[1]Global difference in intelligence is a sensitive topic, long filled with a la

[1]Global difference inintelligence is a sensitive topic, long filled with a large number of differentopinions. But recent data has indeed shown cognitive (认知的) ability to be higherin some countries than in others. What's more, IQ scores have risen as nationsdevelop—a phenomenon known as the"Flynn effect". Many causes have been put forward for both theintelligence difference and the Flynn effect, including education, income, andeven non-agricultural labor. Now, a new study from researchers at theUniversity of New Mexico offers another interesting theory: intelligence may belinked to infectious-disease rates.

[2]The brain, say authorChristopher Eppig and his colleagues, is the "most costly organ in thehuman body". Brainpower consumes almost up to 90 percent of a newborn'senergy. It's clear that if something affects energy intake while the brain isgrowing, the impact could be long and serious. And for vast parts of the globe,the biggest threat to a child's body—andtherefore brain—is parasitic (由寄生虫引起的) infection. Theseillnesses threaten brain development________________. They can directly attacklive tissue, which the body must then try every means to replace. They caninvade the digestive pipe and block nutritional intake. They can rob the body'scells for their own reproduction. And then there's the energy channeled (输送) to the immune system to fight the infection.

[3]Using data on national"disease burdens" (life years lost due to infectious diseases) andaverage intelligence scores, the authors found they are closelyassociated. The countries with the lowest average IQ scores have the highestdisease burdens without exception. On the contrary, nations with low diseaseburdens top the IQ list.

[4]If the study holds water,it could be revolutionary for our understanding of the still-confusingvariation in national intelligence scores.

1.What is the main idea of the text？(no more than 10words)________________________

2.Complete the following statement with properwords.(no more than 4 words)

Those countries that have the________________ are always at the bottom of the  IQ list.

3.Fill in the blank in Paragraph 2 with properwords. (no more than 5 words)

___________                                                              

4.What can cause intelligence difference？(no more than 8 words)

________________________________________________________________________

5.What does the word "they" (Line 2,Paragraph 3) probably refer to？(no more than 8 words)

________________________________________________________________________

试题答案

【答案】

1.Why do IQ scores vary by nation? / Why do IQscores vary from nation to nation? / Different IQ between nations may resultfrom infectious diseases.

2.highest disease burdens

3.in several ways

4.Education, income and non-agriculturallabor.

5.National disease burdens and averageintelligence scores.

【解析】略