"toothpaste...power9)="" are="" given="" to="" （="" ）. 3.Lines 16-18 (“The decision... bewildered”) serve primarily to （ ）. 4.In the last sentence, the word “simply” most nearly means （ ）. 5.The primary purpose of this passage as a whole is to（ ）.'>
The scientific method is the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the identification of a problem, the collection of relevant data through observation and experimentation, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses that aim to solve the problem. Ever since the scientific method became a way of learning about nature, including ourselves, some people have hailed science as the only way to comprehend natural phenomena, while others have questioned whether it is an appropriate road to knowledge. As science and technology have grown, the questioning has deepened and expanded.This is not to say that so-called scientific evidence is not a good way to vouchsafe truth. Scientists’ testimonies are used to endorse everything from toothpaste to nuclear power; however, they are also used to challenge the very same things. And this is where it gets tricky: “Scientific” support can now be elicited on all sides of every question, so that the public is constantly forced to decide which scientists to believe.Where then is the vaunted objectivity of science? People are realizing that they must either develop criteria on which to make these decisions (and to do so for each important issue) or decide to disbelieve all scientific explanations and look for other ways of knowing. Incidentally, these other ways are sometimes no less empirical than the scientific ones. The decision to disbelieve all scientific explanations is not to be sneered at. The volume, contradictoriness, and limited comprehensibility of much scientific information leave most people bewildered.I am reminded of the comment Virginia Woolf attributes to the time-traveling character in her novel Orlando, who mused as she enters an elevator at Marshall and Snelgrove’s department store in London in 1928: “The very fabric of life now... is magic. In the eighteenth century, we knew how everything was done; but here I rise through the air; I listen to voices in America; I see men flying - but how it’s done, I can’t ever begin to wonder. So my belief in magic returns.”Not only the general public is ill at ease. Uneasy questions are being asked by scientists themselves. As one noted scientists has argued: The scientific community had lead a particularly unexamined life for a surprisingly long time, and may have accepted its unusual and, until recently, unquestioned status a little too easily. Indeed, in the last 25 years, in an effort to raise financial support at a rate nearly triple that of the rest of society, the scientific community may have promised too much too soon. Certainly it underestimated the demand for accountability.” And his scientist goes on: "In all humility, it must... be admitted that it is impossible to categorically deny that we may have reached a point where we must abandon the faith that [in all cases] knowledge is better than ignorance. We simply lack the ability to make accurate predictions.1.In lines 4-6 (“some people, knowledge”), the author does which of the following?2.The examples in lines 9-10 ('"toothpaste...power9) are given to （ ）.3.Lines 16-18 (“The decision... bewildered”) serve primarily to （ ）.4.In the last sentence, the word “simply” most nearly means （ ）.5.The primary purpose of this passage as a whole is to（ ）.
A.Rationalizes a behaviorB.Advocates a course of actionC.Presents opposing viewpointsD.Voices doubt about an approach
问题2：A.criticize the widespread acceptance of certain productsB.mock the gullibility of the public in scientific mattersC.enumerate a number of mundane activities in which scientists are involvedD.convey the range of issues to which science is considered relev
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At present rates of demand, the world has enough oil in known and economically viable reserves to last for more than 40 years, enough gas for more than 60 years and enough coal for more than 230 years. Naturally, demand will increase; but so will reserves as companies explore more widely and costs fall. Since 1970 viable reserves of oil have almost doubled while those of gas have leapt three-fold. One distant day a difficult situation will come, but as it approaches, fossil-fuel prices will rise, making alternative forms of energy, perhaps including nuclear power, competitive. That is no reason to spend on nuclear right now.All oil shock is a more worrying prospect despite today’s low oil price and OPEC’s present inability to budge it upwards. However, even if an oil shock is a real danger, building nuclear reactors is not a good way to avert it. A higher oil price would have a relatively small effect on the supply of electricity-the only sort of energy that nuclear power can now provide. Just over a tenth of the world’s electricity is generated from oil, and the proportion has steadily fallen since 1970. Transport, by contrast, relies almost entirely upon oil, already swallowing half the world’s oil supply and likely to take an even larger chunk in the future. If the supply of oil were cut off tomorrow, billions of people would find themselves immobile. Relatively few would be without electricity.The congestion and pollution are serious problems, and they could try to restrict the growth of car use, or promote cars which use less fuel. For governments keen to reduce electricity’s dependence on oil still further, there are usually cheaper alternatives to nuclear, such as coal or hydro power.Climate change is a legitimate worry. Although still riddled with uncertainties, the science of climate change is becoming firmer: put too much carbon in the atmosphere and you might end up cooking the earth, with possible catastrophic results. But here again switching immediately to nuclear power is not the best response. Cutting the larger subsidies that go to the world’s coal producers would help tilt the world’s energy balance towards natural gas, which gives off much less carbon dioxide. Developing countries subsidize electricity prices up to $120 billion a year, according to World Bank estimates. If price reflected the true costs of generation, electricity demand would fall, thus, cutting greenhouse emissions.1.What is the main idea of the first paragraph?2.Which of the following would NOT be true if an oil shock came soon?3.What is NOT mentioned as a way to prepare for an oil shock?4.What is meant by “cooking the earth”？5.What is the main aim of the passage?
A.Oil, gas and coal play an important role in energy supply. B.The more reserves, the greater demand there is for energy. C.There is no point in bothering about nuclear power at present. D.Some other forms of energy will replace fossil fuels someday.
问题2：
A.It wouldn’t affect much of the supply of electricity. B.It would have great impact on transport. C.The world would be badly in need of nuclear plants. D.Oil price would go upwards.
问题3：
A.Exploiting nuclear energy instead. B.Promoting cars which consume less fuel. C.Building up stock of oil for future consumption. D.Using coal or hydro power.
问题4：
A.The earth is getting wanner as if fueled by carbon dioxide dischargers. B.Owing to the change of climate, there will be less oil reserves C.The power plant emits too much smoke and fume. D.Automobile exhausts give off too much carbon dioxide.
问题5：
A.To reject the idea of turning to nuclear reactors for energy. B.To demonstrate that there are alternative forms of energy. C.To defend oil consumption from the blame for greenhouse effect. D.To warn people of the inevitable exhaustion of fossil fuels.