For laymen ethnology is probably the most interesting of the biological sciences for the very reason that it concerns animals in their normal activities and therefore, if we wish, we can assess the possible dangers and advantages in our own behavioral roots. Ethnology also is interesting methodologically because it combines in new ways very scrupulous field observations with experimentations in laboratories. The field workers have had some handicaps in winning respect for themselves. For a long time they were considered as little better than amateur animal-watchers--certainly not scientists, since their facts were not gained by experimental procedures: they could not conform to the hard-and-fast ruie that a problem set up and solved by one scientist must be tested by other scientists, under identical conditions and reaching identical results. of course many situations in the lives of animals simply cannot be rehearsed and controlled in this way. The fall flocking of wild free birds can't be, or the homing of animals over long distances, or even details of spontaneous family relationships. Since these never can be re produced in a laboratory, are they then not worth knowing about? The ethnologists who choose field work have got themselves out of this impasse by greatly refining the techniques of observing. At the start of a project all the animals to be studied are live-trapped, marked individually, and released. Motion pictures, often in col or, provide permanent records of their subsequent activities. Recording of the animals' voices by electrical sound equipment is considered essential, and the most meticulous notes are kept of all that occurs. With this material other biologists, far from the scene, later can verify the reports. Moreover, two field observers often go out together, checking each other's observations right there in the field. Ethnology, the word, is derived from the Greek ethos, meaning the characteristic traits or features which distinguish a group--any particular group of people or, in biology, a group of animals such as a species. Ethnologists have the intention of studying "the whole sequence of acts which constitute an animai's behavior. " In abridged dictionaries ethnology is sometimes defined simply as "the objective study of animal behavior," and ethnologists do emphasize their wish to eliminate myths.
单选题
In the first sentence, the word "laymen" means______. A. people who stand aside B. people who are not trained as biologists C. people who are amateur biologists D. people who love animals
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] layman是“门外汉”的意思,如:This is just the layman’s view of medicine. (这只是门外汉对医学的看法)。在本文中指生物学家以外的人。因此B项正确。
单选题
According to the passage, ethnoiogy is______. A. a new branch of biology B. an old Greek science C. a pseudo-science D. a science for amateurs
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 从文章第一、二段可知,人种学是生物学的一个新的分支。因此A项正确。
单选题
"The field workers have handicaps in winning respect for themselves. " This sen tence means______. A. ethnologists when working in the field are handicapped B. ethnologists have problems in winning recognition as scientists C. ethnologists are looked down upon when they work in the field D. ethnologists meet with lots of difficulties when doing field work
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 本题的依据句是文中第二段的“For a long time they were considered as little better than amateur animal-watchers.certainly not scientists”,说明人种学家在赢得人们的承认上有过很大的障碍,因此B项正确。
单选题
According to the explanation of the scientific rule of experiment in the passage, "hard-and-fast" means experiment procedures______. A. are difficult and quick to foIlow B. must be carried out in a strict and quick way C. must be followed strictly to avoid false and loose results D. hard and unreasonable for scientists to observe
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 本题可参照文中的“a problem set up and solved by one scientist must be test ed by other scientists,under identical conditions and reaching identical results”与C“必须严格遵循,以免出现假的和不严谨(不确切)的结果”相符。因此C项正确。
单选题
The meaning of the underlined words in "the details of spontaneous family rela-tionships" can be expressed as______. A. natural family relationships B. quickly occurring family relationships C. animals acting like a natural family D. animal family behavior that cannot be preplanned or controlled