最新整理公共英语四级阅读材料:Work

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公共英语四级-146

公共英语四级-146

公共英语四级-146(总分:65.00,做题时间:90分钟)一、Section Ⅰ Use of English(总题数:1,分数:20.00)All the wisdom of the ages, all the stories that have delighted mankind for centuries, are easily and cheaply 1 to all of us 2 the covers of books -- but we must know how to avail ourselves 3 this treasure and how to get 4 from it. The most 5 people all over the world, are 6 who have never discovered how 7 it is to read good books.I am very interested in people, in meeting them and 8 about them. Some of the most 9 people I"ve met existed only in a Writer"s imagination, then 10 the pages of his book, and then, again, in my imagination. I"ve found in books new friends, new societies, new words.If I am interested in people, others are interested not so much in who 11 in how. Who in the books includes everybody from science-fiction superman two hundred centuries in the future all the way back to the first 12 in history; how 13 everything from the ingenious explanations of Sherlock Holmes 14 the discoveries of science and ways of teaching manners to children.Reading can make our minds feel pleased, 15 means that it is a little like a sport: your eagerness and knowledge and quickness 16 you a good reader. Reading is 17 , not because the writer is telling you something, 18 because it makes your mind work. Your own imagination works together with the 19 or even goes beyond his. Your experience, 20 his, brings you to the same or different conclusions, and your ideas develop as you understand his.(分数:20.00)efulB.newC.readableD.available √解析:[解析] available“可获得的,可利用的”。

公共英语考试四级《阅读3》试题及答案

公共英语考试四级《阅读3》试题及答案

公共英语考试四级《阅读3》试题及答案公共英语考试四级《阅读3》试题及答案Text 3Today, there are many avenues open to those who wish to continue their education. However, nearly all require some break in one’s career in order to attend school full time. Part-time education, that is, attending school at night or for one weekend a month, tends to drag the process out over time and puts the completion of a degree program out of reach of many people. Additionally, such programs require a fixed time commitment which can also impact negatively on one’s career and family time. Of the many approaches to teaching and learning, however, perhaps the most flexible and accommodating is that called distance learning.Distance learning is an educational method, which allows the students the flexibility to study at his or her own pace to achieve the academic goals, which are so necessary in today’s world. The time required to study many be set aside at the student’s convenience with due re gard to all life’s other requirements. Additionally, the student may enroll in distance learning courses from virtually any place in the world, while continuing to pursue their chosen career. Tutorial assistance may be available via regular airmail, telephone, facsimile machine, teleconferencing and over the Internet. Good distance learning programs are characterized by the inclusion of a subject evaluation tool with every subject. This precludes the requirement for a student to travel away from home to take a test.Another characteristic of a good distance-learning program is the equivalence of the distance-learning course with the samesubject materials as those students taking the course on the home campus. The resultant diploma or degree should also be the same whether distance learning or on-campus study is employed. The individuality of the professor/student relationship is another characteristic of a good distance-learning program. In the final analysis, a good distance learning program has a place not only for the individual students but also the corporation or business that wants to work in partnership with their employees for the educational benefit, professional development, and business growth of the organization. Sponsoring distance learning programs for their employees gives the business the advantage of retaining career-minded people while contributing to their personal and professional growth through education.1、According to the passage, which of the following is NOTa disadvantage of part-time education?A、It requires some break in one’s career.B、It tends to last too long for many people to complete a degree program.C、It affects one’s career.D、It gives the student less time to share with the family.(本题分值:1.5分)【答案】A2、Which of the following is NOT an advantage of distance learning?A、The students may choose his or her own pace.B、The students may study at any time to his or her convenience.C、They can pursue their chosen career while studying.D、Their tutorial assistance comes through regular airmail, telephone, facsimile machine, etc.(本题分值:1.5分)【答案】D3、What benefit will distance-learning program bring to a business?A、Recruitment of more talented people.B、Good image of the business.C、Better cooperation with universities.D、Further training of employees and business growth.(本题分值:1.5分)【答案】D4、What benefit will distance learning bring to an employee of a business?A、Professional growth.B、Good relationship with the employer.C、Good impression on the employer.D、Higher salary.(本题分值:1.5分)【答案】A5、Which is not the characteristic of distance learning?A、It includes a subject evaluation tool with every subject.B、Its course uses the same subject materials as those students taking the course on the home campus.C、A distance-learning program has a place only for students.D、The relationship of the professor/student is characterized by individuality.(本题分值:1.5分)【答案】C。

英语四级真题作文及范文(必备18篇)

英语四级真题作文及范文(必备18篇)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying “Learning is a daily experience and a lifetime mission.” You can cite examples to illustrate the importance of lifelong learning. You should write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.It is widely accepted that to live and learn is a creed of many centuries. Even in contemporary society, life -long learning still carries great importance to personal happiness.Example:As a famous saying goes, “Never go out there to see what happens, go out there to make something happen。

” Simple as the saying is, its meaning is profound and thought-provoking, which is meant to tell us that we are supposed to be creative instead of acting as the onlooker。

Conspicuous are the impacts of being creative and I would like to explore the following aspects。

PETS4级经典阅读题型解析

PETS4级经典阅读题型解析

PETS4级经典阅读题型解析PETS4级经典阅读题型解析Directions:It has been more than 30 years since man first landed on the moon. Some people think that space research is a waste of money. Write an essay of no less than 250 words.When it comes to the issue of space research, people vary in their views. Some journalists or free lancers maintain that it is a waste of money. However, through decades of practice and observation, it proves that this comment has many limitations.Admittedly, the idea that space research is a waste of money does contain an element of truth. But the people who criticize the rising cost of space exploration tend to ignore two other essential aspects. T o begin with, a nation can make the best use of its technology in space plans to serve the need of other countries. Therefore, the country in its space research can profit greatly from data exchange or rocket launching. In this sense, the financial return from the space plans will possibly far exceed the amount of the investment. What is more, through its space exploration, a nation can have more information about new material or the movement of heavenly bodies. All these results cannot be measured by money, but they are very important for the human beings.Given the reasons above, it is safe to conclude that a nation has to enhance its awareness that space research is important for the human beings. On the other hand, central authorities is obliged to take broad actions to encourage space study. Still, Federal Government is expected to set aside sufficient fund each year rather than reducing it. Only in this way can space researchdevelop quickly and benefit human beings in the future.If ambition is to be well regarded, the rewards of ambition —wealth, distinction, control over one’s destiny —must be deemed worthy of the sacrifices made on ambition’s behalf. If the tradition of ambition is to have vitality, it must be widely shared; and it especially must be highly regarded by people who are themselves admired, the educated not least among them. In an odd way, however, it is the educated who have claimed to have given up on ambition as an ideal. What is odd is that they have perhaps most benefited from ambition — if not always their own then that of their parents and grandparents.。

英语四级阅读理解练习:工作和娱乐

英语四级阅读理解练习:工作和娱乐

英语四级阅读理解练习:工作和娱乐在英语学习过程中,阅读理解能力是学习者发展语言能力的基础和手段。

国内的各类英语考试中几乎都有阅读理解题型,大学英语四级考试也不例外。

大学英语四级阅读理解试题是试卷中分值最重的题型,为了提高大家的阅读水平,下面是店铺为大家带来英语四级阅读练习,希望对大家的学习有所帮助!英语四级阅读理解练习:工作和娱乐What do we mean by leisure, and why should we assume that it represents a problem to be solved by the arts? The great ages of art were not conspicuous for their leisure—at least, art was not an activity associated with leisure. It was a craft like any other, concerned with the making of necessary things. Leisure, in the present meaning of the word, did not exist. Leisure, before the Industrial Revolution, meant no more than "time" or "opportunity"; "If your leisure served, I would speak with you. " says one of Shakespeare's characters. Phrases which we still use, such as "at your leisure", preserve this original meaning.But when we speak of leisure nowadays, we are not thinking of securing time or opportunity to do something; time is heavy on our hands, and the problem is how to fill it. Leisure no longer signifies a space with some difficulty secured against the pressure of events: rather it is a pervasive emptiness for which we must invent occupations. Leisure is a vacuum, a desperate state of vacancy—a vacancy of mind and body. It has been commandeered ( 强占) by the sociologists and the psychologists: it is a problem.Our diurnal existence is divided into two phases, as distinct as day and night. We call them work and play. We work so many hours a day, and, when we have allowed the necessary minimumfor such activities as eating and shopping, the rest we spend in various activities which are known as recreations, an elegant word which disguises the fact that we usually do not even play in our hours of leisure, but spend them in various forms of passive enjoyment or entertainment—not football but watching football matches; not acting, but theatre-going; not walking, but riding in a motor coach.We need to make, therefore, a hard-and-fast(不能变通的) distinction not only between work and play but, equally, between active play and passive entertainment. It is, I suppose, the decline of active play—of amateur sport— and the enormous growth of purely receptive entertainment which has given rise to a sociological interest in the problem. If the greater part of the population, instead of indulging in sport, spend their hours of leisure "viewing" television programmes, there will inevitably be a decline in health and physique. And, in addition, there will be a psychological problem, for we have yet to trace the mental and moral consequences of a prolonged diet of sentimental or sensational spectacles on the screen. There is, if we are optimistic, the possibility that the diet is too thin and unnourishing to have much permanent effect on anybody. Nine films out of ten seem to leave absolutely no impression on the mind or imagination of those who see them: few people can give a coherent account of the film they saw the week before last, and at longer intervals they must rely on the management to see that they do not sit through the same film twice.We have to live art if we would be affected by art. We have to paint rather than look at paintings, to play instruments rather than go to concerts, to dance and sing and act ourselves, engaging all our senses in the ritual and discipline of the arts.Then something may begin to happen to us: to work upon our bodies and our souls.It is only when entertainment is active, participated in, practiced, that it can properly be called play, and as such it is a natural use of leisure. In that sense play stands in contrast to work, and is usually regarded as an activity that alternates with work. It is there that the final and most fundamental error enters into our conception of daily life.Work itself is not a single concept. We say quite generally that we work in order to make a living: to earn, that is to say, sufficient tokens which we can exchange for food and shelter and all the other needs of our existence. But some of us work physically, cultivating the land, minding the machines, digging the coal; others work mentally, keeping accounts, inventing machines, teaching and preaching, managing and governing. There does not seem to be any factor common to all these diverse occupations, except that they consume our time, and leave us little leisure.We may next observe that one man's profession or work is often another man's recreation or play. The merchant at the weekend becomes a hunter (he has not yet taken to mining); the clerk becomes a gardener; the machine-tender becomes a breeder of bull-terriers ( 叭喇狗)There is, of course ,a sound instinct behind such transformations. The body and mind are unconsciously seeking compensation—muscular coordination, mental integration. But in many cases a dissociation is set up and the individual leads a double life—one half Jekyll, the other half Hyde(有善恶双重性格的人)- There is a profound moral behind that story of Stevenson's, for the compensation which a disintegrated personality may seek will often be of an anti-social nature. TheNazi party, for example, in its early days was largely recruited from the bored—not so much from the unemployed as from the street-corner society of listless hooligans.Scientific studies have been made of street-corner society, out of which crime, gangsterdom, and fascism inevitably develop. It is a society with leisure—that is to say, spare time—and without compensatory occupation. It does not need a Satan to find mischief for such idle hands. They will spontaneously itch to do something: muscles have a life of their own unless they are trained to purposeful actions. Actions, or rather activities, are the obvious reflex to leisure; they consume it, and leave the problem solved.But work is also activity, and if we reach the conclusion that all our time must be filled with one activity or another, the distinction between work and play becomes rather meaningless, and what we mean by play is merely a change of occupation. We pass from one form of activity to another; one we call work, and for that we receive pay; the other we call play, and for that we receive no pay—on the contrary, we probably pay a subscription.1. The Industrial Revolution brought about a change in the nature of people's work as well as in the amount of time it took.2. Passive entertainment, which has increased in our age, leads to a decline in health and may also create psychological problems.3. The division of activities into work and play is unsatisfactory because it conceals the important distinction between active entertainment and passive entertainment.4. Mental work is more beneficial to one's psychology than physical work.5. The Nazi party was mostly enrolled from the jobless.6. TV programs should be abandoned because they entertain viewers passively.7. The word "leisure" has completely changed its original meanings.8. Danger may arise if work and play are not______coordinated.9. When entertainment is active, play can serve as an activity that______work.10. One man may perceive another man's recreation as______.答案:I. Y 2. Y 3. Y 4. NG 5. N 6. N 7. N 8. properly 9. alternates with10. profession (or work)英语四级阅读理解练习:工作和娱乐在英语学习过程中,阅读理解能力是学习者发展语言能力的基础和手段。

英语四级阅读理解基础练习及答案

英语四级阅读理解基础练习及答案

英语四级阅读理解基础练习及答案英语四级阅读理解基础练习一:The greatest contribution to civilization in the century may well be the air-conditioning- and American leads just as amazing is the speed with which this situation came to be. Air-conditioning began to spread in industries as a production aid during World War Ⅱ. Today most Americans need to take air-conditioning for granted to homes, offices, factories, theatres, shops, studios, schools, hotels, and restaurants.But not everybody is aware that high cost and easy comfort are merely two of the effects of the vast cooling of American. In fact, air conditioning has substantially altered the countrys character and customs.Many of the byproducts are so conspicuous that they are scarcely noticed. To begin with, air-conditioning transformed the face of America by making possible those glassy, boxy, sealed-in skyscrapers. It has been indispensable, no less, to the functioning of sensitive advanced computers, whose high operating temperatures require that they be constantly cooled. . .It has, at will, forced families into retreating into families with closed doors and shut windows, reducing the interactions of neighborhood life. It is really surprising that the publics often noted withdrawal into self-pursuit and privacy has coincided with the historic spread ofair-conditioning. Though science has little studied how habitualair-conditioning affects mind and body, some medical experts suggest that,like other technical avoidance of natural variations in climate,air-conditioning may damage the human capacity to adapt to stress. If so, air-conditioning is only like many other greatly useful technical developments that liberate man from nature by increasing his productivity and power in some way - while indirectly weakening him in others.1. According to this selection, which of the following constitutes the unique character of U.S.?A)Its excessive use of air-conditioning.B)Its advanced computerized civilization.C)Its publics retreating into self-pursuit.D)Its greatest contribution to human civilization.2. According to the author, the chief consequence brought about by the wide application of air-conditioning is ____.A)the loss of human capacity to adapt to changes in climateB)the reduction of social communications of neighborhood lifeC)the active life style of all its usersD)the decreased human production and power3. The tone of this selection reveals that air-conditioning ____.A)has little effect on its usersB)has more effect on body than on mindC)brings more benefits than damage to its usersD)does harm as well as good to its users4. Who benefits the least from air-conditioning according to the author?A)Medical experts.B)Manufacturers.C)Factory laborers.D)Consumers.5. What is the authors overall attitude towards air-conditioning?A)NeutralB)ObjectiveC)CriticalD)Compromising答案:1.A)Its excessive use of air-conditiong对应原文Today most Americans need to take air-conditioning for granted to homes, offices, factories, theatres, shops, studios, schools, hotels, and restaurants.take sth for granted认为某事理所当然2.B)the reduction of social communications of neighborhood life对应原文forced families into retreating into families with closed doors and shut windows, reducing the interactions of neighborhood life neighborhood life社区生活选项A并未对应题干中的According to the author而是对应原文中的some medical experts suggest that3.标准答案是C)brings more benefits than damage to its users,但我认为应该选D)does harm as well as good to its users,对应原文最后一句If so, air-conditioning is only like many other greatly useful technical developments(positive words)that liberate man from nature by increasing his productivity and power in some way - while indirectly weakening him in others(negative words),于是does harm as well as good to its users.4.D)Consumers是最精确的。

2021年英语四级考试阅读习题及答案解析(4)

2021年英语四级考试阅读习题及答案解析(4)

2021年英语四级考试阅读习题及答案解析(4)Passage 4Sport is not only physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive amount of __1__ or stress for young athletes. Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as __2__ or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.The early years of development are __3__ years for learning about oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to __4__ with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can __5__ affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents’ and coaches’ criticisms to heart and find a flaw(缺陷)in themselves.Coaches and parents should also be __6__ that youth sportparticipation does not become work for children. That outcome of the game should not be more important than the __7__ of learning the sport and other life lessons. In today’s youth sport setting, young athletes may be worrying more about who will win instead of __8__ themselves and the sport. Following a game many parents and coaches __9__ on the outcome and find fault with youngsters’ performances. Positive reinforcement should be provided regardless of the outcome. Research indicates that positive reinforcement motivates and has a greater effect on learning that criticism. Again, criticism can create __10__ levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.A)process B)high C)enjoying D)anxietyE)settle F)cautious G)cooperate H)greatlyI)dropping J)hardly K)intense L)focusM)aspiration N)critical O)procedure参考答案及解析:1.选D)。

大学英语四级考试阅读单项题

大学英语四级考试阅读单项题

大学英语四级考试阅读单项题大学英语四级考试阅读单项题A clear conscience is a sure card.以下是店铺为大家搜索整理的大学英语四级考试阅读单项题,希望能给大家带来帮助!It looked like a typical business meeting. Six men, neatly dressed in white shirts and ties filed into the boardroom of a small Jakarta company and sat down at a long table. But instead of consulting files or hearing reports, they closed their eyes and began to meditate, consulting the spirits of ancient Javanese kings. Mysticism touches almost every aspect of life in Indonesia and business is no exception. One of the meditators said his weekly meditation sessions are aimed mainly at bringing the peace of mind that makes for good decision-making. But the insight gained from mystic communication with spirits of wise kings has also helped boost the profits of his five companies.Mysticism and profits have come together since the 13th century introduction of Islam to Indonesia by Indian Moslem merchants. Those devout traders, called ‘Wali Ullah’ or ‘those close to God, ’ energetically spread both trade and religion by adapting their appeals to the native mysticism of Java. Legends attribute magic power of foreknowledge to the Wali Ullah. These powers were believed to be gained through meditation and fasting.Businessman Hadisiko said his group fasts and meditates all night every Thursday to become closer to God and to contact the spirits of the great men of the past. ‘If we want to employ someone at the managerial level, we meditate together and often the message comes that this man can’t hole onto money or he is untrustworthy. Or maybe the spirits will tell us he should behired.’ Hadiziko hastened to add that his companies also hold modern personnel management systems and that formal qualifications are essential for a candidate even to be considered. Perspective investments also are considered through mystic meditation. ‘With the mind relaxed and open, it is easier to be objective in judging the risk of a new venture. Meditation and contact with the wisdom of the old leaders sharpens your own insight and intuition. Then you have to apply that intuition to the information you have and work hard to be successful. ’ Mystic meditation helped reverse a business slide his companies experienced in the mid-1980. Operating with normal business procedures, he lost more than $ 3 millions in that year alone. Meditation brought back his peace of mind. Putting the right persons in the right jobs and gaining confidence in his business decisions were the keys to a turning around that has brought expansion and profitability. The mysticism in Handspike’s boardroom is part of a growing movement in Indonesia called Kebatinan –the ‘search for the inner self.’One of his managers, Yusuf Soemado, who studied business administration at Harvard University, compared the idea of mystic management to western system of positive thinking. ‘Willpower and subconscious mind are recognized as important factors in business. Such approaches as psycho-cybernetics, Carnegie’s think an d growth rates, or the power of positive thinking are western attempts to tap the same higher intelligence that we contact through meditation,’ he said.1. What is the most important factor in their doing business?[A] Mysticism.[B] Religion.[C] Meditation.[D] Investment.2. Whom do they consult?[A] The spirits of ancient Javanese kings.[B] Wali Ullah.[C] Old Kings.[D] Carnegie.3. Why did Hadisike hasten to add "his companies also hold modern personnel management systems…?[A] He thought Mysticism was not so good as expected.[B] To show they too focused on qualifications.[C] To show they hired qualified persons.[D] T o show the possibility of combination of the scientific management with religion.4. According to the passage, the function of the meditation is______.[A] to gain profit from the god.[B] to gain peace of mind to make decision.[C] to gain foreknowledge.[D] to gain objective conclusion.5. What does "operating with normal business procedures" refer to?[A] Adopting the western way of doing business.[B] Ordinary way of doing business without meditation and fasting.[C] Contact with God.[D] Putting right persons in the right jobs.Vocabulary1. file into 鱼贯而入,排队进去2. Jakarta 雅加达3. meditate 沉思,冥想,反省4. Java 爪哇5. Javanese 爪哇的6. mysticism 神秘主义7. boost 促进,增加,提高8. devout 虔诚的,热诚的9. appeal (to) 向……呼吁,求助于,魅力10. legend 传说,神话11. fasting 禁食,斋戒12. hold onto 抓紧,保住13. personnel management system 人事管理制度14. perspective investment 远景投资15. venture (商业)投机,风险16. sharpen 使……敏锐/尖锐,磨尖17. business slide 买卖/企业滑坡,下滑18. turn around (生意)好转,转变19. subconscious 下意识的,潜意识的20. cybernetics 控制论21. Carnegie 卡耐基22. tap 开拓,选择1. Mysticism touches almost every aspect of lifein Indonesia and business is no exception.【参考译文】在印尼神秘主义似乎涉及到印尼生活的各个方面,商业也不例外。

英语四级阅读练习+答案精讲+译文word版本

英语四级阅读练习+答案精讲+译文word版本

英语四级阅读练习+答案精讲+译文Aldous Huxley was a most unfortunate man.When he died in 1963 he must have expired in the confident belief that the event would be given wide coverage in the press the next day.After all,his career had not been without distinction.Where he made his big mistake was in dying on the same day that John F.Kennedy was assassinated.As a result Huxley got about three column inches at the bottom of page 27.In the same way the death of Victor Farris has gone widely unnoticed because he foolishly shuffled off this mortal coil at the same time as Mr.Konstantin Chernenko.Now,as you all know,Victor Farris was the chap who invented the paper clip.The paper milk carton too.And paper clips and milk cartons will be in use long after everyone has forgotten the name of the comrade who came between Andropov and whatever this new bloke is called.『The same goes for the inventor of the supermarket trolley who died in Switzerland a few months ago.』①Fell off his trolley,so to speak.『For all I know,he may be a household name in his own canton and they are putting up a statue of home wheeling his trolley,and are going to commemorate him on one of those ever-so-tasteful Swiss postage stamps we used to collect when we were younger and wiser,』②but I doubt if his name will be remembered outside the borders of his small country.Personally I forgot it within minutes of reading of his decease.Not that it matters.Somehow it is hard to imagine things like paper clips and supermarket trolleys having had a n amed inventor.It’s like discovering that at a particular moment of history a particular person invented the spoon,or the chair, or socks.One assumes that these everyday objects just happened,or evolved through natural selection.It isn’t necessarily so.I read only the other day that Richard Ⅱ invented the handkerchief.Almost everything else was invented either by Leonardo daVinci(scissors,bicycles,helicopters,and probably spoons,socks and the Rubik cube aswell)or by Benjamin Franklin(lightning-conductor,rocking-chair,bifocals)or else by Joseph Stalin(television).It’s quite possible that Leonardo or Benjamin Franklin or Stalin also invented the supermarket trolley.Certainly it has been invented more than once.Hardly was Herr Edelweiss(or whatever the Swiss chap was called)in his grave,than news came of the death of Sylvan N.Goodman at the age of 86.Sylvan also invented the supermarket trolley or,as the Los Angeles Times report calls it,the shopping cart.Be that as it may,Herr Edelweiss or Sylvan Goodman,or both,did a grand job and made supermarket shopping far less hellish than it would otherwise be.The next step will be to get the trolleys out of the shops and into the streets.You could put an engine in the front and call it a car.Or give it big wheels and a canopy and call it a pram.The possibilities are endless.1.It can be inferred from the passage that Herr Edelweiss.A.was remembered by the people all over worldB.made a lot of money from his inventionC.was not very famousD.was a business partner of Sylvan Goodman2.The author writes this article in order to illustrate that.A.the names of the people who invented the most useful things are usually forgottenB.everyday objects are invented and evolve through natural selectionC.many everyday objects are invented more than onceD.many famous people have passed away without being noticed3.Who probably invented spoons?A.Leonardo da Vinci.B.Benjamin Franklin.C.Victor Farris.D.A person unknown.4. By stating that Leonardo da Vinci invented helicopters, the author means .A. he really did itB. he is a military scientistC. he painted in one of his masterpieces a helicoptersD. people turn to ascribe inventions to him but they are wrong5.What can be inferred about Aldous Huxley?A.His death was not reported by the press.B.He was a famous inventor.C.He made a very big mistake in his late years.D.He died on the same day as John F.Kenneddy.Vocabulary1.canopy n. 天篷2.pram n. 婴儿车长难句解析①【解析】“the same goes”解析为同样的事情也发生,例:The same goes for our classmates.同样的事情也发生在我的同学身上。

英语四级读美文【12】

英语四级读美文【12】

Unit 12 Natural World自然世界Text 1 Western Wild GrassesLegend(传奇故事) has it that sometime toward the end of the Civil War (1861?1865) a government train carrying oxen traveling through the northern plains of eastern Wyoming(怀俄明州) was caught in a snowstorm and had to be abandoned. The driver returned the next spring to see what had become of his cargo. Instead of the skeletons he had expected to find, he saw his oxen, living, fat and healthy. How had they survived?The answer lay in a resource that ignorant Americans had trampled(践踏) underfoot(在脚下面) in their haste to cross the “Great American Desert”to reach lands that sometimes proved barren. In the eastern parts of the United States, the preferred grass for feed was a cultivated plant. It grew well with enough rain, and then when cut and stored it would cure and become nourishing hay for winter feed. But in the dry grazing(放牧的) lands of the west, that familiar bluejoint(加拿大拂子茅) grass was often killed by drought. To raise cattle out there seemed risky or even hopeless.Who could imagine a fairy-tale grass that required no rain and somehow made it possible for cattle to feed themselves all winter? But the surprising western wild grasses did just that. They had wonderfully convenient features that made them superior to the cultivated eastern grasses. V ariously known as buffalo grass, grama(美国西部产的一种牧草) grass, or mesquite(牧豆树) grass, not only were they immune to drought;but they were actually preserved by the lack of summer and autumn rains.They were not juicy like the cultivated eastern grasses, but had short, hard stems. And they did not need to be cured in a barn, but dried right where they grew on the ground. When they dried in this way, they remained naturally sweet and nourishing through the winter. Cattle were left outdoors to fend for themselves thrived on this hay. And the cattle themselves helped plant the fresh grass year after year, for they trampled the natural seeds firmly into the soil to be watered by the melting snows of winter and the occasional rains of spring. The dry summer air cured them, much as storing in a barn cured the cultivated grasses.[A] cargo [B] Civil [C] convenient [D] cultivated [E] ignorant [F] haste [G] immune[H] familiar [I] barren [J] nourishing [K] skeletons [L] stems [M] survived [N] thrived[O] snowstorm西部野草有一个传奇故事发生在美国内战(1861-1865)快结束时的某一天,一辆运输牛的政府列车横穿东怀俄明州的北部平原时遇到了暴风雪,不得不被遗弃在那里。

英语四级阅读理解练习及参考答案

英语四级阅读理解练习及参考答案

英语四级阅读理解练习及参考答案英语四级阅读理解练习及参考答案:Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A ),B., C. andD. . You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.Educators today are more and more often heard to say that computer literacy is absolutely necessary for college students. Many even argue that each incoming freshman should have permanent access to his or hcr own microcomputer. What advantages do computers offer the college students?Any student who has used a word processor will know one compelling reason to use a computer: to write papers. Although not all students feel comfortable composing on a word processor, most find revising and editing much easier on it. One can alter, insert, or delete just by pressing a few keys, thus eliminating the need to rewrite or re-type. Furthermore, since the revision process is less burdensome, students are more likely to revise as often as is necessary to end up with the best paper possible.For these reasons, many freshman English courses require the use of a word processor.Computers are also useful in the context of language courses, where they are used to drill students in basic skills. Software programs reinforce ESL(English as a Second Language ) instruction, as well as instruction in French, German, Spanish, and other languages. By using these programs on a regular basis, students can improve their proficiency in a language while proceeding at their own pace.Science students take advantage of computers in many ways. Using computer graphic capabilities, for example, botany students can represent and analyze different plant growth patterns. Medical students can learn to interpret computerized images of internal body structures. Physics students can complete complex calculations farmore quickly than they could without the use of computer.Similarly, business and accounting students find that computer spreadsheet programs are all but indispensable to many aspects of their work, while students pursuing careers in graphic arts. marketing, and public relations find that knowledge of computer graphic is important. Education majors learn to develop grading systems using computers, while social science students use computers for analyzing and graphically displacing their research results.It is no wonder, then, that educators support the purchase and use of microcomputers by students. A versatile tool, the computer can help students learn. And that is, after all, the reason for going to college.56. The word "literacy" (Line 1, Paragraph 1) means__________.A. the ability to read and writeB. the ability to useC. literatureD. the knowledge of language57. The main purpose of this passage is to __________.A. persuade the educators to increase computer use in their own classroomB. analyze advantages and disadvantages of computer use among college studentsC. identify some of the ways that computers benefit college studentsD. describe how computers can be used to teach foreign languages58. According to the author, a word processor can be used to__________.A. revise papersB. retype papersC. reduce the psychological burden of writing papersD. improve the writing skills of a student59. In this passage, the writers argument is developed primarily through the use of __________.A. cause-effect analysisB. comparison and contrastC. inductionD. examples60. According to the author, the reason for students to go to college is__________.A. to learn somethingB. to perfect themselvesC. to improve computer skillsD. to make the best use of computers英语四级阅读理解练习及参考答案:Questions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Language is, and should be, a living thing, constantly enriched with new words and forms of expression. But there is a vital distinction between good developments, which add to the language, enabling us to say things we could not say before, and bad developments, which subtract from the language by rendering it less precise. A vivacious, colorful use of words is not to be confused with mere slovenliness. The kind of slovenliness in which some professionals deliberately indulge is perhaps akin to the cult (迷信) of the unfinished work, which has eroded most of the arts in our time. And the true answer to it is the same that art is enhanced, not hindered, by discipline. You cannot carve satisfactorily in butter.The corruption of written English has been accompanied by an even sharper decline in the standard of spoken English. We speak very much less well than was common among educated Englishmen a generation or two ago.The modem theatre has played a baneful (有害的) part in dimming our appreciation of language. Instead of the immensely articulate dialogue of, for example, Shaw (who was also very insistent on good pronunciation),audiences are now subjected to streams of barely literate trivia, often designed, only too well, to exhibit lack of communication, and larded (夹杂) with the obscenities (下流的话) and grammatical errors of the intellectually impoverished. Emily Post once advised her readers: "The theatre is the best possible place to hear correctly-enunciated speech. " Alas, no more. One young actress was recently reported to be taking lessons in how to speak badly, so that she should fit in better.But the BBC is the worst traitor. After years of very successfully helping to raise the general standard of spoken English, it suddenly went into reverse. As the head of the Pronunciation Unit coyly (含蓄地) put it, "In the 1960s the BBC opened the field to a much wider range of speakers." To hear a BBC disc jockey talking to the latest ape-like pop idol is a truly shocking experience of verbal squalor. And the prospect seems to be of even worse to come. School teachers are actively encouraged to ignore little Johnnys incoherent grammar, atrocious spelling and haphazard punctuation, because worrying about such things might inhibit his creative genius.61. The writer relates linguistic slovenliness to tendencies in the arts today in that they both __________.A. occasionally aim at a certain fluidityB. appear to shun perfectionC. from time to time show regard for the finishing touchD. make use of economical short cuts62. "Art is enhanced, not hindered, by discipline" (Lines 6~7, Paragraph 1 ) means __________.A. an artists work will be finer if he observes certain aesthetic standardsB. an unfinished work is bound to be comparatively inferiorC. the skill of certain artists conceals their slovenlinessD. artistic expression is inhibited by too many roles63. Many modem plays, the author finds, frequently contain speech which__________.A. is incoherent and linguistically objectionableB. is far too ungrammatical for most people to followC. unintentionally shocks the audienceD. tries to hide the authors intellectual inadequacies64. The author says that the standard of the spoken English of BBC__________.A. is the worst among all broadcasting networksB. has raised English-speaking up to a new levelC. has taken a turn for the worse since the 1960sD. is terrible because of a few popular disc jockeys65. Teachers are likely to overlook the linguistic lapses in their pupils since__________.A. they find that children no longer respond to this kind of discipline nowadaysB. they fear the children may become less coherentC. more importance is now attached to oral expressionD. the children may be discouraged from expressing their ideas。

本周阅读资料1

本周阅读资料1

本周我们来精读一篇来自2012年12月大学英语四级中的阅读真题,为了便于大学学习,我先给出原文,同学们先仔细读一篇,看是否能够读懂,然后对照老师的解析,分析自己没有读懂的句子和结构,找出原因,总结经验。

同时查阅阅读中遇到的新词汇,掌握其用法和搭配。

原文第一段:I’ve worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition(转变)between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o’clock each morning is torture. My friends never seem to u nderstand why I’m so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.原文第一段解析:I’ve worked in the factories surrounding my hometown(现在分词作后置定语修饰前面的factories)every summer since (since 引导的时间状语从句)I graduated from(短语:毕业于)high school, but making the transition(转变)between school and full-time blue-collar work(动名词作主语)during the break(此处指假期)never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized(who 引导的定语从句修饰先行词student), getting to a factory by 6 o’clock each morning is torture(核心词汇torture). My friends never seem to understand why I’m so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but (注意和nothing but的区别) a vacation.相关词汇和短语:1.graduate from2.transition3.uncivilized4.torture5.relieve6.anything but译文:自从高中毕业后, 我每个夏天都会在家乡附近的工厂里打工,但是在假期里,要从学校生活转变为全职蓝领工作总是不那么容易。

公共英语考试四级真题答案解析精选全文

公共英语考试四级真题答案解析精选全文

精选全文完整版(可编辑修改)公共英语考试四级真题答案解析1. With more and more low-income students pursuing higher education, a number of colleges are _____B___.A) offering students more merit-based aid B) revising their financial aid policiesC) increasing the amount of financial aid D) changing their admission processes2. What did Allegheny College in Meadville do three years ago? DA) It tried to implement a novel financial aid program.B) It added $ 2.5 million to its need-based aid program.C) It phased out its merit-based scholarships altogether.D) It cuts its merit-based aid to help the needy students.3. The chief purpose of rankings-conscious colleges in offering merit aid is to ____C__.A) improve teaching quality B) boost their enrollmentsC) attract good students D) increase their revenues4. Monica Inzer, dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton, believes ___D___.A) it doesn’t pay to spend $ 1 million a year to raise its rankingB) it gives students motivation to award academic achievementsC) it’s illogical to use so much money on only 4% of its studentsD) it’s not right to give aid to those who can afford thetuition5. In recent years, merit-based aid has increased much faster than need-based aid due to ____B__.A) more government funding to colleges B) fierce competition among institutionsC) the increasing number of top students D) schools’ improved financial situations6. What is the attitude of many private colleges toward merit aid, according to David Laird? AA) They would like to see it reduced.B) They regard it as a necessary evil.C) They think it does more harm than good.D) They consider it unfair to middle-class families.7. Why doesn’t Allegheny College plan to drop merit aid entirely? CA) Raising tuitions have made college unaffordable for middle-class families.B) With rising incomes, fewer students are applying for need-based aid.C) Many students from middle-income families have come to rely on it.D) Rising incomes have disqualified many students for need-based aid.1. What bothered Tiffany during an interview with her candidate? AA) He just wouldn’t look her in the eye.B) He was slow in answering her questions.C) His answers to some of her questions were irrelevant.D) His answers to some of her questions were irrelevant .2. Tiffany’s misjudgment about the candidate stemmed from C .A) Racial stereotypes. C) Racial stereotypes.B) Invalid personal bias . D) Emphasis on physical appearance3. What is becoming essential in the course of economic globalization according to the author? BA) Hiring qualified technical and management personnel.B) Increasing understanding of people of other cultures.C) Constantly updating knowledge and equipment.D) Expanding domestic and international markets.4. What kind of organization is Mindsets LLC? BA) A real estate agency. C) A cultural exchange organization.B) A personnel training company. D) A hi-tech company5. After one of the workshops ,account executive Dale realized that D .A) He had hired the wrong person.B) He could have done more for his company.C) He had not managed his workforce well.D) He must get rid of his gender bias.6. What did Dale think of Mindsets LLC’s workshop? CA) It was well-intentioned but poorly conducted.B) It tapped into the executives’ full potential.C) It helped him make fair decisions.D) It met participants’ diverse needs.7. How did Doug, a supervisor, respond to a Chinese-American employee’s request for leave? AA) He told him to get the dates right. C)He flatly turned it downB) He demanded an explanation. D)He readily approved it.。

英语4级阅读

英语4级阅读

英语4级阅读The Importance of English Reading Skills for the CET-4 ExamEnglish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is used in various fields, such as business, education, and communication. In China, English proficiency is crucial for academic and professional success. One way to assess English proficiency is through the College English Test (CET), specifically the CET-4 exam. In this article, we will discuss the importance of English reading skills for the CET-4 exam.The CET-4 exam evaluates a candidate's English language abilities in listening, reading, writing, and translation. Among these sections, reading comprehension holds significant weight in the overall score. Therefore, developing strong English reading skills is essential for success in the CET-4 exam.Firstly, English reading skills help improve vocabulary. Through reading, students are exposed to a wide range of words and phrases. They can learn new vocabulary in context, which aids in better understanding and retention. The CET-4 exam often includes passages that cover a variety of topics, such as literature, science, and history. By reading extensively, students can familiarize themselves with different vocabulary and increase their lexical repertoire.Secondly, English reading skills enhance reading comprehension. The CET-4 exam requires candidates to read and understand various types of texts, including newspaper articles, academic papers, and literary excerpts. Strong reading skills enable students to comprehend the main ideas, supporting details, and the author's tone and purpose. They can grasp the overall meaning of the passage and answer the accompanying questions accurately.Moreover, English reading skills improve critical thinking and analytical abilities. The CET-4 exam includes reading passages that require students to analyze and evaluate the information presented. Candidates need to identify the main arguments, detect logical fallacies, and draw conclusions based on the evidence provided. Through reading,students develop the skills to think critically, weigh different perspectives, and form well-reasoned opinions.Furthermore, English reading skills contribute to language proficiency in other areas. Reading exposes students to different sentence structures, idiomatic expressions, and grammatical patterns. They can learn to recognize and use these language features in their own writing and speaking. Additionally, reading comprehension skills transfer to listening comprehension, as they both involve understanding spoken or written language. Therefore, improving English reading skills can indirectly enhance performance in other CET-4 exam sections.In conclusion, English reading skills play a crucial role in achieving success in the CET-4 exam. They contribute to vocabulary development, enhance reading comprehension, improve critical thinking abilities, and enhance overall language proficiency. To improve English reading skills, students should engage in extensive reading of various topics, practice answering comprehension questions, and seek feedback from teachers or language partners. With dedication and consistent effort, students can excel in the reading section of the CET-4 exam and ultimately improve their English language proficiency.。

公共英语四级-152_真题-无答案

公共英语四级-152_真题-无答案

公共英语四级-152(总分65,考试时间90分钟)Section Ⅰ Use of EnglishGlass is everywhere in our lives. It is so common 1 we hardly think about it. We 2 it when we look out of the window and if we wear glasses. We drink from it and sometimes eat from it. The light in our homes comes through glass windows in the daytime and from glass lights 3 . Glass 4 in homes, schools, businesses, industry, and automobiles.Fortunately for us, glass is 5 very inexpensive materials. The main material is sand from quartz rock. The mixture is heated until it becomes a syrupy 6 . When the liquid cools, it becomes glass.No one knows 7 first discovered glass or how. Early humans used obsidian, a natural glass 8 by volcanoes, to make tools and jewelry. People probably began making glass themselves around 3000 B.C. in Syria. Then in a war 9 Egypt and Syria in 1400 B. C., Syria became part of Egypt. The Egyptians took Syrian glassmakers 10 to Egypt, and over the centuries the entire eastern Mediterranean area became a glassmaking center.Probably around 300 B.C. the blowpipe 11 . Egyptian glassmakers developed the use of the blowpipe. They specialized 12 beautiful jewelry, dishes, and other containers.The Romans soon started making their own glass. Then they 13 that glass could be used to make windows. 14 centuries later, Europeans made magnificent church windows 15 colored glass.16 1900 companies have developed many new types of glass. Safety glass is a sandwich of glass and plastic. If it breaks, the pieces stay together 17 flying in all directions. This invention is very useful 18 automobile windows.Today most glass is made 19 machines in large factories. No one 20 it. People use television and computers to control the machines.1.A. thatB. whichC. whereD. as2.A. look forB. look inC. look afterD. look through3.A. in nightB. at nightC. for nightD. with night4.A. was usedB. usedC. is usedD. are used5.A. made fromB. made ofC. make fromD. make of6.A. solidB. the solidC. the liquidD. liquid7.A. whomB. whoeverC. whoD. whose8.A. was fromB. formedC. was formedD. was forming9.A. betweenB. amongC. beneathD. both10.A. fromB. goC. backD. come11.A. was discoveredB. was inventedC. discoveredD. invented12.A. inB. onC. forD. from13.A. knewB. recognizedC. toldD. realized14.A. FewB. LittleC. A fewD. A little15.A. fromB. toC. intoD. on16.A. BecauseB. AsC. ForD. Since17.A. insteadB. take place ofC. instead ofD. replace18.A. onB. ontoC. intoD. in19.A. intoB. forC. byD. from20.A. smellsB. touchesC. seesD. feelsSection Ⅱ Reading ComprehensionPart APassage 1Prices determine how resources are to be used. They are also the means by which products and services that are in limited supply are rationed among buyers. The price system of the United States is a very complex network composed of the prices of all the products bought and sold in the economy as well as those of a myriad(无数) of services, including labor, professions, transportation, and public-utility services. The interrelationship of all these prices make the "system" of prices. The price of any particular product or service is linked to a broad, complicated system of prices in which everything seems to depend more or less upon everything else.If one were to ask a group of randomly selected individuals to define "price",many would reply that price is an amount of money paid by the buyer to the seller of a product or service, or, in other words, that price is the money value of a product or service .as agreed upon in market transaction. This definition is, of course, valid as far as it goes. For a complete understanding of a price in any particular trans- action, much more than the money involved must be known. Both the buyer and seller should be" familiar with not only the money amount, but with the amount and quality of the product or service to be exchanged, the time and place at which the exchange will take place and payment will be made, the form of money to be used, the credit terms and discounts that apply to the transaction, guarantees on the product or service, delivery terms, return privilege, and other factors. In other words, both the buyer and the seller should be fully aware of all the factors that compose the total "package" being exchanged for the asked-for amount of money in order that they may evaluate a given price.1. What is the passage about?A. The Advantages of the Price System.B. The Complexities of the Price System.C. The Different Forms of Transaction.D. The Prices of Products and Services in Markets.2. According to the passage, the price system is related primarily to ______.A. labor and educationB. transportation and insuranceC. public utilitiesD. products and services3. According to the passage, all the following factors are true in the complete understanding of price except ______.A. the money amountB. the quantity of a productC. instructions that comes with a productD. warranties that cover a product4. In the last sentence, the quoted word "package" refers to ______.A. return privilegesB. buyers and sellersC. cash and creditsD. all the factors5. The paragraph following the passage most likely discusses ______.A. effective methods to advertise productsB. forms of payment plans for productsC. theories about how service affects different levels of societyD. how certain elements of a total price "package" influence its market valuePassage 2Sleep plays a major role in preparing the body for an alert and productive tomorrow. But sleep is not a period of inactivity. The sleeping brain is highly active at various times during the night, performing numerous "house keeping tasks". These keep us alive and aid our ability to think and remember. Sleep also energizes the body and brain. Most people spend one-third of their lives sleeping and this will affect the other two-thirds in terms of alertness, energy, moods, body weight, perception, memory, thinking, reaction time, productivity and performance.To limit sleep means our health and daytime potential are significantly reduced. So, good sleep strategies are essential in order to feel energized day after day. There is no strategy which works for everyone, so each person needs to experiment. One important thing is that you shouldn"t worry too much if you go a few nights without a lot of sleep. It won"t ruin your life. On any given night, one in four people can"t sleep properly and everyone suffers from a lack of sleep at some time. How does one minimize this problem? It is really quite simple. The first thing you must do is to reduce stress as much as possible. Stress is part of everyday life and, while we can never be entirely without stress, it can be managed. This means taking control of your life and focusing on what is important. One sleeping strategy is to sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and relax all your muscles, breathing easily through your nose. Continue this for ten to twenty minutes. This should help you reduce stress and sleep better. Or, you can try getting plenty of exercise, because a tired body is likely to sleep better.1. According to the article, sleep is important because______.A. it is a period of complete inactivity for the brainB. it helps us understand what we have already achievedC. it makes us more effective when we are awakeD. it helps us to lose weight2. Methods of getting enough sleep______.A. vary between men and womenB. are the same for everybodyC. will vary according to the personD. should be based on your job3. According to the article, being unable to sleep______.A. affects young children the mostB. will affect everybody at some timeC. is worse for those who have relaxing livesD. is likely to ruin people" life4. A simple strategy to sleep better is to______.A. Worker harder than you couldB. put your stress under controlC. breathe through your noseD. sleep on a chair instead bed5. After a lot of physical exercise, ______.A. you should find stress increases dramaticallyB. you will become out of breathC. you should be able to enjoy better sleepD. you will not need to sleep for some timePassage 3Du Bois was a sociological and educational pioneer who challenged the established system of education that tended to restrict rather than to advance the progress of black Americans. He challenged what is called the "Tuskegee machine" of Booker T. Washington, the leading educational spokesperson of the blacks in the US. A sociologist and historian, Du Bois called for a more determined and activist leadership than Washington provided.Unlike Washington, whose roots were the southern black agriculture, Du Bois"s career spanned both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. He was a native of Massachusetts, received his undergraduate education from Fisk University in Nashville, did his graduate study at Harvard University, and directed the Atlanta University Studies of Black American Life in the South. Du Bois approached the problem of racial relations in the United States from two dimensions: as a scholarly researcher and as an activist for civil rights. Among his works was the famous empirical sociological study, The Philadelphia Negro : A Social Study, in which he examined that city"s black population and made recommendations for the school system. Du Bois"s Philadelphia study was the pioneer work on urban blacks in America.Du Bois had a long and active career as a leader in the civil rights movement. He helped to organize the Niagara Movement in 1905, which led to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), established in 1909. From 1910 until 1934, Du Bois edited The Crisis, the major journal of the NAACP. In terms of its educational policy, the NAACP position was that all American children and youth shouId have genuine equality of educational opportunity. This policy, which Du Bois helped to formulate, stressed the following themes:(1)public schooling should be free and compulsory for all American children; (2) secondary schooling should be provided for all youth; (3) higher education should not be monopolized by any special class or race.As a leader in education, Du Bois challenged not only the tradition of racial segregation in the schools but also the accornmodationist ideology of Booker T. Washington. The major difference between the two men was that Washington sought change that was evolutionary in nature and did not upset the social order, whereas Du Bois demanded immediate change. Du Bois believed in educated leadership for blacks, and he developed a concept referred to as the "talented tenth", according to which 10 percent of the black population would receive a traditional college education in preparation for leadership.1. Compared with B. T. Washington, Du Bois"s political stand was ______.A. less popularB. more radicalC. less aggressiveD. more conservative2. According to the text, Du Bois worked as all of the following EXCEPT ______.A. an editorB. an educatorC. a scholarD. an official3. It is Du Bois"s belief that______.A. the blacks have a priority in terms of educationB. higher education should be free for all racesC. everyone has an equal right to educationD. development in education should be gradual4. Which of the following statements is true according to the text?A. Washington would not appreciate the idea of overthrowing social order.B. Racial separation is an outcome of accommodationist ideology.C. Washington would not support determined activist leadership.D. The Philadelphia Negro is a book on blacks in American South.5. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______.A. many blacks are prepared for leadershipB. Du Bois was in favor of "elite education" for blacksC. Washington and Du Bois had never been friendsD. only the top 10 percent are worth educatingPassage 4Orchids are unique in having the most highly developed of all blossoms, in which the usual male and female reproductive organs are fused in a single structure called the column. The column is designed so that a single pollination will fertilize hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, of seeds, so microscopic and light that they are easily carried by the breeze. Surrounding the column are three sepals and three petals, sometimes easily recognizable as such, often distorted into gorgeous, weird, but always functional shapes. The most noticeable of the petals is called the labellum, or lip. It is often dramatically marked as an unmistakable landing strip to attract the specific insect the orchid has chosen as its pollinator.To lure their pollinators from afar, orchids use appropriately intriguing shapes, colors, and scents.At least 50 different aromatic compounds have been analyzed in the orchid family, each blended to attract one, or at most a few, species of insects or birds. Some orchids even change their scents to interest different insects at different times.Once the right insect has been attracted, some orchids present all sorts of one-way obstacle courses to make sure it does not leave until pollen has been accurately placed or removed. By such ingenious adaptations to specific pollinators, orchids have avoided the hazards of rampant crossbreeding in the wild, assuring the survival of species as discrete identities. At the same time they have made themselves irresistible to collectors.1. The orchid is unique because of______.A. the habitat in which it livesB. the structure of its blossomC. the variety of products that can be made from itD. the length of its life2. How many orchid seeds are typically pollinated at one time?A. No specific figure is given in the passgae.B. 2,000.C. 20,000.D. 200,000.3. Which of the following is a kind of petal?A. The column.B. The sepal.C. The stem.D. The labellum.4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a means by which an orchid attracts insects?A. Size.B. Shape.C. Color.D. Scent.5. Which of the following statements about orchids scents does the passage support?A. They are effective only when an insect is near the blossom.B. Harmful insects are repelled by them.C. They are difficult to tell apart.D. They may change at different times.Section Ⅲ Writing1. Family relations have changed in recent years in China, as we have more and more one-child families. The only child in the family becomes the center of attention and his wishes are always obeyed. The child has become the head of the family while the grandparents, the traditional heads of the family, are reduced to the bottom of the hierarchy.There has been a discussion recently on this issue in a newspaper. Write an essay to the newspaper to express your views.Your argument should be based on and make full use of the outline below :(1) Family planning is one of the basic policies of our country. Why?.(2) The current situation in Chinese families.(3) Your suggestions and comment.。

2022年公共英语考试四级练习试题及答案

2022年公共英语考试四级练习试题及答案

2022 年公共英语考试四级练习试题及答案Passage TwoHawaii”s native minority is demanding a greater degree of sovereignty over its own affairs. But much of the archipelago”s political establishment, which includes the White Americans who dominated until the second world war and people of Japanese, Chinese and Filipino origins, is opposed to the idea.The islands were annexed by the US in 1898 and since then Hawaii” s native peoples have fared worse than any of its other ethnic groups. They make up over 60 percent of the state”s homeless, suffer higher levels of unemployment and their life span is five years less than the average Hawaiians. They are the only major US native group without some degree of autonomy.But a sovereignty advisory committee set up by Hawaii”s first native governor, Joahn Waihee, has given the natives”cause a major boost by recommending that the Hawaiian natives decide by themselves whether to reestablish a sovereign Hawaiian nation.However, the Hawaiian natives are not united in their demands. Some just want greater autonomy within the state -- as enjoyed bymany American Indian natives over matters such as education. This is a position supported by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), a state agency set up in 1978 to represent the natives” interests and which has now become the moderate face of the native sovereignty movement. More ambitious is the Ka Lahui group, which declared itself a new nation in 1987 and wants full, official independence from the US.But if Hawaiian natives are given greater autonomy, it is far from clear how many people this will apply to. The state authorities only count as native those people with more than 50 percent Hawaiian blood.Native demands are not just based on political grievances, though. They also want their claim on 660,000 hectares of Hawaiian crown land to be accepted. It is on this issue that native groups are facing most opposition from the state authorities. In 1933, the state government paid the OHA US 136 million in back rent on the crown land and many officials say that by accepting this payment the agency has given up its claims to legally own the land. The OHA has vigorously disputed this.1.Hawaii”s native minority refers to .A.Hawaii”s ethnic groupsB.people of Filipino originC.the Ka Lahui groupD.people with more than 50% Hawaiian blood2.Which of the following statements is true of the Hawaiian natives?A.Sixty percent of them are homeless or unemployed.B.their life span is 5 years shorter than average Americans.C.Their life is worse than that of other ethnic groups in Hawaii.D.They are the only native group without sovereignty.3.Which of the following is NOT true of John Waihee?A.He is Hawaii”s first native governor.B.He has set up a sovereignty advisory committee.C.He suggested the native people decide for themselves.D.He is leading the local independence movement.4.Which of the following groups holds a less radical attitude on the matter of sovereignty?A.American Indian natives.B.Office of Hawaiian Affairs.C.The Ka Lahui group.D. The Hawaiian natives.5. Various native Hawaiians demand all the following EXCEPT. A. a greater autonomy within the stateB. more back rent on the crown landC. a claim on the Hawaiian crown landD. full independence from the USPassage ThreeThe percentage of immigrants (including those unlawfullypresent) in the United At 12.6 percent, it is states has now higher been than creeping upward for years.at any point since themid1920s.We are not about to go back to the days when Congress openlyworried about inferior races polluting America’s bloodstream. But once again we are wondering whether we have too many of the wrong sort newcomers. Their loudest critics argue that the new wave of immigrants cannot, and indeed do not want to, fit in as previous generations did.We now know that these racist views were wrong. In time,Italians, Romanians and members of other so-called inferior racesbecame exemplary Americans and contributed greatly, in ways too numerous to detail, to the building of this magnificent nation. There is no reason why these new immigrants should not have the same success.Although children of Mexican immigrants do better, in terms of educational and professional attainment, than their parents UCLA sociologist Edward Telles has found that the gains don’t continue. Indeed, the fouth generation is marginally worse off than the third James Jackson, of the University of Michigan, has found a similar trend among black Caribbean immigrants, Tells fears that Mexican-Americans may be fated to follow in the footsteps of American blacks-that large parts of the community may become mired( 陷入)in a seemingly permanent state of poverty and Underachievement. Like African-Americans, Mexican-Americans are increasingly relegated to (降入)segregated, substandard schools, and their dropout rate is the highest for any ethnic group in the country.We have learned much about the foolish idea of excluding people on the presumption of the ethnic/racial inferiority. But what we have not yet learned is how to make the process of Americanizationwork for all. I am not talking about requiring people to learn English or to adopt American ways; those things happen pretty much on their own, but as arguments about immigration hear up the campaign trail, we also ought to ask some broader question about assimilation, about how to ensure that people , once outsiders , don’t forever remain marginalized within these shores.That is a much larger question than what should happen with undocumented workers, or how best to secure the border, and it is one that affects not only newcomers but groups that have been here for generations. It will have more impact on our future than where we decide to set the admissions bar for the latest ware of would-be Americans. And it would be nice if we finally got the answer right.1.How were immigrants viewed by U.S. Congress in early days?A)They were of inferior races.B)They were a Source of political corruption.C)They were a threat to the nation’s security.D)They were part of the nation’s bloodstream.2.What does the author think of the new immigrants?A)They will be a dynamic work force in the U.S.B)They can do just as well as their predecessors.C)They will be very disappointed on the new land.D)They may find it hard to fit into the mainstream.3.What does Edward Telles ’research say about Mexican-Americans?A) They may slowly improve from generation to generation.B) They will do better in terms of educational attainment.C)They will melt into the African-American community.D)They may forever remain poor and underachieving.4.What should be done to help the new immigrants?A)Rid them of their inferiority complex.B)Urge them to adopt American customs.C)Prevent them from being marginalized.D)Teach them standard American English.5.According to the author, the burning issue concerning immigration is .A)How to deal with people entering the U.S. without documentsB)How to help immigrants to better fit into American societyC)How to stop illegal immigrants from crossing the borderD)How to limit the number of immigrants to enter the U.S. Passage FourEarly in the age of affluence (富有) that followed World War Ⅱ,an American retailing analyst named Victor Lebow proclaimed, “Our enormously productive economy...demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption. We need things consumed, burned up, worn out, replaced and discarded at an ever increasing rate. “Americans have responded to Lebow”s call, and much of the world has followed. Consumption has become a central pillar of life in industrial lands and is even embedded in social values. Opinion surveys in the world”s two largest economics-Japan and the United States-show consumerist definitions of success becoming ever more prevalent. Overconsumption by the world ”s fortunate is an environmental problem unmatched in severity by anything but perhaps population growth. Their surging exploitation of resources threatens to exhaust or unalterably spoil forests, soils, water, air and climate. Ironically, high consumption may be a mixed blessing in human terms, too. The time-honored values of integrity of character, good work, friendship, family and community have often been sacrificed in the rush to riches. Thus many in theindustrial lands have a sense that their world of plenty is somehow hollow, that misled by a consumerist culture, they have been fruitlessly attempting to satisfy what are essentially social, psychological and spiritual needs with material things. Of course, the opposite of overconsumption, poverty, is no solution to either environmental or human problems. It is infinitely worse for people and bad for the natural world too. Dispossessed (被剥夺得一无全部的) peasants slash, and burn their way into the rain forests of Latin America, and hungry nomads (游牧民族) turn their herds out onto fragile African grassland, reducing it to desert. If environmental destruction results when people have either too little or too much, we are left to wonder how much is enough .What level of consumption can the earth support ?When dose having more cease to add noticeably to human satisfaction?1.The emergence of the affluent society after World War II .A)led to the reform of the retailing systemB)resulted in the worship of consumerismC )ve rise to the dominance of the new egoismD) gave birth to a new generation of upper class consumers2.Apart from enormous productivity, another important impetusto high consumption isA)the people”s desire for a rise in their living standardsB)the concept that one”s success is measured by how much they consumeC)the imbalance that has existed between production and consumptionD)the conversion of the sale of goods into rituals3.Why does the author say high consumption is a mixed blessing?A)Because poverty still exists in an affluent society.B)Because overconsumption won”t last long due to unrestricted population growth.C)Because traditional rituals are often neglected in the process of modernization.D)Because moral values are sacrificed in pursuit of material satisfaction.4.According to the passage, consumerist culture .A)will not alleviate poverty in wealthy countriesB)will not aggravate environmental problemsC)cannot thrive on a fragile economyD)cannot satisfy human spiritual needs5.It can be inferred from the passage that .A)human spiritual needs should match material affluenceB)whether high consumption should be encouraged is still an issueC)how to keep consumption at a reasonable level remains a problemD)there is never an end to satisfying people”s material needs Passage FiveFew creations of big technology capture the imagination like giant dams. Perhaps it is humankind’s long suffering at the mercy of flood and drought that makes the idea of forcing the waters to do our bidding so fascinating. But to be fascinated is also, sometimes, to be blind. Several giant dam projects threaten to do more harm than good.The lesson from dams is that big is not always beautiful. It doesn’t help that building a big, powerful dam has become a symbol of achievement for nations and people striving to assert themselves. Egypt’s leadership in the Arab world was cemented by the Aswan High Dam. Turkey’s bid for First World status includes the giant Ataturk Dam.But big dams tend not to work as intended. The Aswan Dam, for example, stopped the Nile flooding but deprived Egypt of the fertile silt that floods left — all in return for a giant reservoir of disease which is now so full of silt that it barely generates electricity.And yet, the myth of controlling the waters persists. This week, in the heart of civilized Europe, Slovaks and Hungarians stopped just short of sending in the troops in their contention over a dam on the Danube. The huge complex will probably have all the usual problems of big dams. But Slovakia is bidding for independence from the Czechs, and now needs a dam to prove itself.Meanwhile, in India, the World Bank has given the go-ahead to the even more wrong-headed Narmada Dam. And the bank has done this even though its advisors say the dam will cause hardship for the powerless and environmental destruction. The benefits are for the powerful, but they are far from guaranteed.Proper, scientific study of the impacts of dams and of the costs and benefits of controlling water can help to resolve these conflicts. Hydroelectric power and flood control and irrigation are possible without building monster dams. But when you are dealingwith myths, it is hard to be either proper, or scientific. It is time that the world learned the lessons of Aswan. You do’n t needa dam to be saved.1.The third sentence of paragraph 1 implies that .A.people would be happy if they shut their eyes to realityB.the blind could be happier than the sightedC.over-excited people tend to neglect vital thingsD.fascination makes people lose their eyesight2.In paragraph 5, “the powerless” probably refers to .A.areas short of electricityB. dams without power stationsC. poor countries around IndiaD. common people in the Narmada Dam area3.What is the myth concerning giant dams?A. They bring in more fertile soil.B. They help defend the country.C. They strengthen international ties.D. They have universal control of the waters.4.What the author tries to suggest may best be interpreted as.A.“It’s no use crying over spilt milk”B. “More haste, lessspeed”C. “Look before you leap”D. “He who laughs last laughs best”参考答案1.BDCAD2.ACDBB3.ABDCB4.BBDDC5.CDDC。

四级单项选择阅读理解附讲解

四级单项选择阅读理解附讲解

四级单项选择阅读理解附讲解Passage 6Some years ago I was offered a writing assignment that would require three month of travelthough Europe’s had been aboard a couple of times, but I could hardly to know my way around thecontinent. Moreover my knowledge of foreign languages was 37 to a little college French.I hesitated. How would I,unable to speak the language, 38 unfamiliar with local geography ortransportation systems,set up 39 and do research? It seemed impossible,and withconsiderable 40 . I sat down to write a letter begging off. Halfway through, thought ran throughmy mind:you can't learn if you don’t try. So I accepted the assignment.There were some bad 41 But by the time I had finished the trip I was an experienced traveler. Andever since,I have never hesitated to head for eventhe most remote of places, without guides oreven 42 bookings,confident that somehow I will manage.The point is that the new, the different,is almost by definition 43 But each time you trysomething, you learn, and as the learning piles up, the world opens to you.I’ve learned to ski at 40,and flown up the Rhine River in a 44 • And I know I’ll go on doing suchthings. It’s not because I,m braver or moredaring than others. I,m not, but I’ll accept anxiety asanother name for challenge and I believe I can 45 wonders.【讲解答案】36. D空前的could表明本空应填一原形动词,且该动词后要能接动词不定式,备选项中只有D claim声称符合要求,故答案为D claim。

12月英语四级考试阅读新题型之长篇阅读习题及答案详解

12月英语四级考试阅读新题型之长篇阅读习题及答案详解

2013年12月英语四级考试阅读新题型之长篇阅读习题练习题一Section BDirections: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2.Hate Your Job? Here’s How to Reshape ItA) Once upon a time, if you hated your job, you either quit or bit your lip. These days, a group of researchers is trumpeting a third option: shape your job so ifs more fruitful than futile.B) "We often get trapped into thinking about our job as a list of things to do and a list of responsibilities," says Amy Wrzesniewski, an associate professor at the Yale School of Management. "But what if you set aside that mind-set?" If you could adjust what you do, she says, "who would you start talk ing to, what other tasks would you take on, and who would you work with?"C) To make livelihoods more lively, Wrzesniewski and her colleagues Jane Dutton and Justin Berg have developed a methodology they call job-crafting. They’re working with Fortune 500 companies, smaller firms and business schools to change the way Americans think about work. The idea is to make all jobs--even mundane (平凡的) ones---more meaningful by empowering employees to brainstorm and implement subtle but significant workplace adjustments.Step 1: Rethink Your Job--CreativelyD) "The default some people wake up to is dragging themselves to work and facing a list of things they have to do," says Wrzesniewski. So in the job-crafting process, the first step is to think about your job holistically. You first analyze how much time, energy and attention you devote to your various tasks. Then you reflect on that allocation( 分配). See I0 perfect jobs for the recession--and after.E) Take, for example, a maintenance technician at Burt’s Bees, which makes personal-care products. He was interested in process engineering, though that wasn’t part of his job description. To alter the scope of his day-to-day activities, the technician asked a supervisor if he could spend some time studying an idea he had for making the firm’s manufacturing procedures more energy-efficient. His ideas proved helpful, and now process engineering is part of the scope of his work.F) Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity and a professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, says it’s crucial for people to pay attention to their workday emotions. "Doing so," she says, "will help you discover which aspects of your work are most life-giving-and most life-draining."G) Many of us get stuck in ruts (惯例). Berg, a Ph.D. student at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania who helped develop the job-crafting methodology, says we all benefit from periodically rethinking what we do. "Even in the most constraining jobs, people have a certain amount of wiggle room," he says. "Small changes can have a real impact on life at work."Step 2: Diagram Your DayH) To lay the groundwork for change, job-crafting participants assemble diagrams detailing their workday activities. The first objective is to develop new insights about what you actually do at work. Then you can dream up fresh ways to integrate what the job-crafting exercise calls your "strengths, motives and passions" into yourdaily routine. You convert task lists into flexible building blocks. The end result is an "after" diagram that can serve as a map for specific changes.I) lna Lockau-V ogel, a management consultant who participated in a recent job-crafting workshop, says the exercise helped her adjust her priorities. "Before, 1 would spend so much time reacting to requests and focusing on urgent tasks that I never had time to address the real important issues." As part of the job-crafting process, she decided on a strategy for delegating and outsourcing (外包) more of her administrative responsibilities.J) In contrast to business books that counsel, managers to influence workers through incentives, job-crafting focuses on what employees themselves can do to re-envision and adjust what they do every day. Given that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it now takes the average job seeker more than six months to find a new position, it’s crucial to make the most of the job you’ve got.Step 3: Identify Job Loves and HatesK) By reorienting (使适应) how you think about your job, you free yourself up for new ideas about how to restructure your workday time and energy. Take an IT worker who hates dealing with technologically incompetent callers. He might enjoy teaching more than customer service. By spending more time instructing colleagues--and treating help-line callers as curious students of tech--the disgruntled IT person can make the most of his 9-to-5 position.L) Dutton, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, says she has seen local auto-industry workers benefit from the job-crafting process. "They come in looking worn down, but after spending two hours on this exercise, they come away thinking about three or four things they can do differently."M) "They start to recognize they have more control over their work than they realized," says Dutton, who parmered with Wrzesniewski on the original job-crafting research.Step 4: Put Your Ideas into ActionN) To conclude the job-crafting process, participants list specific follow-up steps: Many plan a one-0n-one meeting with a supervisor to propose new project ideas. Others connect with colleagues to talk about trading certain tasks. Berg says as long as their goals are met, many managers are happy to let employees adjust how they work.O) Job-crafting isn’t about revenue, per se, but juicing up ( 活跃) employee engagement may end up beefing up the bottom line. Amid salary, job and benefit cuts, more and more workers are disgruntled. Surveys show that more than 50% aren’t happy with what they do. Dutton, Ber g and Wrzesniewski argue that emphasizing enjoyment can boost efficiency by lowering turnover rates and jacking up productivity. Job-crafting won’t rid you of a lousy boss or a subpar salary, but it does offer some remedies for job dissatisfaction. If you can’t ditch or switch a job, at least make it more likable.1. A long time ago when a person hated his/her job, he/she will resign or bear it.2. Amy Wrzesniewski think job could be adjusted.3. Your first thing to do in the job-crafting process is to think about your job wholly .4. The idea of a maintenance technician at Burt’s Bees turned out to be helpful and energy-efficient.5. Berg’s suggestion about work is to rethink and make small changes.6. According to Ina Lockau-V ogel, the benefit from job-crafting is that it helps her set priorities properly.7. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the situation in job market is ---it is difficult to find a job.8. Dutton has seen that local auto-industry workers profit from the job-crafting process.9. According to Berg, if the job-crafting process is successful, the supervisors are willing to let employees adjust what to do.10. If you can’t quit your job, using job-crafting may at least offer some remedies for job dissatisfaction.文章精要日常生活中,人们往往认为工作是一些不得不做的任务、不得不承担的责任。

泛读教程unit 4 work

泛读教程unit 4 work

Word pretest 6.He has been exerting pressure on me to change my mind. A.putting B. adding C. lifting --v. raise to a higher position or level抬起,举起 Exert---verb. apply or bring to bear (a force, influence, or quality)运用(力);施加(影响);发挥(品质) E.g. the moon exerts a force on the Earth 月球对地球施加作用力 exerting influence over the next generation 对下一代施加影响
Word pretest
9.Do you think that these higher-than-average temperatures are attributable to global warming? A.responsible for B. related to C. caused by Attribute---verb. regard something as being caused by 把…归因于;把…归咎于 E.g. he attributed the firm's success to the efforts of the managing director 他把公司的成就归功于总经理的努力
Word pretest
2.He gradually accumulated a large number of books.
A.collected--- adjective. (of a person) not perturbed or distracted (人)镇静的;泰然自若的 B. appreciated--- appreciable [əˈpriːʃəb(ə)l] adjective. large or important enough to be noticed大得(或重要得)可察觉到的,相当可 观的 C. wrote
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their work is first, their fee second, very important always,but still second.
But in every nation, there is a vast class of people who are cowardly,
and more or less stupid. And with these people,
and—if they are good doctors, and the choice were fairly put to them
—would rather cure their patient and lose their fee than kill him and t it.
And so with all other brave and rightly trained men;
相关推荐: 年公共英语备考辅导
All healthy people like their dinner,
but their dinner is not the main object of their lives.
So all healthyminded people like making money
—ought to like it and to enjoy the sensation of winning it;
He is glad of his pay—very properly so,
and justly grumbles when you keep him ten months without it;
still his main notion of life is to win battles, not to be paid for winning them.
Observe, then, all wise work is mainly threefold in character.
It is honest,useful, and cheerful.
I hardly know anything more strange than that you recognize honesty in play,
So of doctors.
They like fees no doubt—ought to like them;
yet if they are brave and well educated,the entire object of their lives is not fees.
They, on the whole,desire to cure the sick,
Your watchword is fair play; your hatred, foul play.
Did it ever strike you that you wanted another watchword also,
fair work, and another hatred also, foul work?
just as certainly the fee is first and the work second,
as with brave people the work is first and the fee second.
And this is no small distinction. It is the whole distinction.
and do not in work.
In your lightest games you have always someone to see what you call “fair play”.
In boxing you must hit fair; in racing, start fair.
It is the whole distinction in a man.
You cannot serve two masters; you must serve one or the other.
If your work is first with you, and your fee second, work is your master.
but the main object of their lives is not money; it is something better than money.
A good soldier, for instance, mainly wishes to do his fighting well.
公共英语四级阅读材料:Work
It is physically impossible for a well-educated,intellectual,
or brave man to make money the chief object of his thoughts;
as physically impossible as it is for him to make his dinner the principal object of them.
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