单选题Directions:Read the following text. Choose the best word
(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D.
Have you ever wondered what our future is like? Practically all people {{U}}
{{U}} 1 {{/U}} {{/U}}a desire to predict their future {{U}}
{{U}} 2 {{/U}} {{/U}}. Most people seem inclined to {{U}}
{{U}} 3 {{/U}} {{/U}}this task using causal reasoning. First we
{{U}} {{U}} 4 {{/U}} {{/U}}recognize that future circumstances
are {{U}} {{U}} 5 {{/U}} {{/U}}caused or conditioned by present
ones. We learn that getting an education will {{U}} {{U}} 6
{{/U}} {{/U}}how much money we earn later and that swimming beyond the reef
may bring an unhappy {{U}} {{U}} 7 {{/U}} {{/U}}with a shark.
Second, people also learn that such {{U}} {{U}} 8 {{/U}}
{{/U}}of cause and effect are probabilistic (可能的) in nature. That is, the effects
occur more often when the causes occur than when the causes are {{U}}
{{U}} 9 {{/U}} {{/U}}but not always. Thus, students learn that
studying hard {{U}} {{U}} 10 {{/U}} {{/U}}good grades in most
instances, but not every time. Science makes these concepts of
causality and probability more {{U}} {{U}} 11 {{/U}} {{/U}}and
provides techniques for dealing {{U}} {{U}} 12 {{/U}} {{/U}}then
more accurately than does causal human inquiry. In looking at ordinary human
inquiry, we need to {{U}} {{U}} 13 {{/U}} {{/U}}between
prediction and understanding. Often, even if we don't understand why, we are
willing to act {{U}} {{U}} 14 {{/U}} {{/U}}the basis of a
demonstrated predictive ability. Whatever the primitive drives {{U}}
{{U}} 15 {{/U}} {{/U}}motivate human beings, satisfying them depends
heavily on the ability to {{U}} {{U}} 16 {{/U}} {{/U}}future
circumstances. The attempt to predict is often played in a {{U}} {{U}}
17 {{/U}} {{/U}}of knowledge and understanding. If you can understand
why certain regular patterns {{U}} {{U}} 18 {{/U}} {{/U}}, you
can predict better than if you simply observe those patterns. Thus, human
inquiry aims {{U}} {{U}} 19 {{/U}} {{/U}}answering both "what"
and "why" question, and we pursue these {{U}} {{U}} 20 {{/U}}
{{/U}}by observing and figuring out.