2013年4月托福考试辅导：toefl阅读模拟试题第四套（3）
Autobiographical Memory
Paragraph 1：Think back to your childhood and try to identify your earliest memory. How old were you? Most people are not able to recount memories for experiences prior to the age of three years, a phenomenon called infantile amnesia. The question of why infantile amnesia occurs has intrigued psychologists for decades, especially in light of ample evidence that infants and young children can display impressive memory capabilities. Many find that understanding the general nature of autobiographical memory, that is, memory for events that have occurred in one's own life, can provide some important clues to this mystery. Between ages three and four, children begin to give fairly lengthy and cohesive descriptions of events in their past. What factors are responsible for this developmental turning point?
1. The word “ample” in the passage is closest in meaning to
○Surprising
○Convincing
○Plentiful
○Questionable
题型：词汇题
解题思路： 根据句义，这句句子说的是“婴儿失忆症为什么会出现几十年来一直吸引着心理学家，特别是有充分的证据表明，婴幼儿可以显示令人印象深刻的记忆能力”。 “ample”是一个形容词，意思是“充足的，足够的”。
重点句子翻译：
The question of why infantile amnesia occurs has intrigued psychologists for decades, especially in light of ample evidence that infants and young children can display impressive memory capabilities.
婴儿失忆症为什么会出现几十年来一直吸引着心理学家，特别是有充分的证据表明，婴幼儿可以显示令人印象深刻的记忆能力。
2. According to paragraph 1, infantile amnesia has intrigued psychologists because
O the ability to recount memories prior to three years of age seems to be connected to intelligence in adulthood
O psychologists do not understand why some people are able to recount memories from before the age of three years, while others are not able do so
O psychologists do not understand the connection between infantile amnesia and autobiographical memory
O although psychologists have evidence that infants have memory abilities, most people cannot remember life events that happened before the age of three years
题型：细节题
定位词： infantile amnesia has intrigued psychologists because
解 题思路：根据定位词回原文定位， “especially in light of ample evidence that”提示了答案的出现，即“infants and young children can display impressive memory capabilities”，选项D为这句话的同义改写，为正确选项。
重点句子翻译：
The question of why infantile amnesia occurs has intrigued psychologists for decades, especially in light of ample evidence that infants and young children can display impressive memory capabilities.
婴儿失忆症为什么会出现几十年来一直吸引着心理学家，特别是有充分的证据表明，婴幼儿可以显示令人印象深刻的记忆能力。
3. According to paragraph 1, what is the evidence that a child has developed autobiographical memory?
O The child is able to remember past events from before the age of three years.
O The child is able to describe past events in a sufficiently lengthy and cohesive manner.
O The child is aware that he or she does not remember experiences from before the age of three years.
O The child is able to give a basic description of the nature of autobiographical memory.
题型：细节题
定位词： a child has developed autobiographical memory
解 题思路：根据定位词回原文，提到 autobiographical memory的后面一句话是答案的所在之处，即 “children begin to give fairly lengthy and cohesive descriptions of events in their past”, 选项B是这句话的同义改写，为正确选项。
重点句子翻译：
Between ages three and four, children begin to give fairly lengthy and cohesive descriptions of events in their past.
Paragraph 2：Perhaps the explanation goes back to some ideas raised by influential Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget—namely, that children under age two years represent events in a qualitatively different form than older children do. According to this line of thought, the verbal abilities that blossom in the two year old allow events to be coded in a form radically different from the action-based codes of the infant. Verbal abilities of one year olds are, in fact, related to their memories for events one year later. When researchers had one year olds imitate an action sequence one year after they first saw it, there was correlation between the children's verbal skills at the time they first saw the event and their success on the later memory task. However, even children with low verbal skills showed evidence of remembering the event; thus, memories may be facilitated by but are not dependent on those verbal skills.
4. In paragraph 2, why does the author provide the information that children with low verbal skills showed evidence of remembering a past event?
O To provide evidence that memories do not depend only upon verbal skills
O To challenge the idea that one year olds are too young to form memories
O To argue that the memory of one year olds depends only on action-based codes
O To suggest that Piaget later revised his findings on the correlation between memory and verbal ability
题型：修辞目的题
定位词： children with low verbal skills showed evidence of remembering a past event
解题思路：最后一句出现定位词，答案在后半句“memories may be facilitated by but are not dependent on those verbal skills”，所以A项正确。
重点句子翻译：
However, even children with low verbal skills showed evidence of remembering the event; thus, memories may be facilitated by but are not dependent on those verbal skills.
然而，口头表达能力低的儿童表明有记得事件的证据，因此，回忆也许是便利而不是依赖于那些口头表达能力。
Paragraph 3：Another suggestion is that before children can talk about past events in their lives, they need to have a reasonable understanding of the self as a psychological entity. The development of an understanding of the self becomes evident between the first and second years of life and shows rapid elaboration in subsequent years. The realization that the physical self has continuity in time, according to this hypothesis, lays the foundation for the emergence of autobiographical memory.
5. The word "reasonable" in the passage is closest in meaning to
O consistent
O sufficient
O apparent
O deep
题型：词汇题
解题思路： “reasonable”是一个简单词，意思为“合理的；过得去的”， 利用排除法可以得出正确答案为B。
重点句子翻译：
Another suggestion is that before children can talk about past events in their lives, they need to have a reasonable understanding of the self as a psychological entity.
另一个建议是，在孩子们可以谈论他们的生活往事之前，他们需要有一个作为心理实体的充分的自我认识。
原文来源： 2013年4月托福考试辅导：toefl阅读模拟试题第四套（3）
6. The word "elaboration" in the passage is closest in meaning to
O development
O specialization
O use
O transformation
题型：词汇题
解 题思路： becomes evident 和 shows rapid elaboration 在这句话中处于并列的位置，都是和 The development of an understanding of the self 有关的，据此可以推测出答案为A。
重点句子翻译：
The development of an understanding of the self becomes evident between the first and second years of life and shows rapid elaboration in subsequent years.
对自我认识的发展在生活的第一和第二年变得明显，并在随后几年显示快速发展。
7. According to paragraph 3, what is the relationship between autobiographical memory and the development of an understanding of the self?
O Autobiographical memory aids in the development of an understanding of the self.
O Children possess an understanding of the self when they can talk about past events in their lives.
O The realization that the self continues through time may aid in the onset of autobiographical memory.
O The development of autobiographical memory helps children gain an understanding of their roles in their social relationships.
题型：细节题
定位词： is the relationship between autobiographical memory and the development of an understanding of the self
解题思路：最后一句话显示了两者关系，即 the physical self lays the foundation for the emergence of autobiographical memory, 选项C是这句话的同义改写，为正确选项。
重点句子翻译：
The realization that the physical self has continuity in time, according to this hypothesis, lays the foundation for the emergence of autobiographical memory.
根据这一假说,认识到实体自我在时间上的连续性，奠定了自传体记忆出现的基础。
Paragraph 4：A third possibility is that children will not be able to tell their own "life story" until they understand something about the general form stories take, that is, the structure of narratives. Knowledge about narratives arises from social interactions, particularly the storytelling that children experience from parents and the attempts parents make to talk with children about past events in their lives. When parents talk with children about "what we did today" or "last week" or "last year," they guide the children's formation of a framework for talking about the past. They also provide children with reminders about the memory and relay the message that memories are valued as part of the cultural experience. It is interesting to note that some studies show Caucasian American children have earlier childhood memories than Korean children do. Furthermore, other studies show that Caucasian American mother-child pairs talk about past events three times more often than do Korean mother-child pairs. Thus, the types of social experiences children have do factor into the development of autobiographical memories.
8. All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 4 as ways in which parents help their children understand the structure of narratives EXCEPT
O talking with their children about past events
O telling stories to their children
O having their children repeat stories back to them
O showing their children that they think memories are important
题型：排除列举题
定位词： ways in which parents help their children understand the structure of narratives
解 题思路：选项A、C、D文章中都有提及： “storytelling” , “parents make to talk with children about past events”, “relay the message that memories are valued as part of the cultural experience”. 选项C原文未提及，为正确选项。
重点句子翻译：
Knowledge about narratives arises from social interactions, particularly the storytelling that children experience from parents and the attempts parents make to talk with children about past events in their lives.
关于叙事的知识源于社会交往，特别是孩子们从父母处经历的讲故事，以及父母和儿童谈他们与过去生活有关的活动的尝试。
9. According to paragraph 4, the studies of Caucasian American and Korean children suggest which of the following?
O Autobiographical memories develop similarly across all cultures.
O Parents from different cultures tell their children different kinds of stories about the past.
O Children's pleasure in hearing stories varies from culture to culture.
O The kinds of interactions children have with their parents affect the development of autobiographical memories.
题型：推理题
定位词： studies of Caucasian American and Korean children
解 题思路：原文中 Caucasian American的父母比 Korean讲故事的次数多，导致“Caucasian American children have earlier childhood memories than Korean children do”，所以可以推测出儿童的社会经历类型影响自传体记忆发展，所以D项正确。
重点句子翻译：
Thus, the types of social experiences children have do factor into the development of autobiographical memories.
因此，儿童的社会经历类型影响自传体记忆发展。
Paragraph 5：A final suggestion is that children must begin to develop a "theory of mind"— an awareness of the concept of mental states (feelings, desires, beliefs, and thoughts), their own and those of others—before they can talk about their own past memories. Once children become capable of answering such questions as "What does it mean to remember?" and "What does it mean to know something?" improvements in memory seem to occur.
10. According to paragraph 5, what evidence is there that a theory of mind is a factor in the development of autobiographical memory?
O Even children who are not aware of their mental states are still able to talk about past events.
O Autobiographical memory decreases when a child's feelings and mental state are upset.
O Older children who are unable to achieve awareness of mental states lack autobiographical memory.
O Children's memory of past events grows once children can answer questions about what it means to know and remember
题型：细节题
定位词： a theory of mind is a factor in the development of autobiographical memory
解题思路：最后一句话显示出 a theory of mind使得儿童的记忆得到提高，选项D是这句话的同义改写，为正确选项。
重点句子翻译：
Once children become capable of answering such questions as "What does it mean to remember?" and "What does it mean to know something?" improvements in memory seem to occur.
一旦孩子成为能够回答这样的问题:“记忆是什么意思？”和“知道是什么意思？”记忆的提高似乎发生。
原文来源： 2013年4月托福考试辅导：toefl阅读模拟试题第四套（3）
11. The organization of the passage can best be described as
O the presentation of an argument followed by the evidence for and against it
O a description of a phenomenon followed by several possible theories about how it develops
O the definition of a psychological term followed by a history of its usage
O an explanation of a process followed by a discussion of its practical applications
题型：修辞目的题
解题思路：这篇文章的结构是总－分结构，先描述了自传记忆这一现象，随后讨论了几个导致这一现象的原因，所以B项正确。
12. The passage supports which of the following statements about the development of autobiographical memory?
O It is unlikely that a single factor is responsible for the development of autobiographical memory.
O Jean Piaget was the first psychologist to understand the development of autobiographical memory.
O Understanding the development of autobiographical memory will help psychologists eliminate infant amnesia
O Understanding what it means to remember is the most important factor in the development of autobiographical memory.
题型：细节题
定位词 development of autobiographical memory
解题思路：选项B、C、D原文未提及，而文章重点讨论了几个导致自传体记忆现象的原因，所以A项正确。
13. Think back to your childhood and try to identify your earliest memory. How old were you? ■Most people are not able to recount memories for experiences prior to the age of three years, a phenomenon called infantile amnesia. ■ The question of why infantile amnesia occurs has intrigued psychologists far decades, especially in light of ample evidence that infants and young children can display impressive memory capabilities. ■Many find that understanding the general nature of autobiographical memory, that is, memory for events that have occurred in one's own life, can provide same important clues to this mystery. ■ Between ages three and four, children begin to give fairly lengthy and cohesive descriptions of events in their past. What factors are responsible for this developmental turning point?
Look at the four squares ■ that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
It is unlikely that this memory will be from the first two years of life.
Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square to add the sentence to the passage.
题型：句子插入题
解题思路：所给句子中的 this memory 提示了插入句前面提到了 memory. 而且插入句很好地回答了本段开头第一个问题。第二个方框前后两句话含有指代关系，不能插入句子。所以应该把句子插入第一个方框。
Q14.总结题
Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
The ability to construct autobiographical memories—coherent narratives about events from one’s past—is probably the joint product of several social and intellectual developments.
●
●
●
Answer choices
A. Although children are capable of simple recognition and recall very early in life, they do not develop the capacity for autographical memory until the age of three or four years.
B. children’s earliest autobiographical memory are usually about social interactions with parents.
C. the development of autobiographical memory allows children to appreciate the fact that memories are an important part of their cultural experience.
D. verbal skills and familiarity with narrative structures probably aid in the construction of autobiographical memories.
E. Research suggests that infantile amnesia occurs in some cultures but not in others and may be linked to children’s social experiences.
F. children who have acquired a concept of the self and of various mental states are generally able to talk about their own past memories.
题型：总结题
解题思路：选项A是第一段主要内容概括；选项B原文未提及；选项C为细节； 选项D是第二和第四段主要内容概括；选项E原文未提及；选项F第三和第五段主要内容概括。综上，正确选项为A、D、F。
本文核心词汇：
Autobiographical Memory
infantile: adj. 婴儿的；幼稚的
amnesia: n. 遗忘症
intrigue: v. 激起…的好奇心
autobiographical: adj. 自传的，自传体的
ample: adj. 足够的，大量的
cohesive: adj. 使结合的，使凝聚的
radically: adv. 根本地，彻底地
entity: n. 实体
elaboration: n. 精心制作
subsequent: adj. 随后的，后来的
narrative: n. 记叙文，故事