专题04 阅读理解之议论文10篇（第二期）-2023高考英语名校模拟真题速递（新高考专用）

2023高考英语名校模拟真题速递（新高考专用） 第二期 专题04 阅读理解之议论文10篇 （2023·陕西咸阳·统考一模）Neuroscientists (神经科学家) now know that brain maturation (成熟) occurs far later than previously thought. Great changes in brain are still taking place during young adulthood, especially in the regions that are important for planning ahead, expecting the future results of one’s decisions, and comparing risk and reward. Indeed, some brain regions do not reach full maturity until the early 20s. Should this new knowledge make us rethink where we draw legal boundaries between kids and adults? Maybe. But it’s not as simple as it seems for two reasons. First, different brain regions mature along with different timetables. There is no single age at which the adolescent brain becomes an adult brain. Systems responsible for logical reasoning mature when people are 16, but those involved in self-regulation are still developing in young adulthood. This is why 16-year-olds are just as capable as adults when it comes to permitting informed medical papers, but are still immature in ways that reduce their criminal responsibility, as the Supreme Court has noted in several recent cases. Using different ages for different legal boundaries seems strange, but it would make neuro- scientific sense if we did it reasonably. Second, science has never had much influence on these decisions. If it did, we wouldn’t have lived in a society that allows teenagers to drive before they can buy beer. Age boundaries are drawn mainly for political reasons, not scientific ones. It’s a pity that Neuroscience won’t have much of an impact on politics although it is always correct. Children are so changeable in their growth and how cultures understand child development is so different. It is pointless to try to determine the “right” age of maturation. The Dutch, for example, allow children to drink alcohol at the age of 16 but not to drive until they are 19. Even if I firmly believe legal decisions should refer to Neuroscience seriously and it’s