The IELTS Reading section tests a wide array of skills, including comprehension, critical thinking, and the ability to synthesize information. One recurring theme in these tests is the scientific examination of intelligence. This article dives deep into an actual IELTS Reading passage titled “The Research for Intelligence,” providing a thorough analysis, detailed answers, common mistakes, vocabulary insights, and noteworthy grammatical structures.
The Research for Intelligence
Reading Passage: The Research for Intelligence
A
In Robert Plomin’s line of work, patience is essential. Plomin, a behavioral geneticist at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, wants to understand the nature of intelligence. As part of his research, he has been watching thousands of children grow up. Plomin asks the children questions such as “What do water and milk have in common?” and “In what direction does the sun set?” Initially, he and his colleagues quizzed the children in person or over the telephone. Today, many of those children are in their early teens, and they take their tests on the Internet. The research has been a success. The children who take the tests are all twins, and identical twins tend to get scores closer to each other than those of non-identical twins, who in turn have closer scores than unrelated children. These results, along with similar ones from other studies, make clear that genes have a significant influence on intelligence test scores.
B
But Plomin wants to know more. He seeks the specific genes that influence intelligence. Now he has a tool for pinpointing genes that he couldn’t have imagined when he began his work. Plomin and his colleagues scan the genes of his subjects with a device called a micro-array, a small chip that can recognize half a million distinctive snippets of DNA. This powerful tool, combined with a large number of subjects, means he could detect genes that had only a tiny effect on the variation in scores.
DNA Microarray
C
Despite this, when Plomin and his co-workers unveiled the results of their micro-array study—the most extensive search for intelligence-linked genes ever—they found only six genetic markers that showed any sign of influence on test scores. After rigorous statistical tests to check for flukes, only one gene passed. It accounted for 0.4 percent of variation in the scores. Furthermore, no one knows what this gene does in the body. “It’s a real drag in some ways,” Plomin says.
D
Plomin’s experience is typical for scientists who study intelligence. Using micro-arrays, brain scans, and other sophisticated technologies, they document the interplay between genes and the environment in the development of intelligence. They are beginning to understand how intelligence is reflected in the brain’s structure and function. Some scientists have even begun to conceive intelligence in terms of how information flows through the brain. However, intelligence remains a profound mystery. “It’s amazing the extent to which we know very little,” says Wendy Johnson, a psychologist at the University of Minnesota.
E
In some ways, intelligence is very simple. “It’s something that everybody observes in others,” says Eric Turkheimer of the University of Virginia. Everyone knows that some people are smarter than others, whatever that means technically. It’s a gut instinct when talking to people. Yet that kind of instinct does not easily translate into a scientific definition. In 1996, the American Psychological Association issued a report on intelligence, stating only that “individuals differ in their ability to understand complex ideas, to adapt to the environment, to learn from experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning, to overcome obstacles by taking thought.”
F
To measure these differences, psychologists in the early 1900s invented tests of various types of thought, such as math, spatial reasoning, and verbal skills. Some psychologists developed standard scales of intelligence to compare scores across different types of tests. The most familiar is the intelligence quotient (IQ), with an average score set at 100. IQ scores are not arbitrary; psychologists can use them to predict other life outcomes. High IQ scores correlate with better school performance, workplace success, and even longevity. “If you have an IQ score, does that tell you everything about a person’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses? No,” says Richard J. Haier of the University of California, Irvine. “But even a simple number can say a lot about a person. When you go see your doctor, the first thing that happens is someone takes your blood pressure and temperature. These numbers are key indicators of health, though they don’t summarize everything about your health.”
G
So what does an intelligence score tap into? “It’s certainly tapping something,” says Philip Shaw, a psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The most influential theory of what an intelligence score reflects is over a century old. In 1904, psychologist Charles Spearman noted that people who did well on one type of test tended to do well on others. The connection was loose but significant enough for Spearman to postulate the g factor, short for general intelligence factor. Recent decades have seen scientists searching for an answer by analyzing patterns in test scores. There are two main sources of variation: environmental influences and genes. The way genes shape the brain can make individuals better or worse at answering intelligence test questions.
Questions and Answers
Matching Headings to Paragraphs
- Paragraph B – v. An innovative appliance to improve the probe
- Paragraph C – i. Low probability triggers unpersuasive findings
- Paragraph D – ii. Understanding of intelligence remains limited
- Paragraph E – iii. Difficulty in accurately defining intelligence
- Paragraph F – vii. Why an indicator is imperfect but referable
- Paragraph G – x. Multiple factors involved in intelligence
Matching People with Opinions/Deeds
- E. Richard J. Haier – A full conclusion can be hardly reached just by the one example in IQ test.
- A. Plomin – It is not easy to exclude the occasionality existed in the research.
- F. Wendy Johnson – Humans still have more to explore in terms of the real nature of intelligence.
- D. Charles Spearman – It is quite difficult to find the real origins where the general intelligence comes.
Completing the Summary
- micro-arrays
- intricate dance steps
- a reflection
Common Mistakes in Such Questions
- Misinterpreting the passage: Not understanding the context of the passage can lead to incorrect heading matches.
- Overlooking key details: Missing specific words or phrases that hint at the correct answer.
- Assuming general knowledge: Relying on prior knowledge rather than the passage’s content.
Vocabulary Highlight
- Behavioral geneticist (noun) /bəˈheɪvyərəl ˈdʒɛnəˌtɪsɪst/: a scientist who studies the genetic basis of behavior.
- Micro-array (noun) /ˈmaɪkroʊ əˈreɪ/: a laboratory tool used to detect the expression of thousands of genes at the same time.
- Intricate (adjective) /ˈɪntrɪkɪt/: very detailed and complicated.
- Variation (noun) /ˌværiˈeɪʃən/: the differences in level, amount, quantity, or quality.
Noteworthy Grammatical Structures
Relative Clauses:
- Example: “Plomin, a behavioral geneticist who works at the Institute of Psychiatry in London, wants to understand the nature of intelligence.”
- Usage: Provides additional information about a noun.
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives:
- Example: “Identical twins have scores closer to each other than those of non-identical twins.”
- Usage: Used to compare two or more things to highlight differences.
Conclusion
Understanding the passage on “The Research for Intelligence” and mastering the related questions can significantly enhance your IELTS Reading performance. By focusing on details, honing vocabulary, and recognizing grammatical structures, you can effectively tackle this challenging section.