behavioral problems have mirror neurons which are not fully functioning (行使职责). However， it is not yet known exactly how these discoveries might help find treatments for social disorders.

Research into mirror neurons seems to provide us with ever more information about how humans behave， communicate and spend time together. Indeed， it may turn out to be nearly the same important thing for neuroscience as what Einstein’s theory of relativity (相对论) was for physics. And the next time you have the strong feeling to cough in the cinema when someone else does – well， perhaps you’ll understand why.

1. Mirror neurons can explain ______.

A. why we cry when we are hurt

B. why we cough when we catch a cold

C. why we smile when we see someone else smile

D. why we yawn when we see someone else get up late

2.The word “triggered” in Paragraph 3 probably means “______”.

A. set off     B. cut off

C. broken out  D. found out

3.We can learn from the passage that mirror neurons _______.

A. relate to human behavior and communication

B. decide our knowledge and language abilities

C. result in bad behavior and social disorders

D. control human actions and appearances

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Ways to find mirror neurons.

B. Problems of mirror neurons.

C. Discovery of mirror neurons.

D. Functions of mirror neurons.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.A

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：短文大意：该文主要介绍了镜像神经元的作用：简单地说就是当我们看到别人做某事，我们也会跟着做。

1.C 推理判断题。根据第二段中“that every time we see someone else do something， our brains model after it， whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile， talk， walk， dance or play sports.”可知镜像神经元的作用就是当我们看到别人做某事，我们也会跟着做。这就解释了很多关于我们如何学会微笑，说话，走路，跳舞或运动的问题。所以选C。

2.A 词义猜测题。根据第三段镜像神经元对语言的作用，当人们听到“手抓住球”这句话时，神经元就开始起作用了，就像手抓住球这个动作真的发生一样。set off出发；触发。所以选A。

3.A 细节理解题。根据最后一段第一句可知镜像神经元的研究似乎为我们提供更多的有关人类行为的如沟通和花时间在一起的信息，所以选A。

4.D主旨大意题。通读全文可知，本文主要介绍了人体镜像神经元的作用。所以选D。

考点：科普类阅读。