Although we humans are equipped with reflexive responses for
survival, at birth we are (a)helpless. We spend about a year
unable to walk, about two more before we can articulate full
thoughts, and many more years unable to provide for ourselves.
We are totally dependent on those around us for our survival.
Now compare this to many other mammals. Dolphins, for instance,
are born swimming; giraffes learn to stand within hours; a baby
zebra can run within forty-five minutes of birth. Across the
animal kingdom, our cousins are strikingly (b) independent soon
after they’re born.
On the face of it, that seems like a great advantage for other
species ― but in fact it signifies a limitation. Baby animals
develop quickly because their brains are wiring up according to
a largely preprogrammed routine. But that (c) preparedness
trades off with flexibility. Imagine if some unfortunate
rhinoceros found itself on the Arctic tundra, or on top of a
mountain in the Himalayas, or in the middle of a metropolis. It
would have no capacity to adapt (which is why we don’t find
rhinos in those areas). This strategy of arriving with a
pre-arranged brain works inside a particular niche in the
ecosystem ― but put an animal outside of that niche, and its
chances of thriving are (d) low.
In contrast, humans are able to thrive in many different
environments, from the frozen tundra to the high mountains to
crowded urban centers. This is possible because the human
brain is born remarkably incomplete. Instead of arriving with
everything wired up ― let’s call it “hardwired” ― a human brain
(e) forbids itself to be shaped by the details of life experience.
This leads to long periods of helplessness as the young brain
slowly molds to its environment. It’s “livewired.”
* niche: 적합한 장소
41. 윗글의 제목으로 가장 적절한 것은?
① Rewire Your Brain to Enhance Your Courage!
② Born Unfinished: A Gift of Adaptability to Humans
③ Evolutionary Rivalry Between Humans and Animals
④ How Does Human-Centered Thinking Bring Tragedy?
⑤ Human Brains Develop Through Interaction with Other Species
42. 밑줄 친 (a)~(e) 중에서 문맥상 낱말의 쓰임이 적절하지 않은
것은?
① (a) ② (b) ③ (c) ④ (d) ⑤ (e)