Science is a dominant theme in our culture. Since it touches almost every facet of our life, educated people need at least some acquaintance with its structure and operation. They should also have an understanding of the subculture in which scientists live and the kinds of people they are. An understanding of general characteristics of science as well as specific scientific concepts is easier to attain if one knows something about the things that excite and frustrate the scientists.
This book is written for the intelligent student of lay person whose acquaintance with science is superficial; for the person who has been presented with science as a musty storehouse of dried facts; for the person who has been presented with science as the production of gadgets; and for the person who views the scientists as some sort of magicians. The book can be used to supplement a course in any science, to accompany any course that attempts to give an understanding of the modern world, or independently of any course—simply to provide a better understanding of science. We hope this book will lead readers to a broader perspective on scientific attitudes and a more realistic view of what science is, who scientists are, and what they do. It will give them an awareness and understanding of the relationship between science and our culture and an appreciation of the roles science may play in our culture. In addition, readers may learn to appreciate the relationship between scientific views and some of the values and philosophies that are pervasive in our culture.
We have tried to present in this book an accurate and up-to-date picture of the scientific community and the people who populated it. That population has in recent years come to comprise more and more women. This increasing role of women in the scientific subculture is not a unique incident but, rather, part of the trend evident in all segments of society as more women enter traditionally male-dominated fields and make significant contribution. In discussing these changes and contribution, however, we are faced with a language that is implicitly sexist, one that uses male nouns or pronouns in referring to unspecified individuals. To offset this built-in bias, we have adopted the policy of using plural nouns and pronouns whenever possible and, when absolutely necessary, alternating he and she. This policy is far from being ideal, but it is at least an acknowledgment of the inadequacy of our language in treating half of the human equally.
We have also tried to make the book entertaining as well as informative. Our approach is usually informal. We feel, as many other scientists do, that we shouldn't take ourselves too seriously. As the reader may observe, we see science as a delightful pastime than as a grim and dreary way to earn a living.
1.According to the passage, "scientific subculture" means _______.
A.cultural groups that are formed by scientists
B.people whose knowledge of science is very limited
C.the scientific community
D.people who make good contribution to science
2.We need to know something about the structure and operation of science because _______.
A.it is not easy to understand the things that excite and frustrate science
B.science affects almost every aspect of our life
C.scientists live in a specific substructure
D.it is easier to understand general characteristics of science
3.The book mentioned in this passage is written for readers who _______.
A.long for deeper understanding of science
B.are good at producing various gadgets
C.work in a storehouse of dried facts
D.are interested in popular science
4.According to this passage, _______.
A.English is a sexist language
B.only in the scientific world is the role of women increasing rapidly
C.women are making significant contribution to eliminating the inadequacy of our language
D.male nouns or pronouns should not be used to refer to scientists
5.This passage most probably is _______.
A.a book review B.the preface of a book
C.the postscript of a book D.the concluding part of a book
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1.【答案】C。
【解析】本題可參照第一段第二句和第三段第一句，即受教育也應該熟悉科學家所處的亞文化群體（subculture）以及他們是什么樣的人；該書的作者力圖在書中準確描述科學界（scientific community）及生活在科學界的人。由此可見，亞文化群體即科學界。因此C項正確。
2.【答案】B。
【解析】本題的依據(jù)是第一段中的“Since it touches almost every facet of our life, educated people need at least some acquaintance with its structure and operation”。據(jù)此可知，B項的“科學幾乎影響我們生活的所有方面”是本題的原因。
3.【答案】A。
【解析】本題可參照文章的第二段，即這本書為很聰明但其科學知識很膚淺的學生或科學門外漢而寫；為一直把科學視為堆積干巴巴事實的、發(fā)霉味的倉庫的人而寫；為把科學當做是科學小裝置的人而寫；為把那些科學家視為某種魔術師的人而寫。據(jù)此可判斷出文中提到的書籍是為渴望更深入地了解科學的讀者編寫的，因此選項A正確。
4.【答案】D。
【解析】本題可參照文章的第三段，即近來越來越多的婦女進入科學界。在談論婦女對科學界的貢獻時，我們使用的是隱含性別歧視的語言——用陽性名詞或代詞來指性別不明的人物。為了消除這種固有的偏見，我們在可能和必要時用復數(shù)名詞或代詞來代替他或她。這是整個第三段想要闡明的。所以D項的“陽性名詞或代詞不應當用來指科學家”正確。
5.【答案】B。
【解析】本文第二段首的“This book is written for...”指明該書的讀者對象；第三段首句和第四首句說明了該書要達到的兩個目的。據(jù)此可知，B項“一本書的前言”是正確答案。
