Question

【題目】 Research has already suggested that opening a book may　help improve brain function and reduce stress. Now, a team　led by Joanna Sikora of the Australian National University is　looking into the benefits of growing up around a bookfilled　environment; the researchers' new study suggests that homes　with libraries can arm children with skills that last well into　adulthood.

The study looked at data from 160 000 adults from 31 countries, including the United States, Australia, Turkey and Chile. Participants (參與者) filled out surveys with the Programme for the International Assessment of Competencies, which measures proficiency (水平) in three areas: literacy (讀寫(xiě)能力), numeracy and information communication technology. People, 25 to 65 years old, were asked to tell how many books were in their house when they were 16 years old. The research team was interested in this question because home library size can be a good sign of “bookoriented socialization.” Participants were able to choose from a given range of books that included everything from“10 or less” to “more than 500.”

The surveys, which were taken between 2011 and 2015, showed that the average (平均的) number of books in participants' childhood homes was 115, but that number varied widely from country to country. The average library size in Norway was 212 books, for example; in Turkey, it was 27. In all, however, it seemed that more books in the home was linked to higher proficiency in the areas tested by the survey.

The effects were most marked when it came to literacy. Growing up with few books in the home resulted in below average literacy levels. Being surrounded by 80 books raised the levels to average, and literacy continued to improve until libraries reached about 350 books,at which point the literacy rates leveled off. The researchers saw similar things when it came to numeracy; the effects were not as pronounced with information communication technology tests, but skills did improve with increased numbers of books.

So, what does the new study tell us? Take, for example, an adult who grew up with hardly any books in the home, but went on to get a university degree compared to an adult who grew up with a large home library, but only had nine years of schooling. The study found that both of their literacy levels were almost the same. “So, literacywise, bookish childhood makes up for a good deal of educational advantage,” the study authors write.

Further research is needed to decide exactly why exposure to ( 沉浸在) books in childhood encourages valuable skills later in life, but the study offers further evidence to suggest that reading has a powerful effect on the mind. And so home library size might be important because, as the researchers note, “children emulate (模仿) parents who read.”

【1】The second paragraph is mainly about 　　　　.

A.what the study found out

B.how the study was carried out

C.who were invited to the research

D.why the researchers did the study

【2】The phrase “leveled off” in Paragraph 4 probably means “ 　　　”.

A.backed to averageB.started falling

C.continued to growD.stopped rising

【3】The example in Paragraph 5 shows　　　 .

A.the disadvantage of having little school education

B.the effect of having a home library in childhood

C.the necessity of raising people's literacy level

D.the importance of getting a university degree

【4】What can we learn from the passage?

A.The study explained why bookish childhood encouraged valuable skills.

B.Adults benefit more from a home library than children.

C.Home library size has little to do with numeracy level.

D.Parents who love reading benefit children a lot.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】D

【3】B

【4】D

【解析】

短文大意：短文介紹的是澳大利亞國(guó)立大學(xué)的喬安娜·西科拉領(lǐng)銜的一項(xiàng)新研究，表明閱讀對(duì)心智有強(qiáng)大的影響，有圖書(shū)館的家庭可以讓孩子們掌握一些技能，這些技能會(huì)一直持續(xù)到成年。

【1】題意：第二段主要是關(guān)于研究是如何進(jìn)行的。考查段意理解。根據(jù)The study looked at data from 160, 000 adults from 31 countries, including the United States, Australia, Turkey and Chile. Participants filled out surveys with the Programme for the International Assessment of Competencies,結(jié)合本段內(nèi)容，可知介紹了是怎樣進(jìn)行研究的，how the study was carried out符合題意，故選B。

【2】題意：第4段中的“l(fā)eveled off”一詞可能是“ ”的意思�？疾樵~義理解。A. 回到平均值；B. 開(kāi)始下降；C. 繼續(xù)增長(zhǎng)；D. 停止上升。根據(jù)上文Growing up with few books in the home resulted in below average literacy levels. 結(jié)合本句可知，藏書(shū)量不斷增長(zhǎng)，達(dá)到350本左右時(shí)讀寫(xiě)能力才趨于穩(wěn)定，不再上升，前面三項(xiàng)意思都與句意不合，故選D。

【3】題意：第5段的例子顯示了在兒童時(shí)期擁有家庭圖書(shū)館的影響�？疾橥评砼袛�。根據(jù)本段對(duì)兩個(gè)童年時(shí)讀書(shū)數(shù)量不同的成年人的對(duì)比，結(jié)合研究者的話So, literacy-wise, bookish childhood makes up for a good deal of educational advantage可知，在文學(xué)方面，書(shū)卷氣十足的童年會(huì)彌補(bǔ)很多教育上的優(yōu)勢(shì)，the effect of having a home library in childhood符合題意，故選B。

【4】題意：我們能從這篇文章中了解到什么?考查文意理解。根據(jù)最后研究者的話“children emulate parents who read.”可知愛(ài)讀書(shū)的父母對(duì)孩子很有好處，Parents who love reading benefit children a lot.符合文意，故選D。