2015年考研英语阅读理解考前专项训练（166）
发布时间：2012/11/7 15:46:23 来源：城市网学院 编辑：admin
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology（FASEB）has jUSt released a report on the career trajectories of young life scientists in the United States.It is likely to give pause to some of those currently considering graduate training as a route to a career in the academic life sciences.
The survey finds that over two decades the number of academically employed lire scientists in tenured or tenure-track positions has remained stuck at about 30，000，while the number of doctoral degrees awarded in the lire sciences has doubled.The data also reveal a hard-to-reach career getting farther out of reach.The age at which the average PhD holder receives his or her first full National Institutes of Health grant has risen from 34 in 1970 t0 42 now.Postdocs，facing such a late start to their professional lives，are increasingly jumping ship to industry.
Postdocs find themselves bouncing around the world from lab to lab，seldom earning much more than they would have done in their first year on the job market with their undergraduate degree.Funding is short，the hours are lon9，and prospects uncertain.
Postdocs have occasionally attempted to band together in solidarity and seek a better settlement from their employers，the institutions and universities.But this movement has been stronger in the social sciences than in the hard sciences.The transient nature of the work，together with its convoluted employment structure，has made it difficult for them to speak effectively with a single voice.Instead,the plight of the postdoc will probably change only if the issue of scientific training is addressed from the top， where it may be necessary to consider the possibility that too many scientists are being trained.
There is an argument that，from a national policy perspective，the current situation is ultimately productive.The pace of discovery is quickened by a sizeable workforce，and able scientists end up doing multiple jobs，most of them in the private sector of the economy.It might not be exactly what the students had in mind in the first place，but the situation hardly constitutes a major cause for concern.
But FASEB's data suggest that too many graduate schools may be preparing too many students，so that too few young scientists have a real prospect of making a career in academic science.More effort is needed to ensure that recruitment interviews include realistic assessments of prospective students' expectations and potential in the academic workplace.And training should address broader career options from day one rather than focusing unrealistically on jobs that don't exist.[427 words]
1.The word“trajectory”（Line 2，Paragraph l）most probably means______.
A.curved path
B.endless track
C.long journey
D.ultimate goal
2.According to the report released by FASEB，______.
A.the career of young life scientists is unpredictable
B.few people can reach tenured or tenure-track positions
C.the academic career in the life sciences is hard to reach
D.one cannot be#e a lire scientist without graduate training
3.The text suggests that postdocs are______.
A.unable to start their academic career before 42
B.expected to earn much more than undergraduates
C.facing uncertain future despite many years of training
D.supposed to be more Successful in industry than academia
4.The author holds that the postdocs may get rid or their plight if______.
A.they unite together seeking improvement
B.scientific training is directed from the top
C.they speak effectively with a single voice
D.there are much fewer prospective postdocs
5.The author argues that______.
A.too many students are a major cause for concern
B.graduate students should have more career options
C.the huge number of postdocs accelerates discovery
D.graduate students should have realistic expectations
难句透析
①The survey finds[that over two decades the number of academically employed life scientists in tenured or tenure track positions has remained stuck at about 30，000，while the number of doctoral degrees（awarded in the life sciences）has doubled].
【结构】方括号所标示的“that…the number…has remained…，while the number…has doubled”是谓语动词“finds”的宾语从句。这个宾语从句是由逗号和“while”连接的两个分句组成的并列句。第一个分句的主语是“the number”，谓语动词是“has remained”；第二个分句的主语是“the number”，谓语动词是“has doubled”。
【释义】该调查发现，二十多年来，享有终生学术职位的和一定期限后可享有终生学术职位的生命科学家的人数一直保持在3万人左右，而获得生命科学博士学位的人数却增加了一倍。
②Instead，the plight of the postdoc will probably change[only if the issue of scientific training is addressed from the top.（where it may be necessary to consider the possibility<that too many scientists are being trained）].
【结构】方括号所标示的“0nly if the issue…is addressed…”是条件状语从句。圆括号所标示的“where it may be necessary…”用做“top”的后置定语从句；其中，代词“it”是形式主语，真正的主语是动词不定式短语“to eonsider the possibility…”。尖括号所标示的“that too many scientists are being trained”用做“possibility”的同位语从句。
【释义】只有从上层解决科学人才的培养问题，才可能改变博士后的困境。必须考虑到，正在培养的科学人才可能太多了。
③The pace of discovery is quickened by a sizeable workforee，and able scientists end up doing multiple jobs， most of them in the private sector of the economy.
【结构】此句是由逗号和“and”连接的两个分句组成的并列句。在第二个分句中，逗号后面的部分“most of them…economy”起补充说明作用，相当于“most of them being in the private sector of the economy”，其中现在分词“being”被省略。
【释义】科学队伍十分庞大，科学发现的速度不断加快。有才干的科学家最终从事多种不同的工作，其中大多数人在私有经济部门工作。
④It might not be exactly[what the students had in mind in the first place]，but the situation hardly constitutes a major cause for concern.
【结构】此句是由逗号和“but”连接的两个分句组成的并列句。第一个分句中的主语“it”指该段第一句中的“argument”所说的“the current situation is ultimately productive”。方括号所标示的“what the students had in mind in the first place”是表语从句。
【释义】学生起初所想的可能与此状况不完全一致，但是，这种状况也不是引起人们关注的主要原因。
⑤But FASEB's data suggest[that too many graduate schools may be preparing too many students，（So that too few young scientists have a real prospect of making a career in academic science）].
【结构】方括号所标示的“that too many graduate schools may be preparing…”是谓语动词“suggest”的宾语从句；圆括号所标示的“So that too few young scientists have a real prospect…”是其中的结果状语从句。
【释义】但是，美国实验生物学会联合会认为，过多的研究生院正在培养过多的研究生，以至于只有极少数青年科学家真有可能从事学术研究工作。 [NextPage] 答案注释
1.根据上下文，此处的“the career trajectories”指“曲折的职业道路”。所以，选项A应为答案。
2.根据第二段前两句“The survey finds that over two decades the number…has remained stuck at about 30，000， while the number of doctoral degrees…has doubled.The data also reveal a hard to reach career getting farther out of reach”可知，选项C应为答案。
3.根据第三段最后一句“Funding is short，the hours are long，and prospects uncertain”可知，选项C应为答案。
4.根据第四段最后一句“Instead，the plight of the postdoc will probably change only if…where it may be necessary to consider the possibility that too many scientists are being trained”可知，选项D应为答案。
5.根据本文最后一句“And training should address broader career options from day one rather than focusing unrealistically on jobs that don't exist”可知，选项B应为答案。
全文翻译
美国实验生物学会联合会（FASEB）刚刚发布了关于美国年轻生命科学家职业轨迹的报告。这个报告可能令某些人暂停考虑把培养研究生作为一个途径，以便从事生命科学学术研究的职业。
该调查发现，二十多年来，享有终生学术职位的和一定期限后可享有终生学术职位的生命科学家的人数一直保持在3万人左右，而获得生命科学博士学位的人数却增加了一倍。数据也说明，这条艰辛的职业道路变得更加艰辛。一般拥有博士学位的人首次获得国家卫生研究院全额资助的年龄从1970年的34岁提高到了现在的42岁。鉴于这么大年龄才能开始自己的职业生涯，越来越多的博士后跳槽到工业。
博士后从这个实验室到另一个实验室，不停地跳来跳去。很少有人的收入会比他们如果大学一毕业就参加工作第一年的收入多多少。资金短缺，工作时间长，未来前景不定。
博士后偶尔会试图团结起来，争取从他们的雇主、机构和大学那里获得更好的待遇。但是这种努力在社会科学领域比在自然科学领域更强劲。工作的短暂和雇用结构的复杂使单个声音很难充分表达。只有从上层解决科学人才的培养问题，才可能改变博士后的困境。必须考虑到，正在培养的科学人才可能太多了。
有人认为，从国家政策的角度考虑，现在的情形最终是有益的。科学队伍十分庞大，科学发现的速度不断加快。有才于的科学家最终从事多种不同的工作，其中大多数人在私有经济部门工作。学生起初所想的可能与此状况不完全一致，但是，这种状况也不是引起人们关注的主要原因。
但是，美国实验生物学会联合会认为，过多的研究生院正在培养过多的研究生，以至于只有极少数青年科学家真有可能从事学术研究工作。需要更加努力，确保招生面试能切实评估优秀学生对于学术研究的期望和发展潜力。人才培养从一开始就应该面向更加宽泛的职业选择，而不是脱离实际地关注那些根本不存在的工作。
超纲词汇
Trajeetory n.轨道，轨迹
Tenured 享有终生学术职位的
tenture-track 一定期限后可享有终生学术职位的
postdoc n.博士后
bounce 乱蹦，乱跳，跳上跳下
solidarity n.团结，一致
transient adj.短暂的，瞬时的
convoluted 旋绕的，费解的
perspective 观点，看法
recruitment n.招聘，补充，充实
参考答案：1.A 2.C 3.C 4.D 5.B
