阅读理解
For
several decades, there has been an extensive and organized campaign intended to
generate distrust in science, funded by those whose interests and ideologies
are threatened by the findings of modern science. In response, scientists have
tended to stress the success of science. After all, scientists have been right
about most things.
Stressing
successes isn't wrong, but for many people it's not persuasive. An alternative
answer to the question "Why trust science?" is that scientists use
the so-called scientific method. If you've got a high school science textbook
lying around, you'll probably find that answer in it. But what is typically
thought to be the scientific method — develop a hypothesis (假设),
then design an experiment to test it — isn't what scientists actually do.
Science is dynamic: new methods get invented; old ones get abandoned; and
sometimes, scientists can be found doing many different things.
If
there is no identifiable scientific method, then what is the reason for trust
in science? The answer is how those claims are evaluated. The common element in
modern science, regardless of the specific field or the particular methods
being used, is the strict scrutiny (审查) of claims. It's this tough, sustained
process that works to make sure faulty claims are rejected. A scientific claim is
never accepted as true until it has gone through a lengthy "peer
review" because the reviewers are experts in the same field who have both
the right and the obligation to find faults.
A
key aspect of scientific judgment is that it is done collectively. No claim
gets accepted until it has been vetted by dozens, if not hundreds, of
heads. In areas that have been contested, like climate science and vaccine
safety, it's thousands. This is why we are generally justified in not worrying
too much if a single scientist, even a very famous one, disagrees with the
claim. And this is why diversity in science — the more people looking at a
claim from different angles — is important.
Does
this process ever go wrong? Of course. Scientists are humans. There is always
the possibility of revising a claim on the basis of new evidence. Some people
argue that we should not trust science because scientists are "always
changing their minds." While examples of truly settled science being
overturned are far fewer than is sometimes claimed, they do exist. But the beauty
of this scientific process is that it explains what might otherwise appear
paradoxical (矛盾的):
that science produces both novelty and stability. Scientists do change their
minds in the face of new evidence, but this is a strength of science, not a
weakness.
(1)
What can we learn about the so-called scientific method?
A . It's an easy job to prove its existence.
B . It usually agrees with scientists' ideas.
C . It hardly gets mixed with false theories.
D . It constantly changes and progresses.
(2)
What does the underlined word "vetted" in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A . Examined
B . Explained.
C . Repeated.
D . Released.
(3)
According to the passage, the author may agree that________.
A . it is not persuasive to reject those faulty claims
B . a leading expert cannot play a decisive role in a scrutiny
C . diversity in knowledge is the common element in science
D . settled science tends to be collectively overturned
(4)
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A . Apply Your Mind to Science
B . Explore A Dynamic Way to Science
C . Defend the Truth in Science
D . Put Your Faith in Science
答案: D
A
B
D