In science, a theory is a reasonable explanation of observed events that are related. A theory often involves an imaginary model that helps scientists picture the way an observed event could be produced. A good example of this is found in the kinetic molecular theory, in which gases are pictured as being made up of many small particles that are in constant motion.
A useful theory, in addition to explaining past observations, helps to predict events that have not as yet been observed. After a theory has been publicized, scientist design experiments to test the theory. If observations confirm the scientists’ predictions, the theory is supported. If observations do not confirm the predictions, the scientists must search further. There may be a fault in the experiment, or the theory may have to be revised or rejected.
Science involves imagination and creative thinking as well as collecting information and performing experiments. Facts by themselves are not science. As the mathematician Jules Henri Poincare said: “Science is built with facts just as a house is built with bricks, but a collection of facts cannot be called science any more than a pile of bricks can be called a house.”
Most scientists start an investigation by finding out what other scientists have learned about a particular problem. After known facts have been gathered, the scientist comes to the part of the investigation that requires considerable imagination. Possible solutions to the problem are formulated. These possible solutions are called hypotheses.
In a way, any hypothesis is a leap into the unknown. It extends the scientist’s thinking beyond the known facts. The scientist plans experiments, performs calculations, and makes observations to test hypotheses. For without hypotheses, further investigation lacks purpose and direction. When hypotheses are conformed, they are incorporated into theories.
1. According to the passage, a useful theory is one that helps scientists to ______.
2. Bricks are mentioned in the third paragraph to indicate how ______.
3. The author implies that imagination is most important to scientists when they ______.
4. What does the author imply is a major function of hypotheses?
5. Which of the following statements is supported by the passage?
问题1选项
A.find errors in past experiments
B.make predictions
C.observe events
D.publicize new findings
问题2选项
A.mathematicians approach science
B.building a house is like performing experiments
C.science is more than a collection of facts
D.scientific experiments have led to improved technology
问题3选项
A.evaluate previous work on a problem
B.formulate possible solutions to a problem
C.gather known facts
D.close an investigation
问题4选项
A.Shifting through known facts.
B.Communicating a scientist’s thoughts to others.
C.Providing direction for scientific research.
D.Linking together different theories.
问题5选项
A.Theories are simply imaginary models of past events.
B.It is better to revise a hypothesis than to reject it.
C.A scientist’s most difficult task is testing hypotheses.
D.A good scientist needs to be creative.
第1题:B
第2题:C
第3题:B
第4题:C
第5题:D
第1题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage, a useful theory is one that helps scientists to ______. 根据这篇文章，有用的理论是帮助科学家______的理论。
A. find errors in past experiments A. 在过去的实验中发现错误
B. make predictions B. 做出预测
C. observe events C. 观察事件
D. publicize new findings D. 宣传新发现
【考查点】细节事实题。
【解题思路】根据关键信息a useful theory定位至第二段第一句“一个有用的理论，除了解释过去的观测外，还有助于预测尚未被观测到的事件”可知，有用的理论可以帮助科学家解释过去的观测和预测事件，所以该题选择B项“做出预测”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A项“在过去的实验中发现错误”和D项“宣传新发现”没有提及，这两项属于无中生有；
C项“观察事件”是科学家用来检验理论的方法，与题干无关，该项属于出处错位。
第2题:
【选项释义】
Bricks are mentioned in the third paragraph to indicate how ______. 第三段中提到“砖块”来表示______。
A. mathematicians approach science A. 数学家如何研究科学
B. building a house is like performing experiments B. 建房子和做实验有什么区别
C. science is more than a collection of facts C. 科学不仅仅是事实的收集
D. scientific experiments have led to improved technology D. 科学实验是如何导致技术进步的
【考查点】细节事实题。
【解题思路】根据题干定位至第三段，最后一句提到“正如数学家乔斯•亨利•波恩克尔所说：科学建立在事实之上，就像房子用砖砌成一样；但事实的收集不能被称作科学，就像一堆砖不能被叫作房子一样”，可知事实的收集不能被称作科学，就像砖块一样，堆起来并不能被称为房子，结合该段第一句“科学不仅包括收集信息和进行实验，还包括想象力和创造性思维”理解可知，第三段中提到“砖块”是表示科学不仅仅包括事实的收集，故该题选择C项“科学不仅仅是事实的收集”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A项“数学家如何研究科学”与提到“砖块”无关，该项属于出处错位；
B项“建房子和做实验有什么区别”根据解题思路可知，原文提到建房子是用来例证科学所包含的内容，并不是比较它们之间的区别，该项属于曲解原文；
D项“科学实验是如何导致技术进步的”原文没有提到，该项属于无中生有。
第3题:
【选项释义】
The author implies that imagination is most important to scientists when they ______. 作者暗示，当他们______，想象力对科学家来说是最重要的。
A. evaluate previous work on a problem A. 评估以前对一个问题的工作
B. formulate possible solutions to a problem B. 为一个问题制定可能的解决方案
C. gather known facts C. 收集已知事实
D. close an investigation D. 结束一项调查
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据第四段的内容“在收集了已知的事实之后，科学家就进入了调查中需要大量想象力的部分。他们对这个问题提出了可能的解决办法。这些可能的解被称为假设。”可知，科学家在收集了事实后，要凭借自己的想象力提出解决问题的办法，即假设，那么可推断，当科学家们对一个问题提出假设的解决方案时，想象力是最重要的。所以该题选择B项“为一个问题制定可能的解决方案”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A项“评估以前对一个问题的工作”没有提及，该项属于无中生有；
C项“收集已知事实”和D项“结束一项调查”都不是想象力最重要的一个环节，这两项属于曲解原文。
第4题:
【选项释义】
What does the author imply is a major function of hypotheses? 作者暗示假设的一个主要功能是什么？
A. Shifting through known facts. A. 通过已知的事实进行改变。
B. Communicating a scientist’s thoughts to others. B. 把科学家的想法传达给别人。
C. Providing direction for scientific research. C. 为科学研究提供指导。
D. Linking together different theories. D. 将不同的理论联系在一起。
【考查点】细节事实题。
【解题思路】根据最后一段倒数第二句“因为没有假设，进一步的研究就缺乏目的和方向”理解可知，假设为进一步的研究指引了方向，也就是说为科学研究提供了指导，该题选择C项“为科学研究提供指导”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A项“通过已知的事实进行改变”根据最后一段第二句“它（假设）把科学家的思维扩展到已知事实之外”可知，假设不是通过已知的事实进行改变的，该项属于反向干扰；
B项“把科学家的想法传达给别人”，假设是把科学家的思维扩展到未知的领域，而非传达给他人，该项属于曲解原文；
D项“将不同的理论联系在一起”没有提到，该项属于无中生有。
第5题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following statements is supported by the passage? 文章支持下列哪项陈述？
A. Theories are simply imaginary models of past events. A. 理论只是对过去事件的想象模型。
B. It is better to revise a hypothesis than to reject it. B. 修正一个假设要比否定它好。
C. A scientist’s most difficult task is testing hypotheses. C. 科学家最困难的任务是检验假设。
D. A good scientist needs to be creative. D. 一个好的科学家需要有创造力。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据第三段第一句“科学不仅包括收集信息和进行实验，还包括想象力和创造性思维”和第三句“正如数学家乔斯•亨利•波恩克尔所说：科学建立在事实之上，就像房子用砖砌成一样；但事实的收集不能被称作科学，就像一堆砖不能被叫作房子一样”可知，科学研究除了收集信息和实验，还包括想象力和创造力思维，就好比建房子，需要用砖砌成，而不是仅仅堆在一起，这说明科学研究需要想象力和创造力，故D项“一个好的科学家需要有创造力”符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A项“理论只是对过去事件的想象模型”根据第一段第二句“一个理论通常包含一个虚构的模型，帮助科学家描绘观察到的事件可能产生的方式”可知，该项表述不全，属于以偏概全；
B项“修正一个假设要比否定它好”和C项“科学家最困难的任务是检验假设”文中没有提及，这两项属于无中生有。
