Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
When a group of Australians was asked why they believed climate change was not happening,about 36%said it was“common sense”,according to a report published last year by the Commonwealth scientific and Industrial research Organization.This was the most popular reason for their opinion,with only 11%saying their belief that climate change was not happening was based on scientific research.
But what do we mean by an appeal to common sense?Presumably it's an appeal to rationality of some sort that forms the basis of more complex reasoning.The appeal to common sense,however,is usually nothing more than an appeal to thinking that just feels right,but what feels right to one person may not feel right to another.Whether it feels right is usually a reflection of the world view and ideologies we have internalised,and that frames how we interact with new ideas.When new ideas are in accord with what we already believe,they are more readily accepted.When they are not,they,and the arguments that lead to them,are more readily rejected.
We often mistake this automatic compatibility testing of new ideas with existing beliefs as an application of common sense,but,in reality,it is more about judging than thinking. As Nobelist Daniel Kahneman notes in Thinking,Fast and Slow,when we arrive at conclusions in this way,the outcomes also feel true,regardless of whether they are.We are not psychologically well equipped to judge our own thinking.
We are also highly susceptible to a range of cognitive biases such as giving preference to the first things that come to mind when making decisions or giving weight to evidence.
One way we can check our internal biases and inconsistencies is through the social verification of knowledge,in which we test our ideas in a rigorous and systematic way to see if they make sense not just to us,but to other people.The outstanding example of this socially shared cognition is science.
That does not mean that individuals are not capable of excellent thinking,nor does it mean no individual is rational.But the extent to which individuals can do this on their own is a function of how well integrated they are with communities of systematic inquiry in the first place.You can't learn to think well by yourself.
In matters of science at least,those who value their common sense over methodological, collaborative investigation imagine themselves to be more free in their thinking,unbound by involvement with the group,but in reality they are tightly bound by their capabilities and perspectives.We are smarter together than we are individually,and perhaps that's just common sense.
51.What does the author intend to show by citing the findings from the report published last year?
A)People seldom appeal to rationality in their thinking.
B)It is often the case that truth lies in the hands of a few.
C)Common sense and science are the two sides of a coin.
D)Few people know if climate change is really happening.
52.What is the appeal to common sense according to the author?
A)It is the basis for the internalisation of individuals' ideologies.
B)It is a series of conceptions formulated from complex reasoning.
C)It is collective wisdom that helps people interact with new ideas.
D)It is something subjective based on what one perceives to be right.
53.What does Daniel Kahneman think is the problem of testing new ideas with existing beliefs?
A)It may lead to incorrect judgment.
B)It makes no use of common sense.
C)It fails to correct mistakes through serious reasoning.
D)It can produce psychologically unacceptable outcomes.
54.What can we do to be less susceptible to cognitive biases?
A)Give equal weight to evidence of both sides in a conflict.
B)Provide convincing examples in developing an argument.
C)Establish socially shared cognition via scientific methods.
D)Avoid inconsistencies when addressing controversial issues.
55.What message does the author try to convey at the end of the passage?
A)Multiple perspectives stimulate people's interest in exploring the unknown.
B)Individuals can enhance their overall capabilities by interacting with others.
C)Individuals should think freely to break from the restrictions of common sense.
D)Collaborative efforts can overcome individuals limitations in scientific inquiry.
答案解析：
51. 由题干中的关键词“report published last year”定位到第一段。第一段提到“about 36% said it was ‘common sense’... with only 11% saying their belief... was based on scientific research”，即作者引用这个报告是为了说明，在气候变化这个问题上，人们更依赖“常识”而非科学研究，这反映了人们在思考时很少诉诸理性，所以选A。
52. 由题干中的关键词“appeal to common sense”定位到第二段。第二段提到“the appeal to common sense, however, is usually nothing more than an appeal to thinking that just feels right”，即作者认为，诉诸常识通常只是诉诸那种感觉上对的思考，这是一种主观的判断，所以选D。
53. 由题干中的关键词“Daniel Kahneman”和“testing new ideas with existing beliefs”定位到第三段和第四段。第三段提到“when we arrive at conclusions in this way, the outcomes also feel true, regardless of whether they are”，即Kahneman认为，用这种方式得出的结论会让人感觉是真实的，无论其是否正确，这可能导致错误的判断，所以选A。
54. 由题干中的关键词“less susceptible to cognitive biases”定位到第五段。第五段提到“One way we can check our internal biases and inconsistencies is through the social verification of knowledge... The outstanding example of this socially shared cognition is science”，即作者提出，通过科学方法进行社会共享的认知检验，是减少认知偏见的一种方式，所以选C。
55. 由题干中的关键词“at the end of the passage”定位到最后一段。最后一段提到“We are smarter together than we are individually”，即作者强调，我们在一起时比单独一人时更聪明，这表明协作努力可以克服个人在科学探究中的局限性，所以选D。
