关于考研英语的练习，今天小编带来了相关的知识点分享，希望对大家的学习有所帮助，预祝大家考试顺利！
PART 1
原文
ⅠGranted, the study of racial and sex differences in intelligence has not exactly covered itself in glory. In a heated debate, scientists are calling for an end to research on possible links between race, gender and intelligence.
ⅡNeuroscientist Steven Rose of Britain's Open University argues, the problem is that both race and IQ are slippery concepts. Standard measures of intelligence are ridiculously flexible. In the 1930s and 1940s, for instance, when girls kept outscoring boys, IQ tests were repeatedly adjusted to make the results turn out “right.” That calls into question what studies of intelligence actually measure, and whether it's too easy to choose and modify data to produce desired results. Worse, “race” in the sense of Caucasian, Asian and African is too broad to capture anything biological, including genetic differences.
ⅢAs for sex, there are indeed structural and biochemical differences between male and female brains. But since boys and girls, and men and women, live very different lives and are treated differently first by parents and then by society, it's impossible to attribute those differences to native biology rather than experience. That is especially true now that discoveries in neuroplasticity have shown that brains of any age can change their structure and function in response to experience.
ⅣDefenders of studies of how intelligence varies by race or sex argue, the studies must continue because of the wealth of important knowledge they produce. In the 1960s, for instance, psychologist Arthur Jensen presented evidence that African-Americans are inferior in intellect due to inherited genes. That prompted psychologist James Flynn of the University of Otago, New Zealand, to examine decades of IQ data from dozens of countries, something he never would have done without Jensen's work to drive him. He discovered what is now called the Flynn effect, which is the increase in IQ scores over the last 70 or so years. The increase reflects generational improvements in abstract problem solving. The Flynn effect “shows that substantial increases in IQ can and have occurred over a short period of time,” says psychologist Wendy Williams of Cornell University. “Genetics cannot explain such changes. Thus we look to environment... As experiences ［for blacks］ improve, so can and does IQ.” That has already happened: one quarter of the IQ gap between black and white Americans has been erased in 30 years. Cultural effects are more powerful than we thought, says Williams, a conclusion that would have remained undiscovered if race and IQ were off limits.
ⅤThere has been a parallel increase in understanding sex differences in IQ. The fact that experience shapes the brain, and that girls' and boys' experiences are different so their brain differences might be the result of different experiences, seems less like an argument against studying sex and IQ than a fascinating research project: how do sex-specific experiences leave a footprint in the folds of the cortex
PART 2
词汇短语
1.slippery [slpri] a. 难以应对的；棘手的
2.flexible [fleksbl] a. 灵活的，可变动的
3.outscore [at'sk:] v. 比……得分多
4.modify [mdfa] v. 修改
5.capture [kpt(r)] v. 把握，描述
6.attribute...to... 把……归因于
7.native [netv] a. 天生的，先天的，与生俱来的
8.vary [veri] v. 相异
9.wealth of sth 大量的，众多的
10.inferior [nfri(r)] a. 低人一等的
11.prompt [prmpt] v. 促使，激起
12.abstract [bstrkt] a. 抽象的
13.erase [rez] v. 清除；消除；消灭
14.off limits 禁止入内的
15.parallel [prlel] a.相似的
16.fascinating [fsnet] a. 吸引人的
17.fold [fld] n. 褶皱
18.*Caucasian [k:kezin] n. 高加索人
19.*neuroplasticity [nju:rupl'stst] n. 神经可塑性
20.*cortex [k:teks] n. 皮层，（尤指）大脑皮层
（标*的为超纲词）
PART 3
翻译点评
Ⅰ①Granted, the study of racial and sex differences in intelligence has not exactly covered itself in glory. ②In a heated debate, scientists are calling for an end to research on possible links between race, gender and intelligence.
翻译：的确，有关智力方面种族与性别差异的研究并没有完全被荣誉的光环所笼罩。在一场激烈的争论中，科学家们呼吁结束有关种族、性别与智力之间可能联系的研究。
点评：本段引入话题：科学家呼吁结束种族、性别与智力关系的研究。其中关键词有：calling for an end(呼吁结束)。衔接手段首句指出与种族和性别相关的智力差异研究并没有完全被荣誉的光环所笼罩（has not exactly covered itself in glory）。第二句进而指出具体所指：有些科学家呼吁结束此类研究。study of racial and sex differences in intelligence 和research on possible links between race, gender and intelligence同义， calling for an end to research将has not exactly covered itself in glory具体化。
Ⅱ①Neuroscientist Steven Rose of Britain's Open University argues, the problem is that both race and IQ are slippery concepts. ②Standard measures of intelligence are ridiculously flexible. ③In the 1930s and 1940s, for instance, when girls kept outscoring boys, IQ tests were repeatedly adjusted to make the results turn out “right.” ④That calls into question what studies of intelligence actually measure, and whether it's too easy to choose and modify data to produce desired results. ⑤Worse, “race” in the sense of Caucasian, Asian and African is too broad to capture anything biological, including genetic differences.
翻译：英国开放大学的神经科学家斯蒂夫·罗斯争辩道，问题在于种族与智力都是难以明确的概念。智力的标准度量灵活得离谱。比如，在20世纪30和40年代，女孩的分数一直比男孩的分数高，IQ测试被反复调整以使结果“符合常理”。这引起质疑：智力研究真正度量的是什么？选择并修改数据以产生希望达到的结果是否太过轻而易举？更糟糕的是，从高加索人、亚洲人和非洲人的角度来谈论“种族”的概念太过宽泛，以至于无法把握任何生理方面的特征，包括基因的差异。
点评：本段论述反对“种族”和“智力”关系研究的理由。其中关键词有：①race(种族)；②IQ（智力）；③slippery concepts(难以明确的概念)。衔接手段①首句利用the problem is ...顺承一、段，指出反对种族与智力关系研究的理由:“种族”和“智力”都是不明确的概念。race原词再现，IQ和intelligence同义。②第二、三句具体阐释“智力是不明确的概念”。for instance 表明两句间例证关系。standard measures...flexible具体解释slippery concepts。③第四句承接第三句，对智力研究的科学性发出质疑。that替代第三句内容，choose and modify data为adjust的下义词，produce desired results为make the results turn out “right”的同义替换。④Worse表明第五句和第二至四句间的递进关系，引出对一、句另一内容“种族是不明确的概念”的具体阐释。race呼应一、句；too broad to capture具体解释slippery concepts。
Ⅲ①As for sex, there are indeed structural and biochemical differences between male and female brains. ②But since boys and girls, and men and women, live very different lives and are treated differently first by parents and then by society, it's impossible to attribute those differences to native biology rather than experience. ③That is especially true now that discoveries in neuroplasticity have shown that brains of any age can change their structure and function in response to experience.
翻译：至于性别，男性大脑与女性大脑确实存在结构和生化差异。然而，既然男孩与女孩，男人与女人，生活方式差异很大，而且首先是父母，其次是社会对待他们的方式也各不相同，那么把这些（结构和生化）差异归因于内在生理而非经历也是不行的。鉴于神经可塑性的发现显示，任何年龄的大脑都可以改变结构与功能以对经历做出回应，这一说法就显得愈加可信。
点评：本段论述反对“性别”和“智力”关系研究的理由。其中关键词有：sex（性别）。衔接手段①段首提出本段讨论主体“性别（sex）”并借由indeed一词让步指出：性别可能会对智力有一定影响。②第二句用But转折指出影响智力的更重要因素：经历（experience）。those differences指代structural and biochemical differences。③第三句利用That's especially true这一递进标志，进一步引用神经科学发现表明经历而非性别才是影响智力的关键因素。That替代第二句内容，now that引出原因。
Ⅳ①Defenders of studies of how intelligence varies by race or sex argue, the studies must continue because of the wealth of important knowledge they produce. ②In the 1960s, for instance, psychologist Arthur Jensen presented evidence that African-Americans are inferior in intellect due to inherited genes. ③That prompted psychologist James Flynn of the University of Otago, New Zealand, to examine decades of IQ data from dozens of countries, something he never would have done without Jensen's work to drive him. ④He discovered what is now called the Flynn effect, which is the increase in IQ scores over the last 70 or so years. ⑤The increase reflects generational improvements in abstract problem solving. ⑥The Flynn effect “shows that substantial increases in IQ can and have occurred over a short period of time,” says psychologist Wendy Williams of Cornell University. ⑦“Genetics cannot explain such changes. ⑧Thus we look to environment... ⑨As experiences ［for blacks］ improve, so can and does IQ.” ⑩That has already happened: one quarter of the IQ gap between black and white Americans has been erased in 30 years. Cultural effects are more powerful than we thought, says Williams, a conclusion that would have remained undiscovered if race and IQ were off limits.

翻译：种族或性别造成智力差异研究的支持者们争辩道，鉴于研究所创造的大量重要知识，这些研究必须继续下去。例如，在20世纪60年代，心理学家亚瑟·詹森用证据证明，非裔美国人因其遗传基因而在智力方面低人一等。这促使新西兰奥塔古大学的心理学家詹姆斯·弗林检查多个国家数十年的IQ数据，若不是受到詹森工作的启发，他大概永远不会这么做。他的发现如今被称为弗林效应，指的是过去大约70年中IQ分数的增长。这一增长反映了人们在解决抽象问题上的世代改善。康奈尔大学的心理学家温迪·威廉姆斯说，弗林效应“显示IQ水平的快速提高能够并已经在短期内发生。基因无法解释这一改变。因此我们转向环境。随着黑人经历的改善，他们的IQ也能够并确实有所提高。”这已经发生：美国黑人与白人之间的智力差距，在过去30年中已经减小了四分之一。文化效应比我们所想的还要有力，威廉姆斯表示，如果种族与IQ研究被禁止的话，这一结论可能永远也无法发现。
点评：本段论述支持种族、性别与智力关系研究的理由。其中关键词有：①defenders(支持者)；②the wealth of important knowledge(大量的重要知识)。衔接手段①首句defenders of studies/must continue 和一、段的scientists are calling for an end to research 相呼应，how intelligence varies by race or sex possible 为links between race, gender and intelligence的近义表达，这表明本段开始论述相反观点。该句指出话题反对者的理由：智力差异研究创造了大量的重要知识。②for instance引出第二至十一句对首句的例证。其中：第三句主语that指第二句中的evidence；第五句the increase指第四句中的the increase in IQ scores；第六句中The Flynn effect同词再现，对“弗林效应”反映的现象进行总结；第七句中such changes替代第六句中的substantial increases in IQ；第八句中Thus引出针对第七句观点的结果；第十句中that指代第九句内容；第十一句中cultural effects照应第八句中的environment，race and IQ were off limits是一、句中the studies must continue的反义表达，使用虚拟语气从反面论证本段观点。
Ⅴ①There has been a parallel increase in understanding sex differences in IQ. ②The fact that experience shapes the brain, and that girls' and boys' experiences are different so their brain differences might be the result of different experiences, seems less like an argument against studying sex and IQ than a fascinating research project: how do sex-specific experiences leave a footprint in the folds of the cortex
翻译：对智力方面性别差异的理解也同样有所提高。因为经历塑造大脑，而男孩和女孩的经历不同，所以他们大脑的差异可能是不同经历造成的结果。这个事实看起来不像是反对性别与智力研究的理由，倒更像是一个有趣的研究项目：性别特有的经历如何在皮质褶皱上（即大脑中）留下印迹？