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  3. The overwhelming majority of climate scientists believe the Earth is warming as a result of man’s activities. The American publi

The overwhelming majority of climate scientists believe the Earth is warming as a result of man’s activities. The American publi

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问题     The overwhelming majority of climate scientists believe the Earth is warming as a result of man’s activities. The American public is more skeptical. About a quarter of Americans still have doubts about global warming, and even more believe that the threat is being over-hyped. It would seem, then, that more needs to be done to help these skeptics understand the science that has the professionals so concerned.
    Or not. An interesting new study in Nature shows that the science comprehension thesis(SCT)— which posits that divisions over climate change are a result of the public’s incomprehension of the science—is wrong. If it were right, increasing scientific literacy would correspond to greater agreement with the actual scientists, who generally believe global warming is a serious threat. But that’s not the case. So if it’s not a lack of scientific literacy causing disagreement with the experts, then what is it?
    The authors of the study looked at an alternative explanation referred to as the cultural cognition thesis. This thesis posits that individuals try to fit their interpretations of scientific evidence into preformed cultural philosophies. More specifically, those with a hierarchical, individualistic worldview were expected to be skeptical of climate-change risks, the acceptance of which might lead to unwanted restrictions on industry. Those with an egalitarian, communitarian worldview were expected to agree with the experts, as they are generally less troubled by commerce-cramping regulations. The data bore this out. And, perhaps most fascinating of all, increased scientific literacy only increased the cultural divide.
    The operative concept here is "motivated reasoning". The idea is, we begin by absorbing the values of our tribes—what is and isn’t important, what is and isn’t a risk—and use whatever numeracy and scientific literacy we possess to seek out facts and arguments that support those views. Getting smarter, in other words, only makes us better at justifying our own worldviews. It does not necessarily give us more scientifically accurate worldviews.
    Perhaps, then, I am simply justifying my own worldview when I suggest that global warming is real and problematic. And perhaps the scientists who study global warming are doing the same. If you believe this, I am going to have trouble convincing you otherwise. If the study is correct, the increasing amount of data showing a warmer climate is a feeble weapon in this fight. Rather, the authors suggest that "communicators should endeavor to create a deliberative climate in which accepting the best available science does not threaten any group’s values. "
The first paragraph mainly discusses______.
选项 A、concern of climate scientists
B、ignorance of climate skeptics
C、doubts about climate change
D、divisions over climate change
答案D
解析 第一段指出：占据一定比例的美国公众对气候变化持怀疑态度，专业人士因此而烦扰，因为要纠正怀疑人士观点需要花费很多精力。第二段紧接着引出SCT观点“气候变化问题上的分歧源于公众对气候科学缺乏理解”，并指出这一观点因与事实不相符而立不住脚，而且后续几段内容也在讲述不同的人为何对待全球变暖有不同的站位。可见，作者在第一段旨在引出“气候变化上存在的分歧”，下文旨在引出这种分歧产生的原因并给出对策，[D]选项最为符合文意。
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