2007年12月英语四级阅读真题和答案解析(二)

　　Passage Two
　　I don’t ever want to talk about being a woman scientist again. There was a time in my life when people asked constantly for stories about what it’s like to work in a field dominated by men. I was never very good at telling those stories because truthfully I never found them interesting. What I do find interesting is the origin of the universe, the shape of space-time and the nature of black holes.
　　At 19, when I began studying astrophysics, it did not bother me in the least to be the only woman in the classroom. But while earning my Ph.D. at MIT and then as a post-doctor doing space research, the issue started to bother me. My every achievement—jobs, research papers, awards—was viewed through the lens of gender (性别) politics. So were my failures. Sometimes, when I was pushed into an argument on left brain versus (相对于) right brain, or nature versus nurture (培育), I would instantly fight fiercely on my behalf and all womankind.
　　Then one day a few years ago, out of my mouth came a sentence that would eventually become my reply to any and all provocations: I don’t talk about that anymore. It took me 10 years to get back the confidence I had at 19 and to realize that I didn’t want to deal with gender issues. Why should curing sexism be yet another terrible burden on every female scientist? After all, I don’t study sociology or political theory.
　　Today I research and teach at Barnard, a women’s college in New York City. Recently, someone asked me how may of the 45 students in my class were women. You cannot imagine my satisfaction at being able to answer, 45. I know some of my students worry how they will manage their scientific research and a desire for children. And I don’t dismiss those concerns. Still, I don’t tell them “war” stories. Instead, I have given them this: the visual of their physics professor heavily pregnant doing physics experiments. And in turn they have given me the image of 45 women driven by a love of science. And that’s a sight worth talking about.
　　62. Why doesn’t the author want to talk about being a woman scientist again?
　　A) She feels unhappy working in male-dominated fields.
　　B) She is fed up with the issue of gender discrimination.
　　C) She is not good at telling stories of the kind.
　　D) She finds space research more important.(B)
　　63. From Paragraph 2, we can infer that people would attribute the author’s failures to ________.
　　A) the very fact that she is a woman
　　B) her involvement in gender politics
　　C) her over-confidence as a female astrophysicist
　　D) the burden she bears in a male-dominated society(A)
　　64. What did the author constantly fight against while doing her Ph.D. and post-doctoral research?
　　A) Lack of confidence in succeeding in space science.
　　B) Unfair accusations from both inside and outside her circle.
　　C) People’s stereotyped attitude toward female scientists.
　　D) Widespread misconceptions about nature and nurtured.(C)
　　65. Why does the author feel great satisfaction when talking about her class?
　　A) Female students no longer have to bother about gender issues.
　　B) Her students’ performance has brought back her confidence.
　　C) Her female students can do just as well as male students.
　　D) More female students are pursuing science than before.(D)
　　66. What does the image the author presents to her students suggest?
　　A) Women students needn’t have the concerns of her generation.
　　B) Women have more barriers on their way to academic success.
　　C) Women can balance a career in science and having a family.
　　D) Women now have fewer problems pursuing a science career.
　　这是一篇与性别歧视有关的文章，讲的是女性应该如何面对性别歧视的问题。作者以第一人称的形式，以亲身的经历来说明女性在面对性别歧视时应该采取不屑一顾的态度。
　　全文一共四个大段，开篇为I don’t ever want to talk about being a woman scientist again，以“again”一词造成悬疑，引起读者对原因的探究，而后整个第一段叙述了相对于这一again的上一次作者面对性别问题时的态度;并解释了原因是兴趣不在于此(I never found them interesting)。
　　第二段开始初步为“again”释疑，叙述了[考试[大]作者从最初对性别问题的超然态度(it did not bother me in the least to be the only woman in the classroom)转变为积极捍卫女性利益态度(I would instantly fight fiercely on my behalf and all womankind)的过程。
　　第三段进一步为“again”释疑，叙述作者重又悟出应回归超然态度的心理经历。从Why should curing sexism be yet another terrible burden on every female scientist? After all, I don’t study sociology or political theory这一问一答可以看出，虽然多年过去，但作者用以对付性别问题这一心理重担的利器依然是兴趣(don’t study sociology or political theory)。
　　最后一段叙述了作者重归超然态度后如何教导学生正确地面对性别问题。在有些学生因性别问题(如何在科学研究和生儿育女间的愿望之间做出选择)而忧虑时，作者以身言教(heavily pregnant doing physics experiments)，告诉学生们应该忘记性别问题。作者的表率起了作用，像她们的老师一样，学生们把精力完全放在了兴趣上面(45 women driven by a love of science)。
　　文章的内容虽然涉及了社会问题，但切入角度是主*考试&大观第一人称，语言修辞上更为接近散文(essay)的风格，所以相对于议论文、说明文较容易理解。