Question

【題目】Science has a lot of uses. It can uncover laws of nature, cure diseases, make bombs, and help bridges to stand up. Indeed science is so good at what it does that there’s always a temptation(誘惑) to drag it into problems where it may not be helpful. David Brooks, author of The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement, appears to be the latest in a long line of writers who have failed to resist the temptation.

Brooks gained fame for several books. His latest book The Social Animal, however, is more ambitious and serious than his earlier books. It is an attempt to deal with a set of weighty topics. The book focuses on big questions: What has science revealed about human nature? What are the sources of character? And why are some people happy and successful while others aren’t?

To answer these questions, Brooks surveys a wide range of disciplines(學科). Considering this, you might expect the book to be a dry recitation of facts. But Brooks has structured his book in an unorthodox(非常規(guī)的), and perhaps unfortunate, way. Instead of introducing scientific theories, he tells a story, within which he tries to make his points, perhaps in order to keep the reader’s attention. So as Harold and Erica, the hero and heroine in his story, live through childhood, we hear about the science of child development, and as they begin to date we hear about the theory of sexual attraction. Brooks carries this through to the death of one of his characters.

On the whole, Brooks’s story is acceptable if uninspired. As one would expect, his writing is mostly clear and, to be fair, some chapters stand out above the rest. I enjoyed, for instance, the chapter in which Harold discovers how to think on his own. While Harold and Erica are certainly not strong or memorable characters, the more serious problems with The Social Animal lie elsewhere. These problems partly involve Brooks’s attempt to translate his tale into science.

【1】The author mentions the functions of science at the beginning of the passage to __________.

A. illustrate where science can be applied

B. demonstrate the value of Brooks’s new book

C. remind the reader of the importance of science

D. explain why many writers use science in their works

【2】According to the author, which of the following could be a strength of the book?

A. Its strong basis. B. Its convincing points.

C. Its clear writing. D. Its memorable characters.

【3】What is the author’s general attitude towards the book?

A. Contradictory. B. Supportive.

C. Cautious. D. Critical.

【4】What is the author likely to write about after the last paragraph?

A. Problems with the book. B. Brooks’s life experiences.

C. Death of the characters. D. Brooks’s translation skills.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】C

【3】D

【4】A

【解析】試題分析：本文是一篇書評，介紹了David Brooks的書The Social Animal，并告訴我們在這本書中他如何運用科學方面的知識來闡述他的故事，并指出這本書的優(yōu)點和不足。

【1】D 主旨大意題。首段第一、二句首先列舉出科學的許多功能，接著指出科學有巨大的誘惑力，以致許多作家抵擋不住這種誘惑，在文學作品中運用到科學。故選D項。

【2】C 推理判斷題。根據(jù)最后一段中“…, his writing is mostly clear and, to be fair, some chapters stand out above the rest. I enjoyed,… ”可知，作者認為寫作思路清晰是這本書的一大優(yōu)勢。故選C項。

【3】D 推理判斷題。最后一段中的連接詞“while”之前是這本書的優(yōu)勢，其后作者指出了其不足。因此作者對這部書持批判的態(tài)度。故選D項。

【4】A 推理判斷題。文章最后一段中連接詞“while”后面部分開始談論這本書存在的問題。因此作者緊接著應該還是在寫這本的不足。故選A項。