考研英语（一）：05年第1篇阅读理解真题学习笔记（2）

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考研英语（一）：05年第1篇阅读理解真题学习笔记（2）

05——07年考研英语阅读及译文

考研英语阅读理解汉语翻译

2015年考研英语一真题、解析和全文翻译(大师兄版)

一、考研英语（一）：05年第1篇阅读理解真题学习笔记（2）

1. Such characteristics make them perfect candidates for Dr. Brosnan and Dr. de Wall’s study . The researchers spent two years teaching their monkeys exchange tokens for food .

结构：

Such characteristics [主] make [谓] them perfect candidates [宾] for Dr. Brosnan and Dr. de Wall’s study [状] .The researchers [主] spent [谓] two years teaching [宾]宾语从句：their monkeys [主] exchange [谓] tokens [宾] for food [状]

单词：

Characteristic n.特征 特点

Candidate n.候选人

Token n.代币 代金券 购物卡

解析：

teaching后面是定语从句，省略了连接词that，做非谓语动词teaching的宾语

直译：这些特点使它们成为了B博士和W博士的完美的实验对象。这两位研究者，花了两年时间教会猴子用代币换取食物

译文：这些特点使得它们成为罗布斯南博士和德瓦尔博士理想的研究对象，这两位研究人员花了两年时间教他们所研究的猴子用代币换取食物

重点：

teaching后面是定语从句，省略了连接词that，做非谓语动词teaching的宾语

2. Normally , the monkeys were happy enough to exchange pieces of rock for slices of cucumber .

结构：

Normally , the monkeys [主] were [系] happy enough [表] to exchange pieces of rock for slices of cucumber [状]

单词：

Slice n.薄片

Cucumber n.黄瓜

直译：通常情况下，猴子非常高兴用几块石头换取黄瓜片

译文：正常情况下，猴子们非常乐意用石块换黄瓜片

3. However , when two monkeys were placed in separate but adjoining chambers , so that each could observe what the other was getting in return for its rock , their behaviour became markedly different .

结构：

However ,时间状语从句：when two monkeys [主] were placed [谓（被）] in separate but adjoining chambers [宾] ,目的状语从句：so that each [主] could observe [谓]宾语从句：what the other [主] was getting [谓] in return for its rock [宾] ,主句：their behaviour [主] became markedly [系] different [表]

单词：

Separate a.分开的

Adjoin a.相邻的

Chamber n.房间 会议厅

Markedly ad.明显地

词组：

In separate 分开

In return 反过来 作为回报

解析：

when引导时间状语从句So that引导目的状语从句，里面包含了一个宾语从句what引导宾语从句，做could observe 的宾语

直译：然而，当两个猴子被放到分开但相邻的房间时，目的是为了让他们能够互相看到用石块交换的东西是什么，这时他们的行为明显变得不同了

译文：然而，当两只猴子被安置在分开但相邻的小室，每个猴子能够观察另一个猴子用石块换取什么时，它们的行为就变得明显不同

重点：

when引导时间状语从句So that引导目的状语从句，里面包含了一个宾语从句what引导宾语从句，做could observe 的宾语

4. In the world of capuchins grapes are luxury goods ( and much preferable to cucumbers ) . So when one monkey was handed a grape in exchange for her token , the second was reluctant to hand hers over for a mere piece of cucumber .

结构：

In the world of capuchins [状] grapes [主] are [系] luxury goods [表]补充说明： ( and much preferable to cucumbers ) .时间状语从句：So when one monkey [主] was handed [谓（被）] a grape in exchange for her token [宾] ,主句：the second [主] was [系] reluctant [表] to hand hers over for a mere piece of cucumber [状]

单词：

grape n.葡萄

luxury a.奢侈的

Reluctant a.不情愿 不愿意

Mere ad.仅仅

词组：

Be reluctant to 不愿意

解析：

括号里的内容是补充信息when引导时间状语从句

直译：在卷尾猴的世界里，葡萄是奢侈的食物（并且比黄瓜好很多）。所以，当一个猴子用她的代币换到了一个葡萄时，那么第二个猴子就不愿意接受它换的仅仅是一片黄瓜

译文：在卷尾猴的世界里，葡萄是奢侈品（比黄瓜受欢迎得多）。于是，当一只猴子用它得代币换取了一颗葡萄时，第二只猴子就不愿意拿它得代币只换取一片黄瓜

重点：

括号里的内容是补充信息when引导时间状语从句

5. And if one received a grape without having to provide her token in exchange at all , the other either tossed her own token at the researcher or out of the chamber , or refused to accept the slice of cucumber .

结构：

条件状语从句：And if one [主] received [谓] a grape [宾] without having to provide her token in exchange at all [状] ,主句：the other [主] either tossed [谓1] her own token at the researcher [宾1-1] or out of the chamber [宾1-2] , or refused [谓2] to accept the slice of cucumber [宾2]

单词：

toss vt.扔

词组：

Either...or 或者...或者 要么...要么

解析：

if引导条件状语从句Either or 连接两个并列结构，共同使用主语the other；其中第一个句子种包含两个并列结构，共同使用谓语tossed

直译：如果一只猴子完全没有提供代币就得到了一颗葡萄，那么，第二只猴子要么朝研究人员扔代币，要么扔出房间，要么拒绝接受黄瓜片

译文：如果一直猴子不用交换代币就能获得一颗葡萄，那么另一只猴子要么把代币掷给研究人员，要么把代币扔出室外，要么拒绝接受那片黄瓜

重点：

if引导条件状语从句Either or 连接两个并列结构，共同使用主语the other；其中第一个句子种包含两个并列结构，共同使用谓语tossed

一、05——07年考研英语阅读及译文

回答字数在10000字以内，所以就放了2005年希望对你有用。

2005 Passage 1

Everybody loves a fat pay rise. Yet pleasure at your own can vanish if you learn that a colleague has been given a bigger one. Indeed, if he has a reputation for slacking, you might even be outraged. Such behaviour is regarded as “all too human”, with the underlying assumption that other animals would not be capable of this finely developed sense of grievance. But a study by Sarah Brosnan and Frans de Waal of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, which has just been published in Nature, suggests that it all too monkey, as well.

The researchers studied the behaviour of female brown capuchin monkeys. They look cute. They are good-natured, co-operative creatures, and they share their food tardily. Above all, like their female human counterparts, they tend to pay much closer attention to the value of “goods and services” than males.

Such characteristics make them perfect candidates for Dr. Brosnan's and Dr. de waal's; study. The researchers spent two years teaching their monkeys to exchange tokens for food. Normally, the monkeys were happy enough to exchange pieces of rock for slices of cucumber. However, when two monkeys were placed in separate but adjoining chambers, so that each could observe what the other was getting in return for its rock, their behaviour became markedly different.

In the world of capuchins grapes are luxury goods (and much preferable to cucumbers) So when one monkey was handed a grape in exchange for her token, the second was reluctant to hand hers over for a mere piece of cucumber. And if one received a grape without having to provide her token in exchange at all, the other either tossed her own token at the researcher or out of the chamber, or refused to accept the slice of cucumber .Indeed, the mere presence of a grape in the other chamber (without an actual monkey to eat it) was enough to reduce resentment in a female capuchin.

The researches suggest that capuchin monkeys, like humans, are guided by social emotions, in the wild, they are a co-operative, groupliving species, Such co-operation is likely to be stable only when each animal feels it is not being cheated. Feelings of righteous indignation, it seems, are not the preserve of people alone, Refusing a lesser reward completely makes these feelings abundantly clear to other members of the group. However, whether such a sense of fairness evolved independently in capuchins and humans, or whether it stems form the common ancestor that the species had 35 million years ago, is, as yet, an unanswered question.

21. In the opening paragraph, the author introduces his topic by
[A]. posing a contrast.
[B]. justifying an assumption.
[C]. making a comparison.
[D]. explaining a phenomenon.

22. The statement “it is all too monkey” (Last line, paragraph l) implies that
[A]. monkeys are also outraged by slack rivals.
[B]. resenting unfairness is also monkeys' nature.
[C]. monkeys, like humans, tend to be jealous of each other.
[D]. no animals other than monkeys can develop such emotions.

23. Female capuchin monkeys were chosen for the research most probably because they are
[A]. more inclined to weigh what they get.
[B]. attentive to researchers' instructions.
[C]. nice in both appearance and temperament.
[D]. more generous than their male companions

24. Dr. Brosnan and Dr. de Waal have eventually found in their study that the monkeys
[A]. prefer grapes to cucumbers.
[B]. can be taught to exchange things.
[C]. will not be co-operative if feeling cheated.
[D]. are unhappy when separated from others.

25. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
[A]. Monkeys can be trained to develop social emotions.
[B]. Human indignation evolved from an uncertain source.
[C]. Animals usually show their feelings openly as humans do.
[D]. Cooperation among monkeys remains stable only in the wild.

重点词汇：

assumption  （假定；承担；呈现）是assume的名词形式；见1997年Text 2。.参consumption，2002年Text 3。assumption — the mother of screw-up 臆断——把事情弄糟的根源。underlying assumption 潜在的假定。
grievance /n.委屈冤情不平。申诉人提出不满意见交付仲裁者。悲痛伤心事不幸忧伤。因为有冤情（）而满怀悲痛（）向申诉人申诉。

tardily  adv.缓慢。形容词形式拖拉的。（谐音记忆：他地，工作是他的，所以我可以拖拉）

counterpart （相似或对应的人或物）即counter+part，counter-前缀“对等”，part部分，“对等的部分”。见2000年 Passage 4 。
token  n. 表示, 向征, 记号, 代币 adj. 象征的, 表意的。Tears are queer tokens of happiness. 眼泪是快乐的一种奇怪的表示。
reluctant  （不愿的，勉强的）即re+luct+ant，re-看作“反复”，luct可看作词根lect“选择”，-ant形容词后缀，人们都不愿反反复复地作选择，所以“反复选择”→不愿的。Suggestion systems can work — don't be reluctant to use them.建议制度是有效的——不要不愿使用它们。
indignation  n. 愤慨, 义愤。 记忆：in-dig挖（坑）-nation，挖坑藏在里面的民族，能不愤慨吗？比如老萨，呵呵。形容词形式 indignant  adj. 愤怒的, 愤慨的

难句分析：
①Such behaviour is regarded as “all too human”, with the underlying assumption that other animals would not be capable of this finely developed sense of grievance.
前一分句是句子的主句，其中使用了短语regard…as…的被动形式；with加名词作状语，即“带有潜在的假定”，其中assumption后接有that引导的同位语从句解释说明假定的内容。
翻译：这种行为被看作是“人之长情”，他潜在的假定就是其他动物不可能有这种高度发达的不公平意识。
②when two monkeys were placed in separate but adjoining chambers, so that each could observe what the other was getting in return for its rock, their behaviour became markedly different.
该句子的主句是their behaviour became markedly different.前面是when引导的时间状语从句，其中包含了so that引导的目的状语从句。
翻译：当两个猴子被安置在隔开但相邻的两个房间里，能够互相看见对方用石头换回来什么东西时，猴子的行为就会变的明显不同。

试题解析：
这篇文章是讲猴子有一种天然的公平意识，文章本身难度不是太大，一开始做了一个类比，讲人的公平意识。然后根据这个类比，文章重点谈猴子们的公平意识。这篇对比性的文章两个方面要理解，第一，人类和猴子之间都有一种近似的表现，当受到不公正待遇的时候，都有义愤填膺的感觉，如果把握这个逻辑，就是类比的逻辑。第二, 最后两段关于选择的实验的对象以及实验的结果。

21题，我们应该选择C，考察第一段的写作手法，明显用的是猴和人之间的相似形的比较关系。
22题答案是B，也是在把猴子和人做类比，指出猴子与人一样都抱怨不公平
23题答案选A，这个是事实细节题，答案是根据文章第三段第一句话得到的，雌性的猴子被选择做研究，是因为她们更加注重她们获得的东西。
24题答案选择C，他们最终的发现是什么，篇章最后两段反复重复，如果没有受到公平的话，
25题选择B.这篇文章第一段和最后一段都出现一个词，"假设"为什么猴和人都有这种心理反应，这个问题没有得以解决。

全文翻译：
人人都喜欢大幅加薪，但是当你知道一个同事薪水加得比你还要多的时候，那么加薪带给你的喜悦感就消失的无影无踪了。如果他还以懒散出名的话，你甚至会变得怒不可遏。这种行为被看作是“人之长情”，其潜在的假定其他动物不可能具有如此高度发达的不公平意识。但是由佐治亚州亚特兰大埃里莫大学的Sarah Brosnan 和Frans de Waal进行的一项研究表明，它也是“猴之常情”。这项研究成果刚刚发表在《自然》杂志上。

研究者们对雌性棕色卷尾猴的行为进行了研究。它们看起来很可爱，性格温顺，合作，乐于分享食物。最重要的是，就象女人们一样，它们往往比雄性更关注“商品和服务”价值。这些特性使它们成为Brosnan 和 de Waal理想的研究对象。研究者们花了两年的时间教这些猴子用代币换取食物。正常情况下，猴子很愿意用几块石头换几片黄瓜。但是，当两个猴子被安置在隔开但相邻的两个房间里，能够互相看见对方用石头换回来什么东西时，猴子的行为就会变的明显不同。

在卷尾猴的世界里，葡萄是奢侈品（比黄瓜受欢迎得多）。所以当一只猴子用一个代币换回一颗葡萄时，第二只猴子就不愿意用自己的代币换回一片黄瓜。如果一只猴子根本无需用代币就能够得到一颗葡萄的话，那么另外一只就会将代币掷向研究人员或者扔出房间外，或者拒绝接受那片黄瓜。事实上，只要在另一房间里出现了葡萄（不管有没有猴子吃它），都足以引起雌卷尾猴的怨恨。

研究人员指出，正如人类一样，卷尾猴也受社会情感的影响。在野外，它们是相互合作的群居动物。只有当每只猴子感到自己没有受到欺骗时，这种合作才可能稳定。不公平而引起的愤怒感似乎不是人类的专利。拒绝接受较少的酬劳可以让这些情绪准确无误地传达给其它成员。但是这种公平感是在卷尾猴和人类身上各自独立演化而成，还是来自三千五百万前他们共同的祖先，这还是一个悬而未决的问题。

2005 Passage 2

Do you remember all those years when scientists argued that smoking would kill us but the doubters insisted that we didn't know for sure? That the evidence was inconclusive, the science uncertain? That the antismoking lobby was out to destroy our way of life and the government should stay out of the way? Lots of Americans bought that nonsense, and over three decades, some 10 million smokers went to early graves.
There are upsetting parallels today, as scientists in one wave after another try to awaken us to the growing threat of global warming. The latest was a panel from the National Academy of Sciences, enlisted by the White House, to tell us that the Earth's atmosphere is definitely warming and that the problem is largely man-made. The clear message is that we should get moving to protect ourselves. The president of the National Academy, Bruce Alberts, added this key point in the preface to the panel's report “Science never has all the answers .But science does provide us with the best available guide to the future, and it is critical that out nation and the world base important policies on the best judgments that science can provide concerning the future consequences of present actions.”
Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters insisting that the science about global warming is incomplete, that it's Ok to keep pouring fumes into the air until we know for sure. This is a dangerous game: by the 100 percent of the evidence is in, it may be too late. With the risks obvious and growing, a prudent people would take out an insurance policy now.
Fortunately, the White House is starting to pay attention. But it's obvious that a majority of the president's advisers still don't take global warming seriously. Instead of a plan of action, they continue to press for more research-a classic case of “paralysis by analysis”.
To serve as responsible stewards of the planet, we must press forward on deeper atmospheric and oceanic research But research alone is inadequate. If the Administration won't take the legislative initiative, Congress should help to begin fashioning conservation measures .A bill by Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, which would offer financial incentives for private industry is a promising start Many see that the country is getting ready to build lots of new power plants to meet our energy needs. If we are ever going to protect the atmosphere, it is crucial that those new plants be environmentally sound.
26. An argument made by supporters of smoking was that
[A]. there was no scientific evidence of the correlation between smoking and death.
[B]. the number of early deaths of smokers in the past decades was insignificant.
[C]. people had the freedom to choose their own way of life.
[D]. antismoking people were usually talking nonsense.
27. According to Bruce Alberts, science can serve as
[A]. a protector.
[B]. a judge.
[C]. a critic.
[D]. a guide.
28. What does the author mean by “paralysis by analysis” (Last line, paragraph 4)
[A]. Endless studies kill action.
[B]. Careful investigation reveals truth.
[C]. prudent planning hinders.
[D]. Extensive research helps decision-making.
29. According to the author, what should the Administration do about
[A]. Offer aid to build cleaner power plants.
[B]. Raise public awareness of conservation.
[C]. Press for further scientific research.
[D]. Take some legislative measures.
30. The author associates the issue of global warming with that of smoking because
[A]. they both suffered from the government's negligence.
[B]. a lesson from the latter is applicable to the former.
[C]. the outcome of the latter aggravates the former.
[D]. both of them have turned from bad to worse.

重点词汇：
prudent adj. 谨慎的。It's prudent to take a thick coat in cold weather when you go out. 在寒冷的天气下外出时带上件厚外套是谨慎的。名词形式prudence n. 审慎。记忆：rude 粗鲁的，无礼的，p不-rude粗鲁的-ent形容词后缀
paralysis n. 瘫痪, 麻痹。 para-侧面。参见2003年Text 2。
paraphrase  （n.v.释意）即para+phrase，para-前缀表“在旁边、辅助”，phrase即“短语；用短语表达”，故“用短语辅助表达”→释意。以para-为前缀的单词还有paragraph（文章的段、节；短评）←para+graph写；parameter（参数）←para+meter计量；parasite（寄生虫）←para+site地点。
analysis  n. 分析, 分解。记忆：an-a-lysis，后缀同上，分析成一个an,a。联想：反义词synthesis n. 综合, 合成

take the legislative initiative
take the initiative 带头,开始着手 took the initiative in trying to solve the problem.开始着手试图解决这个问题
initiative  n. 主动。 名词形式initiate vt. 开始, 发动, 传授 v. 开始, 发起
legislative  adj. 立法的, 立法机关的 n. 立法机关。参见1999 Passage 4 。legislation  （立法；法规）看作leg+is+lat(e)+ion，leg词根“法律”（参allegation宣称，2003年Text 2），is是，late迟的，-ion名词后缀，“法律是迟的”→旧法律难以适应新事物→所以要不断“立法”→“立法”之产物即“法规”。

难句解析：
①The latest was a panel from the National Academy of Sciences, enlisted by the White House, to tell us that the Earth's atmosphere is definitely warming and that the problem is largely man-made.
主干部分是The latest was a panel，表语panel后接有两个定语成分：from的介词短语和含enlisted的过去分词，即“白宫召集的、来自国家科学院的专家团”，其中第二个定语成分中又包含一个不定式结构，表目的，即“为了告诉我们……而召集的（专家团）”。
翻译：最近的行动是由白宫召集了一批来自国家科学院的专家团，他们告诉我们，地球气候毫无疑问正在变暖，而这个问题主要是人为造成的。
②But science does provide us with the best available guide to the future, and it is critical that out nation and the world base important policies on the best judgments that science can provide concerning the future consequences of present actions.”
该句子的主干是由and连接的两个并列从句，前一分句的主干是science…provide us with…guide；后一分句的主干是it is critical，其中it为形式主语，真正的主语是that引导的主语从句。从句的主干是our nation and the world base…policies on…judgments，judgments后接有两个定语结构，一是that引导的定语从句，一是concerning分词结构。
翻译：但是科学确实为我们的未来提供了最好的指导，关键是我们的国家和整个的世界在做重要决策时，应该以科学能够提供的关于人类现在的行为对未来影响最好的判断作为依据。
③Just as on smoking, voices now come from many quarters insisting that the science about global warming is incomplete, that it's Ok to keep pouring fumes into the air until we know for sure。
该句子的主干是voices now come from many quarters；句首Just as结构做比较状语，意为“正如…一样”；insisting 引导的分词结构做定语修饰主语voice，分词结构中含有两个并列的由that引导的宾语从句，第二个宾语从句的真实主语是不定式结构to keep…
翻译：就象吸烟问题一样，来自不同领域的声音坚持认为有关全球变暖的科学资料还不完整。
试题解析：
第二篇文章是一篇一般的时事性文章，这也是一篇类比，考完了以后很多考生说这篇文章讲抽烟，其实不是的，作者讲抽烟是想说明现在的温室效应，也是一种类比，许多人抽烟没有人去管，因为缺乏足够的证据,咱们各国政府也不管温室效应, 也是同样的原因。中心讲的是世界各个政府对温室效应的解决的态度，篇章的关键词围绕这样三个问题展开，第一个就是证据不充足。第二是科学的意义。第三是制定法律，尤其最后三段大量出现立法和法规的现象，
26题选C，
27应该选D，科学应该作为一个指导性，是答案是根据文章第2段的最后两句话。
28题是猜单词题，单词所在的句子的意思是有些人总要科学证据，结果抹杀了行动。所以选A。29答案选择D，采取某种法律措施，法律在最后的段落重复的最多。
30题作者谈的抽烟的教训对我们温室处理也是一样的，选B。
全文翻译：
还记得科学家们认为吸烟会致人死亡，而那些怀疑者们却坚持认为我们无法对此得出定论的时候吗？还记得怀疑者们坚持认为缺乏决定性的证据，科学也不确定的时候吗？还记得怀疑者们坚持认为反对吸烟的游说是为了毁掉我们的生活方式，而政府应该置身事外的时候吗？许多美国人相信了这些胡言乱语，在三十多年中，差不多有一千万烟民早早的进了坟墓。
现在出现了与吸烟类似的令人感到难过的事情。科学家们前仆后继，试图使我们意识到全球气候变暖所带来的日益严重的威胁。最近的行动是由白宫召集了一批来自国家科学院的专家团，他们告诉我们，地球气候毫无疑问正在变暖，而这个问题主要是人为造成的。明确的信息表明是我们应该立刻着手保护自己。国家科学院院长Bruce Alberts在专家团报告的前言中加上了这一重要观点：“科学解答不了所有问题。但是科学确实为我们的未来提供了最好的指导，关键是我们的国家和整个的世界在做重要决策时，应该以科学能够提供的关于人类现在的行为对未来影响最好的判断作为依据。
就象吸烟问题一样，来自不同领域的声音坚持认为有关全球变暖的科学资料还不完整。在我们证实这件事之前可以向大气中不断的排放气体。这是一个危险的游戏；到了有百分之百的证据的时候，可能就太晚了。随着风险越来越明显，并且不断增加，一个谨慎的民族现在应该准备一份保单了。
幸运的是，白宫开始关注这件事了。但是显然大多数总统顾问并没有认真看待全球气候变暖这个问题。他们没有出台行动计划，相反只是继续迫切要求进行更多的研究――这是一个经典的“分析导致麻痹案例”。
为了成为地球上有责任心的一员，我们必须积极

二、考研英语阅读理解汉语翻译

考研英语阅读理解汉语翻译

　　考研英语阅读不仅需要大量的词汇量，更需从答案着手，“慧眼识珠”，消除干扰答案，更加快速高效的做出选择。下面是我给大家准备的考研英语阅读理解真题及汉语翻译，欢迎大家阅读练习!

　　The marvelous telephone and television network that has now enmeshed the whole world, making all men neighbours, cannot be extended into space. It will never be possible to converse with anyone on another planet. Even with today's radio equipment, the messages will take minutes—sometimes hours—on their journey, because radio and light waves travel at the same limited speed of 186, 000 miles a second.

　　Twenty years from now you will be able to listen to a friend on Mars, but the words you hear will have left his mouth at least three minutes earlier, and your reply will take a corresponding time to reach him. In such circumstances, an exchange of verbal messages is possible—but not a conversation.

　　To a culture which has come to take instantaneous communication for granted, as part of the very structure of civilized life, this “time barrier” may have a profound psychological impact. It will be a perpetual reminder of universal laws and limitations against which not all our technology can ever prevail. For it seems as certain as anything can be that no signal—still less any material object—can ever travel faster than light.

　　The velocity of light is the ultimate speed limit, being part of the very structure of space and time. Within the narrow confines of the solar system, it will not handicap us too severely. At the worst, these will amount to twenty hours—the time it takes a radio signal to span the orbit of Pluto, the outer-most planet.

　　It is when we move out beyond the confines of the solar system that we come face to face with an altogether new order of cosmic reality. Even today, many otherwise educated men—like those savages who can count to three but lump together all numbers beyond four—cannot grasp the profound distinction between solar and stellar space. The first is the space enclosing our neighbouring worlds, the planets; the second is that which embraces those distant suns, the stars, and it is literally millions of times greater. There is no such abrupt change of scale in the terrestrial affairs.

　　Many conservative scientists, appalled by these cosmic gulfs, have denied that they can ever be crossed. Some people never learn; those who sixty years ago scoffed at the possibility of flight, and ten years ago laughed at the idea of travel to the planets, are now quite sure that the stars will always be beyond our reach. And again they are wrong, for they have failed to grasp the great lesson of our age—that if something is possible in theory, and no fundamental scientific laws oppose its realization, then sooner or later it will be achieved.

　　One day we shall discover a really efficient means of propelling our space vehicles. Every technical device is always developed to its limit and the ultimate speed for spaceships is the velocity of light. They will never reach that goal, but they will get very near it. And then the nearest star will be less than five years voyaging from the earth.[514 words]

　　11.For light to travel across the solar system, it will take_______.

　　[A] a year [B] nearly a day [C] two months [D] thirty minutes

　　12.The fact that it will never be possible to converse with someone on another planet shows that________

　　[A] radio messages do not travel fast enough

　　[B] no object can ever travel faster than light

　　[C] western culture has a special idea of communication

　　[D] certain universal laws cannot be prevailed against

　　13.Confronted with the new order of cosmic reality, many educated men________.

　　[A] become ignorant savage again [B] find the “time barrier” unbearable

　　[C] will not combine solar and stellar space[D] cannot adapt to the abrupt change of scale

　　14.Conservative scientists who deny that cosmic gulfs can ever be crossed will________

　　[A] laugh at the very idea of flight [B] learn a lesson as they did ten years ago

　　[C] find space travel beyond their reach[D] oppose the fundamental scientific laws

　　15.The author of the passage intends to show__________.

　　[A] the limitations of our technology [B] the vastness of the cosmic reality

　　[C] the prospect of planetary travel [D] the psychological impact of time and space

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