Question

【题目】Science has a lot of uses. It can reveal (揭示) 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 (诱惑) 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 subjects. Because of this, you might expect the book to cover a variety of facts. But Brooks has structured his book in an unusual, 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 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. show the value of Brooks’s new book

B. show where science can be applied

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 clear writing.

B. Its convincing points.

C. Its strong characters.

D. Its strong basis.

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

A. Cautious.

B. Critical.

C. Contradictory(矛盾的).

D. Supportive.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】A

【3】B

【解析】

试题分析：本文是一篇议论文。文章先列举出科学的许多功能，接着指出科学有巨大的诱惑力，以致许多作家抵挡不住这种诱惑，在文学作品中运用到科学。并以Brooks的新书The social animal为例，批判地分析这本书的优势和不足。

【1】D 推理判断题。首段第一、二句首先列举出科学的许多功能，接着指出科学有巨大的诱惑力，以致许多作家抵挡不住这种诱惑，在文学作品中运用到科学。故选D项。

【2】A 细节理解题。根据最后一段中“…, his writing is mostly clear and, to be fair, some chapters stand out above the rest. I enjoyed,… ”可知，作者认为写作思路清晰是这本书的一大优势。故选A项。

【3】B 推理判断题。最后一段中的链接词“while”之前是这本书的优势，其后作者指出了其不足。因此作者对这部书持批判的态度。故选B项。

【名师点拨】

推理判断题所涉及的内容可能是文中的某一句话，也可能是某几句话，所以，推理题的答案只能是根据原文表面文字信息一步推出的答案：即对原文某一句话或某几句话所作的同义改写或综合。推理判断题的题干中通常含infer,suggest,imply,conclude indicate等标志性词语。 这种题型主要包括细节判断题、态度观点推断题、写作意图推断题、文章出处判断题和猜测想象推断题。【2】A 细节理解题。根据最后一段中“…, his writing is mostly clear and , to be fair, some chapters stand out above the rest. I enjoyed,… ”可知，作者认为写作思路清晰是这本书的一大优势。故选A项。