Unit Six Nature and Nurture

Part One Preparation1. Talking about Twins

Directions: Work in groups to discuss the following questions.

1)Do you know any twins? What can you say about them?

2)Why are people curious about

twins?

3)How do you think it feels to be

wins?

2. Inherited TraitsDirections: Work in groups to make a list of

the genetic characteristics you inherited from your parents or grandparents.

3. Heredity and Environment Scientists agree that heredity plays a very

important role in the development of personality. However, most geneticists point out that a person’s environment also greatly influences the way that inherited characteristics are expressed.

Part Two Listening-Centered ActivitiesListening I: Words to Watch: Statistically: adv. 统计地，统计上的 Identical: adj. 同一的，同样的 Gene: n. 基因，因子 Image: n. 形象，肖像 Intuition: n. 知觉 Fraternal: adj. 兄弟（般）的，友爱的

Exercise 1Directions: Listen to the passage and answer the

following questions.1)What is the statistical probability of Twins being

born?One in every 86 births2)How many different kinds of twins does the

speaker mention? What are they?Two. Identical and fraternal twins.3)What are the major differences between the two

kinds of twins?Identical twins have the same genes while fraternal

twins inherit a separate set of genes.

Exercise 2

Directions: Listen to the passage again and fill in the blanks with the information about identical twins.

Identical twins have the same genes. As a

result, they have the same sex, hair, eyes,

blood type, and bone and tooth structure.

Some identical twins are mirror images of

each other.

For example, one may be left-handed, the

other right-handed. Some may even develop

their own private language when they are

young. Identical twins often seem to think and

dress alike even when away from each other.

In fact, even when they are separated at birth

and raised apart, they may pursue the same

careers, have the same interests, or die within

days of each other.

Listening II

Words to watch: Adopt: 采用，采纳；收为养子• The committee adopted the plan.• An adopted son 　养子 Triplet: 三个一组，三胞胎中的一个 Reunion: 团圆，重聚 Resemblance: 类同之处 Extrovert: 性格外向者

Exercise 1

Directions: Listen to the passage and decide whether the following statements are true or false.

T 1)Robert Jones and Edward Gallant thought they were actually twin brothers.

T 2)David Kellman was one of the triplets.

F 3)David learnt about his brothers on TV.

F 4)The triplets were born on June the 20th, 1961.

T 5)Everybody in the families was surprised by reunion of the triplets.

Exercise 2Directions: Listen to the passage again and list the

similarities of the triplets.1)They look like one another.2)They all like active sports.3)They have similar tastes similar in rock music and

girl friends.4)They are all extroverts who have similar gestures.5)They talk in the same way.6)They have the same laugh.7)They hold their cigarettes in the same way.8)They all smoke the same brand of cigarette.

Part Three Reading-Centered Activities

In class reading:1)Out line of the text:

The text tells us that genes and environment play equally important roles in the development of individual. The study of identical twins threw light on it. With the same genes, identical twins when raised in

the same environment will respond to it in much the same way and develop similarly; while when they are brought up in contrasting environment, they will show different behavioral characteristics. In short,what we can do is set by the genes, but what we actually do is determined by the environment.

2)Words to Watch:Considerable: fairly large or great* There was a considerable amount of memory work.Exhibit: vt. ( 同 ) show show a particular quality, fee

ling, or type of behavior 显示 ; 展览，陈列＊ The economy continued to exhibit signs of declin

e in September.＊ His paintings are exhibited in the gallery.Illustrate:( 以实例、图表等 ) 阐明，说明* I illustrated the function of the organization by fact

s.* The lecturer illustrated his point with a diagram on

the blackboard.

Likely: 有可能的 , 同 apt It is likely to rain. Apt: 与生俱来或习惯上有…的倾向　　 He is apt to catch (a) cold. Liable: 易犯的，易患的　　 Beginners are liable to make mistakes.Resemble: vt. 相似，想像 *You resemble your father. *You are like you father. *You look like you father.

　

4)Phrases and Expressions: Bring up: educate and care for a child until he/she

is grown up 抚养，养育 He left her to bring up three young children on her

own. Make the most of: get the most advantage of a situ

ation 充分利用 You should be outside making the most of sunshin

e. Respond to: do something in reply, react 响应，

作出反应 The government has responded to pressure by mo

ving towards reform.

5)Understanding the General Organization of the Text

1)Introduction (Para. 1)

2)Research on the relative effects of heredity and environment (Para. 2-8)

A. Studies on identical twins raised together (Para. 2)

B. Studies on identical twins raised apart in similar environments (Para. 3-4)

C. Studies on identical twins raised apart in contrasting environments (Para. 5-8)

3)Conclusion (Para. 9)

6)Language Points: 1. The potentials which a person is born wit

h determine in some way what he will do . Be born with 生来就有的，天赋的， whi

ch a person is born with 为定语从句修饰先行词 potentials( 潜力 )

In some way: to some extent ，从某种程度上讲。

＊从某种程度上讲，一个人生来具有的潜力将决定他一生的作为。

2.…but on the whole everyone is impressed by …have been separated infancy.

On the whole: 总的来看 句中 that exist between identical twins 是定语从

句，修饰 the great psychological and physical likenesses. 此外， who have been separated from infancy 也是定句从句，修饰 those.

＊但是总体而言，同卵双胞胎之间，甚至从婴儿时就分离的同卵双胞胎之间，在心理和身体上会如此相似，给每个人留下了深刻的印象。

3. In a study of nineteen sets of …than existed among unseparated pairs of twins.

句中 who had been separated from birth 作 sets of twins 的定语从句。 Investigators 为主语， that in approximately two thirds of the sets… 作 found 的宾语从句，句中 than 后面的比较状语从句省略了 the differences that

＊在对从一出生就分离的 19 对双胞胎的研究中，研究者发现，大约三分之二的双胞胎之间的差异并不比未分开抚养的双胞胎之间的差异更显著。

4. Her second foster-mother, though she had had few educational advantages herself, was determined that Helen should receive a good education;

句中 foster mother 为养母， though she had had few educational advantages herself 为让步状语从句，意为 :She did n’t have much education herself. that 后作 determined 的宾语从句。

＊她的第二个养母尽管自己没受过什么教育，却一定要让海伦得到良好的教育。

5. Helen had been healthier than Gladys, in childhood and adulthood, but other than that, their environments had been very similar except for their education.

Except 后面可以接名词、代词、介词短语、不定式或从句，意思为 not including

*We disagreed on nothing, except method.

*Everyone except me got an invitation.

*He rarely went anywhere except to his office.

*It had no effect except to make him angry.

*He never came except when he was in trouble.

Except for 除了表示 not including 以外，还可以表示 if it were not for, but for( 要不是）

＊ We had a very pleasant time, except for the weather.

＊ Except for her lack of experience she would be the ideal person for the job.

As an advertisement for a college education the contrast between these two twins should be quite effective.

＊这两个双胞胎之间的悬殊差异真可谓是大学教育的颇有说服力的广告。

6. Important as they are, genes alone are never absolutely responsible for any trait.

本句为 as 引导的让步状语从句，作表语的形容词应放在 as 之前。

＊尽管基因十分重要，但是基因本身决不能完全决定任何一个特点。

7. What we can do is set by the genes, but what we actually do is largely determined by the environment.

＊我们的能力会达到什么程度由基因决定，而我们真正做了什么则主要由环境决定。