Text 1_新浪教育

Text 1

http://www.sina.com.cn 2006/09/25 20:00 东方飞龙

　　Directions:

　　Read the following texts. Answer the questions below each text by choosing A,B,C or D.

　　Text 1

　　

　　The remarkable progress of science and technology in the 20th century has brought enormous benefits to humankind. Long and healthy lives, economic prosperity and a pleasant and convenient living environment have resulted from technological progress based on advances in scientific knowledge. This progress will continue or may even accelerate in the future, because both the number of scientists and their activities are expanding throughout the world. We may expect, therefore, that science and technology will continue to contribute to the development of human society.

　　At the same time, rapid scientific advances may raise some difficult problems. First, the disparity in scientific knowledge between those in scientific and technical professions and those in other areas will continuously expand. 

　　This may create a communications gap between the two groups that could affect obtaining public consent on important issues, such as the use of genetically engineered plants or human embryonic stem cells. Second, the 21st century will be characterized by a knowledgebased society and a knowledge of science will be required for many professions. Those who lack scientific knowledge will have fewer opportunities for good jobs. Third, the enormous increase in scientific information will become a burden for children who must study science. Already young people seem to be losing interest in science, and this trend may increase in the future. 

　　Over the past several years, enrollment in highschool physics courses in Japan has been decreasing, which suggests that many young people are losing interest in physics or avoiding subjects that require diligent study. Finally, scientific research in the next century will require increasing levels of public investment because sophisticated research is usually expensive. If the public loses interest in science or does not understand the importance of research, it will become difficult for scientists to obtain sufficient financial support.

　　Because of these considerations, I think that we need to carefully review present science education at different levels for rapid progress of science in the 2lst century. At the level of primary education, the most important task is to stimulate children’s interest in nature. Naive surprise at the wonders of nature will hopefully lead to a later interest in science. During their secondary education, students must learn logic and the principles of natural phenomena. They will gradually separate into groups of those who like and those who dislike science. It will be difficult to provide the latter students with the scientific basics that would be useful throughout their lives. This is also the case in university education.

　　It is becoming a goal of general university education to give students who are not majoring in natural science and engineering some level of scientific literacy. In the future, all citizens, especially those expected to lead diverse areas of society should have a sound basis for understanding the progress of science. Because the pace of progress will accelerate further, continuing science education for the public is also of great importance.［483 words］

　　1. The first paragraph aims at

　　［A］ emphasizing the importance of science and technology.

　　［B］ highlighting the crucial role scientists play in the development of science and technology.

　　［C］ introducing the problems brought about by rapic scientific advances while stating the enormous benefits brought about by the progress of science and technology.

　　［D］ predicting the trend of the development of science and technology.

　　2. According to the text, that young people seem to be losing interest in science

　　［A］　causes the lack of scientists throughout the world in future.

　　［B］　is mainly due to the explosion of scientific information.

　　［C］　hinders the development of human society.

　　［D］　increases the communications gap between young people and scientists.

　　3. The second paragraph is to denote

　　［A］　the gap between scientific and technical professionals and nonprofessionals.

　　［B］　the difficulties faced by young people in finding jobs.

　　［C］　the difficult problems raised by rapid scientific advances.

　　［D］　scientific research in the 21st century.

　　4. To which of the following statements is the author most unlikely to agree?

　　［A］　Its a sheer waste of time and money to force those who dislike science to learn science.

　　［B］　Stimulating childrens interest in nature is the top priority for primary and secondary school authorities.

　　［C］　Secondary school students should learn logic and the principles of natural phenomena.

　　［D］　A knowledge of science will be required for many professionals in the 21st century.

　　5. The best title for this text might be

　　［A］　“Science Education for the Public”.

　　［B］　“Science & Technology in the 21st century”.

　　［C］　“Scientific Advances & Ensuing Problems”.

　　［D］　“The Goal of Primary, Secondary and Higher Education”.

　　- 核心及超纲词汇

　　1.disparityn.不一致［同义］ unlikeness,

　　dissimilitude

　　2.embryonica.胚胎的

　　3.sophisticatev.纂改

　　4.diversea.变化多的［同义］ different, differing, divergent

　　5.sound basis稳妥的基础

　　-难句注释

　　(1)This may create a communications gap … or human embryonic stem cells.

　　【解析】原文中含定语从句(…groups that could affect obtaining public consent on important issues)。

　　【译文】这会造成两组人群之间的沟通困难，进而影响到公众对重大问题，比如基因技术作物和人类胚胎的利用问题的支持。

　　(2)Over the past several years, … or avoiding subjects that require diligent study.

　　【解析】原文中含非限制性定语从句结构，其中嵌套着宾语从句及并列谓语(…which suggests that many young people are losing interest in physics or avoiding subjects that require diligent study.)。

　　【译文】在过去的几年里，日本中学学习物理的学生的人数一直在减少，这说明许多学生对物理不感兴趣或不愿学习费力的学科。

　　-全文精译

　　科学技术与教育

　　20世纪科学和技术的巨大进步给人类带来极大的利益。以科学知识为基础的技术进步使人类寿命延长、经济繁荣，并使人类生存环境更加舒适而便利。这种发展在将来还会继续、甚至加速进行，因为全世界科学家的数量和活动都在增长。因此，我们可以期待科技将继续对人类社会的发展做出贡献。

　　同时，科技的迅速发展也带来一些棘手的问题(raise some difficult problems)。首先，科技职业者的科学知识和从事其他领域的人员之间的差距将会加大。这会造成两组人群之间的沟通困难，进而影响到公众对重大问题，比如基因技术作物和人类胚胎的利用问题的支持。其次，21世纪将是知识型社会，许多职业都需要一定数量的科学知识，缺乏科学知识的人找到好工作的机会很小。再者，科学信息的迅速增长(enormous increase in scientific information)对必须学习科学的孩子是一种负担。青年人似乎业已对科学失去了兴趣，而这种趋势将来还会加强。在过去的几年里，日本中学学习物理的学生的人数一直在减少，这说明许多学生对物理不感兴趣或不愿学习费力的学科。最后，下个世纪的科学研究需要公众更高水平的投资，因为复杂的研究往往耗资巨大。如果公众对科学失去了兴趣或不理解科学的重要性，科学家将难以获得足够的科研资金。

　　鉴于这些原因(Because of these considerations)，我认为我们有必要对当前不同水平的科学教育进行新审视，以便迎接21世纪科学的迅速发展。小学教育的重要任务是激发孩子对自然的兴趣。对自然的天真好奇有望引发日后对科学的兴趣(lead to a later interest in science)。中学教育的重要任务是让学生掌握逻辑和自然现象的原理，这时他们会逐渐分化为喜欢科学的和不喜欢科学的两组。对不喜欢科学的学生，难以向他们灌输有用的科学知识(provide...with the scientific basics)，尽管这会对他们终生有益。大学教育的情况也是如此。

　　将来，综合大学教育的目标之一就是要给自然科学和工程专业的学生灌输基本的科学知识。在未来社会，所有公民，尤其希望涉足社会不同领域的人，都应该有良好的素质，以了解科学的进步(understand the progress of science)。因为科学前进的步伐还会进一步加快，对公众继续进行科学教育有重要意义。

　　-答案详解

　　1. 【正确答案】［C］ introducing the problems brought about by rapic scientific advances while stating the enormous benefits brought about by the progress of science and technology.

　　【本题考点】推理暗示题。

　　【试题精解】文章第一段的主要目的在于“启下”，为下文谈论科技迅速发展带来的问题作铺垫。作者在提出问题后又提出了一些解决问题的方法。

　　【考点出处】对于这种判断某段文字作用的题，不可拘泥于文字本身，而应将听考察的段落、句子放在文章的大环境中思考。

　　2. 【正确答案】［B］ is mainly due to the explosion of scientific information.

　　【本题考点】细节判断题。

　　【试题精解】题干是围绕“年轻人似乎对科学失去兴趣”这一事实而提出问题的，因此，可将对答案的寻找直接定位到文章的第二段。［A］、［C］、［D］三项均未提及。用排除法可知［B］为正确选项。

　　【考点出处】文章第三段第六句说“科学信息的迅速增长对必须学习的孩子是一种负担”，这也是年轻人似乎对科学失去兴趣的原因。

　　3. 【正确答案】［C］ the difficult problems raised by rapid scientific advances.

　　【本题考点】推理暗示题。

　　【试题精解】题干考察第二段的主要内容。第二段开头就说“科学技术的迅速发展也带来了一些棘手的问题”，之后文章就这一主题展开了一系列论述。毫无疑问，这段的开头就是本段的主题句；而四个选项中，［C］项与第三段的内容最相符，故为正确答案。

　　【考点出处】在英语文章中，往往文章的第一句话就是主题句，概括了文章的大意。第二段便是这种情况的最好体现。

　　4. 【正确答案】［A］ Its a sheer waste of time and money to force those who dislike science to learn science.

　　【本题考点】细节判断题。

　　【试题精解】题干问哪个选项不是作者的观点。这类题，一般宜用排除法。［B］、［C］、［D］项都可以在文中找到，而［A］项则与文章相背离，所以［A］项不是作者的观点。

　　【考点出处】

　　5. 【正确答案】［A］ “Science Education for the Public”.

　　【本题考点】主旨大意题。

　　【试题精解】题干要求在四个选项中选择最佳的文章题目。此题是在考察对全文的整体把握能力。在解答这种题时，如果最佳选项很明显，则可直接选择，否则可用排除法作答。针对此题，［B］项过于笼流，而［C］、［D］项都太片面，而［A］项则较好地概括了全文，故为最佳选项。

　　【考点出处】考察对文章的整体把握能力。