英语四级55篇阅读理解练习

1. When I was growing up, the whole world was Jewish. The heroes were Jewish and the villains were Jewish. The landlord, the doctor, the grocer, your best friend, the village idiot, and the neighborhood bully: all Jewish. We were working class and immigrants as well, but that just come with the territory. Essentially we were Jews on the streets of New York. We learned to be kind, cruel, and smart and feeling in a mixture of language and gesture that was part street slang, part grade-school English, part kitchen Yiddish.One Sunday evening when I was eight years old my parents and I were riding in the back seat of my rich uncle's car. We had been out for a ride and now we were back in the Bronx, headed for home. Suddenly, another car sideswiped us. My mother and aunt shrieked. My uncle swore softly. My father, in whose lap I was sitting, said out the window at the speeding car, “That's all right. Nothing but a few Jews in here.” In an instant I knew everything. I knew there was a world beyond our streets, and in that world my father was a humiliated man, without power or standing.When I was sixteen a girl in the next building had her nose straightened; we all went together to see Selma Shapiro lying in state, wrapped in bandages from which would emerge a person fit for life beyond the block. Three buildings away a boy went downtown for a job, and on his application he wrote “Anold Brown”instead of “Anold Braunowiitz.”The news swept through the neighborhood like a wild fire. A name change? What was happening here? It was awful; it was wonderful. It was frightening; it was delicious. Whatever it was, it wasn't standstill.Thing felt lively and active. Self-confidence was on the rise, passivity on the wane. We were going to experience challenges. That's what it meant to be in the new world. For the first time we could imagine ourselves out there.But whom exactly do I mean when I say we? I mean Arinie, not Selma. I mean my brother, not me. I mean the boys, not the girls. My mother stood behind me, pushing me forward. “The girls goes to college, too,” she said. And I did. But my going to college would not mean the same thing as my brother's going to college, and we all knew it. For my brother, college meant going from the Bronx to Manhattan. But for me? From the time I was fourteen I yearned to get out of the Bronx, but get out into what? I did not actually imagine myself a working person alone in Manhattan and nobody else did either. What I did imagine was that I would marry, and that the man I married would get me downtown. He would break the perils of class and race, and some how I'd be there alongside him.1.In the passage, we can find the author was____.A) quite satisfied with her lifeB) a poor Jewish girlC) born in a middle-class familyD) a resident in a rich area in New York2.Why did the author's father say “Nothing but a few Jews in here”?A) He was asking for help.B) He was complaining.C) He was reassuring.D) He wanted to know why their car was sideswiped.3.Selma Shapiro had her nose straightened because she wanted ____.A) to look her bestB) to find a new job in the neighborhoodC) to live a new life in other placesD) to marry very soon4.Anold Brown changed his name because ____.A) there was racial discrimination in employmentB) Brown was just the same as BraunowiitzC) it was easy to writeD) Brown sounds better5.From the passage we can infer that ____.A) the Jews were satisfied with their life in the BronxB) the Jewish immigrants could not be richC) all the immigrants were very poorD) the young Jews didn't accept the stern reality2.Unlike any earlier building complex anywhere in the world, Rockefeller in New York City was built, not as a place where people could live, but as a city in which they could work. It was the biggest building project of its kind, a city within a city, and of the forerunner of projects that have sprung up all over the world. 30 architects, 120 draftsmen, and hundreds of other artists and technicians were employed just to draft the plans. Before the buildings could be erected,229 old buildings had to be emptied of 4,000 tenants and razed. Just to buy up the leases took over two years and cost over $6,000,000. The unusual shape and setbacks of the 70-story RCA building resulted primarily from practical considerations such as lighting, the movement of people and the building’s services. The lower concourse and basement level were set aside for shops. A sunken plaza, complete with gardens and fountains, was designed to provide access to these shops. Today the plaza, which is used for ice-skating in winter and dining and dancing in summer , is one of the centre's most popular attractions.1.Which of the following statement is the main idea of the passage?A) The pleasant work environment.B) The purpose of the RCA building setbacks.C) The recreational facilities at Rockefeller.D) The architectural significance of Rockefeller centre.2.From the passage we know, Rockefeller centre was originally planed to serve as what kind of complex?A) Commercial.B) Recreational.C) Housing.D) Tourist.3.Which of the following is true about Rockefeller centre?A) It was patterned after an ancient design.B) It has been imitated numerous times.C) All shopkeepers were required to take two-year leases.D) 4,000 tenants are located in the complex.4.According to the passage, what does the shape of the RCA building reflect ?A) Architectural creativity.B) City regulation.C) Practical considerations.D) Decreased space needs.5.The sunken plaza at Rockefeller centre was originally designed as ____.A) an entrance of shopsB) an ice-skating rinkC) a restaurantD) a tourist attraction3. In one very long sentence,the introduction to the U.N. Charter expresses the ideals and the common aims of all the peoples whose governments joined together to form the U.N."We the peoples of the U.N. determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our life time has brought untold suffering to man kind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arisingfrom treaties and other sources of international law can be mentioned, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, and for these ends, to practise tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of economic and social advancement of all people, have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims".The name "United Nations" is accredited to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the first group of representatives of member states met and signed a declaration of common intent on New Year's Day in 1942. Representatives of five powers worked together to draw up proposals, completed at Dumbarton Oaks in 1944.These proposals, modified after deliberation at the conference of International Organization in San Francisco which began in April 1945, were finally agreed on and signed as the U. N. Charter by 50 countries on 26 June 1945. Poland, not represented at the conference, signed the Charter later and was added to the list of original members. It was not until that autumn, however, after the Charter had been ratified by China, France, the U. S. S. R., the U. K. and the U. S. and by a majority of the other participants that U. N. officially came into existence.The date was 24 October, now universally celebrated as United Nations' Day.The essential functions of the U. N. are to maintain international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among nations, to cooperate internationally in solving international economic, social, cultural and human problems, promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and to be a centre for co-ordinating the actions of nations in attaining these commonends.No country takes precedence over another in the U. N.. Each member's rights and obligations are the same. All must contribute to peaceful settlement of international disputes, and members have pledged to refrain from the threat or use of force against other states. Though the U. N. has no right to intervene in any state's internal affairs, it tries to ensure that non-member states act accordingto its principles of international peace and security. U. N. member must offer very assistance in an approved U. N. action and in no way assist states against which the U. N. is taking preventive or enforcement action.1.The first stated aim of the U. N. was ______ .A) to supervise peace and treatiesB) to revise international lawsC) to prevent a third world warD) to assist the “third world” countries2.Under its charter, the U.N. guarantees ______ .A) never to use armsB) to employ international machinesC) to better standards of lifeD) to promote economic and social advancement3.The U. N. came into existence fully in ______ .A) 1942 B) 1944C) 1940 D) 19454.The essential functions of the U. N. ______ .A) are limited to discussions and debatesB) include co-ordinating actions where necessaryC) are only concerned with human rightsD) are economic and culture5.A country's domestic policies ______ .A) cannot be forcibly changed by the U. N.B) are often investigated by the U. N.C) are often enforced by the U. N.D) are not allowed to benefit from U. N. advice or assistance4. The traditional American Thanksgiving Day celebration went back to 1621. In that year a special feast was prepared in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The colonists who had settled there had left England because they felt denied of religious freedom. They came to the new land and faced difficulties in coming across the ocean.The ship which carried them was called the Mayflower. The North Atlantic was difficult to travel. There were bad storms. They were assisted in learning to live in the new land by the Indians who inhabitedthe region. The Puritans, as they were called, had much to be thankful for. Their religious practices were no longer a source of criticism by the government. They learned to adjust their farming habits to the climate and soil. When they selected the fourth Thursday of November for their Thanksgiving celebration, they invited their neighbors, the Indians, to join them in dinner and a prayer of gratitude for the new life. They recalled the group of 102 men, women, and children who left England. They remembered their dead who did not live to see the shores of Massachusett s.They reflected on the 65 days’ journey, which tested their strength.1.The tradition of a day of Thanksgiving is ______.A)100 years oldB)200 years oldC)300 years oldD)400 years old2.Why had they left England?A)Because of religious problems.B)To establish a new religion. C)To learn farming.D)Because of the Indians.3.The Mayflower was ______ .A)the city they left fromB)the city they arrived atC)the ship they travelled in D)the name of Indian chief4.The Indians had ______.A)made life difficult for themB)helped them to adjustC)taken their landD)been too afraid to talk to them4.The climate and soil in Massachusetts are ______.A)similar to that of EnglandB)different from that of EnglandC)similar to that of PlymouthD)different from that of Plymouth5. Exceptional children are different in some significant ways from others of the same age,for the same age,for these children to develop to their full adult potential, their education must be adapted to those differences.Although we focus on the needs of exceptional children, we find ourselves describing their environment as well. While the leading actor on the stage captures our attention, we are aware of the importance of the supporting players and the scenery of the play itself. Both the family and the society in which exceptional children live are often the key to their growth and development. And it is in the public schools that we find the full expression of society's understanding the knowledge, hopes, and fearsthat are passed on to the next generation.Education in any society is a mirror of that society. In that mirror we can see the strengths, the weaknesses, the hopes, the prejudices, and the central values of the culture itself. The great interest in exceptional children shown in pubic education over the past three decades indicates the strong feeling in our society that all citizens, whatever their special conditions, deserve the opportunity to fully develop their capabilities."All men are created equal." We've heard it many times, but it still has important meaning for education in a democratic society. Although the phrase was used by this country's founders to denote equality before the law, it has also been interpreted to mean equality of opportunity. That concept implies educational opportunity for all children——the right of each child to receive help in learning to the limits of his or her capacity ,whether that capacity be small or great. Recent court decisions have confirmed the right of all children-desabled or not -to an appropriate education, and have ordered that public schools take the necessary steps to provide that education. In response, schools are modifying their programs, adapting instruction to children who are exceptional, to those who cannot profit substantially from regular programs.1.In paragraph 2, the author cites the example of the leading actor on the stage to show that ______.A) the growth of exceptional children has much to do with their family and the societyB) exception children are more influenced by their families than normal children areC) exceptional children are the key interest of the family and societyD) the needs of the society weigh much heavier than the needs of the exceptional children2.The reason that the exceptional children receive so much concern in education is that ______ .A) they are expected to be leaders of the societyB) they might become a burden of the societyC) they should fully develop their potentialsD) disabled children deserve special consideration3.This passage mainly deals with ______ .A) the differences of children in their learning capabilitiesB) the definition of exceptional children in modern societyC) the special educational programs for exceptional childrenD) the necessity of adapting education to exceptional children4.From its passage we learn that the educational concern for exceptiona l children ______ .A) is now enjoying legal supportB) disagrees with the tradition of the countryC) was clearly stated by the country's foundersD) will exert great influence over court decisions5.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?A) Exceptional children refer to those with mental or physical problems.B) The author use “All men are created equal” to counter the school program for the exceptional children .C) Recent court decisions confirm the rights of the exceptional children to enjoy the equal rights to learn with the normal ones.D) Regular school programs fail to meet the requirements to develop the potential of exceptional children .6. More attention was paid to the quality of production in France at the time of Rene Coty. Charles Deschanel was then the financial minister. He stressed that workmanship and quality were more important than quantity for industrial production. It would be necessary to produce quality goods for the international market to complete with those produced in other countries. The French economy needed a larger share of the international market to balance its import and export trade.French industrial and agricultural production was still inadequate to meet the immediate needs of the people, let alone long-ranged developments. Essential imports had stretched the national credit to the breaking point. Rents were tightly controlled, but the extreme inflation affected general population most severely though the cost of food. Food costs took as much as 80 per cent of workers income. Wages, it is true, had risen and there was full-time and overtime employment.Taken together these factors enabled the working class to exist but allowed them no sense of security. In this precarious and discouraging situation, workmen were willing to work overseas for higher wages.The government was reluctant to let workers leave the country. It was feared this migration of workers would deplete the labor force. The lack of qualified workers might hinder the improvement in the quality of industrial products produced.Qualified workers produced in foreign countries. Also the quantity of quality goods produced in France would not be able to increase as part of its qualified labor force moved to other countries.1.According to the passage,which of the following is right?A) The French workers were better paid than the workers in any other European country.B) The French workers were able to save more money with the increase in his wages.C) The French workers were anxious to work abroad.D) The French workers were often unable to find work in France.2.Which was not true in France?A) Food cost were low.B) Wages had increased.C) The state paid family allowances.D) There was overtime employment.3.According to the passage,which of the following is charles Deschanel’s opinion?A) He paid more attention to quality than to quantity.B) The passage doesn’t mention it.C) His opinion is totally different from others.D) He was not right.4.According to the passage, French production ______ .A) was inadequate to meet the needs of the French peopleB) was flooding the international market with inferior productsC) emphasized industrial production at the expense of agricultural productionD) was enough for the local market5.Which of the following is right?A) The French government prohibited French to work abroad.B) The French government reduced taxes to fight inflation.C) The French government paid family allowances and benefits.D) The French government prohibited the French worker to join labor unions.7.字数：359 建议做题时间：8分钟Traffic congestion and cities,it seems,go hand in hand.Everyone complains about being stuck in traffic; but,like the weather,no one seems to do anything about it. ①In particular,traffic engineers,transportation planners,and public officials responsible for metropolitan transportation systems are frequently criticized for failing to make a dent in congestion.But is traffic congestion a sign of failure? Long queues at restaurants or theater box offices are seen as signs of success.Should transportation systems be viewed any differently? I think we should recognize that traffic congestion is an inevitable by-product of vibrant (充满活力的),successfulcities,and view the “congestion problem” in a different light.Cities exist because they promote social interactions and economic transactions.Traffic congestion occurs where lots of people pursue these ends simultaneously in limited spaces.Culturally and economically vibrant cities have the worst congestion problems,while decaying cities don’t have much traffic.By some estimates,New York and Los Angeles are America’s most congested cities.But if you want access to major brokerage houses,you will find them easier to reach in congested New York than in any other metropolitan area.And if your firm needs access to post-production film editors or satellite-guidance engineers,you will reach them more quickly via the crowded freeways of LA than via less crowded roads elsewhere. Despite congestion,a larger number and wider variety of social interactions and economic transactions can be consummated in large,crowded cities than elsewhere.Seen in this light,congestion is an unfortunate consequence of prosperity and a drag on otherwise high levels of accessibility,not a cause of economic decline and urban decay.So while we can view congestion as imposing costs on metropolitan areas,the costs of inaccessibility in uncongested places are almost certainly greater.②The terrible economic and environmental tolls that congestion brings in places like Bangkok,Jakarta,and Lagos are undeniable.But mobility is far higher and congestion levels are far lower here in the US,even in our most crowded cities.That’s why,for now,we don’t see people and capital streaming out of San Francisco and Chicago,heading for cities like California,and Illinois.1. We can conclude from the first paragraph that.A) traffic congestion and weather are the two factors hindering the development of the big cityB) traffic congestion seems to be very difficult to deal withC) if the traffic engineers try their best, traffic congestion can be solvedD) public officials are always criticized for misusing their power2. According to the second paragraph, what’s the author’s view towards traffic congestion？A) Traffic congestion is both a sign of failure and a sign of success.B) In cities,traffic congestion is inevitable.C) Traffic congestion is a consequence of successful cities.D) For a vibrant city,traffic congestion is not unavoidable.3. By saying “decaying”(Line 4, Para. 3),the writer probably means.A) declining B) robustC) prosperous D) developing4. According to this passage,which statement about “New York”and “Los Angeles” is TRUE?A) New York and Los Angeles are the most vibrant cities in the USA.B) It is easier to reach major brokerage houses in the two cities than in other cities.C) Despite the traffic congestion in LA, you will find a satellite-guidanceengineer more quickly there.D) The traffic congestion in the two cities has been worsened.5. What can we learn from the last paragraph?A) Congestion has caused terrible bad effects in cities such as Bangkok and Lagos.B) The congestion level in Jakarta is lower than that in the US.C) The congestion in San Francisco has resulted in the capital draining away.D) California is as crowed and vibrant as San Francisco.8.字数：386 建议做题时间：10分钟Farmers often feel they need a lot of sunshine to produce a good crop.But lots of vegetables grow well without much sun.The Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania published a report about this subject some years ago in its magazine Organic Gardening.The report said many different kinds of foods,from blueberries to beans,can be grown in the shade. Some vegetables do need a lot of sun.①A vegetable crop expert at the University of Maine advised putting these vegetables where they can get from eight to ten hours of sunlight a day.Tomatoes,melons,squash and peppers are among those that need the most sun.Plants that produce root crops,such as carrots and beets (甜菜),need from six to eight hours of sunlight every day.But leafy vegetables,such as lettuce (莴苣) and spinach,need only six hours of sunlight a day.Nut trees such as filbert (榛子)and yellow horn produce well with only sun in the morning.Some fruits also do well without a lot of sunlight.In the United States,blueberries,raspberries (树莓),and several kinds of pears need only a little sun each day.In Asia,the hardy kiwi grows well in the shade.Many herbs (香草) grow well without much sun.Mint (薄荷) plants,for example,grow well in the shade.So do sage,dill,oregano,borage,chamomile and several kinds of thyme.The Rodale Institute says a garden should be planned carefully especially if you grow different kinds of foods.For example,rows of vegetables should be planted in an east-west direction.That way,as the sun passes overhead,all the plants will receive an equal amount of light.This is especially important when the plants grow to different heights.The owner of a garden seed company warned against removing shade trees.He cut down all his shade trees to provide more sun for his crops.②But then he had to protect his summer lettuce from the heat of the sun by hanging a piece of cloth to provide shade.Instead of cutting trees,he suggested putting plants that need a lot of sunlight,such as tomatoes,in containers.That way they can be moved as the sun moves.1. What is Organic Gardening mainly about?A) Something related to human organs.B) how to grow plants organically.C) how to play organ.D) how to arrange the garden in an organic way.2. How may hours of sunlight does potato probably need one day?A) Ten hours. B) Nine hours.C) Seven hours. D) Five hours.3. Which of the following plants may not need sunlight at all?A) Walnut. B) Water melon.C) Raspberry. D) Borage.4. Why should the vegetables be planted in an east-west direction?A) All the plants in the garden can obtain the same amount of sunlight.B) The plants which do not need much sunlight can be shaded.C) It is good for different vegetables to get the same nutrition.D) It is easy for you to arrange the garden in this way.5. According to the passage,which of the following statements is TRUE?A) To provide more sun for the plants,trees in the garden should be removed.B) To get more sunlight,melons may be planted in movable containers.C) The owner of a seed company planted tomatoes in containers.D) Being planted in containers,plants can get enough sunlight.9.Psychologists take opposing views of how external rewards, fromwarm praise to old cash, affect motivation and creativity. Behaviorists, who study the relation between actions and , argue that rewards can improve performance at work and school. Some other researchers who study various aspects of mental life, maintain those rewards often destroy creativity byencouraging dependence on approval and gifts from others.The latter view has gained many supporters, especially among educators. But the careful use of small monetary rewards sparks in grade-school children suggesting that properly presented inducements indeed aid inventiveness, according to a study in the June Journal Personality and Social Psychology.“If they know they're working for a reward and can focus on a relatively challenging task, they show the most creativity,” says Robert Esenberger of the University of Delaware in Newark. “But it's easy to kill creativity by giving rewards for poor performance or creating too much anticipation for rewards.”A teacher who continually draws attention to rewards or who hands out high grades for ordinary achievement ends up with uninspired students, Esenberger holds. As an example of the latter point, he notes growing efforts at major universities to tighten grading standards and restore falling grades.In earlier grades, the use of so-called token economics, in which students handle challenging problems and receive performance-based points toward valued rewards, shows promise in raising effort and creativity, the Delaware psychologistclaims.1. Psychologists are divided with regard to their attitudes toward ____.A) the choice between spiritual encouragement and monetary rewardsB) the appropriate amount of external rewardsC) the study of relationship between actions andD) the effects of external rewards on students' performance2. What is the view held by many educators concerning external rewards for students?A) They approve of external rewards.B) They don't think external rewards.C) They have doubts about external rewards.D) They believe external rewards can motivate small children, but not college students.3. According to the result of the study mentioned in the passage, what should educators do to stimulate motivation and creativity?A) Give rewards for performances which deserve them.B) Always promise rewards.C) Assign tasks which are not very challenging.D) Be more lenient to students when mistakes are made.4．It can be inferred from the passage that major universities are trying to tighten their grading standards because they believe ____.A) rewarding poor performance may kill the creativity of students’B) punishment is more effective than rewardingC) failing uninspired students helps improve their overall academic standardsD) discouraging the students anticipation for easy rewards is matter of urgency5．Which of the following facts about “token economics” is not correct?A) Students are assigned challenging tasks.B) Rewards are given for good performances.C) Students are evaluated according to the effort they put into the task.D) With token economics, students’ creativity can be enhanced.10. Americans believe no one stands still. If you are not moving ahead, you are falling behind. This attitude results in a nation of people committed to researching, experimenting and exploring. Time is one of the two elements that Americans save carefully, the other being labor."We are slaves to nothing but the clock,”it has been said. Time is treated as if it were something almost tangible. We budget it, save it, waste it, steal it,kill it, cut it, account for it; we also charge for it. It is a precious commodity. Many people have a rather acute shortness of each lifetime. Once the sands have run out of a person’s hourglass, they cannot be replaced. We want every minute to count.A foreigner’s first impression of the U.S. is likely to be that everyone is。