大学英语阅读材料
大学英语六级阅读理解(集锦3篇)
大学英语六级阅读理解(集锦3篇）大学英语六级阅读理解（1）"I've never met a human worth cloning," says cloning expert M ark Westhusin from the cramped confines of his lab at Texas A&M University. "It's a stupid endeavor." That's an interesting choice of a djective, coming from a man who has spent millions of dollars tryin g to clone a 13-year-old dog named Missy. So far, he and his team have not succeeded, though they have cloned two calves and expe ct to clone a cat soon. They just might succeed in cloning Missy lat er this year---or perhaps not for another five years. It seems the re productive system of man's best friend is one of the mysteries of modern science.Westhusin's experience with cloning animals leaves him vexed b y all this talk of human cloning. In three years of work on the Miss yplicity project, using hundreds upon hundreds of canine eggs, the A&M team has produced only a dozen or so embryos carrying Miss y's DNA. None have survived the transfer to a surrogate mother. Th e wastage of eggs and the many spontaneously aborted fetuses ma y be acceptable when you're dealing with cats or bulls, he argues, but not with humans. "Cloning is incredibly inefficient, and also dan gerous," he says.Even so, dog cloning is a commercial opportunity, with a nice r esearch payoff. Ever since Dolly the sheep was cloned in, 1997, Wes thusin's phone at A&M College of Veterinary Medicinehas been ringing busily. Cost is no obstacle for customers like Missy's mysterious owner, who wishes m remain unknown to protec t his privacy. He's plopped down $3.7 million so far to fund the research because he wants a twin to carry on Missy;s fine q ualities after she dies. But he knows her clone may not have her te mperament. In a statement of purpose, Missy's owners and the A& M team say they are "both looking forward to studying the ways th at her clone differ from Missy."The fate of the dog samples will depend on Westhusin's work. He knows that even if he gets a dog viably pregnant, the offspring, should they survive,大学英语六级阅读理解（2）1.大纲要求六级考试大纲对阅读理解题的要求为：既能理解个别句子的意义，也能理解上下文的逻辑关系；既能理解字面的意思，也能理解隐含的意思；既能理解事实和细节，也能理解所读材料的主旨和大意；能就文章的内容进行判断，推理和信息转换。
大学英语四级仔细阅读专项练习20篇(附答案)
大学英语四级仔细阅读专项练习20篇（附答案）练习一（2010年12月大学英语四级考试真题）Passage OneQuestions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.It is pretty much a one-way street. While it may be common for university researchers to try their luck in the commercial world, there is very little traffic in the opposite direction. Pay has always been the biggest deterrent, as people with families often feel they cannot afford the drop in salary when moving to a university job. For some industrial scientists, however, the attractions of academia (学术界) outweigh any financial considerations.Helen Lee took a 70% cut in salary when she moved from a senior post in Abbott Laboratories to a medical department at the University of Cambridge. Her main reason for returning to academia mid-career was to take advantage of the greater freedom to choose research questions. Some areas of inquiry have few prospects of a commercial return, and Lee's is one of them.The impact of a salary cut is probably less severe for a scientist in the early stages of a career. Guy Grant, now a research associate at the Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics at the University of Cambridge, spent two years working for a pharmaceutical (制药的) company before returning to university as a post-doctoral researcher. He took a 30% salary cut but felt it worthwhile for the greater intellectual opportunities.Higher up the ladder, where a pay cut is usually more significant, the demand for scientists with a wealth of experience in industry is forcing universities to make the transition (转换) to academia more attractive, according to Lee. Industrial scientists tend to receive training that academics do not, such as how to build a multidisciplinary team, manage budgets and negotiate contracts. They are also well placed to bring something extra to the teaching side of an academic role that will help students get a job when they graduate, says Lee, perhaps experience in manufacturing practice or product development. “Only a small number of undergraduates willcontinue in an academic career. So someone leaving university who already has the skills needed to work in an industrial lab has far more potential in the job market than someone who has spent all their time on a narrow research project.”57. By “a one-way street” (Line 1, Para. 1), the author means ________.[A] university researchers know little about the commercial world[B] there is little exchange between industry and academia[C] few industrial scientists would quit to work in a university[D] few university professors are willing to do industrial research58. The word “deterrent” (Line 2, Para. 1) most probably refers to something that ________.[A] keeps someone from taking action [C] attracts people's attention[B] helps to move the traffic [D] brings someone a financial burden59. What was Helen Lee's major consideration when she changed her job in the middle of her career?[A] Flexible work hours. [C] Her preference for the lifestyle on campus.[B] Her research interests. [D] Prospects of academic accomplishments.60. Guy Grant chose to work as a researcher at Cambridge in order to ________.[A] do financially more rewarding work[B] raise his status in the academic world[C] enrich his experience in medical research[D] exploit better intellectual opportunities61. What contribution can industrial scientists make when they come to teach in a university?[A] Increase its graduates' competitiveness in the job market.[B] Develop its students' potential in research.[C] Help it to obtain financial support from industry.[D] Gear its research towards practical applications.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life. Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity (长寿) boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship. The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Farr, who wrote that widows and widowers (鳏夫) were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers. Studies since then suggest that marriage could add as much as seven years to a man's life and two to a woman's. The effect holds for all causes of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.Even if the odds are stacked against you, marriage can more than compensate. Linda Waite of the University of Chicago has found that a married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart. Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn't smoke. There's a flip side, however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouse's death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems. Even so, the odds favour marriage. In a 30-year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.So how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio-economic factors, health-service provision, emotional support and other more physiological (生理的) mechanisms. For example, social contact can boost development of the brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression later in life. People in supportive relationships may handle stress better. Then there are the psychological benefits of a supportive partner.A life partner, children and good friends are all recommended if you aim to live to 100. The ultimate social network is still being mapped out, but Christakis says: “People are interconnected, so their health is interconnected.”62. William Farr's study and other studies show that _________.[A] social life provides an effective cure for illness[B] being sociable helps improve one's quality of life[C] women benefit more than men from marriage[D] marriage contributes a great deal to longevity63. Linda Waite's studies support the idea that _________.[A] older men should quit smoking to stay healthy[B] marriage can help make up for ill health[C] the married are happier than the unmarried[D] unmarried people are likely to suffer in later life64. It can be inferred from the context that the “flip side” (Line 4, Para. 2) refers to _________.[A] the disadvantages of being married[B] the emotional problems arising from marriage[C] the responsibility of taking care of one's family[D] the consequence of a broken marriage65. What does the author say about social networks?[A] They have effects similar to those of a marriage.[B] They help develop people's community spirit.[C] They provide timely support for those in need.[D] They help relieve people of their life's burdens.66. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?[A] It's important that we develop a social network when young.[B] To stay healthy, one should have a proper social network.[C] Getting a divorce means risking a reduced life span.[D] We should share our social networks with each other.练习二（2010年6月英语四级考试真题）Passage OneQuestions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.You never see him, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going, how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book. They're known as the black box.When planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India Ocean, June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine (潜水艇) detected the device's homing signal five days later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed.In 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early models often failed to withstand crashes, however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane – the area least subject to impact – from its original position in the landing wells (起落架舱). The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility.Modern airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations, and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noises and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated (隔绝的) case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000℉. When submerged, they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft. Experts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crashed near Brazil on June 1,2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-sea crashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.57. What does the author say about the black box?A) It ensures the normal functioning of an airplane.B) The idea for its design comes from a comic book.C) Its ability to ward off disasters is incredible.D) It is an indispensable device on an airplane.58. What information could be found from the black box on the Yemeni airliner?A) Data for analyzing the cause of the crash.B) The total number of passengers on board.C) The scene of the crash and extent of the damage.D) Homing signals sent by the pilot before the crash.59. Why was the black box redesigned in 1965?A) New materials became available by that time.B) Too much space was needed for its installation.C) The early models often got damaged in the crash.D) The early models didn't provide the needed data.60. Why did the Federal Aviation Authority require the black boxes be painted orange or yellow?A) To distinguish them from the colour of the plane.B) To caution people to handle them with care.C) To make them easily identifiable.D) To conform to international standards.61. What do we know about the black boxes from Air France Flight 447?A) There is still a good chance of their being recovered.B) There is an urgent need for them to be reconstructed.C) They have stopped sending homing signals.D) They were destroyed somewhere near Brazil.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.The $11 billion self-help industry is built on the idea that you should turn negative thoughts like “I never do anything right” into positive ones like “I can succeed.” Butwas positive thinking advocate Norman Vincent Peale right? Is there power in positive thinking?Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply highlight how unhappy they are.The study's authors, Joanne Wood and John Lee of the University of Waterloo and Elaine Perunovic of the University of New Brunswick, begin by citing older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse, not better. If you tell your dim friend that he has the potential of an Einstein, you're just underlining his faults. In one 1990s experiment, a team including psychologist Joel Cooper of Princeton asked participants to write essays opposing funding for the disabled. When the essayists were later praised for their sympathy, they felt even worse about what they had written.In this experiment, Wood, Lee and Perunovic measured 68 students' self-esteem. The participants were then asked to write down their thoughts and feelings for four minutes. Every 15 seconds, one group of students heard a bell. When it rang, they were supposed to tell themselves, “I am lovable.”Those with low self-esteem didn't feel better after the forced self-affirmation. In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren't urged to think positive thoughts.The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy (心理治疗) that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than fight them. In the fighting, we not only often fail but can make things worse. Meditation (静思) techniques, in contrast, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a larger, more realistic perspective. Call it the power of negative thinking.62. What do we learn from the first paragraph about the self-help industry?A) It is a highly profitable industry.B) It is based on the concept of positive thinking.C) It was established by Norman Vincent Peale.D) It has yielded positive results.63. What is the finding of the Canadian researchers?A) Encouraging positive thinking many do more harm than good.B) There can be no simple therapy for psychological problems.C) Unhappy people cannot think positively.D) The power of positive thinking is limited.64. What does the author mean by “… you're just underlining his faults” (Line 4, Para.3)?A) You are not taking his mistakes seriously enough.B) You are pointing out the errors he has committed.C) You are emphasizing the fact that he is not intelligent.D) You are trying to make him feel better about his faults.65. What do we learn from the experiment of Wood, Lee and Perunovic?A) It is important for people to continually boost their self-esteem.B) Self-affirmation can bring a positive change to one's mood.C) Forcing a person to think positive thoughts may lower their self-esteem.D) People with low self-esteem seldom write down their true feelings.66. What do we learn from the last paragraph?A) The effects of positive thinking vary from person to person.B) Meditation may prove to be a good form of psychotherapy.C) Different people tend to have different ways of thinking.D) People can avoid making mistakes through meditation.练习三（2013年6月大学英语四级考试真题）Passage OneQuestions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.Junk food is everywhere. We're eating 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 soldand 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 people's 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 aren't 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.57. 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.58. What do the Rand researchers think of many of the policy measures to control obesity?A) They should be implemented effectively.B) They provide misleading information.C) They are based on wrong assumptions.D) They help people make rational choices.59. 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.60. 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.61. 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.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.Kodak'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 ultimatelyfailed 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 into 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.62. 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 a dominant role in the film market.63. 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.64. 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.65. What does the author say Kodak's history has become?A) A burden.B) A mirror.C) A joke.D) A challenge.66. What was Kodak's fatal mistake?A) Its blind faith in traditional photography.B) Its failure to see Fuji photo's emergence.C) Its refusal to sponsor the 1984 Olympics.D) Its overconfidence in its corporate culture.练习四（2014年6月英语四级考试真题）Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60are based on the following passage.The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts in higher education isn't an either/or proposition(命题)，although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths)----related fields can make it seem that way.The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technicaltraining, but also asserts that the study of the humanities (人文学科)and social sciences must remain central components of America's educational system at all levels. Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become innovative (创新的) leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides.Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates' job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs. Under these circumstances, it's natural to look for what may appear to be the most “practical” way out of the problem “Major in a subject designed to get you a job” seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as “soft” often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run. Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily.Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there's little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers. The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible. The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight----picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States.56. What does the latest congressional report suggest?A) STEM-related subjects help students find jobs in the information society.B) The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance.C) The liberal arts in higher education help enrich students' spiritual life.D) Higher education should be adjusted to the practical needs of society.57. What is the main concern of students when they choose a major?A) Their interest in relevant subjects.B) The academic value of the courses.C) The quality of education to receive.D) Their chances of getting a good job.58. What does the author say about the so called soft subjects?A) They benefit students in their future life.B) They broaden students' range of interests.C) They improve students' communication skills.D) They are essential to students' healthy growth.59. What kind of job applicants do employers look for?A) Those who have a strong sense of responsibility.B) Those who are good at solving practical problems.C) Those who are likely to become innovative leaders.D) Those who have received a well-rounded education.60. What advice does the author give to college students?A) Seize opportunities to tap their potential.B) Try to take a variety of practical courses.C) Prepare themselves for different job options.D) Adopt a flexible approach to solving problems.Passage TwoQuestions 61 to 65 are based on the following passage.Energy independence. It has a nice ring to it. Doesn't it? If you think so, you're not alone, because energy independence has been the dream of American president for decades, and never more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shock has been partly responsible for kicking off the great recession.“Energy independence” and its rhetorical (修辞的) companion “energy security” are, however, slippery concepts that are rarely though through. What is it we want independence from, exactly?Most people would probably say that they want to be independent from imported oil. But there are reasons that we buy all that old from elsewhere.The first reason is that we need it to keep our economy running. Yes, there is a trickle（涓涓细流）of biofuel（生物燃料）available, and more may become available, but most biofuels cause economic waste and environmental destruction.Second, Americans have basically decided that they don't really want to produce all their own oil. They value the environmental quality they preserve over their oil imports from abroad. Vast areas of the United States are off-limits to oil exploration and production in the name of environmental protection. To what extent are Americans really willing to endure the environmental impacts of domestic energy production in order to cut back imports?Third, there are benefits to trade. It allows for economic efficiency, and when we buy things from places that have lower production costs than we do, we benefit. And although you don't read about this much, the United States is also a large exporter of oil products, selling about 2 million barrels of petroleum products per day to about 90 countries.There is no question that the United States imports a great deal of energy and, in fact, relies on that steady flow to maintain its economy. When that flow is interrupted, we feel the pain in short supplies and higher prices, At the same time, we derive massive economic benefits when we buy the most affordable energy on the world market and when we engage in energy trade around the world.61. What does the author say about energy independence for America?A) It sounds very attractive.B) It ensures national security.C) It will bring oil prices downD) It has long been everyone's dream.62. What does the author think of biofuels?A) They keep America's economy running healthily.B) They prove to be a good alternative to petroleum.。
大学英语阅读5篇
阅读理解：1.【答案】BDCDDHelen Keller was born normal and healthy. But when she was one year old, she had serious illness with a very high fever. After that, Helen was never able to see and hear again.As a child Helen was angry and lonely. But a happy thing happened when she was six years old. Her parents got a teacher for her. They brought a young woman Anne Sullivan to stay at their house and help Helen. After much hard work, Helen began to learn sign language. Anne taught Helen many important things, such as how to behave like other children. Because Helen was so smart, she learned things very quickly. She learned how to read Braile (布莱叶盲文). When she was eight, she became famous. People were amazed at what she could do.When she was 20 years old, she went to college. Helen did so well in college that a magazine paid her to write the story of her life. After college, she decided to earn a living by writing and giving speeches. She traveled all around the world. She worked to get special schools and libraries for the blind and deaf. She wrote many books, including one about her teacher, Anne Sullivan.1. Which of the following statements is true about Helen Keller?A. Helen became deaf and dumb at the age of six.B. Helen was born normal and healthy.C. Helen was born deaf and dumb.D. Helen was able to see and hear at the age of eight.2. Anne Sullivan is Helen’s ______.A. motherB. doctorC. auntD. teacher3. Anne Sullivan was very important in Helen’s life because ______.A. She made Helen famousB. She let people feel amazed at Helen’s progressC. She led Helen back to the life like normal children’sD. She worked very hard4. Braile is ______.A. a system of reading and writing for blind peopleB. a book written by Helen KellerC. a book written by Anne SullivanD. a system of sight language for blind people.5. In addition to writing and making speeches, Helen was also engaged in ______.A. Traveling around the world with Anne SullivanB. Attending classes at collegeC. Working for a magazineD. Setting up special schools and libraries for the blind and deaf2. 【答案】BBBBBWhen Beethoven was 28, he began to notice a strange noise in his ears. As it grew worse, he went to see doctors, and was told that he was going deaf. This was too much for any composer to bear. Beethoven became hopeless; he was sure that he was going to die. He went to the countryside where he wrote a long good-bye letter to his brothers, describing how sad and lonely his deafness made him. He longed to die, and said to death, “Come when you will; I shall meet you bravely.”In fact, Beethoven did something braver than dying. He gathered his courage and went on writing music. He wrote the music for which we remember him best after he became deaf. This music was very different from any that had been composed before. Instead of the past artistic music for the rich listeners, Beethoven wrote stormy, exciting music which reminds us of his troubled and courageous life. In time he went completely deaf, but he wrote more creatively than ever, for he could “hear” his music in his mind. His Heroic Symphony and Fifth Symphony both show his courage in struggling with his fate.He was lonely and often unhappy but in spite of this, he often wrote joyful music, such as his last symphony, the Ninth Symphony. Because of his courage and strong will to success, his music has given joy and encouragement to millions of people.1. How did Beethoven’s deafness affect him?A. It drove him mad.B. It helped him create good music.C. It stopped his writing music.D. It killed him2. Which of the following best shows Beethoven’s courage in struggling with his fate?A. Ninth Symphony.B. Heroic Symphony and Fifth Symphony.C. Fifth Symphony and Ninth Symphony.D. Fifth Symphony only.3. Beethoven longed to die because ____________.A. he wouldn’t be able to write music for rich listeners after becoming deafB. he felt his deafness was too much for him to bear as a composerC. he had told death he would meet it bravelyD. he wouldn’t be able to support his family4. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?A. Deafness and ComposerB. Beethoven and His MusicC. Music and MusiciansD. Deafness and Music5. According to the passage, which of the following is true about Beethoven?A. He wrote less and less music after he went deaf.B. He wrote encouraging music creatively in spite of his deafness.C. His music became more and more artistic when he was deaf.D. When he was partly deaf, Beethoven’s music became more and more gentle2.【答案】ABABCDo you still remember the first time we met? It was a Sunday. I was sad because my cat had died.I went to Green Lake to be a part of the busy world to forget it. I wandered aimlessly around the lake. Suddenly I heard a voice. I raised my head and saw your eyes. They were so blue and bright. You asked me whether I could help you take a picture. I did, without the slightest hesitation. After that, you said I looked unhappy. I told you that my cat had died, and you told me about your dog. We talked for a long time that afternoon. Our topics ranged from Shakespeare’s plays to Longfellow’s poetry, from interesting stories to the traditional Chinese customs. I was really glad that you were fond of literature too.Then after answering a phone call, you had to leave in a hurry. Although it was a great pity that I did not know your name and how to get in touch with you, I was in high spirits after talking with you.The following day was the first day of my last term at college. The last two classes that morning were English and American poetry. We sat silently in the classroom to wait for the newteacher. It was a great surprise to see you entering the classroom and saying you were our teacher. I could hardly believe my eyes. It was like a plot from a novel or TV play. You told us your name was Samuel and wrote down your e-mail address and said we could e-mail you at any time.1. Why did the writer go to Green Lake that Sunday?A. To get away from the sadness about her cat’s death.B. To offer help to those who needed.C. To wander aimlessly around the lakeD. To take a picture with the blue-eyed traveler.2. From what they talked about when they first met, it seemed that_______.A. both Shakespeare and Longfellow wrote interesting storiesB. they were both fond of literatureC. both Shakespeare and Longfellow were their familiar friendsD. they were both sad about their dead pats.3. The blue-eyed traveler left the writer in a hurry, _________.A. without telling his name and addressB. in high spiritC. in great sorrowD. after leaving his name and address4. What made the writer greatly surprised on the first day of her last term at college?A. Reading a novel and watching a TV play.B. Seeing the blue-eyed traveler appear in the poetry class as the teacher.C. Having four classes that morning and waiting for a new teacher.D. Getting to know Samuel and his e-mail address.5. What conclusion could you most probably draw about the writer?A. She was eager to meet her new teacher.B. She still well remember her dear cat.C. She was then a senior year student at college.D. She found that Samuel was her old friend.4. 【答案】CDABCHarry’s wife died two years ago. He has to take care of his six-year-old daughter all by himself. Susan was a sweet young woman. She has a successful career as vice president of a toys company. She was too busy to find a boyfriend. Their friends arranged a blind date for them and told them that they would meet at Sunshine Restaurant at 8 p.m. Saturday.Harry and Susan met at the restaurant and they had a very good first impression of each other. After ordering, they began a light conversation. To their surprise, they had much in common. And they even went to the same college.While they were waiting for their food, Harry got a call from his baby-sitter. His daughter was sick. So Harry had to leave and said that he would like to see Susan again. Susan agreed.Susan went home with the food. She started to share the food with her sister Mary. She told Mary her feelings about Harry, and that Harry didn’t get anything to eat because he had to leave. She felt sorry for him. Then there was a knock at the door and Susan opened it. At the door was Harry with flowers in his hands. She was greatly moved. Then the three had a nice meal together. Six months later, Harry and Susan got married. They made a happy family.1. In the beginning of the story, Harry and Susan were arranged to meet by____.A. Sunshine RestaurantB. the friends of Harry’sC. the friends of theirsD. the friends of Susan’s2. Which of the following best describes their first impression?A. Pleasant and annoying.B. Nice and friendly.C. Pleasant and common.D. Nice and surprising.3. What happened to interrupt their dinner together at their first meeting?A. Harry’s daughter was sick.B. Harry’s baby-sitter was sick.C. Harry’s sister felt sick.D. usan’s sister felt sick.4. Where did Susan go with the ordered food for dinner?A. To the hospital.B. To her home.C. To Harry’s home.D. To her sister’s.5. When the story came to the end, we could find that_____.A. They both had a nice meal togetherB. Harry came to Susan with flowers in his handsC. Harry and Susan made a happy coupleD. Susan felt sorry for Harry5. 【答案】CDBDDTeeth have been a part of animals almost from the beginning of animal life. The first animals to have teeth were fish. These sea creatures lived millions of years ago. They had many finely pointed teeth for grabbing food from the water.The teeth of animals help them do certain jobs or eat certain kinds of foods. Elephants have two large teeth, which they use for digging up plants or for fighting. Lions and tigers have long, sharp teeth for tearing apart other animals. Those of horses and cows are short and flat. They are used for grinding plants.People have three main kinds of teeth. They have teeth that cut, teeth that tear, and teeth that grind. When biting into a piece of fruit, people use their cutting teeth. When pulling a piece of meat from a bone, they use their tearing teeth. When nibbling on a fresh carrot, they use their grinding teeth.Every person grows two sets of teeth. The first set often begins to appear when a baby is about six months old. It lasts until the child is about six years old. Then the baby teeth fall out and the second teeth come in. This second set must last for the rest of a person’s life.It is important for people to take care of their teeth. They must eat the right foods. They should brush their teeth properly. Teeth should be checked twice a year by a dentist.1. Fish have many ____teeth for getting food.A. fineB. noticeableC. sharpD. invisible2. Which of the following statements about teeth is true?A. A person’s first set of teeth last about six months.B. Elephants have three large tusks.C. Teeth of horses and cows are short and sharp.D. Sea creatures were the first animals having teeth.3. The word “nibble” in the third paragraph is closest in meaning of______.A. showing slight interest in somethingB. eating with small repeated bitsC. tearing something apartD. taking hold of with a sudden rough movement4. This passage mainly tells us that____.A. all the teeth have the same functionB. we should care our teeth and often have them checked.C. animals don’t try to protect their teethD. teeth are important both for human and animals5. It is a piece of writing about____.A. medical scienceB. teeth diseasesC. sea creaturesD. popular science。
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。
(新)大学英语四级考试阅读理解精读100篇(附答案)汇编
Passage One (Clinton Is Right)President Clinton\ 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 chiirged (hat Clinton lacked .^thc 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^ 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. Miiny 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, •Ue'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・nalio!)status as part of a broad trade accord・ Andthe temptation for meddling on Capital Hill may prove over-whelming. Zhu had barely landed before Senate Majority Leader Trent Loll (R-Miss) declared himself skeptical that China deserved entry into the WTO. And Senators Jesse A. Helms (R-N.C.) and Emest E Hollings (D-S. C.) promised to intrixluce 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 cflorts to allow U. S. auto makers to provide fleet Gnancing・BIG JOB. Already, business lobbyists are blanketing Capitol Hill to presale any eventual agreement, but what they've heard so far isn't cncouraging. Rq)ublicans, 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 (he 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 19chicf 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 fasbtrack trade negotiating legislation in 1997, working together won't be easy. And Republicans- with a winky that they Mleventually embrace China's entty into the WTO as a favor to Corporate America. Though not long before tliey 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 this much dear to both its GOP allies and the Whil House: This historic deal is too important to risk losing lo any more partisan squabbling 1 ・ The main idea of this passage is(A|. The Contradiction between the Democralic 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 “Ako left in the lurch: Wall Street, Hollywood. Detroit" convey? |A|. Premier Zhu rejected their requirements.(BJ. The three places overdid criticism.|C]. They wanted more protection.|D].They arc in trouble.3.What was the attitude of the Republican Party toward China^s entry into the WTO?[A]. Contradictory.[BJ.Appnxiadve.(CJ. Disapproving. ；JD]・ Detestftil.4.Who plays the leading part in the deal in America?(AJ. White House •[B]. Republicans.(CJ. The Dcm<x:ratic 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 tor China's entry.[DJ. Democratic party approve China's entry into the WTO.17 . blanket 覆盖，妨碍扫兴.扑灭18 . Capitulate 投降，停止抵抗19 . fast track 快速行程（轻车熟路》20 . with a wink 眼睛一眨，很快的21 . out on a limb 孤立无援（尤指争论和J S见匕1. drubbingget/take a drabbing 遭人痛打2. flip・flop=grea( change suddenly 游说，突然改变，突然反方向.3.hold out 维持，保持hold out for sth. 故J S拖延达成协议以谋求••…4. horse trading 糟明的讨价还价5. bullet-proof 防弹的6. lobby 收买，暗中活动7. lobbyist Bt外活动集团成员& partisan 党人.帮派，是党派强硕支持者9. acrimony 语言/态度的刻薄10 . sell to 说服（某人）接受或采用11 . meddle 干預12 . Capitol Hill 类曲国会13 . budge 使稍微移动，改变14 . lucrative 有利可图的，赚钱的15 . block 制止16 . fleet 觌队.船队•车队.机队Vocabulary22 . renege 违约23.squabble丨・President Clinton^ decision on Apr.8 to send Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji packing without an agreement.••［结构分#f 1 send one packing打发人走.［参考译文］克林顿F 4月8 Fl决定不达成中国加入世贸组织的协议便打发中国总理朱容施丄人。
大学英语阅读理解·四级
大学英语阅读理解·四级大学英语阅读理解·四级以下是由yjbys店铺给大家准备的英语四级的阅读理解练习以及答案解析，欢迎大家阅读练习!第一篇：Psychologists take opposing views of how external rewards, from warm praise to old cash, affect motivation and creativity. Behaviorists, who study the relation between actions and, argue that rewards can improve performance at work and school. Some other researchers who study various aspects of mental life, maintain those rewards often destroy creativity byencouraging dependence on approval and gifts from others.The latter view has gained many supporters, especially among educators. But the careful use of small monetary rewards sparks in grade-school children suggesting that properly presented inducements indeed aid inventiveness, according to a study in the June Journal Personality and Social Psychology.“If they know they're working for a reward and can focus on a relatively challenging task, they show the most creativity,” says Robert Esenberger of the University of Delaware in Newark. “But it's easy to kill creativity by giving rewards for poor performance or creating too much anticipation for rewards.”A teacher who continually draws attention to rewards or who hands out high grades for ordinary achievement ends up with uninspired students, Esenberger holds. As an example of the latter point, he notes growing efforts at major universities to tighten grading standards and restore falling grades.In earlier grades, the use of so-called token economics, in which students handle challenging problems and receiveperformance-based points toward valued rewards, shows promise in raising effort and creativity, the Delaware psychologist claims.1. Psychologists are divided with regard to their attitudes toward ____.A) the choice between spiritual encouragement and monetary rewardsB) the appropriate amount of external rewardsC) the study of relationship between actions andD) the effects of external rewards on students' performance2. What is the view held by many educators concerning external rewards for students?A) They approve of external rewards.B) They don't think external rewards.C) They have doubts about external rewards.D) They believe external rewards can motivate small children, but not college students.3. According to the result of the study mentioned in the passage, what should educators do to stimulate motivation and creativity?A) Give rewards for performances which deserve them.B) Always promise rewards.C) Assign tasks which are not very challenging.D) Be more lenient to students when mistakes are made.4. It can be inferred from the passage that major universities are trying to tighten their grading standards because they believe ____.A) rewarding poor performance may kill the creativity of students’B) punishment is more effective than rewardingC) failing uninspired students helps improve their overall academic standardsD) discouraging the students anticipation for easy rewards is matter of urgency5.Which of the following facts about “token economics” is not correct?A) Students are assigned challenging tasks.B) Rewards are given for good performances.C) Students are evaluated according to the effort they put into the task.D) With token economics, students’ creativity can be enhanced.。
大学英语四六级阅读 五篇1
大学英语四六级阅读第46篇：未来汽车Some pessimistic experts feel that the automobile is bound to fall into disuse. They see a day in the not-too-distant future when all autos will be abandoned and allowed to rust. Other authorities, however, thinkthe auto is here to stay. They hold that the car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the foreseeable future.The motorcar will undoubtedly change significantly over the next 30 years. It should become smaller, safer,and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine. The car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present types.Regardless of its power source, the auto in the future will still be the main problem in urban traffic congestion (拥挤). One proposed solution to this problem is the automated highway system.When the auto enters the highway system, a retractable (可伸缩的) arm will drop from the auto and make contact with a rail, which is similar to those powering subway trains electrically. Once attached to the rail,the car will become electrically powered from the system, and control of the vehicle will pass to a central computer. The computer will then monitor all of the car’s movements.The driver will use a telephone to dial instructions about his destination into the system. The computer will calculate the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway. The driver will then be free to relax and wait for the buzzer (蜂鸣器) that will warn him of his coming exit. It is estimated that an automated highway will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day highway.练习题：Choose correct answers to the question:1. One significant improvement in the future car willprobably be ________.A. its power sourceB. its driving systemC. its monitoring systemD. its seating capacity2. What is the author’s main concern?A. How to render automobiles pollution-free.B. How to make smaller and safer automobiles.C. How to solve the problem of traffic jams.D. How to develop an automated subway system.3. What provides autos with electric power in an automated highway system?A. A rail.B. An engine.C. A retractable arm.D. A computer controller.4. In an automated highway system, all the driver needs to do is ________.A. keep in the right laneB. wait to arrive at his destinationC. keep in constant touch with the computer centerD. inform the system of his destination by phone5. What is the author’s attitude toward the future of autos?A. Enthusiastic.B. Pessimistic.C. Optimistic.D. Cautious.1.[A] 推断题。
大学英语四级阅读习题及答案
大学英语四级阅读习题及答案大学英语四级阅读习题(一)1、A2、D3、C4、C5、B大学英语四级阅读习题答案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 dont like their parentsB) parents dont feel close to their childrenC) parents would not like to live together with their childrenD) independence from ones 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(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, footballs 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 FIFAs 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 probably refers 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 is45.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IV补充阅读材料大全(英文版)(doc 81页)(正式版)
1. Care for Our Mother Earth(Dr. McKinley of Awareness Magazine interviews a group of experts on environmental issues.) Dr. McKinley: What do you think is the biggest 1. _________ to the environment today?Aman Motwane: The biggest threat to our environment today is the way we, as human beings, see our environment. How we see our environment 2.________ our whole world.Most of us see everything as independent from one another. But the 3. ________ is that everything is part of one interconnected, interrelated whole. For example, a tree may appear 4. ________, but in fact it affects and is affected by everything in its environment — sunshine, rain, wind, birds, minerals, other plants and trees, you, me. The tree shapes the wind that blows around it; it is also shaped by that wind. Look at the 5. __________ between the tree and its environment and you will see the future of the tree.Most of us are blind to this interconnectedness of everything. This is why we don't see the 6.__________ of our actions. It is time for each of us to open our eyes and see the world as it 7. ________ is — one complete whole where every cause has an8.________.Dr. McKinley: Hello Dr. Semkiw. In your research, what environmental issues do you find most pressing?Walter Semkiw: 9____________________________________________________________________. Mankind has now cut down half of the trees that existed 10,000 years ago. The loss of trees upsets the ecosystem as trees are necessary to build topsoil, maintain rainfall in dry climates, purify underground water and to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. 10. ___________________________________________________________________________. The evaporated water then returns as rain, which is vital to areas that are naturally dry. Areas downwind of deforested lands lose this source of rainfall and transform into deserts.11.__________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses then resulting in the trap heat, resulting in warming of our atmosphere.Dr. McKinley: Mr. Nacson, thanks for participating all the way from Australia! What do you suggest the readers of Awareness Magazine can do to help the environmental problem?Leon Nacson: The simplest way to help the environment is not to impact on it. Tread as lightly as you can, taking as little as possible, and putting back as much as you can.Dr. McKinley: What is your specific area of concern regarding the current and future state of the environment?Leon Nacson: Air and water pollution are our Number One priorities. It is hard to understand that we are polluting the air we breathe and the water we drink. These are two elements that are not inexhaustible, and we must realize that once we reach the point of no return, there will be nothing left for future generations.Dr. McKinley: Mr. Desai, what an honor it is to have this opportunity to interview you. Can you please share your wisdom with our readers and tell us where you see the environmental crisis heading?Amrit Desai: We are not separate from the problem. We are the problem. We live divided lives. On one hand, we ask industries to support our greed for more and more conveniences, comfort and possessions. We have become addicted consumers, which causes industrial waste. At the same time, we ignore our connection between our demands and the exploitation of Mother Earth. Whenwe are greedy for more than what we need for our well being, we always abuse the resources of our body and the earth.We are nurtured by the healthy condition of Mother Earth. In humans, if the mother is ailing, the child suffers. We are the cause of the ailing planet and we are the victims.Dr. McKinley: In closing, I thank all of the participants. I have learned a great deal about what I can do as an individual to help the environment.I hope these interviews encourage the readers of Awareness Magazine to take action and develop your own strategy. Too many of us just sit back and say "I'll let the experts deal with it." Meanwhile, we are killing the planet. My aim of this interview is to show how one person can make a difference. Thanks to all for offering your wisdom. (731 words)I. Choose the best answer to each question based on the information you obtain from the passage.1. It can be concluded from the passage that ______.A) fossils fuel are the only cause of global warmingB) trees play an important role in avoiding global warmingC) the interview is held in AustraliaD) experts do not have a solution to the environmental crisis2. By saying that "the biggest threat to our environment today is the way we see our environment" (line 2-3), Aman Motwane implies that ______.A) everything in the ecosystem is part of one complete wholeB) most people hold a wrong view on the environmentC) everything affects and is affected by its environmentD) people are indifferent to the environment protection3. In Leon Nacson's view, air and water pollution are our Number One priorities because ______.A) he cannot understand why people are polluting air and waterB) there will be nothing left for future generationsC) we would run out of air and water if we didn't stop polluting themD) air and water pollution are the current and future state of the environment4. TWhich of the following best explains Amrit Desai's words "we live divided lives"?A) We pollute Mother Earth in pursuing a better life, which, consequently, hurts ourselves.B) We are never satisfied with what we have, and we do not make good use of natural resources.C) If Mother Earth is ill, we, as her children, only enjoy part of our life.D) Though we have created the environmental problem, we try to separate ourselves from it.5. According to Dr. McKinley, what is the root cause of the environmental problem?A) Deforesting and global warming.B) The abuse of natural resources.C) Air and water pollution.D) The attitude of human beings.II. Translate the following sentences into English.1. 这场给人类带来巨大灾难的战争对这样一个诗人产生了什么影响呢？（impact on）2. 做母亲的有时候不能察觉她们所宠爱的孩子们的过错，这样做的结果会使孩子们再次犯同样的过错。
大学英语四级阅读1
If you think a high-factor -sunscree(防晒霜）keeps you safe from harmful rays, you may be wrong.如果你认为防晒指数高的防晒霜能够使你免遭有害射线的辐射，那你可能就错了。
Research in this week’s Natureshows that while factor 50 reduces the number of melanomas(黑瘤）and delays their occurrence, it can’t prevent them.本周《自然》杂志的一项研究显示，尽管防晒指数为50的防晒霜能够减少黑瘤的数量，并延缓其出现，但是并不能阻止其产生。
Melanomas are the most aggressive skin cancers.黑瘤是最具侵犯性的皮肤癌。
You have a higher risk if you have red or blond hair, fair skin, blue or green eyes, or sunburn easily, or if a close relative has had one.如果你拥有红发或金发，浅色皮肤，蓝色或绿色眼睛，或者容易晒伤，又或者有近亲患此疾病，那么你患此病的风险就会相对较高。
Melanomas are more common if you have periodic intense exposure to the sun. Other skin cancers are increasingly likely with long term exposure.如果你周期性高强度地暴露于太阳下，黑瘤则会更为常见。
长期暴露于太阳下，患其他皮肤癌的可能性也会逐渐增加。
There is continuing debate as to how effective sunscreen is in reducing melanomas—the evidence is weaker than it is for preventing other typesof skin cancer.关于防晒霜在减少黑瘤方面的有效性的争论一直不断，相比防晒霜对于其他种类皮肤癌的预防作用，其对黑瘤的预防作用不太显著。
大学英语阅读理解及解答
Passage 1I’m pretty confident that there will never be a day when all the world is in agreement about the best human diet. I’m an omnivore myself, but I have friends who swear by their paleo, vegetarian, and vegan diets. All of us can make compelling arguments about why we eat the way we do, and all of us can make valid criticisms of diets that are unlike our own.For me, deciding how and what to eat required a close examination of the values and principles that truly matter to me. The type of food we consume has immediate health and economic consequences, but it also has a significant impact on our environment.As a study shows, the manner and scale at which our society currently raises animal for human consumption contributes to climate change in major way. It also wastes water, pollutes our soil, and contaminates fresh water supplies. So if you’re really trying to live a low-impact life, eating less meat and ensuring that the meat you do eat is raised by responsible farmers and ranchers could help you shrink your carbon footprint a lot faster than buying a hybrid or skipping showers.1. The author believes thatA. people will be more and more rational in choosing the food they eat.B. the arguments about what should be eaten will never come to an end.C. people will someday reach a consensus on what the best food is.D. people will be more and more fastidious in choosing the food they eat.2. When deciding how and what to eat, the authorA. has some important principles to follow.B. will consult with his friends.C. will follow the instructions of his friends.D. considers only his own interests.3. The type of food we eatA. has an indirect but great effect on our environment.B. has nothing to do with our environment.C. has nothing to do with our health.D. is decided only by our economic status.4. What is implied in Paragraph 3A. We should stop raising animals for human consumption.B. We should stop eating animals.C. The way animals are raised for human consumption should be improved.D. Environmental pollution and climate change are caused by raising animals for human consumption.Passage 2Americans are too busy for lunch breaks, reports AOL. Rather than leaving the office for some much needed relaxation, most workers are opting to dine at their desks. According to a survey, 62% of American office workers usually eat their lunch in the same spot they work all day.In a weakened economy, many employees feel a heightened need to prove theirworth or look like a superstar worker who goes above and beyond to get the job done. Plus, when coworkers are working through their lunch breaks, no one wants to be the person who looks like a slacker.For others, it is not just a matter of saving time, but saving money. Eating out routinely gets expensive, so bringing a lunch to eat at the desk is also the thrifty choice for the American worker.On a national level, the United States does not mandate that businesses allow their employees a lunch break. However, 22 states do have explicit laws on the books stating that workers must take a half hour to hour lunch break. Nonetheless, even workers in these states often find themselves ignoring the law to chow down next to their computers.In addition to lunch, 27% will eat breakfast at their desk at least they are not skipping it altogether, and 50% will snack at their desk throughout the workday. Unfortunately, using the desk as a dining table could be a health hazard. With about two in three workers admitting they clean their desk less than once a month, the unsanitary surface leaves workers susceptible to foodborne illnesses.1. According to the report by AOL, most American office workers usuallyA. take lunch at their desks.B. take a nap after lunch.C. go out to eat at lunch time.D. enjoy free lunch.2. makes the American employees feel a heightened need to prove their worth.A. The employers’ encouragementB. An upturn in economyC. The cozy working environment.D. A downturn in economy.3. According to Paragraph 4,A. most states of America have passed the laws stating that workers must take some lunch break.B. the workers in the 22 states work fewer hours than those in the other states.C. the workers in the 22 states do not necessarily take a better lunch break than those in the other states.D. the workers in the 22 states take a longer lunch break than those in the other states.4. What is a disadvantage of taking lunch at the deskA. It may save time for the employees.B. It may do harm to the employees’ health.C. It may save money for the employees.D. It may help the employees reduce their weight.Passage 3In many urban centers throughout the world, vibrant waste recycling programs aren’t just eco-minded niceties, but they serve an essential role in keeping communities clean and clutter-free. But thanks to one forward-thinking initiative in the Brazilian city of Jundiaí, trading in trash has never been tastier.Ten years ago, the city’s Municipal Utilities Department launched“Delicious Recycling”, a program aimed at encouraging resid ents to get into the habit of collecting recyclable waste in exchange for fresh vegetables, grown locally in a public-run garden —and boy did it take off. Today, the garden boasts more than 30 thousand plants to meet the demand of thousands of veggie-loving recyclers, turning aluminum cans and plastic bottles into edible greens.Ultimately, the program has done wonders for the health of the environment as well, by ridding the city of improperly disposed waste.“What once cluttered and even choked the flow of water from storm drains is today used as currency for healthy food,” local mayor Miguel Haddad tells Jundiaí Online. “Everybody wins with this.”As innovative as Jundiaí’s “Delic i ous Recycling” may seem, it’s actually not the first of its kind, but giv en the program’s success, it’s no wonder why though a number of other Brazilian municipalities offer similar incentives to reward recyclers with food, the idea seems to be catching internationally —like in Mexico City, where residents recently exchanged trash for nearly three tons of vegetables1. Waste recycling programsA. are paid little attention to in many urban centers.B. help make communities clean and tidy.C. have nothing to do with the sanitation of communities.D. are inactive in many urban centers.2. The purpose of “Delicious Recycling” isA. to teach residents how to make delicious food.B. to reward residents who do well in classifying rubbish.C. to encourage residents to trade recyclable waste for meat or vegetables.D. to encourage residents to trade recyclable waste for vegetables.3. According to local mayor Miguel Haddad,A. water in storm drains is flowing more freely than before because the trash in it has been removed.B. water in storm drains can be exchanged for healthy food.C. water in storm drains is essential to the growing of fresh vegetables.D. there is more trash in storm drains now than there used to be.4. What can be inferred from the last paragraphA. “Delic i ous Recycling” has failed to achieve the desired result.B. There are no waste recycling programs in other Brazilian municipalities.C. Mexico City is probably imitating Jundiaí’s “Delicious Recycling”.D. Waste recycling programs in other Brazilian municipalities are more successful than Jundiaí’s “Delicious Recycling”.Passage 4A class action lawsuit has been filed against General Mills for misrepresenting the product it calls Yoplait Greek. It isn’t Greek, and it isn’t yogurt. The sales of Yoplait Greek already lag far behind other brands such as Chobani and Fage in an exploding Greek yogurt market, and this latest lawsuit won’t help any.“Yoplait Greek does not comply with the standard of identity of yogurt,”the lawsuit states. “Indeed, Yoplait Greek contains Milk Protein Concentrate “MPC” which is not among the permissible ingredients of yogurt, non-fat yogurt, and low-fat yogurt collectively “yogurt” as set forth under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.”Authentic Greek yogurt is thicker in consistency and richer in protein because it’s strained of liqu id whey. But MPC offers an alternative to this process. It is, as described on FoodNavigator-USA, “a very high protein dry milk product, which has been touted for use in Greek-style products to increase their protein content and provide a thick, creamy texture without the need for expensive straining.”In its corporate eagerness to claim a larger share of the Greek yogurt market, General Mills adds MPC to Yoplait Greek because, as reported in the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, it is “cheaper to st ore and transport than wet milk and costs less than dry milk due to minimal tariffs on MPC imports and lower foreign milk prices.” New Zealand is the biggest supplier of MPC to the United States. In short, as stated in the lawsuit, “The use of MPC is finan cially advantageous to defendants.” It allows General Mills to manufacture more product at lower cost, and that’s the only reason it’s in the yogurt.Never mind that the use of the substance in yogurt flouts FDA rules for the standard of identity of the fo od. So far the extent of General Mills’s defense is that the FDA never explicitly prohibited MPC in yogurt. That’s a lesson in logic. Any substance that is not explicitly prohibited is officially permitted.Never mind, as well, the questionable safety of the substance, which is not included on the FDA list of substances generally recognized as safe GRAS or on the FDA list of food additives. In other words, it hasn’t actually been approved for use in food.1. The lawsuit against General MillsA. is a leading factor that has caused the sales of Yoplait Greek to lag behind other brands.B. will make the sales of Yoplait Greek lag behind other brandsC. will help increase the sales of Yoplait Greek.D. has no direct relationship with the fact that the sales of Yoplait Greek have already lagged far behind other brands.2. Authentic Greek yogurtA. is strained of liquid whey.B. thicker in consistency than Yoplait Greek.C. richer in protein than Yoplait Greek.D. contains MPC.3. According to the lawsuit, it is that General Mills adds MPC to Yoplait Greek.A. for the improvement of its qualityB. for the convenience of transportationC. for the reduction of costsD. for the extension of its shelf life4. Which of the following statements is trueA. The FDA has approved the use of MPC in yogurt.B. MPC is on the FDA list of substances generally recognized as safeC. The FDA has neither prohibited nor approved the use of MPC in yogurt.D. MPC is on the FDA list of food additives.Passage 5Apples have become the latest controversial entry into the genetically modified food debate, following a July 12 New York Times piece written by Andrew Pollack. Okanagan Specialty Fruits, a small British Columbia company, wants to start marketing a non-browning apple, and it has applied for approval in Canada and in the United States.The Arctic apple, available so far in the Golden Delicious and Granny Smith varieties, contains an extra copy of a gene which interferes with the enzymatic activity that causes browning. The enzyme is polyphenol oxidase.According to Neal Carter, founder and president of Okanagan Specialty Fruits, the non-browning Arctic apple is just what consumers are looking for. A whole apple, he tells the Times, is “for many people too big a commitment,” and apple slices that have browned just aren’t appetizing. What a burden we bear — to have to eat a whole apple, let alone an unsightly one.Carter suggests that it is merely a cosmetic change intended to encourage people to eat more apples. But it’s m ore than that, of course.It is intended “to turn the apple into an industrialized product,” said Lucy Sharratt, coordinator of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, as reported in the Times. In Common Ground, a Canadian monthly magazine dedicated to health, wellness and ecology, Yukon farmer Tom Rudge says, “We should eat real food instead of genetically engineering an apple so companies can slice it, wrap it in plastic and truck it across the country.” Organic apple farmer Harry Burton of Salt Spring Island sees it as “an indication of our distancing from nature.”As Pollack reports, the . Apple Association opposes the introduction of the Arctic apple, but not out of any objection to genetic engineering. In fact, they declare on their website that “i n order to continue discovering new and valuable benefits from apples, . Apple supports advancements from technology and genetics and genomics research.” The problem for . Apple, Pollack writes, is that the non-browning Arctic apple “could undermine the fruit’s image as a healthy and natural food, the one that keeps the doctor away and is as American as, well, apple pie.”1. As to the Arctic apple, which of the following statements is wrongA. It will not turn brown.B. There is no enzymatic activity in its body.C. It is a kind of genetically modified food.D. The enzymatic activity that causes browning has been reduced.2. According to Neal Carter,A. The non-browning Arctic apple is very popular among consumers.B. A new type of smaller apple will be developed to meet the demand of some consumers.C. The color of apples has nothing to do with one’s appetite.D. The non-browning Arctic apple is more nutritious than other varieties.3. From what the organic farmers said, we know that it is undesirable toA. eat real food instead of genetically modified food.B. attach more importance to industry than to agriculture.C. cultivate farm products in an industrialized way.D. be close to nature.4. Why is the . Apple Association against the introduction of the Arctic appleA. Because it is against genetic engineering.B. Because it cannot benefit from this kind of apple.C. Because this kind of apple will undermine the fruit’s image as a healthy and natural food.D. The reason is not mentioned in the passage.Passage 11. B.根据第一段可知,人们永远无法对什么是最佳食物这一问题达成共识,人们永远有理由说明自己选择的食物是最好的,别人不同于自己的食物是不好的,所以选B.2. A根据第二段第一句For me, deciding…可知,作者在决定怎样吃和吃什么的时候是有原则性的,所以选A;3. A根据第二段第二句The type of food…以及第三段可知,我们吃的食物种类虽然不会像对我们的健康和经济那样对环境有直接影响,但是对环境也是有影响的,而且这种影响也是不能忽视的,所以选A;4. C根据第三段第一句As a study show s…可知,如果我们改变了养殖动物的方式和规模,我们的环境也会相应改善,所以选C;Passage 2根据第一段第二句Rather than leaving the office…可知,大部分美国办公室员工通常在办公桌前吃午饭,所以选A;根据第二段第一句In a weakened economy…可知,经济的不景气使美国员工感觉更有必要证明自己的价值,所以选D;根据第四段最后一句话Nonetheless, even workers…可知,即使在这22个州,许多工人们还是忽略了这条法律,他们未必比其它州的工人中午休息得好,所以选C;本题问的是在办公桌前吃午饭的弊端,根据最后一段第二句话Unfortunately, using the desk…可知,在办公桌前吃午饭对员工的健康有一定危害,所以选B;Passage 31. B根据第一段第一句话可知,垃圾回收方案在保持社区干净整洁的方面起到关键作用,所以选B;2. D根据第二段第一句话Ten years ago,…可知,“美味的回收计划”旨在鼓励居民收集可回收垃圾以交换新鲜蔬菜,所以选D;3. A根据第四段What once cluttered…可知,曾经堵塞下水道水流的垃圾现在被当成交换健康食品的货币,所以选A;4. C根据最后一段可知,“美味的回收计划”很成功,在国际上很有魅力catching internationally,因此墨西哥城很有可能效法了该方案,所以选C;Passage 4根据第一段第三句话The sales of Yoplait Greek already…可知,Yoplait Greek的销售量在这起诉讼之前就已经远远落后其它品牌,和这场诉讼并没有直接联系,所以选D;根据第三段第一句话Authentic Greek yogurt is…可知,真正的Greek yogurt与普通产品相比质地更稠、蛋白质含量更高并没有与Yoplait Greek相比,因为它是由液体乳清浓缩而成的;所以选A;根据第四段最后一句话It allows General Mills…以及上文可知,通用磨坊General Mills将牛奶蛋白浓缩物加入Yoplait Greek的原因是为了降低成本,所以选C;根据最后两段的相关句子…FDA never explicitly prohibited MPC in yogurt… , …is not included on可知,美食品及药品管理局既没有禁止也没有批准在酸奶酪中使用牛奶蛋白浓缩物,所以选C;Passage 51. B本题问的是错误的选项;根据第二段可知,北极苹果Arctic apple含有一种额外的基因,能够干扰导致苹果变成褐色的酶的活性,但并非在这种苹果体内没有酶的活动,所以选B;2. A根据第三段第一句话…is just what consumers are looking for…可知,这种不会变成褐色的苹果在顾客中是很受欢迎的,所以选A;3. C根据第五段可知,这些农民反对将农产品的生产工业化,所以选C;4. D根据最后一段可知,美国苹果协会反对引入这种品种,但并没有反对基因工程,也没有说明反对引入这种品种的原因,所以选D;。
大学英语一题库阅读理解_试卷_答案
大学英语一阅读理解一、阅读理解（共 505 题,共 101 分）1. Few laws are so effective that you can see results just days after they take effect. But in the nine days since thefederal cigarette tax more than doubled —to $1. 01 per pack — smokers have jammed telephone“ quit crosslines” a the country seeking to kick the habit.This is not a surprise to public health advocates. They’ ve studied the effect of state tax increases for years, finding that smokers, especially teens, are price sensitive. Nor is it a shock to the industry, which fiercely fights every taxincrease.The only wonder is that so many states insist on closing their ears to the message. Tobacco taxes improve publichealth, health, they raise money and most particularly, they deter people from taking up the habit as teens, whichis when nearly all smokers are addicted. Yet the rate of taxation varies widely.In Manhattan, for instance, which has the highest tax in the nation, a pack of Marlboro Light Kings cost ＄ 10.06 at onedrugstore Wednesday. Charleston, S, C., where the 7-cent-a-pack tax is the lowest in the nation. The price was $4. 78.The influence is obvious.In New York, high school smoking hit a new low in the latest surveys—13.8%, far below the national average. Bycomparison, 26% of high school students smoke in Kentucky, Other low-tax states have similarly depressing teen-smoking records.Hal Rogers, Representative from Kentucky, like those who are against high tobacco taxes, argues that the burden ofthe tax falls on low- income Americans“ who choosesmoketo.”That ’ s true, But there is more reason in keeping future generations of low-income workers from getting hooked inthe first place, As for today’ s adults, if the new tax drives them to quit, they will have more to spend on theirfamilies, cut their risk of cancer and heart disease and feel better.（1分）(1) The text is mainly about___________.（0.2分）A.the price of cigarettesB.the rate of teen smokingC.the effect of tobacco tax increaseD.the differences in tobacco tax rate标准答案：C(2) What does the author think is a surprise?（0.2分）A.Teen smokers are price sensitive.B.Some states still keep the tobacco tax low.C.Tobacco taxes improve public health.D.Tobacco industry fiercely fights the tax rise.标准答案：B(3) The underlined word "deter Paragraph”in 3 most probably means . （ 0.2 分）A.discardingB.removeC.benefitD.free标准答案：A(4) Rogers’ attitude towards the low-income smokers might be that of .（0.2分）A.toleranceB.unconcernC.doubtD.sympathy标准答案： D(5) What can we learn from the last paragraph? （ 0.2 分）A.The new tax will be beneficial in the long run.B.Low-income Americans are more likely to fall ill.C.Future generations will be hooked on smoking.D.Adults will depend more on their families.标准答案： A2. Last August, Joe and Mary Mahoney began looking at colleges for their 17-year-old daughter, Maureen. With achecklist of criteria in hand, the Dallas family looked around the country visiting half a dozen schools. They soughta university that offered the teenager’ s intended major, one located neat a large city, and a campus where theirdaughter would be safe.“ The safety issue is a big one,” says Joe Mahoney, who quickly discovered he wasn in his worries. On campus tours other parents voiced similar concerns, and the same question was always asked :what about crime? But when college officials always gave the same answer—“ That ’ s not a problem here,” —Mahoney began to feel uneasy.“ No crime whatsoever?” comments Mahoney today.“ I just don’ t buy it.” Nor should he: in 1999 the U. S. Department of education had reent-count: 2.0; mports of nearly 400,000 serious crimes on or around our campuses.“ Parents need to understand that times have changed since they went to college, d Nichols, author”ofsays DaviCreating a Safe Campus.“ Campus crime mirrors the rest of the nation.”But getting accurate information isn ’ t easy. Colleges must report crime统计statistics(数字)by law, but some holdback for fear of bad publicity, leaving the honest on es looking dangerous.“ The truth may not always be serious,”warms S. Daniel Carter of Security on Campus, Inc. , the nation’ s leading campus safety watchdog group.To help concerned parents, Carter promised to visit campuses and talk to experts around the country to find outmajor crime issues and effective solutions.（1分）(1) The Mahoneys visited quite a few colleges last August ________（ 0.2 分）A.to express the opinions of many parentsB.to choose a right one four their daughterC.to check the cost of college educationD.to find a tight one near a large city标准答案： B(2) It is often difficult to get correct information on campus crime because some colleges ____（ 0.2 分）A.receive too many visitorsB.mirror the rest of the nationC.hide the truth of campus crimeD.have too many watchdog groups标准答案：C(3) The underlined word“ buy” in the third paragraph means（0.2分）A.mindB.admitC.believeD.expect标准答案：C(4) We learn from the text that“ the honest onesourth paragraph”inthemostf probably refers to colleges _____.（0.2 分）A.that are protected by campus securityB.that report campus crimes by lawC.that are free from campus crimeD.that enjoy very good publicity标准答案：B(5) What is the text mainly about?（0.2分）A.Exact campus crime statisticsB.Crimes on or around campusesC.Effective solutions to campus crimeD.Concerns about kids’ campus safety标准答案：D3.Superman, Spider-Man, Batman and Iron Man ... .There is no shortage of superheroes. You find them incomic books, on the TV and the big screen.In a survey of fans by the sci-fi ( 科幻 ) and fantasy website, , Batman, 70 years old this year, was voted Britain's favorite superhero.Unlike many crime-fighting superheroes Batman has no special powers. He can't fly like Superman or shoot asticky (粘性的 ) web like Spider-Man.Bruce Wayne is born to a wealthy Gotham City business family. However, when his parents are murdered his lifechanges completely.Wayne feels anger at their deaths and guilty that he did not prevent them. He travels around the world learning howto fight. Upon returning to Gotham, he creates a disguise ( 伪装 ) to enable him to fight crime without being recognized.A childhood fear of bats leads him to choose to dress as one. His idea is that through the bat persona ( 角色 ) he can prove to himself that he has overcome his childhood fears.Wayne is the CEO of the company he inherits ( 继承 ) from his father. He seems to live the lifestyle of a millionaire playboy. But this is a ruse ( 计策 ). He works hard at the image to allow himself the freedom he needs to do his work as a crime fighter. "Bruce Wayne, playboy" is the disguise; Batman is the real person."Wayne is not a born superhero. Instead, he is a real, complex person," said Dace Golder, editor of the website. "He is the most realistic of all the superheroes. I am particularly interested in the emotional process by which a boy becomes a hero. His superhero qualities come from within." （ 1 分）(1) What is the article mainly about?（0.2分）A.How Bruce Wayne develops into a superhero.B.How to overcome childhood fears.C.What makes a superhero.D.Why superheroes enjoy great popularity in Britain.标准答案：A(2) Batman differs from other superheroes in that .（0.2分）A.he was not a born superheroB.he had an unhappy childhoodC.he doesn't have any special powersD.he does his best to fight crime标准答案：C(3) Bruce Wayne decides to dress like a bat because of .（0.2分）A.his curiosity about batsB.his childhood fear of batsC.his parents' sudden deathD.his unusual travel experiences标准答案：B(4) Why does Wayne live like a playboy?（0.2分）A.He prefers the lifestyle of a playboy.B.He doesn't know how to run a company.C.He loves freedom more than anything else.D.He needs to disguise his crime fighting activities.标准答案：D(5) Which of the following statements is true about Batman?（0.2分）A.Batman is a born superheroB.He has special powersC.The turning point of his life is due to his parents' sudden deathD.He actually lives the lifestyle of a millionaire playboy标准答案：C4.History is full of cases where dreams have been a pathway to creativity and discovery. A striking example is provided by Dr. Otto Loewi, a pharmacologist ( 药理学家 ) and winner of a Nobel Prize. Loewi had spent years studying the chemical transmission ( 传送 ) of nerve impulses ( 脉搏 ). A major breakthrough in his research came when he dreamed of an experiment three nights in a row. The first two nights he woke up and wrote down the experiment quickly and untidily on paper. But the next morning, he couldn't tell what the notes meant. On the third night, he got up after having the dream. This time, instead of making notes he went straight to his laboratory and performed the important experiment. Loewi later said that if the experiment had occurred to him while awake he would not have given it another thought.Loewi's experiment gives some insight into using dreams to produce creative solutions. Nervous feelings are reduced during dreaming, which may be especially useful in solving problems that require a fresh point of view. Being able to take advantage of dreams for solving is improved if you "set" yourself before retiring. Before you go to bed, try to think intently about a problem you wish to solve. Bury yourself in the problem by stating it clearly and reviewing all relevant information. Then use the suggestions listed in the previous section to catch your dreams. Although this method is not guaranteed to produce an original solution or a new insight, it is certain to be an adventure. About half of a group of college students using the method for a week recalled a dream that helped them solve a personal problem. （ 1 分）(1) Through Loewi's experiment, the author tries to prove that .（ 0.2 分）A.very little is really known about the meaning of dreamsB.it is possible to "catch" one's dreams by planning before going to sleepC.dreams can be useful in producing creative solutions to one'sproblems D.it helped in the study of transmission of nerve impulses 标准答案： C(2) The first paragraph is mainly organized by .（0.2分）A.classifying types of experimentsB.summarizing the work of one researcherparing and exploring historical casesD.telling in time order about one man's research标准答案：D(3) If Loewi had thought of the experiment while awake, he would have .（ 0.2 分）A.asked someone else to do itB.thought it was a bad ideaC.tried it out on his ownD.thought it was a wise idea标准答案：B(4) The author probably thinks that .（0.2分）A.Loewi should not have conducted his experimentB.dreaming is of very little value to most peopleC.nervous feelings may stop someone thinking of useful ideasD.college students should not try out dream experiments标准答案：C(5) According to the passage, the author seems to be in favor of .（0.2分）A.seeking creative solutionsB.avoiding scientific experimentsC.nervous feelings before dreamsD.becoming a famous scientist标准答案：A5. Federal regulators Wednesday approved a plan to create a nationwide emergency alert ( 警报 ) system using textmessages delivered to cell phones.Text messages have exploded in popularity in recent years,particularly among young people.The wireless industrytrade association,CTIA,estimates ( 估计 ) more than 48 billion text messages are sent each month.The plan comes from the Warning Alert and Response Network Act,a 2006 federal law that requires improvement to thenation ’ s emergency alert system.The act tasked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with coming upwith new ways to alert the public about emergencies.“ The ability to deliver accurate and time ly warnings and alerts through cell phones and other mobile services isan important next step in our efforts to help ensure that the American public has the information they need to takeaction to protect themselves and their families before,and during,di sasters and other emergencies,” FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said following approval of the plan.Participation in the alert system by carriers－telecommunications companies－is voluntary,but it has received solidsupport from the wireless industry.The program would be optional for cell phone users.They also may not be charged for receiving alerts.There would be three different types of messages,according to the rules.The first would be a national alert from the president,likely involving a terrorist attack or natural disaster.The secondwould involve“ approaching threats” ,which could include natural disasters like hurricanes or storms or even university shootings.The third would be reserved for child abduction ( 绑架 ) emergencies,or so-called Amber Alerts.The service could be in place by 2010. （1 分）(1) What is the purpose of the approved plan?（0.2分）A.To warn people of emergencies via messages.B.To popularize the use of cell phones.C.To estimate the monthly number of messages.D.To promote the wireless industry.标准答案：A(2) The improvement to the present system is in the charge of .（0.2分）A.CTIAB.the Warning Alert and Response NetworkC.FCCD.federal regulators标准答案：C(3) The carriers’ participation in the system is determined（by0.2.分）A.the US federal governmentB.mobile phone usersC.the carriers themselvesD.the law of the United States标准答案：C(4) Which of the following is true of cell phone users?（0.2分）A.They must accept the alert service.B.They may enjoy the alert service for free.C.They must send the alerts to others.D.They may choose the types of messages.标准答案：B(5) An alert message will NOT be sent if .（0.2分）A.a child loses his wayB.a university shooting happensC.a natural disaster happensD.a terrorist attack occurs标准答案：A6. Negative （消极的） self talk and negative energy can affect you m many ways and cause you additionalstress． Because of this ， developing more Positive self talk’ s an important way to reduce stress．inYouyour lifecan help yourself maintain a positive frame of mind一which will help with positive self talk一by surroundingyourself with positive energy in your life．You can get that by adding some elements to your life．Listening to music that not only has a soothing melody，but an uplifting message，can be great for developingpositive self talk ． Have you ever had a song“ stuck in your head” for a few，hoursthelyricsordaysrepeatingthemselves in your mind?’’ If those lyrics were positive and inspirational，thatwould be a good thing. It’ s a much better mental soundtrack to have than a running stream of complaints，criticisms of self-limiting thoughts，or evensongs that had more depressing or sad lyrics.Books on strength, personal power, enlightenment, or self help can be good resources to help you change youroutlook and the things you say to yourself. Rather than bringing habitual self-defeating thoughts，you can findyourself thinking of new can-do concepts when times get tough．One of the most important ways you can get and keep positive energy in your life is with the company youkeep． Do your friends uplift you， or bring you down? Are they critical， or complementary? Ideal friendshipsprovide support when you’ re down, fun when you， wisdom’rewhenup you ’ re lost，and positive regard. Goodfriends can inspire you to reach greater heights， and see your strengths even when you don’ t always. Pay attention to how your friends make you feel，and if they’ re less than supportive，start putting your energy and time towardpeople who are better suited to be your friend.In addition ， positive affirmations（肯定） can certainly change your self talk from negative to positive． Now ，why not begin working positive affirmations into your life in some creative ways?（1 分）(1) What does the passage mainly talk about? （0.2 分）A.Reducing stress by surrounding yourself with positive energy.B.Adding some elements to your life.C.Getting positive energy from the company you keep.D.Changing your self talk with positive affirmation.标准答案： A(2) How many ways does the author suggest to maintain a positive frame of mind?（ 0.2 分）A.3 ．B.4 ．C.5．D.6 ．标准答案： B(3) If you have something“ stuck in your head” . you probably（ 0.2分） .A.keep singing the same song for a long timeB.keep thinking of this thing all the timeC.regard the lyrics of a song as positiveD.are developing positive self-talk标准答案： B(4) According to the passage ， your best company should be those who _____________________.（ 0.2 分）A.uplift you or bring you downB.provide fun w hen you’ re downC.encourage you to do things even betterD.are less than supportive标准答案： C(5) What will probably be talked about in the following paragraph?（ 0.2 分）A.How negative self talk influences a person．B.How positive self talk reduces stress in one ’ s life．C.Some great ways of making great friends．D.Some creative ways of practicing affirmation．标准答案： D7.Since weeks ago ， China has been involved a worldwide A/H 1 N 1 flu that has already killed more than80 people in the middle of May ， 2009 ， in Mexico and has turned into a global pandemic.The central government has asked people entering China from the virus-hit countries to report flu-like symptoms(症状 )to the authorities. In an emergency notice issued on Saturday night，the country’s top quality atchdogw orderedthe Customs to check passengers’ temperature，too.A Beijing airport official Li said Customs officers are on a high alert(警戒)level.“ Three temperature detectors are now in operation. We’ re ready with protection garments，andtoo. equipment Passengers flying in from Mexico and other A/H1N1 flu-hit countries are being monitored closely，” he said.The Ministry of Health ， however， said yesterday there was no evidence to suggest that a person would contractthe disease by eating pork.Hong Kong ， too ， has raised its alert level against the flu to“ serious＆”Health.Secretary，Mr.Yf or kFoodChow urged people to avoid visiting places from where A/H1N1 flu cases have been reported，and said the viruswould be added to Hong Kong’ s list of the diseaseshich havew been noticed.The terrible A/H1 N1 flu has been contracted by about 4000 people in Mexico，and most of the killed were aged between 25 and 45.The virus has also infected about 5000 people in the US. The US Center for Disease Control said this kind of virusis spreading from human to human ， raising fears of a global pandemic.（1分）(1) What is the passage mainly about?（0.2分）A.A/H1N1 flu killed more than 80 people.B.A/H1N1 flu is spreading from human to human.C.China has begun to take steps to prevent A/H1N1 flu.D.All the people are strongly affected by A/H1 N1 flu.标准答案：C(2) The underlined word“ pandemic” in the first paragraph probably（means0.2分）A.deathB.panicC.enemyD.disease标准答案：D(3) Why does the flu cause global fears?（0.2分）A.Because most people in the world eat pork.B.Because it’ s spreading from human to human.C.Because we still don’ t know the cause of it.D.Because it has infected about 5 ， 000 people.标准答案：B(4) According to the passage ， which of the following is TRUE?（0.2分）A.People would contract the A/H1N1 flu if they often eat pork.B.The virus of the A/H1N1 flu has infected people all over the world.C.People from AH1N1 flu—hit countries are all forbidden to enter China.D.People should avoid visiting places where A/H1N1 flu cases have been reported.标准答案：D(5) We can infer from the passage that .（0.2分）A.Students in the middle school are most likely infected by A/H1N1 flu.B.A person would be infected by the virus by eating pork.C.Passengers from the United States are being monitored closely.’ s list of the diseases.D.Mr. York Chow said that the virus had been added to Hong Kong 标准答案： C8.People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1993, the owners of a large hotel andof several houses discovered, to their horror, that their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eateninto the soft limestone cliffs on which they had been built. While experts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.Erosion ( 侵蚀 ) of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has becomemore serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be abandoned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting theyear in which their homes will be swallowed up by the hungry sea.Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents go further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland area of hard rock which will not be eatenas limestone is. Meanwhile, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain future, apply to a house agent in oneof the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knockdown price but it may turnout to be a knockdown home. （ 1 分）(1) What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?（ 0.2 分）A.The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens.B.The experts’ lack of knowledge.C.The rising of the sea level.D.The washing-away of limestone cliffs.标准答案： D(2) The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ________.（ 0.2 分）A.will soon become a problem for people living in central EnglandB.has now become a threat to the local residentsC.is quickly changing the map of EnglandD.can be stopped if proper measures are taken标准答案： B(3) The experts’ studythe onproblem of erosion can ________. （ 0.2 分）A.lead to its eventual solutionB.provide an effective way to slow it downC.help to prevent it from worseningD.warn people whose homes are in danger标准答案：D(4) It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because ________.（0.2分）A.it is too costly and will endanger neighbouring areasB.the government is too slow in taking actionC.they will be easily knocked down by waves and currentsD.house agents along the coast do not support the idea标准答案：A(5) According to the author, when buying a house along the south coast of England, people should ________.（ 0.2分）A.be aware of the potential danger involvedB.guard against being cheated by the house agentC.take the quality of the house into considerationD.examine the house carefully before making a decision标准答案：A9. Americans are pound of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general．Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professionalthan civilian （百姓的） clothes ． People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform ． The television repairman who wears uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes ． Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform ． What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity （身份） than to step out of uniform? Uniforms also have many practical benefits． They save on other clothes ． They save on laundry bills ． They are tax-deductible （可减税的）． They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them． Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement ． When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems ． Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes ． Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.（1 分）(1) It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality _______.（ 0.2 分）A.still judge a man by his clothesB.hold the uniform in such high regardC.enjoy having a professional identityD.will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform标准答案： B(2) People are accustomed to think that a man in uniform _______.（ 0.2 分）A.suggests quality workB.discards his social identityC.appears to be more practicalD.looks superior to a person in civilian clothes标准答案： A(3) The chief function of a uniform is to _______.（ 0.2 分）A.provide practical benefits to the wearerB.make the wearer catch the public eyeC.inspire the wearer’ s confidence in himselfD.provide the wearer with a professional identity标准答案： D(4) According to the passage, people wearing uniforms _______.（ 0.2 分）A.are usually helpfulB.have little or no individual freedomC.tend to lose their individualityD.enjoy greater popularity标准答案： C(5) The best title for this passage would be _______.（ 0.2 分）A.Uniforms and SocietyB.The Importance of Wearing a UniformC.Practical Benefits of Wearing a UniformD.Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms标准答案： D10. Priscilla Ouchida’ s- efficient“energy ” house turned out to be a horrible dream. When she and her engineerhusband married a few years ago, they built a $100,000, three-bedroom home in California. Tightly sealed toprevent air leaks, the house was equipped with small double-paned ( 双层玻璃的 ) windows and several otherenergy-saving features. Problems began as soon as the couple moved in,however. Priscilla’ s eyes burned. Her throatwas constantly dry. She suffered from headaches and could hardly sleep. It was as though she had suddenlydeveloped a strange illness.Experts finally traced the cause of her illness. The level of formaldehyde (甲醛 ) gas in her kitchen was twice themaximum allowed by federal standards for chemical workers. The source of the gas? Her new kitchen cabinets andwall-to-wall carpeting.The Ouchidas are victims of indoor air pollution, which is not given sufficient attention partly because of thenation ’ s drive to save energy. The problem itself isn’ t new. “ The indoor environment was dirty long before en conservation came along,” says Moschandreas, a pollution scientist at Geomet Technologies in Maryland.conservation has tended to accentuate the situation in some cases.”The problem appears to be more troublesome in newly constructed homes rather than old ones. Back in the dayswhen energy was cheap, home builders didn’ t worry much about unsealed cracksauseof.Becsuch leaks, the air inan average home was replaced by fresh outdoor air about once an hour. As a result, the pollutants generated inmost households seldom build up to dangerous levels. （ 1 分）(1) It can be learned from the passage that the Ouchidas house ________.（0.2分）A.is well worth the money spent on its constructionB.is almost faultless from the point of energy conservationC.failed to meet energy conservation standardsD.was designed and constructed in a scientific way标准答案：B(2) What m ade the Ouchidas’ new house a horrible dream?（0.2分）ck of fresh air.B.Poor quality of building materials.C.Gas leakage in the kitchen.D.The newly painted walls.标准答案：A(3) The word“ accentuate” (Line 4, Para. 3) most probably means（0.2分“）________” .A.relieveB.accelerateC.worsenD.improve标准答案：C(4) Why were cracks in old houses not a big concern?（0.2分）。
大学英语阅读精选25篇
Passage 1No one prior to World War II more trenchantly analyzed the philosophical differences between utopians and realists than did E.H.Carr in his celebrated work, which, although published in 1939, did not have its impact in America until after World War II. Carr used the term utopians for idealists who placed emphasis on international law and organization and on the influence of morality and public opinion in the affairs of nations. He probably did not intend the more pejorative connotation that attached to the term utopians after World War II as naïve opponents of power politics expounded by realists. Indeed, since the end of the Cold War, the idealist concept of the harmony of national interests in peace has received new attention in a more recent neoliberal-neorealist debate.The failures of the League of Nations in the 1930s cast doubt on the harmony of interest in peace, which appeared to accord with the interests of satisfied, status-quo powers with democratic governments, but not with the perceived needs of revisionists, totalitarians, authoritarian states seeking boundary changes, enhanced status, greater power, and, especially in the case of Nazi Germany, revenge for the humiliation of the post-World War I settlement imposed by the Versailles treaty. Contrary to the utopian assumption, national self-determination did not always produce representative governments. Instead, the overthrow of the old monarchical order gave rise in many places, including Russia, to a more pervasive and oppressive totalitarian states. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939 between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany set the stage for Adolph Hitler’s invasion of Poland, the outbreak of World War II, the partition of Poland, and the absorption of Baltic states into the Soviet Union, all in flagrant contravention of the standards of international conduct set forth in utopian theory.1.Who took a strong analysis of the philosophical differences between utopians and realists?A.Adolph Hitler didB. E.H.Carr didC.Neorealist didD.Molotov did2.What did utopian mean in Carr’s opinion?A.Idealists who placed emphasis on international law and organization and on the influenceof morality and public opinion in the affairs of nations.B.Naïve opponents of power politics.C.Status-quo powersD.Revisionists.3.What is the consequence of national self-determination?A.Producing representative governments.B.Giving rise to a more pervasive and oppressive totalitarian states.C.Both A and BD.Sometimes A, sometimes B.4.What was the influence of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939?A.to set the stage for Adolph Hitler’s invasion of PolandB.leading to the outbreak of World War IIC. a cause of the partition of PolandD.all of A,B and C5.Which one can serve as the title of this passage?A.Post-World War II RealismB.Post-World War II UtopiansC. E.H.Carr and the Crisis of World PoliticsD.The Influence of Versailles Treatypassage 2Beyond marking the seasons, the chief interests that actuated the Babylonian astronomer in his observations were astrological. After quoting Diodorus to the effect that the Babylonian priests observed the position of certain stars in order to cast horoscopes, Thompson tells us that from a very early day the very name Chaldean became synonymous with magician. He adds that "from Mesopotamia, by way of Greece and Rome, a certain amount of Babylonian astrology made its way among the nations of the west, and it is quite probable that many superstitions which we commonly record as the peculiar product of western civilization took their origin from those of the early dwellers on the alluvial lands of Mesopotamia. One Assurbanipal, king of Assyria B.C. 668-626, added to the royal library at Nineveh his contribution of tablets, which included many series of documents which related exclusively to the astrology of the ancient Babylonians, who in turn had borrowed it with modifications from the Sumerian invaders of the country. Among these must be mentioned the series which was commonly called 'the Day of Bel,' and which was decreed by the learned to have been written in the time of the great Sargon I., king of Agade, 3800 B.C. With such ancient works as these to guide them, the profession of deducing omens from daily events reached such a pitch of importance in the last Assyrian Empire that a system of making periodical reports came into being. By these the king was informed of all the occurrences in the heavens and on earth, and the results of astrological studies in respect to after events. The heads of the astrological profession were men of high rank and position, and their office was hereditary. The variety of information contained in these reports is best gathered from the fact that they were sent from cities as far removed from each other as Assur in the north and Erech in the south, and it can only be assumed that they were despatched by runners, or men mounted on swift horses. As reports also came from Dilbat, Kutba, Nippur, and Bursippa, all cities of ancient foundation, the king was probably well acquainted with the general course of events in his empire."1.What actuated the Babylonian astronomer?A.Marking the seasonsB.AstrologyC.Both A and BD.Neither of A and B2.Where, according to Thompson , did many superstitions of western civilization originatefrom?A.NinevehB.BabyloniaC.AssurD.Erech3.How was the social status of an astrologer at that time?A.Of high social statusB.Of middle social statusC.Of low social statusD.It wasn’t mentioned in the passage.4.How was the king acquainted with the general course of events in his empire?A.By periodical reports of astrology from the cities of the empire.B.By scientific reports from specialists.C.By rumorsD.By making a tour in disguise5.What does the author mainly talk about in this passage?A.astronomyB.physicsC.meteorologyD.astrologypassage 3Mr Malthus very correctly defines, "the rent of land to be that portion of the value of the whole produce which remains to the owner, after all the outgoings belonging to its cultivation, of whatever kind, have been paid, including the profits of the capital employed, estimated according to the usual and ordinary rate of the profits of agricultural stock at the time being."Whenever, then, the usual and ordinary rate of the profits of agricultural stock, and all the outgoings belonging to the cultivation of land, are together equal to the value of the whole produce, there can be no rent.And when the whole produce is only equal in value to the outgoings necessary to cultivation, there can neither be rent nor profit.In the first settling of a country rich in fertile land, and which may be had by any one who chooses to take it, the whole produce, after deducting the outgoings belonging to cultivation, will be the profits of capital, and will belong to the owner of such capital, without any deduction whatever for rent.Thus, if the capital employed by an individual on such land were of the value of two hundred quarters of wheat, of which half consisted of fixed capital, such as buildings, implements, &c. and the other half of circulating capital, -- if, after replacing the fixed and circulating capital, the value of the remaining produce were one hundred quarters of wheat, or of equal value with one hundred quarters of wheat, the neat profit to the owner of capital would be fifty per cent or one hundred profit on two hundred capital.For a period of some duration, the profits of agricultural stock might continue at the same rate, because land equally fertile, and equally well situated, might be abundant, and therefore, might be cultivated on the same advantageous terms, in proportion as the capital of the first, and subsequent settlers augmented.1.In Mr Malthus’ opinion, the rent of land and profits of the capital employed in cultivation__________________?A.have not been paid.B.have been paid.C.have been partially paidD.ought to be paid.2.What, according to Mr Malthus, is the correlation between the four parties: rent of land,outgoings necessary to cultivation, profit of capital and value of the whole produceA.outgoings necessary to cultivation = rent of land + profit of capital +value of thewhole produceB.profit of capital = value of the whole produce – rent of land – outgoings necessary tocultivationC.value of the whole produce = land of the rent + outgoings necessary to cultivation –profit of capitalD.profit of capital = value of the whole produce + rent of land – outgoings necessary tocultivation3.When does a cultivator have no profit under the following circumstances?A.The usual and ordinary rate of the profits of agricultural stock is together equal to thevalue of the whole produce.B.The whole produce is only equal in value to the outgoings necessary to cultivation.C. A cultivator takes first settling of a country rich in fertile landD.The land is not free.4.In the fifth paragraph, if, after replacing the fixed and circulating capital, the value of theremaining produce were fifty quarters of wheat, the neat profit to the owner of capital would be___?A.50%B.100%C.75%D.25%5.The author believes the profits of agricultural stock are ____?A.unsustainableB.sustainableC.sometimes sustainableD.depending on the weatherpassage 4While the laborer is confined to the culture of the soil on his own -account, because it is in that manner alone that he can obtain access to the wages on which he is to subsist, the form and amount of the Rents he pays are determined by a direct contract between himself and the proprietor. The provisions of these contracts are influenced sometimes by the laws, and almost always by the long established usages, of the countries in which they are made. The main object in all is, to secure a revenue to the proprietors with the least practicable amount of trouble or risk on their part.Though governed in common by some important principles, the variety in the minuter details of this class of Rents is of course almost infinite. But men will be driven in similar situations to very similar expedients, and the general mass of peasant rents may be separated into four great divisions, comprising 1st, Labor Rents, 2dly, Metayer Rents, 3dly, Ryot Rents (borrowing the last term from the country in which we are most familiar with them, India).These three will be found occupying in contiguous masses the breadth of the old world, from the Canary Islands to the shores of China and the Pacific, and deciding, each in its own sphere, not merely the economical relations of the landlords and tenants, but the political and social conditionof the mass of the people.To these must be added a fourth division, that of Cottier Rents, or Rents paid by a laborer extracting his own wages from the land, but paying his rent in money, as in Ireland and part of Scotland. This class is small, but peculiarly interesting to Englishmen, from the fact of its prevalence in the sister island, and from the influence it has exercised, and seems likely for some time yet to exercise, over the progress and circumstances of the Irish people.1.Why is the laborer confined to the culture of the soil?A.Only by that can he/she obtain access to wages for survival.B.Only by that can he/she obtain control over the proprietor.C.Only by that can he/she obtain profits of agricultural stock.D.Only by that can he/she get freedom.2. Which factors will influence the form and amount of the Rents a laborer pays?ws, long established usages and personal viewsws and long established usagesC.long established usages, personal views and advices from othersD.None of the above is correct.3. Why, according to the author, may the general mass of peasant rents be separated into four great divisions?A.Men will be driven in similar situations to very similar expedients.B.Men will be driven in similar situations to very different expedients.C.The general mass of peasant rents is not of one mind.D.The author likes to do so.4.Which of the four divisions is the smallest?A.Class of Labor RentsB.Class of Metayer RentsC.Class of Ryot RentsD.Class of Cottier Rents5.How do laborers pay their rents in class of Cottier Rents?A.in cerealsB.in moneyC.in laborD.All of the above mentioned.Passage 5Tea drinking was common in China for nearly one thousand years before anyone in Europe had ever heard about tea. People in Britain were much slower in finding out what tea was like, mainly because tea was very expensive. It could not be bought in shops and even those people who could afford to have it sent from Holland did so only because it was a fashionable curiosity. Some of them were not sure how to use it. They thought it was a vegetable and tried cooking the leaves. Then they served them mixed with butter and salt. They soon discovered their mistake but many people used to spread the used tea leaves on bread and give them to their children as sandwiches.Tea remained scarce and very expensive in England until the ships of the East India Company began to bring it direct from China early in the seventeenth century. During thenext few years so much tea came into the country that the price fell and many people could afford to buy it.At the same time people on the Continent were becoming more and more fond of tea. Until then tea had been drunk without milk in it, but one day a famous French lady named Madame de Sevigne decided to see what tea tasted like when milk was added. She found it so pleasant that she would never again drink it without milk. Because she was such a great lady her friends thought they must copy everything she did, so they also drank their tea with milk in it. Slowly this habit spread until it reached England and today only very few Britons drink tea without milk.At first, tea was usually drunk after dinner in the evening No one ever thought of drinking tea in the afternoon until a duchess found that a cup of tea and a piece of cake at three or four o’clock stopped her getting“a sinking feeling〞as she called it. She invited her friends to have this new meal with her, so tea-time was born.1. Which of the following introductions of tea into Britain is true?A) The Britons got expensive tea from India.B) Tea reached Britain from Holland.C) The Britons were the first people in Europe who drank tea.D) It was not until the 17th century that the Britons had tea.2. This passage mainly discusses.A)the history of tea drinking in BritainB) how tea became a popular drink in BritainC)how the Britons got the habit of drinking teaD)how tea-time was born3. Tea became a popular drink in Britain.A) in eighteenth centuryB) in sixteenth centuryC) in seventeenth centuryD) in the late seventeenth century4. People in Europe began to drink tea with milk becauseA)it tasted like milkB) it tasted more pleasantC)it became a popular drinkD)Madame de Sevinge was such a lady with great social influence that people tried to copy the way she drank tea5. We may infer from the passage that the habit of drinking tea in Britain was mostly due to the influence of.A)a famous French lady named Madame de SevigneB)the ancient ChineseC)the upper social classD)people in HollandPassage 6In a family where the roles of men and women are not sharply separated and where many household tasks are shared to a greater or lesser extent, notions of male superiority arehard to maintain. The pattern of sharing in tasks and in decisions makes for equality, and this in turn leads to further sharing. In such a home, the growing boy and girl learn to accept that equality more easily than did their parents and to prepare more fully for participation in a world characterized by cooperation rather than by the “battle of the sexes〞.If the process goes too far and man’s role is regarded as less important - and that has happened in some cases–we are as badly of as before, only in reverse.It is time to reassess the role of the man in the American family. We are getting a little tired of “momism〞, - but we don’t want to exchange it for a“neo-popism 〞. What we need, rather, is the recognition that bringing up children involves a partnership of equals.There are signs that psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and specialists on the family are becoming more aware of the part men play and that they have decided that women should not receive all the credit–not all the blame. We have almost given up saying that a woman’s place is the home. We are beginning, however, to analyze men’s place in the home and to insist that he does have a place in it. Nor is that place irrelevant to the healthy development of the child.The family is a cooperative enterprise for which it is difficult to lay down rules, because each family needs to work out its own ways for solving its own problems.Excessive authoritarianism has unhappy consequences, whether it wears skirts or trousers, and the ideal of equal rights and equal responsibilities is connected not only with a healthy democracy, but also with a healthy family.1. From the passage we know that the author is very concerned with the role that.A)parents play in bringing up their childrenB)men play in a familyC)women play in a familyD)equality plays in a family2. The author means to tell us that.A)a man’s place is in the homeB)a woman’s place is in the homeC)a woman should be equal to a manD)a man should have an equal share in family matters3. According to the author, a healthy family should be based on.A) cooperationC) momismB)authoritarianismD) neo-popism4. Who will benefit most from a family pattern of sharing in tasks and decisions?A)The children.C) The man.B)The woman D) The psychologist.5. We may safely conclude from the passage that.A)male superiority maintains a healthy familyB)equal rights and equal responsibilities are very essential to a healthy familyC)authoritarianism does no good to a healthy familyD)women should be equal to men.Passage 7As 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 a 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 and 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 is, 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 traveling 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 following statements is true?a. We can find some ways to avoid stressb. Stress is always harmful to peoplec. It is easy to change the habit 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 of 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"Passage 8Manners nowadays in metropolitan cities like London are practically nonexistent. It is nothing for a big, strong schoolboy to elbow an elderly woman aside in the dash for the last remaining seat on the tube or bus, much less stand up and offer his seat to her.This question of giving up seats in public transport is much argued about by young men, who say that, since women have claimed equality, they no longer deserve to be treated with courtesy and that those who go out to work should take their turn in the rat race like anyone else. Women have never claimed to be physically as strong as men. Even if it is not agreed, however, that young men should stand up for younger women, the fact remains that courtesy should be shown to the old, the sick and the burdened. Are we really so lost to all ideals of unselfishness that we can sit there indifferently reading the paper or a book, saying to ourselves `First come, first served', while a grey-haired woman, a mother with a young child stands? Yet this is all too often seen.Older people, tired and irritable from a day's work, are not angels, either far from it. Many a brisk argument or an insulting quarrel breaks out as the weary queues push and shove each other to get on buses and tubes. One cannot commend this, of course, but one does feel there is just a little more excuse.If cities are to remain pleasant places to live in at all, however, it seems imperative, not only that communications in transport should be improved, but also that communication between human beings should be kept smooth and polite. All over cities, it seems that people are too tired and too rushed to be polite. Shop assistants won't bother to assist, taxi drivers growl at each other as they dash dangerously round corners, bus conductors pull the bell before their desperate passengers have had time to get on or off the bus, and so on and so on. It seems to us that it is up to the young and strong to do their small part to stop such deterioration.1.From what you have read, who are expected to improve their manners?A) who are physically weak or crippledB) who once lived in a prison-camp during the WarC) who live in big modern citiesD) who live only in small towns2.What is the writer's opinion concerning courteous manners towards women?A) Now that women have claimed equality, they no longer need to be treated differently from men.B) It is generally considered old-fashioned for young men to give up their seats to young women.C) "Lady First" should be universally practiced.D) Special consideration ought to be shown to them.3.On tubes or buses, according to the author, older people___ .A) often offer their seats to othersB) are treated better than younger people areC) are no more considerate to each otherD) from the Continent are more irritablemunication between human beings would be smoother if __.A) people were more considerate to each otherB) people were not so tired and irritableC) women were treated with more courtesyD) public transport could be improved.5.What is the possible meaning of the word "deterioration" in the last paragraph?A) Worsening of general situation.B) Lowering of moral standards.C) Declining of physical constitution.D) Spreading of evil conduct.Passage 9A study of art history might be a good way to learn more about a culture than is possible to learn in general history classes. Most typical history courses concentrate on polities, economies, and war, but art history focuses on much more than this because art reflects not only the political values of a people, but also religious beliefs, emotions, and psychology. In addition, information about the daily activities of our ancestors-or of people very different from our own-can be provided by art. In short, art expresses the essential qualities of a time and a place, and a study of it clearly offers us a deeper understanding than can be found in most history books.In history books, objective information about the political life of a country is presented; that is, facts about politics are given, but opinions are not expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective: it reflects emotions and opinions. The great Spanish painter Francisco Goya was perhaps the first truly "political" artist. In his well-known painting The Third of May 1080, he criticized the Spanish government for its misuse of power over people. Over a hundred years later, symbolic images were used in Pablo Picasso's Guernica to express the horror of war. Meanwhile, on another continent, the powerful paintings of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros-as well as the works of Alfredo Ramos Martinze-depicted these Mexican artists' deep anger and sadness about social problems.In the same way, art can reflect a culture's religious beliefs. For hundreds of years in Europe, religious art was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches and other religious buildings were filled with paintings that depicted people and stories from the Bible. Although most people couldn't read, they could still understand biblical stories in the pictures on church walls. By contrast, one of the main characteristics of art in the Middle East was (and still is) its absence of human and animal images. This reflects the Islamic (伊斯兰教的) belief that statues are unholy. 1.More can be learned about a culture from a study of art history than from general history classes because art history_______ .A) shows us the religious and emotions of a people in addition to political valuesB) provides us with information about the daily activities of people in the pastC) gives us an insight into the essential qualities of a time and a placeD) all of the above2.Art is subjective in that__________ .A) a personal and emotional view of history is presented through itB) it can easily arouse our anger or sadness about social problemsC) it will find a ready echo in our heartsD) both B and C3.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?A) Unlike Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso and several Mexican artists expressed their political opinions in their paintings.B) History books often reveal the compilers' political views.C) Religious art remained in Europe for centuries the only type of art because most people regarded the Bible as the Holy Book.D) In the Middle East even today you can hardly find any human and animal images on church walls or religious buildings.4.The passage is mainly discussing __________.A) the difference between general history and art historyB) the making of art historyC) what we can learn from artD) the influence of artists on art history5.It may be concluded from this passage that_______ .A) Islamic artists had to create architectural decoration with images of flowers or geometric formsB) history teachers are more objective than artistsC) it is more difficult to study art history than general historyD) people and stories from the Bible were painted on churches and other buildings in order to popularize the BiblePassage 10If women are mercilessly exploited year-round, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; necklines are lowered or raised, and so on.No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability. They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn’t at some time in his life smile at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women’s clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by。
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.。
英语四级阅读理解训练材料推荐
英语四级阅读理解训练材料推荐在备考英语四级考试过程中，阅读理解是需要重点训练的一项内容。
为了帮助同学们更好地备考，以下是几本值得推荐的英语四级阅读理解训练材料。
1. 《新编大学综合英语》（第三版）这本教材是目前较为流行和使用广泛的英语四级综合教材之一。
它的阅读理解部分包含了多种不同类型的阅读材料，如新闻报道、科普文章、社论等。
每个阅读材料后都配备了一系列问题，以帮助学生理解文章的细节、推理能力和阅读技巧。
此外，该教材还提供了大量的阅读技巧和习题，可以帮助学生练习和提高阅读理解能力。
2. 《大学英语四级阅读理解精讲与全真模拟试题精析》这本书是由外语教学与研究出版社出版的英语四级阅读理解辅导教材。
它主要包含了四个部分：阅读理解技巧讲解、阅读理解专题训练、全真模拟试题精析和历年真题解析。
这本书的亮点在于提供了大量的专题训练和模拟试题，有助于学生针对性地训练和巩固阅读理解能力。
3. 《大学英语四级阅读理解备考指南》这本书是由外语教学与研究出版社出版的英语四级阅读理解备考指南。
它主要包含了考试概述、阅读理解技巧、阅读速度与阅读效果、阅读理解考点分析和真题演练等内容。
该书全面介绍了英语四级阅读理解的考试要求和技巧，并提供了大量的真题演练，有助于考生全面提高阅读理解能力。
4. 《大学英语四级阅读理解高分攻略》这本书是由外语教学与研究出版社出版的英语四级阅读理解备考辅导教材。
它主要包含了阅读方法、技巧讲解和真题训练，以及核心词汇和短语的归纳整理。
该书特别注重阅读技巧和方法的讲解，通过理论与实践相结合，帮助学生提高解题速度和准确性。
推荐以上这些英语四级阅读理解训练材料是基于其权威性、全面性和实用性等方面的考量。
当然，备考英语四级阅读理解也需要根据自身情况选择适合自己的材料，结合实际情况制定合理的学习计划，并注重理论与实践相结合的训练方法，才能取得理想的成绩。
希望以上推荐的材料对同学们备考英语四级阅读理解有所帮助。
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。
大学英语四级阅读文章
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大学英语(阅读理解及答案18篇)
II 阅读理解Passage 1Community社区service is an important component部分of education here at our university. We encourage鼓励all students to volunteer自愿者for at least one community activity before they graduate. A new community program called One On One helps elementary初级的students who’ve fallen behind落后的. Your education majors专业might be especially interested in it because it offers the opportunity机会to do some teaching, that is, tutoring辅导in math and English.You’d have to volunteer two hours a week for one sem ester学期. You can choose to help a child with math, English, or both. Half-hour lessons are fine理想的, so you could do a half hour of each subject two days a week.Professor Dodge will act as a mentor to the tutors —he’ll be available to help you with less on plans or to offer suggestions for activities. He has office hours every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. You can sign up报名for the program with him and begin the tutoring next week.I’m sure you’ll enjoy this community service and you’ll gain valuable experience at the same time. It looks good on your resume简历, too, showing that you’ve had experience with children and that you care about关心your community. If you’d like to sign up, or if you have any questions, stop by Professor Dodge’s office this week.1.What is the purpose of the talk? _________.A.To explain a new requirement for graduation.B.To interest students in a new community programC.To discuss the problems of elementary school students.D.To recruit elementary school teachers for a special program.2.What is the purpose of the program that the speaker describes? _______.A.To find jobs for graduating students.B.To help education majors prepare for final exams.C.To offer tutorials to elementary school students.D.To provide funding for a community service project.3.What does Professor Dodge do? __________.A.He advises students to participate in certain program.B.He teaches part-time in an elementary school.C.He observes elementary school students in the classroom.D.He helps students prepare their resumes.4.What should students who are interested in the tutorials do? _________.A.Contact the elementary school.B.Sign up for a special class.C.Submit a resume to the dean.D.Talk to Professor Dodge.5.Whom do you think the speaker addresses向.....说话? ___________.A.Faculty.B.Students.C.ResidentsD.Graduated students.Passage 2A foreigner’s first impression of the U.S. is likely to be that everyone is in a rush-often under pressure. City people appear always to be hurrying to get where they are going restlessly, seeking attention in a store, and elbowing others as they try to complete their errands （任务）. Racingthrough daytime meals is part of the pace of life in this country.Working time is considered precious. Others in public eating places are waiting for you to finish so that they too can be served and get back to work within the time allowed. Each person hurries to make room for the next person. If you don’t, waiters will hurry you.You also find drivers will be abrupt and that people will push past you. You will miss smiles, brief conversations, and small courtesies with strangers. Don’t take it personally. This is because people value time highly, and they resent someone else ―wasting it beyond a certain courtesy point.The view of time affects the importance we attach to patience. In the American system of values, patience is not a high priority. Many of us have what migh t be called ―a short fuse. We begin to move restlessly about if we feel time is slipping away without some return be this in terms of pleasure, work value, or rest. Those coming from lands where time is looked upon differently may find this matter of pace to be one of their most difficult adjustments in both business and daily life. Many newcomers to the States will miss the opening courtesy of a business call, for example, they will miss the ritual socializing that goes with a welcoming cup of tea or coffee they may be traditional in their own country. They may miss leisurely business chats in a café or coffeehouse. Normally, Americans do not assess their visitors in such relaxed surroundings over prolonged small talks. We seek out evidence of past performance rather than evaluate a business colleague through social courtesies. Since we generally assess and probe professionally rather than socially, we start talking business very quickly.1. Which of the following statements is wrong? __________A. Americans seem to be always under pressure.B. Americans attach less importance to patience.C. Americans don’t care much about ritual socializing.D. Americans are impolite to their business colleagues.2. In the fourth paragraph, ―a high priority means __________.A. a less important thingB. a first concernC. a good businessD. an attractive gift3. Americans evaluate a business colleague __________.A. through social courtesyB. through prolonged business talksC. by establishing business relationsD. by learning about their past performance4. This passage mainly talks about __________.A. how Americans treasure their timeB. how busy Americans are every dayC. how Americans do business with foreignersD. what American way of life is like5. We can infer from the passage that the author’s tone in writing is ___________.A. criticalB. ironicalC. appreciativeD. objectivePassage 3Laws have been written to govern the use of American National Flag, and to ensure proper respect for the flag. Custom has also governed the common practice in regard to its use. All the armed services have precise regulations on how to display the national flag. This may vary somewhat from the general rules. The national flag should be raised and lowered by hand. Do not raise theflag while it is folded. Unfolded the flag first, and then hoist it quickly to the top of the flagpole. Lower it slowly and with dignity. Place no objects on or over the flag. Do not use the flag as part of a costume or athletic uniform. Do not print it upon cushions, handkerchief, paper napkins or boxes. A federal law provides that the trademark cannot be registered if it comprises the flag, or badgers of the US. When the flag is used to unveil a statue or monument, it shouldn’t serve as a covering of the object to be unveiled. If it is displayed on such occasions, do not allow the flag to the ground, but let it be carried high up in the air to form a feature of the ceremony. Take every precaution to prevent the flag from soiled. It should not be allowed to touch the ground or floor, nor to brush against objects.1. How do Americans ensure proper respect for the national flag？A. By making laws.B. By enforcing discipline.C. By educating the public.D. By holding ceremonies.2. What is the regulation regarding the raising of the American National Flag?A. It should be raised by soldiers.B. It should be raised quickly by hand.C. It should be raised only by Americans.D. It should be raised by mechanical means.3. How should the American National Flag be displayed at an unveiling ceremony?A. It should be attached to the status.B. It should be hung from the top of the monument.C. It should be spread over the object to be unveiled.D. It should be carried high up in the air.4. What do we learn about the use of the American National Flag?A. There has been a lot of controversy over the use of flag.B. The best athletes can wear uniforms with the design of the flag.C. There are precise regulations and customs to be followed.D. Americans can print the flag on their cushions or handkerchiefs.5. What is Americans’ attitude t owards their National Flag?A. Arbitrary.B. Respect.C. Happy.D. Brave.Passage 4Many people who work in London prefer to live outside it, and to go in to their offices or schools every day by train, car or bus, even though this means they have to get up early in the morning and reach home late in the evening.One advantage of living outside London is that houses are cheaper. Even a small flat in London without a garden costs quite a lot to rent. With the same money, one can get a little house in the country with a garden of one’s own.Then, in the country one can really get away from the noise and hurry of busy working lives. Even though one has to get up earlier and spend more time in trains or buses, one can sleep better at night and during weekends and on summer evenings, one can enjoy the fresh, clean air of the country. If one likes gardens, one can spend one's free time digging, planting, watering and doing the hundred and one other jobs which are needed in a garden. Then, when the flowers and vegetables come up, one has got the reward together with those who have shared the secret of Nature.Some people, however, take no interest in country things: for them, happiness lies in the town,with its cinemas and theatres, beautiful shops and busy streets, dance-halls and restaurants. Such people would feel that their life was not worth living if they had to live it outside London. An occasional walk in one of the parks and a fortnight’s (two weeks) visit to the sea every summer is all the country they want: the rest they are quite prepared to leave to those who are glad to get away from London every night.1. Which of the following statements is NOT true? ____A. People who love Nature prefer to live outside the city.B. People who work in London prefer to live in the country.C. Some people enjoying city life prefer to work and live inside London.D. Many nature lovers, though working in London, prefer to live outside the city.2. With the same money ____, one can buy a little house with a garden in the country.A. getting a small flat with a gardenB. having a small flat with a gardenC. renting a small flat without a gardenD. buying a small flat without a garden3. When the garden is in blossom, it means that one ____ has been rewarded.A. living in the countryB. having spent time working in the gardenC. having a garden of his ownD. having been digging, planting and watering4. Which of the following statements is true? ____A. Those who prefer to live in London would feel their life was meaninglful.B. Those who prefer to live outside London would feel their life was boring.C. Those who prefer to live in London believe their life was worthy living.D. Those who prefer to live outside London believe their life was valuable.5. The underlined phrase get away from in the 3rd paragraph refers to ____ .A. deal withB. do away withC. escape fromD. prevent fromPassage 5Paper is one of the most important products ever invented by man. Wide spread use of written language would not have been possible without some cheap and practical material to write on. The invention of paper meant that more people could be educated because more books could be printed and distributed. Together with the printing press, paper provided an extremely important way to communicate knowledge.How much paper do you use every year? Probably you cannot answer that question quickly. In 1990 the world’s use of paper was about one kilogram for each person a year. Now some countries use as much as 50 kilograms of paper for each person a year. Countries like the United States, England and Sweden use more paper than other countries.Paper, like many other things that we use today, was first made in China. In Egypt and the West, paper was not very commonly used before the year 1400. The Egyptians wrote on a kind of material made of a water plant. Europeans used parchment for many hundreds of year. Parchment was very strong; it was made from the skin of certain young animals. We have learnt of the most important facts of European history from records that were kept on parchment.1. What’s the meaning for the underlined word ―parchment? ____________A. The skin of young animals.B. The paper of Egypt.C. The paper used by European countries.D. A kind of paper made from the skin of certain young animals.2. Which of the following is not mentioned about the invention of paper? ____________A. More jobs could be provided than before.B. More people could be educated than before.C. More books could be printed and distributed.D. More ways could be used to exchange knowledge.3. When did the Egyptians begin to use paper widely? ____________A. Around 1400.B. Around 1900.C. Around 400.D. Around 900.4. Which of the following countries uses more paper for each person a year? ____________A. ChinaB. SwedenC. EgyptD. Japan5. What is the main idea of this short talk? ____________A. More and more paper is being consumed nowadays.B. Paper enables people to receive education more easily.C. The invention of paper is of great significance to man.D. Paper contributes a lot to the keeping of historical records.Passage 6Places to stay in Britain不列颠are as varied as the places you visit.Whatever your budget is, the choice -from basic barn to small hotel, from tiny cottage to grand castle - is all part of fun. HostelsCheap, good-value hostels are aimed at all types of like-minded travelers, who prefer value over luxury and you don't have to be young or single to use them.Britain's independent hostels and backpackers hostels also offer a great welcome.Facilities and prices vary, especially in rural areas, where some hostels are a little more than a bunkhouse (临时住房) while others are remarkably comfortable －almost like bargain hotels.Youth HotelsFounded many years ago to "help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside", the Youth Hotels Association is still going strong in the 21st century.The network of 230 hotels is a perfect gateway for exploring Britain's towns and countryside.B&BsThe B&B (bed and breakfast) is a Great British institution, In essence, you get a room in somebody's house, and small B&Bs may only have one guest room, so you'll really feel like part of the rger B&Bs may have four or five rooms and more facilities, but just as warm as a welcome.In country areas your B&B might be in a village or an isolated farm surrounded by fields.Prices reflect facilities: and usually run from around ￡12 to ￡20 per person.City B&Bs charge about ￡25 to ￡30 per person, although they're often cheaper as you go further out to the suburbs.Pubs & InnsAs well as selling drinks and meals, Britain's pubs and inns sometimes offer B&B, particularly in country areas.Staying a night or two can be great fun and puts you at the heart of the local community.Rates range from around ￡15 to ￡25 per person.Pubs are more likely to have single rooms.1.In this passage the author mainly ________.A.tells us where to stay while visiting BritainB.advises readers to pay a visit to BritainC.introduces the wonderful public services in BritainD.gives us some information about British life2.________ are mainly built for young visitors.A.Pubs & InnsB.Youth HotelsC.HostelsD.B&Bs3.If you travel alone and want to know better about family life in Britain, you'd better stay in ________.A.Pubs & InnsB.Youth HotelsC.HostelsD.B&Bs4.If you are interested in travelling with your friends but only with limited means, where is the better place for you to stay? _________.A.Pubs & InnsB.Youth HotelsC.HostelsD.B&Bs5.Which of the following is NOT true according to the last part of the passage? __________A.Pubs and inns usually provide visitors bed and breakfast.B.all pubs and inns offer visitors bed and breakfast.C.Pubs and inns charge a visitor ￡25 at the most.D.If you want a single room, you are more likely to get one in pubs.Passage 7The origin of language is a mystery. All we know is that men, unlike animals, invented certain sounds to express thought and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to present those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, we call words.The power of words lies in their associations - the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something increases.Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which appeal powerfully to our minds and emotions. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literary style. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can convey his meaning in words which sing like music and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them accurately, or they will make our speech silly and vulgar.1. The origin of language is ____.A. a legend handed down from the pastB. a matter that is hidden or secretC. a question difficult to answerD. a problem not yet solved2. What is true about words?A. They are used to express feelings only.B. They are simply sounds.C. They can not be written down.D. They are mysterious.3. The real power of words consists in their ____.A. propertiesB. characteristicsC. peculiarityD. representative function4. By“association”in the last paragraph, the author means ____.A. a special qualityB. a joining of ideas in the mindC. an appearance which is puzzlingD. a strange feature5. Which of the following statements about the real poet is NOT true?A. He is no more than a master of words.B. He can convey his ideas in words which sing like music.C. He can move men to tears.D. His style is always charming.Passage 8Once James Thornhill, a famous English painter, was asked to paint some pictures on the walls of the king’s palace in England. Then workers were sent for and a big platform (台子)was made. With the help of a worker, Thornhill started painting on the platform. They worked for a whole year and at last the pictures were ready.Thornhill was happy when he looked at the pictures, for they were really beautiful. He looked at them for a long time, and then took one step back and looked again. Now the pictures were even more beautiful. He took another step, then another. Finally he was at the very edge of the platform, but he didn’t know it because he was thinking of his pictures.The worker saw everything. ‘What should I do?’he thought. ‘Thornhill was at the very edge of the platform. If I cry out, he will take another step, fall off it and surely be killed.’So the worker quickly took some paint (漆)and threw it at the pictures.‘What are you doing?’ cried the painter, running quickly forward to his pictures.1. James Thornhill was an English ______.A. workerB. artistC. kingD. writer2. He was ordered to ______.A. paint the wall of the king’s palace in EnglandB. paint some pictures on the wall of the palaceC. build a big platform in front of the palaceD. put up some new pictures on the old wall3. It took them ______ to finish the pictures.A. a monthB. a weekC. twelve monthsD. half a month4. James Thornhill felt that the ______ he was from the pictures, the ______ they were.A. nearer...more beautifulB. farther...more uglyC. farther...more beautifulD. higher above...more good-looking5. The worker threw some paint at the pictures in order to ______.A. save James’ lifeB. destroy the pictureC. make the picture more beautifulD. make the king angryPassage 9Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents.Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me.They don’t act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV.In their opinion, “I love you” is t oo luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of the question. One day, I asked my mother if there is love between her and and my Dad when she was sewing. My mother stopped her work and didn’t answer imme diately.I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her.“Susan,” she said , “Look at this thread.Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt.The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable.If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread.It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime, but it’s really there.Love is inside.”I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next spring.At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously.My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month.When they returned from the hospital, they both looked very pale.It seemed both of them had had a serious illness.After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road.My father had never been so gentle.It seemed they were the most harmonious couple.The doctor had said my father would recover in two months.But after two months he still couldn’t walk by himself.All of us were worried about him.“Dad, how are you feeling now?” I asked him one day.“Susan, don’t worry about me.” he said gently.“To tell you the truth, I just like walking with your mom.I like this kind of life.” Reading his eyes, I knew he loves my mother deeply.Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses.But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.有时候我真的很怀疑父母之间是否有爱。
大学英语长篇阅读考试题及答案
大学英语长篇阅读考试题及答案阅读材料：In the heart of the city, where the noise of traffic and the rush of people never seem to cease, there stands an old library that has been a silent guardian of knowledge for over a century. The library's stone facade is weathered and its steps are worn from the countless footsteps of those who have sought wisdom within its hallowed halls. Inside, the musty smell of ancient books and the soft murmur of scholars poring over texts create an atmosphere of tranquility that seems to defy the chaos outside.The library is a repository of human knowledge, housing thousands of books that span various subjects, from the natural sciences to the arts and humanities. It is not just a place for the learned; it is a sanctuary for anyone who thirsts for knowledge. Here, one can find the works of Shakespeare and the theories of Einstein, side by side with the chronicles of history and the latest scientific journals.Despite the advent of digital technology and theproliferation of e-books, the library remains a vital part of the community. It is a place where people can come to learn, to think, and to dream. The library also serves as a community hub, offering workshops, storytime for children, and a space for local authors to share their work.However, the library is facing challenges. Funding has been cut, and it struggles to maintain its collection and services. The old building requires constant maintenance, and there isa growing need to adapt to the digital age. The library's management is exploring ways to modernize while preservingthe essence of what the library represents.Questions:1. What is the primary function of the library described inthe passage?A. A place for entertainmentB. A guardian of knowledgeC. A commercial centerD. A historical monument2. What is the significance of the library's location?A. It is situated in a quiet residential area.B. It stands amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.C. It is near a major university.D. It is located in a remote, peaceful area.3. What does the library offer to the community?A. Only books on natural sciences.B. A collection of books and various community services.C. A place for children's storytime.D. Workshops on digital technology.4. What challenges is the library currently facing?A. It is struggling to attract new members.B. It needs to modernize and adapt to digital technology.C. It has an outdated collection of books.D. It is being threatened with closure due to noise complaints.5. What is the main concern of the library's management?A. To increase the library's budget.B. To preserve the library's traditional role while modernizing.C. To replace all physical books with e-books.D. To relocate the library to a more modern building.Answers:1. B. A guardian of knowledge2. B. It stands amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.3. B. A collection of books and various community services.4. B. It needs to modernize and adapt to digital technology.5. B. To preserve the library's traditional role while modernizing.End of Exam.。
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大学英语阅读材料Document serial number【NL89WT-NY98YT-NC8CB-NNUUT-NUT108】Read the two passages and do the True and False exercises.Paasage ISilver LiningJulia Cartwright uncrossed her legs and set her teacup on the breakfast table. Life didn’t always turn out the way?she wanted it to. Drawing her sheer housedress around her shoulders, she stood and strolled to the bay window that overlooked the train station and Greta’s bakery. The glow from the street’s light po sts dimmed as dawn gave way to the morning. Passengers milled about, some clinging to love ones, while others stood in line for a taste of Greta’s scrumptious pastries. If nothing else, she would miss the endearing scene below. Lowering her eyes, wet lashes rested against her cheeks. So many wonderful memories now tainted by the stabbing death of Mrs. Monroe.A shudder raced through her as she turned from the window and surveyed the cardboard boxes lined along the brick wall.Considering her neighbor’s horr ific fate two nights before, her unemployment and move to a smaller place?paled in comparison.What weighed most on her mind was doing something for the old woman’s family, even if it was just to sit and comfort them. Maybe she could purchase something from the bakery and take it to the family this afternoon. Yes, that’s what she would do.“Excuse me, Julia. Do you have a moment?”The baritone voice brought her out of her reverie. Julia looked up to see the detective assigned to Mrs. Monroe’s case in the doorway. “Sure, come in.” When his dark gaze moved down her chiffon, silk gown, her stomach fluttered, as it did whenever he was near. Instinctively, she drew the satin sash tighter.He cleared his throat. “Your sister let me in, but I can always come back later.”Julia’s warm cheeks matched her tinted hair. “No, please make yourself comfortable whil e I change.” She?hurried from the room. Her sister had stayed over to help with her move, and she planned to strangle her as soon as he left. How dare she allow him to come back while she was indecent? Having met the detective on two previous occasions, she couldn’t deny her attraction to him. His jet black hair and inquisitive eyes left her nearly breathless. Fanning herself, she browsed through her closet several minutes before deciding on a soft, blue cotton dress. She changed and returned to the sunroom.“Can I get you coffee or tea, detective?” Julie asked, not missing his appreciative glimpse at her dress.“No, I’m good. Please call me Will.”She sat in a chair across from him, noticing for the first time the dry rose which fell from her fireplace mantel, now lay in the center of the table.It was a gift she’d bought herself last Valentine’s Day. She chose to ignore it. “Okay, Will, how can I help you?”With pen and pad before him, his expression turned serious. “I wanted to go over this again. You said you heard a scream at two o’clock, Tuesday morning. Is that correct?”“Yes, that’s correct.” With his head inclined, he scribbled notes. Her gaze followed the movement of his strong hand.“How can you be sure of the time?”“My favorite television show?came on?when the scream rang out.”He?cast a curious glance in her direction. “And what show is this?”How embarrassing. At twenty-five, she not only bought herself roses but carried on a romance with the television. “The Dating Game.”His?full lips tilted at the corners. After a few unspoken moments, he continued. “I know you called the police. What did you do after that?”“Just as I’ve told you on two other occasions, I ran to the window, and that’s when I saw the guy on the fire escape.”“You were adama nt about him being a black male. How can you be sure when it’s night?”She wrapped her slender fingers around the teacup she’d left on the table earlier. Lifting it to her lips, she sipped the lukewarm liquid and set the cup back on the saucer. “The area w as well-lit, and he wasn’t wearing a face mask. You’ve asked me most of these questions before. Are you hoping I’ll change my story?”He closed the notepad and folded his hands on the table, drawing her attention to his well-defined forearms.“You’re the only witness who has come forward, so I’m trying to get as much information as possible.” He smiled, showing even, white teeth. Warmth swept through her lower abdomen. What was it about him that affected her this way? Looking away, she sipped her tea.“Julia.”The sound slid over her skin like oil. She looked up into his midnight eyes. “Yes?”A sigh resonated throughout the room as he leaned back against the chair. “I have to be honest about why I’m really here. I remembered that your movers were coming today, and I wanted to see you before you left. I would like to stay in touch.”Trying to steady her hands so he wouldn’t hear the cup clinking against the saucer, she let him continue.“I would like to take you out. Is that possible?”“Won’t this compromise the case?”“Absolutely not. You’re not a suspect.” His gaze still held hers. “Maybe I’m moving too fast, but I’m totally taken by you.”Since fainting was not an option, Julia took a much needed breath. “I would like very much to see you again.”“Is the offer still good for a cup of coffee?” Will asked.“Yes, I’ll be right back.” She stood and turned to leave.“Before you go. Is there a story behind this rose?” He twirled it between his fingers.“Not one you’re going to hear from me, detective.”Julia could hear his laughter behind her as she went into the kitchen. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around her waist. Although she’d lost her sweet neighbor and job, better days were ahead. From now on, she would focus on the positive and look for the silver lining.Passage 11.Julia Cartright was more concerned about her unemployment and move to a smallerplace than her neighbor’s death.2.Julia seemed to be swept off her feet by the detective assigned to her neighbor’scase though she had got her valentine.3.Julia felt embarrassed to reveal her secret love of a dating program on TV.4.The detective came to question Julia for the third time because she might havecommitted the murder of her neighbor.5.With the detective’s offer to ask Julia out, she will focus m ore on the positiveside of life and be more optimistic in the future.Paasage IIHome Is Where the Heart Is“I’ll see you Thursday night, Jess,” Jack Maguire said to his wife. He wiped a smudge of baby food from her cheek before pressing his lips to hers.It was their usual Sunday night routine. Saying goodbye.Their youngest, baby Ella, bounced in her mother’s arms until her dad leaned over and planted a raspberry on her cheek eliciting squeals of delight.Jessica’s lips curled despite the heaviness in he r heart.As a pharmaceutical sales person, travel was a part of Jack’s job description that she’d grown to accept. But it didn’t make saying goodbye any easier.After smothering their other two kids in hugs and kisses, Jack hopped into the waiting hired car with a wave and a smile. Jessica’s stomach clenched as she thought about how exciting his life on the road must be—business meetings with doctors, dinner at new restaurants every evening, nights spent in luxurious hotels.After their oldest, Connor, was born, Jessica made the decision to quit her job as a nurse and stay home full time. Now with three kids under five, she still loved every moment of her time at home. But that was her. Whenever she said goodbye to Jack she couldn’t help wondering if he found their home life dull compared to his travels.Did he look forward to getting back on the road?Jessica felt a tug on her pant leg pulling her back from her worries.“Can I have a drink?” asked three year old Zo?.“Of course, Sweetie,” Jessica replied as she patted the girl’s curly blonde head. She grabbed three plastic cups from the cupboard, and as she poured a round of apple juice for the masses her concerns about Jack were quickly forgotten.On Monday night, the phone rang at precisely six o’clock. Jessica’s heart pounded with anticipation. Whenever he traveled, Jack always managed to sneak away and call home at the same time. No matter what. When she picked up the phone, Jessica could barely hear him over the raised voices and clinking of silverware on dishes. He was at dinner with clients.The kids jumped at her legs anxious to talk to Daddy. After each had their turn, Connor passed her the phone. “It’s your turn, Mommy.”But as soon as she raised it to her ear, she heard Jack say, “Sorry, hun. Gotta go.”? He was practically shouting to be heard. “Dr. Watts is about to leave, and I haven’t gotten a commitment from him yet. I’ll call you tomorrow. Love you.”She let out a heavy breath but told herself she could wait until tomorrow to tell him about Zoe’s attempt to dress the cat in a princess gown and tiara.But on Tuesday evening, Jessica returned home at six-ten following what was supposed to be a quick stop at the grocery store—an impossibility with three kids in tow—to find a message from Jack.“I won’t be able to call back tonight,” his voice rang out. “The only time Dr. Bryson can meet with me is this evening. Kisses and hugs to everyone.” He sounded distracted, as though he was in a hurry to get off the phone.Her heart sunk.The tiara story really isn’t that exciting anyway.On Wednesday evening, six o’clock came and went with no phone call. Even though she knew he was due home the next night, disappointment weighed heavy in her chest. Her first instinct was to worry. He’d never missed a call before. Had something happened?Calm down. He’s probably busy with a client, her common sense told her. But then that meant he’d gotten too busy or just forgot to call.Either option caused her heart to tighten uncomfortably. But she tried to ignore the sensation as she joined in the kids’ lively dinnertime conversation.A few hours after the kids were asleep Jessica heard a noise at the front door. Her heart thu dded in her chest. Who could it be? She wasn’t expecting anyone.Wiping her dish soapy hands on a towel, she walked cautiously to the front window to check it out.But before she reached the foyer, the door swung open and Jack walked into the house. Jessic a’s breath caught in her throat, and she rushed to her husband throwing her arms around his neck.“You’re early!” she mumbled into his shoulder. Her heart sped like crazy—partly from surprise but mostly due to the thrill of seeing Jack.“I couldn’t stand t he thought of being away for another night, so I squeezed all of my appointments into three days. That’s why I’ve been so busy.”And he couldn’t call tonight because he’d been on a plane, she realized. A pang of guilt gripped her stomach. How could she have doubted him?He dropped his small suitcase and returned her embrace with both arms. “I’ve had enough stuffy business dinners and lonely hotel stays to last a life time.”“I thought you liked traveling,” she said tentatively.Jack pulled back and looked i nto her eyes. “The only part I like about being away is coming home to you and the kids.”A wave of relief washed over her leaving a warm glow in its wake. Feeling closer to Jack than ever before, Jessica leaned in and pressed her lips to his.When she pul led away, she couldn’t help smiling. “Do you want to hear what Zo? did to the cat on Monday?” she asked.And as they cuddled up on the couch together, the sparkle she saw in Jack’s blue eyes as she talked about their life, their children left no doubt in her mind.Home really is where his heart is.Passage 21.Parting from her husband on Sunday night is a family routine which Jessica hasgrown to accept and felt at ease with.2.With three kids under five to take care of, Jessica sometimes found home life dulland stressful.3.Whenever Jack traveled, he always managed to make a call home at the same time.4.There was no call from Jack on Wednesday because he was busy with clients.5.J ack’s surprising return brought Jessica to the awareness that her husband hadalways been loving the family.。