问题 问答题

Since the days of Aristotle, a search for universal principles has characterized the scientific enterprise. In some ways, this quest for commonalities defines science. Newton’s laws of motion and Darwinian evolution each bind a host of different phenomena into a single explicatory frame work.

(46) In physics, one approach takes this impulse for unification to its extreme, and seeks a theory of everything—a single generative equation for all we see. It is becoming less clear, however, that such a theory would be a simplification, given the dimensions and universes that it might entail, nonetheless, unification of sorts remains a major goal.

This tendency in the natural sciences has long been evident in the social sciences too. (47) Here, Darwinism seems to offer justification for it all humans share common origins it seems reasonable to suppose that cultural diversity could also be traced to more constrained beginnings. Just as the bewildering variety of human courtship rituals might all be considered forms of sexual selection, perhaps the world’s languages, music, social and religious customs and even history are governed by universal features. (48) To filter out what is unique from what is shared might enable us to understand how complex cultural behavior arose and what guides it in evolutionary or cognitive terms.

That, at least, is the hope. But a comparative study of linguistic traits published online today supplies a reality check. Russell Gray at the University of Auckland and his colleagues consider the evolution of grammars in the light of two previous attempts to find universality in ’language.

The most famous of these efforts was initiated by Noam Chomsky, who suggested that humans are born with an innate language—acquisition capacity that dictates a universal grammar. A few generative rules are then sufficient to unfold the entire fundamental structure of a language, which is why children can learn it so quickly.

(49) The second, by Joshua Greenberg, takes a more empirical approach to universality identifying traits (particularly in word order) shared by many language which are considered to represent biases that result from ~nitive constraints

Gray and his colleagues have put them to the test by examining four family trees that between them represent more than 2,000 languages. (50) Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it. Whereas Greenbergian universality predicts p co-dependencies between narticular types of word-order relations.Neither of these patterns is borne out by the analysis, suggesting that the structures of the languages are lire age-specific and not governed by universals

(50) Chomsky’s grammar should show patterns of language change that are independent of the family tree or the pathway tracked through it. Whereas Greenbergian universality predicts p co-dependencies between narticular types of word-order relations

答案

参考答案:

乔姆斯基的语法应该表现了语言改变的模式,该模式是独立于家谱也独立于贯穿家谱的路径,而格林伯根的统一性理论则预言了不同种语序关系之间的强烈的相互依存性。

阅读理解

Holidaymakers who are bored with baking beaches and overheated hotel rooms head for a big igloo. Swedish businessman Nile Bergqvist is delighted with his new hotel, the world’s first igloo hotel. Built in a small town in Lapland, it has been attracting lots of visitors, but soon the fun will be over.

In two weeks’ time Bergqvist’s ice creation(作品) will be nothing more than a pool of water. “We don’t see it as a big problem,” he says. “We just look forward to replacing it.”

Bergqvist built his first igloo in 1991 for an art exhibition. It was so successful that he designed the present one, which measures roughly 200 square meters. Six workmen spent more than eight weeks piling 1,000 tons of snow onto a wooden base; when the snow froze, the base was removed. “The only wooden thing we have left in the igloo is the front door,” he says.

After their stay, all visitors receive a survival certificate recording their success. With no windows, nowhere to hang clothes and temperatures below 0℃, it may seem more like a survival test than a relaxing(轻松的) hotel break. “It’s great fun,” Bergqvist explains, “As well as a good start in survival training.”

The popularity of the igloo is beyond doubt: it is now attracting tourists from all over the world. At least 800 people have stayed at the igloo this season even though there are only 10 rooms. “You can get a lot of people in,” explains Bergqvist. “The beds are three meters wide by two meters long, and can fit at least four at one time.”

小题1: Bergqvist designed and built the world’s first igloo hotel because ________.

A.an art exhibition was about to open

B.he wanted to make a name for the small town

C.he believed people would enjoy trying something new

D.more hotel rooms were needed小题2: When the writer says “the fun will be over,” he refers to the fact that ________.

A.hotel guests will be frightened at the thought of the hard test

B.a bigger igloo will replace the present one

C.holidaymakers will soon get tired of the big igloo

D.Bergqvist’s hotel will soon become a pool of water小题3:According to the text, the first thing to do in building an igloo is ________.

A.to gather a pool of water

B.to prepare a wooden base

C.to cover the ground with ice

D.to pile a large amount of snow小题4: When guests leave the igloo hotel they will receive a paper stating that ________.

A.they have had a taste of adventure

B.they have had an ice-snow holiday

C.they have had great fun sleeping on ice

D.they have visited Lapland小题5:Which of the following pictures below is closest to the igloo hotel as described in the text?

单项选择题