28题:理解We can, instead, use this idea to advance scientific knowledge.相反,我们可以利用这一想法来推动科学知识的进步。29题:Reasoning won't reveal reality either since it relies on concepts and words that are contingent on our social, cultural and psychological histories.中relies on (依赖于)已经给了提示。30题:理解If empirical (实证的) experience fails to reveal reality, reasoning won't reveal reality either since it relies on concepts and words that arecontingent onour social, cultural and psychological histories. Again, a black box.如果实证经验无法揭示现实,那么推理同样无法揭示现实,因为推理所依赖的概念和词语,都受制于我们的社会、文化和心理历史。这又是一个黑箱。31题:理解There is no point in arguing if the universe is a clock, a set of particles or an output of computation.争论宇宙究竟是一座时钟、一组粒子,还是一次计算的输出,是毫无意义的。
长难句拆解
原句:Searching the term “simulation hypothesis” returns numerous results【that debate (whether the universe is a computer simulation—a concept (that some scientists actually take seriously))】.骨架分析:主语:动名词短语 Searching the term “simulation hypothesis”- 修饰成分1:that debate whether the universe is a computer simulation 是定语从句,修饰 results;其中又嵌套了宾语从句whether the universe is a computer simulation,作debate 的宾语。- 修饰成分2:a concept that some scientists actually take seriously是同位语,补充说明前面的 computer simulation,其中that some scientists actually take seriously 又是定语从句,修饰 concept 。原句:【If empirical experience fails to reveal reality,【reasoning won’t reveal reality either【since it relies on concepts and words (that are contingent on our social, cultural and psychological histories)】.骨架分析:- 主句:reasoning won’t reveal reality either.- 修饰成分1:If empirical experience fails to reveal reality 是条件状语从句,“如果实证经验无法揭示现实”。- 修饰成分2:since it relies on concepts and words 是原因状语从句,解释主句的原因;其中 that are contingent on our social, cultural and psychological histories 是定语从句,修饰 concepts and words ,说明这些概念和词语的特点。原句:It can be imagined that【(comparable to the process of building previous scientific models), developing the “computer simulation” metaphor-based model will also be a hugely rewarding exercise】.骨架分析:- 主句:It can be imagined that... (形式主语句型,真正的主语是后面的从句)- 真正主语从句骨架:developing the model will also be a hugely rewarding exercise.- 修饰成分1:comparable to the process of building previous scientific models 是形容词短语作状语,“与构建以往科学模型的过程类似”。- 修饰成分2:“computer simulation” metaphor-based 是复合形容词,修饰 model ,“基于‘计算机模拟’隐喻的模型”。
原文
The notion that we live in someone else's video game is irresistible to many. Searching the term "simulation hypothesis"(模拟假说) returns numerous results that debate whether the universe is a computer simulation—a concept that some scientists actually take seriously. Unfortunately, this is not a scientific question. We will probably never know whether it's true. We can, instead, use this idea to advance scientific knowledge.The 18th-century philosopher Kant argued that the universe ultimately consists of things-in-themselves that are unknowable. While he held the notion that objective reality exists, he said our mind plays a necessary role in structuring and shaping our perceptions. Modern sciences have revealed that our perceptual experience of the world is the result of many stages of processing by sensory systems and cognitive (认知的) functions in the brain. No one knows exactly what happens within this black box. If empirical (实证的) experience fails to reveal reality, reasoning won't reveal reality either since it relies on concepts and words that arecontingent onour social, cultural and psychological histories. Again, a black box.So, if we accept that the universe is unknowable, we also accept we will never know if we live in a computer simulation. And then, we can shift our inquiry from "Is the universe a computer simulation?" to "Can we model the universe as a computer simulation? "Modelling reality is what we do. To facilitate our comprehension of the world, we build models based on conceptual metaphors (隐喻) that are familiar to us. In Newton's era, we imagined the universe as a clock. In Einstein's, we uncovered the standard model of particle (粒子) physics.Now that we are in the information age, we have new concepts such as the computer, information processing, virtual reality, and simulation. Unsurprisingly, these new concepts inspire us to build new models of the universe. Models are not the reality, however. There is no point in arguing if the universe is a clock, a set of particles or an output of computation. All these models are tools to deal with the unknown and to make discoveries. And the more tools we have, the more effective and insightful we can become.It can be imagined that comparable to the process of building previous scientific models, developing the "computer simulation"metaphor-based model will also be a hugely rewarding exercise.28.What does the author intend to do by challenging a hypothesis?A. Make an assumption.B. Illustrate an argument.C. Give a suggestion.D. Justify a comparison.29.What does the phrase "contingent on"underlined in Paragraph 2 probably mean?A. Accepted by.B. Determined by.C. Awakened by.D. Discovered by.30.As for Kant's argument, the author is ______.A. appreciativeB. doubtfulC. unconcernedD. disapproving31.It is implied in this passage that we should ______.A. compare the current models with the previous onesB. continue exploring the classical models in historyC. stop arguing whether the universe is a simulationD. turn simulations of the universe into realities我们生活在别人的电子游戏里——这一想法对许多人来说有着难以抗拒的吸引力。搜索“模拟假说”这个术语,会出现大量探讨“宇宙是否是计算机模拟”的内容,而这个概念实际上得到了一些科学家的认真对待。遗憾的是,这并非一个科学问题。我们或许永远无法知道它的真假。相反,我们可以利用这一想法来推动科学知识的进步。18世纪哲学家康德提出,宇宙最终由不可知的“物自体”构成。尽管他认为客观现实是存在的,但他也指出,我们的思维在构建和塑造感知的过程中发挥着必要作用。现代科学已经证实,我们对世界的感知体验,是大脑中感觉系统和认知功能经过多阶段处理的结果。没人确切知道这个“黑箱”内部发生了什么。如果实证经验无法揭示现实,那么推理同样无法揭示现实,因为推理所依赖的概念和词语,都受制于我们的社会、文化和心理历史。这又是一个黑箱。因此,如果我们接受宇宙是不可知的,我们也就接受了自己永远无法知道是否生活在计算机模拟中的事实。这样一来,我们就可以把探究的问题从“宇宙是计算机模拟吗?”转变为“我们能把宇宙建模为计算机模拟吗?”对现实进行建模,本就是我们一直在做的事。为了增进对世界的理解,我们会基于熟悉的概念隐喻构建模型。在牛顿时代,我们把宇宙想象成一座时钟;在爱因斯坦时代,我们发现了粒子物理学的标准模型。如今身处信息时代,我们有了计算机、信息处理、虚拟现实和模拟等新概念。不出所料,这些新概念启发我们构建宇宙的新模型。但模型并非现实本身。争论宇宙究竟是一座时钟、一组粒子,还是一次计算的输出,是毫无意义的。所有这些模型都是应对未知、推动发现的工具。我们拥有的工具越多,解决问题的效率和洞察力就越强。可以想见,就像以往构建科学模型的过程一样,开发基于“计算机模拟”这一隐喻的模型,也将是一项极具价值的探索。28.作者挑战这一假说的目的是什么?A. 提出一个假设B. 阐述一个论点C. 给出一个建议D. 证明一项对比29.第二段划线短语“contingent on”最可能的意思是?A. 被…接受B. 由…决定/取决于C. 被…唤醒D. 被…发现30.对于康德的观点,作者的态度是?A. 认同的B. 怀疑的C. 不关心的D. 不赞成的31.文中暗示我们应该怎么做?A. 将当前模型与以往模型进行比较B. 继续探索历史上的经典模型C. 停止争论宇宙是否是模拟D. 把宇宙的模拟变成现实
- take seriously 认真对待- advance scientific knowledge 推动科学知识发展- consist of 由…组成- things-in-themselves 物自体(哲学概念)- play a role in 在…中起作用- structure and shape 构建和塑造- perceptual experience 感知体验- stages of processing 加工阶段- rely on 依赖、依靠- shift our inquiry 转移我们的探究方向- conceptual metaphors 概念隐喻- make discoveries 做出发现- deal with the unknown 应对未知事物答案:CBAC