2009年考研英语冲刺阅读理解专项训练163考研

文章作者 100test 发表时间 2009:01:02 18:25:22
来源 100Test.Com百考试题网

　　 Science has reached greater heights of sophistication and productivity，while the gap between science and public life has grown ever larger and more dangerous，to an extent that now poses a serious threat to our future．①We need to understand the causes of the divide between science and society and to explore ways of narrowing the gap so that the voice of science can exert a more direct and constructive influence on the policy decisions that shape our future．
　　 In today’s public domain，scientists are highly respected but not nearly as influential as they should be．In the arena of public policy。their voices are mostly marginalized．They do not have the influence due to them by virtue of the importance and relevance of their work and of the promises and dangers it poses for our communal life．
　　 Among the many reasons for science’s lagging influence，the major one is difficult to engage directly，because it is so elusive．The unfortunate reality is that scientists and the rest of society operate out of vastly different worldviews，especially in relation to assumptions about what constitutes knowledge and how to deal with it．④Scientists share a worldview that presupposes rationality，lawfulness，and orderliness．They believe that answers to most empirical problems are ultimately obtainable if one poses the right questions and approaches them scientifically．They are comfortable with measurement and quantification，and they take the long view．They believe in sharing information，and their orientation is internationalist because they know that eliscoveries transcend borders．
　　 The nonscientific world of everyday life in the United States marches to a different drummer． Public life is shot through and through with irrationality，discontinuity，and disorder．Decisionmakers rarely have the luxury of waiting for verifiable answers to their questions，and when they d0，almost never go to the trouble and cost of developing them．Average Americans are uncomfortable with probabilities，especially in relation to risk assessment，and their time horizon is short．Policymakers are apprehensive about sharing information and are more at home with national interests than with internationalism．Most problems are experienced with an urgency and immediacy that make people impatient for answers；polieymakers must deal with issues as they arise and not in terms of their accessibility to rational methods of solution。
　　 This profound difference in worldview manifests itself in many forms，some superficial，some moderately serious，and some that cry out for urgent attention．[400 words]
　　 1．0ur future may be jeopardized by______．
　　 A．irrationality，discontinuity，and disorder
　　 B．the narrowing divide between science and society
　　 C．the lack of influence of science on policy decisions
　　 D．the promises and dangers science poses for our communal life
　　 2．The underlined word“marginalized”in the 2nd paragraph most probably means______．
　　 A．excluded
　　 B．neglected
　　 C．sacrificed
　　 D．slighted
　　 3．One important reason for science’s lagging influence is that______．
　　 A．most empirical problems are frequently ignored by scientific world
　　 B．rationality，1awfulness，and orderliness are never obtainable in the real world
　　 C．there lacks enough communication between scientists and nonscientists
　　 D．policymakers usually hold a different worldview from that of scientists
　　 4．It can be inferred from this passage that most policymakers______．
　　 A．are anything but scientists
　　 B．are not qualified for their jobs
　　 C．are rational in making decisions
　　 D．are rarely concerned about national interests
　　 5．This passage is mainly about______．
　　 A．the profound difference between scientists and average people
　　 B．the apparent separation between science and society
　　 C．how to make decisions scientifically
　　 D．two totally different worldviews
　　 超纲词汇
　　 Apprehensive 聪明的，有理解力的，忧虑的
　　 Arena n．竞技场，舞台
　　 immediacy n．直接
　　 presuppose 饥按理必先有…，以…为先决条件
　　 Transcend vt．超越，胜过