51. Why does the author mention “knife” and “hammer” in Paragraph 1?
- A. To demonstrate how tools can be used creatively.
- B. To highlight consequences of using a wrong tool.
- C. To show the necessity of keeping a handy tool within reach.
- D. To stress the need for the right tool to achieve desired results.
答案：D
答案句：There are occasions where I have used the handle of a knife as a hammer (锤子), but the result would have been better if I’d had a more suitable tool at hand. … As far as science goes, it is really good at testing things that are testable, but not so for those that are not.
参考译文：有些时候我用刀柄当锤子用，但如果手边有更合适的工具，结果会更好。… 就科学而言，它非常擅长测试可测试的事物，但对于那些不可测试的事物则不然。
定位线索：题干“knife”和“hammer”在Paragraph 1→答案句取自第1段“I have used the handle of a knife as a hammer...a more suitable tool”；文中“a more suitable tool”对应选项D“the right tool”；文中“the result would have been better”对应选项D“achieve desired results”。
解析：题干问作者提及“knife”和“hammer”的目的。答案句中，作者用刀柄当锤子的例子说明工具不合适导致效果不佳，随后观点句“As far as science goes, it is really good at testing things that are testable, but not so for those that are not”指出科学需要合适的工具（即可测试的方法）。正确选项D“强调需要合适的工具以达到预期结果”正是对观点句的同义转述。例子本身不是答案依据，例子后的观点句才是关键。选项A“展示工具可创造性使用”与原文“结果会更好”不符；选项B“强调用错工具的后果”是例子表面内容，非作者目的；选项C“手边有方便工具的必要性”过度引申，原文未提“方便”。
52. What is often required in breaking new ground in science?
- A. Broader science education.
- B. More advanced facilities for experiments.
- C. Deeper understanding of the brain power.
- D. More investment in next-generation scientists.
答案：B
答案句：Breaking new ground in modern science this way can be costly. Next-generation supercomputers or incredibly large telescopes are expensive, yet these may be required to find answers to some of the unsolved mysteries of the universe.
参考译文：以这种方式在现代科学中开辟新领域可能代价高昂。下一代超级计算机或极其庞大的望远镜价格昂贵，但这些可能是找到宇宙未解之谜答案所必需的。
定位线索：题干“breaking new ground in science”→答案句取自第2段“Breaking new ground in modern science this way can be costly”；文中“Next-generation supercomputers or incredibly large telescopes”对应选项B“more advanced facilities for experiments”；文中“may be required”对应选项B“often required”。
解析：题干问科学开辟新领域常需要什么。答案句明确指出“Next-generation supercomputers or incredibly large telescopes are expensive, yet these may be required”，即先进的实验设施是必需的。正确选项B“更先进的实验设施”直接对应原文。选项A“更广泛的科学教育”原文未提及；选项C“对大脑能力的更深理解”与第3段认知限制相关，但非本题答案；选项D“对下一代科学家的更多投资”偷换概念，原文说的是设施昂贵，不是投资科学家。
53. How does the author assess human beings in terms of their cognitive capacity?
- A. They are just 2.4% away from true abstract thinking.
- B. They are slightly smarter than other intelligent beings.
- C. They are yet to evolve further to learn more about the universe.
- D. They are good at solving problems with advanced mathematics.
答案：C
答案句：Sometimes the limits we encounter in trying to unlock the nature of the universe are cognitive (认知的). Think about this: human DNA is only about 1.2 percent different from that of chimps (黑猩猩). … What if our DNA were another 1.2 percent further evolved than it is? What might our brains be capable of then? The level of abstract thinking might be unimaginable.
参考译文：有时我们在试图解开宇宙本质时遇到的限制是认知上的。想想看：人类DNA与黑猩猩的差异只有约1.2%。… 如果我们的DNA再进化1.2%会怎样？那时我们的大脑可能具备什么能力？抽象思维的水平可能难以想象。
定位线索：题干“assess human beings in terms of their cognitive capacity”→答案句取自第3段“limits we encounter...are cognitive”和“What if our DNA were another 1.2 percent further evolved”；文中“What if our DNA were another 1.2 percent further evolved”对应选项C“yet to evolve further”；文中“The level of abstract thinking might be unimaginable”对应选项C“learn more about the universe”。
解析：题干问作者如何评估人类的认知能力。答案句指出人类认知有限制，并假设“如果DNA再进化1.2%”，大脑能力可能超乎想象，暗示人类还需进一步进化才能更好地理解宇宙。正确选项C“他们还需进一步进化以了解更多宇宙知识”是对此的合理推断。选项A“离真正抽象思维仅差2.4%”偷换概念，原文说DNA差1.2%，且是假设；选项B“比其他智能生物稍聪明”无中生有，原文未比较；选项D“擅长用高等数学解决问题”与原文“教黑猩猩高等数学”的假设不符。
54. What message does Paragraph 4 convey?
- A. Some puzzles about the universe are way beyond scientific exploration.
- B. Experimental research lays solid foundations for space technology.
- C. Boundaries of science can be pushed back with determined efforts.
- D. Limitations of science may result from insufficient testing.
答案：A
答案句：Sometimes the limits we hit are fundamental. There are laws of nature we may never be able to understand, however advanced our brains might become. There are experiments we might never be able to perform. We may never be able to test what caused the universe to be created, and what caused the cause of the universe being created. This is where science may never break through.
参考译文：有时我们遇到的限制是根本性的。无论我们的大脑变得多么先进，有些自然法则我们可能永远无法理解。有些实验我们可能永远无法进行。我们可能永远无法测试是什么导致了宇宙的诞生，以及是什么导致了宇宙诞生的原因。这就是科学可能永远无法突破的地方。
定位线索：题干“Paragraph 4 convey”→答案句取自第4段“limits we hit are fundamental”和“This is where science may never break through”；文中“may never be able to understand”对应选项A“way beyond scientific exploration”；文中“science may never break through”对应选项A“beyond scientific exploration”。
解析：题干问第4段传达什么信息。答案句反复强调“may never be able to understand/perform/test”，并总结“This is where science may never break through”，说明某些宇宙谜题超出科学探索范围。正确选项A“关于宇宙的一些谜题远超科学探索”是对段落主旨的概括。选项B“实验研究为太空技术奠定基础”无中生有，段落未提太空技术；选项C“通过坚定努力可推动科学边界”与原文“may never break through”矛盾；选项D“科学局限源于测试不足”偷换概念，原文说的是根本性限制，非测试不足。
55. What has the author added to the definition of a scientific idea?
- A. Correct ideas are testable.
- B. Untestable ideas can be true.
- C. Some scientific ideas may never be testable.
- D. An idea must be testable to be seen as correct.
答案：B
答案句：For something to be considered scientific, it must, by definition, be testable. There is a problem here: it may not need to be testable right now, but it must be testable at some point in the future by experiment. If an idea is untestable, that doesn’t mean it is wrong. It means it is untestable for now.
参考译文：根据定义，某事物要被视为科学的，它必须是可测试的。这里有个问题：它可能不需要现在就可测试，但必须在未来某个时候通过实验可测试。如果一个想法不可测试，那并不意味着它是错的。它只是意味着目前不可测试。
定位线索：题干“added to the definition of a scientific idea”→答案句取自第5段“it may not need to be testable right now, but it must be testable at some point in the future”和“If an idea is untestable, that doesn’t mean it is wrong”；文中“doesn’t mean it is wrong”对应选项B“Untestable ideas can be true”；文中“untestable for now”对应选项B“can be true”。
解析：题干问作者对科学想法的定义补充了什么。答案句指出“If an idea is untestable, that doesn’t mean it is wrong”，即不可测试的想法可能是正确的。正确选项B“不可测试的想法可能是真的”直接对应原文。选项A“正确的想法是可测试的”是原有定义，非补充；选项C“一些科学想法可能永远不可测试”与原文“must be testable at some point in the future”矛盾；选项D“一个想法必须可测试才能被视为正确”偷换概念，原文说不可测试不等于错误，并非必须可测试。