Reading test 36

Being Left-handed in a Right-handed World

A The probability that two right-handed people would have a left-handed child is only about 9.5 percent.
The chance rises to 19.5 percent if one parent is a lefty and 26 percent if both parents are left-handed.
The preference, however, could also stem from an infant’s imitation of his parents. To test genetic
influence, starting in the 1970s British biologist Marian Annett of the University of Leicester hypothesized
that no single gene determines handedness. Rather, during fetal development, a certain molecular factor
helps to strengthen the brain’s left hemisphere, which increases the probability that the right hand will be
dominant, because the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, and vice versa. Among the
minority of people who lack this factor, handedness develops entirely by chance. Research conducted on
twins complicates the theory, however. One in fivesets of identical twins involves one right-handed and
one left-handed person, despite the fact that their genetic material is the same. Genes, therefore, are not
solely responsible for handedness.

B Genetic theory is also undermined by results from Peter Hepper and his team at Queen’s University in
Belfast, Ireland. In 2004 the psychologists used ultrasound to show that by the 15th week of pregnancy,
fetuses already have a preference as to which thumb they suck. In most cases, the preference continued
after birth. At 15 weeks, though, the brain does not yet have control over the body’s limbs. Hepper
speculates that fetuses tend to prefer whichever side of the body is developing quicker and that their
movements, in turn, influence the brain’s development. Whether this early preference is temporary or
holds up throughout development and infancy is unknown. Genetic predetermination is also contradicted
by the widespread observation that children do not settle on either their right or left hand until they are two
or three years old.

C But even if these correlations were true, they did not explain what actually causes left-handedness.
Furthermore, specialization on either side of the body is common among animals. Cats will favor one paw
over another when fishing toys out from under the couch. Horses stomp more frequently with one hoof
than the other. Certain crabs motion predominantly with the left or right claw. In evolutionary terms,
focusing power and dexterity in one limb is more efficient than having to train two, four or even eight limbs
equally. Yet for most animals, the preference for one side or the other is seemingly random. The
overwhelming dominance of the right hand is associated only with humans. That fact directs attention
toward the brain’s two hemispheres and perhaps toward language.

D Interest in hemispheres dates back to at least 1836. That year, at a medical conference, French
physician Marc Dax reported on an unusual commonality among his patients. During his many years as a
country doctor, Dax had encountered more than 40 men and women for whom speech was difficult, the
result of some kind of brain damage. What was unique was that every individual suffered damage to the
left side of the brain. At the conference, Dax elaborated on his theory, stating that each half of the brain
was responsible for certain functions and that the left hemisphere controlled speech. Other experts
showed little interest in the Frenchman’s ideas. Over time, however, scientists found more and more
evidence of peopleexperiencing speech difficulties following injury to the left brain. Patients with damage
to the right hemisphere most often displayed disruptions in perception or concentration. Major
advancements in understanding the brain’s asymmetry were made in the 1960s as a result of so-called
split-brain surgery, developed to help patients with epilepsy. During this operation, doctors severed the
corpus callosum—the nerve bundle that connects the two hemispheres. The surgical cut also stopped
almost all normal communication between the two hemispheres, which offered researchers the
opportunity to investigate each side’s activity.

E In 1949 neurosurgeon Juhn Wada devised the first test to provide access to the brain’s functional
organization of language. By injecting an anesthetic into the right or left carotid artery, Wada temporarily
paralyzed one side of a healthy brain, enabling him to more closely study the other side’s capabilities.
Based on this approach, Brenda Milner and the late Theodore Rasmussen of the Montreal Neurological
Institute published a major study in 1975 that confirmed the theory that country doctor Dax had
formulated nearly 140 years earlier: in 96 percent of right-handed people, language is processed much
more intensely in the left hemisphere. The correlation is not as clear in lefties, however. For two thirds of
them, the left hemisphere is still the most active language processor. But for the remaining third, either
the right side is dominant or both sides work equally, controlling different language functions. That last
statistic has slowed acceptance of the notion that the predominance of right-handedness is driven by left-
hemisphere dominance in language processing. It is not at all clear why language control should
somehow have dragged the control of body movement with it. Some experts think one reason the left
hemisphere reigns over language is because the organs of speech processing—the larynx and tongue—
are positioned on the body’s symmetry axis. Because these structures were centered, it may have been
unclear, in evolutionary terms, which side of the brain should control them, and it seems unlikely that
shared operation would result in smooth motor activity. Language and handedness could have developed
preferentially for very different reasons as well. For example, some researchers, including
evolutionary psychologist Michael C. Corballis of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, think that
the origin of human speech lies in gestures. Gestures predated words and helped language emerge. If
the left hemisphere began to dominate speech, it would have dominated gestures, too, and because the
left brain controls the right side of the body, the right hand developed more strongly.

F Perhaps we will know more soon. In the meantime, we can revel in what, if any, differences
handedness brings to our human talents. Popular wisdom says right-handed, left-brained people excel at
logical, analytical thinking. Lefthanded, right-brained individuals are thought to possess more creative
skills and may be better at combining the functional features emergent in both sides of the brain. Yet
some neuroscientists see such claims as pure speculation. Fewer scientists are ready to claim that left-
handedness means greater creative potential. Yet lefties are prevalent among artists, composers and the
generally acknowledged great political thinkers. Possibly if these individuals are among the lefties whose
language abilities are evenly distributed between hemispheres, the intense interplay required could lead
to unusual mental capabilities.

G Or perhaps some lefties become highly creative simply because they must be more clever to get by in
our right-handed world. This battle, which begins during the very early stages of childhood, may lay the
groundwork for exceptional achievements.
Questions 1-5

Reading Passage has seven sections A-G.

Which section contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-G in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.

1 Preference of using one side of the body in animal species.

2 How likely one-handedness is born.

3 The age when the preference of using one hand is settled.

4 Occupations usually found in left-handed population.

5 A reference to an early discovery of each hemisphere’s function.

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Questions 6-9
Look at the following researchers (Questions 6-9) and the list of findings below.
Match each researcher with the correct finding.
Write the correct letter A-G in boxes 6-9 on your answer sheet.
List of Findings
A Early language evolution is correlated to body movement and thus affecting the preference of use of
one hand.
B No single biological component determines the handedness of a child.
C Each hemisphere of the brain is in charge of different body functions.
D Language process is mainly centered in the left-hemisphere of the brain.
E Speech difficulties are often caused by brain damage.
F The rate of development of one side of the body has influence on hemisphere preference in fetus.
G Brain function already matures by the end of the fetal stage.

6 Marian Annett

7 Peter Hepper

8 Brenda Milner & Theodore Rasmussen

9 Michael Corballis
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Questions 10-13

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet write

YES if the sataement agrees with the information

NO if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

10 The study of twins shows that genetic determinationis not the only factor for left-
handedness.

11 Marc Dax’s report was widely accepted in his time.

12 Juhn Wada based his findings on his research of people with language problems.

13 There tend to be more men with left-handedness than women.

The Motor Car - 2

AThere are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world - and the number is rising by more than 40
million each year. The average distance driven by car users is growing too - from 8 km a day per person
in western Europe in 1965 to 25 km a day in 1995. This dependence on motor vehicles has given rise to
major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources, traffic congestion and
safety.
B
While emissions from new cars are far less harmful than they used to be, city streets and motorways are
becoming more crowded than ever, often with older trucks, buses and taxis, which emit excessive levels
of smoke and fumes. This concentration of vehicles makes air quality in urban areas unpleasant and
sometimes dangerous to breathe. Even Moscow has joined the list of capitals afflicted by congestion and
traffic fumes. In Mexico City, vehicle pollution is a major health hazard.
C
Until a hundred years ago, most journeys were in the 20 km range, the distance conveniently accessible
by horse. Heavy freight could only be carried by water or rail. The invention of the motor vehicle brought
personal mobility to the masses and made rapid freight delivery possible over a much wider area. Today
about 90 per cent of inland freight in the United Kingdom is carried by road. Clearly the world cannot
revert to the horse-drawn wagon. Can it avoid being locked into congested and polluting ways of
transporting people and goods?
D
In Europe most cities are still designed for the old modes of transport. Adaptation to the motor car has
involved adding ring roads, one-way systems and parking lots. In the United States, more land is
assigned to car use than to housing. Urban sprawl means that life without a car is next to impossible.
Mass use of motor vehicles has also killed or injured millions of people. Other social effects have been
blamed on the car such as alienation and aggressive human behaviour.
E
A 1993 study by the European Federation for Transport and Environment found that car transport is
seven times as costly as rail travel in terms of the external social costs it entails such as congestion,
accidents, pollution, loss of cropland and natural habitats, depletion of oil resources, and so on. Yet cars
easily surpass trains or buses as a flexible and convenient mode of personal transport. It is unrealistic to
expect people to give up private cars in favour of mass transit.
F
Technical solutions can reduce the pollution problem and increase the fuel efficiency of engines. But fuel
consumption and exhaust emissions depend on which cars are preferred by customers and how they are
driven. Many people buy larger cars than they need for daily purposes or waste fuel by driving
aggressively. Besides, global car use is increasing at a faster rate than the improvement in emissions and
fuel efficiency which technology is now making possible.
G
One solution that has been put forward is the long-term solution of designing cities and neighbourhoods
so that car journeys are not necessary - all essential services being located within walking distance or
easily accessible by public transport. Not only would this save energy and cut carbon dioxide emissions, it
would also enhance the quality of community life, putting the emphasis on people instead of cars. Good
local government is already bringing this about in some places. But few democratic communities are
blessed with the vision - and the capital - to make such profound changes in modern lifestyles.
H
A more likely scenario seems to be a combination of mass transit systems for travel into and around
cities, with small 'low emission' cars for urban use and larger hybrid or lean burn cars for use elsewhere.
Electronically tolled highways might be used to ensure that drivers pay charges geared to actual road
use. Better integration of transport systems is also highly desirable - and made more feasible by modern
computers. But these are solutions for countries which can afford them. In most developing countries, old
cars and old technologies continue to predominate.
Questions 1-6
Reading Passage 2 has eight paragraphs (A-H). Which paragraphs concentrate on the following
information?
Write the appropriate letters (A-H) in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
NB You need only write ONE letter for each answer.

1 a comparison of past and present transportation methods

2 how driving habits contribute to road problems

3 the relative merits of cars and public transport

4 the writer's own prediction of future solutions

5 the increasing use of motor vehicles

6 the impact of the car on city development

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Questions 7-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
In boxes 7-13 on your answer sheet write
YES if the statement agrees with the information
NO if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this in the passage

7 Vehicle pollution is worse in European cities than anywhere else.

8 Transport by horse would be a useful alternative to motor vehicles.

9 Nowadays freight is not carried by water in the United Kingdom.

10 Most European cities were not designed for motor vehicles.

11 Technology alone cannot solve the problem of vehicle pollution.

12 People's choice of car and attitude to driving is a factor in the pollution problem.

13 Redesigning cities would be a short-term solution.

Motivating Drives
Scientists have been researching the way to get employees motivated for many years. This research in a
relational study which builds the fundamental and comprehensive model for study. This is especially true
when the business goal is to turn unmotivated teams into productive ones. But their researchers have
limitations. It is like studying the movements of car without taking out the engine.
Motivation is what drives people to succeed and plays a vital role in enhancing an organizational
development. It is important to study the motivation of employees because it is related to the emotion and
behavior of employees. Recent studies show there are four drives for motivation. They are the drive to
acquire, the drive to bond, the drive to comprehend and the drive to defend.
The Drive to Acquire
The drive to acquire must be met to optimize the acquire aspect as well as the achievement element.
Thus the way that outstanding performance is recognized, the type of perks that is provided to polish the
career path. But sometimes a written letter of appreciation generates more motivation than a thousand
dollar check, which can serve as the invisible power to boost business engagement. Successful
organizations and leaders not only need to focus on the optimization of physical reward but also on
moving other levers within the organization that can drive motivation.
The Drive to Bond
The drive to bond is also key to driving motivation. There are many kinds of bonds between people, like
friendship, family. In company, employees also want to be an essential part of company. They want to
belong to the company. Employees will be motivated if they find personal belonging to the company. In
the meantime, the most commitment will be achieved by the employee on condition that the force of
motivation within the employee affects the direction, intensity and persistence of decision and behavior in
company.
The Drive to Comprehend
The drive to comprehend motivates many employees to higher performance. For years, it has been
known that setting stretch goals can greatly impact performance. Organizations need to ensure that the
various job roles provide employees with simulation that challenges them or allow them to grow.
Employees don’t want to do meaningless things or monotonous job. If the job didn’t provide them with
personal meaning and fulfillment, they will leave the company.
The Drive to Defend
The drive to defend is often the hardest lever to pull. This drive manifests itself as a quest to create and
promote justice, fairness, and the ability to express ourselves freely. The organizational lever for this
basic human motivator is resource allocation. This drive is also met through an employee feeling
connection to a company. If their companies are merged with another, they will show worries.
Two studies have been done to find the relations between the four drives and motivation. The article
based on two studies was finally published in Harvard Business Review. Most authors’ arguments have
laid emphasis on four-drive theory and actual investigations. Using the results of the surveys which
executed with employees from Fortune 500 companies and other two global businesses (P company and
H company), the article mentions about how independent drives influence employees’ behavior and how
organizational levers boost employee motivation.
The studies show that the drive to bond is most related to fulfilling commitment, while the drive to
comprehend is most related to how much effort employees spend on works. The drive to acquire can be
satisfied by a rewarding system which ties rewards to performances, and gives the best people
opportunities for advancement. For drive to defend, a study on the merging of P company and H
company shows that employees in former company show an unusual cooperating attitude.
The key to successfully motivate employees is to meet all drives. Each of these drives is important if we
are to understand employee motivation. These four drives, while not necessarily the only human drives,
are the ones that are central to unified understanding of modern human life.
Questions 1-5
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D
Write the correct letter in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.
1. According to the passage, what are we told about the study of motivation?

A The theory of motivating employees is starting to catch attention in organizations in recent years.

B It is very important for managers to know how to motivate their subordinates because it is related
to the salary of employees.

C Researchers have tended to be too theoretical to their study.

D The goal of employee motivation is to increase the profit of organizations.
2. What can be inferred from the passage about the study of people’s drives?

A Satisfying employees’ drives can positively lead to the change of behavior.

B Satisfying employees’ drives will negatively affect their emotions.

C Satisfying employees’ drives can increase companies’ productions.

D Satisfying employees’ drives will result in employees’ outstanding performance.

3. According to paragraph three, in order to optimize employees’ performance, are needed.

A Drive to acquire and achievement element

B Outstanding performance and recognition

C Career fulfillment and a thousand dollar check

D Financial incentive and recognition

4. According to paragraph five, how does “the drive to comprehend” help employees perform
better?

A It can help employees better understand the development of their organizations.

B It can help employees feel their task in meaningful to their companies.

C It can help employees set higher goals.

D It can provide employees with repetitive tasks.

5. According to paragraph six, which of following is true about “drive to defend”?

A Organizational resource is the most difficult to allocate.

B It is more difficult to implement than the drive to comprehend.

C Employees think it is very important to voice their own opinions.

D Employees think it is very important to connect with a merged corporation.

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Questions 6-8
Choose THREE letters, A-F.
Write the correct letters in boxes 6-8 on your answer sheet.
Which THREE of the following statements are true of study of drives?
A Employees will be motivated if they feel belonged to the company.

B If employees get an opportunity of training and development program, their motivation will be
enhanced.

C If employees’ working goals are complied with organizational objectives, their motivation will be
reinforced.

D If employees’ motivation in very low, companies should find a way to increase their salary as their
first priority.

E If employees find their work lacking challenging, they will leave the company.

F Employees will worry if their company is sold.

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Questions 9-14
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage?
In boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement agree with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

9 Increasing pay can lead to the high work motivation.

10 Local companies benefit more from global companies through the study.

11 Employees achieve the most commitment if their drive to comprehend is met.

12 The employees in former company presented unusual attitude toward the merging of
two companies.

13 The two studies are done to analyze the relationship between the natural drives and
the attitude of employees.

14 Rewarding system cause the company to lose profit.