The idea that some groups of people may be more intelligent than others is one of those hypotheses that dare not speak its name. But Gregory Cochran is (1) prepared to say it anyway. He is that (2) rare bird, a scientist who works independently (3) of any institution. He helped popularize the idea that some diseases not (4) previously thought to have a bacterial cause were actually infections, which aroused much controversy when it was first suggested.
答案分析
<考研真相>
1.[答案]B
[解析]逻辑搭配题。Selected意为“挑选出”; prepared意为“准备好的”;obliged意为“被迫的”; pleased意为“高兴的,满足的“。四个选项无论从语法角度,填入空格处都可以组成一个意义完整,而且和前一句“人们不敢说”对立的句子。但是selected和obliged是被动结构,强调别人要求去做某事。而根据本句末尾的anyway和第二段开头部分提到的tremble at the-______of what is about to do 知道,他不可能是很高兴地(pleased)去做这件事。所以选B
<英语思路>
1.[A] (be)selected(to)被挑选、被选拔做[B] (be)prepared(to)打算、愿意做
[C] (be)obliged(to)被(法律、义务等)强迫做 [D] (be)pleased(to)做某事感到高兴,快乐
[解析] 本题考核的知识点是:上下文语义+动词辨析。
很明显第一、二句之间存在转折关系,这里的标志性词语除了考生非常熟悉的连词but之外,还有副词anyway,它意为in spite of the fact (esp a problem) that you have just mentioned,“无论如何,不管怎样”。两个词常常搭配使用,表示“尽管存在上文提到的事实,尤其是问题或困难,但是仍然要做某事”,如:The idea probably wont work, but lets try it anyway.(这个想法可能不管用,不过我们无论如何要尝试一下。)本文第一、二句表达的转折关系是:现在人们不敢公开提出某些族群的智商更高的观点(the idea that... is one of those hypotheses that... );但是格雷戈里•科克伦(尽管明知有这样 的困难)却(愿冒天下之大不韪)无论如何要这么做。
空格所在句子中,is 1 to say是谓语,说明主语Gregory Cochran的行为。be prepared to do sth意为be willing and able to do sth“准备、打算、愿意做某事(尤指难做或通常不做的事)”,如:You have to be prepared to take risks in this kind of work.(你必须准备承担做这种工作的风险。)它代入文中,be prepared to say与上文dare not speak its name形成了对照,突出了该科学家大胆提出观点的做法,符合文意,因此选[B]prepared。
如选select则是使用了select sb to do sth结构的被动式,意为“被挑选、被选拔做某事”,如:Simon has been selected to represent us at the conference in Rio.(西蒙已被推选出来代表我们出席里约热内卢的会议。)be obliged to do sth意为“被(法律、义务等)强迫做某事,不得不做某事”,如:As a result of falling profits we are obliged to close the factory.(由于利润下降,我们被迫关闭这家工厂。)be pleased to do sth意为“做某事感到高兴,快乐”,如:I am only too pleased to do business with you.(我能和你做生意,太高兴了。)“被推选说”、“被迫说”或“很高兴说”在上下文中都找不到依据。事实上,Gregory Cochran独立地做研究,并提出过具有争议的观点,因此selected和obliged不符合文意;族群智商的高低是个讳莫如深的话题,因此pleased也不正确。
2.[A] unique独特的[B] particular不寻常的,特别的
[C] special特殊的,特别的 [D] rare稀罕的,珍贵的
[解析] 本题考核的知识点是:上下文语义+固定搭配。
空格所在句子中,that 2 bird和a scientist who...是同位语,后者是对前者的具体说明。本句是对Gregory Cochran的介绍,其中bird指“某类人,尤指古怪的或不寻常的人”,因此空格处填入的形容词应说明这个人物的特点。同位语提供了线索:他是不隶属于任何机构的科学家。
rare意为existing only in small numbers and therefore valuable or interesting“稀罕的,珍贵的”,a rare bird是固定搭配,意为“罕见的人或事物”,如:She is that rare bird: a politician with a social conscience.(她是这么一种少见的人:有社会良知的政治家。)它代入文中,恰好能说明Gregory Cochran特立独行、与众不同的特点,也与上文中他大胆提出自己观点的描述相符合。因此正确答案为[D]。
其他三个词也有相近的含义,unique意为very special or unusual“独特的,罕见的”,如:a unique talent(奇才);particular意为greater than usual, special“不寻常的,格外的,特别的”,如:You should pay particular attention to spelling.(你应该特别注意拼写。)special意为not ordinary or usual, and often better or more important“特殊的,特别的,不寻常的(通常更好、更重要)”,如:a special case, deserving special treatment(应加以特殊处理的特殊情况)。但是,这些词均不能与bird搭配表示某类人,因此不符合文意。bird指人的搭配还有:an old bird(行家、老手、老练的人);a queer bird(怪人,古怪的家伙)。
本题说明除了记忆单词的含义,掌握固定搭配、增强语感也非常重要。