It’s the place where smart people make smart machines work even smarter. But for the people who work in it, Silicon Valley (硅谷) is more than just a high technology hothouse. It’s also in the heart of sunny California, a great place to start a family and raise kids. What could be better?

But something is happening to the children. Up until the age of two they develop normally. Their proud parents watch and smile as they take their first steps and speak their first words. But then everything seems to go backwards. The children become locked into their own small world, unable to communicate at all.

They call it the “curse of Silicon Valley,” but the medical name for the condition is autism（孤独症）. It used to be thought that autism was a mental illness. Now doctors are sure that it is a disease transmitted genetically (遗传). It seems that the people leading the communications revolution are having children who cannot communicate at all.

But even the parents have trouble communicating. Asperger’s Syndrome (综合症) is connected with autism. People who have it are highly intelligent and often brilliant with numbers or systems but have no social skills, which makes Asperger’s sufferers into excellent computer professionals. Unfortunately, many of the children of two Asperger’s parents in Silicon Valley seem to be developing serious autism.

There is little anyone can do. And there is no cure in sight. Some argue that no cure should be found．“It may be that autistics are essentially (本质上) different from normal people, but that these differences make them valuable for the evolution (进化) of the human race,” says Dr Kirk Wilhelm of the University of California．“To remove the genes (基因) for autism could be terrible.

It seems that the children of Silicon Valley are paying the price of genius.

A person who has autism usually _____.

A．has difficulty in speaking B．loses communication skills

C．has difficulty in working D．hates people around

Which of the following best explains “curse of Silicon Valley”?

A．The children are brought up in Silicon Valley.

B．Autism is just a result of working in Silicon Valley.

C．The children suffer from autism due to their parents in Silicon Valley.

D．Autism makes the children in Silicon Valley unable to communicate.

Some people think that no cure of autism should be found because ______.

A．autism cannot be cured B．autism isn’t a disease

C．harm will be done to the children D．autism is necessary in some way

What does the writer seem to feel about the children of Silicon Valley?

A．It’s a pity that they cannot have a normal life.

B．They are the pride of the human race.

C．They are sure to have a bright future.

D．It’s likely that they will have a normal life.

What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear.

We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle. It needs exercise. Mental (done with the mind) exercise is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists (心理学家) think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent. If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.

Parents should also be careful with what they say to young children. According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive (helpful) things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “You are such a smart child.”

The words “intelligent” and “brilliant” in the first paragraph probably mean _______ while “dull” in the second paragraph means ________.

A. bright and splendid; slow in thinking and understanding B. pretty and handsome; ordinary-looking

C. great and important; common D. hopeful and helpful; careless　

According to the context we can guess that a genius is ________ while an idiot is ________.

A. a normal person; a funny person B. a strong person; a weak person

C. a highly intelligent person; a foolish or weak-minded person D. a famous person; an ordinary person　

A person ________ is more likely to become a genius.

A. whose parents are clever B. often thinking about difficult problems

C. often helped by his parents and teachers D. born with a good brain and putting it into active use　

It is better for parents ________.

A. to praise and encourage their children more often B. to be hard on their children

C. to leave their children alone with nothing to do D. to give their children as much help as possible　

Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?

A. Parents play an important part in their children’s growth.

B. The less you use your mind the duller you may become.

C. Intelligence is obviously the result of where and how you live.

D. What makes a person bright or stupid is still under discussion.

What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear.
We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle. It needs exercise. Mental exercise is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists (心理学家) think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent. If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.
Parents should also be careful with what they say to young children. According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “You are such a smart child.”
65.   A person ________ is more likely to become a genius.
A. whose parents are clever
B. often thinking about difficult problems
C. often helped by his parents and teachers
D. born with a good brain and putting it into active use
66.   It is better for parents ________
A. to praise and encourage their children more often
B. to be hard on their children
C. to leave their children alone with nothing to do
D. to give their children as much help as possible
67.   Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?
A. Parents play an important part in their children’s growth.
B. The less you use your mind, the duller you may become.
C. Intelligence is obviously the result of where and how you live.
D. What makes a person bright or stupid is still under discussion.

What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? These are very old questions and the answers to them are still not clear.

We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle. It needs exercise. Mental (done with the mind) exercise is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologists (心理学家) think that parents should play with their children more often and give them problems to think about. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent. If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.

Parents should also be careful with what they say to young children. According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive (helpful) things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “You are such a smart child.”

1.The words “intelligent” and “brilliant” in the first paragraph probably mean _______ while “dull” in the second paragraph means ________.

A．great and important; common

B．pretty and handsome; ordinary-looking

C．bright and splendid; slow in thinking and understanding

D．hopeful and helpful; careless

2.A person ________ is more likely to become a genius.

A．whose parents are clever

B．often thinking about difficult problems

C．often helped by his parents and teachers

D．born with a good brain and putting it into active use

3.It is better for parents ________.

A．to praise and encourage their children more often

B．to be hard on their children

C．to leave their children alone with nothing to do

D．to give their children as much help as possible

4.Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?

A．Parents play an important part in their children’s growth.

B．Intelligence is obviously the result of where and how you live.

C．The less you use your mind the duller you may become.

D．What makes a person bright or stupid is still under discussion.

Steve Jobs made technology fun.The co-founder of Apple died last Wednesday at the age of fifty-six He had fought for years against cancer.Mourners gathered outside his house in Palo Alto, California, and Apple stores around the world.
Tim Bajarin, president of a high-tech research and consulting company, said "If you actually look at a tech leader, they're really happy if they have one hit in their life.Steve Jobs has the Apple II, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and Pixar."
Steve Jobs was a college dropout.He was adopted by a machinist and his wife, an accountant.They supported his early interest in electronics.
He and his friend Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer—now just called Apple—in nineteen seventy-six.They stayed at the company until nineteen eighty-five.That year, Steve Wozniak returned to college and Steve Jobs left in a dispute（分歧）with the chief executive.
Mr.Jobs then formed his own company, called NeXT Computer.He rejoined Apple in nineteen ninety-seven after it bought NeXT.He helped remake Apple from a business that was in bad shape then to one of the most valuable companies in the world today.
Steve Wozniak, speaking on CNN, remembered his longtime friend as a "great visionary and leader'' and a "marketing genius（天才）".
President Obama said in a statement: "By building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity.By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun."
David Carroll is a professor at Parsons School of Design in New York City.He says Steve Jobs not only revolutionized technology, he also revolutionized American business.
"The fact that he was able to redesign American commerce top to bottom and across is really stunning （令人惊奇的）.He probably will be considered an industrial giant on the scale of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, so one of the great[s] of all time." David Carroll said.
Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive in August because of his health.He died a day after the company released a new iPhone version that met with limited excitement.Apple's new chief, Tim Cook, will also have to deal with the new Kindle Fire tablet computer from Amazon.com.It costs less than half as much as an iPad but also does less.

1.
Why did people all over the world mourn Steve Jobs?
1. A.
  He was very courageous in the face of cancer.
2. B.
  He became very rich though dropping out college.
3. C.
  He released a new iPhone version before death.
4. D.
  He revolutionized technology and made it enjoyable.
2.
Which of the following can easily prove that Jobs is a "marketing genius"?
1. A.
  After Apple, he founded NeXT Computer.
2. B.
  He made Apple very valuable once again in the world.
3. C.
  He developed a series of Apple products.
4. D.
  He was considered the greatest industrial figure of all time.
3.
What does the underlined part in Paragraph 7 mean?
1. A.
  Jobs was a typical example of American spirit of creation.
2. B.
  Jobs enriched the American spirit of science and freedom.
3. C.
  Jobs eventually realized his American dream.
4. D.
  American people are good at inventing things.
4.
Which of the following is true according to the text?
1. A.
  Jobs's parents discouraged him from working on electronics
2. B.
  Jobs stayed in Apple as chief executive for about 24 years.
3. C.
  Jobs started his career in his family garage.
4. D.
  Run unsuccessfully, Apple was sold to NeXT Computer.

Why did people all over the world mourn Steve Jobs?

Which of the following can easily prove that Jobs is a "marketing genius"?

What does the underlined part in Paragraph 7 mean?

Which of the following is true according to the text?

试题分类