PrefaceScience is a dominant(占优势的) theme in our culture. Since it touches almos

题文

                            Preface
Science is a dominant(占优势的) 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（普遍的；深入的）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 a 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.
小题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.
小题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.
小题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.
小题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.
小题5:This passage most probably is
A. book review. B the preface of a book.  C the postscript of a book.  D the concluding part of a book. 题型：未知 难度：其他题型

答案

小题1:C
小题2:B
小题3:A
小题4:D
小题5:B

解析

这是一篇书的序言，作者用夹叙夹议的写作方法介绍了书的涉及面及其功能。
首先提出科学是我们文化的重大主题，但人们也该了解科学家生活的亚文化群，只有懂得一些激励和挫伤科学家的种种情况，才能理解科学的一般特征及其特殊概念。
第二方面指出书的读者对象是对科学一知半解的学生及门外汉。书可作理工科课程的辅助（补充）读物，又可独立自成体系。它可开阔人们科学的视野，真正了解科学、科学家及其工作，理解科学和文化的关系，科学观点和哲学的关系。
第三方面指出亚文化群中妇女增多，贡献巨大，而我们的语言却隐含这性别的歧视，难以充分平等地反映妇女。
最后指出书信息量大又具娱乐性，寓教于乐。
小题1:科学社区。答案在第一段第二句，人们也该了解科学家生活在其中的亚文化群以及他们是什么样的人。第三段又讲到，有关科学社区的画面以及妇女对科学亚文化的贡献。可见科学社区即亚文化。
A. 科学家所组成种种文化群体。  B. 科学知识有限的一些人。  C. 对科学作出很大贡献的人。
小题2:因为科学几乎影响到我们生活的各个方面。文章开综明旨点出：科学是我们文化中的重要主题，由于它几乎涉及到我们生活的每一方面，有知识的人至少需要熟悉一些结构和作用。
A. 了解激发和挫伤科学家的事情可不太容易。（比较难） C. 科学家生活在特定的亚文化群中。D. 了解科学的一般特性比较容易。
小题3:不太了解科学的大学生或门外汉。第二段首句就点出了这本书为对科学一知半解的大学生和门外汉所写，为某些人，一直把科学看作干巴巴的事实堆砌的发霉的石屋的人；为那种把科学的主要目的视为生产小配件的人；为那些把科学视为某种魔术的人而写。这说明主要为A项人所写，对科学了解不多的大学生和普通人。
B. 善于生产各种小配件。  C. 在干巴巴的事实堆砌的石屋中工作。 D. 相对科学有肤浅了解的人。
小题4:不应当用阳性的名词和代词去指科学家。第三段集中讲了这本书提供精确而又现代的有关科学社区（社会）和居住在其中的人的画卷。近年来，越来越多的妇女包括进来，原因是许多妇女进入传统上为男人统治的领域，并做出巨大贡献，所以妇女在科学亚文化群中的增多并不是罕见的偶然事件，而是社会各部门明显趋势的组成部分。在讨论其变化和贡献时，我们面临着隐含性别歧视的语言――用阳性名词和代词来指未指定人物，为了消除这种偏颇，我们在可能和必要时采用了复数名词和代词来取代他或她。
A. 英语是一种性别语言。 B. 只有在科学领域中，妇女的作用增长很快。 C. 妇女在晓民我们语言中的不适当性作出了巨大的贡献。根据此题注释说明这三项都不对。英语不能说成是有性别的语言，其中虽有些词性表示男性或女性。文内明确指科学界妇女增多是整个社会的趋势的组成部分。由于妇女在科学界的贡献，所以不能再用阳性名词或代词去指科学界，并不是在消灭语言……
小题5:书的前言，见文章大意。A. 书的评论。 C. 书跋、书的附录。 D. 书的结论部分。

考点

据考高分专家说，试题“ PrefaceScience is a.....”主要考查你对 [政治经济类阅读 ]考点的理解。

政治经济类阅读

政治经济类文章的概念：

要做好这类阅读，平时就要注意了解国内外发生的政治经济大事，掌握一定背景知识，对这类文章的叙述特点及内容安排有一定了解，还要扩展这方面的词汇。阅读这类文章，要抓住文章的核心，即文章整体和各段主要在说什么，也要注意段落之间的逻辑关系。

如何备考政治经济类阅读理解题：

【题型说明】政治经济类阅读文章是高考常选材料之一。该类文章时代气息浓郁，语言鲜活，但熟字新义词、超纲词及专业词语多，长句、难句多。政治类文章大多数是同学们感性趣的内容，读起来倒有似曾相识的感觉，经济类文章读起来就像是雾里看花，文章看完，一头雾水。再加之这类文章的命题侧重于词义猜测、推理判断和文章主旨，同学们对这类题材是望而生畏。
【备考策略】建立心理优势。针对不同体裁的文章，我们要采取相应的阅读方法和技巧。政治类文章多采用记叙文形式，我们可采取“顺读法”，以便抓关键语句，领会文章主旨；而经济类文章则多采用说明文形式，我们则可以采取“逆读法”，先读试题，再从文章中查找有用信息。若遇到的确难读的材料。千万不用着急，因为你觉得难，其他人也一定是同感。在高考前，我们就要有这种心理准备，高考试卷肯定有一、两篇难以阅读的材料。不过，我们平时可以有意识地从报刊杂志上找一些较难的阅读材料来阅读，以培养自己迎难而上的心理素质。
【答题方法】
1、寻找主干：
根据英语中五种基本句型结构，把句子中的主语、谓语、宾语、表语等主要成分找出来，其他成分如定语、状语、补语等则易于理解。找到了句子主干，句子的意思至少明白了一半。
2、剔除从句：
在一个长句中可能会出现若干个从句，在理解时，如果把各个从句剔除出来单独理解，然后把大意拼凑起来，整个长句的意思就会明白六、七分。
3、辨别分句：
一个长句如果是由几个并列、转折、递进、对比关系的分句组成，句中往往有表示这些分句关系的连接词，只要能弄清楚分句和分句之间的逻辑关系，再把各层分句的意思加以连贯，整个长句的句意基本上能跃然脑中。
4、寻找关键词：
如果一个句子看完，一点句意的感觉也没有，下下策就是抓住句中的关键词，通过关键词大体弄懂这个长句的意思。