阅读理解。

Next time you raise an eyebrow at the views of your partner, friend, sibling (兄弟姐妹) or colleague, remember they could be helping to make you smarter.

New research shows that intelligence is not fixed but can be boosted throughout adulthood by family members, bright mates and intellectually stretching (拉伸) careers.

The study challenges the commonly held belief that intelligence is static by the age of about 18. Current scientific consensus suggests that intelligence is controlled by genes, with environmental factors such as schooling and nutrition playing a partial role up to this age. After this point, IQ scores stabilize (稳定).

But James Flynn, professor of political studies and psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, argues that people can “upgrade” their own intelligence throughout their lives. He believes intellectual stimulation (刺激) from others is crucial as the “brain seems to be rather like a muscle – the more you use it, the stronger it gets”. However, the opposite is also true – so people sharing a home or workplace with those who are intellectually challenged risk seeing their IQ levels fall as a result.

He found the “understanding quality” of a family changes the IQs of all members, especially children. It can “lift” or hold back, depending on the “gap between their brightness and that of their siblings and parents”. A bright ten-year-old with brothers and sisters of average intelligence will suffer a five to ten point IQ disadvantage, compared to a similar child with equally bright siblings. However, children with a low IQ could gain six to eight points by having brighter siblings and special educational treatment to help pull them up.

Professor Flynn also concluded that although genetics and early life experiences determine about 80 percent of intelligence, the remaining 20 percent is linked to lifestyle. This means that people can raise their IQ, or allow it to fall, by ten points or more. Therefore, the best way to boost IQ level is to mix with bright friends, find an intellectually challenging job and marry someone cleverer.

1.We can learn from the passage that ____.

A. as the age grows, you will become smarter

B. a 35-year-old man is surely smarter than himself at the age of 18

C. you will be smarter if you have a partner, a friend or a sibling

D. after 18, you still have the possibility to become smarter

2.The underlined word “static” in the 3rd paragraph probably means ____.

A. unstable B. fixed

C. varied D. repeated

3.James Flynn holds the belief that ____.

A. intellectual stimulation from others makes the brain work better

B. people should avoid working with those intellectually challenged

C. one’s IQ could be held back if he has bright brothers or sisters

D. the IQ of children is least influenced by the understanding level of a family

4. What’s the best title for the passage?

A. Genetics Determines Intelligence.

B. Watch Out for Intelligence Falling.

C. Bright Siblings Make You Smarter.

D. Brain Is Like Muscle.

完形填空

阅读下面短文, 从短文后各题的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出适合填入对应空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项涂黑。

I often read of incidents of misunderstanding or conflict. I'm left_________ . Why do these people create mistrust and problems, especially with those from other _________ ?

I was growing up in Kuala Lumpur in the early 1960s, _________ children from different races and religions played and studied_________ in harmony. At that time my family lived a stone's 35 from Ismail's. And no one was bothered that Ismail was a Malay Muslim and I was an Indian Hindu—we just_________ our differences. Perhaps,our elders had not filled our heads with unnecessary advice, well_________ or otherwise.

We were nine when we became friends. During the school holidays, we 'd _________ the countryside on our bicycles,hoping to _________ the unexpected. At times Ismail would accompany my family as we made a rare shopping trip to town. We would be glad of his _________ .

When I was twelve, my family moved to Johor. Ismail's family later returned to their village, and I _________ touch with him.

One spring afternoon in 1983, I stopped a taxi in Kuala Lumpur. I _________ my destination. The driver acknowledged my _________ but did not move off. Instead, he looked _________ at me. “Raddar?" he said, using my childhood nickname (绰号).I was astonished at being so _________ addressed (称呼).Unexpectedly! It was Ismail! Even after two _________ we still recognized each other. Grasping his shoulder, I felt a true affection, something _________ to describe.

If we can allow our children to be _________ without prejudice, they'll build friendships with people,regardless of race or religion, who will be _________ their side through thick and thin. On such friendships are societies built and _________ we can truly be, as William Shakespeare once wrote, “We happy few. We band of brothers".

1.A.interested B. pleased C. puzzled D. excited

2.A.parties B. cities C. villages D. races

3.A.why B. which C. how D. when

4.A. together B. around C. alone D. apart

5.A. drop B. throw C. move D. roll

6.A. refused B. made C. sought D. accepted

7.A. paid B. meant C. preserved D. treated

8.A. explore B. search C. discover D. desert

9.A. get through B. deal with C. come across D. take away

10.A. arrival B. choice C. effort D. company

11.A. lost B. gained C. developed D. missed

12.A. stated B. ordered C. decided D. chose

13.A. attempts B. instructions C. opinions D. arrangements

14.A. anxiously B. carelessly C. disappointedly D. fixedly

15.A. familiarly B. strangely C. fully D. coldly

16.A. departures B. months C. years D. decades

17.A. possible B. funny C. hard D. clear

18.A. them B. themselves C. us D. ourselves

19.A. from B.by C. with D. against

20.A. still B. otherwise C. then D. instead

I hated dinner parties. But I decided to give them another shot because I'm in London. And my friend Mallery invited me. And because dinner parties in London are very different from those back in New York. There, “I’m having a dinner party” means: "I'm booking a table for 12 at a restaurant you can't afford and we'll be sharing the checque evenly, no matter what you eat." Worse, in Manhattan there is always someone who leaves before the bill arrives. They'll throw down cash, half of what they owe, and then people like me, who don’t drink, end up paying even more. But if I try to use the same trick, the hostess will shout: "Where are you going?" And it's not like I can say I have somewhere to go: everyone know I have nowhere to go.

But in London, dinner parties are in people's homes. Not only that, the guests are an interesting mix. The last time I went to one, the guests were from France, India. Denmark and Nigeria; it was like a gathering at the United Nations in New York. The mix is less striking. It's like a gathering at Bloomingdale's, a well-known department store.

For New Yorkers, talking about other parts of the world means Brooklyn and Queens in New York. But at Mallery's, when I said that I had been to Myanmar recently, people knew where it was. In New York people would think it was a usual new club.

1.What does the word "shot" in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A. Choice. B. Try C. Style. D. Goal

2.What does the writer dislike most about dinner parties in New York?

A There is a strange mix of people.

B. The restaurants are expensive.

C. The bill is not fairly shared.

D. People have to pay cash

3.What does the author think of the parties in London?

A. A bit unusual B. Full of tricks.

C. Less costly. D. More interesting.

4.What is the author's opinion of some New Yorkers from her experience?

A. Easy-going. B. Self-centred.

C. Generous. D. Conservative.

More and more Americans are showing an interest in healthy and locally-produced food. As the interest increases, raising chickens has been gaining popularity in some American cities.

“Look, we get three eggs this time.”

Collecting eggs is a daily pleasure for the Hurst family. Naomi Hurst says her family started to raise chickens in back of their home in Maryland a month ago.

“We have wanted to try having backyard chickens for a couple years now. And really just didn't have the time to build my own coop(鸡笼;鸡舍) and look out where to buy chickens. And then we met Rent a Coop,” said Naomi Hurst.

Rent a Coop is a chicken rental business. Tyler Phillips launched the company with a partner 18 months ago. It comes with a mobile coop on wheels, two egg-laying hens, feed, bedding, water bowl, feed bowl, and our 24-hour chicken hotline. You can call with any questions. The price is 185 dollars for four weeks.

After the four weeks passed, individuals can extend the rental agreement, return everything or purchase the animals and supplies.

Tyler Phillips designs and makes the coops. He says he wants to do as little damage as possible to the environment.

“We always try to have as many recycled materials as possible. And I want the coops to be safe for kids. I want the chickens to be comfortable and they have access to the grass while being inside the coop. I want it to be easily movable, light weight,” he said.

Some cities require people have large pieces of land, if they want to raise farm animals. Others require an agreement with neighbors, limit the number of chickens, or, even ban the birds.

Tyler Phillips expects that would change as interest in small poultry (家禽) coops grows.

“I see cities around the D. C. area changing laws almost monthly and different cities will change the law to being prochicken(赞成养鸡). That is happening all around the United States,” he said, He believes that there will be chicken rental businesses in most American cities within five years.

1.According to the passage people raise chickens probably to __________.

A. save the living cost

B. reduce farmers’ burden

C. solve the employment problems

D. get safe and healthy food

2.The Hurst family used to have trouble in ____________.

A. building a website for raising chickens

B. building the coops and buying the chickens

C. finding some place to raise the chickens

D. persuading the neighbours to accept their idea

3.We can learn from the passage that __________.

A. you can enjoy the Rent a Coop service after 18 months

B. you can search online for any questions related to raising chickens

C. you can pay for keeping the supplies and the chickens for ever

D. you can pay 185 dollars a week for renting things to raise the chickens

4.Tyler Phillips designed and made the coops ____________

A. based on the environmentally friendly concept

B. based on the government’s supporting policy

C. to help advertise the organic and local food

D. to meet his neighbors’ need of raising chickens

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