Whatweknowofprenataldevelopmentmakesallthisattemptmadebyamothertomoldthecharacterofherunbornchildbystudyingpoetry，art，ormathematicsduringpregnancyseemtotallyimpossible．Howcouldsuchextremelycomplexinfluencespa

Question

What we know of prenatal development makes all this attempt made by a mother to mold the character of her unborn child by studying poetry，art，or mathematics during pregnancy seem totally impossible．How could such extremely complex influences pass from the mother to the child？There is no connection between their nervous systems．Even the blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly．An emotional shock to the mother will affect her child，because it changes the activity of her glands （腺体） and so the chemistry of her blood．Any chemical change in the mother's blood will affect the child for better or worse．But we can not see how a looking for mathematics or poetic genius can be dissolved in blood and produce a similar liking or genius in the child．
In our discussion of instincts we saw that there was reason to believe that whatever we inherit must be of some very simple sort rather than any complicated or very definite kind of behavior．It is certain that no one inherits a knowledge of mathematics．It may be，however，that children inherit more or less of a rather general ability that we may call intelligence．If very intelligent children become deeply interested in mathematics，they will probably make a success of that study．
As for musical ability，it may be that what is inherited is an especially sensitive ear，a peculiar structure of the hands or the vocal organs connections between nerves and muscles that make it comparatively easy to learn the movements a musician must execute，and particularly vigorous emotions．If these factors are all organized around music，the child may become a musician．The same factors，in other circumstance might be organized about some other center of interest．The rich emotional equipment might find expression in poetry．The capable fingers might develop skill in surgery．It is not the knowledge of music that is inherited，then nor even the love of it，but a certain bodily structure that makes it comparatively easy to acquire musical knowledge and skill．Whether that ability shall be directed toward music or some other undertaking may be decided entirely by forces in the environment in which a child grows up．
74．Which of the following statements is not true？___
A．Some mothers try to influence their unborn children by studying art and other subjects
during their pregnancy．
B．It is totally impossible for us to learn anything about prenatal development．
C．The blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly．
D．There are no connection between mother's nervous systems and her unborn child's．
75．A mother will affect her unborn baby on the condition that___．
A．she is emotionally shocked
B．she has a good knowledge of inheritance
C．she takes part in all kind of activities
D．she sticks to studying
76．According to the passage，a child may inherit___．
A．everything from his mother
B．a knowledge of mathematics
C．a rather general ability that we call intelligence
D．her mother's musical ability
77．Which of the following is the best title for the passage？___
A．Role of Inheritance
B．An Unborn Child
C．Function of instincts
D．Inherited Talents．

Answer 1

74．B  细节理解题，根据第一段What we know of prenatal development makes all this attempt made by a mother to mold the character of her unborn child by studying poetry，art，or mathematics during pregnancy seem totally impossible．可知我们所知道的产前发展使母亲塑造自己未出世的孩子的性格似乎是完全不可能的，而不是完全不可能，由此可知B错，故选B．
75．A  细节理解题，根据第一段An emotional shock to the mother will affect her child，because it changes the activity of her glands （腺体） and so the chemistry of her blood．Any chemical change in the mother's blood will affect the child for better or worse．可知如果一个母亲在情绪上很震惊会影响她未出生的婴儿，故选A．
76．C  推理判断题，根据第二段It may be，however，that children inherit more or less of a rather general ability that we may call intelligence．If very intelligent children become deeply interested in mathematics，they will probably make a success of that study．可知一个孩子可能会遗传父母的智力，非常聪明的小孩会变得对数学很感兴趣，故选C．
77．A  主旨大意题，通读全文可知本文中作者主要向我们介绍了母亲对未出生孩子的影响以及遗传问题，故选A．