单选题 For me, scientific knowledge is divided into mathematical sciences, natural sciences or sciences dealing with the natural world (physical and biological sciences), and sciences dealing with mankind (psychology, sociology, all the sciences of cultural achievements, every kind of historical knowledge).
Apart from these sciences is philosophy, about which we will talk later. In the first place, all this is pure or theoretical knowledge, sought only for the purpose of understanding, in order to fulfill the need to understand that is intrinsic and con-substantial to man. What distinguishes man from animals is that he knows and needs to know. If man did not know that the world existed, and that the world was of a certain kind, that he was in the world and that he himself was of a certain kind, he wouldn't be man. The technical aspects or applications of knowledge are equally necessary for man and are of the greatest importance, because they also contribute to defining him as man and permit him to pursue a life increasingly more truly human.
But even while enjoying the results of technical progress, man must defend the primacy and autonomy of pure knowledge. Knowledge sought directly for its practical applications will have immediate and foreseeable success, but not the kind of important result whose revolutionary scope is for the most part unforeseen, except by the imagination of the Utopians. Let me recall a well-known example. If the Greek mathematicians had not applied themselves to the investigation of conic section zealously and without the least suspicion that it might someday be useful, it would not have been possible centuries later to navigate far from shore. The first men to study the nature of electricity could not imagine that their experiments, carried on because o mere intellectual curiosity, would eventually lead to modern electrical technology, without which we can scarcely conceive o contemporary life.
Pure knowledge is valuable for its own sake, because the human spirit cannot resign itself to ignorance. But, in addition, it is the foundation for practical results that would not have been reached if this knowledge had not been sought disinterestedly.

单选题 The author does not include among the sciences the study of
[A] literature.
[B] chemistry.
[C] astronomy.
[D] anthropology.

单选题 In the author's view, the Greeks who studied conic sections
[A] were mathematicians.
[B] worked with electricity.
[C] were interested in navigation.
[D] were unaware of the value of their studies.

单选题 According to the text, the most important advances made by mankind most probably stem from
[A] innovations.
[B] the natural sciences.
[C] technical applications.
[D] apparently useless information.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】[注释] 细节推理题。本题问：人类取得的最重要进步很可能来自何处?第3段第5句写道：“最初研究电的性质的人不会想到，他们的实验——只是出于对知识的好奇心而进行的——会最终导致现代的电气技术。没有电气技术我们就几乎无法想象现代生活。”由此推理，人类取得的许多重要进步来自于表面上无用的信息。故应选[D]。

单选题 The author mentions electrical technology in paragraph 3 most probably to
[A] confirm its importance in the modern world.
[B] show the powerful influence of its inventions.
[C] verify the usefulness of theoretical knowledge.
[D] give an example of success in practical science.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】[注释] 逻辑结构题。本题问：作者在第3段中提到电气技术很可能是为了什么?第3段第1句是段落主题句，它写道：“但是即使人类在享受技术进步的成果时，他也必须维护理论知识的首要性和自主性。”这是本段的论点。接着作者以对圆锥体和电的理论研究来证明理论知识的有用性，即理论科学是应用科学的基础。可见，作者在第3段中提到电气技术是为了证明理论知识是有用的。故正确答案非[C]莫属。[D]是强干扰项，属就事论事、偏离主题；其他选项之所以不能入选是因为没有说明论据与论点之间的逻辑关系。此类题很重要，明年必考。

单选题 The title which best expresses the idea of this text is
[A] Progress in Pure Science.
[B] Learning for Its Own Sake.
[C] Man's Science and Inventions.
[D] Difference between Science and Technology.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】[注释] 全文主旨题。本题问：本文的最佳标题是什么?本文是用归纳法写的。全文主题句是最后一段第一句：“理论知识本身就是珍贵的，因为人类的灵魂不能听任于无知。”可见，本文主要论述，研究理论科学是为了了解世界，是纯粹的知识探究。故应选[B]。
注意：intrinsic固有的。con-substantial同体的。autonomy自主性。zealously and without the least suspicion热情地并丝毫也没有想到。for the most part大部分，主要地。Utopian乌托邦，理想主义。disinterestedly不偏不倚地。resign oneself to听任；顺从。