People have wondered for a long time how their personalities and behaviors are formed. It is 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 questions. 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. The controversy is often conveniently referred to as “nature or nurture(養(yǎng)育)”.

Those who support the “nature” side of the conflict believe that our personalities and behavior patterns are largely determined by biological 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 pre – determined to such a great degree that we are almost completely governed by our instincts(本能).

                                     , that is, they advocate education, are often called behaviorists. They claim that our environment is more important than our biologically – based instincts in determining how we will act. A behaviorist, B. F. Skinner, sees humans as beings whose behavior is almost completely shaped by their surroundings. The behaviorists maintain that, like machines, humans respond to environmental stimuli(刺激)as the basis of their behavior.

Let us examine the different explanations about one human characteristic, intelligence, offered by the two theories. Supporters of the “nature” theory insist that we are born with a certain capacity for learning that is biologically determined. Needless to say, they don’t believe that factors in the environment have much influence on what is basically a predetermined characteristic. On the other hand,behaviorists argue that our intelligence levels are the product of our experiences. Behaviorists suggest that the child who is raised in an environment where there are many stimuli which develop his or her capacity for appropriate responses will experience greater intellectual development.

1.What is the best title of the passage? (Please answer within 10 words.)

                                                                                       

                                                                                            

2.Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following one?

However, those who support the “nurture” theory maintain that it is people’s experiences that determine how clever they are.

                                                                                       

                                                                                      

3.Please fill in the blank in the 5th paragraph with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence.(Please answer within 10 words)

                                                                                       

                                                                                      

4.Are you one the “nature” side or on the “nurture” side? Why? (Please answer within 30 words.)

                                                                                       

                                                                                      

5.Translate the underlined sentence in the first paragraph into Chinese.

                                                                                       

                                                                                     

1. Nature or Nurture?

2. On the other hand, behaviorists argue that our intelligence levels are the product of our experiences.

3. Those who support the “nurture” theory/ Those who support the “nurture” side of the conflict

4. I’m on the “nurture” side. Stories of the “wolf children” were enough evidence to prove that the environment had great influence on man’s abilities, characteristics and behavior.

I’m on the “nature” side. Some people are born intelligent, like Albert Einstein. Others are born ordinary: however good an education they receive, they can’t become great scientists.

5. 這一理論的核心是:如果說環(huán)境對我們的能力、性格、和行為有點兒聯(lián)系的話,也是微不足道的。

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科目:高中英語 來源:2012-2013學年廣東省惠州市實驗中學高一上學期期中考試英語試卷(帶解析) 題型:閱讀理解

Different people use different languages. We Chinese speak Chinese, and, most of us are learning a foreign language. But there is another kind of language we need to know --- the language of the body.
All over the world, people “talk with their hand, with their heads and with their eyes.” When Japanese people meet, they bow. When Indians meet, they put their hands together. What do American and British do? Americans are more imformal(不拘小節(jié)的) than the British. They like to be friendly. They use first names, they ask questions and they talk easily about themselves. When they sit down, they like to relax in their chairs and make themselves comfortable. British people are more reserved(保守的). They take more time to make friends. They like to know you before they ask your name.
When British or American people meet someone for the first time, they shake hands. They do not usually shake hands with people they know well. Women sometimes kiss their women friends, and men kiss women friends (on one cheek only). When a man meets a man, he just smiles, and says, “Hello.” Men do not kiss each other, or hold hands. Even fathers and sons do not often kiss each other.
【小題1】In the passsage, the writer thinks that body language is ______________.

A.uselssB.difficultC.quite easyD.important
【小題2】Which of the following is right?
A.different countries hav the same body language.
B.different countries have different body anguages.
C.people in Asia share the same body language.
D.many people only use their body language.
【小題3】If an American friend visits you, he probably _____________.
A.sit straightB.never sits downC.makes fun of youD.sits freely
【小題4】If you want to make a British friend, you may feel it ________________.
A.imopssibleB.too easyC.too difficultD.slow
【小題5】Generally speaking, ____________ kiss more often.
A.menB.womenC.BritishD.Americans

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科目:高中英語 來源:2015屆廣東省惠州市高一上學期期中考試英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

Different people use different languages. We Chinese speak Chinese, and, most of us are learning a foreign language. But there is another kind of language we need to know --- the language of the body.

All over the world, people “talk with their hand, with their heads and with their eyes.” When Japanese people meet, they bow. When Indians meet, they put their hands together. What do American and British do? Americans are more imformal(不拘小節(jié)的) than the British. They like to be friendly. They use first names, they ask questions and they talk easily about themselves. When they sit down, they like to relax in their chairs and make themselves comfortable. British people are more reserved(保守的). They take more time to make friends. They like to know you before they ask your name.

When British or American people meet someone for the first time, they shake hands. They do not usually shake hands with people they know well. Women sometimes kiss their women friends, and men kiss women friends (on one cheek only). When a man meets a man, he just smiles, and says, “Hello.” Men do not kiss each other, or hold hands. Even fathers and sons do not often kiss each other.

1.In the passsage, the writer thinks that body language is ______________.

A.uselss            B.difficult           C.quite easy         D.important

2.Which of the following is right?

A.different countries hav the same body language.

B.different countries have different body anguages.

C.people in Asia share the same body language.

D.many people only use their body language.

3.If an American friend visits you, he probably _____________.

A.sit straight         B.never sits down     C.makes fun of you    D.sits freely

4.If you want to make a British friend, you may feel it ________________.

A.imopssible         B.too easy           C.too difficult        D.slow

5.Generally speaking, ____________ kiss more often.

A.men             B.women           C.British            D.Americans

 

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Different people use different languages. We Chinese speak Chinese, and, most of us are learning a foreign language. But there is another kind of language we need to know --- the language of the body.
All over the world, people “talk with their hand, with their heads and with their eyes.” When Japanese people meet, they bow. When Indians meet, they put their hands together. What do American and British do? Americans are more imformal(不拘小節(jié)的) than the British. They like to be friendly. They use first names, they ask questions and they talk easily about themselves. When they sit down, they like to relax in their chairs and make themselves comfortable. British people are more reserved(保守的). They take more time to make friends. They like to know you before they ask your name.
When British or American people meet someone for the first time, they shake hands. They do not usually shake hands with people they know well. Women sometimes kiss their women friends, and men kiss women friends (on one cheek only). When a man meets a man, he just smiles, and says, “Hello.” Men do not kiss each other, or hold hands. Even fathers and sons do not often kiss each other

  1. 1.

    In the passsage, the writer thinks that body language is______.

    1. A.
      uselss
    2. B.
      difficult
    3. C.
      quite easy
    4. D.
      important
  2. 2.

    Which of the following is right?

    1. A.
      different countries hav the same body language
    2. B.
      different countries have different body anguages
    3. C.
      people in Asia share the same body language
    4. D.
      many people only use their body language
  3. 3.

    If an American friend visits you, he probably______.

    1. A.
      sit straight
    2. B.
      never sits down
    3. C.
      makes fun of you
    4. D.
      sits freely
  4. 4.

    If you want to make a British friend, you may feel it______.

    1. A.
      imopssible
    2. B.
      too easy
    3. C.
      too difficult
    4. D.
      slow
  5. 5.

    Generally speaking, ______kiss more often

    1. A.
      men
    2. B.
      women
    3. C.
      British
    4. D.
      Americans

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