in anatomical differences; areas that are involved with the production of
speech are usually larger on the left side than on the right. Since monkeys
have not acquired the art of speech, one would not expect to see such a
variation but Brinkman claims to have discovered a trend in monkeys towards
the asymmetry that is evident in the human brain.
¡¡¡¡Two American researchers, Geschwind and Galaburda, studied the brains of human
embryos and discovered that the left-right asymmetry exists before birth. But
as the brain develops, a number of things can affect it. Every brain is
initially female in its organisation and it only becomes a male brain when
the male foetus begins to secrete hormones. Geschwind and Galaburda knew that
different parts of the brain mature at different rates; the right hemisphere
develops first, then the left. Moreover, a girl s brain develops somewhat
faster than that of a boy. So, if something happens to the brain s development
during pregnancy, it is more likely to be affected in a male and the hemisphere
more likely to be involved is the left. The brain may become less lateralised
and this in turn could result in left-handedness and the development of certain
superior skills that have their origins in the left hemisphere such as logic,
rationality and abstraction. It should be no surprise then that among
mathematicians and architects, left-handers tend to be more common and there
are more left-handed males than females.
¡¡¡¡The results of this research may be some consolation to left-handers who have
for centuries lived in a world designed to suit right-handed people. However,
what is alarming, according to Mr. Charles Moore, a writer and journalist,
is the way the word `right reinforces its own virtue. Subliminally he says,
language tells people to think that anything on the right can be trusted while
anything on the left is dangerous or even sinister. We speak of left-handed
compliments and according to Moore, `it is no coincidence that left-hand,
often develop a stammer as they are robbed of their freedom of speech . However,
as more research is undertaken on the causes of left handedness, attitudes
towards left-handed people are gradually changing for the better. Indeed when
the champion tennis player Indeed when the champion tennis player Ivan Lendl
was asked what the single thing improve his game, he said he would like to
become a left-hander.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡Geoff Maslenª«


Questions 1-7
Use the information in the text to match the people ( listed A-E ) with the opinions ( listed 1-7 ) below. Write the appropriate letter ( A-E ) in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet. Some people match more than one opinion.
A Dr Broca
B Dr Brinkman
C Geschwind and Galaburda
D Charles Moore
E Professor Turner

Example Answer
Monkeys do not show a species specific preference for B
Left or right-handedness.

1 Human beings started to show a preference for right-handedness when
they first developed language.
2 Society is prejudiced against left-handed people.
3 Boys are more likely to be left-handed.
4 After a stroke, left-handed people recover their speech more quickly
than right-handed people.
5 People who suffer strokes on the left side of the brain usually lose
their power of speech.
6 The two sides of the brain develop different functions before birth.
7 Asymmetry is a common feature of the human body.


Question 8-10
Using the information in the passage, complete the table below. Write your answer in boxes 8-10 on your answer sheet.

¹²7Ò³: ÉÏÒ»Ò³ [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] 6 [7] ÏÂÒ»Ò³