Science has a lot of uses. It can reveal (揭示) laws of nature, cure diseases, make bombs, and help bridges to stand up. Indeed science is so good at what it does that there’s always a temptation (誘惑) to drag it into problems where it may not be helpful. David Brooks, author of The Social Animal, The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement, appears to be the latest in a long line of writers who have failed to resist the temptation.

Brooks gained fame for several books. His latest book The Social Animal, however, is more ambitious and serious than his earlier books. It is an attempt to deal with a set of weighty topics. The book focuses on big questions: What has science revealed about human nature? What are the sources of character? And why are some people happy and successful while others aren’t?

To answer these questions, Brooks surveys a wide range of subjects. Because of this, you might expect the book to cover a variety of facts. But Brooks has structured his book in an unusual, and perhaps unfortunate way. Instead of introducing scientific theories, he tells a story, within which he tries to make his points, perhaps in order to keep the reader’s attention. So as Harold and Erica, the hero and heroine in his story, live through childhood, we hear about the science of child development and as they begin to date we hear about the theory of sexual attraction. Brooks carries this through to the death of one of his characters.

On the whole, Brooks’s story is acceptable if uninspired. As one would expect, his writing is mostly clear and, to be fair, some chapters stand out above the rest. I enjoyed, for instance, the chapter in which Harold discovers how to think on his own. While Harold and Erica are certainly not strong characters, the more serious problems with The Social Animal lie elsewhere. These problems partly involve Brooks’s attempt to translate his tale into science.

1.The author mentions the functions of science at the beginning of the passage to ________.

A. show the value of Brooks’s new book

B. show where science can be applied

C. remind the reader of the importance of science

D. explain why many writers use science in their works

2.According to the author, which of the following could be a strength of the book?

A. Its clear writing.

B. Its convincing points.

C. Its strong characters.

D. Its strong basis.

3.What is the author’s general attitude towards the book?

A. Cautious.

B. Critical.

C. Contradictory(矛盾的).

D. Supportive.

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Madrid: Guitars

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B. The difficulty of processing peppers.

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D. The hot level of Hungarian peppers.

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3.What’s the similarity of the four items?

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C. Their production processes are all painstaking.

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The Parthenon(帕特農(nóng)神廟) in Athens is a building with a long and complex(復(fù)雜的) history. Built nearly 2,500 years ago as a temple celebrating the Greek goddess Athena, it was for thousands of years the church of the Virgin Mary of the Athenians, then a mosque (清真寺), and finally a ruin. The building was changed and the sculptures(塑像) much damaged over the centuries. By 1800 only about half of the original sculptural decoration remained.

Between 1801 and 1805, Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire(奧斯曼帝國(guó)), which controlled Athens, acting with the full knowledge and permission of the Ottoman authorities,removed about half of the remaining sculptures from the fallen ruins and from the building itself. Lord Elgin loved Greek history and transported the sculptures back to Britain. The arrival of the sculptures in London had a huge effect on the European public, greatly increasing interest in ancient Greek culture and influencing contemporary artistic trends. These sculptures were gained from Lord Elgin by the British Museum in 1816 and since then they have all been on show to the public, free of charge.

Since the early 1980s, however, the Greek government has argued for the return of all the Parthenon sculptures in the British Museum. They have also challenged the British Museum Board of Trustees’ legal title to the sculptures.

The British Museum, however, insists that it exists to tell the story of cultural achievement throughout the world, from the dawn of human history over two million years ago until the present day. The museum considers itself an important resource for the world: the breadth and depth of its collection allows the world public to re-examine cultural identities and explore the complex network of interconnected world cultures.

It also says that, within the context of this unparalleled collection, the Parthenon sculptures are an important representation of ancient Athenian civilization. Each year millions of visitors admire the artistry of the sculptures and gain insights on how ancient Greece influenced — and was influenced by — the other civilizations that it came across.

1.For most of its history people went to the Parthenon to ________.

A. admire the goddess Athena

B. pray to their god

C. search for sculptures

D. learn about its complex history

2.What can we infer from the passage?

A. The sculptures introduced ancient Greek culture to the west.

B. Ancient Greek culture has greatly influenced world culture.

C. The British Museum has made much money from the Parthenon sculptures.

D. The British Museum is the most suitable place for protecting these sculptures.

3.What can we learn about Lord Elgin from the passage?

A. He is greatly admired in Greece.

B. He worked for the Ottoman Empire.

C. He saved the Parthenon sculptures from being destroyed.

D. He had a deep interest in Greek culture.

4.The author’s main purpose in writing this passage is to tell________.

A. the history of the Parthenon and its sculptures

B. what people can see in the British Museum

C. why the British Museum refuses to return the sculptures

D. the influence of Greece on British culture

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