Question

In the top 10 of unpleasant sounds, a crying baby ranks very high. It instantly makes a key part of your brain called the amygdale (杏仁孔) active, which, among other things, acts as a sort of radar for emotional threats. So why would babies need to cause this sort of urgent reaction? To get you to respond and fast to ensure their survival.

Babies can’t fend for themselves. They are like chicks in their parents’ nest, depending on others to keep them warm, fed and safe. Like chicks, their cries signal driving necessities such as a need for food or protection from danger. But human babies can also convey a range of other needs with cries.

Human babies are also highly social, and are interested in engaging in a dialogue with their caregivers. So they are equally attentive to their parents’ signals: the messages conveyed by the body language of their caregivers — how the parent smells, touches, holds, rocks, as well as their tone of voice. In relaxed moments with the parent, they soon discover how smiling at an attentive adult tends to cause a positive response in return.

On the other hand, these early attempts at communication between the parent and child can be very hit-and-miss. In the first few weeks, most babies cry for about two hours a day. When the parent and baby aren’t “getting” each other, crying can increase. In particular, long difficulties with breast-feeding can lead to a pattern of “established firmly” crying behavior.

Crying is a signal that can mean many different things. The lessons that are learned from these early experiences are highly significant for individual lives, but collectively they also have a great effect on our culture.

1.According to the first paragraph, what is babies’ purpose of crying?

A. To change their comfortable situation at the present time.

B. To communicate with parents and learn to use body language.

C. To make caregivers fast respond to guarantee their survival.

D. To get something that they want to get as quickly as possible.

2.What does the underlined phrase “fend for” in Para.2 mean?

A. feed B. look after

C. support D. make up

3.Why do human babies pay attention to their parents’ signals?

A. Because they hope to get more from their parents.

B. Because they want to convey messages to their parents.

C. Because they need to learn from their parents how to communicate.

D. Because they are social and interested in talking with their parents.

4.What is the best title of the text?

A. Cry or Don’t Cry? B. Why Do Babies Cry?

C. How to Express Babies’ Feelings? D. Human Babies Are Similar to Chicks’?

Answer 1