全新版大学英语听说教程第三册听力原文TapescriptsofUnit8.docVIP

Unit 8 Part B Text 1 Why Are Some People Left-handed Research has shown that 90% of people naturally use their right hands for most tasks. But hundreds of millions of people use their left hands. Then why are some people left-handed? Scientists have been trying to answer that question for many years. A study done in 1992 found that men are more likely to be left-handed than women. It also found that Asian or Hispanic people are less likely to be left-handed than white people, black people or North American Indians. Some cultures accept people who do things mostly with their left hands. Others do not. Scientists want to know the reason for left-handedness because it is closely linked to mental problems and language difficulties. One idea about the cause of left-handedness is the genetic theory. It says that people are right- or left-handed because of genes passed to them by their parents. For example, it has been shown that the handedness of adopted children is more likely to follow that of their birth parents than their adopted parents. Other evidence of genetic involvement can be found in some families. One famous example is the left-handed members of the present British royal family. These include Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Prince William. Another idea is that right-handed people are born with the gene for it. But about 20% of people do not have the right-handed gene. These people could be either left- or right-handed. This idea may explain why two babies who have the same genes use different hands. In 18% of identical twins one twin is right-handed, and the other is left-handed. Probably both twins lack the right-handed gene so each has a chance to be either right- or left-handed. Some scientists believe that the cause of handedness could include both genetics and development. Questions: 1. What is the passage mainly about? 2. Which of the following topics is discussed in more detail in the passage? 3. What did the speaker want to convey by an exampl