英语四级阅读理解考前必练及答案.docx

英语四级阅读理解考前必练及答案

MethodofScientificInquiryWhytheinductiveandmathematicalsciences,aftertheirfirstrapiddevelopmentattheculminationofGreekcivilization,advancedsoslowlyfortwothousandyears—andwhyinthefollowingtwohundredyearsaknowledgeofnaturalandmathematicalsciencehasaccumulated,whichsovastlyexceedsallthatwaspreviouslyknownthatthesesciencesmaybejustlyregardedastheproductsofourowntimes—arequestionswhichhaveinterestedthemodernphilosophernotlessthantheobjectswithwhichthesesciencesaremoreimmediatelyconversant.Wasittheemploymentofanewmethodofresearch,orintheexerciseofgreatervirtueintheuseoftheoldmethods,thatthissingularmodernphenomenonhaditsorigin?Wasthelongperiodoneofarresteddevelopment,andisthemoderneraoneofnormalgrowth?Orshouldweascribethecharacteristicsofbothperiodstoso-calledhistoricalaccidents—totheinfluenceofconjunctionsincircumstancesofwhichnoexplanationispossible,saveintheomnipotenceandwisdomofaguidingProvidence?Theexplanationwhichhasbecomecommonplace,thattheancientsemployeddeductionchieflyintheirscientificinquiries,whilethemodernsemployinduction,provestobetoonarrow,andfailsuponcloseexaminationtopointwithsufficientdistinctnessthecontrastthatisevidentbetweenancientandmodernscientificdoctrinesandinquiries.Forallknowledgeisfoundedonobservation,andproceedsfromthisbyanalysis,bysynthesisandanalysis,byinductionanddeduction,andifpossiblebyverification,orbynewappealstoobservationundertheguidanceofdeduction—bystepswhichareindeedcorrelativepartsofonemethod;andtheancientsciencesaffordexamplesofeveryoneofthesemethods,orpartsofonemethod,whichhavebeengeneralizedfromtheexamplesofscience.Afailuretoemployortoemployadequatelyanyoneofthesepartialmethods,animperfectionintheartsandresourcesofobservationandexperiment,carelessnessinobservation,neglectofrelevantfacts,byappealtoexperimentandobservation—thesearethefaultswhichcauseallfailurestoascertaintruth,whetheramongtheancientsorthemoderns;butthisstatementdoesnotexplainwhythemodernispossessedofagreatervirtue,andbywhatmeansheattainedhissuper