2003 Text 2

  To paraphrase 18th-century statesman Edmund Burke, "all that is needed for the triumph of a misguided cause is that good people do nothing." One such cause now seeks to end biomedical research because of the theory that animals have rights ruling out their use in research. Scientists need to respond forcefully to animal rights advocates, whose arguments are confusing the public and thereby threatening advances in health knowledge and care. Leaders of the animal rights movement target biomedical research because it depends on public funding, and few people understand the process of health care research. Hearing allegations of cruelty to animals in research settings, many are perplexed that anyone would deliberately harm an animal.

  For example, a grandmotherly woman staffing an animal rights booth at a recent street fair was distributing a brochure that encouraged readers not to use anything that comes from or is tested in animals — no meat, no fur, no medicines. Asked if she opposed immunizations, she wanted to know if vaccines come from animal research. When assured that they do, she replied, "Then I would have to say yes." Asked what will happen when epidemics return, she said, "Don't worry, scientists will find some way of using computers." Such well-meaning people just don't understand.

  Scientists must communicate their message to the public in a compassionate, understandable way — in human terms, not in the language of molecular biology. We need to make clear the connection between animal research and a grandmother's hip replacement, a father's bypass operation, a baby's vaccinations, and even a pet's shots. To those who are unaware that animal research was needed to produce these treatments, as well as new treatments and vaccines, animal research seems wasteful at best and cruel at worst.

  Much can be done. Scientists could "adopt" middle school classes and present their own research. They should be quick to respond to letters to the editor, lest animal rights misinformation go unchallenged and acquire a deceptive appearance of truth. Research institutions could be opened to tours, to show that laboratory animals receive humane care. Finally, because the ultimate stakeholders are patients, the health research community should actively recruit to its cause not only well-known personalities such as Stephen Cooper, who has made courageous statements about the value of animal research, but all who receive medical treatment. If good people do nothing there is a real possibility that an uninformed citizenry will extinguish the precious embers of medical progress.

46. The author begins his article with Edmund Burke's words to ________.
  [A] call on scientists to take some actions
  [B] criticize the misguided cause of animal rights
  [C] warn of the doom of biomedical research
  [D] show the triumph of the animal rights movement

47. Misled people tend to think that using an animal in research is ________.
  [A] cruel but natural
  [B] inhuman and unacceptable
  [C] inevitable but vicious
  [D] pointless and wasteful

48. The example of the grandmotherly woman is used to show the public's ________.
  [A] discontent with animal research
  [B] ignorance about medical science
  [C] indifference to epidemics
  [D] anxiety about animal rights

49. The author believes that, in face of the challenge from animal rights advocates, scientists should ________.
  [A] communicate more with the public
  [B] employ hi-tech means in research
  [C] feel no shame for their cause
  [D] strive to develop new cures

50. From the text we learn that Stephen Cooper is ________.
  [A] a well-known humanist
  [B] a medical practitioner
  [C] an enthusiast in animal rights
  [D] a supporter of animal research


重点词汇

paraphrase /5pArEfreiz/ n.v.释意)即para+phrasepara-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。guangxian注:与真题文章开头paraphrase时引用的Edmund Burke的话相类似的,在布鲁斯·威利斯(Bruce Willis)主演的2003年影片Tears of the Sun结尾时整屏显示的是:“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke”。

biomedical /7baiEu5medikEl/ (生物医学的)←bio生物+medic医疗+al形容词后缀。

respond /ris5pCnd/ v.回复;响应)即re+spondre-(=back)spond词根“请求”,于是“回复请求”→响应。One of the few experiences which never pall is the experience for watching one's own interests, responds to new stimuli, and develops new thoughts.令人永不生厌的不多的几种体验之一,是观察自己的头脑,看它是如何产生新的兴趣、对新的刺激作出反应及发展新的思想。

advocate /5AdvEkit/ v.提倡n.倡议者;辩护人)即ad+voc+atead-前缀表“加强”,voc词根意为“声音”(即voice,因为元音可任意增减替换),-ate为动词后缀(作名词后缀时表“人”)。

argument /5B:^jumEnt/ (辩论;论据,论点)为arguev.辩论;主张)的名词形式。Never argue at the dinner table, for the one who is not hungry always gets the best of the argument.绝不要在餐桌上争论,因为肚子不饿的人总是占上风。Truth is always the strongest argument.事实永远是最强有力的论据。argument the longest distance between two points of view an event that leaves either party convinced that he is more correct 争论——①两种观点之间的最远距离 ②一个使双方都确信自己更正确的事件。

allegation /7Ali5^eiFEn/ (宣称)即al+leg+ational-前缀表“加强”,leg词根意为“说”(如legendleg+end名词后缀表“物”→人们都在说的东西→传奇),-ation名词后缀。allege为其动词形式。

perplex /pE5pleks/ (使困惑,使复杂化)即per+plexper-前缀表“完全”,plex词根意为“重叠”,故“完全重叠在一起分不清了”→困惑。同根词为complexcom一起+plex→重叠在一起的→复杂的;综合的;联合体。

brochure /brEu5FjuE/ (小册子)源自法语,词形与brother相似→兄弟们每人手里拿着本小册子。

immunization /7imju:nai5zeiFEn/ (免疫作用)←immune(免疫的;免除的),immunity(免疫;免除),immunize(使免疫;使免除)。Immuneim+mun+eim-=in-表“否定”(因后接字母m,故in-变形为im-),mun(本为词根,此不论)可分解为mu+n←读作“母牛”←最初为防天花而施行的最有效的免疫法即是在奶牛身上试验出来的,故谓之“种牛痘”。

vaccine /5vAksi:n/ (疫苗)即vacc(a)+inevacca是拉丁文“牛”(开头两字母VA表带角牛头),-ine后缀多用于医药名词(如medicine),该词是当初科学家发表“牛痘”论文时创造的。vaccination /7vAksi5neiFEn/ (接种疫苗)←vaccin(e)+ation名词后缀。vaccine a microbe with its face washed 疫苗——洗过脸的微生物。

epidemic /7epi5demik/ (流行的;流行病)与academic形似→学术思潮像流行病一样流行。

deceptive /di5septiv/ (欺骗的,蒙蔽的)→deceivev.欺骗,蒙蔽)→deceptionn.欺骗,蒙蔽);类似单词有receptive(善接受的)→receivev.接收;招待)→reception(接收;招待;招待会)。Nature never deceives us; it is we who deceive ourselves.大自然从不欺骗我们,欺骗我们的是我们自己。deceptions the oil to the wheels of life 欺骗——生活车轮的润滑油。

ultimate /5Qltimit/ (最终的;根本的),马丁·路德·金(Martin Luther King)说:The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.衡量一个人的最终尺度,不是看他在舒适顺利的时候站在哪里,而是看他在受到非难和争议的时候站在哪里。

recruit /ri5kru:t/ v.征兵;招募n.新兵;新成员)即re+cruitre-前缀表“反复”,cruit词根意为“创造”(=create,因为元音字母可增减替换),玩星际(zerg,哈哈)的时候不就要拼命“反复、一再”地create兵吗?

vicious /5viFEs/ (邪恶的,恶毒的)即vic(e)+iousvice即名词“邪恶”,-ious为形容词后缀。The more virtuous any man is, the less easily does he suspect others to be vicious.任何人越高尚,就越不容易疑心别人邪恶。

ignorance /5i^nErEns/ (无知;不知道)即ig+nor(e)+anceig-否定前缀,nor词根表“知道”=know-ance名词后缀。ignorant(无知的);ignorev.忽视)。It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.在争论中无法击败无知者。Not ignorance, but the ignorance of ignorance, is the death of knowledge.不是无知,而是对无知的无知,才是知识的死亡。ignorance when you don't know something and somebody finds it out 无知——你不知道某事而又被人发现了。The more you study, the more you'll find yourself ignorant.越学习越会发现自己无知。ignorant person is one who doesn't know what you have just found out 无知的人——不知道你刚刚发现的事情的人。

extinguish /iks5tiN^wiF/ v.熄灭,灭绝)→extincta.熄灭的,灭绝的),类似的有distinguishv.区别,辨别)→distinct(独特的,明显的)。Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it inflames the great.离别之于爱情有如风之于火,它熄灭小火,却使大火燃烧更旺。

bypass /5baipB:s/ 心脏搭桥;ember /5embE/ 灰烬(但火焰尚未完全熄灭),多用复数形式。

难句解析

All that is needed for the triumph of a misguided cause is that good people do nothing.
▲本句的谓语动词是后边的is。主语中心词是allall的后边接了一个that引导的定语从句。谓语动词is的后边是一个表语从句。
△此句话不长,但是结构并不简单。要想把意思看透彻应该从抓主干成分开始,然后仔细琢磨词与词之间的修饰关系。同时还应体会两个that的不同用法。第一个that在定语从句当中充当主语,第二个that是引导表语从句的,不充当成分。

Scientists need to respond forcefully to animal rights advocates, whose arguments are confusing the public and thereby threatening advances in health knowledge and care.
▲逗号的前边是主句,主句可以缩为Scientists need to respond to advocates。逗号的后边是一个非限定性定语从句,whose指代的是animal rights advocatesandconfusingthreatening连接了起来。
△体会一下thereby的用法。从此句中可以看出thereby并没有连接句子,它是副词,表示“借以”、“由此”、“在那一点上”、“在那一方面”,相当于by that meansin that connection

For example, a grandmotherly woman staffing an animal rights booth at a recent street fair was distributing a brochure that encouraged readers not to use anything that comes from or is tested in animals — no meat, no fur, no medicines.
▲本句的主干结构是a woman was distributing a brochurebrochure的后边跟了一个that引导的定语从句,限定修饰brochureanything的后边也接一个定语从句限定修饰anything
staff在此句中作动词使用,意思为provide withact as。现在分词短语staffing an animal rights boothwoman的后置定语。

To those who are unaware that animal research was needed to produce these treatments, as well as new treatments and vaccines, animal research seems wasteful at best and cruel at worst.
▲本句的主干结构在最后一个逗号的后边,即animal research seems wasteful at best and cruel at worstTo those who are unaware that animal research was needed to produce these treatments, as well as new treatments and vaccines,此部分的主干成分是to thosethose的后边跟了一个who引导的定语从句。
...at best ...at worst是一个非常地道的英文表达形式,可以译为“往最好的方面看……往最坏的方面看……”。

Finally, because the ultimate stakeholders are patients, the health research community should actively recruit to its cause not only well-known personalities such as Stephen Cooper, who has made courageous statements about the value of animal research, but all who receive medical treatment.
▲本句是由because连接的两个句子。主句的主干结构是the health research community should recruit to its cause not only... but...Stephen Cooper的后边接了一个who引导的非限定性定语从句,用来补充说明他的情况。
△本句是本篇文章中最长的一个句子,有一定的难度。阅读的突破点还是应该努力抓其最核心的主干部分。另外还要抓住not only... but...之间的平行结构。

试题解析

  这是一篇论说文。文章的内容大致是这样的:作者举例说明许多动物权益保护者并不了解生物医学的真实情况和意义,而一味地反对生物医学,使广大群众也受到了蒙蔽。针对这一点,作者指出科学家应采取措施与大众多交流,避免由于人们的无知而阻碍了生物医学的发展。
  基于这篇文章的5个小题考查了考生把握文章要义的能力,理解文章结构的能力以及推理、引申的能力。从考生的答题情况看,这篇文章的题目是四篇文章中最简单的。5个小题的区分度都较好。

46. [A]
  该小题问的是作者在篇首引用Edmund Burke的话的含义。
  这道题与第42小题有类似之处,实际上考查了考生对文章主旨要义的理解。篇首的话在篇尾得到了呼应:“If good people do nothing, there is a real possibility that an uninformed citizenry will extinguish the precious embers of medical progress.”。一首一尾的呼应突出了这篇文章的中心:呼唤科学家们采取行动,切勿让人们的无知阻碍了医学的发展。所以应该选A。答对的考生有31.6%,属中等难度的题目,区分度较好。
  有43.4%的考生选择了B,错误的原因在于没有抓住文章的中心要义。

47. [B]
  该题问的是受误导的人们是怎样看待用动物做试验的。
  从前两段和第三段的最后一句中,我们了解到,受到误导的人们认为用动物做研究是残酷的、不可思议的。四个选项中,B最符合原文。
  A项中提到了“cruel”,但是“natural”不对,正相反,人们认为那是非常不合情理的。
  C项说的是“不可避免的,但含有恶意的”,也不正确。
  D项说的是“毫无意义,浪费的”。实际上,人们的反对态度很强烈。D项虽无原则上的错误,但是不如B项更贴近原文意思。
  该题属于中等难度偏易的题目,区分度较好。

48. [B]
  该题主要是考查考生是否理解论据在文章中的作用,是否能从众多信息中找出作者的观点。
  这个例子不难理解,说的是一位老太太向大家散发传单,号召大家不要用任何来自于动物或在动物身上试验过的东西。当问及是否反对使用疫苗时,老太大并不知道疫苗是从动物研究中得来的。她认为,若疫苗也来源于动物,那么就不应使用疫苗,流行病自有科学家们用计算机来解决。可见老太太对科学的无知。而她的这种无知是很普遍的。第二段最后一句话感叹:“Such well-meaning people just don't understand.”(这些好心人压根就不明白)。所以答案为B
  有部分考生选择了A,我们一起看一下A为什么不对。A说的是公众对动物试验的不满。的确,人们很反感用动物做试验,但是,老太太的例子就是为了说明这一点吗?这个论据反映的是什么论点呢?考生可以从全文的角度看。文章的重点不在描写公众有多愤怒,而在于指出公众不满的根源——对医学研究不了解,然后呼唤科学家们针对这个根源采取行动。所以老太太的例子反映的是公众的无知。A不正确。
  CD也是类似错误。
  该小题属中等难度题,区分度较好。

49. [A]
  该题考查的是考生对作者观点的理解,解题线索可在最后两段中找出。作者向科学家们提出的建议都是有助于他们与公众更好的交流。答案很明显,是A
  该题属较容易的题,区分度很理想。

50. [D]
  该题考查考生的推理能力。
  从最后一段,我们可以找到线索:“Finally, because the ultimate stakeholders are patients... Stephen Cooper, who has made courageous statements about the value of animal research...”。从这句话中,我们知道Cooper是个名人,也是病患者,他曾经高度赞扬过动物研究的价值。所以,我们可以推断出他是支持动物研究的。答案是D
  该小题属中等难度偏易的题目。

全文翻译

  18世纪政治家埃德蒙·柏克曾说过类似这样的话,“一个被误导的事业如果要成功,它惟一需要的是好人无所作为”。一个这样的事业现在正在寻求终止生物医学的研究,因为有这样一种理论说,动物享有权利禁止它们被用于实验。科学家应该对动物权利鼓吹者做出强有力的回应,因为他们的言论混淆了公众的视听,从而威胁到卫生知识和卫生服务的进步。动物权利运动的领导者将矛头指向生物医学研究,原因在于它依赖公共资金的资助,并且很少有人懂得医学研究的过程。当人们听到医学实验虐待动物的指控时,许多人都不明白为什么有人会故意伤害动物。
  例如,在近期的一次集市上,一位老奶奶站在动物权利宣传点前散发小册子,规劝人们不要使用动物制品和动物实验制品——肉类,毛皮,药物。当被问到她是否反对免疫接种时,她问疫苗是否来自动物实验。当被告知的确如此,她回答道,“那么我不得不说,是的,我反对接种”。当被问到瘟疫爆发怎么办时,她说,“不用担心,科学家会找到一种方法,用计算机来解决问题”。看,这样好心的人们就是不明白。
  科学家必须把他们的意思传达给公众,并且要使用有同情心和通俗易懂的语言,一般人能够明白的语言,而不要使用分子生物学的语言。我们需要说明动物实验与祖母的髋骨更换、父亲的心脏搭桥、婴儿的免疫接种、甚至宠物的注射针剂都密切相关。许多人不明白获得这些新的治疗方法和疫苗都必须进行动物实验。对于他们来说,动物实验说得好是浪费,说得不好是残忍。
  有很多事情可以做。科学家可以进入中学课堂,展示他们的实验结果。他们应该对报刊的读者来信及时做出反应,以防止动物权利的误导言论在毫无质疑的情况下横行,从而获得一副真理的面容。科研机构应该对外开放,让人参观,向人们展示实验室里的动物获得了人道的对待。最后,因为最终决定因素是病人,医疗研究机构不仅应该积极争取斯蒂芬·库柏这样的名人的支持——他对动物实验的价值勇敢地进行了肯定——而且应该争取所有接受治疗的病人的支持。如果好人无所作为,一群不明真相的公众真的有可能扑灭医学进步的宝贵火种。