英语专四阅读
专四阅读评分标准(一)
专四阅读评分标准(一)专四阅读评分标准考试概述专四阅读是英语专业四级考试的一部分，主要测试考生在英语阅读方面的能力。
考试内容包括阅读理解、短文填空、长篇阅读以及文章写作等部分。
其中阅读理解和短文填空成绩占总分的60%。
阅读评分标准•词汇量：考生需要掌握一定的词汇量，具备良好的单词理解能力。
这是阅读理解和短文填空部分得高分的重要因素之一。
•理解和分析能力：考生需要能够深刻理解文章的主旨和细节，并运用自己的推理和分析能力来回答问题。
•逻辑推理能力：考生需要具备逻辑推理能力，能够将文章中的信息串起来，抽象出思路和概念，并在短时间内对其进行处理和运用。
•语法和作文能力：考生需要具备一定的语法和作文能力，包括正确使用单词、短语、句子和段落结构，能够连贯地表达自己的思想。
阅读备考建议•扩充词汇量：多读英文材料，积累新词汇，在日常生活中注意收集英文表达方式和习语。
•阅读技巧训练：从各类英文阅读材料中，重点关注信息的逻辑、结构和主旨等特点，并复习经典的阅读理解技巧。
•实战演练：进行模拟考试，在规定时间内完成考试题目，找出自己的薄弱环节，并不断加以训练和提升。
•写作训练：练习英文写作能力，提高语言表达水平。
可以阅读英文文章，积累写作技巧和思路。
总结专四阅读评分标准体现了英语专业四级考试实际评测的要求。
考生在备考中，需要针对以上几点进行有针对性的训练和掌握，在考试中做到快速、准确、全面地完成考试题目。
注意事项•阅读理解和短文填空部分需要快速准确地完成，建议在阅读时进行划线标记或做笔记等方式来帮助理解和提高答题效率。
•长篇阅读和写作部分需要考生具备较强的阅读和写作能力，需要提前准备并进行充分的练习。
•考生需要注意词汇拼写和语法表达等细节问题，以免影响分数。
•在测试中，需要仔细阅读题目和问题描述，按照英语表达方式和规范来作答，以免误解题意影响成绩。
结语阅读对于英语学习和专业四级考试都是至关重要的一部分，考生需要认真对待，进行有针对性的备考和训练，以顺利通过考试。
2023英语专四阅读练习及答案汇总
2023英语专四阅读练习及答案汇总2023英语专四阅读练习及答案汇总成长与家庭危机The adolescent, with his passion for sincerity, always respects a parent who admits that he is wrong, or ignorant, or even that he has been unfair or unjust. What the child cannot forgive is the parent's refusal to admit these charges if the child knows them to be true.1. According to the passage, children would arouse parents' disappointment forB. talking back to their parents.C. plaining home-made dishes.D. making some spiteful remark.2. When adolescents feel disillusion with their parents, it means that theyA. feel disappointed with their parents.B. are developing into maturity.C. just want to hurt their parents.D. are expressing their discontentment.3. Adolescents in Victorian timesA. had shown more respect for parents than today.B. always answered back to deal with the problem.C. admired the authoritarian attitude of their parents.D. were too afraid to tell what they really thought.4. What is the tone of the passage?A. Critical.B. Humorous.C. Serious.D. Ambiguous.5. What does this passage mainly discuss?A. Children will bee more and more mature when growing up.B. Parents have to change their ways in educating their children.C. The conflicts between parents and their children are inevitable.D. Parents have made mistakes in munication with children.答案解析：1.[A]细节判断题。
英语专四阅读材料
英语专四阅读材料English:According to recent studies, the use of social media has become inseparable from the daily lives of many people. Researchers have found that the average person spends over two hours a day on social media platforms, with young people often spending even more time. This heavy usage has raised concerns about its impact on mental health, with studies linking higher social media use to an increased risk of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, the constant exposureto carefully curated and often unattainable images and lifestyles on social media has been found to contribute to lower self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy among users.中文翻译:根据最近的研究，社交媒体的使用已成为许多人日常生活中不可分割的一部分。
研究人员发现，普通人每天在社交媒体平台上花费超过两个小时，年轻人通常会花费更多的时间。
这种严重的使用情况引发了人们对其对心理健康的影响的担忧，研究表明，更高的社交媒体使用与抑郁和焦虑风险增加有关。
此外，社交媒体上精心策划的并且通常是不可实现的形象和生活方式的不断暴露，被发现会导致用户的自尊心降低和感到不足。
专四阅读+详细讲解
专四阅读+详细讲解星期4 ThursdayBusiness is the salf of life.事业是⼈⽣的第⼀需要。
Text ADespite all the progress toward wo men’s equality, women who work full time are still earning only 75 cents on average to every dollar earned by men.Driving home that point, the National Committee on Pay Equity has chosen April 16 this year, to remind Americans that all women would need to work at least an extra two days in a workweek to earn almost as much as all men do in one normal workweek.Why does such a wage gap still persist?Economists differ in their explanations. And yet this income disparity is seen as a key indicator of how women are treated —in both the workplace and at home.Fortunately, the women’s movement and civil rights enforcement have ended most gender discrimination in setting wages. Now advocates are focused on ensuring that working women have female advisers and role models, while they try to remove subtlediscrimination in promotions —the “glass ceiling” (指职业⼥性在职务提升时遇到的⽆形阻⼒)that accounts for so few women being in top management.Many economists, however, say many women have lower-paying jobs because of choices made in their home life, such as taking time out to raise children. Or women take part-time, low-wage jobs for the flexibility. When they do reenter the workforce full time, they’re often behind their working peers in pay and promotions.But as more women feel empowered to make career choices, their pay rises.Another explanation is that women d on’t r eally make the choice to drop off the career ladder or to stay at a lower job rung. They may, for example, accept the expectations of others to take traditional jobs for women, such as nursing, which have low market wages. They must often take jobs that do n’t account for the unpredictability of families. Working moms may find their income can’t pay for day care, or day care doesn’t su it their child. If they are married, they may realize their husbands are not inclined to child rearing (or house chores), so they either quit work or go part time.So as their life choices seem to become a life burden, wo men’s income slips behind men’s.No matter what the explanation, much progress has been made in reducing the pay gap. While government still has a major role, employers can do more. Many have found a market advantage in supporting working mothers or putting women in management. And in the home, men and women are getting smarter in defining their marital relationships, often before tying the knot.Just as women now outnumber men in college, perhaps someday their average paywill surpass men’s —and that may make up for lost wages.1. April 16 has been chosen[A] to show the organization’s attitude towards equal pay.[B] to define the day as pay day for women who are not equally paid.[C] to make it clear that women working full time are earning less than men.[D] to remind women to work longer hours to earn as much as men.2. How can women raise their salary?[A] By going out for work instead of staying at home.[B] By asking their employer to raise their salary.[C] By sending their child to the kindergarten.[D] By having the ability to choose their jobs.3. Which of the following is NOT a traditional job for women?[A] Nurse. [B] Teacher.[C] Economist. [D] Typist.4. Which of the following statement is NOT true?[A] Wage gap servers as a key indicator of how women are treated.[B] Many women have lower-paying jobs because of house chores.[C] Some working mothers earn less than their children’s day care.[D] Many employers have already done enough to support working mothers.5. Who are expected to contribute more to narrowing the pay gap?[A] Women themselves.[B] Employers.[C] The government.[D] Men.Text BIf sustainable competitive advantage depends upon work force skills, American firms have a problem. Human-resource management is not traditionally seen as central to the competitive survival of the firm in the United States. Skill acquisition is considered an individual responsibility. Labor is simply another factor of production to be hired —rented at the lowest possible cost — much as one buys raw materials or equipment.The lack of importance attached to human-resource management can be seen in the corporate hierarchy. In an American firm the chief financial officer (CFO) is almost always second in command. The post of head of human-resource management is usually a specialized job, off at the edge of the corporate hierarchy. The executive who holds it is never consulted on major strategic decisions and has no chance to move up to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). By way of contrast, in Japan the head of human-resource management is central — usually the second most important executive, after the CEO, in the firm’s hierarchy.While American firms often talk about the vast amounts they spend in training their work forces, in fact, they invest less in the skills of their employees than do either Japanese or German firms. The money they do invest is also more highly concentrated on professional and managerial employees. And the limited investments that are made in training workers are also much more narrowly focused on the specific skills necessaryfor the next job rather than on the basic background skills that make it possible to absorb new technologies.As a result, problems emerge when new breakthrough technologies arrive. If American workers, for example, take muchlonger to learn how to operate new flexible manufacturing stations than in Germany (as they do), the effective cost of those stations is lower in Germany than it is in the United States. More time is required before equipment is up and running at capacity, and the need for extensive retraining generates costs and creates bottlenecks that limit the speed with which new equipment can be employed. The result is a slower pace of technological change. And in the end the skills of the bottom half of the population affect the wages of the top half. If the bottom half can’t effectively start the processes that have to be operated, the management and professional jobs that go with these processes will disappear.6. In an American firm, the executive of human-resource management[A] has a position directly under the chief financial executive.[B] is one of the most important executives of the firm.[C] has no say in making important decisions of the firm.[D] is unimportant when new technologies have been introduced.7. The money most American firms put in work force training mainly goes on[A] technological and managerial staff.[B] workers who will run new equipment.[C] workers who lack basic background skills.[D] top executives.8. Technological change in American firms is slower because[A] new equipment in America is more expensive.[B] they don’t pay enough attention to the job training of their workers.[C] they are less responsive to technological changes.[D] their professional staff are less paid and so less creative.9. Which of the following applies to the management of human resources in American companies?[A] They hire people at the lowest cost regardless of their skills.[B] They see the gaining of skills as their employees’ own business.[C] They attach more importance to workers than equipment.[D] They only hire skilled workers because of keen competition.10. According to the passage, the decisi ve factor in maintaining a firm’s competitive advantage is[A] the introduction of new technologies.[B] the improvement of worker’s basic skills.[C] the rational composition of professional and managerial employees.[D] the attachment of importance to the bottom half of the employees.Text CDespite the fact that comets are probably the most numerous astronomical bodies in the solar system aside from small meteor(流星) fragments and the asteroids (⼩⾏星), they are largely a mystery. Scientists don’t know exactly what comets are or where theycome from. Educated guesses are the best we have in hand.Considering the role of comets in lore, legend, and the memory of man, it is remarkable that we still know so little, relatively, about them. The most famous comet of all, Halley’s Comet (named for the man who predicted its return), was first sighted by the Chinese in 240 B.C., and it has returned to terrify the people of the world on a regular basis ever since then (last scheduled return: 1986). The ancients considered it an object of ill omen. By mysterious coincidence, the arrival of Halley’sComet coincided with such events as the battle of Hastings in 1066, the Jewish revolt of 66 A.D., and the last battle of Attila the Hun against the Romans. Nor is it the only comet to fill man with awe, but merely the most famous in a rich aristocracy of blood-freezers.Comets are even more fascinating to amateur astronomers than to professionals, because this is one area where amateurs can (and do) make major discoveries. Comet Ikeya Seki, one of the brightest comets to appear in last century was discovered in 1965 by a pair of Japanese amateurs, Ikeya and Seki. The person who discovers a new comet gets his (or her) name put on it. And amateurs have a head start in the race to discover new comets; the shorter focal lengths on their smaller telescopes give them a positive advantage over the huge telescope such as Mount Wilson which is built to scan for galaxies, not comparatively of short distances.Most scientists tend to agree with the astronomer Fred T. Whipple that a comet is really a large mushy snowball of frozen ices and gases (ammonia, methane, possibly carbon dioxide) with a few bits of solid particles stuck inside. But no one is sure how comets are created in the first place.Scientists believe that comets don’t exhibit their characteristic tail while they lurk far out in space away from the warmth of the sun but, rather, wander in the form of frozen lumps, like icebergs. This is the core of the comet. Only when the comet approaches the heat of the sun, does the ice begin to melt and stream away in the form of visible gases. The tails o f the comet stream out behind for, literally, astronomical distances. Halley’s Comet had a tail of 94 million miles long when it visited here in 1910. The Great Comet of 1843 had a tail of 186 million miles long.11. At the beginning of the passage, the author indicates that[A] comets are the most commonly seen astronomical bodies.[B] comets, meteor fragments and the asteroids are mysterious.[C] not much is known about comets.[D] nothing do we know about comets except guesses.12. Halley’s Comet is mentioned in paragraph 2[A] to introduce some famous historical events.[B] to explain some traditional beliefs about comets.[C] to demonstrate the harm it has done to man.[D] to show its significance to human history.13. We learn from the passage, amateur astronomers[A] began their discovery earlier than the professionals .[B] tend to be the leaders in the area of astronomy.[C] have some advantages in discovering new comets.[D] established some theories on how comets come into being.14. The core of a comet[A] has no solid form.[B] wanders like a frozen lump when it’s far out in space.[C] requires the warmth of the sun to survive.[D] is always followed by a long tail.15. Which of the following about comets is INCORRECT?[A] They are great in number.[B] Their arrivals used to frighten human beings.[C] They are named after their discoverers.[D] They are large mushy snowballs of frozen ices and gases.Text DAround the world, hearts were broken when news came that the conjoined Bijani twins had died on the operating table. Having lived in tortured unity for 29 years, they traveled form their native Iran to Singapore for the surgery meant to set them free. The doctors who performed it were distressed. When you lose a patient, particularly when the patient dies at your own hand, the heartbreak mixes with unbearable guilt. The doctors are asking themselves the same question everyone else is asking: Should they have done it?The doctors certainly knew the risk. They knew that with the women’s shared circulatory systems, the risk was great. They might have underestimated the technical challenges, but they did not deceive their patients. The sisters, highly educated and highly motivated, knew full well the risk of never waking up from the surgery.Indeed, they never did. Should the surgeons have attempted such a risky procedure on patients who were not dying, and, in fact, were not even sick?For all the regrets and second guesses, it is hard to see how the answer could have been anything but yes. The foundation of the medical vocation is that the doctor is servant to the patient’s will. Not always, of course. There are times when the doctor must say no. This was not such a time.Consider those cases in which outside values trump(占据上风) the patients-expressed desire. The first is life. Even if the patient asks you to, you may not kill him. In some advanced precincts(地区) —Holland and Oregon, for example —this is thought to be a quaint(奇怪的)idea, and the state permits physicians to perform “assisted suicide”. That is a terrible mistake, for the state and for the physician. And not only because it embarks us on a slippery slope where putting people to death in the name of some higher humanity becomes progressively.Even if there were no slippery slope, there is a deeply important principle at stake: doctors are healers, not killers. You cannot eliminate the subject you are supposedly serving — it is not just a philosophical absurdity, it constitutes the most fundamental violation of the Hippocratic oath. You are not permitted to do any harm to the patient, let alone the ultimate harm. There are other forms of self-immolation, less instantaneous and less spectacular, to which doctors may not contribute. Drug taking, for example. One could say, the patient wants it, and he knows the risks —why not give him what he wants? No. The doctor isthere to help save a suffering soul from the ravages of a failing body. He is not there to ravage a healthy body in the service of a sick and self-destructive soul.The patient is sovereign and the physician’s duty is to be the servant, which is why the doctors in Singapore were right trying to separate the twins. They were not seeking self-destruction; they were seeking liberation. And they were trying to undo a form of impairment imposed on them by nature. The extraordinary thing about their request was that it was so utterly ordinary. They were asking for nothing special, nothing superhuman, nothing radically enhancing of human nature. They were only seeking to satisfy the most simple and pedestrian of desires: to live as single human being.16. At the beginning of the passage, the author sounds towards the doctors.[A] indifferent. [B] pitiful. [C] accusing. [D] objective.17. Why do es the author say “this was not such a time” in Para. 4?[A] Because the twin sisters are conjoined.[B] Because the twin sisters know the risks very well.[C] Because the operation is the twin sisters’ expressed desire.[D] Because the twin sisters are seeking liberation, not self-destruction.18. We can infer from Para. 6 that “Hippocratic oath” is[A] a philosophical conception.[B] an oath for all common citizens.[C] about the doctors’ responsibilities to the patients.[D] the doctors’ oath to serve the patients’ expressed desires.19. The author pointed out all the following facts EXCEPT that[A] the doctors do not have any responsibility for the failure of the twin sisters’ operation.[B] it is correct for the Singapore doctors to do the operation, although it failed in the end.[C] the twin sisters’ desire is different from the desire of those who want drugs or suicide.[D] doctors should decide whether the patient is attempting self-destruction before serving his desire.20. Which would be the best title for the passage?[A] The Conjoined Sisters from Iran.[B] Should They Have Made the Attempt?[C] On Patients’ Self-immolation.[D] Doctors and Patients.语境词汇Text A1. Driving home把…讲得透彻明⽩2. disparity n.不同，不等3. indicator n.指⽰者，指⽰器；指⽰牌4. enforcement n.实施，执⾏；强制，强迫5. subtle a.微细的，微妙的；精巧的；敏锐的6. reenter vt.重新加⼊，再加⼊7. empower vt.授权，准许8. rear vt.抚养，养育；饲养，栽培n.后部，背⾯9. tie the knot 结婚Text B1. sustainable a.持续的；能维持的；⽀撑得住的2. acquisition n.取得，获得；得到的东西3. hierarchy n.等级制度，阶层4. specific a.特定的；明确的n.特效药；详情5. extensive a.⼤规模的，⼴阔的；全⾯的，彻底的6. bottleneck n.瓶颈，障碍；窄路段，交通阻塞点Text C1. astronomical a.天⽂的2. aside from 除了…之外(尚有)3. educated a.根据知识或经验的；有教养的4. remarkable a.不平常的，值得注意到5. on a regular basis 定期地6. focal a.焦点的：focal length焦距Text D1. conjoin v.使联合，使连接：conjoined twins 连体双胞胎2. underestimate v.低估3. trump v.占据上风4. precinct n.区域；近郊5. quaint a.奇怪的；古怪的6. at stake 濒临危险7. absurdity n.荒谬，违背常理8. ravage n.蹂躏，饱受折磨9. pedestrian a.平常的；徒步的；缺乏想象的n.⾏⼈难句突破Text A1. Now advocates are focused on ensuring that working women have female advisers and role models, while they try to remove subtle discrimination in promotions —the “glass ceiling” that accounts for so few women being in top management.【分析】复合句。
专四阅读理解训练8篇
英语专四阅读预测题（1）As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with store rooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them "pueblos", which is Spanish for town.The people of the pueblos raised what are called"the three sisters" - corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain.The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou.The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison, commonly called the buffalo. Its meat was the chief food of these tribes, and its hide was used to make their clothing and covering of their tents and tipis.16. What does the passage mainly discuss?A. The architecture of early American Indian buildings.B. The movement of American Indians across North America.C. Ceremonies and rituals of American Indians.D. The way of life of American Indian tribes in early North America.17. It can be inferred from the passage that the dwellings of the Hopi and Zuni were______.A. very smallB. highly advancedC. difficult to defendD. quickly constructed专业四级阅读练习（2）Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood.Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily. Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines. The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.24. The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it ______.A. was one of the first toolsB. developed human capabilitiesC. led to the invention of machinesD. was crucial to the development of mankind25. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in future is ______.A. disastrousB. unpredictableC. excitingD. colorful英语专四阅读预测题（3）About 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians and other people in the Near East began to use pictures as kind of writing. They drew simple pictures or signs to represent things and ideas, and also to represent the sounds of their language. The signs these people used became a kind of alphabet.The Egyptians used to record information and to tell stories by putting picture writing and pictures together. When animportant person died, scenes and stories from his life were painted and carved on the walls of the place where he was buried. Some of these pictures are like modern comic strip stories. It has been said that Egypt is the home of the comic strip. But, for the Egyptians, pictures still had magic power. So they did not try to make their way of writing simple. The ordinary people could not understand it.By the year 1,000 BC, people who lived in the area around the Mediterranean Sea had developed a simpler system of writing. The signs they used were very easy to write, and there were fewer of them than in the Egyptian system. This was because each sign, or letter, represented only one sound in their language. The Greeks developed this system and formed the letters of the Greek alphabet. The Romans copied the idea, and the Roman alphabet is now used all over the world.These days, we can write down a story, or record information, without using pictures. But we still need pictures of all kinds: drawing, photographs, signs and diagrams. We find them everywhere: in books and newspapers, in the street, and on the walls of the places where we live and work. Pictures help us to understand and remember things more easily, and they can make a story much more interesting.27. Pictures of animals were painted on the walls of caves in France and Spain because______.A. the hunters wanted to see the picturesB. the painters were animal loversC. the painters wanted to show imaginationD. the pictures were thought to be helpful28. The Greek alphabet was simpler than the Egyptian system for all the following reasons EXCEPT that______.A. the former was easy to writeB. there were fewer signs in the formerC. the former was easy to pronounceD. each sign stood for only one sound29. Which of the following statements is TRUE?A. The Egyptian signs later became a particular alphabet.B. The Egyptians liked to write comic strip stories.C. The Roman alphabet was developed from the Egyptian one.D. The Greeks copied their writing system from the Egyptians.30. In the last paragraph, the author thinks that pictures ______.A. should be made comprehensibleB. should be made interestingC. are of much use in our lifeD. have disappeared from our life英语专四阅读预测题（4）There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world, even the seasonal changes, as unpredictable, and they sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained or veiled the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.Those who believed that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those rites contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances, and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the "acting area" and the "auditorium". In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and mimed the desired effect-success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun-as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.22. What does the passage mainly discuss?A. The origins of theater.B. The role of ritual in modern dance.C. The importance of storytelling.D. The variety of early religious activities.23. What aspect of drama does the author discuss in the first paragraph?A. The reason drama is often unpredictable.B. The seasons in which dramas were performed.C. The connection between myths and dramatic plots.D. The importance of costumes in early drama.24. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a common element of theater and ritual?A. Dance.B. Costumes.C. Music.D. Magic.25. According to the passage, what is the main difference between ritual and drama?A. Ritual uses music whereas drama does not.B. Ritual is shorter than drama.C. Ritual requires fewer performers than drama.D. Ritual has a religious purpose and drama does not.26. The passage supports which of the following statements?A. No one really knows how the theater began.B. Myths are no longer represented dramatically.C. Storytelling is an important part of dance.D. Dramatic activities require the use of costumes.英语专四阅读预测题（5）Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth's surface. But earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much. In comparison with the total number of earthquakes each year, the number of disastrous earthquakes is very small.The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an erect set, it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in Agadir, Morocco, was not strong enough to be recorded on distant instruments, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done comparatively little damage. If a building is well constructed and built on solid ground, it will resist an earthquake. Most deaths in earthquakes have been due to faulty building construction or poor building sites. A third and very serious factor is panic. When people rush out into narrow streets, more deaths will result.The United Nations has played an important part in reducing the damage done by earthquakes. It has sent a team of experts to all countries known to be affected by earthquakes. Working with local geologists and engineers, the experts have studied the nature of the ground and the type of most practical building code for the local area. If followed, these suggestions will make disastrous earthquakes almost a thing of the past.There is one type of earthquake disaster that little can be done about. This is the disaster caused by seismic sea waves, or tsunamis. (These are often called tidal waves, but the name is incorrect. They have nothing to do with tides.) In certain areas, earthquakes take place beneath the sea. These submarine earthquakes sometimes give rise to seismic sea waves. The waves are not noticeable out at sea because of their long wave length. But when they roll into harbors, they pile up into walls of water 6 to 60 feet high. The Japanese call them "tsunamis", meaning "harbor waves", because they reach a sizable height only in harbors.Tsunamis travel fairly slowly, at speeds up to 500 miles an hour. An adequate warning system is in use to warn all shores likely to be reached by the waves. But this only enables people to leave the threatened shores for higher ground. There is no way to stop the oncoming wave.18. Which of the following CANNOT be concluded from the passage?A. The number of earthquakes is closely related to depth.B. Roughly the same number of earthquakes occur each year.C. Earthquakes are impossible at depths over 460 miles.D. Earthquakes are most likely to occur near the surfaces.19. The destruction of Agadir is an example of ______.A. faulty building constructionB. an earthquake's strengthC. widespread panic in earthquakesD. ineffective instruments20. The United Nations' experts are supposed to______.A. construct strong buildingsB. put forward proposalsC. detect disastrous earthquakesD. monitor earthquakes21. The significance of the slow speed of tsunamis is that people may______.A. notice them out at seaB. find ways to stop themC. be warned early enoughD. develop warning systems英语TEM4阅读理解模拟题（6）It was the worst tragedy in maritime (航海的) history, six times more deadly than the Titanic.When the German cruise ship Wilhelm Gustloff was hit by torpedoes (鱼雷) fired from a Russian submarine in the final winter of World War II, more than 10,000 people - mostly women, children and old people fleeing the final Red Army push into Nazi Germany - were packed aboard. An ice storm had turned the decks into frozen sheets that sent hundreds of families sliding into the sea as the ship tilted andbegan to go down. Others desperately tried to put lifeboats down. Some who succeeded fought offthose in the water who had the strength to try to claw their way aboard. Most people froze immediately. Tll never forget the screams," says Christa Ntitzmann, 87, one of the 1,200 survivors. She recalls watching the ship, brightly lit, slipping into its dark grave - and into seeming nothingness, rarely mentioned for more than half a century.Now Germanys Nobel Prize-winning author Gtinter Grass has revived the memory of the 9,000 dead, including more than 4,000 children - with his latest novel Crab Walk, published last month. The book, which will be out in English next year, doesnt dwell on the sinking; its heroine is a pregnant young woman who survives the catastrophe only to say later: "Nobody wanted to hear about it, not here in the West (of Germany) and not at all in the East." The reason was obvious. As Grass put it in a recent interview with the weekly Die Woche: "Because the crimes we Germans are responsible for were and are so dominant, we didn\’t have the energy left to tell of our own sufferings.The long silence about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was probably unavoi dable - and necessary. By unreservedly owning up to their countrys monstrous crimes in the Second World War, Germans have managed to win acceptance abroad, marginalize ( 使...不得势) the neo- Nazis at home and make peace with their neighbors. Todays unified Germany is more prosperous and stable than at any time in its long, troubled history. For that, a half century of willful forgetting about painful memories like the German Titanic was perhaps a reasonable price to pay. But even the most politically correct Germans believe that they ye now earned the right to discuss the full historical record. Not to equate German suffering with that of its victims, but simply to acknowledge a terrible tragedy.21、Why does the author say the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was the worst tragedy in maritime history?A) It was attacked by Russian torpedoes. B) Most of its passengers were frozen to death.C) Its victims were mostly women and children. D) It caused the largest number of casualties.22、Hundreds of families dropped into the sea whenA) a strong ice storm tilted the ship B) the cruise ship sank all of a suddenC) the badly damaged ship leaned toward one side D) the frightened passengers fought desperately for lifeboats23、The Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy was little talked about for more than half a century because GermansA) were eager,to win international acceptance B) felt guilty for their crimes in World War IIC)~ad been pressured to keep silent about it D) were afraid of offending their neighbors24、How does Gunter Grass revive the memory of the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy?A) By presenting the horrible scene of the torpedo attack. B) By describing the ships sinking in great detail.C) By giving an interview to the weekly Die Woche. D) By depicting the survival of a young pregnant woman.25、It can be learned from the passage that Germans no longer think thatA) they will be misunderstood if they talk about the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedyB) the Wilhelm Gustloff tragedy is a reasonable price to pay for the nations past misdeedsC) Germany is responsible for the horrible crimes it committed in World War IID) it-is wrong to equate their sufferings with those of other countries英语专四阅读预测题（7）Certainly no creature in the sea is odder than the common sea cucumber. All living creature，especially human beings，have their peculiarities，but everything about the little sea cucumber seems unusual. What else can be said about a bizarre animal that，among other eccentricities，eats mud，feeds almost continuously day and night but can live without eating for long periods，and can be poisonous but is considered supremely edible by gourmets？For some fifty million years，despite all its eccentricities，the sea cucumber has subsisted on its diet of mud. It is adaptable enough to live attached to rocks by its tube feet，under rocks in shallow water，or on the surface of mud flats. Common in cool water on both Atlantic and Pacific shores，it has the abilityto suck up mud or sand and digest whatever nutrients are present.Sea cucumbers come in a variety of colors，ranging from black to reddish brown to sand color and nearly white. One form even has vivid purple tentacles. Usually the creatures are cucumber shaped-hence their name-and because they are typically rock inhabitants，this shape，combined with flexibility，enables them to squeeze into crevices where they are safe from predators and ocean currents.Although they have voracious appetites，eating day and night，sea cucumbers have the capacity to become quiescent and live at a low metabolic rate-feeding sparingly or not at all for long periods，so that the marine organisms that provide their food have a chance to multiply. If it were not for this faculty，they would devour all the food available in a short time and would probably starve themselves out of existence.But the most spectacular thing about the sea cucumber is the way it defends itself. Its major enemies are fish and crabs，when attacked，it squirts all its internal organs into water. It also casts off attached structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber will eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked or even touched；it will do the same if the surrounding water temperature is too high or if the water becomes too polluted.1. According to the passage，why is the shape of sea cucumbers important？A. It helps them to digest their food.B. It helps them to protect themselves from danger.C. It makes it easier for them to move through the mud.D. It makes them attractive to fish.2. The fourth paragraph of the passage primarily discusses______.A. the reproduction of sea cucumbersB. the food sources of sea cucumbersC. the eating habits of sea cucumbersD. threats to sea cucumbers' existence3. What can be inferred about the defence mechanisms of the sea cucumber？A. They are very sensitive to surrounding stimuli.B. They are almost useless.C. They require group cooperation.D. They are similar to those of most sea creatures.4. Which of the following would NOT cause a sea cucumber to release its internal organs into the water？A. A touchB. FoodC. Unusually warm waterD. Poll ution.TEM4阅读模拟练习预测题（8）Municipal sewage is of relatively recent origin as a pollutant. It was first brought topublic attention in the 19th century by a London physician who showed that the city's cholera outbreak had been caused by just one contaminated well. Even though the contamination of drinking water by disease germs has been nearly eliminated in this country, hundreds of communities are still discharging raw sewage into streams and rivers. When we consider that this sewage contains effluents fro m toilets, hospitals, laundries,industrial plants, etc., then the potential of the pollutants as a health hazard is apparent.The problem of municipal sewage disposal is complicated by the fact that, years ago, mostcities combined their storm and waste disposal sewers. Many of these combined systems work well, but others cannot cope with sudden heavy rains. When such storms occur, water mixed with sewage may flood and disable treatment plants unless bypassed, untreated, into a stream. In either case, the people may have little protection for several days from these wastes that may contain disease germs. Evenif adequately treated to eliminate the health hazard, sewage is aestheticallyundesirable because of odors and colors produced. Detergents have posed a particular disposal problem. Although there is no indication that they are injurious to health, they can cause foaming, which can clog treatment plants and, at the least, spoil the scenic beauty of streams. Rural and suburban residents should be aware that septic tanks and cesspools are a potential source of pollution to ground water supplies. This is especially true in thesuburban areas with a high population density and with no municipal sewage disposal and treatment system available. In some areas, sewage disposal is accomplished by cesspools. Soil research is furnishing guidelines for more effective and safer use of systems such as these.1. This passage is concerned primarily with the _____ .A. problems of waste disposalB. dangers of drinking from wellsC. turbidity of polluted waterD. outbreak of cholera 2. The author mentions the London cholera epidemic to _____ .A. prove that the city refused to deal with pollutionB. prove that medical science once knew little about pollutionC. introduce the idea of contaminated water suppliesD. recall a historical fact3. In densely populated suburban areas, a danger exits from _____ . A. streams that do not flow directly to open bodies of water B. cesspools and septic tanks that contaminate water supplies C. storm and waste disposal sewers that have been combined D. the undesirable odors of sewage4. In developing the main point, the author makes use of _____ . A. scientific arguments B. convincing testimony C. common sense observations D. analogy （1）D B（2）D B（3）D C A C（4）A C D D A（5）C A B C（6）D C B D A（7）B C A B（8）A C B C Before the mid 1860's, the impact of the railroads in the United States was limited, in the sense that the tracks ended at this Missouri River, approximately the center of the country. At the point the trains turned their freight, mail, and passengers over to steamboats, wagons, and stagecoaches. This meant that wagon freighting, stage coaching, and steam boating did not come to an end when the first train appeared; rather they became supplements or feeders. Each new “end of track” became a center for animal drawn or waterborne transportation. The major effect of the railroad was to shorten the distance that had to be covered by the older, slower, and more costly means. Wagon freighters continued operating throughout the 1870’s and 1880’s and into the 1890’s. Although over constantly shrinking routes, and coaches and wagons continued to crisscross the West wherever the rails had not yet been laid. The beginning of a major change was foreshadowed in the later 1860’s, when the Union Pacific Railroad at last began to build westward from the Central Plains city of Omaha to meet the Central Pacific Railroad advancing eastward from California through the formidable barrier of the Sierra Nevada. Although President Abraham Lincoln signed the original Pacific Railroad bill in 1862 and a revised, financially much more generous version in 1864, little construction was completed until 1865 on the Central Pacific and 1866 on the Union Pacific. The primary reason was skepticism that a Railroad built through so challenging and thinly settled a stretch of desert, mountain, and semiarid plain could pay a profit. In the words of an eco nomist, this was a case of “premature enterprise”, where not only the cost of construction but also the very high risk deterred private investment. In discussing the Pacific Railroad bill, the chair of the congressional committee bluntly stated that without government subsidy no one would undertake so unpromising a venture; yet it was a national necessity to link East and West together. 16. The author refers to the impact of railroads before the late 1860's as “limited” because ____.A. the track did not take the direct route from one city to the nextB. passengers and freight had to transfer to other modes of transportation to reach western destinationsC. passengers preferred stagecoachesD. railroad travel was quite expensive17. What can be inferred about coaches and wagon freighters as the railroad expanded?A. They developed competing routes.B. Their drivers refused to work for the railroads.C. They began to specialize in private investment.D. There were insufficient numbers of trained people to operate them.18. Why does the author mention the Sierra Nevada in line 17?A. To argue that a more direct route to the West could have been taken.B. To identify a historically significant mountain range in the West.C. To point out the location of a serious train accident.D. To give an example of an obstacle faced by the central pacific.19. The word “subsidy” in line 27 is closest in meaning to ____.A. persuasionB. financingC. explanationD. penalty 16. B17. D18. D19. B。
专四模拟试题-阅读篇(附答案详解).doc
As the merchant class expanded in the eigh teent h 拟century Nor th American Colonies, the silversmith and the coppersmith businesses rose to serve it. Only a few silversmiths were available in New York or Boston in the late seventeenth century, but in the eighteenth century they could be found in all major colonial cities. No other colonial artisans rivaled the silversmiths‘ prestige. They handled the most expensive materials and possessed direct cormections to prosperous colonial merchants. Their products, primaril)^ silver plates and bowls, reflected their exalted status and testified to their customers' prominence. Silver stood as one of the surest ways to store wealth at a time before neighborhood banks existed. Unlike the silver coins from which they were made, silver articles were readi1y identifiable. Often formed to individual specifications, they always carried the silversmith， s distinctivc markings and consequently could be traced and retrieved. Customers generally secure the silver for the silver object they ordered. They saved coins, took them to smiths, and discussed the type of pieces they desired. Silversmiths complied with these requests by melting the money in a smal 1 furneicc, adding a bit of copper to form a stronger alloy, and casting the alloy in rectemgular blocks. They hammered these ingots to the appropriate thickness by hand, shaped them and pressed designs into them for adornment. Engraving was also done by hand. In addition to plates and bowls, some customers sought more intricate products, such as silver teapots. These were made by shaping or casting parts separatcly and then soldering them together. Colonial coppersmithing also come of age in the early eighteenth century and prospered in northern cities. Copper" s ability to conduct heat efficiently and to resist corrosion contributed to its attractiveness. But because it was expensive in colonial America, coppersmiths were ncver very numcrous. Virtually all copper worked by Smiths was imported as sheets or obtained by recycling old copper goods. Copper was used for practical items, but it was not admired for its beauty. Coppersmiths employed it to fashion pots and kettles for the home. They shaped it in much the same memner as si 1 ver or melted it in a foundry with lead or tin. They also mixed it with zinc to make brass for maritimc and scientific instruments.1.According to the passage, which of the following eighteenth century developments had strong impact on si 1versmiths?A. A decrease in the cost of silver.B.The invention ofheat efficient furnaces.C.The growing economic prosperity of colonial merchants.D.The development of new tools used to shape silver.2.Tn colonial America, where did silversm iths usual ly obt ain the mat erial to make silver articles?A.From their own mines.B.From importers.C.From other si 1versmiths.D.From customers.3.The passage mentions all of the following as uses for copper in Colonial America EXCEPTA.cooking potsB.scicntific instrumentsC.musical instrumentsD.maritime instruments4.According to the passage, silversmiths and coppersmiths in colonial America were similar in which of the fol lowing ways?A.The amount of social prestige they had.B.The way they shaped the metal they worked with.C.The cost of the goods they made.D.The practicality of the goods they made.1.C）根据文章第一句"As the merchant class expanded in the eighteenth 拟century North American Colonics,...”可知,随着在十八世纪的北美殖民地商人阶级膨胀起来，也就是说那时的商人财富有了很大的发展，银匠铜匠们有机会发挥他们的专长了，这与选项C正好相符。
专业英语四级阅读4
Exercise 4PART V READING COMPREHENSION 25 MIN.TEXTADuring the Old Kingdom, the Egyptians made many practical advances in mathematics and the sciences. Egyptian farmers devised methods of surveying land out of necessity. When annual floods washed away boundary markers, farmers had to remeasure their fields. The need to survey land led to the development of mathematics, particularly geometry. Egyptians learned to measure the areas of squares and circles and to figure the areas of squares and circles and to figure the volumes of cylinders and spheres.The need to predict regular events such as Nile floods and eclipses led to advances in astronomy. Priests observed the skies and plotted the courses of stars and planets. These priest astronomers used their knowledge to produce a calendar with a 365-days, and they divided a year into 12 months, with three seasons: the Nile flood season, the planting season, and the harvest season. They calculated that each month had 30 days and they added five days to the last month to total 365 days. Although the Egyptians made no allowance for leap years, their calendar, as modified by the Greeks and Romans, is the basis for the modern calendar.The Egyptian also invented techniques to build impressive stone monuments. Stone workers learned how to cut tall obelisks from a single rock, using hot fires and cold water to make the surrounding rocks crack. They then finished the job with hammers and crowbars. Egyptian engineering of temples and pyramids was so precise that each block fit perfectly into the next one.Egyptians also made important medical discoveries. Although Egyptian doctors relied heavily on magic, they made scientific inquiries. By studying the human body, doctors learned to perform surgery. Ancient papyrus texts describe successful operations to set broken bones and treat spinal injuries. The Greeks and Romans acquired much of their medical knowledge from Egyptian sources.81. According to the passage, the development of geometry in the ancient Egypt wasdirectly due toA. the vast kingdomB. the floodC. the repeated surveys of landD. the development of the mathematics82. The ancient Egyptian priestsA. could predict all the regular eventsB. developed astronomyC. produced the current calendarD. divided a year into four seasons83. We can learn from the last paragraph thatA. the Egyptian doctors were superstitiousB. the Egyptian doctors could perform operations by magicC. the Egyptian doctors used papyrus to operate on human bonesD. the Egyptian doctors were greatly influenced by the Greeks and Romans84. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?A. The Nile and the Ancient Egypt.B. Floods and Geometry.C. The Ancient Egyptian Scientific Achievements.D. The Ancient Egyptian.TEXT BJournals written for college classes differ from private diaries written for ourselves. While historically the two terms have been used interchangeably, today we can make a useful distinction between them: diaries are personal notebooks that contain private thought, memories, feelings, dreams--things of importance to the writer and nobody else. Journals, however, have a more limited focus; they center more on the point where writers' personal lives meet their intellectual and social lives--in this case, centering on that meeting as it takes place in the study of literature.If your English teacher has asked you to keep a journal, it is probably with the hope that you will use it to locate, collect, and make sense of your thoughts about the content of your literature class: about your reactions, your candid reactions to particular lectures; about first ideas for writing assignments and later thoughts on revising those assignments; about the personal connections you may make between this course and the rest of your life--whatever they may be.It might also help to separate journals from class notebooks. Unlike diaries, class notebooks contain almost nothing at all that is personal, being filled as they are with other people's ideas: lecture and discussion notes, copied quotations, next week's assignments and so on. These notebooks are especially useful to help you pass examinations, but that's about it. Think of your journal as a cross between a diary (subjective) and a class notebook (objective): in the journal you write about the object of study from your own personal perspective – and you write primarily to yourself.85. According to the passage, what is the purpose of teachers in assigningjournals on literature?A. To help the students understand the literature works and the lesson.B. To make sure that the students have read the novels, plays, or poems.C. To find out the students' roles in the discussion.D. To check whether the students are hardworking.86. We can infer from the passage that journal isA. a piece of writing kept to yourself exclusivelyB. a piece of objective writingC. a piece of writing both private and publicD. assigned by teachersTEXT CUS President Bill Clinton announced a plan for expanding a visa programme for foreigners with high-tech skills last Thursday. Clinton wants to issue an extra 362,500 H-lB visas during the next three years and four times the fees collected to create a training and education program for US workers. He would also require that up to half the foreigners hold master's degrees or above to ensure US companies get highly skilled people. H-lB visas are issued to foreigners with college degrees and allow them to work in the United States for up to six years. Their number is 115,000 this year, but is scheduled to fall to 107,500 next year and then to 65,000 per year after that.High-tech industry officials say at least 300,000 jobs are unfilled due to the lack of qualified US applicants. Labour unions argue the industry is looking overseas mainly to hold down wages. Clinton's proposal would set an overall limit of 200,000visas a year for three years, with 10,000 designated annually for research and higher education.He would increase the current USSS00 fee for visas to USS2,000 for most companies and USS3,000 for companies that depend on foreigners for at least 15% of their work force. Half the extra money would be used to train US workers, 30% would pay for educating US workers and 20 % to improve the Immigration and Naturalization Service.Also, Clinton proposed to change a deadline for long-term illegal immigrants to apply for legal residence. Currently, only immigrants who arrived before 1972 can apply for legal status.Clinton wants to move the date to 1986, allowing many more immigrants to gain legal status.87. It can be inferred from the second paragraph thatA. according to Clinton's proposal, 362,500 H-lB visas will be issued in the nextthree yearsB. Clinton wants to increase the wages of workers with high-tech skills by fourtimesC. Clinton wants to collect more money to train and educate the native workersD. Clinton won't allow people of college degree to immigrate to the U. S.88. Why does Clinton put forward this proposal?A. He wants to increase more opportunities of employment.B. He wants to meet the need of the companies for people of high-tech skills,according to the high-tech industry officials.C. He wants to improve the working conditions for the foreign workers.D. He wants to reduce the wages of the workers, according to the high-techindustry officials.89. Clinton proposed toA. increase the current fee for visas by USS1,500 or US$2,500B. increase the current fee for visas by USS2,000 or USS3,000C. increase the current fee for visas to USS 2,000 for companies that dependon foreigners for at least 15 percent of their work forceD. increase the current fee for visas to USS 3,000 for companies that dependon foreigners for no more than 15 percent of their work force90. According to the passage, which of the following is true?A. The proposal was put forward last week.B. The number of visas given to foreign workers of college degrees willincrease.C. Half of the foreign workers should hold master degrees.D. Half of the money collected from the increase of the fee for visas will bespent on U. S. workers.91. The passage is most likely fromA. an article of economicsB. a text of historyC. a political reviewD. a news reportTEXT DAmerica has always been a land of beginnings. After Europeans"discovered" America in the fifteenth century, the mysterious New World became for many people a genuine hope of a new life, an escape from poverty and persecution, a chance to start again. We can say that, as a nation, America begins with that hope. When, however, does American literature begin?American literature begins with American experiences. Long before the first colonists arrived, before Christopher Columbus, before the Northmen who "found" America about the year 1000, Native Americans lived here. Each tribe's literature was tightly woven into the fabric of daily life and reflected the unmistakably American experience of lining with the land. Another kind of experience, one filled with fear and excitement, found its expression in the reports that Columbus and other explorers sent home in Spanish, French, and English. In addition, the journals of the people who lived and died in the New England wilderness tell unforgettable tales of hard and sometimes heartbreaking experiences of those early years.Experience, then, is the key to early American literature. The New World provided a great variety of experiences, and these experiences demanded a wide variety of expressions by an even wider variety of early American writers. These writers included John Smith, who spent only about two-and-one-half years on the American continent. They included Jonathan Edwards and William Byrd, who thought of themselves as British subjects, never suspecting a revolution that would create a United States of America with a literature of its own. American Indians, explorers, Puritan ministers, frontier wives, plantation owners- they are all the creators of the first American literature.92. What does the ,that hope" refer to?A. The hope that America would be discovered.B. The hope to start a new life.C. The hope to find poverty and prosecution.D. The hope to start American literature.93. When did American literature begin?A. When the ship Mayflower arrived.B. When the European explorers arrived.C. When the Northmen arrived.D. Far earlier than the year 1000.94. We can learn from the tribes' literature.A. the Native Americans' daily lifeB. the arrival of ColumbusC. the European explorers' experienceD. the early colonists' experience95. By the last paragraph, the author wants to tell people thatA. experience is the key to American literatureB. people with rich experience became famous writersC. there were a lot of writers in the early AmericaD. the writers in the early America were from the Great Britain96. According to the passage, which of the following is true?A. Poor people escaped from America.B. Native Americans left a lot of works of literature.C. The earlier colonists~ experience was heartbreaking.D. Some writers from the Great Britain believed in the brilliant future ofAmerican literature.TEXT EWe plunge into an icy mountain lake and experience the initial shock of the water; soon the water feels comfortable. We step into a hot bath and feel practically scalded for a moment or two, then settle down with a sigh. We notice delightful smell as we enter a friend's house, but after a short stay the smell seems to fade. These common experiences illustrate the process of sensory adaptation--the fact that our sensitivity to an unchanging stimulus tends to decrease over time. When we first encounter a stimulus, like the bathtub water, our temperature receptors fire vigorously. Soon, however, our temperature receptors fire less vigorously. Through the process of sensory adaptation, the water now feels cooler.Sensory adaptation has some practical advantages. If it did not occur, we would constantly be distracted by the stream of sensations we experience each day. We would not adapt, to our clothing rubbing our skin, to the feel of our tongue in our mouth, or to bodily processes such as eye blinks and swallowing. However, sensory adaptation is not always beneficial and can even be dangerous. For instance, after about a minute our sensitivity to most odors drops by nearly 70%. Thus, in situations where smoke or harmful chemicals are present, sensory adaptation may actually reduce our sensitivity to existing dangers. In general, though, the process of sensory adaptation allows us to focus on changes in the world around us, and that ability to focus is what is usually most important for survival.97. It can be concluded from the first paragraph thatA. ice mountain lake is coldB. bath water is hotC. delightful smell will fadeD. people can get used to an unchanging stimulus98. Which of the following is an illustration of sensory adaptation?A. People will feel a shock when they plunge into cold water.B. People will feel scalded when they get into a bathtub full of hot water.C. Hot water will gradually become cold.D. The delightful smell seems to fade though you find it strong at thebeginning.99. What is the purpose for the author to cite the example "after about a minute our sensitivity to most odors drops by nearly 70%"?A. To illustrate the definition of sensory adaptation.B. To show the sensory adaptation to smells works fastest.C. To illustrate the disadvantage of sensory adaptation.D. To show the harm smoking does.100. According to the passage, which of the following is true?A. Sensory adaptation is essential to human beings.B. Sensory adaptation can reduce our sensitivity when a sudden stimulusoccurs.C. Sensory adaptation weakens over time.D. Sensory adaptation is always beneficial.PART V81．C．细节题，答案在第一段，洪水的频发造成农民每年都需丈量土地，几何学也就日益发达了。
专四英语阅读题
专四英语阅读题专四英语阅读题下面是店铺给大家提供的.专业四级的英语阅读题及答案，欢迎大家参考练习!第一篇：What we know of prenatal development makes all this attempt made by a mother to mold the character of her unborn child by studying poetry, art, or mathematics during pregnancy seem utterly impossible. How could such extremely complex influences pass from the mother to the child? There is no connection between their nervous systems. Even the blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly. An emotional shock to the mother will affect her child, because it changes the activity of her glands and so the chemistry her blood. Any chemical change in the mother's blood will affect the child for better or worse. But we can not see how a looking for mathematics or poetic genius can be dissolved in blood and produce a similar liking or genius in the child.In our discussion of instincts we saw that there was reason to believe that whatever we inherit must be of some very simple sort rather than any complicated or very definite kind of behavior. It is certain that no one inherits a knowledge of mathematics. It may be, however, that children inherit more or less of a rather general ability that we may call intelligence. If very intelligent children become deeply interested in mathematics, they will probably make a success of that study.As for musical ability, it may be that what is inherited is an especially sensitive ear, a peculiar structure of the hands or the vocal organs connections between nerves and muscles that makeit comparatively easy to learn the movements a musician must execute, and particularly vigorous emotions. If these factors are all organized around music, the child may become a musician. The same factors, in other circumstance might be organized about some other center of interest. The rich emotional equipment might find expression in poetry. The capable fingers might develop skill in surgery. It is not the knowledge of music that is inherited, then nor even the love of it, but a certain bodily structure that makes it comparatively easy to acquire musical knowledge and skill. Whether that ability shall be directed toward music or some other undertaking may be decided entirely by forces in the environment in which a child grows up.1. Which of the following statements is not true?A. Some mothers try to influence their unborn children by studying art and other subjects during their pregnancy.B. It is utterly impossible for us to learn anything about prenatal development.C. The blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly.D. There are no connection between mother's nervous systems and her unborn child's.2. A mother will affect her unborn baby on the condition that ____.A. she is emotionally shockedB. she has a good knowledge of inheritanceC. she takes part in all kind of activitiesD. she sticks to studying3. According to the passage, a child may inherit____.A. everything from his motherB. a knowledge of mathematicsC. a rather general ability that we call intelligenceD. her mother's musical ability4. If a child inherits something from his mother, such as an especially sensitive ear, a peculiar structure of the hands or of the vocal organs, he will ____.A. surely become musicianB. mostly become a poetC. possibly become a teacherD. become a musician on the condition that all these factors are organized around music5. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?A. Role of Inheritance.B. An Unborn Child.C. Function of instincts.D. Inherited T alents第二篇：The case for college has been accepted without question for more than a generation. All high school graduates ought to go, says conventional wisdom and statistical evidence, because college will help them earn more money, become "better" people, and learn to be more responsible citizens than those who don't go.But college has never been able to work its magic for everyone. And now that close to half our high school graduates are attending, those who don't fit the pattern are becoming more numerous, and more obvious. College graduates are selling shoes and driving taxis; college students interfere with each other's experiments and write false letters of recommendation in the intense competition for admission to graduate school. Other find no stimulation in their studies, and drop out—often encouraged by college administrators.Some observers say the fault is with the young people themselves—they are spoiled and they are expecting too much.But that is a condemnation of the students as a whole, and doesn't explain all campus unhappiness. Others blame the state of the world, and they are partly right. We have been told that young people have to go to college because our economy can't absorb an army of untrained eighteen-year-olds. But disappointed graduates are learning that it can no longer absorb an army of trained twenty-two-year-olds, either.Some adventuresome educators and watchers have openly begun to suggest that college may not be the best, the proper, the only place for every young person after the completion of high school. We may have been looking at all those surveys and statistics upside down, it seems, and through the rosy glow of our own remembered college experiences. Perhaps college doesn't make people intelligent, ambitious, happy, liberal, or quick to learn things—may it is just the other way around, and intelligent, ambitious, happy, liberal, quick-learning people are merely the ones who have been attracted to college in the first place. And perhaps all those successful college graduates would have been successful whether they had gone to college or not. This is heresy to those of us who have been brought up to believe that if a little schooling is good, more has to be much better. But contrary evidence is beginning to mount up.1.According to the author, ___.A.people used to question the value of college education.B.people used to have full confidence in higher education.C.all high school graduates went to college.D.very few high school graduates chose to go to college.2.In the 2nd paragraph, "those who don't fit the pattern" refer to___.A.high school graduates who aren't suitable for collegeeducation.B.college graduates who are selling shoes and driving taxis.C.college students who aren't any better for their higher education.D.high school graduates who failed to be admitted to college.3.The dropout rate of college students seems to go up because___.A.young people are disappointed with the conventional way of teaching at college.B.many people are required to join the army.C.young people have little motivation in pursuing a higher education.D.young people don't like the intense competition for admission to graduate school.4.According to the passage, the problems of college education partly originate in the fact that___.A.society cannot provide enough jobs for properly trained graduates.B.High school graduates do not fit the pattern of college education.C.Too many students have to earn their own living.D.College administrators encourage students to drop out.5.In this passage the author argues that___.A.more and more evidence shows college education may not be the best thing for high school graduates.B.College education is not enough if one wants to be successful.C.College education benefits only the intelligent, ambitious, and quick-learning people.D.Intelligent people may learn quicker if they don't go tocollege.>>>>>>参考答案<<<<<<第一篇：BACDA第二篇：BCCAA。
英语专四阅读难度
英语专四阅读难度一、英语专四阅读难度的概述英语专业四级（TEM-4）考试是我国高校英语专业学生必须面临的一项重要测试，旨在评估他们在英语听、说、读、写四个方面的综合能力。
其中，阅读部分作为英语专四考试的重要组成部分，具有较高的难度。
本文将分析英语专四阅读文章的特点，并提出相应的方法和技巧，以帮助考生提高阅读能力。
二、英语专四阅读文章的特点1.题材多样：英语专四阅读文章涉及政治、经济、文化、科技等多个领域，旨在测试考生对不同题材的阅读理解能力。
2.文字严谨：专四阅读文章通常采用正式的英语表达，词汇丰富，句式复杂，有时还涉及一定的专业术语。
3.信息量大：专四阅读文章长度较长，要求考生在有限的时间内获取和处理大量信息。
4.逻辑性强：专四阅读文章通常结构清晰，逻辑性强，要求考生具备较强的推理和判断能力。
三、提高英语专四阅读能力的方法1.增加词汇量：熟练掌握词汇是提高阅读能力的基础。
考生可通过背单词、阅读英文词典、学习词根词缀等方法，不断提高词汇量。
2.加强语法学习：语法知识是阅读理解的重要支撑。
考生应熟练掌握英语基本语法，并在实际阅读中不断巩固和提高。
3.培养阅读习惯：养成每天阅读英文文章的习惯，提高阅读速度和理解能力。
4.锻炼阅读技巧：学会快速浏览、寻读等阅读技巧，提高阅读效率。
四、英语专四阅读技巧和策略1.预览题干：在开始阅读前，先预览题目，了解文章可能涉及的主题和问题，有针对性地进行阅读。
2.抓住主旨：在阅读过程中，关注文章的主题句和段落首尾句，以快速把握文章大意。
3.留意细节：在理解文章主旨的基础上，注意捕捉文章中的关键细节，如数字、人名、地名等。
4.分析推理：针对题目要求，运用逻辑思维和推理能力，对文章内容进行分析和判断。
五、练习与总结1.多做练习：通过模拟试题和实际考试，不断检验和提高自己的阅读能力。
2.总结经验：在练习过程中，总结自己的阅读方法和技巧，逐步形成一套适合自己的阅读策略。
3.反馈调整：根据练习结果，发现自己在阅读中的薄弱环节，有针对性地进行改进和提高。
专四英语阅读练习(含答案)
（一）People have been painting pictures for at least30,000 years. The earliest pictu res were painted bypeople who hunted animals. They used to paintpictures of the animals they wanted to catch and kill.Pictures of this kind have been fou nd on the walls ofcaves in France and Spain. No one knows why theywere pai nted there. Perhaps the painters thoughtthat their pictures would help them t o catch theseanimals. Or perhaps human beings have always wanted to tell st ories in pictures.About 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians and other people in the Near East bega n to use picturesas kind of writing. They drew simple pictures or signs to repr esent things and ideas, and also torepresent the sounds of their language. Th e signs these people used became a kind of alphabet.The Egyptians used to r ecord information and to tell stories by putting picture writingand pictures tog ether. When an important person died, scenes and stories from his life werep ainted and carved on the walls of the place where he was buried. Some of the se pictures arelike modern comic strip stories. It has been said that Egypt is the home of the comic strip.But, for the Egyptians, pictures still had magic p ower. So they did not try to make their way ofwriting simple. The ordinary pe ople could not understand it.By the year 1,000 BC, people who lived in the area around the Mediterranean Sea haddeveloped a simpler system of writing. The signs they used were ver y easy to write, and therewere fewer of them than in the Egyptian system. Th is was because each sign, or letter,represented only one sound in their langua ge. The Greeks developed this system and formedthe letters of the Greek alp habet. The Romans copied the idea, and the Roman alphabet isnow used all over the world.These days, we can write down a story, or record information, without using p ictures. But westill need pictures of all kinds: drawing, photographs, signs and diagrams. We find themeverywhere: in books and newspapers, in the street, and on the walls of the places where welive and work. Pictures help us to und erstand and remember things more easily, and they canmake a story much more interesting.?1. Pictures of animals were painted on the walls of caves in France and Spain because ?___ ___?.?A. the hunters wanted to see the pictures?B. the painters were animal lovers?C. the painters wanted to show imagination?D. the pictures were thought to be helpful?2. The Greek alphabet was simpler than the Egyptian system for all the follo wing reasonsEXCEPT that ?______.A. the former was easy to write?B. there were fewer signs in the former?C. the former was easy to pronounce?D. each sign stood for only one sound?3. Which of the following statements is TRUE??A. The Egyptian signs later became a particular alphabet.?B. The Egyptians liked to write comic?strip stories.?C. The Roman alphabet was developed from the Egyptian one.?D. The Greeks copied their writing system from the Egyptians.?4. In the last paragraph, the author thinks that pictures ?______?.?A. should be made comprehensible?B. should be made interesting?C. are of much use in our life?D. have disappeared from our life参考答案：1. D) 根据文章第一段第五行“Perhaps the paintersthought that their pictures would help them to catchthes e animals.”可知古代人以为在墙上画画会对他们有所帮助，故选项D为正确答案。
2023英语专四考试精选阅读试题及答案
2023英语专四考试精选阅读试题及答案2023英语专四考试精选阅读试题及答案Open up most fashion magazines and you will see incredibly thin models with impossible hair and wearing unreasonably expensive, impracticably styled clothes. But shouldn't clothes be fortably durable and make a principle of being simple for the individual who wears them? Why are we constantly told that we need to buy new clothes and add fresh pieces to our collection?Fashions change year after year so lots of people can make piles of money. If folks are convinced that they need a different look each season, that thisyear's sweater's length and shoes style are important, they can be persuaded to buy. The fashion industry would have you ignore your shortings and just make you feel beautiful and happy. In fact it is not only a phenomenon we can find in people's dressing.Fashion controls our lives. Fashion controls what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, the way we cut our hair, the makeup We buy and use, the color of the cars we drive. Fashion even controls our ideas.Where does fashion e from? Often the reasons are quite logical. Scientists and historians study the fashions of the past and discover the secrets of each fashion.When girls see an attractive guy, their blood pressure rises and their lips bee redder. That's why guys think that girls wearing lipstick are beautiful.Why do guys shave their heads? In the past soldiers shaved their heads to kill the insects that lived in their hair. Now guys shave their heads so that they look strong and masculine, like soldiers.And finally, fashion makes you feel good, doesn't it? When you are dressed in the latest style, dancing to the most fashionable music, after watching the latest hit film, you feel great, don't you?1. What's the author's viewpoint about the models and their hairstyles and clothes?A. Unbiased.B. Indifferent.C. Critical.D. Appreciative.2. It is indicated by the author that clothes should beA. fortable and durable.B. new and fresh.C. expensive and fashionable.D. simple and unique3. The fashion industry makes profits byA. selling the products at high prices.B. creating a need in you.C. helping you get rid of your shortings.D. making you look more beautiful.4. The author thinks what has been found about fashions by the scientists and the. historians isA. incredible.B. amazing.C. reasonable.D. creative.5. The passage mentions the advantages of fashion EXCEPT thatA. it can help promote technological development.B. it enables people to remain up-to-date.C. it can create more job opportunities for people.D. it can make people achieve a great feeling.【答案解析】1.[C]观点态度题。
历年英语专四阅读真题训练附答案
历年英语专四阅读真题训练附答案历年英语专四阅读真题训练附答案Among the blind the one-eyed man is king..以下是店铺为大家搜索整理的历年英语专四阅读真题训练附答案，希望能给大家带来帮助!Which is safer-staying at home, traveling to work on publictransport, or working in the office? Surprisingly, each of thesecarries the same risk, which is very low. However, what aboutflying compared to working in the chemical industry?Unfortunately, the former is 65 times riskier than the latter! Infact, the accident rate of workers in the chemical industry is lessthan that of almost any of human activity, and almost as safe asstaying at home.The trouble with the chemical industry is that when things go wrong they often cause death tothose living nearby. It is this which makes chemical accidents so newsworthy. Fortunately, they areextremely rare. The most famous ones happened at Texas City (1947),Flixborough (1974),Seveso (1976), Pemex (1984) and Bhopal (1984).Some of these are always in the minds of the people even though the loss of life was small. Noone died at Seveso, and only 28 workers at Flixborough. The worst accident of all was Bhopal,where up to 3,000 were killed. The Texas City explosion of fertilizer killed 552. The Pemex fire at astorage plant for natural gas in the suburbs of Mexico City took 542 lives, just a month before theunfortunate event at Bhopal.Some experts have discussed these accidents and used each accident to illustrate a particulardanger. Thus the Texas City explosion was caused by tons of ammonium nitrate(硝酸铵),whichis safe unless stored in great quantity. The Flixborough fireball was the fault of management,which took risks to keep production going during essential repairs. The Seveso accident showswhat happens if the local authorities lack knowledge of the danger on their doorstep. When thepoisonous gas drifted over the town, local leaders were incapable of taking effective action. ThePemex fire was made worse by an overloaded site in an overcrowded suburb. The fire set off achain reactions exploding storage tanks. Yet, by a miracle, the two largest tanks did not explode.Had these caught fire, then 3,000 strong rescue team and fire fighters would all have died.1.Which of the following statements is true?A.Working at the office is safer than staying at home.B.Traverlling to work on public transport is safer than working at the office.C.Staying at home is safer than working in the chemical industry.D.Working in the chemical industry is safer than traveling by air.2.Chemical accidents are usually important enough to be reported as news because ____.A.they are very rareB.they often cause loss of lifeC.they always occur in big citiesD.they arouse the interest of all the readers3.According to passage, the chemical accident that caused by the fault of management happenedat ____.A.Texas cityB.FlixboroughC.SevesoD.Mexico City4.From the passage we know that ammonium nitrate is a kind of ____.A.natural gas, which can easily catch fireB.fertilizer, which can't be stored in a great quantityC.poisonous substance, which can't be used in overcrowded areasD.fuel, which is stored in large tanks5.From the discussion among some experts we may conclude that ____.A.to avoid any accidents we should not repair the facilities in chemical industryB.the local authorities should not be concerned with the production of the chemical industryC.all these accidents could have been avoided or controlled if effective measure had been takenD.natural gas stored in very large tanks is always safe参考答案：DBABC。
专业英语四级阅读练习
专业英语四级阅读练习专业英语四级阅读练习盛年不重来，一日难再晨。
及时当勉励，岁月不待人。
以下是店铺为大家搜索整理的专业英语四级阅读练习，以下是店铺精心整理的专业英语四级阅读练习，希望能够帮助到大家。
专业英语四级阅读练习篇1Text BIn English, along a stretch of the north-east coast which gently curves from Northumberland to the estuary of the river Tees, there was a spot, typical of many on that coast, where sea-coal collected richly and effortlessly. This coal was a coarse powder, clean and brilliant. It seemed to bear little resemblance to the large, filthy lumps put onto the fire. Although it was coal, it was perfectly clean and it was silently deposited at high tide in a glittering carpet a kilometer long for the local community to gather up.The great needed for sea-coaling expeditions was a curious and traditionally proven assortment which never varied from community to community along the entire north-east coastline. Sacks were essential to put the coal in, and string to tie the neck of each sack when it was full. A wooden rake was used to scrape the coal from the beach. The only alternative to the rake was a flat piece of board held in the hand. A flat, broad shovel to lift the raked coal into the bags, completed the portable hardware.But the most crucial item of equipment was a bicycle, a special kind of rusty, stripped-down model which was the symbol of the sea-coaling craft. A lady’s bike was no good because it lacked a crossbar, and that was an essential element in transporting sea-coal. One full sack could be slung through thetr iangular frame of a man’s bike, another over the crossbar and, sometime, even a third on top of that. The beauty of the metal bar against the full, wet sacks forced excess water out of the coal while it was being wheeled home. On a good day, the path to the beach was generally a double snail track of water that had been forced from each end of a trail of coal sacks.70. The difference between the two types of coal was that sea coal _____.A. burnt better.B. was cheaper.C. was more finely-grained.D. came in big pieces.正确答案是71. Certain equipment was used because _____.A. the people were very traditional.B. it could be made by the communities.C. it had proved to be practical.D. the communities had curious habits.正确答案是72. To carry three sacks of coal on a bicycle it was necessary to _____.A. put one of them on the saddle.B. balance them all on the crossbar.C. balance two on the crossbar.D. remove the excess liquid.正确答案是73. By using the bicycle _____.A. the collection could ride home.B. coal could be moved easily over the sand.C. the collection could sell more coal.D. excess liquid could be removed.专业英语四级阅读练习篇2More surprising, perhaps, than the current difficulties of traditional marriage is the fact that marriage itself is alive and thriving. As Skolnick notes, Americans are a marrying people: relative to Europeans, more of us marry and we marry at a younger age. Moreover, after a decline in the early 1970s, the rate of marriage in the United States is now increasing. Even the divorce rate needs to be taken in this pro- marriage context: some 80 percent of divorced individuals remarry. Thus, marriage remains by far the preferred way of life for the vast majority of the people in our society.What has changed more than marriage is the nuclear family. Twenty- five years ago, the typical American family consisted of the husband, the wife, and two or three children. Now, there are many marriages in whichcouples have decided not to have any children, and there are many marriages where at least some of the children are from the wife’s previous marriage, or the husband’s, or both. Sometimes these children spend all of their time with one parent from the former marriage; sometimes they are shared between the two former spouses .Thus, one can find every type of tamely arrangement. There are marriages without children; marriages with children from only the present marriages; marriages with“full - time”children from both the present and former marriages; marriages with“full- time”children from the present marriage and“part- time”childrenfrom former marriages. There are stepfathers, stepmothers, half- brothers and half-sisters. It is not all that unusual for a child to have four parents and eight grandparents! These are enormous changes from the traditional nuclear family.But even so, even in the midst of all this, there remains one constant: most Americans spend most of their adult lives married.练习题：Choose correct answers to the question:1.By calling Americans a marrying people the writer means that ________.A.Americans are more traditional than EuropeansB More Americans prefer marriage and at a younger age than EuropeanC.most divorced individuals remarryD.marriage is the most important part of American life2.From the first paragraph we can know that ____A.traditional marriage now runs into difficultyB.marriage rate has been rising since the 1970C.marriage rate in Europe is rather lowD.European marry when they are quite old3.Which of the following can be presented as the picture of today’s Am erican families?A. There are no nuclear families any more.B. A family usually consists of only a husband ,a wife and two or three childrenC. a child usually has four grandparentsD. Many types of family rearrangements have become socially acceptable.4. “Part-time ”children ____A.do part-time job to earn their livingB.spend all of their time with one parent from the previous marriageC.are shared between the two former spousesD.are quite unusual even in the U.S.A5.Even though great changes have taken place in the structure of American families, ________ .A. the functions of marriage remain unchangedB. most Americans prefer a second marriageC. the vast majority of Americans still have faith in marriageD. nuclear family is alive and thriving答案1.[B] 事实细节题。
英语专四阅读理解真题
英语专四阅读理解真题
英语专四阅读理解真题
Life is a contest! Who will win? A bluebird and sparrow both compete for space to build their nests. A fast-growing maple tree and slower-growing dogwood compete for the sunlight they both need. Oil competes with coal and nuclear power as an energy source for electric power pla know we will have enough to go around in the future? We can choose alternate, or replacement, energy resources. It takes the earth millions of years to create coal, oil, and gas. They are nonrenewable resources.
There is a problem. There is a limited amount of space for birds, sunlight for trees, and energy for people! If we do not cut back on our uses of some of our resources, someday they will be gone!
Solar energy, wind energy and water energy are renewable. What other ways we conserve our resources? How can we make sure there is always enough to go around?
大学英语专四阅读题型辅导练习优选份
大学英语专四阅读题型辅导练习优选份大学英语专四阅读题型辅导练习 1Very old people do raise moral problems for almost everyone who es in contact with them. Their values―this can't be repeated too often―are not necessarily our values. Physical fort, cleanness and order are not necessarily the most important things. The social services from time to time find themselves faced with a flat with decaying food covered by small worms, and an old person lying alone in bed, taking no notice of the worms. But is it interfering with personal freedom to insist that they go to live with some of their relatives so that they might be taken better care of? Some social workers, the ones who clear up the worms, think we are in danger of carrying this concept of personal freedom to the point where serious risks are being taken with the health and safety of the old.Indeed, the old can be easily hurt or harmed. The body is like a car, it needs more mechanical maintenance as it gets older. You can carry this parison right through to the provision of spare parts. But never forget that such operations are painful experiences, however good the results. And at what point should you cease totreat the old body? Is it morally right to try to push off death by pursuing the development of drugs to excite the forgetful old mind and to activate(激活) the old body, knowing that it is designed to die? You cannot ask doctors or scientists to decide, because so long as they can see the technical opportunities, they will feel bound to give them a try, on the principle that while there's life, there's hope.When you talk to the old people, however, you are forced to the conclusion that whether age is happy or unpleasant depends less on money or on health than it does on your ability to have fun.1. It is implied in Paragraph 1 that______.A. very old people enjoy living with their relativesB. social services have nothing to do with very old peopleC. very old people would like to live alone so that they can have more personal freedomD. very old people are able to keep their rooms very clean2. Some social workers think that______.A. health and safety are more important than personal freedomB. personal freedom is more important than health andsafetyC. old people should keep their rooms cleanD. one should not take the risk of dealing with old people3. In the author's opinion, ______.A. the human body can't be pared to a carB. the older a person, the more care he needsC. too much emphasis has been put on old people's valuesD. it is easy to provide spare parts for old people4. The word “it" in the last paragraph refers to______.A. the conclusion you have e toB. your talk to the old peopleC. whether age is happy or unpleasantD. one's money or one's health5. The author thinks that______.A. medical decisions for old people should be left to the doctorsB. old people can enjoy a happy life only if they are very richC. the opinion that we should try every means possible to save old people is doubtfulD. it is always morally right to treat old people and push off death答案：1. C2. A3. B4. C5. C。
专业英语四级阅读
专业英语四级阅读English:In the paragraph, the author discusses the impact of technology on the job market, particularly focusing on automation and artificial intelligence (AI). The author argues that while technology has brought about significant changes, it has also created new opportunities. Automation has led to the displacement of certain jobs, particularly those involving repetitive tasks, but it has also created demand for new skills and occupations. AI, in particular, has the potential to revolutionize various industries, from healthcare to transportation, by improving efficiency and productivity. However, the author acknowledges the concerns about job displacement and the need for retraining workers to adapt to the evolving job market. Overall, the author emphasizes the importance of embracing technological advancements while also addressing the challenges they pose to employment.中文翻译:在段落中，作者讨论了技术对就业市场的影响，特别是关注自动化和人工智能（AI）。
专四阅读真题及答案
专四阅读真题及答案真题SECTION A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONSIn this section there are three passages followed by tenmultiple choice questions. For each multiple choice question, there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer and mark your answers on ANSWER SHEET TWO. PASSAGE ONE(1)When I was twenty-seven years old, I was a mining-broker's clerk in San Francisco, and an expert in all the details of stock traffic. I was alone in the world, and had nothing to depend upon but my wits and a clean reputation; but these were setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune, and I was content with the prospect. My time was my own after the afternoon board, Saturdays, and I was accustomed toputting it in on a little sail-boat on the bay. One day I ventured too far, and was carried out to sea. Just at nightfall, when hope was about gone, I was picked up by a small ship which was bound for London. It was a long and stormy voyage, and they made me work my passage without pay, as a common sailor. When I stepped ashore in London my clothes were ragged and shabby, and I had only a dollar in my pocket. This money fed and sheltered me twenty-four hours. During the next twenty-four I went without food and shelter.(2)About ten o'clock on the following morning, dirty and hungry,I was dragging myself along Portland Place, when a child that was passing, towed by a nurse-maid, tossed a big pear -minus one bite - into the gutter. I stopped, of course, and fastened my desiring eye on that muddy treasure. My mouth watered for it, my stomach craved it, my whole being, begged for it. But every time I made a move to get it some passing eye detected my purpose, and of course I straightened up then, and looked indifferent and pretended that I hadn't been thinking about the pear at all. This same thing kept happening and happening, and I couldn't get the pear.(3)I was just getting desperate enough to brave all the shame, and to seize it, when a window behind me was raised, and a gentleman spoke out of it, saying: "Step in here, please."(4)I was admitted by a man servant, and shown into a sumptuous room where a couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting. They sent away the servant, and made me sit down. They had just finished their breakfast, and the sight of the remains of it almost overpowered me. I could hardly keep my wits together in the presence of that food, but as I was not asked to sample it, I had to bear my trouble as best as I could.(5)Now, something had been happening there a little before, which I did not know anything about until a good many days afterwards, but I will tell you about it now. Those two old brothers had been having a pretty hot argument a couple of days before, and had ended by agreeing to decide it by a bet, which is the English way of settling everything.(6)You will remember that the Bank of England once issued two notes of a million pounds each, to be used for a special purpose connected with some public transaction with a foreign country. For some reason or other only one of these had been used and canceled; the other still lay in the vaults of the Bank. Well, the brothers, chatting along, happened to get to wondering what might be the fate of a perfectly honest and intelligent stranger who should be turned adrift in London without a friend, and with no money but that million-pound bank-note, and no way to account for his being in possession of it. Brother A said he would starve to death; Brother B said he wouldn't. Brother A said he couldn't offer it at a bank or anywhere else, because he would be arrested on the spot. So they went on disputing till Brother B said he would bet twenty thousand pounds that the man would live thirty days, anyway, on that million, and keep out of jail, too. Brother A took him up. Brother B went down to the Bank and bought that note. Then he dictated a letter, which one of his clerks wrote out in a beautiful round hand, and then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to. (7)I finally became the pick of them.41. In Para. 1, the phrase "set my feet" probablymeans___________. A. put me aside B. start my journey C. prepare me D. let me walk42. It can be concluded from Para. 2 that___________.A. the man wanted to maintain dignity though starvedB. the man could not get a proper chance to eat the pearC. the man did not reallywant the pear since it was dirty D. it was very difficult for the man to get the pear43. Compared with Brother A, Brother B was more ___________ towards the effect of the one-million-pound bank-note on a total stranger. A. neutral B. negative C. reserved D. positivePASSAGE TWO(1)The concept of peace is a very important one in cultures all over the world. Think about how we greet people. In some languages, the phrases for greetings contain the word for peace. In some cultures we greet people by shaking hands or with another gesture to show that we are not carrying weapons—that we come in peace. And there are certain symbols which people in very different cultures recognize as representing peace. Let's look at a few of them.The dove(2)The dove has been a symbol of peace and innocence for thousands of years in many different cultures. In ancient Greek mythology it was a symbol of love and the renewal of life. In ancient Japan a dove carrying a sword symbolized the end of war.(3)There was a tradition in Europe that if a dove flew around a house where someone was dying then their soul would be at peace. And there are legends which say that the devil can turn himself into anybird except for a dove. In Christian art, the dove was used to symbolize the Holy Ghost and was often painted above Christ's head.(4)But it was Pablo Picasso who made the dove a modern symbol of peace when he used it on a poster for the World Peace Congress in 1949.The rainbow(5)The rainbow is another ancient and universal symbol, often representing the connection between human beings and their gods. In Greek mythology it was associated with Iris, the goddess who brought messages from the gods on Mount Olympus. In Scandinavian mythology the rainbow was a bridge between the gods and the earth. In the Bible a rainbow showed Noah that the Biblical flood was finally over, and that God had forgiven his people. In the Chinese tradition, the rainbow is a common symbol for marriage because the colours represent the union ofyin and yang. Nowadays the rainbow is used by many popular movements for peace and the environment, representing the possibility of a better world in the future and promising sunshine after the rain.Mistletoe(6)This plant was sacred in many cultures, generally representing peace and love. Most people know of the tradition ofkissing under the mistletoe at Christmas time, which probably comes from Scandinavian mythology. The goddess Freya's son was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe, so, in honour of him, she declared that it would always be a symbol of peace. It was often hung in doorways as a sign of friendship.(7)The ancient Druids believed that hanging mistletoe in your doorway protected you from evil spirits. Tribes would stop fighting for a period of time if they found a tree with mistletoe. But you will never see mistletoe in a Christian church - it is banned because of its associations with pagan religion and superstition.The olive branch(8)The olive tree has always been a valuable source of food and oil. In Greek mythology, the goddess Athena gave the olive tree to the people of Athens, who showed their gratitude by naming the city after her. But no one knows for sure when or why it began to symbolize peace. There is probably a connection with ancient Greece. Wars between states were suspended during the Olympic Games, and the winners were given crowns of olive branches. The symbolism may come from the fact that the olive tree takes a long time to produce fruit, so olives could only be cultivated successfully in long periods of peace. Whatever the history, the olive branch is a part of many modern flags symbolizing peace and unity. One well-known example is the United Nations symbol.The ankh(9)The ankh is an ancient symbol which was adopted by the hippie movement in the 1960s to represent peace and love. It was found in many Asian cultures, but is generally associated with ancient Egypt. It represented life and immortality. Egyptians were buried with an ankh, so that they could continue to live in the "afterworld". The symbol was also found along the sides of the Nile, which gave life to the people.They believed that the ankh could control the flow of the river and make sure that there was always enough water.44. Which of the following is the best title for the passage? A. Concept of Peace. B. Origin of Peace Symbols. C. Popular Peace Symbols. D. Cultural Difference of Peace.45. The rainbow represents the connection between human beings and their gods in all the following countriesEXCEPT___________. A. Sweden B. Greece C. Finland D. China46. In North Europe mistletoe was often hung in doorways to indicate___________. A. friendship B. love C. kinship D. honour47. The origin of the ankh can date back to___________. A. the Nile B. the "afterworld" C. the hippie movement D. ancient EgyptPASSAGE THREE(1)Two sides almost never change: That you can manipulate people into self-sufficiency and that you can punish them into good citizenship.(2)The first manifests itself in our tireless search for the magical level at which welfare grants are big enough to meet basic needs but small enough to make low-paid work attractive. The second has us looking to the criminal justice system to cure behavior that is as much as anything the result of despair.(7)Not only can we never find the "perfect" punishment, our search for optimum penalties is complicated by our desire for fairness: to let the punishment fit the crime. The problem is that almost any punishment - even the disgrace of being charged with a crime - is sufficient to deter the middle class, while for members of the underclass, probation may be translated as "I beat it."(8)So how can you use the system - welfare or criminal justice - to produce the behavior we want? The answer, I suspect is: You can't.(9)We keep trying to use welfare and prison to change people -to make them think and behave the way we do - when the truth is the incentives work only for those who already think the way we do: who view today's action with an eye on the future.(10)We will take lowly work (if that is all that's available) because we believe we can make bad jobs work for us. We avoid crime not because we are better people but because we see getting caught as afuture-wrecking disaster. We are guided by a belief that good thingswill happen for us in the future if we take proper care of the present. Even under the worst of circumstances, we believe we are in control of our lives.(11)And we have trouble understanding that not everybodybelieves as we believe. The welfare rolls, the prisons and the mean streets of our cities are full of people who have given up on their(3)The welfare example is well known. We don't want poor people to live in squalor or their children to be malnourished. But we alsodon't want to subsidize the indolence of people who are too lazy to work. The first impulse leads us to provide housing, food stamps, medical care and a cash stipend for families in need. The second gets us to think about "workforce".(4)We've been thinking about it for two reasons: the "nanny" problems of two high-ranking government officials (who hired undocumented foreigners as household helpers, presumably because they couldn't find Americans to do the work) and President Clinton's proposal to put a two-year limit on welfare.(5)Maybe something useful will come of Clinton's idea, but I'm not all that hopeful. It looks to me like one more example of trying to manipulate people into taking care of themselves.(6)On the criminal justice side, we hope to make punishmenttough enough to discourage crime but not so tough as to clog our prisons with relatively minor offenders. Too short a sentence, we fear, will create contempt for the law. Too long a sentence will take up costly space better used for the violent and unremorseful.(7)Not only can we never find the "perfect" punishment, our search for optimum penalties is complicated by our desire for fairness: to let the punishment fit the crime. The problem is that almost any punishment - even the disgrace of being charged with a crime - is sufficient to deter the middle class, while for members of the underclass, probation may be translated as "I beat it."(8)So how can you use the system - welfare or criminal justice - to produce the behavior we want? The answer, I suspect is: You can't.(9)We keep trying to use welfare and prison to change people - to make them think and behave the way we do - when the truth is the incentives work only for those who already think the way we do: who view today's action with an eye on the future.(10)We will take lowly work (if that is all that's available) because we believe we can make bad jobs work for us. We avoid crime not because we are better people but because we see getting caught as a future-wrecking disaster. We are guided by a belief that good thingswill happen for us in the future if we take proper care of the present. Even under the worst of circumstances, we believe we are in control of our lives.(11)And we have trouble understanding that not everybody believes as we believe. The welfare rolls, the prisons and the mean streets of our cities are full of people who have given up on their future. Without hope for the future, hard work at a low-paid job makes no sense. Working hard in school, or pleasing a boss, or avoiding pregnancy makes no sense. The deadly disease is hopelessness. The lawlessness and poverty are only the obvious symptoms.(12)I'm not advocating that we stop looking for incentives to move poor people toward self-sufficiency or that we stop punishing people for criminal behavior. There will always be some people who need help and some who deserve to be in jail.(13)All I'm saying is that the long-term answer both to welfare and the crime that plagues our communities is not to fine tune the welfare and criminal justice systems but to prevent our children from getting the disease of despair.(14)If we encourage our young people to believe in the future, and give them solid evidence for believing, we'll find both crime and poverty shrinking to manageable proportions.48. What is the author's attitude towards Clinton's proposal to welfare? A. Pessimistic. B. Optimistic. C. Suspicious. D. Sarcastic.49. It can be inferred from Para. 7 that optimum penaltiesare___________to the underclass. A. useless B. hopeless C. frightening D. humiliating50. Which of the following is the most appropriate title for the passage?A. Lawlessness and Poverty.B. Criminal Justice System.C. Welfare Grants.D. Disease of Despair.SECTION B SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONSIn this section there are five short answer questions based on the passages in Section A. Answer the questions with NO more than TEN words in the space provided on ANSWER SHEET TWO. PASSAGE ONE51. In Para. 4, what does the man mean by saying "I had to bear my trouble"?52. What can be inferred from the last sentence of the passage?PASSAGE TWO53. Why does the UN use the olive branch in its symbol?PASSAGE THREE54. According to the author, what balance should we keep in welfare?55. What does the author mean by saying "Even under the worst of circumstances, we believe we are in control of our lives" (Para. 10)?参考答案PART V READING COMPREHENSION41-50: BADBD ADCBD51.Keep wits together in the presence of that food.52.The author was given the million-pound bank-note.53.It symbolizes peace and unity.54.Meeting basic needs and making low-paid work.55.Good things will happen by taking care of the present.。
英语专四阅读理解原文和练习
英语专四阅读理解原文和练习英语专四阅读理解原文和练习After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994, earthqua ke scientists had good news to report: the damage and death toll could have been much worse.More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, an earthquake of sim ilar intensity that shook America in 1988 claimed 25,000 victims.Injuries and deaths were relatively less in Los Angeles because the quake occurred at 4:31 a.m. on a holiday, when traffic was light on the city’s highways. In addition, changes made to the constrction codes in Los Angeles during the last 2 0 years have strengthened the city’s buildings and highways, making them more re sistant to quakes.Despite the good news, civil engineers aren’t resting on their successness. Pinned to their drawing boards are blueprints for improved quake瞨esistant building s . The new designs should offer even greater security to cities where earthquakes often take place.In the past, making structures quake瞨esistant meant firm yet flexible material s , such as steel and wood, that bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lif t a building off its foundation, and rubber and steel between the buildin g and its foundation to reduce the impact of ground vibrations. The most recent designs give buildings brains as well as concrete and steel supports. Called sma rt buildings, the structures respond like living organisms to an earthquake’s vib ration. When the ground shakes and the building tips forward, the computer would force the building to shift in the opposite direction.The new smart structures could be very expensive to build. However, they would s ave many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes.1. The function of the computer mentioned in the passage is to ___ ___.A. counterbalance an earthquake’s action on the buildingB. predict the coming of an earthquake with accuracyC. help strengthen the foundation of the buildingD. measure the impact of an earthqu ake’s vibrations2. The smart buildings discussed in the passage ______A. would cause serious financial problemsB. would be worthwhile though costlyC. would increase the complexity of architectural designD. can reduce the ground vibrations caused by earthquakes3. It can be inferred from the passage that in minimizing the damage cau sed by earthquakes attention should be focused on ______.A. the increasing use of rubber and steel in capital constructionB. the development of flexible building materialsC. the reduction of the impact of ground vibrationsD. early forecasts of earthquakes4. The author’s main purpose in writing the passage is to ___ ___.A. compare the consequences of the earthquakes that occurred in the U.SB. encourage civil engineers to make more extensive use of computersC. outline the history of the development of quake瞨esistant building materialsD. report new developments in constructing quake瞨esistant buildings1. A) 此题为细节题。
- 1、下载文档前请自行甄别文档内容的完整性，平台不提供额外的编辑、内容补充、找答案等附加服务。
- 2、"仅部分预览"的文档,不可在线预览部分如存在完整性等问题,可反馈申请退款(可完整预览的文档不适用该条件!)。
- 3、如文档侵犯您的权益，请联系客服反馈,我们会尽快为您处理(人工客服工作时间：9:00-18:30)。
Passage oneAt the age of twelve years, the human body is at its most vigorous.It has yet to reach its full size and strength, and its owner his orher full intelligence; but at this age the likelihood of death is least.Earlier, we were infants and young children, and consequently more vulnerable; later, we shall undergo a progressive loss of our vigor and resistance which, though imperceptible at first, will finallybecome so steep that we can live no longer, however well we lookafter ourselves, and however well society, and our doctors, lookafter us.This decline in vigor with the passing of time is called ageing. It is one of the most unpleasant discoveries which we all make that wemust decline in this way, that if we escape wars, accidents anddisease we shall eventually "die of old age", and that this happens ata rate which differs little from person to person, so that there areheavy odds in favor of our dying between the ages of sixty-five and eighty. Some of us will die sooner, a few will live longer--on into a ninth or tenth decade. But the chances are against it, and there is a virtual limit on how long we can hope to remain alive, howeverlucky and robust we are.Normal people tend to forget this process unless and until they are reminded of it. We are so familiar with the fact that man ages, that people have for years assumed that the process of losing vigor with time, of becoming more likely to die the older we get, wassomething self-evident, like the cooling of a hot kettle or thewearing-out of a pair of shoes. They have also assumed that allanimals, and probably other organisms such as trees, or even theuniverse itself, must in the nature of things "wear out".Most animals we commonly observe do in fact age as we do, if given the chance to live long enough; and mechanical systems like a wound watch, or the sun, do in fact an out of energy in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics (热力学) (whether the whole universe does so is a moot point at present). But these are not analogous to what happens when man ages. A run-down watch is still a watch and can be rewound. An old watch, by contrast, becomes so worn andunreliable that it eventually is not worth mending. But a watchcould never repair itself--it does not consist of living parts, only of metal, which wears away by friction. We could,at one time, repairourselves--well enough, at least, to overcome all but the most instantly fatal illnesses and accidents. Between twelve and eighty years we gradually lose this power; an illness which at twelve would knock us over, at eighty can knock us out, and into our grave. If we could stay as vigorous as we are at twelve, it would take about 700 years for half of us to die, and another 700 for the survivors to be reduced by half again.1. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?A. Our first twelve years represent the peak of human development.B. People usually are unhappy when reminded of ageing.C. Normally only a few of us can live to the eighties and nineties.D. People are usually less likely to die at twelve years old.2. The word "it" in the last sentence of Paragraph Two refers toA. remaining alive until 65.B. remaining alive after 80.C. dying before 65 or after 80.D. dying between 65 and 80.3. What is ageing?A. It is usually a phenomenon of dying at an old age.B. It is a fact that people cannot live any longer.C. It is a gradual loss of vigor and resistance.D. It is a phase when people are easily attacked by illness.4. What do the examples of watch show?A. Normally people are quite familiar with the ageing process.B. All animals and other organisms undergo the ageing process.C. The law of thermodynamics functions in the ageing process.D. Human's ageing process is different from that of mechanisms.5. Which of the following best fits the style of this passage?A. Argumentation.B. Exposition.C. Narration.D. Description.Passage towThis year, like lots of other people, I'm going to try to make my own Christmas presents. It's not the first time that I've promised myself this. Being a milliner, and an all-round crafty type, I've often thought I should put my money where my mouth is. But this year I'm really going to stick to it. It's partly that I'm short of cash, butalso that I've recently returned from an inspiring trip around Britain, looking into "make do and mend" for BBC2's Newsnight.I dreamed up the trip a few months ago. The thought of traveling the country--making things as I went, meeting artists andcraftspeople--sounded like the perfect way to spend the summer.I'd pack a tent and a sewing machine and off I'd go. But by the time I finalized my plans and hit the road, leaves were already crunching under foot. It seemed crazy to camp with winter on the way; instead, Newsnight viewers offered me board and lodging in return for help with a craft task. There was an overwhelming response.My tasks ranged from darning (缝补) a moth-eaten monk's jumper to making trousers for a stilt walker. Textile students in Harpenden offered to pay for my petrol in return for a talk about hats. In Derby, Amy needed help to transform an old pair of curtains.I was really struck by people's growing enthusiasm for making things. I asked a WI group in Sheffield how many could sew, and only a few put up their hands. But when I asked who wanted to learn,nearly everyone responded positively. At the Textile Workshop in Nottingham, the number of classes on offer has doubled in a year, and a knitting club in Leeds is growing by the week.Craft is definitely fashionable at the moment. But over and above fashion, we're learning to appreciate effort and quality again. Perhaps once people rediscover the pleasure to be gained from making something unique, it may stick.Sue Pilchard is curator (管理者) of quilts at the V&A, where next spring she'll be putting on the museum's first major quilting exhibition. Sue believes the return to crafting is wrapped up in how we are redefining ourselves. "There's certainly a movement..,towards a new domesticity. People, especially women, are startingto think about the way they live their lives. It's 40 years since the first women's liberation conference was held in Oxford. Since that time we've been in the workplace, and we've had the opportunity of choice. Now we're deliberately choosing to go back into the home."Whether you agree with that or not, there's something about Christmas that brings out the artistic streak in everyone. Whether it's baking mince pies or decking the halls, we're all prepared to have a go. So if you fancy pushing the boat out and making a few presents, try these really simple ideas, each inspired by my recent journey. They make ideal stocking fillers or small gifts, and take no longer than 30 minutes each. Play some carols, settle down with a steaming cup of cocoa, and forget the cold. You'll save yourself abit of money and spread a little bit of love too!1. The author promised to make herself a Christmas present thisyear mainly becauseA. she wanted to save money.B. she couldn't afford to buy one.C. she was inspired by her trip for a BBC2 program.D. A lot of people make presents themselves.2. Which of the following is CORRECT about the author's trip to Britain?A. She met many artists and craftsmen on her way to Britain.B. She spent a whole summer in Britain making crafts.C. She was asked to sew clothes, pants and curtains and made a fortune.D. Many people were found to be interested in making things themselves.3. When was the author probably on her trip to Britain?A. Spring.B. Late Summer.C. Late Autumn.D. Winter.4. According to the passage, through crafting people learn toA. appreciate the efforts in manual things.B. keep up with fashion.C. stick to something interesting.D. understand craft better.5. What is the author's view on homemade Christmas presents?A. Making Christmas presents can just convey a bit of your love.B. It would take long time to prepare a Christmas present.C. You can drink a cup of hot cocoa when you make preparations.D. People can find their artistic talent in making Christmas presents.Passage threeImagine you are a citizen of Athens, enjoying a warm Mediterranean night in the Theater of Herodes Atticus. You are wearing jeans and a T-shirt, listening to a great concert.Now rewind this picture 1,839 years. You are in the same seat, only you are watching classical Greek entertainment and wearing a simple chiton, or tunic.The city of Athens is a fun mix of the old and the new, the classic and the modem. Often a little shop is located next to the rains of a temple, which is only a block from a large, air-conditioned hotel. The great city of 2,500 years ago is still visible today.Ruins are the most obvious sign of ancient Athens, and the most famous of these is the Acropolis. The Acropolis is a large hill that was the center of life in Athens. On its slopes were temples, monuments, and theaters. From the top, you can see how the urban sprawl (扩展,延伸) of Athens stretches out in every direction.On the top of the Acropolis is the Parthenon. This was once a huge temple to Athena, the city's patron. It was first completed in 432B.C., but has been damaged and destroyed several times. However, visitors can still see the "tricks" used in building the Parthenon. The columns along the outside lean inward, and are slightly fatterin the middle. The temple is also higher in the middle than on the sides. All these effects make the Parthenon look perfectly straight from a distance.Only a block away from the Acropolis is the neighborhood of Plaka. The area, with its little shops and restaurants, is very popular with both tourists and locals, and is an important part of modemAthenian culture.Many great thinkers, writers, and political leaders lived in ancient Athens. The ruins of their homes and favorite spots are scattered throughout the busy port city. The hill where St. Paul addressed early Christian Athenians is located near the Acropolis. Great thinkers such as Perikles and Demosthenes spoke to the civil assemblies held at the Pnyx Hill. Today the Pnyx is an open-air theater for light and sound shows.Greeks still use some ancient sites, such as the Pnyx and theTheater of Herodes Atticus. During Roman times, in 76 A.D.,gladiators (角斗士) used the Panathenaic Stadium for contests. The Olympics were held there in 1896, and today people still jog and exercise in the stadium.Tourism is very important to people who live in modem-day Athens. Thousands of people come every year to see these ruins and to tour the many museums that house artifacts from ancient times. This provides many jobs and brings money into Athens, which helps the city pay for improvements. Athenians take pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors, and people from all around the world come to admire them. By looking around the city today, we can imagine what life was like in ancient Athens.1. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the city of Athens?A. The culture of the city is a mixture of the old and modem.B. Traces of the ancient city can still be found.C. Ruins and modem hotels co-exist in the city.D. All the temples are not far away from air-conditioned hotels.2. Which tourist attraction was ancient Athens most famous for?A. Plaka.B. Acropolis.C. Pnyx.D. Parthenon.3. According to the context, "tricks" in Paragraph Five refer toA. mischievous acts.B. confusing constructing skills.C. skillful constructing methods.D. constructing materials.4. The writer mentioned all the following benefits of tourism in Athens for Athenians EXCEPTA. offering job opportunities to Athenians.B. enriching Athenians by providing accommodation for tourists.C. enabling Athenians to improve the infrastructures.D. making Athenians proud of their ancestors.5. What is the best title for the passage?A. Tourism in Athens.B. Athens: Then & Now.C. Historic Interests in Athens.D. The Magic of Ancient Athens.Passage fourRecently, Congressional Democrats introduced legislation to makeit easier for older workers to win age discrimination lawsuits. Age discrimination remains a significant workplace issue.In recent ten years, 15.79 percent of cases brought to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, were described as successful claims. While this number is small given the number of workers covered by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, many, if not most, instances of age discrimination are never sued, and caseshiring discrimination often go undetected.Most of those who do sue are white, male middle-managers who are likely to have lost a sizeable salary and pension. For the most part, other groups do not sue because the costs of a lawsuit outweigh the potential benefits. Age discrimination remains a significant workplace issue.There is strong experimental evidence for age discrimination in hiring, at least for entry-level jobs. Recently, I performed a labor market experiment in Boston in which I sent out thousands of resumes for fictitious (虚构的) entry-level female candidates and measured response rate based on date of high school graduation. Among this group, younger applicants, whose date of high school graduation indicated that they were less than 50 years old, were 40 percent more likely to be called back for an interview than were older applicants. It is difficult to tell whether employment problems are worse for older workers than for other workers when times are bad. The number of discrimination lawsuits increasesduring times of high unemployment, but this finding by itself does not indicate an increased level of age discrimination. In times of higher unemployment, the opportunity cost to a lawsuit is lowerthan it is when times are good.From the employer's perspective, mass layoffs may seem like a good chance to remove a higher proportion of generally more expensive older workers without the worry of being sued. On the other hand, employers may be less likely to remove protected older workers because' they still fear lawsuits. One thing we do know is that once an older worker loses a job, he or she is much less likely to find a new job than a younger worker is.Unfortunately, the effect of legislation prohibiting agediscrimination is not easy to see and may actually be part of the reason it is so difficult for older workers to find employment. If it is more difficult to fire an older worker than a younger worker, afirm will be less likely to want to hire older workers. Indeed, my research finds that in states where workers have longer time tobring a lawsuit claim, older men work fewer weeks per year, are less likely to be hired, and less likely to be fired than men in states where they do not have as much.Not many people would suggest that we go back to a world prior to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, in which advertisements specify the specific ages of people they are willing to hire. However, legislation prohibiting discrimination is no panacea (万灵药). The recent proposed congressional legislation could have both positive and negative effects on potential older workers.1. A lot of cases of age discrimination are not found becauseA. age discrimination law was just introduced recently.B. other discriminated groups don't sue except the whites.C. age discrimination cases are in large quantity and it isdifficult to detect all of them.D. many discriminated people don't sue and costs of a lawsuit outweigh potential benefits.2. The labor market experiment in Boston shows thatA. younger male applicants are more likely to be hired thantheir female counterparts.B. age discrimination is quite common in hiring process.C. the author collected information by interviewing female applicants.D. female applicants who are 50 years old will never have a chance to get a job.3. What may lead to the increase of discrimination lawsuits during times of high unemployment?A. The increase of age discrimination.B. The decrease of age discrimination.C. The decrease of opportunity cost to lawsuits.D. The increase of opportunity cost to lawsuits, .4. From the last paragraph, we learn thatA. employers could specify the ages of people they want to hire in the past.B, all employers recruited workers through advertisement in the past.C. legislation prohibiting discrimination can't free old workers from age discrimination.D. the recent proposed congressional legislation is ineffective.5. The author is __ when he analyzes the age discrimination issue.A. pessimisticB. partialC. objectiveD. doubtful。