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Think again before raising an eyebrow at the views of your partner, friend, sibling
or colleague as they could help make you smarter.
New research shows that intelligence is not fixed but can be lifted throughout
adulthood by family members, bright mates and intellectually stretching careers. The
study challenges the common belief that intelligence is static by the age of 18. Current
scientific consensus suggests that intelligence is controlled by genes, with
environmental factors such as schooling and nutrition playing a part up to this age.
After this point IQ scores stabilize.
But James Flynn, professor of political studies and psychology at a university of
New Zealand, argues that people can "upgrade" their own intelligence throughout
their lives. He believes intellectual stimulation from others is crucial as the "brain
seems to be rather like a muscle-the more you use it, the stronger it gets". However,
the opposite is also true - so people sharing a home or workplace with those who are
intellectually challenged risk seeing their IQ levels fall as a result.
He found the. "cognitive （认知) quality" of a family changes the IQs of all
members, especially children. It can "lift" or hold back, depending on the "gap
between their brightness and that of their siblings and parents". A bright ten-year-old
with siblings of average intelligence will suffer a five to ten point IQ disadvantage,
compared to a similar child with equally bright siblings. However, children with a low
IQ could gain six to eight points by having brighter siblings and special educational
treatment to help pull them up.
. Professor Flynn also concluded that although genetics and early life experiences
determine about 80 percent of intelligence, the remaining 20 percent is linked to
lifestyle. This means people can raise their IQ, or allow it to fall, by ten points or
more. Therefore, the best way to boost IQ level is to mix with bright friends, find an
intellectually challenging job and marry someone cleverer.
32. We can learn from the passage that_
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