When we talk about intelligence, we do not mean the ability to get a good score on a certain kind of test, or even the ability to do well in school. By intelligence we mean a style of life, a life, a way of behaving in various situations. The true test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do.
The intelligent person, young or old, meeting a new situation or problem, opens himself up to it. He tries to take in with mind and senses everything he can about it. He thinks about it, instead of about himself or what it might cause to happen to him. He grapples with it boldly, imaginatively, resourcefully, and if not confidently, at least hopefully; if he fails to master it, he looks without fear or shame at his mistakes and learns what he can from them. This is intelligence. Clearly its roots lie in a certain feeling about life, and one's self with respect to life. Just as clearly, unintelligence is not what most psychologists seem to suppose, the same thing as intelligence, only less of it. It is an entirely different style of behavior, arising out of entirely different set of attitudes.
Years of watching and comparing bright children with the not-bright, or less bright, have shown that they are very different kinds of people. The bright child is curious about life and reality, eager to get in touch with it, embrace it, unite himself with it. There is no wall, no barrier, between himself and life. On the other hand, the dull child is far less curious, far less interested in what goes on and what is real, more inclined to live in a world of fantasy. The bright child likes to experiment, to try things out. He lives by the maxim that there is more than one way to skin a cat. If he can't do something one way, he'll try another. The dull child is usually afraid to try at all. It takes a great deal of urging to get him to try even once; if that try fails, he is through.
Nobody starts off stupid. Hardly an adult in a thousand, or ten thousand could in any three years of his life learn as much, grow as much in his understanding of the world around him, as every infant learns and grows in his first three years. But what happens, as we grow older, to this extraordinary capacity for learning and intellectual growth? What happens is that it is destroyed, and more than by any other one thing, it is destroyed by the process that we misname education — a process that goes on in most homes and schools.
1.The writer believes that intelligence is_______.
A.doing well in school B.doing well on some examinations
C.a certain type of behavior D.good scores on tests
2.The writer believes that "unintelligence" is_______.
A.similar to intelligence B.less than intelligence
C.the common belief of most psychologists D.a particular way of looking at the world
3.Why does the writer say that education is misnamed?
A.Because it takes place more in homes than in school.
B.Because it discourages intellectual growth.
C.Because it helps dull children with their problems.
D.Because it helps children understand the world around them.
4.In the paragraphs which follow the above passage, the writer probably discusses_______.
A.how education destroys the development of intelligence
B.how bright children differ from dull children
C.how intelligence is inherited
D.how the child's intellectual capacity grows at home and school
5.Which can be inferred from the passage?
A.The unintelligent child is always incurious to the outer world and fears to try.
B.The intelligent child must be more aggressive than unintelligent ones.
C.The differences of intelligence are due to the bad education.
D.The intelligence is result of late education.
长难例句分析
［长难例句］When we talk about intelligence, we do not mean the ability to get a good score on a certain kind of test, or even the ability to do well in school.
［结构分析］本句中，主干是When..., we do not mean the ability... or the ability...。when引导的是时间状语从句，主句中谓语动词mean的宾语是由两个并列的成分构成的，它们是the ability to... test和or以后的部分。
［参考译文］当我们谈到智慧的时候，我们的意思不是在某种考试中取得高分的能力，也不是指学习好的能力。
［长难例句］The true test of intelligence is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do.
［结构分析］本句是主系表结构，The true test of intelligence是主语，系动词是is，后面是两个由how引导的并列的表语从句。在第二个从句中，when引导的是时间状语从句，疑问代词what引导的不定式是know的宾语。
［参考译文］真正的智力测验不是测试我们知道怎样去做，而是测试当我们不知道做什么的时候应当怎样做。
［长难例句］Years of watching and comparing bright children with the not-bright, or less bright, have shown that they are very different kinds of people.
［结构分析］本句中，主干是Years of watching and comparing... have shown...。介宾短语of加动名词watching和comparing... 构成了years后面的定语部分，谓语动词show的宾语是一个that从句。
［参考译文］对聪明的孩子和不聪明或不太聪明的孩子多年来的比较和观察显示，他们是截然不同类型的人。
全文参考译文
当我们谈到智慧的时候，我们的意思不是在某种考试中取得高分的能力，也不是指学习好的能力。我们所谈的智慧指的是一种生活风格，一种生活，一种在各种情况下的行为方式。真正的智力测验不是测试我们知道怎样去做，而是测试当我们不知道做什么的时候应当怎样做。
不论年老年少，有才智的人遇到新的情况或问题时，都会豁达地面对。他努力用心和感觉尽可能地掌握所有细节。他考虑问题，而不是他自己或是这将给他带来什么后果。他大胆地、富有想象力地、机智地，而且即使算不上信心十足，至少也是充满希望地去解决问题；假如他无法圆满解决，对自己的错误他并不害怕或是感到惭愧，而是尽量从中吸取教训，这就是智慧。很明显，它扎根于一种对生活的感情和自身对生活的尊重。同样，愚蠢并不是大多数心理学家认为的只是缺乏智慧。它是一种完全不同的行为风格，源自截然不同的一类态度。
对聪明的孩子和不聪明或不太聪明的孩子多年来的比较和观察显示，他们是截然不同类型的人。聪明的孩子对生活和现实充满好奇，渴望与之接触，并融入进去。他和生活之间没有任何障碍。另一方面，迟钝的孩子对周围发生的事情和现实情况不怎么好奇和感兴趣。他们更愿意生活在幻想的世界。聪明的孩子喜欢做试验，对事物进行验证。他的生活格言就是给猫剥皮的方法不止有一种。如果他不能用一种方法做某件事，他会尝试另一种。迟钝的孩子通常害怕尝试。甚至让他试一次都需要不停地敦促；如果这次尝试失败了，他就不干了。
没有人从一开始就是愚蠢的。一千个或是一万个成人当中，难有一个在他生命里的任意三年里能够在对周围世界的领悟过程中和每个婴儿最初三年学到的东西和成长的速度一样多，一样快。随着我们长大，这种非凡的学习能力和智慧增长到底发生了什么改变呢？那就是它遭到了破坏，它是被我们误称为教育的过程——一个在大多数家庭和学校进行的过程中被破坏的，这要比任何其他的事物的破坏严重得多。
题目答案与解析
1.作者认为“智慧”是________。
A.在学校成为好学生 B.测试成绩优秀
C.一种行为 D.考了高分
【答案】C
【解析】本题的依据是文章第一段的第二句话“By intelligence we mean a style of life, a life, a way of behaving in various situations”，从中可知C项为正确答案。
2.作者认为“愚蠢”是________。
A.和聪明类似 B.不如聪明
C.心理学家的普遍信条 D.一种观察世界的特殊方式
【答案】D
【解析】本题的依据是第二段的最后两句“Just as clearly, unintelligence is not what most psychologists seem to suppose, the same thing as intelligence, only less of it. It is an entirely different style of behavior, arising out of entirely different set of attitudes.”从中可以推知D项为正确答案。
3.作者说教育名不副实的原因是什么？
A.因为它在家里发生的次数比学校多。 B.因为它阻碍了智力的成长。
C.因为它对迟钝孩子有益。 D.因为它帮助孩子们理解周围世界。
【答案】B
【解析】本题可参照文章的最后一段。从最后两句话可知，作者认为，人们学习和智力增长的能力被“教育”破坏了。因此B项为正确答案。
4.作者在文章的下一段中最可能讨论的是________。
A.教育如何摧毁智力的发展 B.聪明的孩子和迟钝的孩子有何区别
C.智力如何遗传 D.孩子的智力才能在家里和学校如何增长
【答案】A
【解析】从文章最后一段的内容可知，后面几段会讲述教育怎样破坏智力的发展。因此A项为正确答案。
5.从文中可以得出什么推论？
A.不聪明的孩子总是对外界缺乏好奇心、害怕尝试。
B.聪明的孩子一定比不聪明的孩子富于进取心。
C.智力上的差别来自糟糕的教育。
D.智力是后天教育的结果。
【答案】C
【解析】本文的意思是智商上的差别不仅仅是分数问题而是对生活对世界的态度问题。因此，智商上的差别很大，而且根源于孩童时期。但是没有人天生就愚笨。作者把这个原因归因于死板的教育。A和B选项比较极端，D选项是主管想象，文中没有提及。
