Question

【題目】Books Bring Success

People growing with more books are more likely to be successful.

According to German novelist Heinrich Mann, a house without books is like a room without windows. Mann simply stated the value of books, but some researchers have found evidence that people with books in their homes really do gain a window on the world.

A new study in the journal Social Science Research, published in October, suggests that people who grow up with more books are more likely to have educational advantages, and to achieve more in life, than people who grow up without them.

In the study, over 160,000 adults from 31 countries and regions were asked about the number of books there were in their homes when they were 16 years old. They were then given tests in literacy (讀寫能力), numeracy (計算能力) and information communication technology.

The research shows that the number of books for each household varies greatly from country to country. For example, the number of books is 27 in Turkey, 143 in the UK and 218 in Estonia. But “the total effects of home library size on literacy are large everywhere”.

The researchers found that people who had only lower levels of secondary education but had a large number of books at home got a similar score as university graduates who grew up with only a few books.

The Guardian newspaper commented that “bookish adolescence makes for a good deal of educational advantage.”

“Adolescent exposure to books can compensate for shortcomings not only in adult literacy but also numeracy: its impacts are equal to additional years of education,” Sikora told Science Alert.

Apart from the educational benefits, growing up with more books also plays an important role in adult success.

Through analyzing their personal information, researchers found that people surrounded by books in adolescence are on average more successful in adulthood than those who had only few books at a younger age.

“Early exposure to books in the parental home matters because books are an basic part of routines and practices that enrich lifelong cognitive competencies (認知能力)”, Sikora told Science Alert. These competencies are important to future development.

Without doubt, the fact that we are moving toward a digital era could weaken the importance of printed books. For now, however, “they still seem to maintain quite a large positive benefit, which shows no sign of abating (減弱)”, researchers wrote in the paper.

【1】What’s the study mainly about?

A. Reading habits of different countries.

B. Thebenefitsof growing up with more books.

C. How reading booksbringseducational advantages.

D. The impacts of books on people of different ages.

【2】How many books do an average British family own, according to the study?

A. 27.B. 32.C. 143.D. 218.

【3】The underlined phrase“compensate for”probably means ______.

A. make upforB. result inC. prepare forD. draw attention to

【4】According to the study, people who readmorebooks in adolescenceare likely to______.

a. havebetterliteracy

b. achievemorein adulthood

c.havebettercommunication skills

d.achievemorepleasant personalities

A. acB. bcC. cdD. ab

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】C

【3】A

【4】D

【解析】

文章大意：文章主要通過研究表明書對人們的文化程度、計算機能力和認知能力等都有積極的影響。

【1】句意：這個研究主要是關于什么的？—與更多的書一起成長的好處。

本題是細節(jié)理解題，根據(jù)文章第二段A new study in the journal Social Science Research, published in October, suggests that people who grow up with more books are more likely to have educational advantages, and to achieve more in life, than people who grow up without them可知，應該是“和更多的書一起成長的好處”故答案選B。

【2】句意：根據(jù)這項研究，一個普通的英國家庭有多少本書？—143本。

本題是細節(jié)理解題，根據(jù)文章第四段第二行For example, the number of books is 27 in Turkey, 143 in the UK and 218 in Estonia可知，“英國家庭有143本書”故答案選C。

【3】句意：劃線詞組compensate for最可能的意思是什么？—補償。

本題是詞句猜測題，根據(jù)文章第七段第一行shortcomings not only in adult literacy but also numeracy可知，“應該是彌補成人識字能力的不足，還可以彌補計算能力的不足”，故答案選A。

【4】句意：根據(jù)這項研究，在青春期多讀書的人很可能有更好的素養(yǎng)和成年后取得更大成就。

本題是細節(jié)理解題，根據(jù)文章第七段第一行Adolescent exposure to books can compensate for shortcomings not only in adult literacy but also numeracy和第九段Through analyzing their personal information, researchers found that people surrounded by books in adolescence are on average more successful in adulthood than those who had only few books at a younger age可知，應該是“有更好的素養(yǎng)和成年后取得更大成就”故答案選D。