阅读理解 Susan Baroness Greenfield is A.British institution. In A.country that perceives its scientists as white-coated eccentrics, and probably male, Lady Greenfield is fashionable, extravagant, and female. At least, that is the image she has sought to project as A.populariser of science. She is accused, though, of bringing another British institution, the Royal Institution (RI), to the verge of bankruptcy. The RI, of which she was director from 1998 until last Friday (January 8th), has made her job redundant. She says she plans to respond with A.suit for sexual discrimination. Lady Greenfield, A.neuroscientist at Oxford University, was recruited to shake up the two century old institution because she had made A.name for herself, particularly on television, as one of the popular faces of science. The RI is, in part, A.members' club famous for its Christmas lectures "adapted to A.juvenile audience", which are broadcast on television every year, and its Friday evening discourses (black ties, please, gentlemen), in which prominent scientists chat about their work for precisely an hour--no more and no less--before everyone is served teA.and chocolate cake. But it is also A.serious research laboratory (one of the longest-established in the world), looking into things like the medical applications of nanotechnology. Lady Greenfield's offence, if offence it be, was to modernize the RI's headquarters in May- fair, one of the most stylish parts of London, without proper cost control. The redecoration included A.high-class bar and restaurant that are open to the general public. Sadly, these opened for business in October 2008--the least favorable moment imaginable for such A.venture. The redecoration, which cost ——22m, much of which was raised by selling the institution's shares of property, has left the RI —— 3m in debt, and the trustees have decided that one way to cut costs is to cut the job of director. Lady Greenfield, the first female director in A.line that stretches back through Michael Faraday to Humphry Davy, seems to suspect that financial considerations were not the only ones when this decision was made. Instead of A.director, the RI is to be led by A.newly-invented chief executive officer, in the person of Chris Rofe. Mr. Rofe, who was appointed in April 2009, has A.degree in business administration, not science. Given the debt, though, perhaps an alchemist, A.person who devotes himself to turning ordinary metals into gold, would be the most appropriate person for the job.
单选题 By saying Lady Greenfield is "A.British institution", the author means
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】【精析】该题为句意理解题。由第一段的第三句“At least.that is the image she has sought to project as a populariser of science.”和第二段的第一句“…because she had made a name for herself,particularly On television,as one of the popular faces of science.”可知,格林菲尔德夫人是英国很有名的一个人物,经常出现在电视屏幕上。选项B、C、D都属于理解错误,故选A。
单选题 Which of the following is true of the RI?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】【精析】该题为细节题。定位到文中第二段,由“The RI is.In part,a members’ club famous for its Christmas lectures ‘adapted to a juvenile audience’,which are broadcast on television every year…”可知,皇家科学院每年都会为青少年举办圣诞讲座,B选项符合。A选项偷换了受众对象,著名科学家是一小时会谈活动的嘉宾,该活动的受众应该更 为广泛;C选项“它拥有悠久的医学研究史”,文中只是说科学院在研究将纳米技术应用到医学领域;D选项说的是Lady Greenfield,故选B。
单选题 Lady Greenfield was blamed for
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】【精析】该题为细节题。由第三段第一句“Lady Greenfield’s offence.if offence it be,was to…without proper cost control.”可知, 格林菲尔德夫人被控的罪名是在对皇家科学院总部进行现代化改组时没有恰当地控制成本,选项c“没能掌控好皇家学院重新装修的成本”符合题意,故选C。
单选题 It can be learned from Paragraph 4 that
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】【精析】概题为推理题。由第四段第一句“Lady Greenfield the first female director…seems to suspect that financial considerations were not the only ones when this decision was made.”可知格林菲尔德夫人对于做出这个决定的原因感到怀疑,联系上下文可知,她认为,财政问题不是唯一的原因,其中可能还涉及到性别歧视的问题,D 选项“格林菲尔德夫人认为这次撤职对她不 公平”,符合题意:选项A说法过于绝对,选项B文中没有提及,选项C是文中皇家科学院给出的表面原因,也予以排除,故选D。
单选题 How does the author feel about the prospects of the RI's getting out of financial trouble?
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】【精析】该题为态度题。由文章最后一句可知,作者认为,除非任用有点石成金能力的炼金术士,否则很难改善皇家科学院的经济困境。言语中有淡淡的讽刺意味,可见作者对于皇家科学院的前景是持怀疑态度的,故选B。