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cancer, intelligence Such news stories may lead us to believe our lives are being revolutionized by
genetic discoveries. We may be close to changing and getting rid of mental illness, for example and
identify the causes of crime, personality, and other basic human weaknesses.
But these hopes, it turns out, are based on faulty assumptions about genes and behavior.
In many cases, people are motivated to accept research claims by the hope of finding solutions
for frightening problems, like breast cancer. Accepting genetic causes for their characteristics can
relieve guilt about behavior they want to change but can't. Efforts made to fight against them, at
growing expense, have made little or no visible progress. The public wants to hear that science can
help.
Meanwhile, genetic claims are being made for many ordinary and abnormal behaviors, from
addiction to shyness and even to political views and divorce . If who we are is determined from
pregnancy, then our efforts to change or to influence our children may be useless. There may also
be no basis for insisting that people behave themselves and obey laws. Thus, the revolution in thinking
about genes has great consequences for how we view ourselves as human beings.
Most claims linking emotional disorders and behaviors to genes are statistical in nature. The
research finds are insufficient for deciding that alcoholism or manic-depression (躁狂抑郁症患者)
is inherited. In the late 1980s, genes for manic-depression were identified by teams of geneticists. The
claims have now been definitively proved wrong.
Genetic data on the major mental illnesses make it clear that they can't be reduced to purely genetic
causes. According to Myrna Weissman, Ph.D., Americans born before 1905 had a 1 percent rate
of depression by age 75. Among Americans born a half century later, 6 percent become depressed
by age 24! Similarly, while the average age at which manic-depression first appears was 32 in the mid
1960s, its average beginning today is 19. Only social factors can produce such large shifts in rate and
age of beginning of mental disorders in a few decades.
Scientists actively debate whether disorders like alcoholism are more or less biologically driven.
If they are mainly biological-rather than psychological, social, and cultural-then there may be a genetic
basis for them. In 1990,Kenneth Blum, Ph.D., of the University of Texas, and Ernest Noble, M.D.,
of the University of California, Los Angeles, found a certain gene in 70 percent of a group of alcoholics,
but in only 20 percent of a non-alcoholic group. But in 1993 Joel Gelernter, M.D., of Yale and his
colleagues surveyed all the studies that examined this gene and alcoholism. Different from Blum and
Noble's research, the results were that 18 percent of non-alcoholics, 18 percent of problem drinkers,
and 18 percent of severe alcoholics all had the gene. As for Blum and Noble's work, a more reasonable
model is that genes may affect how people experience alcohol. Perhaps some people's nerves are more
activated by alcohol. But although genes can influence reactions to alcohol, they cannot explain why
some people continue drinking to the point of destroying their lives.
Therefore, claims that our genes cause our problems, our misbehavior, even our personalities are
more a mirror of our culture's attitudes than a window for human understanding and change.
B. changed
C. misunderstood
D. disturbed
B. We are close to finding solutions to human weaknesses.
C. The public wants scientists to help fight against illnesses.
D. Americans became depressed at an early age for genetic causes.
B. We may think of who we are differently
C. We can change our children's behavior
D. We need to make greater efforts to behave ourselves
B. Genes can explain why people drink too much.
C. Perhaps drinking is more rewarding for alcoholics.
D. There was no link between gene and alcoholism.
B. Nature and Education
C. Here's the Myth of Genes
D. Genetic Discoveries
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It was my first year teaching in a special class, and I wasn’t sure what to expect at our yearly Special Olympics sports meeting. My had some challenges, from learning disabilities to cerebral palsy (脑瘫).
Mark was one with the latter. Restricted to a , he had to fight his spasms (抽搐) just to control his movements. , he always had a positive attitude and greeted everyone with a huge smile. His classmates him and always took the time to make sure he was included in group activities, especially Mike, Andy and Lucas, three boys who were good at . Obviously, Mark wanted to be like them, unrestricted by the limitation of his , and watching them moving on the playing field seemed to fill him with .
When the day came, Mike, Andy and Lucas placed well in their sports events, and gave the calm audience something to cheer about. Mark sat in his wheelchair on the sidelines, them on. The final event of the day was the 400-meter race. was invited to either walk or run, according to their ability, around the length of the track.
When Mike, Andy and Lucas reached the finish line, they and turned to look behind them. At the of the crowd on the track, determined not to be left behind, was Mark. All his classmates had him. He was alone on the track with over half the distance left to . Mike, Andy and Lucas looked at each other, and a silent passed between them. Slowly, they jogged towards their friend, cheering him on he had done for them moments before.
The progress was , but in the end the three star runners and Mark the finish line together to the enthusiastic cries of their teachers and classmates. Seeing the look on Mark’s face and hands upraised, I came to understand what the Special Olympics.
Years later, I’m still cheering them on.
1.A. students B. friends C. partners D. classmates
2.A. bed B. machine C. desk D. wheelchair
3.A. Thus B. However C. Otherwise D. Besides
4.A. protected B. satisfied C. loved D. cared
5.A. expression B. practice C. studies D. sports
6.A. interests B. habits C. body D. mind
7.A. trust B. admiration C. fear D. worry
8.A. bringing B. cheering C. holding D. moving
9.A. Someone B. Everyone C. Anybody D. Nobody
10.A. average B. different C. entire D. extra
11.A. fell B. rested C . hurried D. paused
12.A. end B. front C. center D. top
13.A. left B. ignored C. passed D. helped
14.A. run B. jog C. cover D. walk
15.A. demand B. relief C. action D. thought
16.A. back B. along C. again D. on
17.A. while B. although C. since D. as
18.A. slow B. great C. boring D. relaxing
19.A. crossed B. arrived C. rushed D. got
20.A. left B. made C. kept D. found
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A new idea called “business at the speed of thought” is quite popular in our business world. It makes quick marketing progress, but it also presents a terribly dangerous way to run a company. Here’re the main points: The businesses today that will succeed are those able to jump around in high spirits. Chances must be seized immediately and decisions made quickly. Everyone needs more immediate answers, and the window of expected response to any questions has dropped from weeks to days even to hours.
The problem with this way of thinking is that too often such quickness comes at the expense of properly understanding the details of a situation. Sure, the networked society allows us to gather information within a short time, but does it really speed up our ability to make better decisions? How do you balance the need for speed with sharp and correct thinking? That’s the puzzler on the minds of a lot of people these days, including Future Shock author, Alvin Toffler, who studies the idea in our cover story. It’s also a subject of a new study by Kepner Tregoe. It reports that 77 percent of managers believe that during the past three years the number of decisions they made each workday has increased. But 85 percent of those same people say the time given to making those decisions has either decreased or stayed the same. Result: Speed kills. Different opinions are not shared. Other choices are dismissed too easily. Aims never seem to be clear. On the contrary, good records aren’t kept about how successful decisions are made. If your company really does well, the Kepner report suggests taking apart the decision-making process and figuring out what you did right. Study your successes, as well as your failures. Fast decision-making is a necessity sometimes-no question about that. But decisions are only as good as the brains that go into them. By that measure, many of today’s decisions are weak and could cut some companies off at the knees. Business may be keeping the quickness of thought, but it’s going to be torn to pieces if managers are not thinking with great care and patience.
1．The underlined word “window” in the first paragraph can be replaced by _________.
A．a period of time (during which an activity can or must take place)
B．means (of observing and learning about people)
C．opening (in the wall or roof of a building, car)
D．screen (on which a film is shown)
2．The Kepner report shows that _________.
A．managers should make efforts to pay attention to the weaknesses of fast decision-making
B．when mangers make a decision, they should make full use of their brains
C．if mangers don’t think quickly, business may be torn to bits
D．managers should make records of successful decisions
3．What is the author’s attitude towards quick decision-making?
A．Quick decision-making has proved of great help in marketing.
B．The fact of quick decision-making does business much good.
C．Quick decision-making makes some managers work harder.
D．The idea of quick decision-making has some disadvantages.
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