阅读理解 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 shortly. 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 what is essential and substantial to man. What distinguishes man from animal is that he knows and needs to know. If man did not know that the world existed and 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 of 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, he must defend the primacy and independence 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 in large 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 sections, zealously and without the least suspicion that it 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 of mere intellectual curiosity, would eventually lead to modern electrical technology, without which we can scarcely conceive of 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 51.In the author's opinion, ______.
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】细节题。由第一段中“…all this is pure or theoretical knowledge，sought only for the purpose of understanding…”可推出选项A是正确的；人类追求纯知识，而并不了解其应用，故选项B错误；第一段中“Apart from these sciences is philosophy about which we will talk shortly．”是指“此外还有哲学，这将在后面讨论”，可见科学中包括哲学，故选项C错误；根据第二段中“…revolutionary scope is in large part unforeseen，except by the imagination of the Utopians”可知，纯科学革命性的结果可以被空想社会主义者预见，即选项D错误。故正确答案为A。
单选题 52.The most important advances made by man come from______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】推理题。第二段中的两个例子说明人类在开展科学研究时不少重大进步都来自表面上认为无用的资讯。故正确答案为B。
单选题 53.The Greeks who studied conic sections______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】细节题。根据第二段中的“…it someday be useful，it would not have been possible centuries later to navigate far from shore．”可知，希腊人研究圆锥曲线时并未意识到它后来的作用。故正确答案为C。
单选题 54.The title below that best expresses the ideas of this passage is______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】主旨题。文中第二段的最后三句点明了全文的主旨，即人类在科学知识上的态度是为了认知而认知(Learning for its own sake)，而并未考虑它后来可能的应用。故正确答案为C。
单选题 55.It can be inferred from the passage that man's need to know is chiefly important in that it______.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】推理题。文中第二段的倒数第二句“Pure knowledge is valuable for its own sake，because the human spirit cannot resign itself to ignorance．”表明人类对知识的渴求是其人性的本质所致。故正确答案为D。