When women sit together to watch a movie on TV, they usually talk simultaneously(同时的)about a variety of subjects, including children, men, careers and what's happening in their lives.When groups of men and women watch a movie together, the men usually end up telling the women to shut up.Men can either talk or watch the screen-they can't do both-and they don't understand that women can.Besides, women consider that the point of all getting together is to have a good time and develop relationships-not just to sit there like couch potatoes staring at the screen.
During the ad breaks, a man often asks a woman to explain the plot and tell him where the relationship between the characters is going.He is unable, unlike women, to read the subtle body language signals that reveal how the characters are feeling emotionally.Since women originally spent their days with the other women and children in the group, they developed the ability to communicate successfully in order to maintain relationships.For a woman, speech continues to have such a clear purpose:to build relationships and make friends.For men, to talk is to relate the facts.
Men see the telephone as a communication tool for sending facts and information to other people, but a woman sees it as a means of bonding.A woman can spend two weeks on vacation with her girlfriend and, when she returns home, telephone the same girlfriend and talk for another two hours.
There is no convincing evidence that social conditioning, the fact that girls'mothers talked them more, is the reason why girls talk more than boys.Psychiatrist Dr Michael Lewis, author Social Behaviour and Language Acquisition, conducted experiments that found mothers talked to and looked at, baby girls more often than baby boys.Scientific evidence shows parents res the brain bias of their children.Since a girl's brain is better organized to send and receive speech, we therefore talk to them more.Consequently, mothers who try to talk to their sons are usually pointed to receive only short grunts in reply.
(1)
While watching TV with others, women Usually talk a lot because they ________
[ ]
A.
are afraid of awkward silence with their families and friends
B.
can both talk and watch the screen at the Same time
C.
think they can have a good time and develop relationships
D.
have to explain the plot and body language to their husbands
(2)
After a vacation with her girlfriend, a woman would talk to her again on the phone for hours in order to ________.
[ ]
A.
experience the happy time again
B.
keep a close tie with her
C.
recommend her a new scenic spot
D.
remind her of something forgotten
(3)
What does the author want to tell us most?
[ ]
A.
Women's brains are better organized for language and communication
B.
Women love to talk because they are more sociable than men.
C.
Men do not like talking because they rely more on facts.
D.
Social conditioning is not the reason why women love talking.
(4)
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121st birthday.
Whe n it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s recordholder.She lived to the ripe old age of 122.So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span(寿命)?If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150-or beyond?
Researchers don’t entirely agree on the answers.“Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn’t surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135,”says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas.
Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees.“People can live much longer than we think,”he says.“Experts used to say that humans couldn’t live past 110.When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120.So why can’t we go higher?”
The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it’s all just guessing.“Anyone can make up a number,”says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan.“Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine.”
Won’t new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries?Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120.Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most.So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller,“adding another 50 percent would get you to 120.”
So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers?That life span is flexible(有弹性的),but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington.“We can get flies to live 50 percent longer,”he says.“But a fly’s never going to live 150 years.”
“Of course, if you became a new species(物种),one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story,”he adds.
Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve(进化)their way to longer life?“It’s pretty cool to think about it,”he says with a smile.
(1)
What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?
[ ]
A.
People can live to 122.
B.
Old people are creative.
C.
Women are sporty at 85.
D.
Women live longer than men.
(2)
According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, ________.
[ ]
A.
the average human life span could be 110
B.
scientists cannot find ways to slow aging
C.
few people can expect to live to over 150
D.
researchers are not sure how long people can live
(3)
Who would agree that a scientist will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity?
[ ]
A.
Jerry Shay.
B.
Steve Austad
C.
Rich Miller
D.
George Martin
(4)
What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?
[ ]
A.
Most of us could be good at sports even at 120.
B.
The average human life span cannot be doubled.
C.
Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before.
D.
New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species.