American researchers found females are the more talkative sex because of a special “l(fā)anguage protein(蛋白質(zhì))” in the brain.
The study, conducted by neuroscientists (神經(jīng)學家)and psychologist from the University of Maryland, concluded that women talked more because they had more of the Foxp2 protein. The research, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, found that higher levels were found among humans that were women but in rats that were males. Their findings came after it was previously claimed that ladies speak about 20,000 words a day – over 13,000 more than men. “This study is one of the first to report a sex difference in the expression of a language-associated protein in humans or animals,” said Prof Margaret McCarthy, who led the study. In their study, the researchers attempted to determine what might make male rats more vocal than their female friends.
They separated four-day-old rats from their mothers and then counted the number of times they cried out in the “ultrasonic range”, the frequencies higher than humans can hear, over five minutes. While both sexes called out hundreds of cries, the males called out twice as often, they found. But when the pups were returned to their mother’s cage, she fussed over her sons first. Tests conducted on the parts of the brain known to be associated with vocalcalls showed the male pups have up to twice as much Foxp2 protein as the females. The researchers then increased the production in the brains of female pups and reduced it in males. This led to the female rats crying out more often and their mothers showing more interest to them. In contrast, males became less “talkative”.
The researchers then tested samples from ten children, aged between three and five, which showed that females had up to 30 per cent more of the Foxp2 protein than males, in a brain area key to language in humans.
“Based on our observations, we assume higher levels of Foxp2 in girls and higher levels of Foxp2 in male rats is an indication that Foxp2 protein levels are associated with the more communicative sex,” said Prof McCarthy. “Our results imply Foxp2 as a component of the neurobiological basis of sex differences in vocal communication in mammals. “
小題1:From the second paragraph, we can learn that ________.
A．women always speak more words than men
B．men and male rats have low levels of language protein
C．women and male rats have similar levels of Foxp2
D．McCarthy isn’t the first to find females more talkative
小題2:The underlined phrase “fussed over” in the third paragraph probably means______.
A．paid attention toB．related toC．put pressure onD．counted on
小題3:The researchers carried out the experiments on rats in order to _______.
A．test which part of the brain is key to language in rats and humans
B．prove the levels of Foxp2 protein in humans and rats are different
C．determine the reason why female rats are more talkative than male rats
D．discover the association between Foxp2 protein and vocal communication
小題4:Which of the following can be the best title for the passage ?
A．Tests on humans and rats
B．Why women are the talkative sex
C．Sex differences in Foxp2 protein
D．Foxp2 protein determines oral ability

小題1:D
小題2:A
小題3:D
小題4:B

試題分析：本文研究了蛋白質(zhì)和人類的談話能力的關(guān)系，結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn)女性比男性更為健談。
小題1:D 推理題。根據(jù)文章第二段Their findings came after it was previously claimed that ladies speak about 20,000 words a day – over 13,000 more than men. “This study is one of the first to report a sex difference in the expression of a language-associated protein in humans or animals,” said Prof Margaret McCarthy, who led the study可知這并是第一個研究女性更為健談的人。故D正確。
小題2:A 猜詞題。根據(jù)本句But when the pups were returned to their mother’s cage, she fussed over her sons first.可知當小老鼠回到母親的籠子的時候，母親先關(guān)注她的兒子們。所以“fussed over”是“注意”的意思，故A正確。
小題3:D 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第三段4,5行Tests conducted on the parts of the brain known to be associated with vocalcalls showed the male pups have up to twice as much Foxp2 protein as the females.可知這個研究關(guān)注的是研究Foxp2蛋白質(zhì)和人的語言能力的關(guān)系。故D正確。
小題4:B 標題確定題。根據(jù)文章主題段第一段American researchers found females are the more talkative sex because of a special “l(fā)anguage protein(蛋白質(zhì))” in the brain.可知本文研究的是為什么女性更加健談。故B正確。
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