As far as her friends and teachers are concerned, Ashdod is an ordinary, bright, playful 5-year-old. They might be surprised to learn that not long ago therapists were fighting to keep her from succumbing to (患严重的) autism (自闭症) - a brain disorder that afflicts one in 100 children, typically leaving them with lifelong difficulties in communicating, socializing and carrying out many basic tasks. Ashdod was lucky: when she was 10 months old, her parents became alarmed that she had little interest in looking them in the eyes, eating and moving from her back, and whisked (急忙送离) her to the Mifne Center in Rosh Pinna, Israel, a clinic that focuses on children 5 months and older who show early warning signs of autism. The results of the Mifne treatment were startling, recalls the girl' s mother, Tikva. "Now she goes to a regular school where she is the same sort of articulate (齿伶俐的), funny, normal child as anyone else," she says. Despite a big jump in autism awareness in the past decade, parents, schools and doctors still frequently ignore warning signs in very young children. These can be subtle: a child never points at things, shows more interest in objects than people, has delayed speech and develops a fascination with spinning in place or with spinning toys. Many pediatricians dismiss these symptoms as harmless quirks (怪癖) that kids will outgrow. New research and experience in some autism clinics, however, suggests that starting treatment by age 2 is critical to mitigating (缓解) and in some cases entirely avoiding the disorder. That's because unlike the brain of an adult or even an older child, a 12 - or 18 - month - old's brain is, in a sense, highly reprogrammable--that is, it responds well to treatments designed to permanently change basic patterns of thought and behavior. "All the evidence we have suggests that outcomes for these children will be better with an earlier diagnosis, before they reach 18 months, if possible," says Christopher Gillberg, a child psychiatrist at Gothenburg University in Sweden.
单选题
Which of the following is true about autism according to the passage? A. It is a brain disorder that makes children unable to control their actions. B. It often leaves children with lifelong difficulties for communicating, socializing and carrying out basic tasks. C. It cannot be successfully treated and will go with the children lifelong. D. It is a brain disorder that needs care from the parents to help the suffering children recover.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】文章第一段第二句提到：…autism - a brain disorder that afflicts one in 100 children, typically leaving them with lifelong difficulties in communicating, socializing and carrying out many basic tasks(自闭症，一种大脑失调症，每100个孩子中就会有一个患上此病，这种病通常会给患病的孩子造成终身的语言、社交和完成许多基本任务的困难)，由此我们可以判断B选项与原文相符，故为正确选项。而A选项的表述不准确，故排除。通过文中举的Ashdod的例子我们可以看出自闭症是可以治疗的，但是需要专业医生的帮助，故排除C和D。
单选题
What conclusion can we draw from Ashdod' s example? A. It is best to send a child with autism for medical treatment at the age of 10 months old. B. Professional treatment can help a child with signs of autism avoid difficulties in later life. C. It is possible to avoid autism if a child with signs of it is sent for treatment early enough. D. Not all children are as lucky as Ashdod.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】根据Ashdod的经历我们可以看到，儿童自闭症是可以治愈的，但文章的第二段最后一句也告诉我们：starting treatment by age 2 is critical to mitigating and in some cases entirely avoiding the disorder(在两岁之前开始治疗对于缓解症状，甚至在某些情况下完全避免这种大脑失调是至关重要的)，因此C选项是最准确的表述，因此为本题的正确答案。
单选题
What may many pediatricians think of the subtle symptoms of autism? A. They may cause serious problems for children in later life. B. They are just children' s strange habits that will be discarded in late life. C. They should be treated as early as possible. D. They reflect the brain disorder the children are experiencing.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】根据题干定位到第二段第三句：Many pediatricians dismiss these symptoms as harmless quirks that kids will outgrow(很多儿科医生认为这些症状只是孩子们的怪癖，长大之后就会摒弃)，显然B选项与此相符，为本题的正确答案。
单选题
According to the passage, starting treatment before age 2 is critical to help children get out of autism because A. parents can take charge of their life to cooperate with doctors. B. this is the period children develop their abilities for language and behavior. C. the brain of child before this age can be changed in their basic pattern of thought and behavior. D. it is easier to try treating plans on small kids than on older ones.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】根据题千定位到原文第三段第一句：That's because unlike the brain of an adult or even an older child, a 12-or 18-month-old's brain is, in a sense, highly reprogrammable-that is, it responds well to treatments designed to permanently change basic patterns of thought and behavior.(这是因为和成年人甚至是年龄稍大的孩子相比，12个月或18个月的孩子的大脑在某种程度上来说具有极高的可塑性一也就是说，它对意在永久改变思维和行为方式的基本模式的治疗反应灵敏)，显然C选项与此相辅，因此本题的正确答案为C。
单选题
Which of the following best summaries the passage? A. Autism is a kind of brain disorder than can be treated. B. Early treatment is crucial to treatment of autism. C. Parents should be careful with their children' s brain development. D. Pediatricians hold different views on autism.