2007考研英语阅读理解真题解析第二篇“智商测验”

2007 Text 2

For the past several years, the Sunday newspaper supplement Parade has featured a column called “Ask Marilyn.” People are invited to query Marilyn vos Savant, who at age 10

had tested at a mental level of someone about 23 years old; that gave her an IQ of 228 – the highest score ever recorded. IQ tests ask you to complete verbal and visual analogies, to

envision paper after it has been folded and cut, and to deduce numerical sequences, among

other similar tasks. So it is a bit confusing when vos Savant fields such queries from the

average Joe (whose IQ is 100) as, What’s the difference between love and fondness? Or what

is the nature of luck and coincidence?①It’s not obvious how the capacity to visualize

objects and to figure out numerical patterns suits one to answer questions that have eluded some of the best poets and philosophers.

在过去的几年，《星期日报》的增刊《漫步》开设了一个名为“询问玛丽琳”的专栏。人们被邀请去询问

玛丽琳?沃斯?萨文特，玛丽琳?沃斯?萨文特在10岁时测试的智力水平达到别人23岁时的水平，这使得她的智商高达228――是有记录的最高水平。智商测试要求你完成口头和视觉分析，要求你在纸张被折叠、剪切后想象它的形状，要求你推论数字的顺序，还有其他类似的项目。所以，当沃斯?萨文特面对普通人（智商为100）提出的像“热爱与喜爱之间的区别是什么？”或者“运气与巧合的特征是什么？”这样的问题时，她感到有点困惑。设想物体、判断数字模式的能力如何使一个人能够回答难倒了一些最杰出的诗人和哲学

家的问题，这可并不那么显而易见。

mental adj.精神的, 智力的

verbal adj.口头的

【记】verb（言语），＋al（形容词后缀）＝口头的；nonverbal：不用语言的

analogy n.类似, 类推

【习】have an analogy to/with具有与...相似之处;by analogy用类推法

【例】No analogy exists between them.

两者毫无相似之处。

envision vt.想象, 预想

numerical adj.数字的, 用数表示的

fondness n.爱好, 溺爱

coincidence n.一致, 相合, 同时发生或同时存在(尤指偶然)的事

【巧】co（together）+ incidence（incident）＝coincidence：两个小的事情同时发生，“巧合”【例】What a coincidence.多巧啊。

elude v.躲避

1、It's not obvious how the capacity to visualize objects and to figure out numerical

patterns suits one to answer questions that have eluded some of the best poets and

philosophers.

【译文】有些问题连一些最杰出的诗人和哲学家都难以回答，但是想象物体和计算数字模式的能力却能使

人找出答案，其中原因并不为人所知。

【析句】这是一个简单句，It只是形式主语，真正的主语是how引导的主语从句。而在主语从句中，主

语是the capacity to visualize objects and to figure out numerical patterns，谓语是suits，宾语是one，to answer questions是宾语补足语，而questions后又跟了一个定语从句。

【讲词】visualize意为"想象"，是imagine的同义词。例如：He had a hard time to visualize the

scene as it was described.（他难以设想所描绘的场景。）

elude表示"躲避"，也可表示"理解不了，想不起来"。根据句中的意思，可以译为"回答不了"。例如：The answer to this question eluded me for a long time, perhaps because it was so simple.（这个

问题的答案我想了许久，也许是因为问题太简单了。）

Clearly, intelligence encompasses more than a score on a test. Just what does it mean to

be smart? How much of intelligence can be specified, and how much can we learn about it

from neurology, genetics, computer science and other fields?

毫无疑问，智力包含的不仅仅是一次测试所得的分数。而聪明意味着什么？可以明确显示智力有多少？

我们能够从神经学、遗传学、计算机科学以及其他领域了解的智力又有多少？

encompass v.包围, 环绕, 包含或包括某事物

The defining term of intelligence in humans still seems to be the IQ score, even though IQ

tests are not given as often as they used to be. The test comes primarily in two forms: the

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler Intelligence Scales (both come in adult

and children’s version). Generally costing several hundred dollars, they are usually given only

by psychologists, although variations of them populate bookstores and the World Wide Web.

②Superhigh scores like vos Savant’s are no longer possible, because scoring is now

based on a statistical population distribution among age peers, rather than simply

dividing the mental age by the chronological age and multiplying by 100.Other

standardized tests, such as the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the Graduate Record

Exam (GRE), capture the main aspects of IQ tests.

人类有关智力的定义性术语似乎仍然是智商分数，即使人们并不像以前那样经常进行智商测试。智商

测试主要表现为两种形式：斯坦福—比奈特智力衡量表和威斯勒智力衡量表（两种都包含成人和儿童测试

类型）。由于这些测试一般要花费几百美元，因此通常只有心理学家才进行这些测试，尽管这些测试的变种

存在于书店和环球网上。像沃斯?萨文特得到这样的超高分数也再不可能，因为现在的分数依据的是相同年

龄者的统计学群体分布状况，而不是简单地通过实足年龄乘以100来划分智能年龄。其他标准测试，比如

学术能力检测以及研究生入学考试，包含了智商测试的主要方面。

statistica adj.统计的, 统计学的n.统计量

peer n.同等的人

2、Superhigh scores like vos Savant's are no longer possible, because scoring is

now based on a statistical population distribution among age peers, rather than

simply dividing the mental age by the chronological age and multiplying by 100.

【译文】再也不可能出现vos Savant测得的智力高分了，因为评分标准是根据同年龄中人口分布统计数

据而制定，而不是简单根据时间年龄除以智力年龄，再乘以100。

【讲词】这句话中包含一些术语，如：scoring（得分，即智力测验的得分），statistical population

distribution（人口分布统计），age peers（同龄人），mental age（智力年龄），chronological age

（时间年龄或日历年龄）。

Such standardized tests may not assess all the important elements necessary to succeed

in school and in life, argues Robert J. Sternberg. In his article “How Intelligent Is Intelligence

③Sternberg notes that traditional test best assess analytical and verbal

Testing?”，

skills but fail to measure creativity and practical knowledge, components also

critical to problem solving and life success. Moreover, IQ test do not necessarily predict

so well once populations or situations change. Research has found that IQ predicted

leadership skills when the tests were given under low-stress conditions, but under high-stress

conditions, IQ was negatively correlated with leadership – that is, it predicted the opposite.

Anyone who has toiled through SAT will testify that test-taking skill also matters, whether it’s knowing when to guess or what questions to skip.

罗伯特?杰?斯顿伯格认为，这样的标准测试不可能评估在学校和生活中取得成功所需的所有重要因素。

在其名为“智力测试如何明智？”的文章中，斯顿伯格指出，传统的测试最恰当地评估了分析能力和语言表

达能力，但没有测量创造性和实际知识，这些也是解决问题和在生活中取得成功的关键因素。而且，一旦

种群或环境发生变化，智商测试就不一定预测得那么准确。研究发现，如果在低压力状况下进行智商测试，

那么这种测试就可以预测出领导才能，但是，在高压力状况下，智商测试所得的结果与领导才能的关系是

否定的，也就是说，它预测的结果是相反的。任何经历过学术能力检测的人都会认为，应试能力也很重要，

无论是知道何时应该进行推测，还是知道应该忽略什么问题。

elements n.原理, 基础

predict v.预知, 预言, 预报

【巧】pre（先）＋dict（说）＝predict（在发生之前就说了，也就是预言）

【例】predict rain for tomorrow预告明天有雨

3、Sternberg notes that traditional tests best assess analytical and verbal skills but

fail to measure creativity and practical knowledge, components also critical to problem solving and life success.

【译文】Sternberg认为传统的测试最能评定分析技能和语言技能，但却无法测定创造力和实际知识，

而这些部分对解决问题和人生的成功也起着至关重要的作用。

【析句】Sternberg是全句的主语，谓语是notes，宾语是that引导的从句。而在从句中，主语是traditional tests，第一个谓语assess接宾语analytical and verbal skills，第二个谓语fail接不定式to measure creativity and practical knowledge，句末的成分作creativity and practical knowledge的同位语。同位语的完整结构是components (that are) also critical to problem solving

and life success。

【讲词】note作动词，可以译为"注意到"或"认为"。类似的动词有observe, maintain, argue, point out

等。

asses意为"评估，估定"，其名词是assessment。assess的同义词有evaluate, determine, gauge, measure等。

26. Which of the following may be required in an intelligent test?

[A] Answering philosophical questions.

[B] Folding or cutting paper into different shapes.

[C] Telling the difference between certain concepts.

[D] Choosing words or graphs similar to the given ones.

26.[D]判断题。请问在智商测试中要求我们做到什么?根据IQ测试，返回原文第一段第三句‘IQ tests ask you to complete verbal and visual analogies, to envision paper after it has been folded and cut,

选项[A]“回答一些哲学问题”是and to deduce numerical sequences, among other similar tasks.”

一个文中未提及的信息;选项[B]提词义的曲解，原文是想象纸张在折叠或者裁剪后形状，而此选项去除了“envision想象”的概念;选项[C]“区分特定概念的区别”是一个文中未提及的信息。选项[D]“选择与已给出单同或者图表相类似的那一个”中的words对应原文的verbal ,graphs对应原文中的visual, similar to

对应原文中的analogy，因此[D]为正确答案。26题问：智力测试要做什么样的题？从首段文章中可得知：智力考试考人们的想象（to envision）、推断（to deduce）一些图形或数字的能力；或进行文字

和图像的类比，当然不用回答哲学问题A；也不要你动手去折叠或去剪一张纸B；C文中并未提到。关于首段的末句，虽然与问题无关，但要彻底看懂它，对今后的阅读理解，显然是有益处的。句中：It为主语(形式主语)，is not 为谓语，obvious为宾语（或称为表语）。本句可译为：“人们非常不清楚的是（How...）”。在主语从句中，how为引导词，这个主语从句中的“主+谓+宾”分别是the capacity(主)+suits(谓) +one to answer questions(双宾语)。

27. What can be inferred about intelligence testing from Paragraph 3?

[A] People no longer use IQ scores as an indicator of intelligence.

[B] More versions of IQ tests are now available on the Internet.

[C] The test contents and formats for adults and children may be different.

[D] Scientists have defined the important elements of human intelligence.

27.[C]推理题。根据第三段，我们推出智商侧试如何?选项[A]“人们不再把IQ测试结果作为智商的衡量

标准”与原文第三段首句“The defining term of intelligence in humans still seems to be the IQ

score(我们还是用智商测试结果来判定一个人的智力)”意思相反;原文第二段第二句阐述现在智力测试只

有两个版本“the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale and the Wechsler Intelligence Scales"，而选

项[B]“现在互联网上有更多的智商测试版本”中的more为无中生有;选项[D]“科学家已经为人类智商的重

要因素下了定义”，文中既没有讲过科学家们定义，也没有讲过重要因素。选项[C]“成人和孩子的智商测试

内容是不同的”对应原文第兰段第二句中括号里的内容“both come in adult and children's version"。

e

28. People nowadays can no longer achieve IQ scores as high as vos Savant’s becaus

[A] the scores are obtained through different computational procedures.

[B] creativity rather than analytical skills is emphasized now.

[C] vos Savant’s case is an extreme one that will not repeat.

[D] the defining characteristic of IQ tests has changed.

28.[A]细节事实题为什么人们不可能再获得像vos Savant那样的智商测试高分?对应原文第二段第四句，"because scoring is now based on a statistical population distribution among age peers,

rather than simply dividing the mental age by the chronological age and multiplying by 100"。选项[A]“智力测试的成绩会用不同的计算方法”是该句的同义替换。选项[B]“今天测试强调创造力而不是分

析能力”，该选项与问题毫不相干，而且与原文第四段第二句“Sternberg notes that traditional tests best assess analytical and verbal skills but fail to measure creativity and practical knowledge

矛盾;选项[C] "vos Savant是一个不会再现极端的例子”是属于以事论事，而且也是文中没有提到的信息;

选项[D]“智力测试特点的定义已经发生改变”仍属于文中未提及的信息。因此，[A]为正确选项。问题：人

们如今已经很难达到萨文特的高分了，因为（A）现在的分数是通过不同的计算模式得出的，选（A）的依

据是原文的“因为如今的得分是基于同龄人的统计学人口的分布情况，而非（原来的）简单用实际年龄去除

心理年龄再乘以100”。其他两个选项：(B)现在的考试更注重人们的创造能力而非分析问题的能力；（D）

智力测试的定性已经改变。至于（C）萨文特的测试只是一个特例，无法复制，文章从未提及。

29. We can conclude from the last paragraph that

[A] test scores may not be reliable indicators of one’s ability.

[B] IQ scores and SAT results are highly correlated.

[C] testing involves a lot of guesswork.

[D] traditional test are out of date.

29.[A]细节事实题。根据最后一段，我们得知什么?返回原文末段，选项[B]"智力测试成绩和SAT测试

结果是高度相关的”属于曲解文章，原文末句“Anyone who has toiled through SAT will testify that

讲述的是两种考试，考试技巧都有作用，而并非考试结果相关;选项[C]“考test-taking skill also matters”

试中涉及大量的猜测工作”，这类选项明显与常识相反，马上可以排除;选项[D]“传统的测试已经过时了”

是文中未提及的信息。选项[A]"智力测试结果可能并不能表征一个人的能力”对应

中的“traditional tests”

末段首句“Such standardized tests may not assess all the important elements necessary to

succeed in school and in life"。

30. What is the author’s attitude towards IQ test?

[A] Supportive.

[B] Skeptical. [spek-看即考察，考察即怀疑]

[C] Impartial.

[D] Biased.

30.[B]作者态度题。请问作者对于智力侧试的态度?根据第二段首句“Clearly, intelligence encompasses more than a score on a test.很明显，智力所包含的远远不止测试成绩”其中的clearly 是明显表征作者观点态度的副词，由此我们判定作者对于智力测试持反对的态度，因此选择[B] "skeptical 怀疑的”。选项[A]“支持的”，选项[C]“中立的”均与原文不符。