我们的性格究竟是先天遗传的命定，还是在环境变迁和岁月洗礼中打磨而成的产物？通过对双胞胎的深入研究，科学家发现除了基因这一核心因素外，环境与经历同样在性格拼图中占据着举足轻重的地位。本文带你了解哪些因素在潜移默化的影响着我们的性格。

词汇：personality 性格

1 Would you be the same person if you'd grown up in different surroundings? How might you be different if you'd grown up in an urban versus a rural environment, or in a different country altogether? This is the age-old, nature-nurture debate that has had people pondering for many years. Is your personality written in your genes or shaped by your experience? Most experts agree that it is a combination of both. Let's hear about ways this can be put to the test.

2 A common way is to study twin pairs, because if personality came only from genes, you might expect identical twins to have the same, or a very similar, personality. Research called 'Meta-analysis of the heritability of human traits based on fifty years of twin studies' looked at 14 million twin pairs in 39 countries. Do identical twins, who share almost identical DNA, have more similar personalities than non-identical twins, who share about half? By comparing the two, the authors concluded that about 50% of the differences between people can be explained by genetic factors, meaning that our genes play a significant role in shaping who we are, but our environment and experiences are just as important.

3 Other studies looked to see whether personality traits were more prevalent in certain geographical regions than in others. For example, in a 2015 study called 'Regional Personality Differences in Great Britain', researchers investigated how the 'Big Five' personality traits, which include extraversion, openness and agreeableness, were geographically distributed. They found there were areas where each trait was more prevalent. For example, agreeableness, which is about friendliness and trust, was more prevalent in the Scottish Highlands and Northern England – more rural areas with lower population densities. Whereas openness, which is associated with curiosity and intellect, was more prevalent in urban, densely populated areas like London, Manchester and Brighton, suggesting that a person's environment can help to foster various traits.

4 While our DNA provides a starting point, it is only part of the jigsaw puzzle that makes our personality. As we go through life, we encounter obstacles, we make mistakes, and we learn what we enjoy through experience – all of which can change how we interact with the world.

测验与练习

一、为本文选择总结句。

a. Personality is mostly influenced by genes.
b. Personality is mostly influenced by the environment.
c. Personality is influenced by a combination of both genes and the environment.

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. Why are twin studies helpful for understanding what influences personality?
a. We can study whether identical twins have more similar personalities than non-identical twins.
b. We can study how twin pairs interact with each other.
c. We can compare the physical differences between identical and non-identical twins.

2. The twin study meta-analysis found that genetics were exclusively responsible for the personality differences between people.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

3. One of the 'Big Five' personality traits is flexibility.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

4. People in the Scottish Highlands and Northern England are more likely to be friendly and trustworthy than other parts of Great Britain.
a. True
b. False
c. Not given

5. What does 'it' refer to in the following sentence? While our DNA provides a starting point, it is only part of the jigsaw puzzle that makes our personality.
a. DNA
b. a starting point
c. the jigsaw puzzle

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

The 1) _______ has intrigued scientists and philosophers for many years. Genes explain about half of the differences between people, but your environment is just as important. A 2015 study found that certain personality 2) _______ were more 3) _______ in certain areas of Great Britain. So, if you have ever 4) _______ how much your personality is influenced by your 5) _______ versus your environment, it turns out, it's a bit of both.

age-old
prevalent
DNA
traits
pondered
extraversion
nature-nurture debate

（答案见词汇表后）

词汇表

age-old 由来已久的，古老的
nature-nurture debate “先天与后天” 之争
ponder 深思，琢磨
shape 塑造
put (something) to the test 对（某事）进行验证
heritability 遗传可能性
trait 特征，特质
DNA 脱氧核糖核酸
prevalent 普遍的
extraversion 外向性
agreeableness 宜人性，亲和力
population density 人口密度
foster 培养，促进
jigsaw puzzle 拼图

答案

一、为本文选择总结句。

c. Personality is influenced by a combination of both genes and the environment.

二、根据文章内容选出正确的选项。

1. a. Do identical twins, who share almost identical DNA, have more similar personalities than non-identical twins, who share about half?

2. b. False. … the authors concluded that about 50% of the differences between people can be explained by genetic factors, meaning that our genes play a significant role in shaping who we are, but our environment and experiences are just as important.

3. c. Not given. Agreeableness, openness and extraversion are given as examples of the Big Five, but not the other two.

4. a. True. For example, agreeableness, which is about friendliness and trust, was more prevalent in the Scottish Highlands and Northern England.

5. a. 'It' refers back to the subject of the sentence, which is DNA.

三、用下列单词完成对本文的总结。

The nature-nurture debate has intrigued scientists and philosophers for many years. Genes explain about half of the differences between people, but your environment is just as important. A 2015 study found that certain personality traits were more prevalent in certain areas of Great Britain. So, if you have ever pondered how much your personality is influenced by your DNA versus your environment, it turns out, it's a bit of both.