2020考研英语阅读理解精读100篇：Unit 31

Unit 31

In a lab in Princeton University’s ultra-sleek chemistry building, researchers toil in a modern-day hunt for an elusive power: alchemy.

Throughout the centuries, alchemists tried in vain to transform common metals like iron and lead into precious ones like gold or platinum. Today, Paul Chirik, a professor of chemistry at Princeton, has managed a new twist on the timeworn pursuit.

Dr. Chirik, 39, has learned how to make iron function like platinum, in chemical reactions that are crucial to manufacturing scores of basic materials. While he can’t, sadly, transmute a lump of iron ore into a pile of valuable jewelry, his version of alchemy is far more practical, and the implications are wide-ranging.

The process could herald a new era of flexible manufacturing technologies, while enabling companies to steer clear of scarce elements as prices rise or obtaining them becomes environmentally or geopolitically risky.

“No chemist would think lithium was in short supply,” Dr. Chirik said, “but what happens if you put a lithium battery in every car? This is why chemistry needs to be ahead of the curve. We need to have adaptable solutions.”

Despite the cost and relative scarcity of precious metals—iridium, platinum, rhodium—we rely on them to manufacture products from denim to beer, pharmaceuticals to fuel cells. The elements are used as catalysts, substances that kick off or enable chemical reactions.

Dr. Chirik’s work involves dissolved catalysts, which are mixed into the end product. The molecules of the catalyst dissipate during the reaction. For instance, a solution containing platinum is used to make silicone emulsifiers, compounds that in turn feed products like makeup, cookware and glue. Tiny amounts of the expensive metal are scattered in all these things; your jeans, for instance, contain unrecoverable particles of platinum.

注（1）：本文选自The New York Times;

注（2）：本文习题模仿对象：本文习题的第1、5题模仿2011年真题Text 1的第1、5题；第2题模仿2010年真题Text 2的第2题；第3、4题模仿2011年真题Text 2的第3、4题。

1. We can learn from the first two paragraphs that alchemy ______.

A) incurs suspicion

B) is a new pursuit

C) hasn’t been realized

D) arouses curiosity

2. Which of the following is NOT true?

A) In some chemical reactions, iron can function like platinum.

B) Dr. Chirik’s practical alchemy enables him transform iron ore into valuable jewelry.

C) Flexible manufacturing technologies can avoid the use of scarce elements as prices rise in the future.

D) Chemists would think lithium was sufficient.

3. The phrase “be ahead of the curve” （Line 2, Paragraph 5） most probably means ______.

A) making change in advance

B) before curving

C) forward

D) keeping changing

4. It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that ______.

A) catalysts are mixed into the end product

B) the molecules of the catalyst decompose during the reaction

C) it would be the biggest deal so far

D) catalysts feature in wide-ranging function in chemical reactions as well as in the end products

5. From the text we can see that the writer seems ______.

A) positive

B) negative

C) uncertain

D) neutral

篇章剖析

本文是一篇科技说明文，主要介绍了炼金术及其新发展。前两段介绍了炼金术由来已久，直到今天炼金师们依然在做新尝试；第三段讲述了奇瑞克博士学会如何使铁和铂具有相似功能，但依然不能点石为金；第四、五段讲述了灵活制造技术的到来具有很大意义，可以利用可替代的金属，进而避开一些环境或政治问题；文章最后两段则讲述了催化剂的重要作用。

词汇注释

elusive /ɪˈluːsɪv/ adj. 难获得的；难懂的；易忘的

alchemy /ˈælkəmi/ n. 炼金术；魔力

alchemist /ˈælkəmɪst/ n. 炼金士

platinum /ˈplætɪnəm/ n. 铂

timeworn /ˈtaɪmwɔːn/ adj. 陈旧的，老朽的

herald /ˈherəld/ v. 预示

lithium /ˈlɪθiəm/ n. 锂

iridium /ɪˈrɪdɪəm/ n. 铱

rhodium /ˈrəʊdɪəm/ n. 铑

pharmaceutical /ˌfɑːməˈsjuːtɪkl/ n. 药品adj. 制药的

catalyst /ˈkætəlɪst/ n. 催化剂

dissipate /ˈdɪsɪpeɪt/ v. 消失；驱散；浪费

silicone /ˈsɪlɪkəun/ n. 硅树脂

emulsifier /ɪˈmʌlsɪfaɪ(r)/ n. 乳化剂

难句突破

The process could herald a new era of flexible manufacturing technologies, while enabling companies to steer clear of scarce elements as prices rise or obtaining them becomes environmentally or geopolitically risky.

主体句式：The process could herald a era of flexible manufacturing technologies...

结构分析：这个长句看上去结构复杂，其实while后面是由or连接的两个并列成分整体作为一个独立主格结构，表结果。正是有了灵活的制造技术，公司才可以利用其他物质替代稀缺元素，达到节省资金，或者避免开采所引起的环境或地理政治问题。

句子译文：这项技术可能预示着一个灵活的制造技术的新时代的到来，公司从此便可以利用其他物质来替代价格日益上涨的稀缺元素，或者避开因为采集它们而引起的环境或地理政治问题。

题目分析

1. C 推断题。原文“alchemists tried in vain to transform common metals like...”中in vain这个词组表示“白费力气，徒劳”，虽然炼金师们尝试了各种方法，但炼金术还是没有实现，故C项正确。其余三项并没有在文章中体现。

2. B 细节题。文中对应原句“While he can’t, sadly, transmute a lump of iron ore into a pile of valuable jewelry, his version of alchemy is far more practical, and the implications are wide-ranging.”其中正确的逻辑关系是，虽然齐瑞克博士的炼金术更实用，影响更广泛，然而他并不能把铁矿石变成珠宝，B选项正好混淆了逻辑。A、C和D选项皆在文章中有直接或间接的体现。

3. A 语义题。由前后文语义和“We need to have adaptable solutions.”可以推断出，化学科学需要走在转变之前，以应对各种状况，也就是要提前做出改变，故选A。

4. D 推断题。最后两段讲述了催化剂不仅能促成化学反应，而且会被混合到最终产品中，由此可知D正确。A、B和C陈述的仅仅是一种现象，不能作为推断的结果。

5. D 情感态度题。本文是一篇科学研究类文章，旨在讲述科学技术，因此作者持中立态度。

参考译文

在普林斯顿大学一座超现代的化学楼的实验室里，科学家们正在苦心钻研一项很难获得的技术，它是当代的寻金之旅：炼金术。

几个世纪以来，炼金师都在尝试将普通的金属，如铁和铅，转化为像金或铂一样的贵重金属，但这些努力都是徒劳的。今天，普林斯顿大学的化学教授保罗·齐瑞克对这一陈年旧日的追求进行了新的尝试。

39岁的齐瑞克博士已经学会了如何使铁和铂具有相似的功能，在化学反应中，此功能对制造大量的基础材料至关重要。尽管他不能把一块铁矿石变成许多价值连城的珠宝，这很可惜，但他的炼金术其实更实用而且影响更为广泛。

这项技术可能预示着一个灵活的制造技术新时代的到来，公司从此便可以利用其他物质来替代价格日益上涨的稀缺元素，或者避开因为采集它们而引起的环境或地理政治问题。

齐瑞克说：“没有哪位化学家会觉得锂有一天会成为稀缺元素，但是如果每辆汽车都用锂电池做燃料呢？这就是为什么化学科学应走在转变之前的原因。我们需要可替代的办法。”

尽管贵重金属，如铱、铂、铑的成本昂贵而且相对稀缺，我们却在很多产品的生产方面依赖它们，从牛仔布到啤酒，从药品到燃料…它们被用作催化剂，即用来引起或促成化学反应的物质。

齐瑞克博士的工作涉及溶解性催化剂，它们被混合到最终产品中。催化剂的分子在反应过程中消失。例如，一种含有铂元素的溶液被用来制造硅乳化剂，该合成物转而又被用来制造化妆品、炊具和胶水。这些东西中都含有少量的昂贵金属，例如你的牛仔裤中就含有不可回收的铂粒子。