阅读理解 Women''s minds work differently from men''s. At least, that is what most men are convinced of. Psychologists view the subject either as a matter of frustration or a joke. Now the biologists have moved into this minefield, and some of them have found that there are real differences between the brains of men and women. But being different, they point out hurriedly, is not the same as being better or worse. There is, however, a definite structural variation between the male and female brain. The difference is in a part of the brain that is used in the most complex intellectual processes—the link between the two halves of the brain. The two halves are linked by a trunk line of between 200 and 300 million nerves, the corpus callosum. Scientists have found quite recently that the corpus callosum in women is always larger and probably richer in nerve fibres than it is in men. This is the first time that a structural difference has been found between the brains of women and men and it must have some significance. The question is "What?", and, if this difference exists, are there others? Research shows that present-day women think differently and behave differently from men. Are some of these differences biological and inborn, a result of evolution? We tend to think that is the influence of society that produces these differences. But could we be wrong? Research showed that these two halves of the brain had different functions, and that the corpus callosum, enabled them to work together. For most people, the left half is used for word-handling, analytical and logical activities; the right half works on pictures, patterns and forms. We need both halves working together. And the better the connections, the more harmoniously the two halves work. And, according to research findings, women have the better connections. But it isn''t all that easy to explain the actual differences between skills of men and women on this basis. In schools throughout the world girls tend to be better than boys at "language subjects" and boys better at maths and physics. If these differences correspond with the differences in the hemispheric trunk line, there is an unalterable distinction between the sexes. We shan''t know for a while, partly because we don''t know of any precise relationship between abilities in school subjects and the functioning of the two halves of the brain, and we cannot understand how the two halves interact via the corpus callosum. But this striking difference must have some effect and, because the difference is in the parts of the brain involved in intellect, we should be looking for differences in intellectual processing.
单选题 Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】第一段提到心理学家们在这一方面的研究并未取得成效,Now the biologists have moved into this minefield...,A)与此吻合。第一段最后一句说…is not the same as being better or worse即大脑的区别并无优劣之分,排除B);第一段第二句At least,that is what most men are convinced of.说明科学研究的结果与普遍的观点并无不同,排除C);第三段中提到,This is the first time…some significance,可见两性间的大脑在结构上的差别是第一次被认识到,排除D)。
单选题 According to the passage it is commonly believed that brain differences are caused by_______factors.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】根据文章第三段倒数第二句We tend to think that is the influence of society that produces these differences.可知题干中的commonly believed与句中we tend to think说法相近,D)中的social与句中society同义表述。
单选题 The expression "these differences" in paragraph 5 refers to those in_______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】第五段第一句提到But it isn''t all that easy…actual differences between skills of men and women on this basis.所以下文中的these differences指the actual differences between skills of men and women。B)中提到的学校科目是依据第二句girls tend to be better than boys at language subjects…设计的干扰项,本句只是例证说明第一句主题句。
单选题 At the end of the passage the author proposes more work on_______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】我们不清楚学校学生能力和大脑两半球之间的关系,不知道大脑两半球是如何通过corpus callosum相互作用的,由此问接提出了应对corpus callosum的作用进行更多的研究。
单选题 What is the main purpose of the passage?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】文章先提出男性和女性的大脑结构有区别,但是这一研究结果还不能解释两性在技能方面的差异,所以作者在最后一段提出需要对corpus callosum做进一步的研究。可见D)比较符合文章最后一段作者的建议,也就是文章的目的。