单选题 Specialization can be seen as a response to the problem of an increasing accumulation of scientific knowledge. By splitting up the subject matter into smaller units, one man could continue to handle the information and use it as the basis for further research. But specialization was only one of a series of related developments in science affecting the process of communication. Another was the growing professionalization of scientific activity.
No clear-cut distinction can be drawn between professionals and amateurs in science: exceptions can be found to any rule. Nevertheless, the word "amateur" does carry a connotation that the person concerned is not fully integrated into the scientific community and, in particular, may not fully share its values. The growth of specialization in the nineteenth century, with its consequent requirement of a longer, more complex training, implied greater problems for amateur participation in science. The trend was naturally most obvious in those areas of science based especially on a mathematical or laboratory training, and can be illustrated in terms of the development of geology in the United Kingdom.
A comparison of British geological publications over the last century and a half reveals not simply an increasing emphasis on the primacy of research, but also a changing definition of what constitutes an acceptable research paper. Thus, in the nineteenth century, local geological studies represented worthwhile research in their own right; but, in the twentieth century, local studies have increasingly become acceptable to professionals only if they incorporate, and reflect on, the wider geological picture. Amateurs, on the other hand, have continued to pursue local studies in the old way. The overall result has been to make entrance to professional geological journals harder for amateurs, a result that has been reinforced by the widespread introduction of refereeing, first by national journals in the nineteenth century and then by several local geological journals in the twentieth century. As a logical consequence of this development, separate journals have now appeared aimed mainly towards either professional or amateur readership. A rather similar process of differentiation has led to professional geologists coming together nationally within one or two specific societies, whereas the amateurs have tended either to remain in local societies or to come together nationally in a different way.
Although the process of professionalization and specialization was already well under way in British geology during the nineteenth century, its full consequences were thus delayed until the twentieth century. In science generally, however, the nineteenth century must be reckoned as the crucial period for this change in the structure of science.
单选题 The growth of specialization in the 19th century might be more clearly seen in sciences such as ______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】[解析] 本题可参照文章的第2段。从文章第2段倒数两句话可知,19世纪专业化的发展以及随后时间更长、内容更复杂的训练要求,暗示了业余人员参与科学研究所面临的问题会更大;当然,在那些尤其以数学或实验室训练为基础的科学领域,这种趋势表现得最突出。英国地质学的发展可以阐明这种趋势。据此可知,19世纪专业化的发展在那些以数学或实验室训练为基础的科学领域可能表现得更为突出。D项与文章的意思相符,因此D项为正确答案。
单选题 We can infer from the passage that ______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 从文章第3段的内容可知。在19世纪,区域地质学研究本身代表了有价值的科学研究;但是,到20世纪时,区域地质学研究唯有包容、思考更广泛的地质学问题,才会逐渐被专业人员接受;另外,业余人员仍然以从前的方式进行区域地质学研究。据此可知,业余人员可以在某些研究领域同专业人员竞争。B项与文章的意思相符,因此B项为正确答案。
单选题 The author writes of the development of geology to demonstrate ______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】[解析] 从文章第2段的最后一句话可知,尤其在那些以数学或实验室培训为基础的科学领域,这种业余人员参与科学研究的趋势表现得最明显,英国地质学的发展可以阐明这种趋势;第3段则详细说明了英国地质学的发展是如何论证了这种趋势的。据此可知,作者利用地质学发展的例子是为了说明业余人员与专业人员之间的分化进程。A项与文章的意思相符,因此A项为正确答案。
单选题 The direct reason for specialization is ______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 本题可参照文章的第1段。从中可知,专业化可以被看做是对科学知识不断增加的问题的应对之策;通过把科学知识按课题不同划分成更小的单元,人们能够继续掌握这些知识并把它们作为进一步研究的基础。据此可知,专业化的直接原因是科学知识的不断增加。C项与文中的意思相符,因此C项为正确答案。
单选题 Which statement about the amateur is correct?
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查对语义的理解。第一个选项跟第2段的第1句话矛盾。第二个选项跟第2段的第3句话相冲突。第四个选项在数量上跟文中描述的within one or two不符。
单选题 Which one is not the reason that caused the differentiation between the professional geologists and the amateurs?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 本题考查对文章逻辑的理解推理,参照文章第3段可知,业余人员用从前方式进行区域研究导致业余人员在专业刊物上发表论文困难,这又导致针对业余人员和针对专业人员的不同刊物分别出现,从而导致分化出现,因此,本题答案应该是B项。