Intelligence: a Changed View
1.       Intelligence was believed to be a fixed entity, some faculty of the mind that we all possess and which determines in some way the extent of our achievements. Its value therefore, was as a predictor of children’s future learning. If they differed markedly in their ability to learn complex tasks, then it was clearly necessary to educate them differently and the need for different types of school and even different ability groups within school was obvious. Intelligence tests could be used for streaming children according to ability at an early age: and at 11 these tests were superior to measures of attainment for selecting children for different types of secondary education.

2.       Today, we are beginning to think differently. In the last few years, research has thrown doubt on the view that innate intelligence can ever be measured and on the very nature of intelligence itself¹. There is considerable evidence now which shows the great influence of environment both on achievement and intelligence. Children with poor home backgrounds not only do less well in their school work and intelligence tests but their performance tends to deteriorate gradually compared with that of their more fortunate classmates.

3.       There are evidences that support the view that we have to distinguish between genetic intelligence and observed intelligence². Any deficiency in the appropriate genes will measure innate intelligence, whereas we can observe and measure the effects of the interaction of whatever is inherited with whatever stimulation has been received from the environment³. Researches have been investigating what happens in this interaction.

4.       Two major findings have emerged from these researches. Firstly, the greater part of the development of observed intelligence occurs in the earliest years of life. It is estimated that 50 percent of measurable intelligence at age 17 is already predictable by the age of four. Secondly, the most important factors in the environment are language and psychological aspects of the parent-child relationship. Much of the difference in measured intelligence between “privileged” and “disadvantaged” children4 may be due to the latter’s lack of appropriate verbal stimulation and the poverty of their perceptual experiences5.

5.       These research findings have led to a revision in our understanding of the nature of intelligence. Instead of it being some largely inherited fixed power of the mind, we now see have to be learned and, indeed, one of them is learning how to learn.

6.       The modern ideas concerning the nature of intelligence are bound to have some effect on or school system. In one respect a change is already occurring. With the move toward comprehensive education and the development of unstreamed classes6, fewer children will be given the label “low IQ7” which must inevitably condemn a child in his own, if not we can teach the reading or arithmetic is accepted by more and more people.

词汇：

entity n. 存在，实体

stream v. （根据能力把学生）分组

innate adj. 内在的

interaction n. 相互作用

stimulation n. 激发，促进

注释：

1、…research has thrown doubt on the view that innate intelligence can ever be measured and on the very nature of intelligence itself. : … … 科学研究对内在智力可以衡量这一观点以及智力的实质本身都表示怀疑。

2、distinguish between genetic intelligence and observed intelligence: 区别基因智力和习得智力

3、 the interaction of whatever is inherited with whatever stimulation has been received from the environment: 遗传所得和从环境所得到的激发两者之间的相互影响，这里的两个whatever 都相当于what, 都引导了名词性从句，分别作介词of 和with 的宾语。

4、“privileged” and “disadvantaged” children : “有优势的”和“没有优势的”孩子，privileged 原来的解释是“有特权的”，disadvantaged 是“不利的”，实际上它们分别用于指家境富裕和家境贫困、尤其是黑人家庭的孩子。

5、lack of appropriate verbal stimulation and the poverty of  their perceptual experiences: 缺乏必要的语言刺激以及感性经历贫乏

6、comprehensive education and the development of unstreamed classes: 综合教育以及混合编班的做法，comprehensive education 指具有不同能力的学生同在一校的，综合的教育制度，和后面的development of unstreamed classes 是一脉相承的。

7、 IQ：智商，IQ是Intelligence Quotient 的缩写。

8、condemn a child in his own, if not society’s eyes: 哪怕社会不把孩子看扁，他自己也把自己看扁了，condemn 这个动词是“谴责，判定… … 不合适、不足”的意思；in one’s eyes 是“在……的眼里”。

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