2008年考研英语（一）试题

Section I   Use of English

Directions:

Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B, C or D on ANSWER SHEET 1. (10 points)

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___ to say it anyway. He is that ___2___ bird, a scientist who works independently ___3___ any institution. He helped popularize the idea that some diseases not ___4___ thought to have a bacterial cause were actually infections, which aroused much controversy when it was first suggested.

___5___ he, however, might tremble at the ___6___ of what he is about to do. Together with another two scientists, he is publishing a paper which not only ___7___ that one group of humanity is more intelligent than the others, but explains the process that has brought this about. The group in ___8___ are a particular people originated from central Europe. The process is natural selection.

This group generally do well in IQ test, ___9___ 12-15 points above the ___10___ value of 100, and have contributed ___11___ to the intellectual and cultural life of the West, as the ___12___ of their elites, including several world-renowned scientists, ___13___. They also suffer more often than most people from a number of nasty genetic diseases, such as breast cancer. These facts, ___14___, have previously been thought unrelated. The former has been ___15___ to social effects, such as a strong tradition of ___16___ education. The latter was seen as a (an) ___17___ of genetic isolation. Dr. Cochran suggests that the intelligence and diseases are intimately ___18___. His argument is that the unusual history of these people has ___19___ them to unique evolutionary pressures that have resulted in this ___20___ state of affairs.

1.    [A] selected                [B] prepared             [C] obliged               [D] pleased

2.    [A] unique                   [B] particular             [C] special                 [D] rare

3.    [A] of                          [B] with                    [C] in                        [D] against

4.    [A] subsequently         [B] presently             [C] previously            [D] lately

5.    [A] Only                      [B] So                       [C] Even                    [D] Hence

6.    [A] thought                 [B] sight                   [C] cost                    [D] risk

7.    [A] advises                  [B] suggests             [C] protests              [D] objects

8.    [A] progress               [B] fact                     [C] need                   [D] question

9.    [A] attaining                [B] scoring                [C] reaching              [D] calculating

10.  [A] normal                  [B] common              [C] mean