While researchers have long shown that tall people earn more than their shorter counterparts, it's not only social discrimination that accounts for this inequality -- tall people are just smarter than their height-challenged peers, a new study finds.
"As early as age three -- before schooling has had a chance to play a role -- and throughout childhood, taller children perform significantly better on cognitive tests," wrote Anne Case and Christina Paxson of Princeton University in a paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The findings were based primarily on two British studies that followed children born in 1958 and 1970, respectively, through adulthood and a U.S. study on height and occupational choice.
Other studies have pointed to low self-esteem, better health that accompanies greater height, and social discrimination as culprits(罪犯) for lower pay for shorter people.
But researchers Case and Paxson believe the height advantage in the job world is more than just a question of image.
"As adults, taller individuals are more likely to select into higher paying occupations that require more advanced verbal and numerical skills and greater intelligence, for which they earn handsome returns," they wrote.
For both men and women in the United States and the United Kingdom, a height advantage of four inches equated with a 10 percent increase in wages on average.
But the researchers said the differences in performance crop up long before the tall people enter the job force. Prenatal care(产前护理) and the time between birth and the age of 3 are critical periods for determining future cognitive ability and height.
"Prenatal care and prenatal nutrition are just incredibly important, even more so than we already knew," Case said in an interview.
Since the study's data only included populations in the United Kingdom and the United States, the findings could not be applied to other regions, Case said.
And how tall are the researchers?
They are both about 5 feet 8 inches tall, well above the average height of 5 feet 4 inches for American women.
1.What can be learnt from the study of Anne Case and Christina Paxson is that ______.
A. the reason for lower pay for shorter people is social discrimination
B. taller children perform significantly better on cognitive test
C. tall people earn more than shorter counterparts
D. prenatal care and prenatal nutrition are less important than we
already knew
2.Which period is the most important for determining future cognitive ability and height?
A. between age 3 and schooling
B. between birth and the age of 3
C. the whole childhood
D. between 1958 and 1970
3.The underlined phrase “crop up” in the Eighth Paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
A. get in B. rise up C. come up D. stand up
4.The best title for this passage would be _______.
A. Tall people earn more than shorter counterparts
B. A study on height and occupational choice
C. The difference between tall people and short people
D. Taller people are smarter
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题后给的A，B，C，D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
In a national spelling contest in America， an 11-year-old girl was asked to spell a certain word. But with her 1voice the judges were not sure if she spelled the word with the letter A or E. They talked it over and 2decided to simply ask her what she had said. By now，the girl knew she had 3the word. But instead of lying，she told the truth that she had said the 4letter. So she lost the contest.
As the girl walked off the 5，the entire audience stood to their feet clapping to applaud her 6.
Later，dozens of newspaper reporters wrote about this 11-year-old girl's honesty，even when it 7her the contest. But the fact is that she 8the biggest contest that day: the contest of her 9.
Probably the biggest test of our character and honesty is what we would do if we knew we would never get 10.This young girl could easily have 11and nobody would have known it but herself. But that's just it: She would know she did wrong. It's been said, "If you 12, you make yourself cheap." This young girl was strong and smart enough to prize her own 13and character more than the prize from a spelling 14. Her respect for herself was more important than any 15others might give her for winning a contest. She knew she would have to live with herself and the 16she made in that moment will have long-lasting influence.
It's so true that the choices you make today 17what you are tomorrow. Our children will 18our behavior much more than our advice. So if we want them to 19to be honest，we must show them the way by being honest ourselves. Remember，our kids are 20what we do and how we live even when we don't think they see or know.
1.A. high B. sweet C. tough D. soft
2.A. finally B. kindly C. secretly D. totally
3.A. forgotten B. mispronounced C. misspelled D. lost
4.A. correct B. wrong C. different D. same
5.A. stage B. studio C. test D. classroom
6.A. bravery B. honesty C. courage D. cleverness
7.A. cancelled B. cost C. offered D. wasted
8.A. achieved B. broke C. won D. defeated
9.A. reputation B. knowledge C. 1ife D. character
10.A. paid B. awarded C. caught D. reported
11.A. escaped B. 1ied C. changed D. answered
12.A. accept B. fight C. cheat D. insist
13.A. conscience B. feeling C. diligence D. modesty
14.A. contest B. champion C. judger D. expert
15.A. sense B. pride C. respect D. awareness
16.A. plan B. conclusion C. discovery D. choice
17.A. make B. change C. keep D. create
18.A. give B. take C. follow D. set
19.A. grow up B. bring up C. take up D. come up
20.A. recording B. inspecting C. correcting D. watching
If _______, he will have to admit that he knows about the affair.
A. persuaded B. impressed C. pressed D. inspired
In order to lose weight, the young lady prefers to ______regularly rather than take expensive weight-losing pills.
A. hang out B. work out C. turn up D. figure up
Believe it or not! If you travel by jet plane, Tokyo and Shanghai are ________ neighbors.
A. actually B. obviously C. exactly D. originally
Small businesses are finding it hard to survive in the present economic ________.
A. atmosphere B. world C. climate D. condition
