试题出自试卷《中国海洋大学2010年考博英语真题》

Successful innovations have driven many older technologies to extinction and have resulted in higher productivity, greater consumption materials through the economy and increased quantities of metals and other substances in use per capita. The history of industrial development abounds with examples.
In 1870, horses and mules were the prime source of power on US farms. One horse or mule was required to support four human beings — a ration that remained almost constant for many decades. At that time, had a national commission been asked to forecast the horse and mule population for 1970, its answer probably would have depended on whether its consultants were of an economic or technological turn of mind. Had they been “economists”, they would probably have projected the 1970 horse or mule population to be more than 50 million. Had they been “technologists”，they would have recognized that the power of steam had already been harnessed to industry and to land and ocean transport. They would have recognized further that it would be only a matter of time before steam would be the prime source of power on the farm. It would have been difficult for them to avoid the conclusion that the horse and mule population would decline rapidly.
1.According to the passage, what supplied most of the power on U.S. farms in 1870?
2.Which of the following is NOT mentioned by the author as a consequence of new technological developments?
3.It can be inferred from the passage that by 1870（  ）.
4.In the second paragraph, the author suggests that “economists” would（  ）.  
5.What is the author’s attitude toward changes brought on by technological innovation?