单选题
Human intelligence and the IQ scales used to measure it once again are becoming the focus of fiery debate.
As argument rages over declining test scores in the nation"s schools, an old but explosive issue is reappearing; What is intelligence—and is it determined largely by genetics?
The controversy erupted more than a decade ago when some U. S. scholars saw a racial pattern in the differing scores of students taking intelligence and college-entrance tests.
Now, the racial issue is being joined by others. Teachers, psychologists, scientists and lawyers argue over the question of whether IQ—intelligence quotient—tests actually measure mental ability, or if findings are
skewed
by such factors as family background, poverty and emotional disorders.
Moreover, some authorities assert that the rise in the number of college-educated Americans and their tendency to marry among themselves are creating a class of supersmart children of brainy parents—and, on the other side of the scale, a
lumpenproletariat
of children reflecting the supposedly inferior brainpower of their parents.
Critics such as Harvard University biologist Richard C. Lewontin disagree. If mental ability were largely determined by inheritance, he says, efforts to enhance intelligence through the betterment of both home and child-rearing environments could only be marginally effective. He comments:
"Genetic determinism could be used to justify existing social injustice as predetermined and inevitable and would render efforts made toward equalitarian goals as useless."
Supporting Lewontin in this is J. McVicker Hunt, a professor at the University of Illinois, who maintains that IQ levels can be raised significantly by exposing children at an early age to stimulating environments. Hunt"s studies show that early help in such areas as education and nutrition can raise a child"s IQ by an average of 30 to 35 points.
At stake in the uproar over IQ is the national commitment to improve the capabilities of the poor by investing billions of dollars annually in educational, medical and job programs.
单选题
The controversy over IQ tests is reappearing because of
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 该题为细节题。根据第二段“As argument rages over declining test scores in the nation"s schools, an old but explosive issue is reappearing: What is intelligence—and is it determined largely by genetics?”可知，因为学生考试成绩下降，关于智力决定因素问题的争议再次出现，故选B。
单选题
The word "skewed" (Line 3, Paragraph 4) most probably means
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 该题为释义题。第四段第二句“Teachers, psychologists, scientists and lawyers argue over the question of whether IQ—intelligence quotient—tests actually measure mental ability, or if findings are skewed by such factors as family background, poverty and emotional disorders.”前半句意为，教师、心理学家、科学家和律师都在争论智商测试是否真的能够测量智力，后半句的意思是，智商测试结果是否由于家庭背景、贫困和情绪不佳而有偏差。故skew应理解为“曲解；歪曲”，选择D项。A项determine意为决定；B项direct意为指导；C项disclose意为揭露，都与题意不符。
单选题
According to some authorities, there will be expected a class of supersmart children because of
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 该题为细节题。根据第五段“Moreover, some authorities assert that the rise in the number of college-educated Americans and their tendency to marry among themselves are creating a class of supersmart children of brainy parents...”一些权威人士断言，受过大学教育的美国人的数量在上升，而且这些人往往倾向于与同等教育水平的人结婚，这将促使社会上出现一批由高智商父母造就出来的高智商孩子，故选A。
单选题
In the view of biologist Lewontin, intelligence
【答案解析】[解析] 该题为细节题。最后一句为倒装句，正常语序应为“The national commitment to improve the capabilities of the poor by investing billions of dollars annually in educational, medical and job programs is at stake in the uproar over IQ.”，意为，由于人们对智商及决定因素争论不休，因此，我们无法预测国家是否会每年在教育、医疗和就业项目中投入数十亿美元来提高贫困人群的能力，A项认为国家几乎不可能投入资金来提高贫困人群能力，不符合文意；B项认为对教育、医疗和就业项目的投资是无益的，是错误的；根据第三段“The controversy erupted more than a decade ago when some U.S. scholars saw a racial pattern in the differing scores of students taking intelligence and college-entrance tests.”可知，关于智商及测试方法的争论在十多年前就已经出现了，D项认为围绕智商测试方法是否合理的争论将会出现，与文意矛盾。C项表明作者反对基因决定论，与文意相符，故选C。