“2018年北京大學考博英語真題”小編正在努力更新中，請關注希賽網英語考試頻道，以下為考博英語預測題庫精選試題。

Computer programmers often remark that computing machines，with a perfect lack of discrimination, will do any foolish thing they are told to do. The reason for this lie, of course, in the narrow fixation of the computing machine’s “intelligence” on the details of its own perceptions — its inability to be guided by any large context. In a psychological description of the computer intelligence, three related adjectives come to mind: single-minded, literal-minded, and simple-minded. Recognizing this, we should at the same time recognize that this single-mindedness, literal-mindedness, and simple- mindedness also characterizes theoretical mathematics, though to a lesser extent.

Since science tries to deal with reality, even the most precise sciences normally work with more or less imperfectly understood approximations toward which scientists must maintain an appropriate skepticism. Thus, for instance, it may come as a shock to mathematicians to learn that the Schrodinger equation for the hydrogen atom is not a literally correct description of this atom, but only an approximation to a somewhat more correct equation taking account of spin, magnetic dipole, and relativistic effects ； and that this corrected equation is itself only an imperfect approximation to an infinite set of quantum field-theoretical equations. Physicists, looking at the original Schrodinger equation,

learn to sense in it the presence of many invisible terms in addition to the differential terms visible, and this sense inspires an entirely appropriate disregard for the purely technical features of the equation. This very healthy skepticism is foreign to the mathematical approach.

Mathematics must deal with well-defined situations. Thus, mathematicians depend on an intellectual effort outside of mathematics for the crucial specification of the approximation that mathematics is to take literally. Give mathematicians a situation that is the least bit ill-defined, and they will make it well-defined, perhaps appropriately, but perhaps inappropriately. In some cases, the mathematicians literal-mindedness may have unfortunate consequences. The mathematicians turn the scientists，theoretical assumptions that is, their convenient points of analytical emphasis, into axioms, and then take these axioms literally. This brings the danger that they may also persuade the scientists to take these axioms literally. The question, central to the scientific investigation but intensely disturbing in the mathematical context — what happens if the axioms are relaxed — is thereby ignored.

The physicist rightly dreads precise argument, since an argument that is convincing only if it is precise loses all its force if the assumptions on which it is based are slightly changed, whereas an argument that is convincing though imprecise may well be stable under small perturbations of its underlying assumptions.

42. The author discusses computing machines in the first paragraph primarily in order to do which of the following?

A. Indicate the dangers inherent in relying to a great extent on machines.

B. Illustrate his views about the approach of mathematicians to problem solving.

C. Compare the work of mathematicians with that of computer programmers.

D. Provide one definition of intelligence.

43. It can be inferred from the text that scientists make which of the following assumptions about scientific arguments?

A. The literal truth of the arguments can be made clear only in a mathematical context.

B. The arguments necessarily ignore the central question of scientific investigation.

C. The arguments probably will be convincing only to other scientists.

D. The premises on which the arguments are based may change.

44. According to the text, mathematicians present a risk to scientists for which of the following reasons?

A. Mathematicians may provide theories that are incompatible with those already developed by scientists.

B. Mathematicians may define situations in a way that is incomprehensible to scientists.

C. Mathematicians may convince scientists that theoretical assumptions are facts.

D. Scientists may come to believe that axiomatic statements are untrue.

45. The author suggests that the approach of physicists to solving scientific problem is which of the following?

A. Practical for scientific purposes.

B. Detrimental to scientific progress.

C. Unimportant in most situations.

D. Expedient, but of little long-term value.

46. The author implies that scientists develop a healthy skepticism because they are aware that

A. mathematicians are better able to solve problems than scientists are

B. changes in axiomatic propositions will inevitably undermine scientific arguments

C. well-defined situations are necessary for the design of reliable experiments

D. some factors in most situations must remain unknown

47. According to the passage, scientists are skeptical toward their equations because scientists

A. work to explain real, rather than theoretical or simplified situations

B. know that well-defined problems are often the most difficult to solve

C. are unable to express their data in terms of multiple variables

D. are unwilling to relax the axioms they have developed

考博英語自學神器：北京大學-希賽學習包

版權輔導教材+推薦自學計劃+在線智能題庫+知識點練習+入群共同學習+1-2年服務期

考博英語培訓課程：北京大學-希賽課程

結合歷年考試真題，輔以相關理論知識，以輕松、簡化的語言教授，讓學生迅速掌握知識點及做題技巧。

小編推薦：

北京大學歷年考博英語真題試卷匯總

>>點擊注冊會員，享更多英語考試相關資料

素材來源：網絡