In the angry debate over how much of IQ comes from the genes that children inherit from parents and how much comes from experiences, one little fact gets overlooked: no one has identified any genes (other than those that cause retardation) that affect intelligence. So researchers led by Robert Plomin of London"s Institute of Psychiatry decided to look for some. They figured that if you want to find a smart gene, you should look in smart kids. They therefore examined the DNA of students like those who are so bright that they take college entrance exams four years early—and still score at Princeton-caliber levels. The scientists found what they sought. "We have" says Plomin, "the first specific gene ever associated with general intelligence."
Plomin"s colleagues drew blood from two groups of 51 children each, all 6 to 15 years old and living in six counties around Cleveland. In one group, the average IQ is 103. All the children are white. Isolating the blood cells, the researchers then examined each child"s chromosome 6. Of the 37 landmarks on chromosome 6 that the researchers looked for, one jumped out: a form of gene called IGF2R occurred in twice as many children in the high-IQ group as in the average group—32 percent versus 16 percent. The study, in the May issue of the journal Psychological Science, concludes that it is this form of the IGF2R gene that contributes to intelligence.
Some geneticists see major problems with the IQ-gene study. One is the possibility that Plomin"s group fell for "chopsticks fallacy". Geneticists might think they"ve found a gene for chopsticks flexibility, but all they"ve really found is a gene more common in Asians than, say, Africans. Similarly, Plomin"s IQ gene might simply be one that is more common in groups that emphasize academic achievement. "What is the gene that they"ve found reflects ethnicity?" asks geneticist Andrew Feinberg of Johns Hopkins University. "That alone might explain the link to intelligence, since IQ tests are known for being culturally sensitive and affected by a child"s environment." And Neil Risch of Standford University points out that if you look for 37 genes on a chromosome, as the researchers did, and find that one is more common in smarter kids, that might reflect pure chance rather than a causal link between the gene and intelligence. Warns Feinberg: "I would take these findings with a whole box of salt."
单选题
In the beginning of paragraph one, we are told that scientists can not agree ______.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 本题问的是从第一段的开头可知科学家对什么不能达成一致意见。根据题干定位至原文第一段的第一句话。该句话说到，In the angry debate over how much of IQ comes from the genes that children inherit from parents and how much comes from experiences...由此可知，关于孩子智商基因有多少来自遗传和后天习得存在争论。可见，只有C选项符合原文内容。因此，本题的正确答案为C。
单选题
What does "some" in the second sentence of paragraph one stands for?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 本题问的是第一段第二句话中的some代表的是什么。根据题干定位至原文第一段的第二句话。联系前一句话提供的语境：no one has identified any genes... that affect intelligence. 可知，第二句话中的some指的是前句话中提到的影响智力的基因(genes)。因此，本题的正确答案为D。
单选题
A gene for chopsticks flexibility is found to be ______.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 本题问的是有关使用灵活筷子的基因的正确说法。原文第三段的第二句话说到，关于使用筷子能力的发现是一个误区(fallacy)，第三句话又接下来说到，Geneticists might think they"ve found a gene for chopsticks flexibility, but all they"ve really found is a gene more common in Asians than, say, Africans. 由此可知，只有A选项符合原文意思。B选项与原文内容相反，而C和D两个选项在原文中没有提到。因此，本题的正确答案为A。
单选题
Plomin"s IQ-gene study is similar to the chopsticks gene finding in that ______.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 本题问的是Plomin的研究与筷子基因研究的结果相似的原因。原文最后一段的倒数第二句话说到，...that might reflect pure chance rather than a causal link between the gene and intelligence. 这是Neil Risch得出的结论，由此可知，只有A选项与原文内容相符。因此，本题的正确答案为A。
单选题
What does Feinberg mean by saying "I would take these findings with a whole box of salt"?
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 本题问的是Feinberg说I would take these findings with a whole box of salt是什么意思。with a whole box of salt表示“很怀疑”，源自习语with a grain of salt“抱怀疑态度，有保留地”。并且，原文中用a whole box(一整盒)替换a grain(一粒)更加强了怀疑的程度。因此，本题的正确答案为D。