听力原文及答案Unit 11 Left-handedness.doc

Unit 11 Left-handednessPart BListening TasksPassage 1Why Are Some People Left-handed?Word Bankmental a. relating to the activity of the mind or brain 精神的；脑力的adopt v. to take someone elses child into ones family and make it legally ones own child 收养involvement n. participation 卷入；牵连identical a. exactly the same 完全相同的birth parents ones biological parents 亲生父母adopted parents ones non-biological parents 养父母identical twins twins developed from the same egg and therefore almost always of the same sex and very much alike in appearance 同卵双生子Prince Charles （英）查尔斯王子Prince William （英）威廉王子Script:Research has shown that 90% of people naturally use their right hands for most tasks. But hundreds of millions of people use their left hands. Then why are some people left-handed? Scientists have been trying to answer that question for many years. A study done in 1992 found that men are more likely to be left-handed than women. It also found that Asian or Hispanic people are less likely to be left-handed than white people, black people, or North American Indians. Some cultures accept people who do things mostly with their left hands. Others do not. Scientists want to know the reason for left-handedness because it is closely linked to mental problems and language difficulties. One idea about the cause of left-handedness is the genetic theory. It says that people are right- or left-handed because of genes passed to them by their parents. For example, it has been shown that the handedness of adopted children is more likely to follow that of their birth parents than their adopted parents. Other evidence of genetic involvement can be found in some families. One famous example is the left-handed members of the present British royal family. These include Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Prince William. Another idea is that right-handed people are born with the gene for it. But about 20% of people do not have the right-handed gene. These people could be either left- or right-handed. This idea may explain why two babies who have the same genes use different hands. In 18% of identical twins one twin is right-handed, and the other is left-handed. Probably both twins lack the right-handed gene so each has a chance to be either right- or left-handed. Some scientists believe that the cause of handedness could include both genetics and development. Exercise 1Listen to the passage and choose the right answers to the questions you hear.1.What is the passage mainly about?a. Causes of left-handedness and right-handedness.b. Two scientific explanations of the cause of left-handedness.c. Genes for left-handedness.d. Mental problems of left-handed people.2.Which of the following topics is discussed in more detail in the passage?a. Handedness and the genetic theory.b. Identical twins.c. Birth parents and adopted parents.d. Famous left-handed people in the world.3.What conclusion can you draw from the passage?a. Right-handed people are superior to left-handed people.b. Right-handedness is determined genetically, but left-handedness is learnt. c. About 18% of identical twins are left-handed.d. Scientists have not yet reached agreement on the causes of left-handedness.Exercise 2Listen to the passage again and complete the following sentences with the missing information.1. A study done in 1992 found that men are more likely to be left-handed than women. It also found that Asian or Hispanic people are less likely to be left-handed than white people, black people or North American Indians.2. Scientists want to know the reason for left-handedness because it is closely linked to mental problems and language difficulties.3. One idea about the cause of left-handedness is the genetic theory.4. Another idea is that right-handed people are born with the gene for it. But about 20% of people do not have the right-handed gene. They could be either left- or right-handed.5. Some scientists believe that the cause of handedness could include both genetics and development.Passage 2Does Being Left-handed Affect Ones Life?Word Bankapproximately ad. nearly 大约issue n. a point in question; a matter in dispute 问题；争论点significant a. important 重大的frustration n. feelings of being disappointed and annoyed 沮丧scissors n. a cutting device 剪刀（复数）utensil n. a container or tool commonly for kitchen use 器皿gear v. to be organized in a way that is suitable for a particular purpose or situation 使适应；使适合one way or anothereither of two possible ways; in any way 不是用这种方法就是用那种方法；用某种方法take for granted to accept sth. as true without questioning 想当然amount to to be equal to, esp. in meaning 意味着Script:There are approximately 30 million left-handed people in the United States, and several hundred million more around the world. Most right-handed people have never even considered the possibility that there might be any serious issues affecting left-handers. Even among all of these left-handed people, there are many different opinions about what these issues are and which issues might be most important to them. Some left-handers think that being left-handed is a positive factor in their lives, and they feel that there are no serious issues affecting them. Others think that being left-handed is not a significant factor and has not affected their lives one way or another. There are also some left-handers who have no opinion and have never given any thought to what being left-handed has meant to them. But the majority of left-handed people find that being left-handed is at least a small disadvantage and a minor source of frustration in their lives.There are many things that right-handed people take for granted that are quite difficult for left-handers. These include many basic skills like learning to write, learning to use scissors and other hand tools and utensils, and learning various crafts and other activities. Sometimes left-handers are puzzled by equipment designed for right-handers, and other times they are confused by instructors and instructions geared toward teaching right-handers. For some left-handed people this amounts to occasional difficulties and minor inconveniences. For other left-handers it is a lifetime full of failures and frustrations that may lead to much more serious problems.Exercise 1Listen to the passage and choose the right answers to the questions you hear.1.What is the speakers attitude toward left-handers?a. Indifferent.b. Neutral.c. Favorable.d. Sympathetic.2.What can be inferred from the passage about right-handers?a. Most of them are sympathetic to left-handers.b. Most of them are indifferent to the problems left-handers face. c. Most of them consider themselves lucky to be right-handed.d. Most of them are unaware of the problems left-handers face. Exercise 2Listen again and supply the missing information in the tables below.How Left-handers Feel About Their Being Left-handedATo some left-handersIt is a positive factor in their lives.There are no serious issues affecting them.To other left-handersIt is not a significant factor.It has not affected their lives.To the majority of left-handersIt is at least a small disadvantage and a minor source of frustration in their lives.BWhat may be difficult for left-handers?Basic skills like learning to write, learning to use scissors and other hand tools and utensils, and learning various crafts and other activitiesWhat may confuse left-handers?Equipment designed for right-handers; instructors and instructions geared toward teaching right-handersPart CTest Your ListeningA Compound DictationListen to the passage three times and supply the missing information.Approximately 90% of people in the world are 1) naturally right-handed. Why is this so, and are we 2) born one way or the other? The answer to this question is rather 3) complicated.In babies and young children, no 4) single side becomes 5) dominant until around the age of eight. At 12 weeks, babies usually use both hands 6) equally, but by 16 weeks, they mostly use the left hand for 7) touching. By 24 weeks, they have changed again and s