1、厦门大学考博英语-1 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、B Reading compr(总题数：4，分数：40.00)BPart A/BThere are three reading passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and m
2、ark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center.If there is one thing scientists have to hear, it is that the game is over. Raised on the belief of an endless voyage of discovery, they recoil (畏缩) from the suggestion that most of the best things have already be
3、en located. If they have, today s scientists can hope to contribute no more than a few grace notes to the symphony of science.A book to be published in Britain this week, The End of Science, argues persuasively that this is the case. Its author, John Horgan, is a senior writer for Scientific America
4、n magazine, who has interviewed many of todays leading scientists and science philosophers. The shock of realizing that science might be over came to him, he says, when he was talking to Oxford mathematician and physicist Sir Roger Penrose.The End of Science provoked a wave of denunciation (谴责) in t
5、he United States last year. “The reaction has been one of complete shock and disbelief,“ Mr. Horgan says.The real question is whether any remaining unsolved problems, of which there are plenty, lend themselves to universal solutions. If they do not, then the focus of scientific discovery is already
6、narrowing. Since the triumphs of the 1960s-the genetic code, plate tectonics (板块构造税), and the microwave background radiation that went a long way towards proving the Big Bang-genuine scientific revolutions have been scarce. More scientists are now alive, spending more money on research, than ever. Y
7、et most of the great discoveries of the 19th and 20th centuries were made before the appearance of state sponsorship, when the scientific enterprise was a fraction of its present size.Were the scientists who made these discoveries brighter than todays? That seems unlikely. A far more reasonable expl
8、anation is that fundamental science has already entered a period of diminished returns. “Look, dont get me wrong,“ says Mr. Horgan. “There are lots of important things still to study, and applied science and engineering can go on for ever. I hope we get a cure for cancer, and for mental disease, tho
9、ugh there are few real signs of progress.“（分数：10.00）(1).The sentence “most of the best things have already been located“ could mean _ .（分数：2.00）A.most of the best things have already been changedB.most of the best things remain to be changedC.there have never been so many best things waiting to be d
10、iscoveredD.most secrets of the world have already been discovered(2).John Horgan _ . . has published a book entitled The End of Science . has been working as an editor of Scientific American . has been working many years as a literary critic . is working as a science writer（分数：2.00）A.and B.onlyC.and
11、 D.,and (3).There have not been many genuine scientific revolutions in the past few decades because（分数：2.00）A.there have been decreased returns in the research of fundamental scienceB.there are too many important things for scientists to studyC.applied science and engineering take up too much time a
12、nd energyD.todays scientists are not as intelligent as those in the past(4).The term “the Big Bang“ probably refers to _ .（分数：2.00）A.the genetic code theoryB.a geological theoryC.a theory of the origin of the universeD.the origin and the power of atomic energy(5).The best title of this passage can b
13、e _ .（分数：2.00）A.Great Scientific Discoveries Will Never Be PossibleB.The Harsh Challenge Has to Be Met by Modem ScientistsC.The State Sponsorship and Scientific Enterprise Are All in VainD.The Chance for Great Scientific Discoveries Becomes ScarceAstronaut Jim Voss has enjoyed many memorable moments
14、 in his career, including three space flights and one space walk. But he recalls with special fondness a decidedly earthbound (为地球引力所束缚的) experience in the summer of 1980, when he participated in the NASA-ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program. Voss, then a science teacher at West Point, was assigne
15、d to the Marshall Space Flight Centers propulsion (推进) lab in Alabama to analyze why a hydraulic fuel pump seal on the space shuttle was working so well when previous seals had failed. It was a seemingly tiny problem among the vast complexities of running the space program. Yet it was important to N
16、ASA because any crack in the seal could have led to destructive results for the astronauts who relied on them.“I worked a bit with NASA engineers,“ says Voss, “but I did it mostly by analysis“. I used a handheld calculator, not a computer, to do a thermodynamic(热力学的)analysis.“ At the end of the summ
17、er, he, like the other NASA-ASEE fellows working at Marshall, summarized his findings in a formal presentation and detailed paper. It was a valuable moment for Voss because the ASEE program gave him added understanding of NASA, deepened his desire to fly in space, and intensified his application for
18、 astronaut status.“It was not an easy process. Voss was actually passed over when he first applied for the astronaut program in 1978. Over the next nine years he reapplied repeatedly, and was finally accepted in 1987. Since then he has participated in three space missions. The 50-year-old Army offic
19、er, who lives in Houston, is now in training for a four-month mission as a crew member on the International Space Station starting in July 2000.Voss says the ASEE program is wonderful for all involved. “It brings in people from the academic world and gives NASA a special property for a particular pe
20、riod of time. It brings some fresh eyes and fresh ideas to NASA, and establishes a link with our colleges and universities,“ Voss explains. “Theres an exchange of information and an exchange of perspectives that is very important.“For the academic side, Voss says, the ASEE program also “brings insti
21、tutions of higher learning more insight into new technology. We give them an opportunity to work on real-world problems and take it back to the classroom“.（分数：10.00）(1).Why was the hydraulic fuel pump seal important for the space shuttle?（分数：2.00）A.Because previous seals all failed.B.Because it was
22、very complex in running the space program.C.Because great care has to be taken of the hydraulic fuel pump sealing.D.Because any crack in the seals would cause disastrous results for the astronauts.(2).The great significance of Voss findings lies in _. strengthening his determination to join in space
23、 flights . furthering his understanding of NASA . consolidating his astronaut status in NASA programs（分数：2.00）A.onlyB.onlyC.,and m all includedD.andonly(3).How many flights will Voss have finished if his four-month mission starting in July 2000 ends up successfully?（分数：2.00）A.Three.B.Two.C.Four.D.Fi
24、ve.(5).What does Voss want to stress in the last paragraph?（分数：2.00）A.The technological significance of the program.B.The educational significance of the program.C.The philosophical significance of the program.D.The historical significance of the program.The current emergency in Mexico City that has
25、 taken over our lives is nothing. I could ever have imagined for me or my children. We are living in an environmental crisis, an air-pollution emergency of unprecedented severity. What it really means is that just to breathe here is to play a dangerous game with your health.As patents, what terroriz
26、es us most are reports that children are at higher risk because they breathe more times per minute. What more can we do to protect them and ourselves? Our pediatricians (儿科医师的) medical recommendation was simple: abandon the city permanently. We are foreigners and we are among the small minority that
27、 can afford to leave. We arc here because of my husbands work. We are fascinated by Mexico-its history and rich culture. We know that for us, this is a temporary danger. However, we cannot stand for much longer the fear we feel for our boys. We cannot stop them from breathing.But for millions, there
28、 is no choice. Their lives, their jobs, their futures depend on being here. Thousands of Mexicans arrive each day in this city, desperate for economic opportunities. Thousands more are born here each day. Entire families work in the streets and practically live there. It is a familiar sight: as pare
29、nts hawk goods at stoplights, their children play in the grassy highway dividers, breathing exhaust fumes. I feel guilty complaining about my personal situation; we wont be here long enough for our children to form the impression that skies are colored only gray.And yet the government cannot do what
30、 it must to end this problem. For any country, especially a developing Third World economy like Mexico, the idea of barring from the capital city enough cars, closing enough factories and spending the necessary billions on public transportation is simply not an option. So when things get bad, as in
31、the current emergency, Mexico takes half measures-prohibiting some more cars from circulating, stopping some factories from producing-that even its own officials concede arent adequate.The word “emergency“ implies the unusual. But when daily life itself is an emergency, the concept loses its meaning
32、. It is human nature to try to adapt to that which we cannot change or to mislead ourselves into believing we can adapt.（分数：10.00）(1).According to the passage, the current emergency in Mexico City refers to _ .（分数：2.00）A.serious air pollutionB.economic crisisC.unemploymentD.natural disaster(2).Which
33、 of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?（分数：2.00）A.Kids are in greater danger than grown-ups in Mexico City.B.The author is not a native Mexican.C.The authors husband is a pediatrician.D.The Mexican history and culture appeal to the author.(3).The word “hawk“ (Paragraph 3)
34、most probably means _ .（分数：2.00）A.sellB.transportC.placeD.deliver(4).The Mexican government takes half measures to solve the pollution problem because _ .（分数：2.00）A.Mexican economy depends very much on cars and factoriesB.it is not wise enough to come up with effective measuresC.Mexicans are able to
35、 adapt themselves to the current emergencyD.Mexicans enjoy playing dangerous games with their health(5).The purpose of the passage is to _ .（分数：2.00）A.describe the harmful air pollutionB.explain the way to prevent air pollutionC.show the worries about the air pollutionD.recommend a method to avoid a
36、ir pollutionBPart B/BThe passage below summarizes the main points of the passage. Read the summary and then select the best word or phrase from the box blow, according to the passage. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line throug
37、h the center.Every morning, Allie wakes up and accompanies her friend to the washroom. She turns on the light, soaps up a washcloth, and begins cleaning her friends face. Is Anie an extremely devoted companion? Yes! Allie is a capuchin monkey who helps her disabled friend perform everyday tasks.Monk
38、eys like Allie are just one of many kinds of animals that help improve-or even save-human lives. But not all animals are suited to do every job. Certain animals are “hired“ for specific jobs based on their traits, or characteristics. By using different methods of conditioning (training animals to ac
39、t in a particular way in response to a stimulus, or signal), humans can teach animals toper form extraordinary tasks.Throughout history, humans have relied on animals traits to get certain jobs done. For example, compared with humans, dogs are “far superior at tracking down odors“, says Marian Baile
40、y, an animal behaviorist at Henderson State University in Arkansas. Thats because dogs have million of olfactory receptors, or smell nerves, in their noses.For that reason, hunters used dogs to track down prey even in ancient Egypt. Today, dogs my be employed to sniff out illegal substances in schoo
41、l lockers or earthquake victims buried beneath the rabble of the collapsed building or highway.Primates may not be good sinffers, but they can certainly lend a helping hand-or two. Monkeys are perfect helpmates for quadriplegics, people paralyzed from the neck down who are unable to use their own ha
42、nds (and legs). Like humans, explains Bailey monkeys have opposable thumbs-thumbs that face the hands other fingers-so monkeys can pick up objects. Capuchins learn to open doors, clean up spills, and unscrew bottle tops. They can even get a sandwich out of the refrigerator and load your favorite tap
43、e into the VCR.And speaking of VCRs, animals are even helping scientists make a videotape. Jennifer Hurley, an animal researcher at the Long Marine Lab in Santa Cruz, California, is training two sea lions to carry video cameras on their backs to record the natural behavior of whales.So how do you ge
44、t an animal employee to do its job? The answer, career-training. Trainers teach the animals to obey their instructions through a process called conditioning.Most trainers condition animals by using positive reinforcement, rewarding an animal for doing something correctly, says animal behaviorist Bai
45、ley. For example, trainers teach their dogs how to sniff out drugs by hiding a towel with the smell of drags. “Dogs love to retrieve objects so the towel becomes a reward“, says Morris Berkowitz, who heads up a canine drug-sniffing program in New York.After repeating this game of hide-and-seek many
46、times, the dog begins to “associate the odor with a reward“, says Berkowitz. When he gives the command, or stimulus, the dog seeks cot drags (its like learning to study hard for a tests in order to get a good grade as a reward.)At “Helping Hands-Monkey Helpers for the Disabled“, capuchin monkeys are
47、 trained twice before being teamed with a disabled human. First, monkeys are placed with a foster family to become socialized to people. For five years, families help the monkeys adapt to a human environment, so the monkeys will trust and enjoy being around people.Taking the monkeys in when theyre f
48、our to six weeks old is important, says Bailey. “Thats when monkeys normally become socialized to other monkeys,“ she says.Second, trainers at Helping Hands train the monkeys to perform specific tasks to assist a particular person. For example, a monkey may be trained to scratch an itch, or slip a f
49、loppy disc into a computer dive. Trainers reward the monkeys by using positive reinforcement, such as food, drinks. Allie is a capuchinU 16 /Uwho helps her disabled friend perform everyday tasks. Allie is a(n)U 17 /Uof many animals who can beU 18 /Uto do certain jobs. Besides monkeys,U 19 /Uand sea lions can also give people a helpingU 20 /U.Dogs are good atU 21 /Udown prey and sniffing outU 22 /UandU 23 /Ubecause
