Question

Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia(痴呆) in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones(荷尔蒙) , U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

Tests on rats show that those who raise two or more litters of pups do considerably better in tests of  memory and skills than rats who have no babies, and their brains show changes that suggest they may beprotected against diseases such as Alzheimer’s(早老痴呆症). University of Richmond psychology professor Craig Kinsley believes his findings will translate into humans.

“Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy(怀孕) are protecting the brain, including estrogen(雌激素),which we know has many neuroprotective (保护神经的) effects,” Kinsley said.  “It’s rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals,” he added in a telephone interview. “They go through pregnancy and hormonal changes.”Kinsley said he hoped public health officials and researchers will look to see if having had children protects a woman from Alzheimer’s and other forms of age-related brain decline.

“When people think about pregnancy, they think about what happens to babies and the mother from the neck down,”said Kinsley, who presented his findings to the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Orlando, Florida.“They do not realize that hormones are washing on the brain. If you look at female animals who have never gone through pregnancy, they act differently toward young. But if she goes through pregnancy, she will sacrifice her life for her infant—that is a great change in her behavior that showed in genetic alterations(改变) to the brain.”

1.How do scientists know “Motherhood may make women smarter”?

A. Some researchers have told them.

B. Many women say so.

C. They know it by experimenting on rats.

D. They know it through their own experience.

2.What can protect the brain of a woman according to the passage?

A. Estrogen.

B. The hormones of pregnancy.    

C. More exercise.

D. Taking care of children.

3.Which title is the best for this passage?

A. Do You Want to Be Smarter?

B. Motherhood Makes Women Smarter

C. Mysterious Hormones

D. An Important Study

Answer

1.C

2.B

3.B

【解析】

试题分析：科学家通过对老鼠的研究发现，要照顾幼仔的母鼠比没有幼仔照顾的老鼠在记忆力和技能方面表现更好，他们大脑的变化表明他们可能不会患早老痴呆症，科学家们由此得出的结论是女性荷尔蒙能够预防老年痴呆。

1.C细节理解题。文章开头提出研究结果，即 Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia(痴呆) in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones ,然后讲述了Tests on rats show that。。。，由此可知科学家是通过在老鼠身上做实验得出这样的结论，所以 B选项正确。

2.B 细节理解题。根据文中Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy are protecting the brain, including estrogen可知B为正确选项。

3.B主旨大意题。本篇文章是科学报道，特点是开头提出中心，在本文中作者开头提出Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones , U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.然后围绕这一实验结果进行详细的叙述，由此可知最佳答案为B。

考点：考查科学知识类短文阅读。