认为老虎有权利也是荒谬的。然而，这只是一种认识，而且是一种有争议的认识。这种认识不仅剥夺了动物的权利，而且也剥夺了某些人的权利，例如婴儿，这些还不会用大脑来思考问题的下一代。此外，谁也不清楚，对于从来就不同意契约的人来说，这项契约又具有多大约束力，如果有人说“我不喜欢这项契约”，那你又如何回答呢？
问题的症结在于，如果对人的权利没有一致的看法，争论动物的权利是徒劳无益的。（33）这种说法从一开始就将讨论引向两个极端，它使人们认为应该这样对待动物：要么像对人类自身一样关切体谅动物，要么完全冷漠无情。这是一种不真实的选择。这是一种错误的选择。最好以另一种更为根本性的提问开始：我们对待动物的方法是一个道德问题吗？
许多人否认这种提法。（34）这类人持极端看法，认为人与动物在各相关方面都不相同，对待动物无须考虑道德问题。任何关心动物疾苦的想法都是错误的，因为它把应该用来关心其他人的同情心错误地用到动物身上。
这种观点认为，折磨猴子从道义上讲无异于劈柴，这种看法似乎是大胆的“逻辑推理”。实际上，这种看法非常肤浅，因为其中心混乱到应该被摒弃的程度。道德推理的最初级形式，和学习爬行的理论一样，是把自身利益和他人利益加以权衡考虑。那么，这就需要同情心和想象力。没有这两点，就无法用道德观念来进行思考。看到动物受苦足以使大多数人产生同情感。（35）这种反应并不是错误，这是人类用道德观念进行推理的本能在起作用。这种本能应该得到鼓励，而不应该遭到嘲笑。 1998年
They were, by far, the largest and most distant objects that scientists had ever detected: a strip of enormous cosmic clouds some 15 billion light-years from earth. 31) But even more important, it was the farthest that scientists had been able to look into the past, for what they were seeing were the patterns and structures that existed 15 billion years ago. That was just about the moment that the universe was born. What the researchers found was at once both amazing and expected: the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration?s Cosmic Background Explorer satellite -- Cobe -- had discovered landmark evidence that the universe did in fact begin with the primeval explosion that has become known as the Big Bang (the theory that the universe originated in an explosion from a single mass of energy).
32) The existence of the giant clouds was virtually required for the Big Bang, first put forward in the 1920s, to maintain its reign as the dominant explanation of the cosmos. According to the theory, the universe burst into being as a submicroscopic, unimaginably dense knot of pure energy that flew outward in all directions, emitting radiation as it went, condensing into particles and then into atoms of gas. Over billions of years, the gas was compressed by gravity into galaxies, stars, plants and eventually, even humans.
Cobe is designed to see just the biggest structures, but astronomers would like to see much smaller hot spots as well, the seeds of local objects like clusters and superclusters of galaxies. They shouldn?t have long to wait. 33) Astrophysicists working with ground-based detectors at the South Pole and balloon-borne instruments are closing in on such structures, and may report their findings soon.
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34) If the small hot spots look as expected, that will be a triumph for yet another scientific idea, a refinement of the Big Bang called the inflationary universe theory. Inflation says that very early on, the universe expanded in size by more than a trillion trillion trillion trillion fold in much less than a second, propelled by a sort of antigravity. 35) Odd though it sounds, cosmic inflation is a scientifically plausible consequence of some respected ideas in elementary particle physics, and many astrophysicists have been convinced for the better part of a decade that it is true. 一、试题总体分析
文章主要讲述的是关于宇宙形成的问题。现在所见到的星云是关于宇宙形成的\大爆炸\理论成立的重要证据之一。在人造卫星的帮助下，人们将得以弄清宇宙起源的真相，从而证实宇宙膨胀说（\大爆炸\理论的一种完美形式）。
选文看似偏向理科，但是作为一个准备攻读硕士学位的考生而言，这样的科普知识还是应该具备的。比如：当年有考生将文中的Big Bang译成\大笨钟\，这个译文从上下文中是绝对不会联想到的，这就是考生可能以前在其他文章中看到过Big Ben（英国\大笨钟\）的故事而望文生义所致。这也反映出考生平时应加强常识性的科普和文化知识的积累。科普类文章在句型使用上的一个最大的特点就是被动语态使用较多，考生需要根据具体的语言事与环境决定被动语态在译文中是保留，还是加主语变为主动，亦或使用一些特殊的表达形式，如\为、所\等。此外，由于文章涉及的是关于宇宙形成的学说，不可避免里面会涉及一些专有名词，这些词的意思确定以及译名的确定都是考生需要斟酌的内容。
二、试题具体解析
（1）But even more important, it was the farthest that scientists had been able to look into the past, for what they were seeing were the patterns and structures that existed 15 billion years ago.
[解析] 本题考核的知识点是：多重复合句的译法、补词。难度：0.63
该句是一个多重复合句，其结构可以分为两层。第一层是句子的主干it was the farthest，that引导定语从句，for引导原因状语从句。注意it在这里是具有指代意义的实义词，它指的是上句提到的距地球约150亿光年的巨大云系。第二层结构为for引导的原因状语从句中，what they were seeing为主语从句，that existed 15 billion years ago为定语从句，修饰前面的the patterns and structures。
词汇：farthest在翻译的过程中需要按照汉语习惯，增补一个名词，例如\景象\、\地方\等。billion是指\十亿\。
译文：更为重要的是，这是科学家们能够观测到的最遥远的过去的景象，因为他们看到的是150亿年前宇宙云的形状和结构。
（2）The existence of the giant clouds was virtually required for the Big Bang, first put forward in the 1920s, to maintain its reign as the dominant explanation of the cosmos.
[解析] 本题考核的知识点是：被动语态、过去分词做定语。难度：0.46
该句为简单句，其主干是The existence...was required for...to maintain...。该句是一个被动句，如果译成\被要求的\，则与汉语习惯不符，因此可以意译为\是不可缺少的\。for...to（do）...是不定式的复合结构，基本译法是\对于…做…（怎么样）\；不定式to maintain...cosmos 做目的状语；first put forward...是过去分
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词做the Big Bang的修饰语，插在了不定式结构中，该修饰语不长，翻译时可以做前置定语。
词汇：put forward 译为\提出\，reign为\统治地位\。virtually为\实际上，本质上\。Big Bang此处含义可以参考前文的解释（the theory that...），从而译成\大爆炸论\。
译文：巨大的宇宙云的存在，实际上是20年代首创的大爆炸论得以保持其宇宙起源论的主导地位不可缺少的。
（3）Astrophysicists working with ground based detectors at the South Pole and balloon?borne instruments are closing in on such structures, and may report their findings soon.
[解析] 本题考核的知识点是：用构词法猜测词义、意译。难度：0.03
该句是由and连接并列谓语的简单句，其主干是astrophysicists...are closing in on...and may report their findings. working with...and...instruments...是现在分词作后置定语，修饰主语astrophysicists，实际上是表示astrophysicists所用的研究工具，所以不一定要译成定语，可译为\用…\；at the south Pole修饰ground based detectors。
词汇：astrophysicists的意思可以由astro（天体的，如astronaut宇航员）+physicists，推测它指的是天体物理学家；close in（on）意为come nearer and attack from several directions，这里是一个比喻用法，可以意译为\越来越近地观察\；structures的翻译要结合上下文，如：\云系，团状物质\，而不能取其常用义\结构\。
译文：天体物理学家使用南极陆基探测器和球载仪器，正在越来越近地观测这些云系，也许不久会报告他们的观测结果。
（4）If the small hot spots look as expected, that will be a triumph for yet another scientific idea, a refinement of the Big Bang called the inflationary universe theory.
[解析] 本题考核的知识点是：同位语、习惯语as expected的翻译。难度：0.49
该句是主从复合句，主干是：If...，that will be a triumph..., a refinement...。as expected是一种习惯用法，意为\正如预料的那样\。idea后的成分是它的同位语，同位语可以用中文的\即、也就是\等词翻译，需要时可以把idea这个词重复一遍。这里由于同位语较长，可以单独处理成一个句子。called...theory为过去分词做the Big Bang的后置定语，可以译为前置定语，当然也可以独立成句。
词汇：a triumph for sth.的意思是\的胜利\；refinement的意思有\提炼，文雅，改良\等意思，在这里说的是一种理论，因此应该灵活译成\（大爆炸论）的更完美的形式\或\更完美的（大爆炸论）\
译文：假如这些小热点看上去同预计的一致，那就意味着又一种科学论说的胜利，这种论说即更完美的大爆炸论，亦称宇宙膨胀说。
（5）Odd though it sounds, cosmic inflation is a scientifically plausible consequence of some respected ideas in elementary particle physics, and many astrophysicists have been convinced for the better part of a decade that it is true.
[解析] 本题考核的知识点是：倒装、词义引申、被动语态。难度：0.39
这是一个由and连接的两个并列句。前一部分主干：cosmic inflation is a...consequence. 其中Odd though it sounds是倒装句，正常语序是Though it sounds odd，为让步状语从句。consequence由of some respected ideas...修饰。后一部分主干是 many astrophysicists have been convinced...that，是一个被动句，翻译中可以
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译为主动语态。此句中出现了两个it，均指cosmic inflation，按照汉语习惯，应避免过多使用相应的代词，而应将它们所替代的内容直接翻译出来或译成\这一论说\。
词汇：sound意为\听起来\；odd意为\奇怪，奇特\。elementary particle physics 意为\基本粒子物理学\；respected ideas需要引申词义使之符合汉语的习惯，本意是\受人尊敬的想法或思想\，引申为\公认的理论\；for the better part of a decade意为\近十年来\。
译文：宇宙膨胀说虽然听似奇特，但是它是基本粒子物理学中一些公认的理论产生的在科学上看来似乎可信的结论。许多天体物理学家近十年来一直确信这一论说是正确的。
三、参考译文
迄今为止，科学家所发现的最大、最遥远的物体是：离地球大约150亿光年的一块狭长的巨大宇宙云系。（1）更为重要的是，这是科学家们能够观测到的最遥远的过去的景象，因为他们看到的是150亿年前宇宙云的形状和结构。那大约就是宇宙形成的时候。研究人员所发现的宇宙云既令人惊讶，又在人们的意料之中：美国国家航空航天局的Cobe号（宇宙背景探测器）已经发现了划时代的证据，表明宇宙确实起源于最早的一次爆炸，人们称之为\大爆炸\（此理论认为宇宙起源于一大块能量的爆炸）。
（2）巨大的宇宙云的存在，实际上是20年代首创的大爆炸论得以保持其宇宙起源论的主导地位不可缺少的。按照这一理论，宇宙形成于一团亚微观的、密度相当大的纯能量团，它在向四面八方发散的过程中放出辐射线，浓缩成粒子，然后形成气体原子。数十亿年来，这种气体在引力的压缩下形成星系、恒星、植物，甚至最终产生人类。
设计Cobe卫星就是要观察这些最大的物体结构，但宇航员还想看到更小的热点，即，像星系中的星团和超星团这样一些局部物体的粒子。看来他们不必等待很长时间。（3）天体物理学家使用南极陆基探测器和球载仪器，正在越来越近地观测这些云系，也许不久会报告他们的观测结果。
（4）假如这些小热点看上去同预计的一致，那就意味着又一种科学论说的胜利，这种论说即更完美的大爆炸论，亦称宇宙膨胀说。膨胀说认为，很久以前，在一种反引力的驱动下，宇宙的体积在不到一秒钟内膨胀了无数倍。（5）宇宙膨胀说虽然听似奇特，但是它是基本粒子物理学中一些公认的理论产生的在科学上看来似乎可信的结论。许多天体物理学家近十年来一直确信这一论说是正确的。
1999年
31）While there are almost as many definitions of history as there are historians, modern practice most closely conforms to one that sees history as the attempt to recreate and explain the significant events of the past. Caught in the web of its own time and place, each generation of historians determines anew what is significant for it in the past. In this search the evidence found is always incomplete and scattered; it is also frequently partial or partisan. The irony of the historian?s craft is that its practitioners always know that their efforts are but contributions to an unending process.
32）Interest in historical methods has arisen less through external challenge to the validity of history as an intellectual discipline and more from internal quarrels among historians themselves. While history once revered its affinity to literature and philosophy, the emerging social sciences seemed to afford greater opportunities for
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asking new questions and providing rewarding approaches to an understanding of the past. Social science methodologies had to be adapted to a discipline governed by the primacy of historical sources rather than the imperatives of the contemporary world. 33）During this transfer, traditional historical methods were augmented by additional methodologies designed to interpret the new forms of evidence in the historical study.
Methodology is a term that remains inherently ambiguous in the historical profession. 34）There is no agreement whether methodology refers to the concepts peculiar to historical work in general or to the research techniques appropriate to the various branches of historical inquiry. Historians, especially those so blinded by their research interests that they have been accused of “tunnel method,” frequently fall victim to the “technical fallacy.” Also common in the natural sciences, the technicist fallacy mistakenly identifies the discipline as a whole with certain parts of its technical implementation.
35）It applies equally to traditional historians who view history as only the external and internal criticism of sources, and to social science historians who equate their activity with specific techniques. 一、核心词汇注释
①adapt vt. *1.修改某事物(使其适合新的用途, 目的，情况等) 例：The materials can be adapted for use with older children.这些材料改一下可以给大一点的孩子用。 2.（为电视、舞台等）改编或改写（稿本）
vt.&vi. (使)适应，（使）适合（后跟介词to） 例：Our eyes slowly adapted to the dark. 我们的眼睛慢慢地适应了黑暗的环境。
②afford vt. 1.买得起 2.担负得起（损失、费用、后果等），足以 例：He can hardly afford to miss another day at school. 他几乎再也缺不得一天课了。/afford the time 抽出时间 *3.提供，给予 例：Music affords her pleasure. 音乐给她带来愉快。
③but prep. apart from, except除……以外 例：I could come any day but Thursday. 除了星期四，我哪天都能来。
④fall victim/prey to sth 得（重病），受伤，受损，被害 例：Many plants have fallen victim to the sudden frost. 许多植物因突如其来的霜降冻伤了。
⑤implementation n. 实施，贯彻，执行 例：implementation of the peace plan 和平计划的实施；implement v. （正式地）使生效，执行，履行
⑥imperative n. ［C］ *1. something that is essential and must be done urgently需要，紧急的事 例：Survival is our first imperative. 我们当务之急是设法生存下来。 2.祈使语气（的动词形式） 3.强烈的欲望，冲动
a. 1.紧急的，极为重要而必须立即处理的 例：It is absolutely imperative that these safety measures are implemented immediately. 这些安全措施必须立刻执行。 2.命令式的，必须服从的；权威的 3.（动词）祈使的
⑦methodology n. 方法学，方法论；method n. 方法
⑧partial a. *1.not complete部分的，不完全的 例：a partial success 部分成功 2.特别喜欢、偏爱…….的（后跟介词to） 例：He?s partial to a glass of brandy after dinner. 他很喜欢饭后喝一杯白兰地。 3.偏向
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