单选题 RESULTS OF TWO SURVEYS OF OPINIONS REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF SCIENCE ON HUMAN SOCIETY
Responses August 1991 August 1992
Mostly beneficial 25% 81%
Equally harmful 37% 9%
and beneficial
Mostly harmful 20% 7%
No opinion 18% 3%
Which of the following, if true, contributes most to explaining the shift in opinions about the effects of science on human society?

A、 The surveys questioned people who regularly watch prime-time television, and an innovative weekly primetime television series called "Wonders of Science" had been steadily winning viewers since its widely seen premiere in January 1992.
B、 The surveys questioned college-educated adults, and a report called "The State of the Nation's Schools." published in June 1992, noted an increase in students' interest in science courses since 1982.
C、 The surveys were conducted in a suburban shopping area near a company that ceased operation in April 1992 as a result of lawsuits arising from unexpected toxic effects of the company's products.
D、 Both survey forms were mailed to equally large samples of the population, after returning the 1991 survey forms, respondents were sent discount coupons for food products, and after returning the 1992 survey forms, respondents were sent a pamphlet on recycling.
E、 (E) The surveys questioned first-year college students across the country, and the people who did the questioning were all research scientists.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[解析] 根据这两个调查报告的结果可以看出，1992年8月比1991年8月认为科学对人类的影响是“mostly beneficial”的人的比例大幅度地增加，而其他各项的比例则相应的大幅度降低，本题的要求就是要找一个能解释这种变化的原因的选项。(A)选项说明了人们态度的改变源于一个在黄金时间播出的新的关于科学的电视节目，因此(A)是正确答案。