历年英语四级阅读理解真题及答案

2013年12月大学英语四级考试真题（一）In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they’d eaten but rather by how much food they'd seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (盖弃）suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol."Hunger isn't controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal，" Brunstrom says. "This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought."These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 3S0-calorie (卡路里）milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones （荷尔蒙），depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.56. What is said to be a factor affecting our appetite and food intake?A) How we perceive the food we eat. C) When we eat our meals.B) What ingredients the food contains. D) How fast we eat our meals.57. What would happen at meal time if you remembered eating a lot in the previous meal?A) You would probably be more picky about food.B) You would not feel like eating the same food.C) You would have a good appetite.D) You would not feel so hungry.58. What do we learn from the 2011 study?A) Food labels may mislead consumers in their purchases.B) Food labels may influence our body’s response to food.C) Hunger levels depend on one's consumption of calories.D) People tend to take in a lot more calories than necessary.59. What does Brunstrom suggest we do to control our appetite?A) Trick ourselves into eating less. C) Concentrate on food while eating.B) Choose food with fewer calories. D) Pick dishes of the right size.60. What is the main idea of the passage?A) Eating distractions often affect our food digestion.B) Psychological factors influence our hunger levels.C) Our food intake is determined by our biological needs.D) Good eating habits will contribute to our health.56. A 57.D 58. B 59.C 60. BAs a society we might want to rethink the time and money spent on education, so that these resources can benefit a greater percentage of the population. Ideally, both high schools and colleges can prepare individuals for the ever-changing roles that are likely to be expected of them.High school degrees offer far less in the way of preparation for work than they might, or than many other nations currently offer, creating a growing skills gap in our economy. We encourage students to go on to college whether they are prepared or not, or have a clear sense of purpose or interest, and now have the highest college dropout rate in the world.We might look to other countries for models of how high schools can offer better training, as well as the development of a work ethic (勤奋工作的美德）and the intellectual skills needed for continued learning and development. I recommend Harvard's 2011 "Pathways to Prosperity" report for more attention to the "forgotten half" (those who do not go on to college) and ideas about how to address this issue.Simultaneously, the liberal arts become more important than ever. In a knowledge economy where professional roles change rapidly and many college students are preparing for positions that may not even exist yet, the skill set needed is one that prepares them for change and continued learning.Learning to express ideas well in both writing and speech, knowing how to find information, and knowing how to do research are all-solid background skills for a wide variety of roles, and such training is more important than any particular major in a liberal arts college. We need to continue to value broad preparation in thinking skills ihat will serve for a lifetime.Students also need to learn to work independently and to make responsible decisions. The lengthening path to adulthood appears exacerbated (惡化）by parental involvement in the college years. Given the rising investment in college education, parental concern is not surprising, but learning where and when to intervene (干预）will help students take more ownership of the outcomes of these increasingly costly educations.61. What kind of education does the author think is ideal?A) It benefits the great majority of the general population.B) It prepares students to meet the future needs of society.C) It encourages students to learn throughout their lives.D) It ensures that students' expectations are successfully fulfilled.62. What does the author say is the problem with present high school education?A) Ignoring the needs of those who don't go to college.B) Teaching skills to be used right after graduation only.C) Giving little attention to those having difficulty learning.D) Creating the highest dropout rate in the developed world.63. What characterizes a knowledge economy according to the passage?A) People have to receive higher education to qualify for a professional position.B) Students majoring in liberal arts usually have difficulty securing a job.C) New positions are constantly created that require people to keep learning.D) Colleges find it hard to teach students how to cope with the changing economy.64. What does the author think a liberal arts college should focus on?A) Solid background knowledge in a particular field.B) Practical skills urgently needed in current society.C) Basic skills needed for change and lifelong learning.D) Useful thinking skills for advanced academic research.65. What suggestion docs the author offer to parents?A) Rethinking the value of higher education.B) Investing wisely in their children's education.C) Helping their children lo bring their talent into full play.D) Avoiding too much intervention in their children’s education.答案详解61. B 62. D 63. C 64. C 65 D2013年6月全国大学英语四级考试真题According to a report, around 30,000 pupils started secondary school last year with the math skills of a seven-year-old. MPs (国会议员) warned that many young people would need “expensive” remedial lessons in later life to get a job —posing major problems for the economy. The findings came just months after Ofsted(教育标准办公室)claimed almost half of math lessons in English schools were not good enough. It said many teachers relied on textbooks and mundane exercises to make sure pupils passed exams at the expense of a proper understanding of the subject. MPs backed the conclusions, saying too many pupils found lessons “boring”. They insisted improvements had been made under Labor but achievement had “leveled off” in recent years.In 2008, 79 percent of pupils met the Government’s expected standard at the end of primary school, well short of the 85 percent target set for 2006. Around five percent moved to secondary school with the math skills of a seven- year-old, said the committee. In 2006, ￡2.3 billion was spent teaching the subject. It equates to around a quarter of the ￡10 billion total budget for primary teaching and support staff.The report said the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) needed to “radically rethink its strategy for improving pupil attainment; otherwise we seriously doubt that the department will meet its 2011 target”. The target demands that 84.5 percent of pupils will make the necessary progress between 7 and 11.Last year, the DCSF published a major review of math education in England to boost standards. It called for a math specialist in every primary school within 10 years and more emphasis on mathematical “play” in nursery schools. Mr. Leigh said,“The department’s 10-year program to train 13,000 specialist math teachers will not benefit some primary schools for another decade. That’s far too long; the department needs to look for ways to accelerate the program.” Sarah McCarthy Fry, the Schools Minister, said, “We have already accepted the main recommendation from a recent independent review of primary math that every school should have a specialist math teacher and have pledged ￡24 million over the next three years for a training program for teachers.”Nick Gibb, the Tory shadow schools secretary, said, “The Government is not getting value for the money they have piled into education and the country is falling behind in international league tables as a result. The Government has failed to replace methods of teaching which have failed with tried and tested methods used in countries that have much higher levels of math achievement.”57. What do we learn from the first paragraph?A) 30,000 pupils started secondary school with poor math skills.B) MPs insist more improvements should be made under Labor.C) Young people need medical lessons to get a job.D) Half of English schools were not good enough.58. According to the passage, what happened in 2006?A) 21% of pupils didn’t meet the Government’s expected standard.B) The target set for 2006 was 87 percent.C) ￡2.3 billion was spent on math teaching.D) The total budget for primary teaching and support staff was ￡5 billion in 2006.59. What will people probably do to improve math education in England?A) Spend money on training specialist math teachers.B) Hire a math specialist for every primary school.C) Allow pupils to have more mathematical “play”.D) Spend more time on math education.60. What do Nick Gibb’s words mean?A) The British government should put more money into math education.B) Britain is falling behind in the international knowledge competition.C) The British government should learn from other countries’ failures.D) The British government should change their teaching methods every few years.61. What’s the passage mainl y talking about?A) There aren’t enough math teachers in British primary schools.B) The British government didn’t spend enough money on math education.C) British pupils are not good at math.D) Math lessons in British primary schools need to be improved.Conservationists call them hot spots — habitats that cover just 1.4 percent of the earth’s land surface but are so rich in biological diversity that preserving them could keep an astonishing number of plant and animal species off the endangered list.Since 1988, when Dr. Norman Myers and his colleagues began describing these hot spots in a series of scientific papers and arguing for their protection, they have become a focus of worldwide conservation efforts. Private organizations and government agencies, including the World Bank, have made preserving 25 such ecological arks a top priority for financing and protective legislation. But a growing chorus of scientists is warning that directing conservation funds to hot spots maybe a recipe for major losses in the future. Of species that live on land, nearly half of all plants and more than a third of all animals are found only in the hot spots. But they do not include many rare species and major animal groups that live in less biologically rich reg ions (“cold spots”). And the hot-spot concept does not factor in the importance of some ecosystems to human beings, the scientists argue.This debate has been simmering quietly among biologists for years; however, it is coming to a boil now with the publication of an article in the current issue of American Scientist arguing that “calls to direct conservation funding to the world’s biodiversity hot spots may be bad investment advice.” “The hot-spot concept has grown so popular in recent years within the larger conservation community that it now risks eclipsing all other approaches,” write the authors of the paper. “The officers and directors of all too many foundations, non-governmental organizations and international agencies have been seduced by the simplicity of the hot spot idea,” they go on. “We worry that the initially appealing idea of getting the most species per unit area is, in fact, a thoroughly misleading strategy.”But hot spots have their ardent defenders, notably Dr. Norman Myers and Dr. Russell Mittermeier. Dr. Myers says hot spots have been successful at attracting attention and financing for conservation in tropical countries. “And that has been good,” he said. “No one is suggesting that one invest solely in hot spots, but if you want to avoid extinctions, you have to invest in them.”62. The best title for this passage would be ________.A) A Debate on Preserving Hot Spots B) An Introduction to Hot SpotsC) Hot Spots vs. Cold Spots D) How to Finance Hot Spots63. Hot spots occupy a small percentage of the earth’s land surface with_____________.A) a third of all plantsB) many major animal groups living in cold spotsC) rich biological diversityD) many rare species living in cold spots64. Critics of hot spots hold the opinion that ________.A) hot spots are always as important as cold spotsB) it is unwise to invest largely in hot spotsC) governments should choose the best time to invest in hot spotsD) the hot-spot approach is a misleading strategy from the very beginning65. According to Dr. Norman Myers, _________.A) protecting and investing in hot spots can save species from extinctionB) conservation efforts should not center on hot spotsC) governments should invest most in cold spotsD) the hot-spot approach now is not as good as it was in the past66. What is the writer’s attitude towards the hot-spot approach?A) Critical. B) Neutral. C) Supportive. D) Doubtful.2012年6月英语四级Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.In times of economic crisis. Americans turn to their families for support. If the Great Depression is any guide, we may see a drop in our skyhigh divorce rate. But this won't necessarily represent. an increase in happy marriages. In the long run, the Depression weakened American families, and the current crisis will probably do the same.We tend to think of the Depression as a time when families pulled together to survive huge job losses, By 1932. when nearly one-quarter of the workforce was unemployed, the divorce rate had declined by around 25% from 1929 But this doesn't mean people were suddenly happier with their marriages. Rather, with incomes decreasing and insecure jobs, unhappy couples often couldn't afford to divorce. They feared neither spouse could manage alone.Today, given the job losses of the past year, fewer unhappy couples will risk starting separate households, Furthermore, the housing market meltdown will make it more difficult for them to finance their separations by selling their homes.After financial disasters family members also tend to do whatever they can to help each other and their communities, A 1940 book. The Unemployed Man and His Family, described a family in which the husband initially reacted to losing his job "with tireless search for work."He was always active, looking for odd jobs to do.The problem is that such an impulse is hard to sustain Across the country, many similar families were unable to maintain the initial boost in morale(士气). For some, the hardships of life without steady work eventually overwhelmed their attempts to keep their families together. The divorce rate rose again during the rest of the decade as the recovery took hold.Millions of American families may now be in the initial stage of their responses to the current crisis, working together and supporting one another through the early months of unemployment.Today's economic crisis could well generate a similar number of couples whose relationships have been irreparably(无法弥补地)ruined. So it's only when the economy is healthy again that we'll begin to see just how many broken families have been created.57．In the initial stage, the current economic crisis is likely to __________.A)tear many troubled families apartB)contribute to enduring family tiesC)bring about a drop in the divorce rateD)cause a lot of conflicts in the family58.In the Great Depression many unhappy couples close to stick together becauseA)starting a new family would be hardB)they expected things would turn betterC)they wanted to better protect their kidsD)living separately would be too costly59.In addition to job losses. What stands in the way of unhappy couples getting a divorce?A)Mounting family debtsB)A sense of insecurityC)Difficulty in getting a loanD)Falling housing prices60.What will the current economic crisis eventually do to some married couples?A)It will force them to pull their efforts togetherB)It will undermine their mutual understandingC)It will help strengthen their emotional bondsD)It will irreparably damage their relationship61.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?A)The economic recovery will see a higher divorce rateB)Few couples can stand the test of economic hardshipsC)A stable family is the best protection against poverty.D)Money is the foundation of many a happy marriage57. B. 58. C. 59. D. 60. C. 61. D.People are being lured (引诱)onto Facebook with the promise of a fun, free service without realizing they're paying for it by giving up toads of personal information. Facebook then attempts to make money by selling their data to advertisers that want to send targeted messages.Most Facebook users don't realize this is happening. Even if they know what the company is up to, they still have no idea what they're paying for Face book because people don't really know what their personal data is worth.The biggest problem, however, is that the company keeps changing the rules Early on you keep everything private. That was the great thing about facebook you could create own little private network. Last year. The company changed its privacy rules so that many things you city. Your photo, your friends' names-were set, by default (默认)to be shared with every one on the Internet.According to Facebook's vice-president Elliot Schrage, the company is simply making changes to improve its service, and if people don't share information They have a "less satisfying experience".Some critics think this is more about Facebook looking to make more money. In original business model, which involved selling ads and putting then At the side of the pages totally Who wants to took at ads when they're online connecting with their friends?The privacy issue has already landed Facebook in hot water in Washington. In April. Senator Charles Schumer called on Facebook to change its privacy policy. He also urged the Federal Trade Commission to set guidelines for social-networking sites."I think the senator rightly communicated that we had not been clear about what the new products were and how people could choose to use them or not to use them," Schrage admits.I suspect that whatever Facebook has done so far to invade our privacy, it's only the beginning. Which is why I'm considering deactivating(撤销)my account. Facebook is a handy site, but I'm upset by the idea that my information is in the hands of people I don't That's too high a price to pay.62.What do we learn about Facebook from the first paragraph?A)It is a website that sends messages to targeted users.B)It makes money by putting on advertisements.C)It profits by selling its users' personal data.D)It provides loads of information to its users.63.What does the author say about most Facebook users?A)They are reluctant to give up their personal information.B)They don't know their personal data enriches Facebook.C)They don't identify themselves when using the website.D)They care very little about their personal information.64.Why does Facebook make changes to its rules according to Elliot Schrage?A)To render better service to its users.B)To conform to the Federal guidelines.C)To improve its users' connectivity.D)To expand its scope of business.65.Why does Senator Charles Schumer advocate?A)Setting guidelines for advertising on websites.B)Banning the sharing of users' personal information.C)Formulating regulations for social-networking sites.D)Removing ads from all social-networking sites.66.Why does the author plan to cancel his Facebook account?A)He is dissatisfied with its current service.B)He finds many of its users untrustworthy.C)He doesn't want his personal data abused.D)He is upset by its frequent rule changes.62. D) 63. C) 64. C) 65. B) 66. C)2011年12月全国大学英语四级考试试题Boys' schools are the perfect place to teach young men to express their emotions and involve them in activities such as art, dance and music.Far from the traditional image of a culture of aggressive masculinity (阳刚), the absence of girls gives boys the chance to develop without pressure to conform to a stereotype. a US study says.Boys at single-sex schools were said to be more likely to get involved in cultural and artistic activities that helped develop their emotional expressiveness, rather than feeling they had to conform to the "boy code" of hiding their emotions to be a "real man".The findings of the study so against received wisdom that boys do better when taught alongside girls.Tony Little, headmaster of Eton, warned that boys were being faded by the British education system because it had become too focused on girls. He criticized teachers for failing to recognize that boys are actually more emotional than girls.The research argued that boys often perform badly in mixed schools because they become discouraged when their female peers do better earlier in speaking and reading skills.But in single-sex schools teachers can tailor lessons to boys' learning style, letting them move around the classroom and getting them to compete in teams to prevent boredom, wrote the study's author, Abigail James, of the University of Virginia.Teachers could encourage boys to enjoy reading and writing with "boy-focused" approaches such as themes and characters that appeal to them. Because boys generally have more acute vision learn best through touch, and are physically more active, they need to be given "hands-on" lessons where they are allowed to walk around. "Boys in mixed schools view classical music as feminine (女性的) and prefer the modem genre (类型) in which violence and sexism are major themes, "James wrote.Single-sex education also made it less likely that boys would feel they had to conform to a stereotype that men should be "masterful and in charge" in relationships. "In mixed schools boys feel compelled to act like men before theyunderstand themselves well enough to know what that means, " the study reported.57. The author believes that a single-sex school would ____ .A) force boys to hide their emotions to be "real men"B) help to cultivate masculine aggressiveness in boysC) encourage boys to express their emotions more freelyD) naturally reinforce in boys the traditional image of a man58. It is commonly believed that in a mixed school boys _____ .A) Perform relatively better C) behave more responsiblyB) grow up more healthily D) receive a better education59. What does Tony Little say about the British education system?A) It fails more boys than girls academically.B) It focuses more on mixed school education.C) It fails to give boys the attention they need.D) It places more pressure on boys than on girls.60. According to Abigail James, one of the advantages of single-sex schools is ______.A) teaching can be tailored to suit the characteristics of boysB) boys can focus on their lessons without being distractedC) boys can choose to learn whatever they are interested inD) teaching can be designed to promote boys' team spirit61. Which of the following is characteristic of boys according to Abigail James' report?A) They enjoy being in charge. C) They have sharper vision.B) They conform to stereotypes. D) They are violent and sexist.57—61 CACACIt's an annual argument. Do we or do we not go on holiday? My partner says no because the boiler could go, or the roof fall off and we have no savings to save us. I say you only live once and we work hard and what's the point if you can't go on holiday. The joy of a recession means no argument next year - we just won't go.Since money is known to be one of the things most likely to bring a relationship to its knees, we should be grateful. For many families the recession means more than not booking a holiday A YouGov poll of 2, 000 people found 22% said they were arguing more with their partners because of concerns about money. What's less clear is whether divorce and separation rates rise in a recession - financial pressures mean couples argue more but make splitting up less affordable. A recent research shows arguments about money were especially damaging to couples. Disputes were characterized by intense verbal ( 言语上的) aggression, tended to be repeated and not resolved and made men, more than women, extremely angry.Kim Stephenson, an occupational psychologist, believes money is such a big deal because of what it symbolizes, which may be different things to men and women. "People can say the same things about money but have different ideas of what it's for." he explains. "They'll say it's to save to spend, for security, for freedom, to show someone you love them." He says men are more likely to see money as a way of buying status and of showing their parents that they've achieved something."The biggest problem is that couples assume each other know what's going onwith their finances, but they don't. There seems to be more of a taboo (禁忌) about talking about money than about death. But you both need to know what you're doing, who's paying what into the joint account and how much you keep separately. In a healthy relationship, you don't have to agree about money, but you have to talk about it."62. What does the author say about vacationing?A) People enjoy it all the more during a recession.B) Few people can afford it without working hard.C) It makes all the hard work worthwhile.D) It is the chief cause of family disputes.63. What does the author mean by saying "money is known ... to bring a relationship to its knees"(Line 1, Para. 2)?A) Money is considered to be the root of all evils.B) Some people sacrifice their dignity for money.C) Few people can resist the temptation of money.D) Disputes over money may rain a relationship.64. The YouGov poll of 2, 000 people indicates that in a recession ______ .A) conflicts between couples tend to riseB) it is more expensive for couples to split upC) couples show more concern for each otherD) divorce and separation rates increase65. What does Kim Stephenson believe?A) Money is often a symbol of a person's status.B) Money means a great deal to both and women.C) Men and women spend money on different things.D) Men and women view money in different ways.66. The author suggests at the end of the passage that couples should ______ .A) put their money together instead of keeping it separatelyB) make efforts to reach agreement on their family budgetsC) discuss money matters to maintain a healthy relationshipD) avoid arguing about money matters to remain romantic62—66 CDADC2011年6月大学英语四级真题Several recent studies have found that being randomly (随机地) assigned to a roommate of another race can lead to increased tolerance but also to a greater likelihood (可能性)of conflict.Recent reports found that lodging with a student of a different race may decrease prejudice and compel students to engage in more ethnically diverse friendships.An Ohio State University study also found that black students living with a white roommate saw higher academic success throughout their college careers. Researchers believe this may be caused by social pressure.In a New York Times article, Sam Boakye –the only black student on his freshman。