完形填空
The idea that some groups of people may be more intelligent than others is one of those hypotheses that dare not speak its name. But Gregory Cochran is【C1】______to say it anyway. He is that【C2】______bird, a scientist who works independently【C3】______any institution. He helped popularize the idea that some diseases not【C4】______thought to have a bacterial cause were actually infections, which aroused much controversy when it was first suggested. 【C5】______he, however, might tremble at the【C6】______of what he is about to do. Together with another two scientists, he is publishing a paper which not only【C7】______that one group of humanity is more intelligent than the others, but explains the process that has brought this about. The group in【C8】______are a particular people originated from central Europe. The process is natural selection. This group generally do well in IQ test,【C9】______12-15 points above the【C10】______value of 100, and have contributed【C11】______to the intellectual and cultural life of the West, as the【C12】______of their elites, including several world-renowned scientists,【C13】______. They also suffer more often than most people from a number of nasty genetic diseases, such as breast cancer. These facts,【C14】______, have previously been thought unrelated. The former has been【C15】______to social effects, such as a strong tradition of【C16】______education. The latter was seen as a(n)【C17】______of genetic isolation. Dr. Cochran suggests that the intelligence and diseases are intimately【C18】______. His argument is that the unusual history of these people has【C19】______them to unique evolutionary pressures that have resulted in this【C20】______state of affairs.
单选题21.【C1】
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】考查动词辨析。前文提示“that dare not speak its name”即人类某些族群的智商可能要高于其他族群,但这仍是一种假设,不敢公开发表。接下来的But表示后面的语义与前面相反,即“打算或准备说了”,所以选B.prepared“预备,打算”。be selected to“被选择(做)…”;be obliged to“有责任(做)…”;be pleased to“高兴(做)…”,均不符合题意。
【答案解析】考查副词辨析与上下文语义。“that some diseases not______thought to have a bacterial cause”是同位语从句,修饰“idea”。下文的“actually”一词是对前面内容的转折,暗示了实际情况和过去的看法不一样,提示了本题的答案是C.previously“先前”。本句意为:他推动普及了这种观点,即以前人们认为不是由细菌引起的疾病实际上是传染病,这一观点一经提出就引起了极大争议。subsequently“随后”;presently“当前”;lately“近来,最近”,均与语境不符。
【答案解析】考查名词辨析。根据上一题的分析,空格处所在的句意为“______即将要做的事,他也会有点战战兢兢”,因此at the thought of“一想到…”符合题意。at the sight of“一看到…”,at the cost of“以…为代价”,at the risk of“冒…的风险”,均不符合语境。因此选A.thought。
【答案解析】考查动词短语辨析。本句意为“智商归因于社会影响”,且此处填入的动词短语需和下文的to搭配,只有D.put down(to)“归因于”符合语境。be given up to“让与…”,get over to“把…(向某人)说清楚,使理解”,均不符合题意。carry on“继续,进行”,不和to构成搭配。
【答案解析】考查形容词辨析。本句意为“这些人不同寻常的历史致使他们承受了独特的进化压力,这些压力导致了这种______的状态”。结合上文可知,this state of affairs指的是前文中“一方面,这类人作出了杰出贡献;另一方面,他们更容易患上恶性疾病”,这是两种矛盾的状态,因此选A.paradoxical“自相矛盾的”。incompatible“不相容的,不能同时成立的”;inevitable“不可避免的”;continuous“连续的,持续的”;均不符合语境。