大学英语四级阅读
四级必读英语阅读12篇_中英文
C) to estimate the length of cable that was needed
Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings ,but he was reluctant to go to sea to further his work.
For most people the sea was remote, and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea ,there was little reason to ask many questions about it ,let alone to ask what lay beneath the surface. The first time that the question ”what is at the bottom of the oceans? ”had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed. The engineers had to know the depth profile of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured.
英语四级真题阅读理解(带翻译)
Passage1Reading leadership literature, you’d sometimes think that everyone has the potential to be an effective leader. 读领导文学,你有时会认为每个人都有可能成为一个有效的领导者。
I don’t believe that to be true. In fact, I see way fewer truly effective leaders than I see people stuck in positions of leadership who arc sadly incompetent and seriously misguided about their own abilities. 我不相信这是真的。
事实上,我认为真正有效的领导者的方式比我看到的人都陷在领导的职位上,遗憾的是他们自己的能力不称职,严重误导了他们。
Part of the reason this happens is a lack of honest self-assessment by those who aspire to(追求)leadership in the first place. 对产生这种现象的原因一部分是由那些渴望缺乏诚实的自我评估(追求)放在首位的领导We've all met the type of individual who simply must take charge. Whether it's adecision-making session, a basketball game, or a family outing, they can't help grabbing the lead dog position and clinging on to it for dear life. They believe they're natural born leaders.我们都遇到了个人的类型,他们必须负责。
(完整版)大学英语四级阅读理解试题及答案
As the pace of life continues to increase ,we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through lift,being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.Stress is an natural part of everyday lift and there is no way to avoid it. In fact ,it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be .A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation adn give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress,and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress,in whatever form,we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme,but however little the stress,it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long,through continued exposure to stress,that health becomes endangered.Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress.Since we cannot remove stress from our lives(it would be unwise to do so even if we could),we need to find ways to deal with it.1.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.a.they do not know how to enjoy themselvesb.they do not believe that relaxation is important for healthc.they are travelling fast all the timed.they are becoming busier with their work2.According to the writer ,the most important character for a good manager is his ________.a.not fearing stressb.knowing the art of relaxationc.high sense of responsibilityd.having control over performance3.Which of the follwing statements is ture?a.We can find some ways to avoid stressb.Stress is always harmful to peoplec.It is easy to change the hagit of keeping oneself busy with work.d.Different people can withstand different amounts of stress4.In Paragraph 3, "such a reaction" refers back to_______.a."making a choice between 'flight' or 'fight'"b."reaction to stress both chemically and physically"c."responding to crises quickly"d."losing heart at the signs difficulties"5.In the last sentence of the passage,"do so " refers to ______.a."expose ourselves to stress"b."find ways to deal with stress"c."remove stress from our lives"d."established links between diseases and stress"答案:dadbcIn the 1960s, many young Americans were dissatisfied with American society. They wanted to end the Vietnam War and to make all of the people in the U.S. epual. Some of them decided to "drop out" of American society and form their own societies . They formed utopian communities , which they called "communes," where they could follow their philosophy of "do your own thing." A group of artists founded a commune in southern Colorado called "Drop City." Following the ideas of philosopher and architect Buckminster Fuller they built domeshaped houses from pieces of old cars. Other groups, such as author Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, the followers fo San Francisco poet Steve Gakin, and a group that called itself the Hog Farm, lived in old school huses and traveled around the United States. The Hog Farm become famous when they helped organize the Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969. Steve Gaskin's followers tried to settle down on a farm in Tennessee, but they had to leave when some members of the gruop were arrested for growing marijuana.Not all communes believed in the philosophy of "do you own thing," however . Twin Oaks , a commune founded in Virgiania in the late 1960s, was based on the ideas of psychologist B.F.Skinner. The people who lived at Twin Oaks were carefully controlled by Skinner's "conditioning" techniques to do things that were good for the community. In 1972, Italian architect Paolo Soleri began to build Arcosanti, a utopian city Arizsona where 2500 people will live closely together in one large building called an "archology" Soleri believes that people must live closely together so that they will all become one.1.Why did some young Americans decide to "drop out" of scoiety during the 1960s?a.They were not satisfied with American society.b.They wanted to grow marijuana.c.They wanted to go to the Vietnam War.d.They did not want all people to be equal.2.Where did the members of the Hog Farm commune live?a.In dome-shaped houseb.In old school husesc.On a farm inTennesseed.In an archology in Arizona3.Who gave the people of Drop City the idea to bulid dome-shaped house?a.Paolo Solerib.B.G.Skinnerc.Steve Gaskind.Buckminster Fuller4.What was the Twin Oaks commune base on ?a.The philosophy of "do your own thing"b.Virginaia in the late 1960sc.The ideas of psychologistd.The belief that people must live closely togerher.5.What is an "archology"?a.A person who studies archaeologyb.A large building where people live closely togetherc.A city in A rizonad.A technique to contorl people答案:abdcbThere are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence. The first is the sort of brain he is born with. Human brains differ considerably, some being more capable than others. But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn. So the second factor is what happens to the individual—the sort of environment in which he is reared. If an individual is handicapped envionmentally ,it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable.The importance of environment in determining an individual's intellingence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark X. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth processes were the same. When the twins were three months old , their parents died, and they were placed in separate foster homes. Peter was reated by parents of low intelligence in an isolatedcommunity with poor educational pooprtunities.Mark was reared inthe home of well-to-do parents who had been to college. He was read to as a child , sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually.This enviromental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when they were giben tesets to measure their intelligence. Mark's I.Q. was 125, twenty-five points higher than the average and fully forty points higher than his identical brother. Given equal opportunities , the twins , having identical brains,would have tested at roughly the same level.1.This selection can best be titled_________.a.Measuring Your Intelligenceb.Intelligence and Environmentc.The Case of Peter and Markd.How the brain Influences Intelligence2.The beststatement of the main idea of this passage is that _____.a.human brains differ considerablyb.the brain a person is born with is improtant in determining his intelligencec.environment is crucial in determining a person's intelligenced. persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence3.According to the passage , the average I.Q.is _____.a.85b.100c.110d.1254.The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that _______.a.individual with identical brains seldom test at same levelb.an individual's intelligence is determined only by his enviromentck of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligenced.changes of enviroment produce changes in the structure of the brain5.This passage suggests that an individual 's I.Q.______.a.can be predicted at birthb.stays the same throuthout his lifec.can be increased by educationd.is determined by his childhood答案:bcbccAs she walked round the huge department store,Edith reflected how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas present for her father.She wish that he was as easy to please as her mother, who was always delighted with perfumeBesides,shoppong at this time of the year was a most disgreeable experience :people trod on yourtoes,poked you with their elbows and almost knocked you overin their haste to get to a bargain ahead of you.Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter where some attracive ties were on display. "They are real silk," the assistant assured her, trying to tempt her. "Worth double the price." But edit knew from past experience that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.She moved on reluctantly and then quite by chance, stopped where a small crowd of man had gathered round a counter. She found some good quality pipes on sale-----and the prices were very reasonable. Edith didnot hesitate for long : although her father only smoked a pipe occasionally, she knew that this was a present which was bund to please him.When she got home,with her small well-chosen present concealed in her handbag, her parents were already at the supper table. Her mother was in an especially cheerful mood, "Your father has at last to decided to stop smoking." She informed her daughter.1.Edith's father _______.a.did not like presentb.never got presentc.preferred tiesd.was difficult to choose a present for2.The assistant spoke to Edith because she seemed_______.a.attractiveb.interested in tiesc.tiredd.in need of comfort3.Edith stopped at the next counter_________.a.puroselyb.suddenlyc.unwillinglyd.accidentally4.Edith's father smoked a pipe_______.a.when he was obligedb.on social occasionsc.from time to timed.when he was delighted5.Shopping was very disagreeable at that time of the year because_______.a.coustomers trod on each other's toesb.coustomers poked each other with their elbowsc.customers knocked each otherd.customers were doing their shopping in a great hurry答案:dbdcdIf the population of the earth goes on increasing at its present rate, there will eventually not be enough resources left to sustain life on the planet.By the middle of the 21st century,if present trends continue, we will have used up all the oil that drives our cars,for example.Even if scientists develop new ways of feeding the human race,the crowded conditions on earth will make it necessary for lus to look for open space somewhere else. But none of the other planets in our solar system are capable of supporting life at present. One possible solution to the problem, however,has recently been suggested by American scientist, Professor Carl Sagan.Sagan believes that before the earth's resources are compleetely exhausted it will be possible to change the atmophere of Venus and so create a new world almost as large as earth itself. The difficult is that Venus is much hotter than the earth and there is only a tiny amount of water there.Sagan proposes that algae organisms that can live in extremely hot or cold atmospheres and at the same time produce oxygen,should be bred in condition similar to those on Venus.As soon as this has been done, the algae will be placed in small rockets. Spaceship will then fly to Venus and fire the rockets into the atmosphere .In a fairly short time, the alge will break down the carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon.When the algae have done theri work, the atmosphere will become cooler,but befor man can set foot on Venus it will be neccessary for the oxygen to produce rain. The surface of the planet will still be too hot for man to land on it but the rain will eventually fall and in a few years something like earth will be reproduced on Venus.1.Inte long run, the most insoluble problem caused by population growth on earth will probably be the lack of ______.a.foodb.oilc.spaced.resources2.Carl Sagan believes that Venus might be colonized from earth because _____a.it might be possible to change its atmosphereb.its atmosphere is the same as the earth'sc.there is a good supply of water on Venusd.the days on Venus are long enough3.On Venus there is a lot of ________.a.waterb.carbon dioxidec.carbon monoxided.oxygen4.Algae are plants that can____.a.live in very hot temperaturesb.live in very cold temperaturesc.manufacture oxygend.all of the above5. Man can land on Venus only when_______.a.the algae have done their workb.the atmosphere becomes coolerc.thereis oxygend.it rains there答案:cabdd。
大学英语四级阅读理解试题及答案
大学英语四级阅读理解试题及答案(一)There are three kinds of goals: short-term,medium-range and long-term goals.Short-range goals are those that usually deal with current activities,which we can apply on a daily basis.Such goals can be achieved in a week or less,or two weeks,or possible months.It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation ,out long-term goals cannot amount to very munch without the achievement of solid short-term goals.Upon completing our short-term goals,we should date the occasion and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed.The intermediate goals bukld on the foundation of the short-range goals.They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school year,or they could even extend for several years.Any time you move a step at a time,you should never allow yourself to become discouraged or overwhelmed. As you complete each step,you will enforce the belief in your ability to grow adn succeed.And as your list of completion dates grow,your motivation and desire will increase.Long-range goals may be related to our dreams of the future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing.We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action.1.Our long-term goals mean a lot__.a.if we complete our short-range goalsb.if we cannot reach solid short-term goalsc.if we write down the datesd.if we put forward some plans2.New short-term goals are bulid upon__.a.two yearsb.long-term goalsc.current activitiesd.the goals that have been completed3.When we complete each step of our goals ,__.a.we will win final successb.we are overwhelmedc.we should build up confidence of successd.we should strong desire for setting new goals4.Once our goals are drawn up,__.a.we should stick to them until we complete themb.we may change our goals as we have new ideas and opportunitiesc.we had better wait for the exciting news of successd.we have made great decision5.It is implied but not stated in the passage that ___.a.those who habe long-term goals will succeedb.writing down the dates may discourage youc.the goal is only a guide for us to reach our desinationd.every should have a goal答案:adcbc二The economy of the United states after 1952 was the econnomy of a well-fed,almost fully employed people. Despit occasional alarms, the country escaped any postwar depression and lived in a state of boom. A n economic survey of the year 1955, a typical year of the 1950’s, may be typical as illustrating the rapid economic growth of the decade. The national output was value at 10 percent above that of 1954 (1955 output was estimated at 392 billion dollars). The production of manufacturers was about 40 percent more than it had averaged in the years immediately following World War 2. The country’s business spent about 30billion dollars for new factories and machinery. National income available for spending was almost a third greater than it had been it had been in 1950. Consumers spent about 256 billion dollars; that is about 700 million dollars a day ,or about twenty-five million dollars every hour , all round the clock. Sixty-five million people held jobs and only a little more than two million wanted jobs but could not find them . Only agriculture complained that it was not sharing in the room. To some observers this was an ominous echo of the mid-1920’s . As farmer’s shre of their products declined , marketing costs rose. But there were , among the observers of the national economy, a few who were not as confident as the majority . Those few seemed to fear that the boom could not last and would eventually lead to the oppsite-depression.1. What is the best title of the passage?a. The Agriculatural Trends of 1950’sb. The Unemployment Rate of 1950’sc. U.S. Economy in the 50’sd. The Federal Budget of 19522. In Line 4 , the word “boom”could best be replaced by______.a. nearby explosionb. thunderous noisec. general public supportd. rapid economic growth3. It can be inferred the national from the passage that most people in the United States in 1955 viewed the national economy with an air of _________.a. confidenceb. confusionc. disappointmentd. suspicion4. Which of the following were LEAST satisfied with the national economy in the 1950’s?a. Economistsb. Frmaersc. Politiciansd. Steelworkers5. The passage states that incom available for spending in the U.S. was greater in 1955 than in 1950 . How much was it ?a. 60%b. 50%c. 33%d. 90%答案:cdabc三Women are also underrepresented in the administration and this is because there are so few women full professors. In 1985,Regent Beryl Milburn produced a report blasting the University of Texas System adminitration for not encouraging women.The University was rated among the lowest for the system.In a 1987 update ,Milburn commended the progress that was made and called for even more improvement.One of the positive results from her study was a System-wide program to inform women of available administrative jobs.College of Communication Associate Dean Patrica Witherspoon,said it is important that woman be flexible when it comesto relocating if they want to rise in the ranks.Although a woman may face a chilly climate on campus , many times in order for her to succeed , she must rise above the problems around her and concentrate on her work.Until women make up a greater percentage of the senior positions in the University and all academia,inequities will exist."Women need to spend their energies and time doing scholarly activities that are important here at the University." Spirduso said. "If they do that will be successful in this system.If they spend their time in little groups mourning the sexual discrimination that they think exists here, they are wasting valuable study time."1.According to Spirduso,women need to ____.a.produce a report on sexual discriminationb.call for further improvement in their working conditionsc.spend their energies and time fighting against sexual discriminationd.spend more time and energy doing scholarly activities2.From this passage ,we know that _____.a.there are many women full professors in the University of Texasb.women play an important part in adminitrating the Universityc.the weather on the campus is chillyd.women make up a small percentage of the senior positions in the University3.Which of the following statements is true?a.the number of women professors in the University in 1987 was greater than that of 1985b.the number of women professors in the University in 1987 was smaller than that of 1985c.the number of women professors was the same as that of 1985d.more and more women professors thought that sexual discrimination did exit in the University4.One of the positive results from Milburn's study was that _____.a.women were told to con centrate on teir workb.women were given information about available administrative jobsc.women were encouraged to take on all the administrative jobs in the Unversityd.women were encouraged to do more scholarly activities5. The title for this passage should be _______.a.The University of Texasburn's Reportc.Women Professorsd.Sexual Discrimination in Academia答案:ddabd四Today ,as in every other day of the year ,more than 3000 U.S. adlescents will smoke their first cigarette on their way to becoming regular smokers as adults. During their lifetime,it can be expected that of these 3000 about 23 will be murdered,30 will die in traffic accidents, and nearly 750 will be killed by a smoking-related disease. The number of deaths attributed to cigarette smoking outweithts all other factors, whether voluntary or involuntary, as a cause of death.Since the late 1970s, when daily smoking among high school seniors reached 30 precent , smoking rates among youth have declined . While the decline is impressive ,several important issues must be raised.First, in the past several years,smoking rates among youth have declined very little. Second,in the late 1970s ,smoking among male high school seniors exceeded that among female by nearly 10 percent . The statistic is reversing.Third ,several recent studies have indicate high school dropouts have excessively high smoking rates, as much as 75 percent .Finally, thouth significant declines in adolescent smoking have occurred in the past decade,no definite reasons for the decline exist. Within this context,the Naional Cancer Instiute (NCI) began its current effort to determine the most effecive measures to reduce smoking levesl among youth.1.According to the author, the deaths among youth are mainly caused by _____.a.traffic accidentsb.smoking-related deseasec.murderd.all of these2.Every day there are over_____high school strdents who will become regular smoker.a.75b.23c.30d.30003.By "dropout" the author means______.a.students who failed the examinationb.students who left schoolc.students who lost their wayd.students who were driven out of school4.The reason for declining adolescent smoking is that ________.a.NCI has taken effective measuresb.smoking is prevented among high school seniorsc.there are many smokers who have died of cancerd.none of these5.What is implied but not stated by the author is that ________.a.smoking rates among youth have declined very littleb.there are now more female than male smokers among high school seniorsc.high smoking rates are due to the incease in wealthd.smoking at high school are from low socio-economic backgrounds答案:bdbdb五The food we eat seems to have profound effects on our health.Although science has made enormous steps in making food more fit to eat ,it has, at the same time,made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that perhaps eighty percent of all human illnesses are related to diet and forty percent of cancer is related to the diet as well,especially cancer of the colon. Different cultures are more likely to cause certain different illnesses because of the food that is characteristic in these cultures. That food is related to illness is nto a new discovery. In 1945, about 35 years ago, government researchers realized that nitrates, commonly used to preserve color in meats,and other food additivies,caused cancer. Yet, these carcinogenic additives remain in our food, and it becomes more difficult all the time to know which things on the packaging labels of processed food are helpful or harmful. The additives which we eat are not all so direct. Farmers often give penicillin to beef and living animals, and because of this ,penicillin has been found in the milk of treated cow. Sometimes similar drugs are given to animals not for medical purposes,but for financial reasons. The farmers are simply trying to fatten the animals in order to obtain a higher price on the market. Although the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has tried repeatedly to control these procedures, the practices continue.1.What is the best possible title of the passage?a.Drug and Foodb.Cancer and Healthc.Food and Healthd.Health and Drug2.Which of the following statements is NOT ture?a.Drugs are always given to animals for medical reasonsb.Some of the additives in our food are added to the food itself and some are given to the living animalsc.Researchers have known about the potential dangers of food additives for over thirty-five years.d.Food may cause forty percent of cancer in world.3.How has science done something harmful to mankind?a.Because of science , diseases caused by polluted food haven been virtually eliminated.b.It has caused a lack of information concerning the value of food.c.Because of the application of science,some potentially harmful substances have been added to food.d.The scientists have preserved the color of meats,but not of vegetables.4.What are nitrates used for?a.They preserve flavor in packaged foods.b.They preserve the color of meats.c.They are the objects of research.d.They cause the animals to become fatter.5.The word 'carcinogenic' most nearly means '_____'.a.trouble-makingb.color-retainingc.money-makingd.cancer-causing答案:cacbd六As the pace of life continues to increase ,we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through lift,being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.Stress is an natural part of everyday lift and there is no way to avoid it. In fact ,it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be .A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation adn give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress,and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress,in whatever form,we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme,but however little the stress,it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long,through continued exposure to stress,that health becomes endangered.Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress.Since we cannot remove stress from our lives(it would be unwise to do so even if we could),we need to find ways to deal with it.1.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.a.they do not know how to enjoy themselvesb.they do not believe that relaxation is important for healthc.they are travelling fast all the timed.they are becoming busier with their work2.According to the writer ,the most important character for a good manager is his ________.a.not fearing stressb.knowing the art of relaxationc.high sense of responsibilityd.having control over performance3.Which of the follwing statements is ture?a.We can find some ways to avoid stressb.Stress is always harmful to peoplec.It is easy to change the hagit of keeping oneself busy with work.d.Different people can withstand different amounts of stress4.In Paragraph 3, "such a reaction" refers back to_______.a."making a choice between 'flight' or 'fight'"b."reaction to stress both chemically and physically"c."responding to crises quickly"d."losing heart at the signs difficulties"5.In the last sentence of the passage,"do so " refers to ______.a."expose ourselves to stress"b."find ways to deal with stress"c."remove stress from our lives"d."established links between diseases and stress"答案:dadbc七In the 1960s, many young Americans were dissatisfied with American society. They wanted to end the Vietnam War and to make all of the people in the U.S. epual. Some of them decided to "drop out" of American society and form their own societies . They formed utopian communities , which they called "communes," where they could follow their philosophy of "do your own thing."A group of artists founded a commune in southern Colorado called "Drop City." Following the ideas of philosopher and architect Buckminster Fuller they built domeshaped houses from pieces of old cars. Other groups, such as author Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, the followers fo San Francisco poet Steve Gakin, and a group that called itself the Hog Farm, lived in old school huses and traveled around the United States. The Hog Farm become famous when they helped organize the Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969. Steve Gaskin's followers tried to settle down on a farm in Tennessee, but they had to leave when some members of the gruop were arrested for growing marijuana.Not all communes believed in the philosophy of "do you own thing," however . Twin Oaks , a commune founded in Virgiania in the late 1960s, was based on the ideas of psychologist B.F.Skinner. The people who lived at Twin Oaks were carefully controlled by Skinner's "conditioning" techniques to do things that were good for the community. In 1972, Italian architect Paolo Soleri began to build Arcosanti, a utopian city Arizsona where 2500 people will live closely together in one large building called an "archology" Soleri believes that people must live closely together so that they will all become one.1.Why did some young Americans decide to "drop out" of scoiety during the 1960s?a.They were not satisfied with American society.b.They wanted to grow marijuana.c.They wanted to go to the Vietnam War.d.They did not want all people to be equal.2.Where did the members of the Hog Farm commune live?a.In dome-shaped houseb.In old school husesc.On a farm inTennesseed.In an archology in Arizona3.Who gave the people of Drop City the idea to bulid dome-shaped house?a.Paolo Solerib.B.G.Skinnerc.Steve Gaskind.Buckminster Fuller4.What was the Twin Oaks commune base on ?a.The philosophy of "do your own thing"b.Virginaia in the late 1960sc.The ideas of psychologistd.The belief that people must live closely togerher.5.What is an "archology"?a.A person who studies archaeologyb.A large building where people live closely togetherc.A city in A rizonad.A technique to contorl people答案:abdcb八There are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence. The first is the sort of brain he is born with. Human brains differ considerably, some being more capable than others. But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn. So the second factor is what happens to the individual—the sort of environment in which he is reared. If an individual is handicapped envionmentally ,it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable.The importance of environment in determining an individual's intellingence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark X. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth processes were the same. When the twins were three months old , their parents died, and they were placed in separate foster homes. Peter was reated by parents of low intelligence in an isolatedcommunity with poor educational pooprtunities.Mark was reared inthe home of well-to-do parents who had been to college. He was read to as a child , sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually.This enviromental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when they were giben tesets to measure their intelligence. Mark's I.Q. was 125, twenty-five points higher than the average and fully forty points higher than his identical brother. Given equal opportunities , the twins , having identical brains,would have tested at roughly the same level.1.This selection can best be titled_________.a.Measuring Your Intelligenceb.Intelligence and Environmentc.The Case of Peter and Markd.How the brain Influences Intelligence2.The beststatement of the main idea of this passage is that _____.a.human brains differ considerablyb.the brain a person is born with is improtant in determining his intelligencec.environment is crucial in determining a person's intelligenced. persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence3.According to the passage , the average I.Q.is _____.a.85b.100c.110d.1254.The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that _______.a.individual with identical brains seldom test at same levelb.an individual's intelligence is determined only by his enviromentck of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligenced.changes of enviroment produce changes in the structure of the brain5.This passage suggests that an individual 's I.Q.______.a.can be predicted at birthb.stays the same throuthout his lifec.can be increased by educationd.is determined by his childhood答案:bcbcc九As she walked round the huge department store,Edith reflected how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas present for her father.She wish that he was as easy to please as her mother, who was always delighted with perfumeBesides,shoppong at this time of the year was a most disgreeable experience :people trod on your toes,poked you with their elbows and almost knocked you overin their haste to get to a bargain ahead of you.Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter where some attracive ties were on display. "They are real silk," the assistant assured her, trying to tempt her. "Worth double the price." But edit knew from past experience that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.She moved on reluctantly and then quite by chance, stopped where a small crowd of man had gathered round a counter. She found some good quality pipes on sale-----and the prices were very reasonable. Edith did not hesitate for long : although her father only smoked a pipe occasionally, she knew that this was a present which was bund to please him.When she got home,with her small well-chosen present concealed in her handbag, her parents were already at the supper table. Her mother was in an especially cheerful mood, "Your father has at last to decided to stop smoking." She informed her daughter.1.Edith's father _______.a.did not like presentb.never got presentc.preferred tiesd.was difficult to choose a present for2.The assistant spoke to Edith because she seemed_______.a.attractiveb.interested in tiesc.tiredd.in need of comfort3.Edith stopped at the next counter_________.a.puroselyb.suddenlyc.unwillinglyd.accidentally4.Edith's father smoked a pipe_______.a.when he was obligedb.on social occasionsc.from time to timed.when he was delighted5.Shopping was very disagreeable at that time of the year because_______.a.coustomers trod on each other's toesb.coustomers poked each other with their elbowsc.customers knocked each otherd.customers were doing their shopping in a great hurry答案:dbdcd十If the population of the earth goes on increasing at its present rate, there will eventually not be enough resources left to sustain life on the planet.By the middle of the 21st century,if present trends continue, we will have used up all the oil that drives our cars,for example.Even if scientists develop new ways of feeding the human race,the crowded conditions on earth will make it necessary for lus to look for open space somewhere else. But none of the other planets in our solar system are capable of supporting life at present. One possible solution to the problem, however,has recently been suggested by American scientist, Professor Carl Sagan.Sagan believes that before the earth's resources are compleetely exhausted it will be possible to change the atmophere of Venus and so create a new world almost as large as earth itself. The difficult is that Venus is much hotter than the earth and there is only a tiny amount of water there.Sagan proposes that algae organisms that can live in extremely hot or cold atmospheres and at the same time produce oxygen,should be bred in condition similar to those on Venus.As soon as this has been done, the algae will be placed in small rockets. Spaceship will then fly to Venus and fire the rockets into the atmosphere .In a fairly short time, the alge will break down the carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon.When the algae have done theri work, the atmosphere will become cooler,but befor man can set foot on Venus it will be neccessary for the oxygen to produce rain. The surface of the planet will still be too hot for man to land on it but the rain will eventually fall and in a few years something like earth will be reproduced on Venus.1.Inte long run, the most insoluble problem caused by population growth on earth will probably be the lack of ______.a.foodb.oilc.spaced.resources2.Carl Sagan believes that Venus might be colonized from earth because _____a.it might be possible to change its atmosphereb.its atmosphere is the same as the earth'sc.there is a good supply of water on Venusd.the days on Venus are long enough3.On Venus there is a lot of ________.a.waterb.carbon dioxidec.carbon monoxided.oxygen4.Algae are plants that can____.a.live in very hot temperaturesb.live in very cold temperaturesc.manufacture oxygend.all of the above5. Man can land on Venus only when_______.a.the algae have done their workb.the atmosphere becomes coolerc.thereis oxygend.it rains there答案:cabdd阅读理解限时训练与解析A(5minutes)I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you into a lot of trouble. I was in the eighth grade at the time, and we were having a final test. During the test, the girl sitting next to me whispered something, but I didn’t understand. So I leaned over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me if I had an extra pen. She showed me that hers was out of ink and would not write. I happened to have an extra one, so I took it out of my pocket and put it on her desk.Later, after the test papers had been turned in, the teacher asked me to stay in the room when all the other students were dismissed(解散). As soon as we were alone she began to talk to me about what it meant to grow up; she talked about how important it was to stand on your own two feet and be responsible (负责任) for your own acts. For a long time, she talked about honesty and emphasized(强调)the fact that when people do something dishonest, they are really cheating(欺骗)themselves. She made me promise that I would think seriously(认真地)about all the things she had said, and then she told me I could leave. I walked out of the room wondering why she had chosen to talk to me about all those things.Later on, I found out that she thought I had cheated on the test. When she saw me lean over to talk to the girl next to me, it looked as if I was copying answers from the girl’s test paper. I tried to explain about the pen, but all she could say was it seemed very very strange to her that I hadn’t talked of anything about the pen the day she talked to me right after the test. Even if I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a favor by letting her use my pen, I am sure she continued(继续)to believe that I had cheated on the test.1. The story took place(发生)exactly ____ .A. in the teacher’s officeB. in an exam roomC. in the schoolD. in the language lab2. The girl wanted to borrow a pen, because ____ .A. she had not brought a pen with herB. she had lost her own on her way to schoolC. there was something wrong with her ownD. her own had been taken away by someone3. The teacher saw all this, so she asked the boy ____ .A. to go on writing his paperB. to stop whisperingC. to leave the room immediatelyD. to stay behind after the exam4. The thing(s) emphasized in her talk was(were) ____ .A. honestyB. sense of dutyC. seriousnessD. all of the above5. The boy knew everything ____ .A. the moment he was asked to stay behindB. when the teacher started talking about honestyC. only some time laterD. when he was walking out of the roomB(7minutes)Some kids start to drink alcohol (酒精) at a young age. They think it is part of becoming an adult. They also think drinking is not that bad because so many people do it. They feel it is not as bad as taking drugs (毒品). It is easy for kids to get liquor (酒精饮料)by using fake identification (伪造证件).Parents may start to notice a change in their child’s behavior if the child starts drinking. Kids who drink sometimes stop doing things they normally liked to do. They may keep telephone calls and meetings a secret and not want anybody to touch their things. They act moody (喜怒无常) and do not have the same eating and sleeping habits.Parents need to stay involved (牵涉) in their kids’lives. They should talk to their children about their problems to be aware of any changes.Parents can be the best protection. Children who get a lot of love can feel good about themselves. It helps them resist(抵抗)doing bad things even when other kids are doing them. Parents can also help set a good example by not drinking and driving. They can have firm rules in the home that everyone follows.Give the children good ideas on how to say “no”to drinking, even when they are at a party. Try not to overreact or panic (惊慌) if the child tries alcohol. How you handle it can affect their attitude. It may be helpful to talk to other parents about setting up curfews (宵禁令) and rules about parties or other events.1. Which of the following is NOT the reason why some kids have an early start of drinking?A. They want to show their maturity (成熟) by drinking alcohol.B. Drinking alcohol is much cooler than taking drugs.C. They are affected by many other people around them.D. They can get liquor easily.2.According to the passage, what changes may happen to the kids who start drinking?A. Nothing serious will happen to them.B. They keep the same eating and sleeping habits.C. They can control their moods quite well.。
大学英语四级阅读理解训练
大学英语四级阅读理解训练(一)Classified advertising is that advertising which is grouped in certain sectio ns of the paper and is thus distinguished from display advertising.Such gr oupings as“Help Wanted”,“Real Estate”,“Lost and Found”are made,the rate charged being less than for display advertising.Classified a dvertisements are a convenience to the reader and a saving to the advertis er.The reader who is interested in a particular kind of advertisement finds all advertisements of that type grouped for him.The advertisers may,on this account,use a very small advertisement if it were placed among larger ad vertisements in the paper.It is evident that the reader approaches the clas sified advertisement in a different frame of mind from that in which he app roaches the other advertisements in the paper.He turns to a page of classi fied advertisements to search for the particularadvertisement that will meet his needs.As his attention is voluntary,the a dvertiser does not need to rely too much extent on display type to get the reader’s attention.Formerly all classified advertisements were of the sam e size and did not have display type.With the increase in the number of su ch advertisements,however,each advertiser within a certain group is petin g with others in the same group for the reader’s attention.In many case s,the result has been an increase in the size of the space used and the ad dition of headlines and pictures.In that way,the classified advertisement has in reality advertisement.This is particularly true of real estate advertisin g?1.All of the following facts are advantages of classified advertisement for advertisers EXCEPT that____.A)classified advertisement charges less moneyB)it is easier to attract the attention of the target consumers C)it provides more information for the readers D)it does not have to rely too much on display type2.One of the examples given of types of classified advertisement is____A)houses for saleB)people who are asking for help C)people who are lost D)job vacancies3.What sort of attitude do people have when they look at classified adverti sement,according to the writer?A)They are in the frame of mind to buy anything.B)They are looking for something they need.C)They feel lost because there are so many advertisements.D)They feel t he same as when they look at display advertisements.4.According to the passage,in which way have the classified advertisem ents changed nowadays?A)They depend more on display type.B)More money is charged for them .C)They are divided into more groups.D)They are less formal. 5.Why have classified advertisements changed in appearance?A)Because people no longer want headlines and pictures.B)Because real estate ad vertising is particularly truthful now.C)Because the increase in the number of such advertisements means they have to be small now.D)Because there are more advertisements now and more petition among advertisers.答案与解析:1.C分类广告的优越性不包括为读者提供更多的信息。
大学英语四级阅读题含答案
大学英语四级阅读题含答案大学英语四级阅读题:【原文】On average,American kids ages 3 to 12 spent 29 hours a week in school,eight hours more that they did in 1981.They also did more household work and participated in more of such organized activities as soccer and ballet (芭蕾舞)。
Involvement in sports,in particular,rose almost 50% from 1981 to 1997:boys now spendan average of four hours a week playing sports; girls log hall that time. All in all,however,children‘sleisure time dropped from 40% of the day in 1981 to 25%“Children are affected by the same t ime crunch (危机) that affects their parents” says Sandra Hofferth,who headed the recent study of children‘s timetable.A chief reason,she says,is that more mothers are working outside the home.Nevertheless,children in both double-income and “male breadwinner” householdsspent comparable amounts of time interacting with their parents 19 hours and 22 hours respectively.In contrast,children spent only 9 hours with their single mothers.)All work and no play could make for some very messed-upkids.“Play is th e most powerful way a child e某plores the world and learns about himself,” says T. Berry Brazelton,professor at Harvard Medical School Unstructured play encourages independent thinking and allows the young to negotiate their relationships withtheir peers,but kids ages 3 to 12 spent only 12 hours a week engaged in it.The children sampled spent a quarter of their rapidly decreasing “free time” watching television.But that,believe it or not,was one of the findings parents might regard as good news.If they‘respending less time in front of the TV set,however,kids aren’t replacing it with reading.Despite efforts to get kids more interested in books,the children spent just over an hour a week reading.Let‘s face it,who’s got the time?大学英语四级阅读题:【题目】Choose correct answers to the question:1. By mentioning “the same time crunch” (Line 1,Para.2) Sandra Hofferth means ________.A.children have little time to play with their parentsB.children are not taken good care of by their working parentsC.both parents and children suffer from lack of leisure timeD.both parents and children have trouble managing their time2.According to the author,the reason given by Sandra Hofferthfor the time crunch is ________.A.quite convincingB.partially trueC.totally groundlessD.rather confusing3.According to the author a child develops better if ________.A.he has plenty of time reading and studyingB.he is left to play with his peers in his own wayC.he has more time participating in school activitiesD.he is free to interact with his working parents4.The author is concerned about the fact that American kids________.A.are engaged in more and more structured activitiesB.are increasingly neglected by their working mothersC.are spending more and more time watching TVD.are involved less and less in household work5.We can infer from the passage that ________.A.e某tracurricular activities promote children‘s int elligenceB.most children will turn to reading with TV sets switched offC.efforts to get kids interested in reading have been fruitfulD.most parents believe reading to be beneficial to children大学英语四级阅读题:【答案】1.[C] 语义理解题。
四级英语考试阅读精选题及答案解析
四级英语考试阅读精选题及答案解析四级英语考试阅读精选题(一)There are people in Italy who can’t stand soccer. Not all Canadians love hockey. A similar situation e某ists in America, where there are those individuals you may be one of them who yawn or even frown when somebody mentions baseball. 『Baseball to them means boring hours watching grown men in funny tight outfits standing around in a field staring away while very little of anything happens.』① They tell you it’s a game better suited to the 19th century, slow, quiet, gentlemanly. These are the same people you may be one of them who love football because there’s the sport that glorifies “the hit〞.By contrast, baseball seems abstract, cool, silent, still.On TV the game is fractured into a dozen perspectives, replays, close瞮ps. The geometry of the game, however, is essential to understanding it. You will contemplate the game from one point as a painter does his subject; you may, of course, project yourself into the game. It is in this projection that the game affords so much space and time for involve ment. The TV won’t do it for you.Take, for e某ample, the third baseman. You sit behind the third base dugout and you watch him watching home plate. His legs are apart, knees fle某ed. His arms hang loose. He does a lot of this. The skeptic still cannot think of any other sports so still, so passive. 『But watch what happens every time the pitcher throws: the third baseman goes up on his toes, fle某es his arms or bring the glove to a point in front of him, takes a step right or left, backward or forward, perhaps he glances across the field to check his first baseman’s position.』② Suppose the pitch is a ball. “Nothinghappened,〞you say. “I could have had my eyes closed.〞The skeptic and the innocent must play the game. And this involvement in the stands is no more intellectual than listening to music is. Watch the third baseman. Smooth the dirt in front of you with one foot; smooth the pocket in your glove; watch the eyes of the batter, the speed of the bat, the sound of horsehide on wood. If football is a symphony of movement and theatre, baseball is chamber music, a spacious interlocking of notes, chores and responses.1. The passage is mainly concerned with .A. the different tastes of people for sportsB. the different characteristics of sportsC. the attraction of footballD. the attraction of baseball2. Those who don’t like baseball may complain that .A. it is only to the taste of the oldB. it involves fewer players than footballC. it is not e某citing enoughD. it is pretentious and looks funnyThe author admits that .A. baseball is too peaceful for the youngB. baseball may seem boring when watched on TVC. football is more attracting than baseballD. baseball is more interesting than football4. By stating “I could have had my eyes closed. 〞 the author means (4th paragraph last sentence): A. The third baseman would rather sleep than play the game.B. Even if the third baseman closed his eyes a moment ago, it could make no different to the result.C. The third baseman is sogood at baseball that he could finish the game with eyes closed all the time and do his work well.D. The consequent was too bad he could not bear to see it.5. We can safely conclude that the author.A. likes footballB. hates footballC. hates baseballD. likes baseball四级英语考试阅读精选题答案1. D主旨题。
英语四级阅读15篇
Passage 1建议用时:8分钟From:To:When one looks back upon the fifteen hundred years that are the life span of the English language, he should be able to notice a number of significant truths. The history of our language has always been a history of constant change—at times a slow, almost imperceptible change, at other times a violent collision between two languages. Our language has always been a living growing organism, it has never been static. Another significant truth that emerges from such a study is that language at all times has been the possession not of one class or group but of many. 『At one extreme it has been the property of the common, ignorant folk, who have used it in the daily business of their living, much as they have used their animals or the kitchen pots and pans.』① At the other extreme it has been the treasure of those who have respected it as an instrument and a sign of civilization, and who have struggled by writing it down to give it some permanence, order, dignity, and if possible, a little beauty.As we consider our changing language, we should note here two developments that are of special and immediate importance to us. One is that since the time of the Anglo-Saxons there has been an almost complete reversal of the different devices for showing the relationship of words in a sentence. Anglo-Saxon (old English) was a language of many inflections. Modern English has few inflections. We must now depend largely on word order and function words to convey the meanings that the older language did by means of changes in the forms of words. Function words, you should understand, are words such as prepositions, conjunctions, and a few others that are used primarily to show relationships among other words. A few inflections, however, have survived. And when some word inflections come into conflict with word order, there may be trouble for the users of the language, as we shall see later when we turn our attention to such maters as WHO or WHOM and ME or I. The second fact we must consider is that as language itself changes, our attitudes toward language forms change also. 『The eighteenth century, for example, produced from various sources a tendency to fix the language into patterns not always set in and grew, until at the present time there is a strong tendency to restudy and re-evaluate language practices in terms of the ways in which people speak and write.』②1.In contrast to the earlier linguists, modern linguists tend to .A. attempt to continue the standardization of the languageB. evaluate language practices in terms of current speech rather than standards or proper patternsC. be more concerned about the improvement of the language than its analysis or historyD. be more aware of the rules of the language usage2.Choose the appropriate meaning for the word “inflection” used in line 4 of paragraph 2.A. Changes in the forms of words.B. Changes in sentence structures.C. Changes in spelling rules.D. Words that have similar meanings.3.Which of the following statements is not mentioned in the passage?A. It is generally believed that the year 1500 can be set as the beginning of the modern English language.B. Some other languages had great influence on the English language at some stages of its development.C. The English language has been and still in a state of relatively constant change.D. Many classes or groups have contributed to the development of the English language.4. The author of these paragraphs is probably a(an) .A. historianB. philosopherC. anthropologistD. linguist5.Which of the following can be best used as the title of the passage?A. The history of the English language.B. Our changing attitude towards the English language.C. Our changing language.D. Some characteristics of modern English.Vocabulary1.span n. 跨度,范围,一段时间,期间2.imperceptible adj. 感觉不到的,觉察不到的,极细微的anism n. 生物体,有机体4.possession n. 拥有,占有,领土,领地5.ignorant adj. 无知的6.folk n. 人们,民族7.permanence n. 永久,持久8.Anglo-Saxons n. 盎格鲁—撒克逊语,盎格鲁—撒克逊人,地道的英国人9.reversal n. 颠倒,反向,逆转10.inflection n. 词尾变化11.preposition n. 前置词,介词12.conjunction n. 联合,关联,连接词13.in terms of 根据,按照,用……的话,在……方面长难句解析①【解析】“who”引导非限制性定语从句,修饰“the common, ignorant folk”。
大学英语四级阅读题带答案
大学英语四级阅读题带答案大学英语四级阅读题:【原文】Many private institutions of higher education around the country are in danger.Not all will be saved,andperhaps not all deserve to be saved. There are low-quality schools just as there are low-quality business.We have no obligation to save them simply because they exist.But many thriving institutions that deserve to continue are threatened.They are doing a fine job educationally,but they are caught in a financial squeeze,with no way to reduce rising costs or increase revenuessignificantly.Raising tuition doesnt bring in more revenue,for each time tuition goes up,the enrollment goes down,or the amount that must be given away in student aid goes up.Schools are bad businesses,whether public or private,not usually because of mismanagement but because of the nature of the enterprise.They lose money on every customer,and they can go bankrupt either from too few students or too many students.Even a very good college is a very bad business.It is such colleges,thriving but threatened,I worry about.Low enrollment is not their chief problem.Even with full enrollments,they may go under.Efforts to save them,and preferably to keep them private,are a national necessity.There is no basis for arguing that private schools are inherently (固有地)better than public schools.Examples to the contrary abound.Anyone can name state universities and colleges that rankas the finest in the nation and the world.It is now inevitable that public institutions will be dominant,and therefore diversity is a national necessity.Diversity in the way we support schools tends to give us a healthy diversity in the forms of education.In an imperfect society such as ours,uniformity of education throughout the nation could be dangerous.In an imperfect society,diversity is a positive good. Enthusiastic supporters of public higher education know the importance of sustaining private higher education.大学英语四级阅读题:【题目】Choose correct answers to the question:1.According to the authors opinion,schools are bad businesses because of _______.A.mismanagementB.too few studentsC.financial squeezeD.their characteristics2.The author used the phrase “go under” in Para. 3 to mean “_______”。
大学英语四级阅读习题及答案
大学英语四级阅读习题(一)Acculturation, which begins at birth, is the process of teaching new generations of children the customs and values of the parents' culture. How people treat newborns, for example, can be indicative of cultural values. In the United States it is not uncommon for parents to put a newborn in a separate room that belongs only to the child. This helps to preserve parents' privacy and allows the child to get used to having his or her own room, which is seen as a first step toward personal independence. Americans traditionally have held independence and a closely related value, individualism, in high esteem. Parents try to instill these prevailing values in their children. American English expresses these value preferences: children should "cut the (umbilical) cord" and are encouraged not to be "tied to their mothers' apron strings." In the process of their socialization children learn to "look out for number one" and to "stand on their own two feet".Many children are taught at a very early age to make decisions and be responsible for their actions. Often children work for money outside the home as a first step to establishing autonomy. Nine-or ten-year-old children may deliver newspapers in their neighborhoods and save or spend their earnings. Teenagers (13 to 18 years) may baby-sit neighbors' homes in order to earn a few dollar a week. Receiving a weekly allowance at an early age teaches children to budget their money, preparing them for future financial independence. Many parents believe that managing money helps children learn responsibility as well as appreciate the value of money.21. According to this passage, the way people treat newborns_____.A) is a sign of their customsB) is an indication of their level of knowledgeC) symbolizes their social systemD) varies from culture to culture22. The expression, "to cut the cord", is used to show that_____.A) children don't like their parentsB) parents don't feel close to their childrenC) parents would not like to live together with their childrenD) independence from one's family is an important personal goal in USA23. Children who are "tied to the apron strings" _____.A) are caught in their mothers' apronsB) must always wear an apron when they eatC) are very dependent on their mothersD) are independent from their parents24. American people often let their children work for money outside the home at a very early age because _____.A) children have to earn money to help the familyB) they need more moneyC) they want them to begin establishing autonomyD) children have to save money for future use25. It can be inferred from this passage that _____.A) Americans are money loversB) Americans admire independenceC) Americans are good at decision-makingD) Americans are all responsible大学英语四级阅读习题答案1、A2、D3、C4、C5、B大学英语四级阅读习题(二)Long after the 1998 World Cup was won, disappointed fans were still cursing the disputed refereeing (裁判) decisions that denied victory to their team. A researcher was appointed to study the performance of some top referees.The researcher organized an experimental tournament (锦标赛) involving four youth teams. Each match lasted an hour, divided into three periods of 20 minutes during which different referees were in charge.Observers noted down the referees’ errors, of which there were 61 over the tournament. Converted to a standard match of 90 minutes, each referee made almost 23 mistakes, a remarkably high number.The researcher then studied the videotapes to analyse the matches in detail. Surprisingly, he found that errors were more likely when the referees were close to the incident. When the officials got it right, they were, on average, 17 meters away from the action. The average distance in the case of errors was 12 meters. The research shows the optimum (最佳的) distance is about 20 meters.There also seemed to be an optimum speed. Correct decisions came when the referees were moving at a speed of about 2 meters per second. The average speed for errors was 4 meters per second.If FIFA, football’s international ruling body, wants to improve the standard of refereeing at the next World Cup, it should encourage referees to keep their eyes on the action from a distance, rather than rushing to keep up with the ball, the researcher argues.He also says that FIFA’s insistence that referees should retire at age 45 may be misguided. If keeping up with the action is not so important, their physical condition is less critical.21. The experiment conducted by the researcher was meant to________.A) review the decisions of referees at the 1998 World CupB) analyse the causes of errors made by football refereesC) set a standard for football refereeingD) reexamine the rules for football refereeing22. The number of refereeing errors in the experimental matches was ________.A) slightly above averageB) higher than in the 1998 World CupC) quite unexpectedD) as high as in a standard match23. The findings of the experiment show that ________.A) errors are more likely when a referee keeps close to the ballB) the farther the referee is from the incident, the fewer the errorsC) the more slowly the referee runs, the more likely will errors occurD) errors are less likely when a referee stays in one spot24. The word “officials” (Line 2, Para. 4) most probablyrefers to ________.A) the researchers involved in the experimentB) the inspectors of the football tournamentC) the referees of the football tournamentD) the observers at the site of the experiment25. What is one of the possible conclusions of the experiment?A) The ideal retirement age for an experienced football referee is 45.B) Age should not be the chief consideration in choosing a football referee.C) A football referee should be as young and energetic as possible.D) An experienced football referee can do well even when in poor physical condition.大学英语四级阅读习题答案21. B 22. C 23. A 24.C 25. B。
英语四级阅读理解部分附全文翻译
英语四级阅读理解部分附全文翻译1. Part II 阅读理解(40分钟)Section ADirections:In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Passage:The development of e-commerce has dramatically transformed the retail industry. Traditional brick-and-mortar stores have been supplemented, and in some cases, replaced by online platforms. This shift has brought about significant changes in the way consumers shop and businesses operate.One of the main benefits of e-commerce is the convenience it offers. Consumers can shop from the comfort of their homes at any time of day, without the need to travel to a physical store. This has particularly benefited those with busy schedules or limited mobility. Additionally, e-commerce allows for a wider selection of products than might be available in local stores, often at more competitive prices.However, the rise of e-commerce has also introduced challenges. The anonymity of online transactions can lead to issues of trust, with consumers sometimes hesitant to purchase from unfamiliar websites. Furthermore, the increased competition has forced many small businesses to either adapt to the digital marketplace or face closure.In conclusion, while e-commerce has revolutionized the retail industry and brought numerous benefits to consumers, it is not without its challenges. Businesses must continue to evolve to meet the demands of this rapidly changing landscape.Word Bank:A) convenienceB) competitionC) transactionsD) transformedE) operateF) mobilityG) adaptH) hesitantI) unfamiliarJ) widerQuestions:1) The development of e-commerce has _______ the retail industry.2) One of the main benefits of e-commerce is the _______ it offers.3) Consumers can shop from home, which is particularly beneficial for those with limited _______.4) The anonymity of online _______ can lead to issues of trust.Section BDirections:In this section, you will read several passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them, there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. You should decide on the best choice.Passage One:The tourism industry has seen significant growth over the past few decades, driven by the increasing availability of affordable travel options and the rise of social media. These factorshave made it easier than ever for people to explore new destinations and share their experiences with others.One of the most notable trends in recent years is the rise of "sustainable tourism." This approach emphasizes minimizing the environmental impact of travel while supporting local communities. Sustainable tourism can include practices such as choosing eco-friendly accommodations, participating in conservation efforts, and respecting local cultures. However, the growth of tourism has also led to challenges. Popular destinations can become overcrowded, leading to damage to natural environments and cultural sites. In some cases, the influx of tourists can even disrupt local communities, causing resentment among residents. In conclusion, while tourism offers many benefits, it is important to approach travel responsibly to ensure that destinations can be enjoyed by future generations. Questions:1) What has contributed to the significant growth of the tourism industry?A) The decline in travel costs and the popularity of social media.B) The development of new transportation methods.C) The increase in luxury travel options.D) The promotion of international tourism by governments.2) What is a key aspect of sustainable tourism?A) Visiting as many destinations as possible.B) Minimizing environmental impact and supporting local communities.C) Staying in luxury hotels and resorts.D) Traveling to remote and unspoiled locations.3) What is one of the challenges caused by the growth of tourism?A) The decline in international travel.B) The negative impact on local cultures and environments.C) The rise in travel-related costs.D) The decrease in travel safety.4) How can travelers ensure that destinations remain enjoyable for future generations?A) By visiting only popular tourist spots.B) By choosing environmentally friendly travel options.C) By limiting the duration of their trips.D) By avoiding travel during peak seasons.Passage Two:The concept of work-life balance has become increasingly important in modern society. As technology continues to blur the lines between work and personal life, many people struggle to find time for relaxation and leisure. This issue is particularly prevalent in countries where long working hours are the norm.One of the main challenges of achieving work-life balance is the expectation to be constantly available. With the advent of smartphones and email, employees are often expected to respond to work-related communications outside of regular business hours. This can lead to burnout and decreased job satisfaction.Employers are beginning to recognize the importance of work-life balance for employee well-being and productivity. Some companies have implemented policies such as flexible working hours, remote work options, and mandatory vacation time to help employees achieve a healthier balance.In conclusion, work-life balance is essential for maintaining both physical and mental health. Employers and employees alike must work together to create an environment that supports a healthy balance between work and personal life.Questions:1) What has contributed to the difficulty of achieving work-life balance in modern society?A) The rise of remote work opportunities.B) The increasing demand for skilled labor.C) The expectation to be constantly available.D) The decline in job security.2) What is one of the negative effects of being constantly available for work?A) Increased job satisfaction.B) Higher productivity levels.C) Burnout and decreased job satisfaction.D) Improved work-life balance.3) How are some employers helping employees achieve work-life balance?A) By increasing work hours and reducing vacation time.B) By offering flexible working hours and remote work options.C) By eliminating work-from-home opportunities.D) By requiring employees to work on weekends.4) Why is work-life balance important?A) It helps employees earn more money.B) It allows employees to focus solely on their careers.C) It is essential for maintaining physical and mental health.D) It improves job security.Passage Three:The importance of cybersecurity has grown exponentially as the world becomes more connected through the internet. Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated, targeting everything from personal information to critical infrastructure.One of the most common forms of cyberattacks is phishing, where attackers trick individuals into providing sensitive information by pretending to be a trustworthy source. This can lead to identity theft, financial loss, and damage to an organization's reputation.To combat these threats, both individuals and organizations must take proactive measures. This includes using strong passwords, keeping software up to date, and being cautious of suspicious emails and links. Additionally, governments and businesses are investing in cybersecurity technologies and training to protect against potential threats.In conclusion, cybersecurity is an essential aspect of modern life, requiring constant vigilance and proactive measures to safeguard against the ever-evolving threats in the digital world. Questions:1) What has contributed to the growing importance of cybersecurity?A) The decline in internet usage.B) The increase in cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure.C) The rise of traditional communication methods.D) The reduction in government regulations.2) What is one of the most common forms of cyberattacks?A) Phishing.B) Malware.C) Ransomware.D) Denial of service.3) What can individuals do to protect themselves from cyberattacks?A) Use weak passwords and share them with others.B) Keep software up to date and be cautious of suspicious emails.C) Ignore cybersecurity threats and rely on antivirus software.D) Avoid using the internet altogether.4) How are governments and businesses addressing cybersecurity threats?A) By reducing investments in cybersecurity technologies.B) By training employees and investing in cybersecurity technologies.C) By eliminating the use of the internet in the workplace.D) By ignoring cybersecurity risks.答案部分1. Part II 阅读理解(40分钟)Section APassage:电子商务的发展已经极大地改变了零售业。
英文文章四级带翻译阅读
英文文章四级带翻译阅读大学英语文章阅读是大学英语教育教学中的重点,对教学目标的实现具有非常重要的作用。
下面是店铺带来的四级英文文章带翻译阅读,欢迎阅读!四级英文文章带翻译阅读篇一It was the last day of final examinations in a large Eastern university. On the steps of one building, a group of engineering seniors huddled, discussing the exam due to begin in a few minutes. On their faces was confidence. This was their last exam—then on to commencement and jobs.Some talked of jobs they already had; others of jobs they would get. With all this assurance of four years of college, they felt ready and able to conquer the world.The approaching exam, they knew, would be a snap. The professor had said they could bring any books or notes they wanted. Requesting only that they did not talk to each other during the test.Jubilantly they filed into the classroom. The professor passed out the papers. And smiles broadened as the students noted there were only five essay?type questions.Three hours passed. Then the professor began to collect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faces was a frightened expression. No one spoke as, papers in hand, the professor faced the class.He surveyed the worried faces before him, then asked: “how many completed all five questions?”Not a hand was raised.“How many answered four?”Still no hands.“Three? Two?”The students shifted restlessly in their seats.“One, then? Certainly somebody finished one.”But the class remained silent. The professor put down the papers. “That is exactly what I expected,” he said.“I just want to impress upon you that, even though you have completed four years of engineering, there are still many things about the subject you don't know. These questions you could not answer are relatively common in everyday practice.” Then, smiling, he added: “You will all pass this course, but remember—even though you are now college graduates, your education has just begun.”The years have obscured the name of this professor, but not the lesson he taught.那是在一所东部大学期末考试的最后一天。
大学英语四级阅读理解练习题和答案解析
大学英语四级阅读理解练习题和答案解析大学英语四级阅读理解练习题:【原文】The Earth comprises three principal layers: the dense, iron-rich core, the mantle made of silicate (硅酸盐) that are semi-molten at depth, and the thin, solid-surface crust There are two kinds of crust, a lower and denser oceanic crust and an upper,lighter continental crust found over only about 40 percent of the Earths surface. The rocks of the crust are of very different ages. Some continental rocks are over 3,000 million years old, while those of the ocean floor are less than 200 million years old. The crusts and the top, solid part of the mantle, totaling about 70 to 100 kilometers in thickness, at present appear to consist of about 15 rigid plates, 7 of which are very large. These plates move over the semi-molten lower mantleto produce all of the major topographical(地形学的)features of the Earth. Active zones where intense deformation occur are confined to the narrow, interconnecting boundaries of contact of the plates.There are three main types of zones of contact: spreading contacts where plates move apart, converging contacts where plates move towards each other, and transform contacts where plates slide past each other. Newoceanic crust is formed along one or more margins of each plate by material issuing from deeper layers of the Earth s crust, for example, by volcanic eruptions (爆发) of lava (火山熔岩) at mid-ocean ridges. If at such a spreading contact the two plates support continents,a rift(裂缝) is formed that will gradually widen and become flooded by the tea. The Atlantic Ocean formed like this as the American and Afro-European plates moved in opposite directions. When two plates carrying continents collide, the continental blocks,too light to be drawn down, continue to float and therefore buckle (起褶皱) to form a mountain chain along the length of the margin of the plates.大学英语四级阅读理解练习题:【题目】Choose correct answers to the question:1.The Earths crust______.A.can be classified into two typesB.is formed along the margins of the platesC.consists of semi-molten rocksD.is about 70 to 100 kilometers thick2.The 15 plates of the Earth are formed from ___.A.the oceanic crusts and continental crustsB.the crusts and the mantleC.the crusts and the top and solid part of the mantleD.the continental crusts and the solid part of the mantle3.Seriously-deformed zones appear _______A.whenever the crusts move over mantleB.when the plates move towards each otherC.in the narrow boundaries where two plates meetD.to be the major topographical feature of the Earth4.According to the second paragraph, the formation of the Atlantic Ocean is the example of_______.A.spreading contactsB.the influence of volcanic eruptionsC.converging contactsD.transform contacts5.This passage is probably_______.A.a newspaper advertisementB.a chapter of a novelC.an excerpt from a textbookD.a scientific report of new findings大学英语四级阅读理解练习题:【答案】1.[A] 事实细节题。
大学英语四级真题阅读练习10套(附参考答案)
大学英语4级真题Passage 1The endless debate about “work-life balance’’ often contains a hopeful footnote about stay-at-home dads. If American society and business won5t make it easier on future female leaders who choose to have children, there is still the ray of hope that increasing numbers of full-time fathers will. But based on today’s socioeconomic trends, this hope is, unfortunately, misguided.It’s true that the number of men who have left work to do their thing as full-time parents has doubled in a decade, but ifs still very small:only 0. 8% of married couples where the stay-at-home father was out of the labor force for a year. Even that percentage is likely inflated by men thrust into their caretaker role by a downsizing. This is simply not a large enough group to reduce the social stigma(污名)and force other adjustments necessary to supporting men in this decision, even if only for a relatively short time.Even shorter times away from work for working fathers are already difficult. A study found that 85% of new fathers take some time off after the birth of a child—but for all but a few, it’s a week or two at most. Meanwhile, the average for women who take leave is more than 10 weeks. Such choices impact who moves up in the organization. While you’re away, someone else is doing your work, making your sales, taking care of your customers. That can’t help you at work. It can only hurt you. Women, of course, face the same issues of returning after a long absence. But with many more women than men choosing to leave the workforce entirely to raise families, returning from an extended parental leave doesn’t raise as many eyebrows as it does for men.Women would make more if they didn't break their earning trajectory (轨迹)by leaving the workforce, or if higher-paying professions were more family-friendly. In the foreseeable future, stay- at-home fathers may make all the difference for individual families, but their presence won’t reduce the numbers of high-potential women who are forced to choose between family and career.56.What gives women a ray of hope to achieve work-life balance?A)More men taking an extended parental leave.B)Peopled changing attitudes towards family.C)More women entering business management.D)The improvement of their socioeconomic status.57.Why does the author say the hope for more full-time fathers is misguided?A)Women are better at taking care of children.B)Many men value work more than their family.C)Their number is too small to make a difference.D)Not many men have the chance to stay at home.58.Why do few men take a long parental leave?A)A long leave will have a negative impact on their career.B)They just have too many responsibilities to fulfill at work.C)The economic loss will be too much for their family to bear.D)They are likely to get fired if absent from work for too long.59.What is the most likely reaction to men returning from an extended parental leave?A) Jealousy. C) Admiration. B) Surprise.D) Sympathy.60.What does the author say about high-potential women in the not-too-distant future?A)They will benefit from the trend of more fathers staying at home.B)They will find high-paying professions a bit more family-friendly.C)They are unlikely to break their career trajectory to raise a family.D)They will still face the difficult choice between career and children.答案:BCABDPassage 2Some of the world’s most significant problems never hit headlines. One example comes from agriculture. Food riots and hunger make news. But the trend lying behind these matters is rarely talked about. This is the decline in the growth in yields of some of the world’s major crops. A new study by the University of Minnesota and McGill University in Montreal looks at where, and how far, this decline is occurring.The authors take a vast number of data points for the four most important crops :rice, wheat, com and soyabeans (大豆).They find that on between 24% and 39% of all harvested areas, the improvement in yields that took place before the 1980s slowed down in the 1990s and 2000s. There are two worrying features of the slowdown. One is that it has been particularly sharp in the world’s most(人口多的)countries, India and China. Their ability to feed themselves has been an important source of relative stability both within the countries and on world food markets. That self-sufficiency cannot be taken for granted if yields continue to slow down or reverse.Second, yield growth has been lower in wheat and rice than in com and soyabeans. This is problematic because wheat and rice are more important as foods, accounting for around half of all calories consumed. Com and soyabeans are more important as feed grains. The authors note that “we have preferentially focused our crop improvement efforts on feeding animals and cars rather than on crops that feed people and are the basis of food security in much of the world. ”, The report qualifies the more optimistic findings of another new paper which suggests that the world will not have to dig up a lot more land for farming in order to feed 9 billion people in 2050, as the Food and Agriculture Organisation has argued.Instead, it says, thanks to slowing population growth, land currently ploughed up for crops might be able to revert (回返)to forest or wilderness. This could happen. The trouble is that the forecast assumes continued improvements in yields, which may not actually happen.61.What does the author try to draw attention to?A) Food riots and hunger in the world.C) The decline of the grain yield growth.B) News headlines in the leading media.D) The food supply in populous countries.62.Why does the author mention India and China in particular?A)Their self-sufficiency is vital to the stability of world food markets.B)Their food yields have begun to decrease sharply in recent years.C)Their big populations are causing worldwide concerns.D)Their food self-sufficiency has been taken for granted.63.What does the new study by the two universities say about recent crop improvement efforts?A)They fail to produce the same remarkable results as before the 1980s.B)They contribute a lot to the improvement of human food production.C)They play a major role in guaranteeing the food security of the world.D)They focus more on the increase of animal feed than human food grains.64.What does the Food and Agriculture Organisation say about world food production in thecoming decades?A)The growing population will greatly increase the pressure on world food supplies.B)The optimistic prediction about food production should be viewed with caution.C)The "slowdown of the growth in yields of major food crops will be reversed.D)The world will be able to feed its population without increasing farmland.65.How does the author view the argument of the Food and Agriculture Organisation?A)It is built on the findings of a new study.B)It is based on a doubtful assumption.C)It is backed by strong evidence.D)It is open to further discussion.答案:CADDBPassage 3Junk food is everywhere. We’re eating way too much of it. Most of us know what we’re doing and yet we do it anyway.So here’s a suggestion offered by two researchers at the Rand Corporation : Why not take a lesson from alcohol control policies and apply them to where food is sold and how it’s displayed?“Many policy measures to control obesity(肥胖症)assume that people consciously and rationally choose what and how much they eat and therefore focus on providing information and more access to healthier foods,” note the two researchers.“In contrast,” the researchers continue, “ many regulations that don’t assume people make rational choices have been successfully applied to control alcohol, a substance—like food—of which immoderate consumption leads to serious health problems. ’’The research references studies of peopled behavior with food and alcohol and results of alcohol restrictions, and then lists five regulations that the researchers think might be promising if applied to junk foods. Among them:Density restrictions:licenses to sell alcohol aren’t handed out unplanned to all comers but are allotted (分配) based on the number of places in an area that already sell alcohol. These make alcohol less easy to get and reduce the number of psychological cues to drink.Similarly, the researchers say, being presented with junk food stimulates our desire to eat it. So why not limit the density of food outlets, particularly ones that sell food rich in empty calories? And why not limit sale of food in places that aren5t primarily food stores?Display and sales restrictions: California has a rule prohibiting alcohol displays near the cash registers in gas stations, and in most places you can’t buy alcohol at drive-through facilities. At supermarkets, food companies pay to have their wares in places where they’re easily seen. One could remove junk food to the back of the store and ban them from the shelves at checkout lines. The other measures include restricting portion sizes, taxing and prohibiting special price deals for junk foods, and placing warning labels on the products.56.What does the author say about junk food?A)People should be educated not to eat too much.B)It is widely consumed despite its ill reputation.C)Its temptation is too strong for people to resist.D)It causes more harm than is generally realized.57.What do the Rand researchers think of many of the policy measures to control obesity?A) They should be implemented effectively.C) They are based on wrong assumptions.B) They provide misleading information.D) They help people make rational choices.58.Why do policymakers of alcohol control place density restrictions?A)Few people are able to resist alcohol’s temptations.B)There are already too many stores selling alcohol.C)Drinking strong alcohol can cause social problems.D)Easy access leads to customers’ over-consumption.59.What is the purpose of California’s rule about alcohol display in gas stations?A)To effectively limit the density of alcohol outlets.B)To help drivers to give up the habit of drinking.C)To prevent possible traffic jams in nearby areas.D)To get alcohol out of drivers’ immediate sight.60.What is the general guideline the Rand researchers suggest about junk food control?A)Guiding people to make rational choices about food.B)Enhancing people’s awareness of their own health.C)Borrowing ideas from alcohol control measures.D)Resorting to economic, legal and psychological means.答案:CCDDCPassage 4Kodak’s decision to file for bankruptcy (破产)protection is a sad, though not unexpected, turning point for a leading American corporation that pioneered consumer photography and dominated the film market for decades, but ultimately failed to adapt to the digital revolution.Although many attribute Kodak’s downfall to “complacency ( 自满)”that explanation doesn’t acknowledge the lengths to which the company went to reinvent itself. Decades ago, Kodak anticipated that digital photography would overtake film—and in fact, Kodak invented the first digital camera in 1975—but in a fateful decision, the company chose to shelf its new discovery to focus on its traditional film business.It wasn’t that Kodak was blind to the future, said Rebecca Henderson, a professor at Harvard Business School, but rather that it failed to execute on a strategy to confront it. By the time the company realized its mistake, it was too late.Kodak is an example of a firm that was very much aware that they had to adapt, and spent a lot of money trying to do so, but ultimately failed. Large companies have a difficult time switching to new markets because there is a temptation to put existing assets into the new businesses.Although Kodak anticipated the inevitable rise of digital photography, its corporate(企业的)culture was too rooted in the successes of the past for it to make the clean break necessary to fully embrace the future. They were a company stuck in time. Their history was so important to them. Now their history has become a liability.Kodak’s downfall over the last several decades was dramatic. In 1976, the company commanded 90% of the market for photographic film and 85% of the market for cameras. But the 1980s brought new competition from Japanese film company Fuji Photo, which undermined Kodak by offering lower prices for film and photo supplies. Kodak’s decision not to pursue the role of official film for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was a major miscalculation. The bid went instead to Fuji, which exploited its sponsorship to win a permanent foothold in the marketplace.61.What do we learn about Kodak?A)It went bankrupt all of a sudden.B)It is approaching its downfall.C)It initiated the digital revolution in the film industry.D)It is playing the dominant role in the film market.62.Why does the author mention Kodak’s invention of the first digital camera?A)To show its early attempt to reinvent itself.B)To show its effort to overcome complacency.C)To show its quick adaptation to the digital revolution.D)To show its will to compete with Japan’s Fuji Photo.63.Why do large companies have difficulty switching to new markets?A)They find it costly to give up their existing assets.B)They tend to be slow in confronting new challenges.C)They are unwilling to invest in new technology.D)They are deeply stuck in their glorious past.64.What does the author say Kodak’s history has become?A) A burden.B) A mirror.C) A joke.D) A challenge.65.What was Kodak’s fatal mistake?A) Its blind faith in traditional photography.C) Its refusal to sponsor the 1984 Olympics.B) Its failure to see Fuji Photo’s emergence.D) Its overconfidence in its corporate culture.答案:BADACPassage 5When it’s five o’clock, people leave their office. The length of the workday, for many workers, is defined by time. They leave when the clock tells them they’re done.These days, the time is everywhere: not just on clocks or watches, but on cell-phones and computers. That may be a bad thing, particularly at work. New research shows that clock-based work schedules hinder morale (士气) and creativity.Clock-timers organize their day by blocks of minutes and hours. For example:a meeting from 9 a. m. to 10 a. m. , research from 10 a. m. to noon, etc. On the other hand, task-timers have a list of things they want to accomplish. They work down the list, each task starts when the previous task is completed. It is said that all of us employ a mix of both these types of planning.What, then, are the effects of thinking about time in these different ways? Does one make us more productive? Better at the tasks at hand? Happier? In experiments conducted by Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier, they had participants organize different activities—from project planning, holiday shopping, to yoga —by time or to-do list to measure how they performed under “clock time vs “task time.” They found clock timers to be more efficient but less happy because they felt little control over their lives. Task timers are happier and more creative, but less productive. They tend to enjoy the moment when something good is happening, and seize opportunities that come up.The researchers argue that task-based organizing tends to be undervalued and under-supported in business culture. Smart companies, they believe, will try to bake more task-based planning into their strategies.This might be a small change to the way we view work and the office, but the researchersargue that it challenges a widespread characteristic of the economy: work organized by dock time. While most people will still probably need, and be, to some extent, clock-timers, task-based timing should be used when perfoming a job that requires more creativity. It’ll make those tasks easier, arid the task- doers will be happier.56.What does the author think of time displayed everywhere?A)It makes everybody time-conscious.B)It is a convenience for work and life.C)It may have a negative effect on creative work.D)It clearly indicates the fast pace of modem life.57.How do people usually go about their work according to the author?A)They combine clock-based and task-based planning.B)They give priority to the most urgent task on hand.C)They set a time limit for each specific task.D)They accomplish their tasks one by one.58.What did Tamar Avnet and Anne-Laure Sellier find in their experiments about clocks timers?A) They seize opportunities as they come up.C) They have more control over their lives.B) They always get their work done in time.D) They tend to be more productive.59.What do the researchers say about today’s business culture?A)It does not support the strategies adopted by smart companies.B)It does not attach enough importance to task-based practice.C)It places more emphasis on work efficiency than on workers5 lives.D)It aims to bring employees, potential and creativity into full play.60.What do the researchers suggest?A)Task-based timing is preferred for doing creative work. B)It is important to keep a balance between work and life.C)Performing creative jobs tends to make workers happier. D)A scientific standard should be adopted in job evaluation.答案:CADAAPassage 6Martha Stewart was charged, tried and competed of a crime in 2004. As she neared the end of her prison sentence, a well-known columnist wrote that she was “ paying her dues,” and that “ there is simply no reason for anyone to attempt to deny her right to start anew.”Surely, the American ideal of second chances should not be reserved only for the rich and powerful. Unfortunately, many federal and state laws impose post-conviction restrictions on a shockingly large number of Americans, who are prevented from ever fully paying their debt to society.At least 65 million people in the United States have a criminal record. This can result in severe penalties that continue long after punishment is completed.Many of these penalties are imposed regardless of the seriousness of the offense or the person’s individual circumstances. Laws can restrict or ban voting, access to public housing, and professional and business licensing. They can affect a person’s ability to get a job and qualification for benefits.In all, more than 45, 000 laws and rules serve to exclude vast numbers of people from fullyparticipating in American life.Some laws make sense. No one advocates letting someone convicted of pedophilia(恋童癖)work in a school. But too often collateral(附随的)consequences bear no relation to public safety. Should a woman who possessed a small amount of drugs years ago be permanently unable to be licensed as a nurse?These laws are also counterproductive, since they make it harder for people with criminal records to find housing or land a job, two key factors that reduce backsliding.A recent report makes several recommendations, including the abolition of most post-conviction penalties, except for those specifically needed to protect public safety. Where the penalties are not a must, they should be imposed only if the facts of a case support it.The point is not to excuse or forget the crime. Rather, it is to recognize that in America’s vast criminal justice system, second chances are crucial. It is in no one’s interest to keep a large segment of the population on the margins of society.61.What does the well-known columnist’s remark about Martha Stewart suggest?A)Her past record might stand in her way to a new life.B)Her business went bankrupt while she was in prison.C)Her release from prison has drawn little attention.D)Her prison sentence might have been extended.62.What do we learn from the second paragraph about many criminals in America?A)They backslide after serving their terms in prison.B)They are deprived of chances to turn over a new leaf.C)They receive severe penalties for committing minor offenses.D)They are convicted regardless of their individual circumstances.63.What are the consequences for many Americans with a criminal record?A) They remain poor for the rest of their lives.C) They are marginalized in society.B) They are deprived of all social benefits.D) They are deserted by their family.64.What does the author think of the post-conviction laws and rules?A)They help to maintain social stability.B)Some of them have long been outdated.C)They are hardly understood by the public.D)A lot of them have negative effects on society.65.What is the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?A)To create opportunities for criminals to reform themselves.B)To appeal for changes in America’s criminal justice system.C)To ensure that people with a criminal record live a decent life.D)To call people’s attention to prisoners’ conditions in America.答案:ABCDBPassage 7The wallet is heading for extinction. As a day-to-day essential,it will die off with the generation who read print newspapers. The kind of shopping—where you hand over notes and count out change in return—now happens only in the most minor of our retail encounters, like buying a bar of chocolate or a pint of milk from a comer shop. At the shops where you spend any real money, that money is increasingly abstracted. And this is more and more true, the higher upthe scale you go. At the most cutting-edge retail stores—Victoria Beckham on Dover Street, for instance—you don’t go and stand at any kind of cash register when you decide to pay. The staff are equipped with iPads to take your payment while you relax on a sofa.Which is nothing more or less than excellent service, if you have the money. But across society, the abstraction of the idea of cash makes me uneasy. Maybe I’m just old-fashioned. But earning money isn’t quick or easy for most of us. Isn’t it a bit weird that spending it should happen in half a blink (眨眼)of an eye? Doesn’t a wallet—that time-honoured Friday-night feeling of pleasing, promising fatness—represent something that matters?But I’ll leave the economics to the experts. What bothers me about the death of the wallet is the change it represents in our physical environment. Everything about the look and feel of a wallet—the way the fastenings and materials wear and tear and loosen with age, the plastic and paper and gold and silver, and handwritten phone numbers and printed cinema tickets—is the very opposite of what our world is becoming. The opposite of a wallet is a smartphone or an iPad. The rounded edges, cool glass,smooth and unknowable as a pebble (鹅卵石). Instead of digging through pieces of paper and peering into comers, we move our fingers left and right. No more counting out coins. Show your wallet, if you still have one. It may not be here much longer.56.What is happening to the wallet?A) It is disappearing.C) It is becoming costly,B) It is being fattened.D) It is changing in style.57.How are business transactions done in big modem stores?A)Individually.C) In the abstract.B)Electronically.D) Via a cash register.58.What makes the author feel uncomfortable nowadays?A)Saving money is becoming a thing of the past.B)The pleasing Friday-night feeling is fading.C)Earning money is getting more difficult.D)Spending money is so fast and easy.59.Why does the author choose to write about what’s happening to the wallet?A)It represents a change in the modem world.B)It has something to do with everybody’s life.C)It marks the end of a time-honoured tradition.D)It is the concern of contemporary economists.60.What can we infer from the passage about the author?A)He is resistant to social changes.B)He is against technological progress.C)He feels reluctant to part with the traditional wallet.D)He feels insecure in the ever-changing modem world.答案:ABDADPassage 8Everybody sleeps, but what people stay up late to catch—or wake up early in order not to miss— varies by culture.From data collected, it seems the things that cause us to lose the most sleep, on average, are sporting events, time changes, and holidays.Around the world, people changed sleep patterns thanks to the start or end of daylight savings time, Russians, for example, began to wake up about a half-hour later each day after President Vladimir Putin shifted the country permanently to “winter time” starting on October 26.Russia’s other late nights and early mornings generally correspond to public holidays. On New Year’s Eve, Russians have the world’s latest bedtime,hitting the hay at around 3:30 a.m.、Russians also get up an hour later on International Women’s Day, the day for treating and celebrating female relatives.Similarly, Americans, late nights, late mornings, and longest sleeps fall on three-day weekends. Canada got the least sleep of the year the night it beat Sweden in the Olympic hockey (冰球). The World Cup is also chiefly responsible for sleep deprivation(剥夺).The worst night for sleep in the U. K was the night of the England-Italy match on June 14. Brits stayed up a half-hour later to watch it, and then they woke up earlier than usual the next morning thanks to summer nights, the phenomenon in which the sun barely sets in northern countries in the summertime. That was nothing, though, compared to Germans, Italians, and the French, who stayed up around an hour and a half later on various days throughout the summer to watch the Cup.It should be made clear that not everyone has a device to record their sleep patterns; in some of these nations, it’s likely that only the richest people do. And people who elect to track their sleep may try to get more sleep than the average person. Even if that’s the case, though, the above findings are still striking. If the most health-conscious among us have such deep swings in our shut-eye levels throughout the year, how much sleep are the rest of us losing?61.What does the author say about peopled sleeping habits?A) They are culture-related.C) They change with the seasons.B) They affect peopled health.D) They vary from person to person.62.What do we learn about the Russians regarding sleep?A)They don’t fall asleep until very late.C)They get less sleep on public holidays.B)They don’t sleep much on weekends.D)They sleep longer than people elsewhere.63.What is the major cause for Europeans’ loss of sleep?A)The daylight savings time.C)The World Cup.B)The colorful night life.D)The summertime.64.What is the most probable reason for some rich people to use a device to record their sleep patterns?A) They have trouble falling asleep.C) They are involved in a sleep research.B) They want to get sufficient sleep.D) They want to go to bed on regular hours.65.What does .the author imply in the last paragraph?A)Sleeplessness does harm to peopled health.B)Few people really know the importance of sleep.C)It is important to study our sleep patterns.D)Average people probably sleep less than the rich.答案:ACCBBPassage 9Could you reproduce Silicon Valley elsewhere, or is there something unique about it?It wouldn't be surprising if it were hard to reproduce in other countries, because you couldn't reproduce it in most of the US either. What does it take to make a Silicon Valley?It's the right people. If you could get the right ten thousand people to move from Silicon Valley to Buffalo, Buffalo would become Silicon Valley.You only need two kinds of people to create a technology hub (中心) : rich people and nerds (痴迷科研的人).Observation bears this out. Within the US, towns have become star, up hubs if and only if they have both rich people and nerds. Few startups happen in Miami, for example, because although it's full of rich people, it has few nerds. It's not the kind of place nerds like.Whereas Pittsburgh has the opposite problem: plenty of nerds, but no rich people.The top US Computer Science departments are said to be MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, and Carnegie-Mellon. MIT yielded Route 128.Stanford and Berkeley yielded Silicon Valley. But what did Carnegie-Mellon yield in Pittsburgh? And what happened in Ithaca, home of Cornell University, which is also high on the list?I grew up in Pittsburgh and went to college at Cornell, so I can answer for both. The weather is terrible, particularly in winter, and there's no interesting old city to make up for it, as there is in Boston. Rich people don't want to live in Pittsburgh or Ithaca. So while there're plenty of hackers (电脑迷) who could start startups, there's no one to invest in themDo you really need the rich people? Wouldn't it work to have the government invest in the nerds?No, it would not. Start up investors are a distinct type of rich people. They tend to have a lot of experience themselves in the technology business. This helps them pick the right startups, and means they can supply advice and connections as well as money. And the fact that they have a personal stake in the outcome makes them really pay attention.56.What do we learn about Silicon Valley from the passage?A. Its success is hard to copy anywhere else.B. It is the biggest technology hub in the US.C. Its fame in high technology is incomparable.D. It leads the world in information technology.57.What makes Miami unfit to produce a Silicon Valley?A. Lack of incentive for investment.B. Lack of the right kind of talents.C. Lack of government support.D. Lack of famous universities.58.In what way is Carnegie-Mellon different from Stanford, Berkeley and MIT?A. Its location is not as attractive to rich people.B. Its science departments are not nearly as good.C. It does not produce computer hackers and nerds.D. It does not pay much attention to business startups.59.What does the author imply about Boston?A. It has pleasant weather all year round.。
大学英语四级阅读理解精读100篇
Passage One (Clinton Is Right)President Clinton‘s decision on Apr.8 to send Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji packing without an agreement on China‘s entry into the World Trade Organization seemed to be a massive miscalculation. The President took a drubbing from much of the press, which had breathlessly reported that a deal was in the bag. The Cabinet and Whit House still appeared divided, and business leaders were characterized as furious over the lost opportunity. Zhu charged that Clinton lacked ―the courage‖ to reach an accord. And when Clinton later telephoned the angry Zhu to pledge a renewed effort at negotiations, the gesture was widely portrayed as a flip-flop.In fact, Clinton made the right decision in holding out for a better WTO deal. A lot more horse trading is needed before a final agreement can be reached. And without the Administration‘s goal of a ―bullet-proof agreement‖ that business lobbyists can enthusiastically sell to a Republican Congress, the whole process will end up in partisan acrimony that could harm relations with China for years.THE HARD PART. Many business lobbyists, while disappointed that the deal was not closed, agree that better terms can still be had. And Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin, National Economic Council Director Gene B. Sperling, Commerce Secretary William M. Daley, and top trade negotiator Charlene Barshefsky all advised Clinton that while the Chinese had made a remarkable number of concessions, ―we‘re not there yet,‖ according to senior officials. Negotiating with Zhu over the remaining issues may be the easy part. Although Clinton can signal U.S. approval for China‘s entry into the WTO himself, he needs Congress to grant Beijing permanent most-favored-nation status as part of a broad trade accord. And the temptation for meddling on Capital Hill may prove over-whelming. Zhu had barely landed before Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss) declared himself skeptical that China deserved entry into the WTO. And Senators Jesse A. Helms (R-N.C.) and Emest F. Hollings (D-S. C.) promised to introduce a bill requiring congressional approval of any deal.The hidden message from these three textile-state Southerners: Get more protection for the U. S. clothing industry. Hoping to smooth the way, the Administration tried, but failed, to budge Zhu on textiles. Also left in the lurch: Wall Street, Hollywood, and Detroit. Zhu refused to open up much of the lucrative Chinese securities market and insisted on ―cultural‖ restrictions on American movies and music. He also blocked efforts to allow U. S. auto makers to provide fleet financing. BIG JOB. Already, business lobbyists are blanketing Capitol Hill to presale any eventual agreement, but what they‘ve heard so far isn‘t encouraging. Republicans, including Lott, say that ―the time just isn‘t right‖ for the deal. Translation: We‘re determined to make it look as if Clinton has capitulated to the Chinese and is ignoring human, religious, and labor rights violations; the theft of nuclear-weapons technology; and the sale of missile parts to America‘s enemies. Beijing‘s fierce critics within the Democratic Party, such as Senator Paul D. Wellstone of Minnesota and House Minority leader Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, won‘t help, either.Just how tough the lobbying job on Capitol Hill will be become clear on Apr. 20, when Rubin lectured 19chief executives on the need to discipline their Republican allies. With business and the White House still trading charges over who is responsible for the defeat of fast-track trade negotiating legislation in 1997, working together won‘t be easy. And Republicans—with a wink—say that they‘ll eventually embrace China‘s entry into the WTO as a favor to Corporate America. Though not long before they torture Clinton. But Zhu is out on a limb, and if Congress overdoes the criticism, he may be forced by domestic critics to renege. Business must make thismuch dear to both its GOP allies and the Whit House: This historic deal is too important to risk losing to any more partisan squabbling1. The main idea of this passage is[A]. The Contradiction between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.[B]. On China‘s entry into WTO.[C]. Clinton was right.[D]. Business Lobbyists Control Capitol Hill.2. What does the sentence ―Also left in the lurch: Wall Street, Hollywood, Detroit‖ convey?[A]. Premier Zhu rejected their requirements.[B]. The three places overdid criticism.[C]. They wanted more protection.[D]. They are in trouble.3. What was the attitude of the Republican Party toward China‘s entry into the WTO?[A]. Contradictory. [B].Appreciative.[C]. Disapproving. [D]. Detestful.4. Who plays the leading part in the deal in America?[A]. White House . [B]. Republicans.[C]. The Democratic Party. [D]. Businessmen.5. It can be inferred from the passage that[A]. America will make concessions.[B]. America will hold out for a better WTO[C]. Clinton has the right to signal U. S. approval for China‘s entry.[D]. Democratic party approve China‘s entry into the WTO.答案祥解1. C. 总统是对的。
大学英语四级深度阅读题及详解
1.What is it about Americans and food? We love to eat, but we feel 1 about it afterward. We say we want only the best, but we strangely enjoy junk food. We’re 2 with health and weight loss but face an unprecedented epidemic of obesity(肥胖). Perhaps the 3 to this ambivalence(矛盾情结) lies in our history. The first Europeans came to this continent searching for new spices but went in vain. The first cash crop(经济作物) wasn’t eaten but smoked. Then there was Prohibition, intended to prohibit drinking but actually encouraging more 4 ways of doing it.The immigrant experience, too, has been one of inharmony. Do as Romans do means eating what “real Americans” eat, but our nation’s food has come to be 5 by imports—pizza, say, or hot dogs. And some of the country’s most treasured cooking comes from people whoarrived here in shackles.Perhaps it should come as no surprise then that food has been a medium for the nation’s defining struggles, whether at the Boston Tea Party or the sit ins at southern lunch counters. It is integral to our concepts of health and even morality whether one refrains from alcohol for religious reasons or evades meat for political 6But strong opinions have not brought 7 . Americans are ambivalent about what they putin their mouths. We have become 8 of our foods, especially as we learn more about what they contain.The 9 in food is still prosperous in the American consciousness. It’s no coincidence, then, that the first Thanksgiving holds the American imagination in such bondage(束缚).It’s wha t we eat—and how we 10 it with friends, family, and strangers—that help define America as a community today.A. answer I. creativeB. result J. beliefC. share K. suspiciousD. guilty L. certaintyE. constant M. obsessedF. defined N. identifyG. vanish O. idealsH. adapted【答案及详解】1. D feel是一个系动词,可以判断此处应填入一个形容词,通过上下文意思,以及后面介词about, 可以确定选项为D项guilty, 短语feel guiltyabout sth. “对……感到有愧”。
大学英语四级阅读40篇(含答案)
大学英语四级阅读40篇(含答案)1/200.There are three kinds of goals:short-term,medium-range and long-term goals.Short-range goals are those that usually deal with current activities,which we can apply on a daily basis.Such goals can be achieved in a week or less,or two weeks,or possible months.It should be r emembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation,out long-term goals cannot a mount to very munch without the achievement of solid short-term goals.Upon completing our shor t-term goals,we should date the occasion and then add new short-term goals that will build on thos e that have been completed.The intermediate goals bukld on the foundation of the short-range goals.They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school year,or they could even extend for several years.Any time you move a step at a time,you should never allow yourself to become discouraged or overwhelme d.As you complete each step,you will enforce the belief in your ability to grow adn succeed.And a s your list of completion dates grow,your motivation and desire will increase.Long-range goals may be related to our dreams of the future.They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing.We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of actio n.1.Our long-term goals mean a lot__.a.if we complete our short-range goalsb.if we cannot reach solid short-term goalsc.if we write down the datesd.if we put forward some plans2.New short-term goals are bulid upon__.a.two yearsb.long-term goalsc.current activitiesd.the goals that have been completed3.When we complete each step of our goals,__.a.we will win final successb.we are overwhelmedc.we should build up confidence of successd.we should strong desire for setting new goals4.Once our goals are drawn up,__.a.we should stick to them until we complete themb.we may change our goals as we have new ideas and opportunitiesc.we had better wait for the exciting news of successd.we have made great decision5.It is implied but not stated in the passage that___.a.those who habe long-term goals will succeedb.writing down the dates may discourage youc.the goal is only a guide for us to reach our desinationd.every should have a goal1/200答案:adcbc2/200The economy of the United states after1952was the econnomy of a well-fed,almost fully employ ed people.Despit occasional alarms,the country escaped any postwar depression and lived in a sta te of boom.A n economic survey of the year1955,a typical year of the1950’s,may be typical as i llustrating the rapid economic growth of the decade.The national output was value at10percent a bove that of1954(1955output was estimated at392billion dollars).The production of manufactu rers was about40percent more than it had averaged in the years immediately following World Wa r2.The country’s business spent about30billion dollars for new factories and machinery.Nationa l income available for spending was almost a third greater than it had been it had been in1950.Co nsumers spent about256billion dollars;that is about700million dollars a day,or about twenty-fi ve million dollars every hour,all round the clock.Sixty-five million people held jobs and only a li ttle more than two million wanted jobs but could not find them.Only agriculture complained that it was not sharing in the room.To some observers this was an ominous echo of the mid-1920’s. As farmer’s shre of their products declined,marketing costs rose.But there were,among the obse rvers of the national economy,a few who were not as confident as the majority.Those few seeme d to fear that the boom could not last and would eventually lead to the oppsite-depression.1.What is the best title of the passage?a.The Agriculatural Trends of1950’sb.The Unemployment Rate of1950’sc.U.S.Economy in the50’sd.The Federal Budget of19522.In Line4,the word“boom”could best be replaced by______.a.nearby explosionb.thunderous noisec.general public supportd.rapid economic growth3.It can be inferred the national from the passage that most people in the United States in1955vie wed the national economy with an air of_________.a.confidenceb.confusionc.disappointmentd.suspicion4.Which of the following were LEAST satisfied with the national economy in the1950’s?a.Economistsb.Frmaersc.Politiciansd.Steelworkers5.The passage states that incom available for spending in the U.S.was greater in1955than in1950.How much was it?a.60%b.50%c.33%d.90%2/200答案:cdabc3/200Women are also underrepresented in the administration and this is because there are so few wome n full professors.In1985,Regent Beryl Milburn produced a report blasting the University of Texas System adminitration for not encouraging women.The University was rated among the lowest for the system.In a1987update,Milburn commended the progress that was made and called for even more improvement.One of the positive results from her study was a System-wide program to inform women of availa ble administrative jobs.College of Communication Associate Dean Patrica Witherspoon,said it is important that woman b e flexible when it comesto relocating if they want to rise in the ranks.Although a woman may face a chilly climate on campus,many times in order for her to succeed, she must rise above the problems around her and concentrate on her work.Until women make up a greater percentage of the senior positions in the University and all academ ia,inequities will exist."Women need to spend their energies and time doing scholarly activities that are important here at the University."Spirduso said."If they do that will be successful in this system.If they spend their time in little groups mourning the sexual discrimination that they think exists here,they are wasti ng valuable study time."1.According to Spirduso,women need to____.a.produce a report on sexual discriminationb.call for further improvement in their working conditionsc.spend their energies and time fighting against sexual discriminationd.spend more time and energy doing scholarly activities2.From this passage,we know that_____.a.there are many women full professors in the University of Texasb.women play an important part in adminitrating the Universityc.the weather on the campus is chillyd.women make up a small percentage of the senior positions in the University3.Which of the following statements is true?a.the number of women professors in the University in1987was greater than that of1985b.the number of women professors in the University in1987was smaller than that of1985c.the number of women professors was the same as that of1985d.more and more women professors thought that sexual discrimination did exit in the University4.One of the positive results from Milburn's study was that_____.a.women were told to con centrate on teir workb.women were given information about available administrative jobsc.women were encouraged to take on all the administrative jobs in the Unversityd.women were encouraged to do more scholarly activities5.The title for this passage should be_______.a.The University of Texasburn's Reportc.Women Professorsd.Sexual Discrimination in Academia3/200答案:ddabd4/200Today,as in every other day of the year,more than3000U.S.adlescents will smoke their first cig arette on their way to becoming regular smokers as adults.During their lifetime,it can be expected that of these3000about23will be murdered,30will die in traffic accidents,and nearly750will b e killed by a smoking-related disease.The number of deaths attributed to cigarette smoking outwei thts all other factors,whether voluntary or involuntary,as a cause of death.Since the late1970s,when daily smoking among high school seniors reached30precent,smokin g rates among youth have declined.While the decline is impressive,several important issues must be raised.First,in the past several years,smoking rates among youth have declined very little.Second,in the late1970s,smoking among male high school seniors exceeded that among female by nearly10pe rcent.The statistic is reversing.Third,several recent studies have indicate high school dropouts ha ve excessively high smoking rates,as much as75percent.Finally,thouth significant declines in adolescent smoking have occurred in the past decade,no defi nite reasons for the decline exist.Within this context,the Naional Cancer Instiute(NCI)began its c urrent effort to determine the most effecive measures to reduce smoking levesl among youth.1.According to the author,the deaths among youth are mainly caused by_____.a.traffic accidentsb.smoking-related deseasec.murderd.all of these2.Every day there are over_____high school strdents who will become regular smoker.a.75b.23c.30d.30003.By"dropout"the author means______.a.students who failed the examinationb.students who left schoolc.students who lost their wayd.students who were driven out of school4.The reason for declining adolescent smoking is that________.a.NCI has taken effective measuresb.smoking is prevented among high school seniorsc.there are many smokers who have died of cancerd.none of these5.What is implied but not stated by the author is that________.a.smoking rates among youth have declined very littleb.there are now more female than male smokers among high school seniorsc.high smoking rates are due to the incease in wealthd.smoking at high school are from low socio-economic backgrounds4/200答案:bdbdb5/200The food we eat seems to have profound effects on our health.Although science has made enormo us steps in making food more fit to eat,it has,at the same time,made many foods unfit to eat.Som e research has shown that perhaps eighty percent of all human illnesses are related to diet and fort y percent of cancer is related to the diet as well,especially cancer of the colon.Different cultures a re more likely to cause certain different illnesses because of the food that is characteristic in these cultures.That food is related to illness is nto a new discovery.In1945,about35years ago,govern ment researchers realized that nitrates,commonly used to preserve color in meats,and other food a dditivies,caused cancer.Yet,these carcinogenic additives remain in our food,and it becomes more difficult all the time to know which things on the packaging labels of processed food are helpful o r harmful.The additives which we eat are not all so direct.Farmers often give penicillin to beef an d living animals,and because of this,penicillin has been found in the milk of treated cow.Someti mes similar drugs are given to animals not for medical purposes,but for financial reasons.The far mers are simply trying to fatten the animals in order to obtain a higher price on the market.Althou gh the Food and Drug Administration(FDA)has tried repeatedly to control these procedures,the p ractices continue.1.What is the best possible title of the passage?a.Drug and Foodb.Cancer and Healthc.Food and Healthd.Health and Drug2.Which of the following statements is NOT ture?a.Drugs are always given to animals for medical reasonsb.Some of the additives in our food are added to the food itself and some are given to the living an imalsc.Researchers have known about the potential dangers of food additives for over thirty-five years.d.Food may cause forty percent of cancer in world.3.How has science done something harmful to mankind?a.Because of science,diseases caused by polluted food haven been virtually eliminated.b.It has caused a lack of information concerning the value of food.c.Because of the application of science,some potentially harmful substances have been added to fo od.d.The scientists have preserved the color of meats,but not of vegetables.4.What are nitrates used for?a.They preserve flavor in packaged foods.b.They preserve the color of meats.c.They are the objects of research.d.They cause the animals to become fatter.5.The word'carcinogenic'most nearly means'_____'.a.trouble-makingb.color-retainingc.money-makingd.cancer-causing5/200答案:cacbd6/200As the pace of life continues to increase,we are fast losing the art of relaxation.Once you are in th e habit of rushing through lift,being on the go from morning till night,it is hard to slow down.But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.Stress is an natural part of everyday lift and there is no way to avoid it.In fact,it is not the bad thi ng it is often supposed to be.A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation adn give pur pose to life.It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and il l health.The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual.Some people ar e not afraid of stress,and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibiliti es.Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties.When exposed to stress,in whatever f orm,we react both chemically and physically.In fact we make choice between"fight"or"flight"a nd in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death.The crises we mee t today are unlikely to be so extreme,but however little the stress,it involves the same response.It i s when such a reaction lasts long,through continued exposure to stress,that health becomes endang ered.Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with s tress.Since we cannot remove stress from our lives(it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.1.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.a.they do not know how to enjoy themselvesb.they do not believe that relaxation is important for healthc.they are travelling fast all the timed.they are becoming busier with their work2.According to the writer,the most important character for a good manager is his________.a.not fearing stressb.knowing the art of relaxationc.high sense of responsibilityd.having control over performance3.Which of the follwing statements is ture?a.We can find some ways to avoid stressb.Stress is always harmful to peoplec.It is easy to change the hagit of keeping oneself busy with work.d.Different people can withstand different amounts of stress4.In Paragraph3,"such a reaction"refers back to_______.a."making a choice between'flight'or'fight'"b."reaction to stress both chemically and physically"c."responding to crises quickly"d."losing heart at the signs difficulties"5.In the last sentence of the passage,"do so"refers to______.a."expose ourselves to stress"b."find ways to deal with stress"c."remove stress from our lives"d."established links between diseases and stress"6/200答案:dadbcIn the1960s,many young Americans were dissatisfied with American society.They wanted to en d the Vietnam War and to make all of the people in the U.S.epual.Some of them decided to"drop out"of American society and form their own societies.They formed utopian communities,whic h they called"communes,"where they could follow their philosophy of"do your own thing."A gr oup of artists founded a commune in southern Colorado called"Drop City."Following the ideas of philosopher and architect Buckminster Fuller they built domeshaped houses from pieces of old ca rs.Other groups,such as author Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters,the followers fo San Francisco poe t Steve Gakin,and a group that called itself the Hog Farm,lived in old school huses and traveled a round the United States.The Hog Farm become famous when they helped organize the Woodstoc k Rock Festival in1969.Steve Gaskin's followers tried to settle down on a farm in Tennessee,but they had to leave when some members of the gruop were arrested for growing marijuana.Not all communes believed in the philosophy of"do you own thing,"however.Twin Oaks,a co mmune founded in Virgiania in the late1960s,was based on the ideas of psychologist B.F.Skinner. The people who lived at Twin Oaks were carefully controlled by Skinner's"conditioning"techniq ues to do things that were good for the community.In1972,Italian architect Paolo Soleri began to build Arcosanti,a utopian city Arizsona where2500people will live closely together in one large building called an"archology"Soleri believes that people must live closely together so that they will all become one.1.Why did some young Americans decide to"drop out"of scoiety during the1960s?a.They were not satisfied with American society.b.They wanted to grow marijuana.c.They wanted to go to the Vietnam War.d.They did not want all people to be equal.2.Where did the members of the Hog Farm commune live?a.In dome-shaped houseb.In old school husesc.On a farm inTennesseed.In an archology in Arizona3.Who gave the people of Drop City the idea to bulid dome-shaped house?a.Paolo Solerib.B.G.Skinnerc.Steve Gaskind.Buckminster Fuller4.What was the Twin Oaks commune base on?a.The philosophy of"do your own thing"b.Virginaia in the late1960sc.The ideas of psychologistd.The belief that people must live closely togerher.5.What is an"archology"?a.A person who studies archaeologyb.A large building where people live closely togetherc.A city in A rizonad.A technique to contorl people7/200答案:abdcb8/200There are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence.The first is the sort of brain he is born with.Human brains differ considerably,some being more capable than others.But no mat ter how good a brain he has to begin with,an individual will have a low order of intelligence unles s he has opportunities to learn.So the second factor is what happens to the individual—the sort of environment in which he is reared.If an individual is handicapped envionmentally,it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capab le.The importance of environment in determining an individual's intellingence can be demonstrated b y the case history of the identical twins,Peter and Mark X.Being identical,the twins had identical brains at birth,and their growth processes were the same.When the twins were three months old, their parents died,and they were placed in separate foster homes.Peter was reated by parents of l ow intelligence in an isolatedcommunity with poor educational pooprtunities.Mark was reared inth e home of well-to-do parents who had been to college.He was read to as a child,sent to good sch ools,and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually.This enviromental difference cont inued until the twins were in their late teens,when they were giben tesets to measure their intellige nce.Mark's I.Q.was125,twenty-five points higher than the average and fully forty points higher than his identical brother.Given equal opportunities,the twins,having identical brains,would hav e tested at roughly the same level.1.This selection can best be titled_________.a.Measuring Your Intelligenceb.Intelligence and Environmentc.The Case of Peter and Markd.How the brain Influences Intelligence2.The beststatement of the main idea of this passage is that_____.a.human brains differ considerablyb.the brain a person is born with is improtant in determining his intelligencec.environment is crucial in determining a person's intelligenced.persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence3.According to the passage,the average I.Q.is_____.a.85b.100c.110d.1254.The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that_______.a.individual with identical brains seldom test at same levelb.an individual's intelligence is determined only by his enviromentck of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligenced.changes of enviroment produce changes in the structure of the brain5.This passage suggests that an individual's I.Q.______.a.can be predicted at birthb.stays the same throuthout his lifec.can be increased by educationd.is determined by his childhood8/200答案:bcbcc9/200As she walked round the huge department store,Edith reflected how difficult it was to choose a sui table Christmas present for her father.She wish that he was as easy to please as her mother,who w as always delighted with perfumeBesides,shoppong at this time of the year was a most disgreeable experience:people trod on your t oes,poked you with their elbows and almost knocked you overin their haste to get to a bargain ahe ad of you.Partly to have a rest,Edith paused in front of a counter where some attracive ties were on display. "They are real silk,"the assistant assured her,trying to tempt her."Worth double the price."But e dit knew from past experience that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.She moved on reluctantly and then quite by chance,stopped where a small crowd of man had gath ered round a counter.She found some good quality pipes on sale-----and the prices were very reas onable.Edith did not hesitate for long:although her father only smoked a pipe occasionally,she k new that this was a present which was bund to please him.When she got home,with her small well-chosen present concealed in her handbag,her parents wer e already at the supper table.Her mother was in an especially cheerful mood,"Your father has at l ast to decided to stop smoking."She informed her daughter.1.Edith's father_______.a.did not like presentb.never got presentc.preferred tiesd.was difficult to choose a present for2.The assistant spoke to Edith because she seemed_______.a.attractiveb.interested in tiesc.tiredd.in need of comfort3.Edith stopped at the next counter_________.a.puroselyb.suddenlyc.unwillinglyd.accidentally4.Edith's father smoked a pipe_______.a.when he was obligedb.on social occasionsc.from time to timed.when he was delighted5.Shopping was very disagreeable at that time of the year because_______.a.coustomers trod on each other's toesb.coustomers poked each other with their elbowsc.customers knocked each otherd.customers were doing their shopping in a great hurry9/200答案:dbdcd10/200If the population of the earth goes on increasing at its present rate,there will eventually not be eno ugh resources left to sustain life on the planet.By the middle of the21st century,if present trends c ontinue,we will have used up all the oil that drives our cars,for example.Even if scientists develop new ways of feeding the human race,the crowded conditions on earth will make it necessary for l us to look for open space somewhere else.But none of the other planets in our solar system are ca pable of supporting life at present.One possible solution to the problem,however,has recently bee n suggested by American scientist,Professor Carl Sagan.Sagan believes that before the earth's resources are compleetely exhausted it will be possible to ch ange the atmophere of Venus and so create a new world almost as large as earth itself.The difficul t is that Venus is much hotter than the earth and there is only a tiny amount of water there. Sagan proposes that algae organisms that can live in extremely hot or cold atmospheres and at the same time produce oxygen,should be bred in condition similar to those on Venus.As soon as this has been done,the algae will be placed in small rockets.Spaceship will then fly to Venus and fire the rockets into the atmosphere.In a fairly short time,the alge will break down the carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon.When the algae have done theri work,the atmosphere will become cooler,but befor man can set fo ot on Venus it will be neccessary for the oxygen to produce rain.The surface of the planet will stil l be too hot for man to land on it but the rain will eventually fall and in a few years something like earth will be reproduced on Venus.1.Inte long run,the most insoluble problem caused by population growth on earth will probably be the lack of______.a.foodb.oilc.spaced.resources2.Carl Sagan believes that Venus might be colonized from earth because_____a.it might be possible to change its atmosphereb.its atmosphere is the same as the earth'sc.there is a good supply of water on Venusd.the days on Venus are long enough3.On Venus there is a lot of________.a.waterb.carbon dioxidec.carbon monoxided.oxygen4.Algae are plants that can____.a.live in very hot temperaturesb.live in very cold temperaturesc.manufacture oxygend.all of the above5.Man can land on Venus only when_______.a.the algae have done their workb.the atmosphere becomes coolerc.thereis oxygend.it rains there10/200答案:cabdd11/200What is your favourite colour?Do you like yellow,orange,red?If you do,you must be an optimi st,a leader,an active person who enjoys life,people and excitement.Do you prefer greys and blue s?Then you are probably quiet,shy,and you would rather follow than lead.You tend to be a pessi mist.At least,this is what psychologists tell us,and they should know,because they have been seri ously studying the meaning of colours preference,as well as the effect that colours have on human beings.They tells us,among other facts,that we do not choose our favourite clour as we grow up----we are born with our preference.If you happen to love brown,you did so,as soon as you opened your eyes,or at least as soon as you could see clearly.Colours do influence our moods----there is no doubt about it.A yellow room makes most people f eel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one;and a red dress brings warmth and chee r to the saddest winter day.On the other hand,black is depressing.A black bridge over the Thame s River,near London,used to be the scene of more suicides than any other bridge in the area----u ntil it was repainter green.The number of suicide attempts immediately fell sharply;perhaps it wo uld have fallen even more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue.Light and bright colours make people not only hppier but more active.It is an established fact that factory workers work better,harder,and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted ora nge rather than black or grey.1."You would rather follow than red"means_______.a.you don't like to follow othersb.you would be a member rather than a leaderc.you would be afraid of following othersd.you would like to be a leader rather than a follower2.If one enjoys life,one is sure to prefer________.a.red to yellowb.blue to orangec.red to greyd.blue to yellow3."They tell us,among other facts,that we don't choose our favourite colours as we grow up.""Am ong other facts"means______.a.besides other factsb.in regard to other factsc.not considering other factsd.according to other facts4.Which of the following is facts?a.People's preference of one colour to another is instinctb.People's preference of one colour to another is acquired as they grow up.c.More people happen to love brown because they saw something brown when they were bornd.Colours have little influence on our moods5.Those who committed suicide preferred the bridge over the Thames River near london to others because of_______.a.its shape。
大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析
大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析在日复一日的学习、工作生活中,我们都可能会接触到试题,试题是参考者回顾所学知识和技能的重要参考资料。
相信很多朋友都需要一份能切实有效地帮助到自己的试题吧?以下是我为大家收集的大学生英语四级考试阅读理解精选试题及答案解析,欢迎大家分享。
大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析1The world has become a world of cities. With the present rate of urban growth(3. 8% in the Third World) , the majority of the population of the world will be living in cities by the year 2000. This will transform the rural-urban equation which has marked the history of mankind up to now and will call for new example and a great deal of innovation to face this phenomenon.This being so, one must accept the fact that for some years to come, no policy will be capable of stopping or reversing the present migratory trend from the rural areas to the cities in the Third World. In Africa, the urban population will reach 330 million people by the end of the century as against 150 million in 1995.The number of people living in shanty-towns (贫富窟) will inevitably increase in spite of the efforts to improve housing conditions.Africa alone needs to build 12 million housing units between now and the year 2000 to meet its most basic needs. In an ILO study, M. S. V. Sethuraman estimates that in 70 Third "World cities the proportion of people living in shanty-towns varies from 15% to 70% and that about US $ 116 billion is required to give minimum comfort to these people by the turn of the century—less than US $ 10 billion per year.The world population is growing at a rate of about 90 million people per year, with the Third World accounting for 80 million of them. The pressure on cities can only go on increasing. The urban population of the developing countries will exceed 2 billion people by the year 2000 and since the main reason for the high demographic (人口统计的) growth is poverty, the additional population will be mostly made of people of very limited means.21. If the urban population of the developing countries exceeds 2 billion people by the year 2000, the main problem the additional people will face is______.A. housingB. foodC. povertyD. limited land22. According to the passage, "about US $116 billion is required to give minimum comfort to these people by the turn of the century—less than US $ 10 billion per year. " Do you think which year was the article written by saying "less than $ 10 billion per year" by theturn of the century?A. 1985.B. 1990.C. 1988.D. 2000.23. The mankind should face the phenomenon that the world has become a world of cities with______.A. a lot of difficultiesB. efforts to improve housing conditionC. pressure of the basic needsD. new models and a great deal of transformation of ideas and methods24. In Africa, people in cities will be______by the end of the century.A. almost twice as much as in 1985B. doubled than that in 1985C. over twice as much as in 1985D. 300 million25. In spite of the efforts to improve housing condition, the number of people living in shanty-towns will increase because______.A. houses in shanty-towns are cheapB. shanty-towns could provide people with minimum comfortC. no policy will be capable of stopping or changing the present immigrant tendency from the rural areas to the cities in the Third WorldD. the Third Word population is growing at a rate of about 80 million people per year答案:21. C 22. C 23. D 24. C 25. C大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析2There are two factors which determine an individuals intelligence. The first is the sort of brain he is born with. Human brains differ considerably, some being more capable than others. But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn. So the second factor is what happens to the individual—the sort of environment in which he is reared. If an individual is handicapped envionmentally ,it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable. The importance of environment in determining an individuals intellingence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark X. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth processes were the same. When the twins were three months old , their parents died, and they were placed in separate foster homes. Peter was reated by parents of low intelligence in an isolatedcommunity with poor educational pooprtunities.Mark was reared inthe home of well-to-do parents who had been to college. He was read to as a child , sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually.This enviromental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when theywere giben tesets to measure their intelligence. Marks I.Q. was 125, twenty-five points higher than the average and fully forty points higher than his identical brother. Given equal opportunities , the twins , having identical brains,would have tested at roughly the same level.1.This selection can best be titled_________.a.Measuring Your Intelligenceb.Intelligence and Environmentc.The Case of Peter and Markd.How the brain Influences Intelligence2.The beststatement of the main idea of this passage is that _____. a.human brains differ considerablyb.the brain a person is born with is improtant in determining his intelligencec.environment is crucial in determining a persons intelligenced. persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence3.According to the passage , the average I.Q.is _____.a.85b.100c.110d.1254.The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that _______. a.individual with identical brains seldom test at same level b.an individuals intelligence is determined only by his enviroment ck of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligence d.changes of enviromentproduce changes in the structure of the brain5.This passage suggests that an individual s I.Q.______. a.can be predicted at birthb.stays the same throuthout his lifec.can be increased by educationd.is determined by his childhood答案:bcbcc大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析3There are three kinds of goals: short-term,medium-range and long-term goals. Short-range goals are those that usually deal with current activities,which we can apply on a daily basis.Such goals can be achieved in a week or less,or two weeks,or possible months.It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation ,out long-term goals cannot amount to very munch without the achievement of solid short-term goals.Upon completing our short-term goals,we should date the occasion and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed. The intermediate goals bukld on the foundation of the short-range goals.They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school year,or they could even extend for several years.Any time you move a step at a time,you should never allow yourself to become discouraged or overwhelmed. As you complete each step,you will enforce the belief inyour ability to grow adn succeed.And as your list of completion dates grow,your motivation and desire will increase. Long-range goals may be related to our dreams of the future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing.We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action. 1.Our long-term goals mean a lot______.A.if we complete our short-range goalsB.if we cannot reach solid short-term goalsC.if we write down the datesD.if we put forward some plans2.New short-term goals are bulid upon______.A.two yearsB.long-term goalsC.current activitiesD.the goals that have been completed3.When we complete each step of our goals ,______.A.we will win final successB.we are overwhelmedC.we should build up confidence of successD.we should strong desire for setting new goals 4.Once our goals are drawn up,_______.A.we should stick to them until we complete themB.we may change our goals as we have new ideas and opportunitiesC.we had better wait for the exciting news of successD.we have made great decision5.It is implied but not stated in the passage that ______.A.those who habe long-term goals will succeedB.writing down the dates may discourage youC.the goal is only a guide for us to reach our desinationD.every should have a goal答案:adcbc大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析4Today ,as in every other day of the year ,more than 3000 U.S. adlescents will smoke their first cigarette on their way to becoming regular smokers as adults. During their lifetime,it can be expected that of these 3000 about 23 will be murdered,30 will die in traffic accidents, and nearly 750 will be killed by a smoking-related disease. The number of deaths attributed to cigarette smoking outweithts all other factors, whether voluntary or involuntary, as a cause of death. Since the late 1970s, when daily smoking among high school seniors reached 30 precent , smoking rates among youth have declined . While the decline is impressive ,several important issues must be raised. First, in the past several years,smoking rates among youth have declined very little. Second,in the late 1970s ,smoking among male high school seniors exceeded that among female by nearly 10 percent . The statistic is reversing.Third ,several recent studies have indicate high school dropouts have excessively high smoking rates, as much as 75 percent . Finally,thouth significant declines in adolescent smoking have occurred in the past decade,no definite reasons for the decline exist. Within this context,the Naional Cancer Instiute (NCI) began its current effort to determine the most effecive measures to reduce smoking levesl among youth.1.According to the author, the deaths among youth are mainly caused by _____.a.traffic accidentsb.smoking-related deseasec.murderd.all of these2.Every day there are over_____high school strdents who will become regular smoker.a.75b.23c.30d.30003.By "dropout" the author means______.a.students who failed the examinationb.students who left schoolc.students who lost their wayd.students who were driven out of school4.The reason for declining adolescent smoking is that ________.a.NCI has taken effective measuresb.smoking is prevented among high school seniorsc.there are many smokers who have died of cancerd.none of these5.What is implied but not stated by the author is that ________.a.smoking rates among youth have declined very littleb.there are now more female than male smokers among high school seniorsc.high smoking rates are due to the incease in wealthd.smoking at high school are from low socio-economic backgrounds答案:bdbdb【大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析】。
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词汇和语义理解题对词汇理解的考查是阅读测试的一个重要方面。
词汇题往往要求对文章中的某个单词、短语甚至句子等找出近义词或最合适的解释。
这类题需要考生拥有较大的词汇量。
这类试题主要测试考生利用上下文猜测生词词义的能力或确定常用词汇在特定语境中确切含义的能力。
生词可以大致分为两种类型:一类是单词本身并不复杂,重要的是要求考生能够在特定的语境中判断出该词的含义,这类词一般是多义词;另外一类则为纯粹的生词,对于这类词汇,考生应该从词性及其在句子中所起的语法作用确定生词所处的语境,用整个句子所具有的意思来分析词义,确定生词与上下文中的其他词是否具有同义、近义或反义等关系。
1. 词汇和语义理解题常见提问形式The author uses the phrase “...” to illustrate...From the passage, we can infer that the word “...” is...What does the word “...” mean in this passage?What do we know about the author's house from “...” ?Which of the following does the word “...” in line...refers to?Which of the following is closest in meaning to the sentence “...”?2. 词汇和语义理解题命题规律(1) 含有指示代词的句中,常考查词汇或短语。
(2) 具体环境中,具有指代上下文语义功能的词汇,尤其是名词,常成为考查对象。
(3) 常考一词多义的常见词及词组。
有些词一词多义,要求考生能通过阅读理解该词的确切含义。
平时积累生词时,一定要掌握在大纲规定范围内的所有词义,这样考试才会胸有成竹。
(4) 对比处常考这类题目考查考生能否从有对比含义的上下文中猜测出某个单词的含义。
(5) 复杂句常考复杂句句子结构复杂,句子之间的指代关系复杂,主要考查考生的理解能力。
3. 词汇和语义理解题答题技巧考生拥有比较大的词汇量和一定的构词知识,这自然有助于理解短文意义和解答词汇理解类型题目。
但由于测试文章题材广泛,体裁多样,并且同一单词在不同的语境中或上下文中有不同的含义,考生在测试时必然会遇到一些生词或熟词的生僻词义。
因此掌握正确的猜测方法有助于考生正确地解答词汇理解类型题。
确定词汇在文章中的准确含义,取决于对其所在的上下文的正确理解,并在理解的基础上推测词义。
一般常见的方法如下:(1) 利用上下文与该词逻辑和意义上的联系The ruler had been so cruel and dishonest that after revolution he was banished.A few members of the Senate opposed the decision, but the majority voted that the ruler should leave the country forever.从上下文中我们知道第二句中的the decision指的就是he was banished,少数人反对这个决定,多数人支持这个决定:国王必须永远离开这个国家。
由此我们可以推测banish为“驱逐,流放”之意。
(2) 利用文章中的定义或者解释Procrastinators are people who have a chronic habit of putting things off, usually until the last minute and sometimes until it is too late altogether.这句话实际上是给procrastinators下了一个定义,从中我们可以猜测其意义是“拖延者,拖拖拉拉的人”。
(3) 利用对比关系所谓对比关系,就是利用相邻两句(或者两个分句)结构上或意义上的对比来猜测词义。
In spite of his aged appearance, his movements were spirite d as a young man’s. 短语in spite of连接让步状语,对主句的意思起反衬作用,使前后两部分形成意义上的对比。
根据对比可以推知spirited意为“有精神的,朝气蓬勃的”。
(4) 利用同位关系在一个句子中,有时两个或者两个以上的词构成同位关系,起同样的作用,意义大体相近或具有一定的联系。
这种同位关系有时通过破折号表示,有时通过一定的解释性提示词表示。
如:particularly, mainly, chiefly, such as, say, for example, or, namely, in other words, that is to say等。
Have some sherries—the most distinguished wine from Spain.通过破折号后面的意义,我们可以得知sherries是一种西班牙产的酒。
(5) 利用定语从句有时在某些生词或者重要的词后面,作者使用定语从句来进一步解释说明,考生可以通过理解定语从句的意义来猜测该词的意义。
This set of book is for children. The first book of the sequence, which is one of the most popular series of children's stories, is actually a collection of stories about the people in the village.定语从句说明了sequence的含义是a series of books。
(6) 利用举例某些词的意思也可通过such as, like, for example, for instance等举例加以说明。
如: Many ships leave land and disappear completely; the US Cyclops, for example, vanished in 1918.由for example可知vanish与disappear是同义词,意思是“消失,失踪”。
(7) 利用同义信息和反义信息这是推断生词最重要的手段。
作者常用意义相同或相近的词来解释某词,有时也用表示原因的短语或句子,或在意义上可以互补的词来解释说明某词。
如: It is difficult to list all of my father's attributes because he has so many different talents and abilities.从原因状语从句中的talents和abilities可以猜测出 attributes意为“才能”。
通过反义词和转折词,如but, yet, however, instead, rather than, on the contrary 等往往也可以猜出生词的词义。
如: Storming out of the room only exacerbates the situation rather than ease it. rather than是表示否定意义的并列词语,由此可知exacerbate是ease的反义词,故可以猜出exacerbate的意思是“加剧”或“恶化”。
(8) 利用类属词英语中有些词指某类事物的总称,这些词称为类属词。
如resources为资源的总称,其中包括oil, silver, water等。
这实际上是一般和具体的关系。
阅读时应注意发现词语之间的这种关系,以便猜出某些词的意义。
如: Household appliances, especially TV sets, washing machines and tape recorders, are selling well these days.电视机、洗衣机和录音机均属电器,因此可以推出household appliances的意思是“家用电器”。
(9) 利用构词法通过构词法,如前缀和后缀也可推测词义。
如: Antibiotics such as penicillin will not cure the flu.前缀anti-表示“反,抗”的意思,又根据penicillin(青霉素)一词,可推断antibiotics的意思是“抗生素”。
2011年6月份英语四级考试仔细阅读练习10Passage OneQuestions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.I’m usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50 years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concludedthat today’s children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.Why are America’s kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes:increasing physical isolation—brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement in community, among other things—and a growing perception that the world is a more dangerous place.Given that we can’t turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the next generation cope.At the top of the list is nurturing (培育) a better appreciation of the limits of individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities and protect individuals against stress.To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.Limit the amount of virtual (虚拟的) violence your children are exposed to. It’s not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the local news.Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful people never attended Harvard or Yale.Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable. But it doesn’t have to ruin your life.21. The author thinks that the conclusions of any research about people’s state of mind are ________.A) surprising B) confusing C) illogical D) questionable22. What does the author mean when he says,“we can’t turn the clock back”(Line 1, Para. 3)?A) It’s impossible to slow down the pace of change.B) The social reality children are facing cannot be changed.C) Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten.D) It’s impossible to forget the past.23. According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children treated as mentally ill 50 years ago ________.A) were less isolated physicallyB) were probably less self-centeredC) probably suffered less from anxietyD) were considered less individualistic24. The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children is ________.A) to provide them with a safer environmentB) to lower their expectations for themC) to get them more involved sociallyD) to set a good model for them to follow25. What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?A) Anxiety, though unavoidable, can be coped with.B) Children’s anxiety has been enormously exaggerated.C) Children’s anxiety can be eliminated with more parental care.D) Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature.Passage TwoQuestions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.It is easier to negotiate initial salary requirement because once you are inside, the organizational constraints (约束) influence wage increases. One thing,however, is certain: your chances of getting the raise you feel you deserve are less if you don’t at least ask for it. Men tend to ask for more, and they get more,and this holds true with other resources, not just pay increases. Consider Beth’s story:I did not get what I wanted when I did not ask for it. We had cubicle (小隔间) officesand window offices. I sat in the cubicles with several male colleagues. One by one they were moved into window offices, while I remained in the cubicles, several males who were hired after me also went to offices. One in particular told me he was next in line for an office and that it had been part of his negotiations for the job. I guess they thought me content to stay in the cubicles since I did not voice my opinion either way.It would be nice if we all received automatic pay increases equal to our merit,but “nice” isn’t a quality attributed to most organizations. If you feel you deserve a significant raise in pay, you’ll probably have to ask for it.Performance is your best bargaining chip (筹码) when you are seeking a raise. You must be able to demonstrate that you deserve a raise. Timing is also a good bargaining chip. If you can give your boss something he or she needs (a new client or a sizable contract, for example) just before merit pay decisions are being made,you are more likely to get the raise you want.Use information as a bargaining chip too. Find out what you are worth on the open market. What will someone else pay for your services?Go into the negotiations prepared to place your chips on the table at the appropriate time and prepared to use communication style to guide the direction of the interaction.26. According to the passage, before taking a job, a person should ________.A) demonstrate his capabilityB) give his boss a good impressionC) ask for as much money as he canD) ask for the salary he hopes to get27. What can be inferred from Beth’s story?A) Prejudice against women still exists in some organizations.B) If people want what they deserve, they have to ask for it.C) People should not be content with what they have got.D) People should be careful when negotiating for a job.28. We can learn from the passage that ________.A) unfairness exists in salary increasesB) most people are overworked and underpaidC) one should avoid overstating one’s performanceD) most organizations give their staff automatic pay raises29. To get a pay raise, a person should ________.A) advertise himself on the job marketB) persuade his boss to sign a long-term contractC) try to get inside information about the organizationD) do something to impress his boss just before merit pay decisions 30. To be successful in negotiations, one must ________.A) meet his boss at the appropriate timeB) arrive at the negotiation table punctuallyC) be good at influencing the outcome of the interactionD) be familiar with what the boss likes and dislikesPassage ThreeQuestions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to Grandma’s generation. Their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code will be Sunday-best.But in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance has given way to a stoneware (粗陶)-and-stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual-Friday look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it spells economic hard times.Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000 jobs—one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4,000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) region. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier.Although a strong pound and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing,the layoffs in Stoke have their roots in earthshaking social shifts. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company “has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend” toward casual dining. Families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or they eat in front of television;Even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone casual. In a time of long work hours and demanding family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it’s better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates in the family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a “real” dinner party. Too often, the perfect moment never comes. Iron a fine-patterned tablecloth? Forget it. Polish the silver? Who has time?Yet the loss of formality has its down side. The fine points of etiquette (礼节) that children might once have learned at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents (“Chew with your mouth closed.”“Keep your elbows off the table.”) must be picked up elsewhere. Some companies now offer etiquette seminars for employees who may be competent professionally but clueless socially.31. The trend toward casual dining has resulted in ________.A) bankruptcy of fine china manufacturersB) shrinking of the pottery industryC) restructuring of large enterprisesD) economic recession in Great Britain32. Which of the following may be the best reason for casual dining?A) Family members need more time to relax.B) Busy schedules leave people no time for formality.C) People want to practice economy in times of scarcity.D) Young people won’t follow the etiquette of the older generation.33. It can be learned from the passage that Royal Doulton is ________.A) a retailer of stainless steel tablewareB) a dealer in stonewareC) a pottery chain storeD) a producer of fine china34. The main cause of the layoffs in the pottery industry is ________.A) the increased value of the poundB) the economic recession in AsiaC) the change in people’s way of lifeD) the fierce competition at home and abroad35. Refined table manners, though less popular than before in current social life ________.A) are still a must on certain occasionsB) axe bound to return sooner or laterC) are still being taught by parents at homeD) can help improve personal relationshipsQuestions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.Some houses are designed to be smart. Others have smart designs. An example of the second type of house won an Award of Excellence from the American Institute of Architects.Located on the shore of Sullivan’s Island off the coast of South Carolina,the award-winning cube-shaped beach house was built to replace one smashed to pieces by Hurricane (飓风) Hugo 10 years ago. In September 1989, Hugo struck South Carolina, killing 18 people and damaging or destroying 36,000 homes in the state.Before Hugo, many new houses built along South Carolina’s shoreline were poorly constructed, and enforcement of building codes wasn’t strict, according to architect Ray Huff, who created the cleverly-designed beach house. In Hugo’s wake,all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced codes. The new beach house on Sullivan’s Island should be able to withstand a Category 3 hurricane with peak winds of 179 to 209 kilometers per hour.At first sight, the house on Sullivan’s Island looks anything but hurricane-proof. Its redwood shell makes it resemble “a large party lantern (灯笼)” at night, according to one observer. But looks can be deceiving. The house’s wooden frame is reinforced with longsteel rods to give it extra strength.To further protect the house from hurricane damage, Huff raised it 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings—long, slender columns of wood anchored deep in the sand. Pilings might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the house. They also elevate the house above storm surges. The pilings allow the surges to run under the house instead of running into it. “These swells of water come ashore at tremendous speeds and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings,” said Huff.Huff designed the timber pilings to be partially concealed by the house’s ground-to-roof shell. “The shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn’t look like it’s standing with its pant legs pulled up,” said Huff. In the event of a storm surge, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house,the architect explained.36. After the tragedy caused by Hurricane Hugo, new houses built along South Carolina’s shore line are required ________.A) to be easily reinforcedB) to look smarter in designC) to meet stricter building standardsD) to be designed in the shape of cubes37. The award-winning beach house is quite strong because ________.A) it is strengthened by steel rodsB) it is made of redwoodC) it is in the shape of a shellD) it is built with timber and concrete38. Huff raised the house 2.7 meters off the ground on timber pilings in order to ________.A) withstand peak winds of about 200 km/hrB) anchor stronger pilings deep in the sandC) break huge sea waves into smaller onesD) prevent water from rushing into the house39. The main function of the shell is ________.A) to strengthen the pilings of the houseB) to give the house a better appearanceC) to protect the wooden frame of the houseD) to slow down the speed of the swelling water40. It can be inferred from the passage that the shell should be ________. A) fancy-lookingB) waterproofC) easily breakableD) extremely strongUnit 1021. D 22. B 23. C 24.C 25. A26. D 27. B 28. A 29.D 30. C31. B 32. B 33. D 34.C 35. A36. C 37. A 38. D 39.B 40. C。