2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（144）
发布时间：2012/11/7 15:24:51 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
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 #munal 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 #fortable 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 un#fortable 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 #munal 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 #munication 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[NextPage] 参考答案：1.C 2.B 3.D 4.A 5.B
难句透析
①Science has reached greater heights of sophistication and productivity，while the gap between science and publie life has grown ever larger and more dangerous，tO an extent[that now poses a serious threat to our future].
【结构】本句是由“while”连接的两个分句组成的并列句。方括号所标示的部分是“extent”的定语从句。
【释义】科学已经达到非常先进的程度，大大提高了生产能力，但科学与公众生活之间的隔阂却日益加剧，变得更加危险，已经达到对我们的未来造成严重威胁的程度。
②We 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 fl more direct and constructive influence on the policy decisions（that shape our future）].
【结构】两个动词不定式短语用”and“连接成并列结构。方括号所标示的部分是”SO that“引导的目的状语从旬。圆括号所标示的部分是”the policy decisions“的定语从句。
【释义】我们需要了解是什么原因造成了科学与社会之间的隔阂，需要寻求缩小隔阂的途径，以便科学的呼声能对塑造我们未来的决策产生更直接的、更有建设意义的影响。
③They 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 #munal life）].
【结构】方括号所标示的形容词短语用做”the influence“的后置定语；圆括号所标示的部分是”the promises and dangers“的定语从句。”due“：应得的；”by virtue of“：依靠，由于，根据。数字”标示“by virtue of”引导的两个并列的介词短语。“it”指“their work”。
【释义】科学家的工作十分重要，并且意义重大，对我们公众的生活既能带来美好希望又能造成危险。科学家却并没有产生他们应该产生的相应影响。
④The 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）].
【结构】方括号所标示的部分是表语从句；两个圆括号所标示的部分是介词“about”的两个并列的宾语从句。
【释义】现实情况非常令人遗憾，科学家与社会其他群体以截然不同的世界观来发挥作用，尤其对什么是知识以及如何对待知识这些问题的看法上。
⑤march tO fl different drummer
【结构】这是一个常用成语。
【释义】独树一帜，标新立异
⑥Most problems are experienced with an urgency and immediacy[that make people impatient for answers]； policymakers must deal with issues as they arise]and not in terms of their accessibility to rational methods of S0 lution.
【结构】本句是由分号连接的两个分句组成的并列句。在第一个分句中，方括号所标示的部分是“an urgency and immediacy”的定语从旬。在第二个分句中，方括号所标示的部分是状语从句。
【释义】人们碰到的大多数问题都很紧迫，需要马上解决，因而使人们缺乏耐心，急于找到解决方法。问题一出现，决策者必须马上应付，与他们能否找到合理解决方法无关。
全文翻译
科学已经达到非常先进的程度，大大提高了生产能力，但科学与公众生活之间的隔阂却日益加剧，变得更加危险，已经达到对我们的未来造成严重威胁的程度。①我们需要了解是什么原因造成了科学与社会之间的隔阂，需要寻求缩小隔阂的途径，以便科学的呼声能对塑造我们未来的决策产生更直接的、更有建设意义的影响。
在如今的公众领域，科学家们很受人尊敬但是却没有发挥他们应有的影响。公共政策制定时，他们的发言是最被边缘化的。科学家的工作十分重要，并且意义重大，对我们公众的生活既能带来美好希望又能造成危险。科学家却并没有产生他们应该产生的相应影响。
造成科学缺乏影响力的诸多原因中，最主要的就是和科学进行直接的互动，因为它太难以理解了。现实情况非常令人遗憾，科学家与社会其他群体以截然不同的世界观来发挥作用，尤其对什么是知识以及如何对待知识这些问题的看法上。④科学家们共有的世界观就是一个以理性、法制和秩序为前提条件的社会。他们相信任何经验主义的问题的答案最终都可以找到，前提是人们能提出恰当的问题并通过科学的手段来解决它们。他们对测量和计量都很满意，并且对事物也持长久观察的态度。他们支持共享信息，并且他们的思维态度都是国际性的，因为他们知道科学发现可以穿越国界。
而美国现实中，每天平民百姓的非科学化的生活完全是另一副样子。公众生活不断地被非理性、间断性以及无秩序所破坏。决策者们平常根本不可能有等待已经验证过的方案来解决问题，等他们有这种方案的时候，他们几乎都不需要再去理会这些麻烦也不用耗神地去找什么解决方案了。普通美国民众对可能性的说法都很不以为然，特别是在和危险评估相关的时候，他们的时间地平线是相当短暂的。决策者们都很能理解共享信息的重要性，并且比起国际事务，他们更善于处理国内事务。人们碰到的大多数问题都很紧迫，需要马上解决，因而使人们缺乏耐心，急于找到解决方法。问题一出现，决策者必须马上应付，与他们能否找到合理解决方法无关。
这种在世界观上的巨大差异在许多形式上都得以体现，一些是很肤浅的，也有一些稍具严肃性，还有一些需要人们立刻给予关注。
