GRE® Reading Question Samples 4

Autism

Autism is a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication and causes restricted and repetitive behavior, all starting before a child is three years old. The genetics of autism are complex and it is generally unclear which genes are responsible for it. Autism affects many parts of the brain but how this occurs is also poorly understood. Autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects. Other proposed causes, such as childhood vaccines, are controversial and the vaccine hypotheses lack convincing scientific evidence. The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life. Early behavioral cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social and communication skills but there is no cure for it. Few children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, but same become successful and an autistic culture has developed, with same seeking a cure and others believing that autism is a condition rather than a disorder.

1. According to the passage, autism is a developmental disorder of the human brain ----.

A) that gives its first signs early in the childhood period
B) which is caused by childhood vaccines
C) which can't be diagnosed until after the child is three years old
D) for which there has been a successful cure in recent years
E) whose causes have been fully understood

2. It can be understood from the passage that autism ----.

A) is caused by a childhood vaccine that affects the development of the brain
B) is accepted as a condition rather than a disorder by all specialists
C) is a condition in which a child suffers from severe pains in the head
D) was a more prevalent disorder in the past than it is today
E) is characterized by abnormalities of behavior patterns

3. It can be understood from the passage that ----.

A) autistic children cannot hear the sounds and are unable to talk with others
B) even if the treatment for autism starts early, the child doesn't have any chance to recover completely
C) when they become an adult all autistic people can live as actively as normal people do
D) people with autism should be encouraged to live on their own
E) scientists know which genes are responsible for the development of autism

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