Question

【题目】Books Bring Success

People growing with more books are more likely to be successful.

According to German novelist Heinrich Mann, a house without books is like a room without windows. Mann simply stated the value of books, but some researchers have found evidence that people with books in their homes really do gain a window on the world.

A new study in the journal Social Science Research, published in October, suggests that people who grow up with more books are more likely to have educational advantages, and to achieve more in life, than people who grow up without them.

In the study, over 160,000 adults from 31 countries and regions were asked about the number of books there were in their homes when they were 16 years old. They were then given tests in literacy (读写能力), numeracy (计算能力) and information communication technology.

The research shows that the number of books for each household varies greatly from country to country. For example, the number of books is 27 in Turkey, 143 in the UK and 218 in Estonia. But “the total effects of home library size on literacy are large everywhere”.

The researchers found that people who had only lower levels of secondary education but had a large number of books at home got a similar score as university graduates who grew up with only a few books.

The Guardian newspaper commented that “bookish adolescence makes for a good deal of educational advantage.”

“Adolescent exposure to books can compensate for shortcomings not only in adult literacy but also numeracy: its impacts are equal to additional years of education,” Sikora told Science Alert.

Apart from the educational benefits, growing up with more books also plays an important role in adult success.

Through analyzing their personal information, researchers found that people surrounded by books in adolescence are on average more successful in adulthood than those who had only few books at a younger age.

“Early exposure to books in the parental home matters because books are an basic part of routines and practices that enrich lifelong cognitive competencies (认知能力)”, Sikora told Science Alert. These competencies are important to future development.

Without doubt, the fact that we are moving toward a digital era could weaken the importance of printed books. For now, however, “they still seem to maintain quite a large positive benefit, which shows no sign of abating (减弱)”, researchers wrote in the paper.

【1】What’s the study mainly about?

A. Reading habits of different countries.

B. Thebenefitsof growing up with more books.

C. How reading booksbringseducational advantages.

D. The impacts of books on people of different ages.

【2】How many books do an average British family own, according to the study?

A. 27.B. 32.C. 143.D. 218.

【3】The underlined phrase“compensate for”probably means ______.

A. make upforB. result inC. prepare forD. draw attention to

【4】According to the study, people who readmorebooks in adolescenceare likely to______.

a. havebetterliteracy

b. achievemorein adulthood

c.havebettercommunication skills

d.achievemorepleasant personalities

A. acB. bcC. cdD. ab

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】C

【3】A

【4】D

【解析】

文章大意：文章主要通过研究表明书对人们的文化程度、计算机能力和认知能力等都有积极的影响。

【1】句意：这个研究主要是关于什么的？—与更多的书一起成长的好处。

本题是细节理解题，根据文章第二段A new study in the journal Social Science Research, published in October, suggests that people who grow up with more books are more likely to have educational advantages, and to achieve more in life, than people who grow up without them可知，应该是“和更多的书一起成长的好处”故答案选B。

【2】句意：根据这项研究，一个普通的英国家庭有多少本书？—143本。

本题是细节理解题，根据文章第四段第二行For example, the number of books is 27 in Turkey, 143 in the UK and 218 in Estonia可知，“英国家庭有143本书”故答案选C。

【3】句意：划线词组compensate for最可能的意思是什么？—补偿。

本题是词句猜测题，根据文章第七段第一行shortcomings not only in adult literacy but also numeracy可知，“应该是弥补成人识字能力的不足，还可以弥补计算能力的不足”，故答案选A。

【4】句意：根据这项研究，在青春期多读书的人很可能有更好的素养和成年后取得更大成就。

本题是细节理解题，根据文章第七段第一行Adolescent exposure to books can compensate for shortcomings not only in adult literacy but also numeracy和第九段Through analyzing their personal information, researchers found that people surrounded by books in adolescence are on average more successful in adulthood than those who had only few books at a younger age可知，应该是“有更好的素养和成年后取得更大成就”故答案选D。