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People have wondered for a long time how their personalities and behaviors are formed. It’s not easy to explain why one person is intelligent and another is not, or why one is cooperative and another is competitive.
Social scientists are, of course, extremely interested in these types of question. They want to explain why we possess certain characteristics and exhibit certain behaviors. There are no clear answers yet, but two distinct schools of thought on the matter have developed. As one might expect, the two approaches are very different from each other, and there is a great deal of debate between proponents of each theory. The argument is often conveniently referred to as nature vs. nurture.
Those who support the “nature” side of the conflict believe that our personalities and behavior patterns are largely determined by biological and genetic factors. That our environment has little, if anything, to do with our abilities, characteristics and behavior is central to this theory. Taken to an extreme, this theory maintains that our behavior is predetermined(注定)to such a great degree that we are almost completely governed by our instincts(本能).
Proponents of the “nurture” theory, or, as they are often called, behaviorists, claim that our environment is more important than our biologically based instincts in determining how we will act. Behaviorists see humans as beings whose behavior is almost completely shaped by their surroundings. Their view of the human being is quite mechanistic; they maintain that, like machines, humans respond to environmental stimuli (something that helps sb./ sth. to develop better and more quickly)as the basis of their behavior.
The social and political connections of these two theories are significant. In the United States, for example, blacks often score below whites on standardized intelligent test. This leads some “nature” proponents to conclude that blacks are genetically worse than whites. Behaviorists, in contrast, say that the differences in scores are due to the fact that blacks are often robbed of many of the educational and other environmental advantages  that whites enjoy, and that, as a result ,they do not develop the same responses that whites do.
Neither of these theories can yet fully explain human behavior. In fact, it is quite likely that the key to our behavior lies somewhere between these two extremes. That the argument will continue for a long time is certain.
The author is mainly concerned about solving the problem  .

A.why our personalities and behaviors differ
B.what makes different stages of intelligence
C.how social scientists form different theories
D.what causes the “nature/ nurture” argument

The underlined word “proponents” can best be replaced by  .

A.approaches B.advocates
C.principles D.characters

Which of the following statements may be supported by the “nature” school?

A.We are born with certain personalities and behaviors.
B.Environment has nothing to do with our personalities.
C.Abilities and characteristics are showed by behaviors.
D.Only extreme behaviors are determined by instincts.

What can we learn about the behaviorists?

A.They believe human beings are mechanical.
B.They compare our behaviors to the machines.
C.They suggest that we react to the environment as the machines do.
D.They agree that the mechanistic theory can be applied on us as well.
科目 英语   题型 阅读理解   难度 中等
知识点: 日常生活类阅读
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(届江西省师大附中鹰潭一中宜春中学等重点中学高三联考英语试卷)
How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments-mostly for entertainment purposes-is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range(分布区). The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusually and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding(圈养繁殖) of endangered big cats. Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?
Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.
How would the author describe the animals’ life in zoos?

A.Dangerous. B.Unhappy. C.Natural. D.Easy.

In the state of zoochosis, animals _________.

A.remain in cages
B.behave strangely
C.attack other animals
D.enjoy moving around

What does the author try to argue in the passage?

A.Zoos are not worth the public support.
B.Zoos fail in their attempt to save animals.
C.Zoos should treat animals as human beings.
D.Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment.

The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by _________.

A.pointing out the faults in what zoos do
B.using evidence he has collected at zoos
C.questioning the way animals are protected
D.discussing the advantages of natural habitats

Although he argues against zoos, the author would still agree that __________.

A.zoos have to keep animals in small cages
B.most animals in zoos are endangered species
C.some endangered animals are reproduced in zoos
D.it’s acceptable to keep animals away from their habitats

(届河北省衡水中学高三第一次模拟考试英语试卷)
What will power your house in the future?Nuclear,wind,or solar power?According to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US,it might be leaves — but artificial (人造的) ones.
Natural leaves are able to change sunlight and water into energy. It is known as photosynthesis (光合作用).Now researchers have found a way to imitate this seemingly simple process.
The artificial leaf developed by Daniel Nocera and his colleagues at MIT can be seen as a special silicon chip with catalysts (催化剂).Similar to natural leaves,it can split water into hydrogen and oxygen when put into a bucket of water. The hydrogen and oxygen gases are then stored in a fuel cell,which uses those two materials to produce electricity,located either on top of a house or beside the house.
Though the leaf is only about the shape of a poker card,scientists claimed that it is promising to be an inexpensive source of electricity in developing countries. “One can imagine villages in India and Africa not long from now purchasing an affordable basic power system based on this technology,” said Nocera at a conference of the American Chemical Society.
The artificial leaf is not a new idea. The first artificial leaf was invented in 1997 but was too expensive and unstable for practical use. The new leaf,by contrast,is made of cheap materials,easy to use and highly stable. In laboratory studies,Nocera showed that an artificial leaf prototype (原型) could operate continuously for at least 45 hours without a drop in activity.
The wonderful improvements come from Nocera's recent discovery of several powerful,new and inexpensive catalysts. These catalysts make the energy transformation inside the leaf more efficient with water and sunlight. Right now,the new leaf is about 10 times more efficient at carrying out photosynthesis than a natural one. Besides,the device can run in whatever water is available;that is,it doesn't need pure water. This is important for some countries that don't have access to pure water.
With the goal to “make each home its own power station” and “give energy to the poor”,scientists believe that the new technology could be widely used in developing countries,especially in India and rural China.
Which of the following orders correctly shows how the artificial leaf is used to produce electricity?
a.artificial leaves split water into hydrogen and oxygen
b.the hydrogen and oxygen gases are stored in a fuel cell
c.the artificial leaves are put in water
d.the fuel cell uses hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity

A.c,a,b,d B.c,b,a,d
C.b,c,a,d D.c,a,d,b

The purpose of the scientists at MIT in developing the new artificial leaf is to________.

A.build up more power stations in the world
B.provide cheaper energy for developing countries
C.offer people in developing countries access to pure water
D.gain a deeper understanding of the photosynthesis process

The main idea of this passage is ________.

A.an introduction to the history of artificial leaves
B.a mixture of water power and solar energy
C.giving energy to the poor
D.an invention copying photosynthesis

(2014届吉林省长春市吉大附中高三下学期第三次模拟考试英语试卷)
Something that makes sense is happening in Washington, D.C! Public school kids surrounded by museums and monuments are putting the ready-made learning tools to use — and actually learning.
A trip to see painter Jacob Lawrence’s Migration Series is one of almost 200 trips that Wheelock will organize this year through the nonprofit group Live It Learn It. “For many kids, school is disconnected,” says one of four full-time workers and tour leaders. “With the program, they see how what they are learning is connected to their communities.”
Seven years ago, Wheelock changed a job as a lawyer for one as a four-grade teacher. When he learned that D.C.’s public schools ranked behind those of other cities in many ways, he knew he had to do something different. He took his class to Capitol Hill for a lesson on the three branches of government — and saw his students’ interest develop quickly.
With seed money from a local couple, Wheelock developed detailed lesson plans for trips to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Lincoln Memorial. The group also has classes for trips to the Anacostia River, boat rides to historical forts. Word spread, and now fourth, fifth, sixth graders from the neediest public schools in the District participate.
“I’m not brave enough to take my class to a museum for over an hour!” says teacher Cathy McCoy, gesturing toward her students. “But look With Live It Learn It, what the kids learn today they’ll remember for a lifetime.”
Matthew Wheelock once had an occupation as a _______.

A.teacher B.printer C.leader D.lawyer

According to the first two paragraphs, public school kids in Washington D.C. _______.
A. like to have school disconnected
B. are warmly welcomed by museums and monuments
C. are making the resources at hand available
D. are learning by going to different communities
Matthew Wheelock started the new change for the reason that _______.
A. he saw his students’ interest develop quickly
B. more graders from the neediest public schools wanted to participate
C. D.C.’s public schools ranked behind in many ways
D. a local couple sponsored him a sum of seed money
What will the lessons be like with Live It Learn It in Cathy McCoy’s opinion?

A.Eye-catching. B.Challenging. C.Forgettable. D.Impressive.

(届江苏省扬州中学高三4月阶段测试英语试卷)
Is the ‘Go to College’ Message Overdone?
Even in a weak job market, the old college try isn’t the answer for everyone. A briefing paper from the Brookings Institution warns that “we may have overdone the message” on college, senior fellow Isabel Sawhill said.
“We’ve been telling students and their families for years that college is the only way to succeed in the economy and of course there’s a lot of truth to that,” Ms. Sawhill said. “On average it does pay off… But if you load up on a whole lot of student debt and then you don’t graduate, that is a very bad situation.”
One comment that people often repeat among the years of slow job growth has been the value of education for landing a job and advancing in a career. April’s national unemployment rate stood at 7.5%, according to the Labor Department. The unemployment rate for high-school graduates over 25 years old who hadn’t attended college was 7.4%, compared with 3.9% for those with a bachelor’s degree or more education. The difference is even bigger among those aged 16-24. The jobless rate for those with only a high school diploma in that age group is about 20%. At the same time, recent research by Canadian economists cautions that a college degree is no guarantee of promising employment.
Ms. Sawhill pointed out that among the aspects that affect the value of a college education is the field of one’s major: Students in engineering or other sciences end up earning more than ones who major in the arts or education. The cost of tuition and the availability of financial aid are other considerations, with public institutions generally a better financial bargain than private ones.
She suggested two avenues for improving the situation: increasing vocational(职业的)-technical training programs and taking a page from Europe’s focus on early education rather than post-secondary learning. “The European countries put a little more attention to getting people prepared in the primary grades,” she said. “Then they have a higher bar for whoever goes to college—but once you get into college, you’re more likely to be highly subsidized(资助).”
She also is a supporter of technical training—to teach students how to be plumbers, welders and computer programmers—because “employers are desperate” for workers with these skills.
People usually think that _____.

A.the cost of technical schooling is a problem
B.one will not succeed without a college degree
C.technical skills are most important for landing a job
D.there is an increased competition in getting into a college

What does the underlined part “taking a page from” mean?

A.Hearing from. B.Changing from.
C.Differing from. D.Learning from.

What can we infer from the passage?

A.Public institutions charge more for education.
B.European universities are stricter with students.
C.Students with certain skills are in great demand.
D.Canadian students prefer to major in engineering.

Ms. Sawhill may probably agree that _____.

A.too much stress has been put on the value of college degrees
B.technical training is more important than college education
C.a college degree will ensure promising employment
D.it’s easier for art students to find favorite jobs

(届辽宁省锦州市高三第一次质量检测考试英语试卷)
Was the London Olympics a success? Many people hold different opinions.However, one thing is certain, London could win a gold medal for hosting the“greenest”Games ever, BBC News reported.
Previous Olympic hosts have been criticized for the environmental damage they have caused through construction, waste and transport.But things had to be different in London.
What is most impressive is that London considered the construction of the Olympic Park as an opportunity to clean up polluted areas.2 million tons of polluted soils were removed and 200 old factory buildings were torn down, according to sustainablebusiness.com.But that’s not all.99 percent of the debris(废瓦砾)were reused to build the Olympic Park.
As well as using recycled materials, all gymnasiums were built with green building techniques.The Olympic Stadium is the lightest one ever built, which minimized the amount of steel and concrete needed.Also, the handball field has lighting pipes on the roof that reduce electricity use by 40 percent.
The effort that London made to deal with waste also deserves praise.Water used for drinking and watering plants was from collected rainwater or recycled wastewater.In this way, about 30-40 percent less water was used in total.Waste food package were either recycled or processed and turned into renewable energy.
As one of the best connected places in Europe, London tried to solve traffic jams by encouraging the use of public transport.For example, it had trains deliver half of the building materials, instead of cars, which greatly reduced carbon emissions(排放).
The clean anti-doping result also added to the greenness of the Games.Only one athlete tested positive for a banned drug on the day of competing, which is why the IOC President, Jacques Rogge, has praised anti-doping efforts at the London Games.
To make the Olympic Park green, London ________.

A.recycled 2 million tons of polluted soil
B.applied green building techniques to the construction
C.built the Olympic Stadium mostly with recycled materials
D.removed 99 percent of the debris from the city

The underlined word“minimized”in the fourth paragraph probably means ________.

A.increased as much as possible B.made use of
C.reduced as much as possible D.took little notice of

What can we conclude from the article?

A.The London Olympics cost less than the other Olympics ever held.
B.London has possessed the most advanced techniques to deal with waste.
C.Public transport is made good use of in London during the Olympic Games.
D.The anti-doping result in the London Olympics turned out to be dissatisfactory.

Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A.The effort that London made to deal with waste isn't worthy of praise.
B.In terms of holding the greenest Games, the London Olympics was a success.
C.London tried to solve traffic jams by encouraging the use of private cars for free.
D.The IOC President, Jacques Rogge was unsatisfied with the anti-doping efforts at the London Games.

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