2013年中石油系统职称英语考试试题及答案(07号)

　　Section A

　　Directions: There are 5passages in this section. Each passage is followed by 4 questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You shouM decide on the best choice and mark your answer on the Answer Sheet.

　　Questions 41 to 44 are based on the following passage:

　　One of the earliest and most influential proponents of the idea of continental drift was a German astronomer, meteorologist, and explorer named Alfred Wegener.

　　In 1912 he advanced good arguments to support the idea that at one time there was no Atlantic Ocean. The Americas and Greenland were welded with Europe, Africa, Australia and Antarctica into one large continent, Pangaea.

　　His strongest argument seemed to be the remarkable similarity of the continental margins on opposite sides of the Atlantic. But he also looked at similarities in ancient geologic structures, fossil records, and ancient climates to support his hypothesis. He pointed out that some unique geological structures in the

　　Americas terminate abruptly in the Atlantic Ocean and then continue again on the other side of the Atlantic, as if the structures had formed when the continents were together and then were cleaved as the continents tore apart. He showed that the fossil records on both sides of the Atlantic were similar up to about a hundred million years ago and then showed divergence, indicating that the continents had become isolated from each other at that time. Finally, by using fossils and sediments, he was able to demonstrate that ancient climates on both sides of the Atlantic were similar,although they were quite different from those presently found in the respective regions.

　　Wegener’s interesting ideas were too revolutionary to be easily accepted or seriously considered at the time. He died in 1930, more than two decades before further evidence forced reconsideration and eventual acceptance of his revolutionary way of looking at our world.

　　41. Wegener’s ideas about continental drift are properly termed a "hypothesis" (line9) because

　　A. his written records state it as such.

　　B. absolute proof did not exist in his day.

　　C. he was just beginning a scientific study of the topic.

　　D. that is what all scientific theories are called.

　　42. Which of the following best describe the organization of this passage?

　　A. problem statement broken down into separate components

　　B. thesis, supporting statements, conclusion

　　C. general material first, followed by specific points

　　D. a typical biographical sketch focusing on a person’s main achievement

　　43. Wegener advanced all of the following in support of his theory EXCEPT

　　A. ancient earth and land structures.

　　B. ancient data and recorded history.

　　C. ancient climates on both sides of the Atlantic.

　　D. continental edge lands on either side of the Atlantic.

　　44. Based on information in the passage, we can see that acceptance of Wegener’s1912 theory was hindered by

　　A. failure of the media to present his theory.

　　B. his failure to document similarities on either side of the Atlantic.

　　C. its own revolution in scientific thought.

　　D. utter lack of interest from colleagues.