大龄母亲的孩子长大后会更快乐
As a 16-year-old boy looked closely at a mouse, it ran around an enclosed area in a laboratory. “Hi, Jakob 1. I’m Jake.”
Jake Litvag named the mouse, but they share more than just names. Scientists genetically engineered(基因改造) Jakob, the mouse, to be similar to Jake in one important genetic way. That mouse and its relatives are the first in the world to have the same missing gene that scientists say may cause Jake’s condition—autism(自闭症).
Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis raised the mice from stem cells(干细胞) that came from Jake’s blood. They wanted to study his condition. Jake’s parents, Joe and Lisa Litvag, visited the laboratory back in December 2021. They thought that meeting the scientists and the mice would help Jake understand his important part in the research. He now considers autism something to be proud of rather than something that makes him different from others.
“Oh wow. Cool!” Jake said as he watched the research mice. Walking out of the lab, Lisa Litvag cried as she thought about her son’s cells helping others. After meeting the mice, the family visited another lab, where Jake looked through a microscope at his own stem cells. “That’s me! That’s cool stuff. I never saw anything like that in my life,” Jake said, as his dad pulled him close.
Jake’s father Joe Litvag said that he and his family are “deeply proud” to be part of the research. He added, “What do we live this life for? It’s to try to—in one way, shape or form—be of service to others.”
1.How many non-single mothers were studied?
A About 741.
B Over 4741.
C About 4,000.
D Below 474.
解析：选C。C 数字计算题。根据第一段“data from 4,741 mothers, including 741 single mothers.”可知，总共研究了4741位母亲，其中单身母亲741位，故非单身母亲为4000位，故选C。
2.Why do older mothers less speak angrily to their children?
A Because they have more money.
B Because they are very flexible.
C Because they are more able to accept others.
D Because their children grow up more positively.
解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据第一段“more mentally flexible with age, more tolerant of other people”和“this could be the reason why older mothers do not scold and hit their children as much as younger mothers”可知大龄母亲对他人更宽容（更能接受他人），所以她们会更少责备孩子。故选C。
3.Old mothers might be _________ of becoming mothers.
A less nervous
B more negative
C less happy
D more uncertain
解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第二段第二句“Older mothers worry less during pregnancy.”可知，大龄母亲在孕期的担忧更少，即不那么紧张。故选A。
4.What might happen if parents talk more to their children?
A Parents may feel more and more tired.
B Parents may waste lots of time on kids.
C Their children may be better at language.
D Their children may have a better education.
解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第二段的“This may be because older mothers spend more time with their children and talk to them more.”可知母亲多与孩子交谈多可能会使孩子的语言能力更好，故选C。
5.Where can you probably read this text?
A In a fashion magazine.
B On a science website.
C In a travel guide.
D In a science fiction.
解析：选B。B 文章出处题。根据全文内容可知，文章围绕一项科学研究结果展开，可知最容易出现在科学网站上，故选B。