A
Do you suppose Darwin, one of the greatest scientists of all time, really did foolish experiments? Or did he do experiments that were so simple and basic that other people just thought they were foolish?
Sometimes, people think they already know the answer to a question or the solution to a problem. Sometimes, they really do know an answer or a solution, but without thinking they are important.
Charles Darwin didn't settle for (满足于) just thinking he knew something. And he believed all things could be important however simple they seemed to be.
Suppose you drop sheets of paper that are of exactly the same size and shape. If you drop them at the same time in the same place, they will fall in the same way. Now make one of the sheets of paper into a tight little balt and let it drop along with the other sheets. What happens? You have done an experiment that is so simple that you might think it couldn't be worth anything.
But this simple experiment is important. It explains part of our presentday understandings of physics that were worked out long ago by Galileo and Newton. And these understandings set aside some of ancient Greek physics.
Scientists sometimes stop to look at very simple things and to think very hard about them. Even the simplest idea, which we might think is foolish, can shake the foundations of science.
语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。最简单的事情都可能动摇科学的根基，我们要留意身边的每一件事，哪怕它非常简单。
1．The passage tells us that Charles Darwin ．
A．was a great English scientist
B．always liked doing the experiments that others thought difficult
C．thought even the simplest thing was important
D．didn't get on well with others
解析：选C 推理判断题。短文并没有说Charles Darwin是哪个国家的科学家，可排除A项；根据第一、二段可知别人认为Darwin的许多实验太简单不值得做，可排除B项；文中没有论述Darwin与别人相处的事情，可排除D项。根据第三段中的he believed all things could be important however simple they seemed to be可推出答案为C。
2．The underlined phrase “set aside” most probably means “ ”．
A．throw away B．store up
C．put to use D．realize
解析：选A 词义猜测题。根据上文可知作者认为做这个简单实验是重要的，它解释了目前人们对于物理方面的部分理解。因此这些理解当然是推翻了一些希腊古典物理学的观点。由此可推知set aside与throw away同义。
3．The author of the passage tries to ．
A．convince us that Charles Darwin, Galileo and Newton are the greatest scientists in the world
B.draw the conclusion that basic sciences are simple things
C．prove that two sheets of paper, with the same size and shape, will fall at the same speed
D．draw our attention to everyday happenings around us
解析：选D 主旨大意题。文章的最后一段点明最简单的事情都可能动摇科学的根基，意在告诉我们要留意身边的每一件事，哪怕它非常简单。
4．Which of the following is TRUE?
A．Darwin really did foolish experiments.
B.According to some people, Darwin did foolish experiments.
C.It is believed by all the people that things could be important though they seemed to be simple.
D.Galileo and Newton worked out ancient Greek physics.
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据第一段第二句Or did he do experiments that were so simple and basic that other people just thought they were foolish？明确告诉我们，有些人认为Darwin做了愚蠢的实验。
