下载掌阅APP，畅读海量书库
立即打开
问：推断题有哪几种题型？
答： 推断题是较为复杂的题型，因为推断题的答案不能直接得出，而是隐含在文章之中。推断题通常有三大类：第一类是细节推断题，第二类是态度观点推断题，第三类是文章来源推断题。
1. 细节推断题常见的提问方式如下：
We can infer from the passage that ______.
What can be inferred from the passage?
The author suggests in this paragraph that ______.
The writer implies that ______.
The author is inclined to think that ______.
★温馨提示：细节推断题中常含有infer、imply、indicate、suggest等词。但是有的细节推断题不含有上述标志词，需要我们在读题的过程中根据经验进行判断。
2. 态度观点题和文章来源题常见的提问方式如下：
What's the writer's attitude/feeling towards...?
What is the writer's attitude in writing this passage?
Where does this text probably come from?
Where would this passage most probably appear/be found?
Which of the following reflects the author's opinion?
1. 细节推断题
问：细节推断题的常见解题方法是什么？
答： 细节推断题通常只涉及局部的某句话或某个段落。它遵循的还是细节题的三步逻辑解题思路，只是最后一步需要借助原文的细节进行推断，而不是直接得出答案。
►真题再现一
What kinds of emotions make sitting workers tired? Joy? Satisfaction? No! A feeling of being bored, anger, anxiety, tenseness, worry, a feeling of not being appreciated—those are the emotions that tire sitting workers. Hard work by itself seldom causes fatigue. We get tired because our emotions produce nervousness in the body.
段落大意：
本段属于分总结构。先举例说明坐班工作的人为什么会感到疲惫，其中的原因主要是无聊、愤怒、生气和不被欣赏等；最后一句总结观点——这些都是由于紧张情绪导致的身体疲惫感。
1. We can infer from the paragraph that in order to stay energetic, sitting workers need to ______.
A. have some good food
B. enjoy their work
C. exercise regularly
D. discover fatigue toxins
解析：
第一步，寻找题干关键信息： 通读题干可知sitting workers为关键信息。
第二步 ， 回原文定位题干信息： 通过sitting workers可定位到本段。
第三步 ， 以原文为依据进行推断： 通过阅读本段可知，愤怒、生气等情绪会导致人们感到身心疲惫，反过来，要想stay energetic，就要不生气、不愤怒，就要enjoy! 所以本题答案为______。
►真题再现二
In the sciences and arts, those praised as geniuses were most often white men, of European origin. Perhaps this is not a surprise. It's said that history is written by the victors, and those victors set the standards for admission to the genius club. When contributions were made by geniuses outside the club—women, or people of a different color or belief—they were unacknowledged and rejected by others.
段落大意：
本段讲述了历史是由胜利者书写的，而那些胜利者为“天才俱乐部”设立了准入标准。当俱乐部之外的天才——女性、肤色或信仰不同的人——做出贡献时，他们不被认可或接纳。
genius：天才
victor：胜利者
unacknowledged：不被认可的
2. What does the author think of victors' standards for joining the genius club?
A. They're unfair.
B. They're conservative.
C. They're objective.
D. They're strict.
解析：
第一步，寻找关键信息： 通读题干可知victors' standards和the genius club为定位关键信息。
第二步，回原文定位题干信息： 可定位到It's said that history is written by the victors, and those victors set the standards for admission to the genius club. When contributions were made by geniuses outside the club—women, or people of a different color or belief—they were unacknowledged and rejected by others.这两句话。
第三步，以原文为依据进行推断： 通过阅读本段定位信息可知，那些“胜利者”对进入“天才俱乐部”设置的标准是不公平的，因为女性或不同肤色或信仰的人做出的贡献得不到认可，所以正确答案为______。
2. 态度观点推断题和文章来源推断题
问：态度观点推断题和文章来源推断题的常见解题方法是什么？
答： 态度观点推断题和文章来源推断题通常都建立在对文章主旨的了解之上，所以其解题方法需要借助我们之前讲过的主旨题，然后结合文章中出现的一些特殊词句推敲出作者的写作态度和文章来源。
►真题再现三
About 30 years ago, I left Cuba for the United States with my son. After getting settled finally in Brunswick, New Jersey, I enrolled （注册） my son in kindergarten. Several weeks later, my son's teacher asked me to meet him at his office.
In the teacher's office, an exchange of greetings was followed by his questions: “Is your son mentally retarded （弱智的）? Does he suffer from any kind of mental disability?”
Was he talking about my wonderful Scola? NO, no, it can't be. What a helpless, lonely moment! I told him that Scola was a quiet, sweet little boy, instead. I asked him why he was asking me all these questions.
My son could not follow the teacher's directions, he told me, and thus, Scola was disrupting the class. Didn't he know my son did not speak English yet?
He was angry; “Why hasn't your son been taught to speak English? Don't you speak English at home?”
No, I didn't speak English at home, I replied. I was sure my son would learn English in a couple of months, and I didn't want him to forget his native language. Well, wrong answer! What kind of person would not speak in English to her son at home and at all time? “Are you one of those people who come to this country to save dollars and send them back to their country, never wanting to be a part of this society?”
Needless to say, I tried to tell him I was not one of “those people.” Then he told me the meeting was over, and I left.
As I had expected, my son learned to speak English fluently before the school year was over. He went on to graduate from college and got a job, earning close to six figures. He travels widely and leads a well-adjusted, contented life. And he has benefited from being bilingual （双语的）.
Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others; it teaches people about other cultures and other places—something very basic and obviously lacking in the “educator” I met in New Jersey.
第一段大意：一个从古巴移民到美国的孩子在刚上幼儿园几周后，其家长就被老师要求去学校面谈。
第二段到第七段大意：老师质问家长Scola为什么不会说英语，是否是因为智力低下的原因，又问他的家人是不是只想来美国赚点钱。这样的话显然让家长无法接受。
第八段到第九段大意： Scola学会了双语，而且后来还上了大学，有很好的薪水。印证了作者培养孩子说双语的好处。
3. The author's attitude towards being bilingual may best be described as ______.
A. critical
B. casual
C. positive
D. passive
4. This text is likely to be selected from a book of ______.
A. medicine
B. education
C. geography
D. history
解析： 第一题考查作者的态度，第二题考查文章的信息来源。这两类题型都需要考生在了解文章大意的基础上做出判断。
首先我们来看第一题。由倒数第二段的And he has benefited from being bilingual和最后一段的Speaking more than one language allows people to communicate with others以及it teaches people about other cultures and other places可知，作者对于掌握双语的态度是正面的、积极的，所以答案为______。
再来看第二题。本文主要讲述了一个从古巴移民到美国的家长和他儿子的老师之间的对话，探讨的是家长对双语学习的看法。通过该故事可知本文探讨的是教育的话题，所以答案为______。
►真题再现四
The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid—we simply weigh too much, and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink.
However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk （ Basiliscus basiliscus ）, a lizard （蜥蜴） native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several meters, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans to do this, we'd need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate “hitting”.
But fortunately there is an alterna-tive: cornflour. By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water （and it does take a lot）, you can create a “non-Newtonian” liquid that doesn't behave like normal water. Now, if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles （粒子） in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of cornflour.
Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice. If you must do it, then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink—and take a shower afterward!
第一段大意：人类一直都希望能够实现在水上行走的想法。但是人类太重了。我们的身体把太多的重量都加到了脚上，导致压力过大，因而会沉入水中。
accomplish：完成
第二段大意：有些动物可以在水上行走，比如蜥蜴可以在水面上连续奔跑一段距离而不沉到水里，因为它的速度很快。而人类要想实现在水上行走则需要一双巨大的长在耳朵旁的脚。
adequate：足够的
第三段大意：使用玉米粉在水面上产生一层厚厚的表层，理论上能让我们在水上奔跑。
第四段大意：虽然在理论上人类实现在水上行走是可行的，但并不实际，会有危险。
5. What is the author's attitude toward the idea of “humans' walking on water”?
A. It is risky but beneficial.
B. It is interesting and worth trying.
C. It is crazy and cannot become a reality.
D. It is impractical though theoretically possible.
解析： 本题主要考查作者的观点态度。该题型需要考生在了解文章大意的基础上做出判断。本文主要大意是人类一直都希望能够实现在水上行走，但由于自身身体构造的原因不可能像有的动物那样实现这一愿望。又有一理论表明使用玉米粉在水面上产生一层厚厚的表层，能让我们在水上行走。但文章最后一段指出Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice，可知这种做法仍然只停留在理论阶段，并不能实际应用。说明作者认为这是不实际的。所以本题的答案为______。
★温馨提示：历年常考的态度推断题词汇总结
critical, neutral, ambiguous, defensive, persuasive, supportive, disapproving, dissatisfied, subjective, objective, curious, optimistic, pessimistic, casual, enthusiastic, negative, positive, passive, sympathetic
KEY
1. B 2. A 3. C 4. B 5. D
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。本章节重点练习推断题。
It's generally believed that people act the way they do because of their personalities and attitudes. They recycle their garbage because they care about the environment. They pay $5 for a caramel brulée latte because they like expensive coffee drinks.
It's undeniable that behavior comes from our inner dispositions （性情）, but in many instances we also draw inferences about who we are, as suggested by the social psychologist Daryl Bern, by observing our own behavior. We can be strangers to ourselves. If we knew our own minds, why would we need to guess what our preferences are from our behavior? If our minds were an open book, we would know exactly how much we care about the environment or like lattes. Actually, we often need to look to our behavior to figure out who we are.
Moreover, we don't just use our behavior to learn about our particular types of character—we infer characters that weren't there before. Our behavior is often shaped by little pressures around us, which we fail to recognize. Maybe we recycle because our wives and neighbors would disapprove if we didn't. Maybe we buy lattes in order to impress the people around us. We should not mistakenly believe that we always behave as a result of some inner disposition.
Whatever pressures there can be or inferences one can make, people become what they do, though it may not be in compliance （符合） with their true desires. Therefore, we should all bear in mind Kurt Vonnegut's advice: “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”
1. According to the passage, personalities and attitudes are commonly believed to ______.
A. determine one's behavior
B. reflect one's taste
C. influence one's surroundings
D. result from one's habits
2. Which of the following would Daryl Bern most probably agree with?
A. The return of a wallet can indicate one's honesty.
B. A kind person will offer his seat to the old.
C. One recycles plastics to protect the environment.
D. One buys latte out of true love of coffee.
3. What can be inferred from the underlined sentence in the passage?
A. We fail to realize our inner dispositions.
B. We can be influenced by outside pressures.
C. Our behavior is the result of our true desires.
D. Our characters can shape our social relationships.
4. What does the author mainly discuss in the passage?
A. Personalities and attitudes.
B. Preferences and habits.
C. Behavior and personalities.
D. Attitudes and preferences.
Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, genetically modified （GM, 转基因） foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the world, mainly on the basis of their promise to end the worldwide food crisis. But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would, is it the best solution?
Despite what it promises, GM technology actually has not increased the production potential of any crop. In fact, studies show that the most widely grown GM crop, GM soybeans, has suffered reduced productivity. For instance, a report that analyzed nearly two decades of research on major GM food crops shows that GM engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop production.
Something else, however, has been on the rise. While GM seeds are expensive, GM companies tell farmers that they will make good profits by saving money on pesticides （杀虫剂）. On the contrary, US government data show that GM crops in the US have produced an overall increase in pesticide use compared to traditional crops. “The promise was that you could use less chemicals and boost production. But neither is true,” said Bill Christenson, President of the US National Family Farm Coalition.
At the same time, the authors of the book World Hunger: Twelve Myths argue that there actually is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is not caused by production, but by problems in food distribution and politics. These indeed deserve our efforts and money. Meanwhile, the rise in food prices results from the increased use of crops for fuel rather than food, according to a 2008 World Bank report.
As a matter of fact, scientists see better ways to feed the world. Another World Bank report concluded that GM crops have little to offer to the challenges of worldwide poverty and hunger, because better ways out are available, among which “green” farming is supposed to be the first choice.
1. The author develops the second paragraph mainly ______.
A. by classification
B. by comparison
C. by example
D. by process
2. What does the underlined word “boost” in the third paragraph probably mean?
A. Control.
B. Evaluate.
C. Obtain.
D. Increase.
3. GM companies promise farmers that they will benefit from ______.
A. practicing “green” farming
B. use of less chemicals
C. fair distribution of their crops
D. using more crops for fuel
4. Which of the following best describes the attitude of the author towards GM technology?
A. Optimistic.
B. Defensive.
C. Disapproving.
D. Casual.
Port Lympne Reserve, which runs a breeding （繁育） programme, has welcomed the arrival of a rare black rhino calf （犀牛幼崽）. When the tiny creature arrived on January 31, she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve. And officials at Port Lympne were delighted with the new arrival, especially as black rhinos are known for being difficult to breed in captivity （圈养）.
Paul Beer, head of rhino section at Port Lympne, said: “Obviously we're all absolutely delighted to welcome another calf to our black rhino family. She's healthy, strong and already eager to play and explore. Her mother, Solio, is a first-time mum and she is doing a fantastic job. It's still a little too cold for them to go out into the open, but as soon as the weather warms up, I have no doubt that the little one will be out and about exploring and playing every day.”
The adorable female calf is the second black rhino born this year at the reserve, but it is too early to tell if the calves will make good candidates to be returned to protected areas of the wild. The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima and weighed about 32kg. His mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born at the reserve and still live there.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, the global black rhino population has dropped as low as 5,500, giving the rhinos a “critically endangered” status.
1. Which of the following best describes the breeding programme?
A. Costly.
B. Controversial.
C. Ambitious.
D. Successful.
2. What does Paul Beer say about the new-born rhino?
A. She loves staying with her mother.
B. She dislikes outdoor activities.
C. She is in good condition.
D. She is sensitive to heat.
3. What similar experience do Solio and Kisima have?
A. They had their first born in January.
B. They enjoyed exploring new places.
C. They lived with their grandmothers.
D. They were brought to the reserve young.
4. What can be inferred about Port Lympne Reserve?
A. The rhino section will be open to the public.
B. It aims to control the number of the animals.
C. It will continue to work with the World Wildlife Fund.
D. Some of its rhinos may be sent to the protected wild areas.
Did you know that women's brains are smaller than men's? The average women's brain weighs 10% less than men's. Since research has shown that the bigger the brain, the cleverer the animal, men must be more intelligent （聪明的） than women. Right? Wrong! Men and women always score similarly on intelligence tests, despite the difference in brain size. Why? After years of study, researchers have concluded that it's what's inside that matters, not just the size of the brain. The brain consists of “gray matter” and “white matter”. While men have more of the latter, the amount of “thinking” brain is almost exactly the same in both sexes.
It has been suggested that smaller brain appears to work faster, perhaps because the two sides of the brain are better connected in women. This means that little girls tend to learn to speak earlier, and that women can understand sorts of information from different sources at the same time. When it comes to talking to the boss on the phone, cooking dinner and keeping an eye on the baby all at the same time, it's women who come out on top every time.
There are other important differences between two sexes. As white matter is the key to spatial （空间的） tasks, men know better where things are in relation to other things. “A great footballer always knows where he is in relation to the other players, and he knows where to go,” says one researcher. That may explain one of life's great mysteries: why men refuse to ask for directions and women often need to!
The differences begin when fetuses （胎儿） are about nine weeks old, which can be seen in the action of children as young as one. A boy would try to climb a barrier （障碍物） before him or push it down while a girl would attract help from others. These brain differences also explain the fact that more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills. It may all go back to our ancestors （祖先）, among whom women needed speech skills to take care of their babies and men needed spatial skills to hunt, according to one research.
If all this disappoints you, it shouldn't. “The brain changes throughout our lives according to what we do with it.” says a biologist.
1. Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph?
A. Women's brain is 10% less than men's.
B. Grey matter plays the same role as white matter.
C. Grey matter controls thinking in the brain.
D. Both sexes have the same amount of white matter.
2. What can we infer from the second and third paragraphs?
A. Women prefer doing many things at a time.
B. Men do better dealing with one job at a time.
C. Women do not need to tell directions.
D. Men have weaker spatial abilities.
3. Which of the following do you agree with according to the fourth paragraph?
A. Young boys may be stronger than young girls.
B. More women take up jobs requiring speech skills.
C. Women may have stronger feelings than men.
D. Our ancestors needed more spatial skills.
4. What is the writer's attitude in writing this passage?
A. Defensive.
B. Persuasive.
C. Supportive.
D. Objective.
When “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was first shown to the public last month, a group of excited animal activists gathered on Hollywood Boulevard. But they weren't there to throw red paint on fur-coat-wearing film stars. Instead, one activist, dressed in a full-body monkey suit, had arrived with a sign praising the filmmakers: “Thanks for not using real apes （猿）!”
The creative team behind “Apes” used motion-capture （动作捕捉） technology to create digitalized animals, spending tens of millions of dollars on technology that records an actor's performance and later processes it with computer graphics to create a final image （图像）. In this case, one of a realistic-looking ape.
Yet “Apes” is more exception than the rule. In fact, Hollywood has been hot on live animals lately. One nonprofit organization, which monitors the treatment of animals in filmed entertainment, is keeping tabs on more than 2,000 productions this year. Already, a number of films, including “Water for Elephants,” “The Hangover Part II” and “Zookeeper,” have drawn the anger of activists who say the creatures acting in them haven't been treated properly.
In some cases, it's not so much the treatment of the animals on set in the studio that has activists worried; it's the off-set training and living conditions that are raising concerns. And there are questions about the films made outside the States, which sometimes are not monitored as closely as productions filmed in the States.
1. Why did the animal activists gather on Hollywood Boulevard?
A. To see famous film stars.
B. To oppose wearing fur coats.
C. To raise money for animal protection.
D. To express thanks to some filmmakers.
2. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?
A. The cost of making “Apes”.
B. The creation of digitalized apes.
C. The publicity about “Apes”.
D. The performance of real apes.
3. What does the underlined phrase “keeping tabs on” in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Listing completely.
B. Directing professionally.
C. Promoting successfully.
D. Watching carefully.
4. What can we infer from the last paragraph about animal actors?
A. They may be badly treated.
B. They should take further training.
C. They could be traded illegally.
D. They would lose popularity.
1. 解析： 根据文章第一段It's generally believed that people act the way they do because of their personalities and attitudes可知，人们普遍认为他们的行为方式是由他们的性格使然，也就是说性格决定了行动，所以正确答案为A。
2. 解析： 根据文章第二段It's undeniable that behavior comes from our inner dispositions可知，达里尔·伯恩认为无法否认我们的行为来自内心的性情。这句话说明行为可以解释性格。A项的意思是归还钱包的做法可以说明人们很正直，所以正确答案为A。
3. 解析： 根据画线句子前面一句Our behavior is often shaped by little pressures around us, which we fail to recognize可知，我们的行为经常受到周围压力的影响，这一点我们很少意识到。接着就给出例子，说明该例子表示的正是我们容易受到外界压力的影响这一观点，所以正确答案为B。
4. 解析： 根据文章首段It's generally believed that people act the way they do because of their personalities and attitudes及下面的段落可知，正确答案为C。
1. 解析： 根据第二段中的For instance可知，该段是通过举例说明的手法展开论述的，所以答案为C。
2. 解析： 联系上下文可知，转基因食品的初衷是提高粮食产量，因为它要解决世界粮食短缺问题，所以答案为D。
3. 解析： 根据 While GM seeds are expensive, GM companies tell farmers that they will make good profits by saving money on pesticides可知，当初转基因食品公司承诺可以通过减少杀虫剂的使用让农民节省成本，所以正确答案为B。
4. 解析： 作者态度题。通读全文可以看出转基因食品并没有解决饥饿等问题，特别是第一段中的But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would, is it the best solution?可以看出，作者对转基因食品持怀疑和反对态度，所以答案为C。
1. 解析： 根据第一段第二句中的she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve可知，保护区的繁育项目使很多黑犀牛成功存活，因此这个项目是成功的，所以正确答案为D。
2. 解析： 根据第二段中的She's healthy, strong and already eager to play and explore可知，保罗·比尔认为新生的犀牛身体状况很好，所以正确答案为C。
3. 解析： 根据第一段第二句When the tiny creature arrived on January 31, she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve，第二段第三句中的Her mother, Solio, is a first-time mum和第三段第二句中的The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima可知，索里奥和基西玛的第一个幼崽都是在一月份出生的，所以正确答案为A。
4. 解析： 根据第三段第一句中的it is too early to tell if the calves will make good candidates to be returned to protected areas of the wild可推知，林姆尼港自然保护区的一些犀牛可能会被送到野生保护区，所以正确答案为D。
1. 解析： 由第一段最后两句可知，尽管男性大脑有更多的白质，但影响大脑思考的物质（灰质）的组成数量男女几乎完全相等。A项具有很大的迷惑性，但文中说的是The average women's brain，是“平均”，所以A错，正确答案为C。
2. 解析： 女人在同时完成多项任务上有优势，但并不是说女人喜欢同时做许多事情，因此A项错误。由why men refuse to ask for directions and women often need to和more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills可知，C项和D项与文章内容不符，所以正确答案为B。
3. 解析： 根据第四段的more men take up jobs that require good spatial skills, while more women speech skills可知，正确答案为B。
4. 解析： 根据After years of study、researchers have concluded、says a biologist等表达可知，作者以科学研究结果为依据，未掺杂个人观点，所以正确答案为D。
1. 解析： 根据第一段中标牌上的话Thanks for not using real apes可知，动物保护主义者们在好莱坞大道聚集，目的是想感谢《猩球崛起》的制作者，因为他们没有使用真的类人猿作为动物演员，所以正确答案为D。
2. 解析： 根据第二段第一句中的The creative team behind “Apes” used motion-capture technology to create digitalized animals和and later processes it with computer graphics to create a final image可知，第二段讲的是《猩球崛起》电影中数字猿猴的打造方式，所以正确答案为B项。
3. 解析： 根据该短语前面的which monitors the treatment of animals in filmed entertainment可以推测，keep tabs on与monitor同义，所以正确答案为D。
4. 解析： 根据最后一段第一句中的it's the off-set training and living conditions that are raising concerns可知，让人担忧的是动物演员们在片场外的训练和生活条件，它们可能会受到虐待，所以正确答案为A。
人们普遍认为，他们的行为方式源于他们的个性和态度。回收垃圾因为他们关心环境；用5美元买焦糖拿铁因为他们喜欢昂贵的咖啡饮品。
据社会心理学家达里尔·伯恩所说，我们的行为源于我们内在的性格，这是不可否认的，但在许多情况下我们也能通过观察自己的行为对我们是谁得出结论。我们可能对自己完全不了解。如果我们知道自己的想法，那么为什么我们还要通过行为来猜测我们的偏好呢？如果我们的思想是一本打开的书，那么我们就会知道我们到底有多么关心环境或多么喜欢拿铁咖啡。事实上，我们经常需要透过我们的行为来搞清楚我们是谁。
此外，我们不只是会通过我们的行为来了解我们特定的性格种类——我们还推断出以前不存在的性格。我们的行为往往是由周围那些我们没有意识到的微小压力塑造而成的。也许我们循环利用只是因为如果不这样做，我们的妻子和邻居就不同意。也许我们买拿铁咖啡只是为了给周围的人留下深刻的印象。我们不应该错误地认为我们的行为总是由自身某种内在性格决定的。
无论有什么压力或得出什么样的推论，人怎么做就会变成什么样，哪怕这可能与他自己的真实愿望不符。因此，我们都应该牢记库尔特·冯内古特的建议：“我们假装自己是什么样的，我们就是什么样的。因此对于我们要假装成什么样，必须小心谨慎。”
自从20世纪90年代被推向市场起，转基因食品在世界上许多国家都得到了迅速发展并在市场上畅销，主要是基于其终结食品危机的承诺。但是转基因技术真的能解决世界饥饿问题吗？即使可以，它是最好的解决方案吗？
不管它的承诺是什么，实际上，转基因技术并没有提高任何农作物的潜在产量。事实上，研究表明，最为广泛种植的转基因农作物——转基因大豆，其生产率已经降低。例如，分析近20年的主要转基因农作物的一项研究报告表明，转基因工程没能显著增加美国农作物的产量。
然而，其他问题还在上升。尽管转基因种子价格昂贵，但转基因公司告诉农民可以通过减少杀虫剂的花费来获取不错的利润。相反，美国政府的数据显示，相对于传统的农作物而言，美国的转基因农作物所使用的杀虫剂总体上有所增长。美国国家农业联盟主席比尔·克里斯滕松说：“对你的承诺是用少量的化学药品保持产量的增加——但没有一个能兑现。”
与此同时，《世界饥荒：十二个神话》一书的作者们说，事实上世界上有足够多的食物，并且饥荒也不是由产量造成的，而是由食物分配和政策问题造成的。这些问题值得我们付出努力和金钱。同时，根据2008年世界银行的报道，食物价格上涨是由于对作为燃料使用的农作物需求的增加，而不是食物本身。
事实上，科学家发现了更好的哺育世界的方法。世界银行的另一个报道总结道：转基因作物对于应对全球范围内的贫穷和饥饿的挑战难有作为，因为出现了更好的可行性方法，其中，“绿色”农业是首选。
经营着一个繁育项目的林姆尼港自然保护区迎来了一头稀有的黑犀牛幼崽。当这头小犀牛于1月31日降临时，她成为在该保护区出生的第40头黑犀牛。林姆尼港的官员们对这头小犀牛的到来感到很高兴，尤其是在黑犀牛以很难圈养繁殖而闻名的情况下。
林姆尼港犀牛部负责人保罗·比尔说：“显然，我们都非常高兴，欢迎又一头小犀牛来到我们的黑犀牛家庭。她健康、强壮，并且早就渴望玩耍和探索了。她的母亲索里奥是第一次当妈妈，索里奥做得非常好。天气还是有点太冷了，不适合她们去户外，但一旦天气暖和起来，我确信这个小家伙每天会出去探索和玩耍。”
这头可爱的雌性小犀牛是今年在保护区出生的第二头黑犀牛，但现在判断这些小犀牛是否适合返回野生保护区，还为时过早。在林姆尼港出生的第一头犀牛于1月5日降生，体重约32公斤，他的母亲是第一次当妈妈的犀牛基西玛。他的母亲、祖母和曾祖母都出生在保护区，现在仍然生活在那里。
世界野生动物基金会称，全球黑犀牛数量已降至5500头，这使黑犀牛处于“极度濒危”状态。
你知道女性的大脑比男性的小吗？通常女性大脑的重量比男性轻10%。有研究表明大脑越大越聪明，所以男性一定比女性聪明，对吗？错！男性和女性在智力测试中分数相近，尽管二者大脑的大小不一样。为什么呢？经过多年的研究得出结论，是大脑里面的物质起了重要作用，而不光是大小。大脑由“灰质”和“白质”组成。男性大脑拥有更多的白质，但是从影响大脑思考的某种物质的组成数量来说，男女极为接近。
有迹象表明更小的大脑运转更快，或许是因为女性大脑的两边能更好地联系到一起。这就意味着小女孩学语言更早，而且女性能在同一时间里理解各种来源不同的信息。当说到能一边和老板打电话，一边做饭，还一边照顾小孩时，女性永远是赢家。
两性还有其他一些重要差别。白质是影响空间方位感的关键，所以男性能更好地知道事物之间的联系。一个研究人员说道：“一个优秀的足球运动员总能知道他和其他球员的位置关系，知道该往哪儿走。”这或许能解释生活中的一些神秘现象：为什么男性拒绝问方向，而女性常常需要问方向。
这些差别在胎儿九个月大时就开始了，在一岁大的孩子的行为中也能看到这些差别。小男孩会尝试爬过或推倒他眼前的障碍物，而小女孩会去寻求别人的帮助。大脑的这些区别也能解释这样一个事实——更多的男性会从事需要良好空间方位感的工作，而更多的女性会从事需要演讲技能的工作。这可以追溯到我们祖先的时期，根据一份调查，那时候的女性需要语言技能来照顾小孩，而男性需要空间技能来捕猎。
如果以上观点让你失望，那大可不必。一位生物学家表示：“大脑会根据我们所从事的活动发生改变。”
当《猩球崛起》上个月首次公映时，一群激动的动物保护主义者聚集在好莱坞大道上。但他们到那里并不是为了往穿着皮大衣的电影明星们身上泼红色油漆的。相反，一名身穿全身猴子服的动物保护主义者来到现场，手里拿着一块称赞电影制作人的标牌，上面写道：“感谢你们没有使用真正的猿类！”
《猩球崛起》背后的创意团队使用动作捕捉技术打造数字化动物，他们在一项技术上花费数千万美元，来记录一个演员的表演，后期用计算机绘图处理，产生一个最终的图像。在这种情况下，一只看起来很逼真的猿猴形象就出现了。
然而，比起常规而言，《猩球崛起》更像是个例外。事实上，好莱坞最近对活生生的动物很感兴趣。一个负责监督动物在电影娱乐中的待遇的非营利组织，今年一直密切关注着2000多部电影的制作。现在，包括《大象的眼泪》《宿醉2》和《动物园看守》在内的一些电影已经引起了动物保护人士的愤怒，他们说，影片中参演的动物没有得到恰当的对待。
在某些情况下，让动物保护人士担心的并不是电影棚里对动物的待遇；让人担忧的是片场外的训练和生活条件。他们对于在美国以外拍摄的电影也存在疑问，这些电影有时并不像在美国拍摄的电影那样受到严密的监控。