题目
The contribution genes make to intelligence increases as children grow older. This goes against the notion most people hold that as we age, environmental influences gradually overpower the genetic legacy we are born with―and may have implications for education. “People assume the genetic influence goes down with age because the environmental differences between people pile up in life,” says Robert Plomin. “What we found was quite amazing, and goes in the other direction.” Previous studies have shown variations in intelligence are at least partly due to genetics. To find out whether this genetic contribution varies with age, Plomin’s team pooled data from six separate studies carried out in the US, the UK, Australia and the Netherlands, involving a total of 11,000 pairs of twins. In these studies, the researchers tested twins on reasoning, logic and arithmetic to measure a quantity called general cognitive ability, or “g”. Each study also included both identical twins, with same genes, and fraternal twins, sharing about half their genes, making it possible to disentangle (分清) the contributions of genes and environment to their “g” scores. Plomin’s team calculated that in childhood, genes account for about 41 percent of the variation in intelligence. In adolescence, this rose to 55 percent; by young adulthood, it was 66 percent. No one knows why the influence from genes should increase with age, but Plomin suggests that as children get older, they become better at exploiting and manipulating their environment to suit their genetic needs, and says “Kids with high ‘g’ will use their environment to foster their cognitive ability and choose friends who are like-minded.” Children with medium to low “g” may choose less challenging pastimes and activities, further emphasising their genetic legacy. Is there any way to interfere with the pattern? Perhaps. “The evidence of strong heritability doesn’t mean at all that there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Susanne Jaeggi. “From our own work, the ones that started off with lower IQ scores had higher gains after training.” Plomin suggests that genetic differences may be more emphasised if all children share an identical curriculum instead of it being tailored to children’s natural abilities. “My inclination (倾向) would be to give everyone a good education, but put more effort into the lower end,” he says. Intelligence researcher Paul Thompson agrees, “It shows that educators need to steer kids towards things drawing out their natural talents.” 1 Most people think the intelligence increases ____ . A are affected more by environment than the genetic legacy with age. B should be attributed more to the contribution that genes make with age. C are closely connected with the genetic legacy with age. D go against the implication of the education with age. 2 What information can we get from the previous studies about intelligence? A Genetic effect on intelligence goes down with age. B Cognitive ability grows with people aging. C Environment contributes more to one’s g scores. D Genetics in part leads to variations in intelligence. 3 What can be inferred from the calculation got by Plomin’s team? A The younger the people, the greater the role genes play in intelligence variations. B The genes play a greater and greater role in intelligence variations with age increasing. C The younger the people, the greater the variations in intelligence. D The older the people, the greater the variations in intelligence. 4 What can be known from the sixth paragraph? A The entertainment chosen by kids with low “g” may be less challenging. B Children want better environment to suit their genetic needs with age. C The older a child becomes, the better his cognitive ability is. D Kids with high cognitive ability stress genetic legacy more. 5 What does Susanne Jaeggi want to express by saying “the ones...lower IQ...after training”? A Children with lower IQ should be paid more attention to than those with high IQ scores. B Children with lower IQ can do nothing because of the evidence of strong heritability. C Children with medium to low “g” can chose challenging activities after training. D The medium or low “g” has close relationship with one’s IQ scores.
The contribution genes make to intelligence increases as children grow older. This goes against the notion most people hold that as we age, environmental influences gradually overpower the genetic legacy we are born with―and may have implications for education.
“People assume the genetic influence goes down with age because the environmental differences between people pile up in life,” says Robert Plomin. “What we found was quite amazing, and goes in the other direction.”
Previous studies have shown variations in intelligence are at least partly due to genetics. To find out whether this genetic contribution varies with age, Plomin’s team pooled data from six separate studies carried out in the US, the UK, Australia and the Netherlands, involving a total of 11,000 pairs of twins.
In these studies, the researchers tested twins on reasoning, logic and arithmetic to measure a quantity called general cognitive ability, or “g”. Each study also included both identical twins, with same genes, and fraternal twins, sharing about half their genes, making it possible to disentangle (分清) the contributions of genes and environment to their “g” scores.
Plomin’s team calculated that in childhood, genes account for about 41 percent of the variation in intelligence. In adolescence, this rose to 55 percent; by young adulthood, it was 66 percent.
No one knows why the influence from genes should increase with age, but Plomin suggests that as children get older, they become better at exploiting and manipulating their environment to suit their genetic needs, and says “Kids with high ‘g’ will use their environment to foster their cognitive ability and choose friends who are like-minded.” Children with medium to low “g” may choose less challenging pastimes and activities, further emphasising their genetic legacy.
Is there any way to interfere with the pattern? Perhaps. “The evidence of strong heritability doesn’t mean at all that there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Susanne Jaeggi. “From our own work, the ones that started off with lower IQ scores had higher gains after training.”
Plomin suggests that genetic differences may be more emphasised if all children share an identical curriculum instead of it being tailored to children’s natural abilities. “My inclination (倾向) would be to give everyone a good education, but put more effort into the lower end,” he says.
Intelligence researcher Paul Thompson agrees, “It shows that educators need to steer kids towards things drawing out their natural talents.”
1 Most people think the intelligence increases ____ .
A are affected more by environment than the genetic legacy with age.
B should be attributed more to the contribution that genes make with age.
C are closely connected with the genetic legacy with age.
D go against the implication of the education with age.
2 What information can we get from the previous studies about intelligence?
A Genetic effect on intelligence goes down with age.
B Cognitive ability grows with people aging.
C Environment contributes more to one’s g scores.
D Genetics in part leads to variations in intelligence.
3 What can be inferred from the calculation got by Plomin’s team?
A The younger the people, the greater the role genes play in intelligence variations.
B The genes play a greater and greater role in intelligence variations with age increasing.
C The younger the people, the greater the variations in intelligence.
D The older the people, the greater the variations in intelligence.
4 What can be known from the sixth paragraph?
A The entertainment chosen by kids with low “g” may be less challenging.
B Children want better environment to suit their genetic needs with age.
C The older a child becomes, the better his cognitive ability is.
D Kids with high cognitive ability stress genetic legacy more.
5 What does Susanne Jaeggi want to express by saying “the ones...lower IQ...after training”?
A Children with lower IQ should be paid more attention to than those with high IQ scores.
B Children with lower IQ can do nothing because of the evidence of strong heritability.
C Children with medium to low “g” can chose challenging activities after training.
D The medium or low “g” has close relationship with one’s IQ scores.
“People assume the genetic influence goes down with age because the environmental differences between people pile up in life,” says Robert Plomin. “What we found was quite amazing, and goes in the other direction.”
Previous studies have shown variations in intelligence are at least partly due to genetics. To find out whether this genetic contribution varies with age, Plomin’s team pooled data from six separate studies carried out in the US, the UK, Australia and the Netherlands, involving a total of 11,000 pairs of twins.
In these studies, the researchers tested twins on reasoning, logic and arithmetic to measure a quantity called general cognitive ability, or “g”. Each study also included both identical twins, with same genes, and fraternal twins, sharing about half their genes, making it possible to disentangle (分清) the contributions of genes and environment to their “g” scores.
Plomin’s team calculated that in childhood, genes account for about 41 percent of the variation in intelligence. In adolescence, this rose to 55 percent; by young adulthood, it was 66 percent.
No one knows why the influence from genes should increase with age, but Plomin suggests that as children get older, they become better at exploiting and manipulating their environment to suit their genetic needs, and says “Kids with high ‘g’ will use their environment to foster their cognitive ability and choose friends who are like-minded.” Children with medium to low “g” may choose less challenging pastimes and activities, further emphasising their genetic legacy.
Is there any way to interfere with the pattern? Perhaps. “The evidence of strong heritability doesn’t mean at all that there’s nothing you can do about it,” says Susanne Jaeggi. “From our own work, the ones that started off with lower IQ scores had higher gains after training.”
Plomin suggests that genetic differences may be more emphasised if all children share an identical curriculum instead of it being tailored to children’s natural abilities. “My inclination (倾向) would be to give everyone a good education, but put more effort into the lower end,” he says.
Intelligence researcher Paul Thompson agrees, “It shows that educators need to steer kids towards things drawing out their natural talents.”
1 Most people think the intelligence increases ____ .
A are affected more by environment than the genetic legacy with age.
B should be attributed more to the contribution that genes make with age.
C are closely connected with the genetic legacy with age.
D go against the implication of the education with age.
2 What information can we get from the previous studies about intelligence?
A Genetic effect on intelligence goes down with age.
B Cognitive ability grows with people aging.
C Environment contributes more to one’s g scores.
D Genetics in part leads to variations in intelligence.
3 What can be inferred from the calculation got by Plomin’s team?
A The younger the people, the greater the role genes play in intelligence variations.
B The genes play a greater and greater role in intelligence variations with age increasing.
C The younger the people, the greater the variations in intelligence.
D The older the people, the greater the variations in intelligence.
4 What can be known from the sixth paragraph?
A The entertainment chosen by kids with low “g” may be less challenging.
B Children want better environment to suit their genetic needs with age.
C The older a child becomes, the better his cognitive ability is.
D Kids with high cognitive ability stress genetic legacy more.
5 What does Susanne Jaeggi want to express by saying “the ones...lower IQ...after training”?
A Children with lower IQ should be paid more attention to than those with high IQ scores.
B Children with lower IQ can do nothing because of the evidence of strong heritability.
C Children with medium to low “g” can chose challenging activities after training.
D The medium or low “g” has close relationship with one’s IQ scores.
题目解答
答案
1 A
2 A
3 B
4 A
5 C
2 A
3 B
4 A
5 C