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There are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence. The first is the sort of brain he is born with. Human brains differ considerably , some being more capable than others. But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn. So the second factor is what happens to the individual— the sort of environment in which he is brought up. If an individual is handicapped(不利) environmentally, it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable.
The importance of environment in determining an individual's intelligence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth processes were the same. When the twins were three months old, their parents died, and they were placed in separate foster(撫養) homes. Peter was raised by parents of low intelligence in an isolated community with poor educational opportunities. Mark was reared in the home of well-to-do parents who had been to college. He was read to as a child, sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually. This environmental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when they were given tests to measure their intelligence. Mark's I. Q. was 125, twenty-five points higher than the average and fully forty points higher than his identical brother. Given equal opportunities, the twins, having identical brains, would have tested at roughly the same level.
21. This selection can best be titled____________.
A. Measuring Your Intelligence
B. Intelligence and Environment
C. The Case of Peter and Mark
D. How the Brain Influences Intelligence
22. The best statement of the main idea of this passage is that _______.
A. human brains differ considerably
B. the brain a person is born with is important in determining his intelligence
C. environment is crucial in determining a person's intelligence
D. persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence
23. According to the passage, the average I. Q. is_______.
A. 85 .
B. 100
C. 110
D. 125
24. The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that_______.
A. individuals with identical brains seldom test at the same level
B. an individual's intelligence is determined only by his environment
C. lack of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligence
D. changes of environment produce changes in the structure of the brain
25. This passage suggests that an individual's I. Q. _______.
A. can be predicted at birth
B. stays the same throughout his life
C. can be increased by education
D. is determined by his childhood
