新视野阅读理解unit5-10

Unit 10 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 1

During the long vacation I was accepted as a bus cond

uctor. I lasted about three

weeks. The routes through town were more than the mind could stand even in the

off-peak hours. All the buses from our station and every other station would be crawling

nose to tail through the town while the entire working popul

ation of Sydney fought to get

aboard. It was hot that summer: 100°

Fahrenheit (

华氏

) every day. Inside the bus it was

30°

hotter still. It was so jammed inside that my feet weren't touching the floor. There

was no hope of collecting any fares. At each stop it was all I could do to reach the bell

that signaled the driver to close the automatic doors and get going. I had no way of

telling whether anybody had managed to get on or off. My one object was to get that

bus up Pitt Street.

In these circumstances I was scarcely to blame. I didn't even know where we were, but

I guessed we were at the top just before Market Street. I pressed the bell, the doors

closed, and the bus surged forward. There were shouts and yells from down the back,

but I thought they were the angry cries of passengers who had not got on. Too late I

realized that they were emanating (

来自

) from within the bus. The back set of automatic

doors had closed around an old lady's neck as she was getting on. Her head was inside

the bus. The rest of her, carrying a shopping bag was outside. I knew none of this at the

time.

When I at last caught on to the fact that something was happening and signaled the

driver to stop, he crashed to a halt and opened the automatic doors, whereupon the

woman dropped to the road.

1.

When did the author work as a bus conductor?

A. Three weeks ago.

B. During off-peak hours only.

C. During his vacation.

D. Every summer.

Correct answer:

C

2.

What made it difficult for the author to collect fares?

A. The bus was too crowded.

B. The weather was so hot.

C. He couldn't get inside the door.

D. He had to ring the bell.

Correct answer:

A

3.

What did the author try to do above all else?

A. Close the door.

B. Collect the fares.

C. Ring the bell.

D. Get up Pitt Street.

Correct answer:

D

4.

What does the author think?

A. He was responsible for everything.

B. He couldn't be blamed for the troubles.

C. The doors on the bus should be automatic.

D. People shouldn't yell on the bus.

Correct answer:

B

5.

What happened with the old woman?

A. She ran out onto the road in front of the bus.

B. She opened the bus doors while the bus was moving.

C. She got her head caught in the bus doors.

D. She signaled the bus driver to stop.

Correct answer:

C

Unit 10 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 2

Since the dawn of human ingenuity (

独创性

), people have devised greater and greater

tools to cope with work that is dangerous, boring, burdensome, or just plain nasty. That

compulsion (

强制

) has resulted in attempts to make robots, machines with human

capabilities. And if scientists have yet to create the mechanical version of science

fiction, they have begun to come close.

As a result, the modern world is increasingly full of intelligent gizmos whose presence

we barely notice but whose universal existence has removed much human labor. Our

factories hum (

忙碌

) to the rhythm of robot assembly arms. Our banking is done at

automated teller terminals that thank us with mechanical politeness for the transaction.

Our subway trains are controlled by tireless robot drivers. And thanks to the continual

miniaturization (

小型化

) of electronics and micro-mechanics, there are already robot

systems that can perform some kinds of brain and bone surgery with perfect

accuracy

—

far greater precision than highly skilled physicians can achieve with their

hands alone.

But if robots are to reach the next stage of laborsaving utility, they will have to operate

with less human supervision and be able to make at least a few decisions for

themselves-goals that pose a real challenge.

handle a specific error,

yet give a robot enough 'common sense' to reliably interact with a dynamic world.

Indeed the quest for true artificial intelligence has produced very mixed results. Despite

a spell of initial optimism in the 1960s and 1970s when it appeared that transistor (

晶体

管

) circuits might be able to copy the action of the human brain by the year 2010,

researchers lately have begun to extend that forecast by decades if not centuries.

1.

Human ingenuity was initially demonstrated in ________.

A. the use of machines to produce science fiction

B. the wide use of machines in manufacturing industry

C. the invention of tools for difficult and dangerous work

D. the clever tackling of dangerous and boring work

Correct answer:

C

2.

The word

A. programs

B. experts

C. devices

D. creatures

Correct answer:

B

3.

According to the text, what is beyond man's ability now is to design a robot that can

________.

A. fulfill delicate tasks like performing brain surgery

B. interact with human beings orally

C. have a little common sense

D. respond independently to a changing world

Correct answer:

D

4.

What does the author think?

A. Robots will always require supervision.

B. People have both successes and failures with robots.

C. The making of robots will always meet mixed successes.

D. Robots and people should never be mixed.

Correct answer:

D

5.

What made people optimistic about robots?

A. Transistor circuits.

B. The 60s and 70s.

C. Researchers.

D. The human brain.

Correct answer:

A

Unit 10 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 3

Could the bad old days of economic decline be about to return? Since OPEC agreed to

supply-cuts in March, the price of crude oil has jumped to almost $$26 a barrel, up from

less than $$10 last December. This near-tripling (

几乎三倍

) of oil prices calls up scary

memories of the 1973 oil shock, when prices quadrupled (

四倍的

), and 1979-1980,

when they also almost tripled. Both previous shocks resulted in double

-digit inflation

and global economic decline. So where are the headlines warning of gloom (

沮丧

) and

doom (

厄运

) this time?

Yet there are good reasons to expect the economic consequences now to be less

severe than in the 1970s. Rich economies are less dependent on oil than they were,

and so less sensitive to swings in the oil price. Energy conservation, a shift to other

fuels and a decline in the importance of heavy, energy-intensive industries have

reduced oil consumption. Software, consultancy and mobile telephones use far less oil

than steel or car production. For each dollar of GDP (in constant prices) rich economies

now use nearly 50% less oil than in 1973. The OECD estimates in its latest Economic

Outlook that if oil prices averaged $$22 a barrel for a full year, compared with $$13 in

1998, this would increase the oil import bill in rich economies by only 0.25-0.5% of

GDP. That is less than one-quarter of the income loss in 1974 or 1980. On the other

hand, oil-importing emerging economies

—

to which heavy industry has shifted

—

have

become more energy-intensive, and so could be more seriously squeezed.

One more reason not to lose sleep over the rise in oil prices is that, unlike the rises in

the 1970s, it has not occurred against the background of general product

-price inflation

and global excess demand. A sizable portion of the world is only just emerging from

economic decline.

1.

What does the author describe as frightening?

A. The 1973 oil shock.

B. Global economic decline.

C. The gloom and doom of this time.

D. OPEC supply

-cuts.

Correct answer:

A

2.

What are newspapers having people believe?

A. The rise in oil is going to cause serious problems.

B. The economy is going to get better.

C. Oil prices are going to triple.

D. Energy conservation is necessary.

Correct answer:

A

3.

What has new technology lead to?

A. Double-digit inflation.

B. Reduced oil dependency.

C. Steel production.

D. Energy conservation.

Correct answer:

B

4.

Why does the author tell us

A. We will need energy from sleep.

B. Worrying will not help.

C. We need not worry.

D. People will be seriously squeezed in the future.

Correct answer:

C

5.

From the text we can see that the writer seems ________.

A. optimistic

B. sensitive

C. sad

D. scared

Correct answer:

A

Unit 10 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 4

Use of the illegal drug named Ecstasy MDMA (

摇头丸

) has increased alarmingly in

Britain over the last few years, and in 1992 the British Medical Journal claimed that at

least seven deaths and many severe adverse reactions have followed its use as a

dance drug. 14 deaths have so far been attributed to the drug in Britain although it is

possible that other drugs contributed to some of those deaths. While it is true that all

drugs by their very nature change the way in which the body reacts to its environment

and are therefore potentially dangerous, it is still unclear whether casual use of Ecstasy

is as dangerous as authorities believe. What is certain is that the drug causes distinct

changes to the body which, unless understood, may lead to fatal complications (

并发症

)

in certain circumstances. In almost all cases of MDMA related deaths in Britain,

overheating of the body and inadequate replacement of fluids have been noted as the

primary causes of death. Perhaps the most damning (

确凿的

) evidence urging against

the use of Ecstasy is that it is undoubtedly an addictive (

成瘾的

) substance, but one

that quickly loses its ability to affect the mind, while it increases its effect upon the body.

Yet, unlike the classic addictive drugs, Ecstasy does not produce physical withdrawal

symptoms. In fact, because one becomes quickly tolerant of its effect on the mind, it is

necessary to give up its use for a while in order to experience again its full effect. Any

substance which produces such a strong effect on the user should be treat

ed with

appropriate respect and care.

1.

What is the main topic of this passage?

A. Drug use among young people.

B. The effects of a certain drug.

C. The reports of a British medical journal.

D. Deaths at dances because of drugs.

Correct answer:

B

2.

What does the author mention as true?

A. Ecstasy is as dangerous as authorities believe.

B. Drugs cause changes for the body.

C. The environment for drugs is dangerous.

D. We must understand the effects of drugs.

Correct answer:

B

3.

What do most of the cases of deaths because of Ecstasy have in common?

A. The person's body became too hot.

B. The person was addicted.

C. The person was dangerous.

D. The person replaced his fluids.

Correct answer:

A

4.

How is Ecstasy different from some other drugs?

A. It causes greater changes in the body.

B. It is more dangerous, according to authorities.

C. It has no ability to affect the mind.

D. It does not produce withdrawal symptoms.

Correct answer:

D

5.

What does the author think?

A. Ecstasy is not addictive.

B. Ecstasy does not have a strong effect.

C. Ecstasy must be given up.

D. Ecstasy must be treated with care.

Correct answer:

D

Unit 9 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 1

In the 1960s, medical researchers Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe developed a

checklist of stressful events. They appreciated the tricky point that any major change

can be stressful. Negative events like

the list, but so were some positive life-changing events, like marriage. When you take

the Holmes-Rahe test you must remember that the score does not reflect how you deal

with stress-it only shows how much you have to deal with. And we now know that they

way you handle these events dramatically affects your chances of staying healthy.

By the early 1970s, hundreds of similar studies had followed Holmes and Rahe. And

millions of Americans who work and live under stress worried over the reports.

Somehow, the research got boiled down to a message that could be remembered

easily. Women's magazines ran headlines like

stay physically and mentally healthy, the articles said, avoid stressful events.

But such simplistic advice is impossible to follow. Even if stressful events are

dangerous, many

-like the death of a loved one-are impossible to avoid. Moreover, any

warning to avoid all stressful events is a prescription (

处方

) for staying away from

opportunities as well as trouble. Since any change can be stressful, a person who

wanted to be completely free of stress would never marry, have a child, take a new job

or move.

The notion that all stress makes you sick also ignores a lot of what we know about

people. It assumes we're all vulnerable (

脆弱的

) and passive in the face of adversity (

逆

境

). But what about human initiative and creativity? Many come through periods of

stress with more physical and mental vigor than they had before. We also know that a

long time without change can lead to boredom, and physical and mental strain.

1.

The result of Holmes

-Rahe's medical research tells us ________.

A. the way you handle major events may cause stress

B. what should be done to avoid stress

C. what kind of event would cause stress

D. how to cope with sudden changes in life

Correct answer:

C

2.

The studies on stress in the early 1970s led to ________.

A. widespread concern over its harm

ful effects

B. great panic over the mental disorder it could cause

C. an intensive research into stress- related illnesses

D. popular avoidance of stressful jobs

Correct answer:

A

3.

The score of the Holmes-Rahe test shows ________.

A. how much pressure you are under

B. how positive events can change your life

C. how stressful a major event can be

D. how you can deal with life-changing events

Correct answer:

A

4.

Why is

A. No one can stay on the same job for long.

B. No prescription is effective in relieving stress.

C. People have to get married someday.

D. You could be missing opportunities as well.

Correct answer:

D

5.

According to the passage people who have experienced ups and downs may become

________.

A. nervous when faced with difficulties

B. physically and mentally strained

C. more capable of coping with adversity

D. indifferent toward what happens to them

Correct answer:

C

Unit 9 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 2

Most episodes of absent- mindedness

—

forgetting where you left something or

wondering why you just entered a room

—

are caused by a simple lack of attention, says

Schacter.

deeply.

Encoding, Schacter explains, is special way of paying attention to an event that has a

major impact on recalling it later. Failure to encode properly can create annoying

situations. If you put your mobile phone in a pocket, for example, and don't pay

attention to what you did because you're involved in a con

versation, you'll probably

forget that the phone is in the jacket now hanging in your wardrobe (

衣柜

).

memory itself isn't failing you,

system the information it needed.

Lack of interest can also lead to absent-mindedness.

statistics from 30 years ago,

mailbox.

more attention to their environment, and memory relies on just that.

Visual cause can help prevent absent-mindedness, says Schacter.

is clear and available,

警告

). If you want to remember to take a

medication (

药物

) with lunch, put the pill bottle on the kitchen table

—

don't leave it in the

medicine chest and write yourself a note that you keep in a pocket.

Another common episode of absent- mindedness: walking into a room and wondering

why you're there. Most likely, you were thinking about something else.

this from time to time

before entering the room, and you'll likely remember.

1.

Why does the author think that encoding properly is very important?

A. It helps us understand our memory system better.

B. It enables us to recall something from our mem

ory.

C. It expands our memory capacity considerably.

D. It slows down the process of losing our memory.

Correct answer:

B

2.

One possible reason why women have better memories than men is that ________.

A. they have a wider range of interests

B. they are more reliant on the environment

C. they have an unusual power of focusing their attention

D. they are more interested in what's happening around them

Correct answer:

D

3.

A note in the pocket can hardly serve as a reminder because ________.

A. it will easily get lost

B. it's not clear enough for you to read

C. it's out of your sight

D. it might get mixed up with other things

Correct answer:

C

4.

What do we learn from the last paragraph?

A. If we focus our attention on one thing, we might forget another.

B. Memory depends to a certain extent on the environment.

C. Repetition helps improve our memory.

D. It we keep forgetting things, we'd better return to where we were.

Correct answer:

A

5.

What is the passage mainly about?

A. The process of gradual memory loss.

B. The causes of absent-mindedness.

C. The impact of the environment on memory.

D. A way of encoding and recalling.

Correct answer:

B

Unit 9 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 3

It is hard to track the blue whale (

蓝鲸

), the ocean's largest creature, which has almost

been killed off by commercial whaling and is now listed as an endangered species.

Attaching radio devices to it is difficult, and visual sightings are too unreliable to give

real insight into its behavior.

So biologists (

生物学家

) were delighted early this year when, with the help of the Navy,

they were able to track a particular blue whale for 43 days, monitoring its sounds. This

was possible because of the Navy's formerly top-secret system of underwater listening

devices spanning the oceans.

Tracking whales is but one example of an exciting new world just opening up to civilian

scientists after the cold war as the Navy starts to share and partly uncover its global

network of underwater listening systems built over the decades to track the ships of

potential enemies.

Earth scientists announced at a news conference recently that they had used the

system for closely monitoring a deep-sea volcanic (

火山的

) eruption (

爆发

) for the first

time and that they plan similar studies.

Other scientists have proposed to use the network for tracking ocean currents and

measuring changes in ocean and global temperatures.

The speed of sound in water is roughly one mile a second

—

slower than through land

but faster than through air. What is most important, different layers of ocean water can

act as channels for sounds, focusing them in the same way a stethoscope (

听诊器

)

does when it carries faint noises from a patient's chest to a doctor's ear. This focusing is

the main reason that even relatively weak sounds in the ocean, especially

low-frequency ones, can often travel thousands of miles.

1.

The passage is chiefly about __________.

A. an effort to protect an endangered marine species

B. the civilian use of a military detection system

C. the exposure of a US Navy top-secret weapon

D. a new way to look into the behavior of blue whales

Correct answer:

B

2.

The underwater listening system was originally designed __________.

A. to trace and locate enemy vessels

B. to monitor deep-sea volcanic eruptions

C. to study the movement of ocean currents

D. to replace the global radio communications network

Correct answer:

A

3.

The deep- sea listening system makes use of __________.

A. the sophisticated technology of focusing sounds under water

B. the capability of sound to travel at high speed

C. the unique property of layers of ocean water in transmitting sound

D. low-frequency sounds traveling across different layers of water

Correct answer:

C

4.

It can be inferred from the passage that __________.

A. new radio devices should be developed for tracking the endangered blue whales

B. blue whales are no longer endangered with the use of the new listening system

C. opinions differ as to whether civilian scientists should be allowed to use military

technology

D. military technology has great potential in civilian use

Correct answer:

D

5.

Which of the following is true about the US Navy underwater listening network?

A. It is now partly accessible to civilian scientists.

B. It has been replaced by a more advanced system.

C. It became useless to the military after the cold war.

D. It is indispensable in protecting endangered species.

Correct answer:

A

Unit 9 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 4

The fitness movement that began in the late 1960s and early 1970s centered on

aerobic exercise (

有氧运动

). Millions of individuals became engaged in a variety of

aerobic activities, and literally thousands of health spas (

矿泉疗养地

) developed around

the country to capitalize (

获利

) on this emerging interest in fitness, particularly aerobic

dancing for females. A number of fitness spas existed prior to this aerobic fitness

movement, even a national chain with spas in most major cities. However, their focus

was not on aerobics, but rather on weight-training programs designed to develop

muscular (

肌肉的

) mass, strength, and endurance in their primarily male enthusiasts.

These fitness spas did not seem to benefit financially from the aerobic fitness

movement to better health, since medical opinion suggested that weight-training

programs offered few, if any, health benefits. In recent years, however, weight training

has again become increasingly popular for males and for females. Many current

programs focus not only on developing muscular strength and endurance but on

aerobic fitness as well.

Historically, most physical-fitness tests have usually included measures of muscular

strength and endurance, not for health- related reasons, but primarily because such

fitness components have been related to performance in athletics. However, in recent

years, evidence has shown that training programs designed primarily to improve

muscular strength and endurance might also offer some health benefits as well. The

American College of Sports medicine now recommends that weight training be part of a

total fitness program for healthy Americans. Increased participation in such training is

one of the specific physical activity and fitness objectives of Healthy People 2000:

National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives.

1.

The word

A. sports activities

B. places for physical exercise

C. recreation centers

D. athletic training programs

Correct answer:

B

2.

Early fitness spas were intended mainly for __________.

A. the promotion of aerobic exercise

B. endurance and muscular development

C. the improvement of women's figures

D. better performance in aerobic dancing

Correct answer:

B

3.

What was the initial attitude of doctors towards weight training in health improvement?

A. Positive.

B. Indifferent.

C. Negative.

D. Cautious.

Correct answer:

C

4.

People were given physical fitness tests in order to find out __________.

A. how well they could do in athletics

B. what their health condition was like

C. what kind of fitness center was suitable for them

D. whether they were fit for aerobic exercise

Correct answer:

A

5.

Recent studies have suggested that weight training __________.

A. has become an essential part of people's life

B. may well affect the health of the trainees

C. will attract more people in the days to come

D. contributes to health improvement as well

Correct answer:

D

Unit 8 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 1

One phase of the business cycle is the expansion phase. This phase is a two-fold one,

including recovery and prosperity. During the recovery period there is ever

-growing

expansion of existing facilities, and new facilities for production are created. More

businesses are created and older ones expanded. Improvements of various kinds are

made. There is an ever increasing optimism about the future of economic growth. Much

capital is invested in machinery or heavy industry. More labor is employed. More raw

materials are required. As one part of the economy develops, other parts are affected.

For example, a large expansion in automobiles results in an expansion of the steel,

glass, and rubber industries. Roads are required; thus the cement and machinery

industries are stimulated. Demand for labor and mate

rials results in greater prosperity

for workers and farmers from increased demand for supplies of raw materials. This

increases purchasing power and the volume of goods bought and sold. Thus prosperity

is diffused (

扩散

) among the various segments of the population. This prosperity period

may continue to rise and rise without an apparent end. However, a time comes when

this phase reaches a peak and stops spiraling (

盘旋上升

) upwards. This is the end of

the expansion phase.

1.

We may assume that in the next paragraph the writer will discuss ________.

A. the expansion phase

B. the status of the farmer

C. the higher cost of living

D. the recession period

Correct answer:

D

2.

The title below that best expresses the ideas of this passage is ________.

A. Attaining Prosperity in One Industry

B. The Recovery Stage

C. An Expanding Society

D. A Period of Growth

Correct answer:

D

3.

Prosperity in one industry ________.

A. reflects itself in many other industries

B. will affect the steel industry

C. will spiral upwards

D. will end abruptly

Correct answer:

A

4.

Which of the following industries will probably be a good indicator of a period of

expansion?

A. Toys.

B. Machine tools.

C. Foodstuffs.

D. Materials.

Correct answer:

B

5.

During the period of prosperity, people regard the future ________.

A. cautiously

B. in a confident manner

C. in a careful way

D. indifferently

Correct answer:

B

Unit 8 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 2

Are organically grown foods the best food choices? The advantages claimed for such

foods over conventionally grown and marketed food products are now being debated.

Advocates of organic foods

—

a term whose meaning varies greatly

—

frequently

proclaim that such products are safer and more nutritious than others.

The growing interest of consumers in the safety and nutritional quality of the typical

North American diet is a welcome development. However, much of this interest has

been sparked by sweeping claims that the food supply is unsafe or inadequate in

meeting nutritional needs. Although most of these claims are not supported by scientific

evidence, the great number of written material advancing such claims makes it difficult

for the general public to separate fact from fiction. As a result, claims that eating a diet

consisting entirely of organically-grown foods prevents or cures disease or provides

other benefits to health have become widely publicized and popular among customers.

Almost daily the public is surrounded by claims for

-aging

other wonder foods. There are numerous unsubstantiated (

无确实根据的

) reports that

natural vitamins are superior to synthetic ones, that fertilized eggs are nutritionally

superior to unfertilized eggs, that untreated grains are better than fertilized grains, and

the like.

One thing that most organically grown food products seem to have in common is that

they cost more than conventionally grown foods. But in many cases consumers are

misled if they believe organic foods can maintain health and provide better nutritional

quality than conventionally grown foods. So there is real cause for concern if

consumers, particularly those with limited incomes, distrust the regular food supply and

buy only expensive organic foods instead.

1.

The word

A. Supporters.

B. Merchants.

C. Inspectors.

D. Consumers.

Correct answer:

A

2.

What does the word

A. Advantages.

B. Advocates.

C. Organic foods.

D. Nonorganically-grown products.

Correct answer:

D

3.

The author implies that there is cause for concern if consumers with limited incomes

buy organic foods instead of conventionally grown foods because ________.

A. organic foods can be more expensive but are often no better than

conventionally- grown foods

B. many organic foods are actually less nutritious than similar conventionally

-grown

foods

C. conventionally-grown foods are more readily available than organic foods

D. too many farmers will stop using conventional methods to grow food crops

Correct answer:

A

4.

According to the last paragraph, consumers who believe that organic foods are better

than conventionally- grown foods are often ________.

A. careless

B. mistaken

C. mistaking

D. wealthy

Correct answer:

B

5.

What is the author's attitude toward the claims made by advocates of health foods?

A. Very enthusiastic.

B. Somewhat favorable.

C. Neutral.

D. Doubtful.

Correct answer:

D

Unit 8 Part 18 Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)

Directions:

Read the following passages carefully and choose the best answer from the

four choices marked A, B, C and D.

Passage 3

For me, scientific knowledge is divided into mathematical sciences, natural sciences or

sciences dealing with the natural world, and sciences dealing with mankind. Apart from

these sciences is philosophy. In the first place, pure or theoretical knowledge has been

sought only for the purpose of understanding. What distinguishes man from animals is

that he knows and needs to know. If man did not know that the world existed, and that

the world was of a certain kind, that he was in the world and that he himself was of a

certain kind, he wouldn't be man. The technical aspects or applications of knowledge

are equally necessary for man and are of the greatest importance, because they also

contribute to defining him as man and permit him to pursue a life increasingly more truly

human.

But even while enjoying the results of technical progress, he must defend the value of

pure knowledge. Knowledge sought directly for its practical applications will have

immediate and foreseeable success, but pure or theoretical knowledge will not. Let me

recall a well-known example. If the Greek mathematicians had not applied themselves

to the investigation of conic (

圆锥形的

) sections, keenly and without the least suspicion

that it might someday be useful, it would not have been possible centuries later to

navigate far from shore. The first men to study the nature of electricity could not

imagine that their experiments, carried on because of mere intellectual curiosity, would

eventually lead to modern electrical technology, without which we can scarcely think of

contemporary life. Pure knowledge is valuable for its own sake, because the human

spirit cannot resign itself to ignorance. But, in addition, it is the foundation for practical

results that would not have been reached if this knowledge had not been sought

disinterestedly.

1.

The most important advances made by mankind come from ________ according to the

passage.

A. practical applications of social sciences

B. practical applications of pure knowledge

C. sciences dealing with the natural world

D. the biological sciences

Correct answer:

B

2.

The author does NOT include among the sciences the study of _________.

A. chemistry

B. astronomy

C. economics

D. literature

Correct answer:

D

3.

The author points out that the Greeks who studied conic sections ________.

A. were mathematicians

B. were interested in navigation

C. were unaware of the practical value of their studies

D. worked with electricity

Correct answer:

C

4.

The title below that best expresses the ideas of this passage is ________.

A. Technical Progress

B. A Little Learning Is a Dangerous Thing

C. Man's Distinguishing Characteristics

D. The Value of Pure Knowledge

Correct answer:

D