Question

    As scientific meetings are canceled worldwide, researchers are rethinking how they network a move that should have done earlier. “At some point, we need to be having conversations about ‘What is the point of a conference now? says Sarah Horst, a planetary scientist.

Meeting spaces that are inaccessible to some disabled scientists, health considerations, a lack of access to childcare and travel restrictions can all encl up alienating potential attendees from physical conferences. There’s a large appetite” for alternative conference set-ups, says Divya Persaud, a planetary scientist. She and Eleanor Armstrong, a UCL sociologist of space science, have a grant from their university to hold an experimental virtual conference, called Space Science in Context, in May. The conference aims to improve accessibility. Participants will watch recorded talks ahead of time and then join in online conversations on the day of the conference. Persaud says that the response to plans for the meeting, which launched its save-the-date website last week, has been overwhelmingly positive. But she also points out that many of the adjustments that conferences are making, such as introducing virtual participation, are accommodations for which disabled scientists have been demanding loudly for years, and it’s a shame that it took a global health crisis to make them happen.

Still, as conference organizers are finding out, making these changes, especially on short notice, is no easy thing. The European Geophysical Union (EGU) general conference is scheduled for 3---8 May in Vienna, and session leaders are making other plans in case it is canceled. Those intending to participate in the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference this week in The Woodlands, Texas, found that they are trying to come up with alternative solutions when that conference was canceled on 4 March. Most of the responses were just ‘ Well , have the conference online’ “ says Horst.

1.Which of the following is NOT a potential attendee?

A.Scientists without visas. B.Scientists who are not feeling well.

C.Scientists with physical disabilities. D.Scientists who don^'t understand childcare.

2.What is the public’s attitude towards online conference?

A.Uncertain. B.Supportive. C.Disappointed. D.Dissatisfied.

3.Why does the second paragraph take Space Science in Context as an example?

A.To show that modern technology can realize conference online.

B.To prove that virtual conferences can make more people involved.

C.To praise the conference organizing ability of these two scientists.

D.To emphasize that the previous physical meetings were unsuccessful.

4.Where would this passage most probably appear?

A.In a guidebook for tourists. B.In a weekly story magazine.

C.In science channel of a website. D.On the front page of a newspaper.

Answer

1.D

2.B

3.B

4.C

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。随着世界范围内的科学会议被取消，研究人员正在重新思考他们如何将这一早就应该进行的行动联系起来。文章主要说明了科技工作者对于科学会议的取消进行的思考，以及在线会议的可行性。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段中Meeting spaces that are inaccessible to some disabled scientists, health considerations, a lack of access to childcare and travel restrictions can all encl up alienating potential attendees from physical conferences.可知一些残疾科学家无法接触到的会议空间、健康问题、无法照顾孩子以及旅行限制都可能使潜在与会者远离物理会议。由此可知，D选项“不了解儿童保育的科学家”不属于潜在与会者。故选D。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段中Persaud says that the response to plans for the meeting, which launched its save-the-date website last week, has been overwhelmingly positive.可知Persaud说，人们对会议计划的反应非常积极。会议计划上周推出了预约网站。由此可推知，大家对在线会议持支持的态度，故选B。

3.推理判断题。根据第二段中The conference aims to improve accessibility.可知这次会议的目的是改善无障碍环境。由此可推知，第二段以空间科学为例是为了证明虚拟会议可以让更多人参与。故选B。

4.推理判断题。结合全文随着世界范围内的科学会议被取消，研究人员正在重新思考他们如何将这一早就应该进行的行动联系起来。文章主要说明了科技工作者对于科学会议的取消进行的思考，以及在线会议的可行性。由此可推知，文章出现在网站的科学频道的可能性大，故选C。