Questions 23 - 26 Complete the summary below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 23-26 on your answer sheet.
原文
G The birth-order effect, however, can easily be upset. It has been found that neglect by parents of any of the children usually breaks the bond the parents have with the firstborn, turning that child from parental ally to protector of the brood. At the same time, the eldest may pick up some of the younger children’s skills in dealing with irrational parents-while the youngest learn some of the firstborn’s independence. The sheer number of siblings in a family can also overrule birth order. The 1 per cent income variation that Black detected tends to be reduced as you move down the age line, with a smaller gap between a third and fourth child than between a second and third. The most vocal skeptics of birth-order research do not question the findings of the science but rather the methods. To achieve any kind of statistical significance, investigators must assemble large samples of families and look for patterns. But families are very different things-distinguished by size, income, education, ethnicity and more.
When birth-order theories do not seem to apply
第 23 题
There are a number of factors which may undermine the theory that birth order determines personality and destiny. First of all, when children suffer from neglect, the oldest child in a family tends to adopt the role of a parent figure. In this situation, the firstborns will develop extra _____ that can help them to get along with others while younger children may learn from their older siblings in developing greater ____
正确答案：skills
第 24 题
There are a number of factors which may undermine the theory that birth order determines personality and destiny. First of all, when children suffer from neglect, the oldest child in a family tends to adopt the role of a parent figure. In this situation, the firstborns will develop extra ____ that can help them to get along with others while younger children may learn from their older siblings in developing greater _____
正确答案：independence
第 25 题
A second observation is that in large families who have more than three children, there is less of a difference in _____ amongst the later siblings. And finally, some critics strongly doubt the ____ that some birth-order researchers use, and feel that factors such as a family's education and cultural background are not taken into account.
正确答案：income
第 26 题
A second observation is that in large families who have more than three children, there is less of a difference in ____ amongst the later siblings. And finally, some critics strongly doubt the _____ that some birth-order researchers use, and feel that factors such as a family's education and cultural background are not taken into account.