Passage 1

 

        What makes one person more intelligent than another? What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool? Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live? These are very old question and the answers to them are still not clear.

 

        We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough. In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle. It needs exercise. Mental exercise (done with the mind) is particularly important for young children. Many child psychologiststhink that parents should play with their children more often, and give them problems to think about. The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent. If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.

 

        Parents should also be careful what they say to young children. According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things. So it is probably better for parents to say very positive things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “You are such a smart child.”

 

1. The words “intelligent” and “brilliant” in the first paragraph probably mean_____ while “dull” in the second paragraph means______.

A. bright and splendid…slow in thinking and understanding

B. pretty and handsome…ordinary-looking

C. great and important…common

D. hopeful and helpful…careless

2. According to the context we can guess that a genius is ______ while an idiot is _____.

A. a normal person…a funny person

B. a strong person… a week person

C. a highly intelligent person… a foolish or weak-minded person

D. a famous person… an ordinary person

3. In the second paragraph, the word “psychologist” means _______.

A. a doctor who looks after children and treats their illnesses

B. a person who studies people, their societies, culture, etc.

C. a doctor trained in the treatment of mental illness

D. someone who is trained in the study of the mind and how it works

4. Which of the following words has the similar meaning with the word “positive” in the last paragraph? _______.

A. Effective     B. Affirmative     C. Negative      D. Pleasant

 

5. Which of the following groups of words in the passage are opposite in meaning? _______.

A. intelligent, stupid

B. fool, idiot

C. silly, stupid

D. intelligent, bright

 

 

参考答案：

 

1. A (intelligent: having intelligence 聪明的; brilliant: wonderful/splendid 绝妙的; dull: intellectually weak; stupid 迟钝的)

2. C (a genius: a highly intelligent person 天才; an idiot: a foolish or weak-minded person 蠢人)

3. D (a psychologist: someone who is trained in the study of the mind and how it works 心理学家) [A: (pediatrician 儿科医生)  B: (anthropologist 人类学家)  C: (psychiatrist 精神病理学家)]

4. B (positive: characterized by or displaying certainty, acceptance, or affirmation 正面的，肯定的)

5. A (stupid: not intelligent )