2016年公共英語一級閲讀題

下面是小編整理的2016年公共英語閲讀題，提供給考生複習備考。

　　preface

Science is a dominant theme in our culture. Since it touches almost every facet of our life, educated people need at least some acquaintance with its structure and operation. They should also have an understanding of the subculture in which scientists live and the kinds of people they are. An understanding of general characteristics of science as well as specific scientific concepts is easier to attain if one knows something about the things that excite and frustrate the scientist.

This book is written for the intelligent student or lay person whose acquaintance with science is superficial; for the person who has been presented with science as a musty storehouse of dried facts; for the person who sees the chief objective of science as the production of gadgets; and for the person who views the scientists as some sort of magician. The book can be used to supplement a course in any science, to accompany any course that attempts to give an understanding of the modern world, or - independently of any course - simply to provide a better understanding of science. We hope this book will lead readers to a broader perspective on scientific attitudes and a more realistic view of what science is, who scientists are, and what they do. It will give them an awareness and understanding of the relationship between science and our culture and an appreciation of the roles science may play in our culture. In addition, readers may learn to appreciate the relationship between scientific views and some of the values and philosophies that are pervasive in our culture.

We have tried to present in this book an accurate and up-to-date picture of the scientific community and the people who populate it. That population has in recent years come to comprise more and more women. This increasing role of women in the scientific subculture is not an unique incident but, rather, part of the trend evident in all segments of society as more women enter traditionally male-dominated fields and make significant contributions. In discussing these changes and contribution, however, we are faced with a language that is implicitly sexist, one that uses male nouns or pronouns in referring to unspecified individuals. To offset this built-in bias, we have adopted the policy of using plural nouns and pronouns whenever possible and, when absolutely necessary, alternating he and she. This policy is far form being ideal, but it is at least an acknowledgment of the inadequacy of our language in treating half of the human race equally.

We have also tried to make the book entertaining as well as informative. Our approach is usually informal. We feel, as do many other scientists, that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously. As the reader may observe, we see science as a delightful pastime rather than as a grim and dreary way to earn a living.

1. According to the passage, ‘scientific subculture’ means

[A]cultural groups that are formed by scientists.

[B]people whose knowledge of science is very limited.

[C]the scientific community.

[D]people who make good contribution to science.

2. We need to know something about the structure and operation of science because

[A]it is not easy to understand the things that excite and frustrate scientists.

[B]Science affects almost every aspect of our life.

[C]Scientists live in a specific subculture.

[D]It is easier to understand general characteristics of science.

3. The book mentioned in this passage is written for readers who

[A]are intelligent college students and lay person who do not know much about science.

[B]are good at producing various gadgets.

[C]work in a storehouse of dried facts.

[D]want to have a superficial understanding of science.

4. According to this passage.

[A]English is a sexist language.

[B]only in the scientific world is the role of women increasing rapidly.

[C]women are making significant contributions to eliminating the inadequacy of our language.

[D]male nouns or pronouns should not be used to refer to scientists.

5. This passage most probably is

[A]a book review.

[B]the preface of a book.

[C]the postscript of a book.

[D]the concluding part of a book.

　　The only way to travel is on foot

The past ages of man have all been carefully labeled by anthropologists. Descriptions like ‘ Palaeolithic Man’, ‘Neolithic Man’, etc., neatly sum up whole periods. When the time comes for anthropologists to turn their attention to the twentieth century, they will surely choose the label ‘Legless Man’. Histories of the time will go something like this: ‘in the twentieth century, people forgot how to use their legs. Men and women moved about in cars, buses and trains from a very early age. There were lifts and escalators in all large buildings to prevent people from walking. This situation was forced upon earth dwellers of that time because of miles each day. But the surprising thing is that they didn’t use their legs even when they went on holiday. They built cable railways, ski-lifts and roads to the top of every huge mountain. All the beauty spots on earth were marred by the presence of large car parks.

The future history books might also record that we were deprived of the use of our eyes. In our hurry to get from one place to another, we failed to see anything on the way. Air travel gives you a bird’s-eye view of the world - or even less if the wing of the aircraft happens to get in your way. When you travel by car or train a blurred image of the countryside constantly smears the windows. Car drivers, in particular, are forever obsessed with the urge to go on and on: they never want to stop. Is it the lure of the great motorways, or what? And as for sea travel, it hardly deserves mention. It is perfectly summed up in the words of the old song: ‘I joined the navy to see the world, and what did I see? I saw the sea.’ The typical twentieth-century traveler is the man who always says ‘I’ve been there. ’ You mention the remotest, most evocative place-names in the world like El Dorado, Kabul, Irkutsk and someone is bound to say ‘I’ve been there’ - meaning, ‘I drove through it at 100 miles an hour on the way to somewhere else. ’

When you travel at high speeds, the present means nothing: you live mainly in the future because you spend most of your time looking forward to arriving at some other place. But actual arrival, when it is achieved, is meaningless. You want to move on again. By traveling like this, you suspend all experience; the present ceases to be a reality: you might just as well be dead. The traveler on foot, on the other hand, lives constantly in the present. For him traveling and arriving are one and the same thing: he arrives somewhere with every step he makes. He experiences the present moment with his eyes, his ears and the whole of his body. At the end of his journey he feels a delicious physical weariness. He knows that sound. Satisfying sleep will be his: the just reward of all true travellers.

1、Anthorpologists label nowaday’s men ‘Legless’ because

A people forget how to use his legs.

B people prefer cars, buses and trains.

C lifts and escalators prevent people from walking.

D there are a lot of transportation devices.

2、Travelling at high speed means

A people’s focus on the future.

B a pleasure.

C satisfying drivers’ great thrill.

D a necessity of life.

3、Why does the author say ‘we are deprived of the use of our eyes’ ?

A People won’t use their eyes.

B In traveling at high speed, eyes become useless.

C People can’t see anything on his way of travel.

D People want to sleep during travelling.

4、What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?

A Legs become weaker.

B Modern means of transportation make the world a small place.

C There is no need to use eyes.

D The best way to travel is on foot.

5. What does ‘a bird’s-eye view’ mean?

A See view with bird’s eyes.

B A bird looks at a beautiful view.

C It is a general view from a high position looking down.

D A scenic place.