The evolution of intelligence
Jun 2nd 2005
Greg Cochran
THE idea that some ethnic groups may, on average, be more intelligent than others is one of those hypotheses that dare not speak its name. But Gregory Cochran, (a noted scientific iconoclast), is prepared 第1题答案为B to say it anyway. He is that rare 第2题答案为D bird, a scientist who works independently of 第3题答案为A any institution. He helped popularise the idea that some diseases not previously 第4题答案为C thought to have a bacterial cause were actually infections, which ruffled many scientific feathers when it was first suggested. And more controversially still, he has suggested that homosexuality is caused by an infection.
Even 第5题答案为C he, however, might tremble at the thought第6题答案为A of what he is about to do. Together with Jason Hardy and Henry Harpending, of the University of Utah, he is publishing, in a forthcoming edition of the Journal of Biosocial Science, a paper which not only suggests第7题答案为B that one group of humanity is more intelligent than the others, but explains the process that has brought this about. The group in question 第8题答案为D are Ashkenazi Jews. The process is natural selection.
Ashkenazim generally do well in IQ tests, scoring 第9题答案为B 12-15 points above the mean 第10题答案为C value of 100, and have contributed disproportionately 第11题答案为B to the intellectual and cultural life of the West, as the careers 第12题答案为D of Freud, Einstein and Mahler, pictured above, affirm 第13题答案为A. They also suffer more often than most people from a number of nasty genetic diseases, such as Tay-Sachs and breast cancer. These facts, however 第14题答案为C, have previously been thought unrelated. The former has been put down 第15题答案为D to social effects, such as a strong tradition of valuing 第16题答案为D education. The latter was seen as a consequence 第17题答案为C of genetic isolation. Even now, Ashkenazim tend to marry among themselves. In the past they did so almost exclusively.
Dr Cochran, however, suspects that the intelligence and the diseases are intimately linked 第18题答案为A. His argument is that the unusual history of the Ashkenazim has subjected 第19题答案为B them to unique evolutionary pressures that have resulted in this paradoxical 第20题答案为A state of affairs.
2008年英语政治医学答案真题答案汇总
