Section III Practical Reading Comprehension
Directions: There are two passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. You should decide on the best choice and make the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.
Passage 1
Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage.
Maturing as a mom means being able to tolerate a certain inevitable amount of risk. The amount you can handle depends to some extent on your genetic makeup; in fact, scientists have recently discovered a “worry” gene that makes people susceptible to anxiety, pessimism, and negative thinking. The gene in question is the human serotonin(含于血液的复合胺) transporter, and researchers say that those who have a shortened version of it receive less serotonin, a brain chemical that regulates mood.
But why lay all the blame for our skittish selves on nature when we can blame nurture -- in other words, our parents? Our worry thermostat (调节器) is often set by how they reacted to life’s problems. Martha Outlaw, mom of two young daughters, says she can trace her disquiet to her early years. “Because of their own childhood experiences, my mom and dad carried around a constant dread that our family’s fortunes could suddenly change for the worse,” she says. Such a strong influence from childhood can create a deep-seated state of worry that’s hard to shake off.
A friend of mine, who’s fairly laid-back otherwise, is afraid of the dark, and now that she has a young daughter, it’s grown worse -- to the point where she can’t stay in the house when her husband travels. She tracks this anxiety back to her father, who was an alcoholic and used to wake up his kids at night when he came home after a bender. “My demons come out at night,” she says. “I can’t stop worrying that someone will break into my house and take my daughter. How would I protect her? For me, the late hours have always been a chaotic time when I don’t feel safe.”
Your maternal worry threshold may also be influenced by other factors, such as your age when your kids were born. Janyce Dudney, mom of four from Tennessee, started having kids at 23. “I was so young I didn’t know all the things I should be afraid of,” she says. As we get older, we become more apprehensive about risks and start to lose any feelings of invincibility(无敌).
Birth order may also play a role in how high you’re strung. Parents tend to hover over first-borns, often implanting unnecessary fear and caution. Later-born kids have buffers(缓冲) between them and their moms and dads.
Given the influence of our own parents and childhood experiences, it’s imperative to try to prevent passing on the worry bug to our kids. This means: Try not to let them see you anxiety (or at least, over-anxiety). Protecting your child from adult concerns gives him a chance to build up hope, optimism, and resiliency. Obsessive worrying is particularly damaging.
(Words: 453)
From:
1. The phrase “susceptible to” (in line 3, Para 1) most probably means .
A. suspicious of
B. resistant to
C. easily attacked by
D. easily tolerant to
2. Why does the mother often worry that her daughter will be taken away at night?
A. She always has the illusion that ghosts come out at night.
B. It is so dark that she is frightened and lonely when her husband is on business.
C. Someone will break into at night when she stays at home alone.
D. She has the deep-seated state of worry caused by her alcoholic father.
3. According to this passage, the following factors contribute to a mom’s worry EXCEPT that .
A. her husband is always on business and has no time to educate children
B. her parents used to have a dread that their family fortunes would deteriorate
C. she is the first child of her parents
D. she is mature enough to be aware of all the risks
4. We can infer form this passage that a child is likely to be optimistic and resilient if .
A. he is brought up in a wealthy family
B. his parents can spare more time to accompany him
C. his parents try to avoid expressing their adult concerns to him
D. his parents give birth to him when they are mature enough
5. Which is the most appropriate title?
A. Adult Concerns
B. Why Moms Worry
C. Worry Genes
D. Parents’ Influence on Children
Passage 2
Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage.
Environmental activists, religious organizations, public interest groups, professional associations and other scientists and government officials have all raised concerns about GM (genetically modified) foods, and criticized agribusiness for pursuing profit without co
ncern for potential hazards, and the government for failing to exercise adequate regulatory oversight. It seems that everyone has a strong opinion about GM foods. Most concerns about GM foods fall into three categories: environmental hazards, human health risks, and economic concerns.
