Question

Are some people born clever and others born stupid? Or is intelligence developed by our environment and our experiences? Strangely enough, the answer to both 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 a 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 in intelligence. Thus if we take two unrelated people at random (随意地) from the population, it is likely that their degrees of intelligence will be completely different. If on the other hand we take two identical twins, they will very likely be as intelligent as each other. Relations like brothers and sisters, parents and children, usually have similar intelligence, and this clearly suggests that integigence 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 (表明) that environment as well as birth plays a part. This conclusion is also suggested by the fact that people who lives in close contact with each other, but who are not related at all, are likely to have similar degrees of intelligence.

1. Which of the following best describes the writer’s point in Paragraph One?

    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.In the first paragraph,“no amount of special education can make a genius out of a child born with low intelligence” suggests that       .

A. no environment can change the least able into the most able

    B. the difference in men’s intelligence depends on the amount of their education

    C. if a person is born clever, he is certain to be a genius

    D. if a person is born stupid, nothing can change him into an educated person

3.The last paragraph mainly shows       .

    A. the importance of education

    B. the relationship between environment and birth

    C. the writer’s final conclusion

    D. the relationship between intelligence and environment

4. The best title for this passage would be       .

    A. Dependence on Education          B. Intelligence

    C. Surroundings                     D. Effect of Education

5. Which statement about the passage is true?

    A. All twins have similar degrees of intelligence.

     B. A man who is educated in university must make greater achievements than a man who works in a boring factory.

    C. Proper education can change one’s intelligence at some degree.

    D. Education can’t make a child born with low intelligence cleverer.

Answer

1.D           

2.A

3.D

4.B

5.C

【解析】 略