专四阅读理解练习1
As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with store rooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them "pueblos", which is Spanish for town.
The people of the pueblos raised what are called"the three sisters" - corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain.
The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou.
The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison, commonly called the buffalo. Its meat was the chief food of these tribes, and its hide was used to make their clothing and covering of their tents and tipis.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The architecture of early American Indian buildings.
B. The movement of American Indians across North America.
C. Ceremonies and rituals of American Indians.
D. The way of life of American Indian tribes in early North America.
2. It can be inferred from the passage that the dwellings of the Hopi and Zuni were______.
A. very small
B. highly advanced
C. difficult to defend
D. quickly constructed
■答案■
答案：
1. D) 根据阅读短文可知，作者主要描述了北美地区不同印第安部落的不同的生活方式。故选项D为正确答案。
2. B) 此题为推断题。根据文章第一段可知，早在一千年前Hopi和Zuni两支北美印第安部落就用一种砖坯“adobe”来建造房屋，高可达四层楼高，有居住室还有储藏室，颇像现代的公寓，故选项B（高度发达）为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习2
Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood.
Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily. Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines. The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.
1. The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it ______.
A. was one of the first tools
B. developed human capabilities
C. led to the invention of machines
D. was crucial to the development of mankind
2. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in future is ______.
A. disastrous
B. unpredictable
C. exciting
D. colorful
■答案■
答案：
1. D) 这是一道细节题。根据文章第二段尾句
“Some scientists say that it was the key to the success of mankind”
可知“stone chip”对于人类的发展起到了非常重要的作用，这与D正好相符。
2. B) 在文章最后一段中作者说人类在过去的几百万年时间
里一直使用“stone chip”，人类社会发生的变化很小。
而我们使用“silicon chips”才不过几年，生活却发生了巨大的变化。
于是作者发出了疑问：“二十年后的生活会是什么样子的呢？”，
“ 二百万年后的世界又会是什么样子呢？”，
表明将来的生活无法预料，这与选项B相符。
专四阅读理解练习3
Glacier National Park in Montana shares boundaries with Canada, an American Indian reservation, and a national forest. Along the North Fork of the Flathead River, the park also borders about 17,000 acres of private lands that are currently used for ranching, timber, and agriculture. This land is an important part of the habitat and migratory routes for several endangered species that frequent the park. These private lands are essentially the only ones available for development in the region.
With encouragement from the park, local landowners initiated a land use planning effort to guide the future of the North Fork. The park is a partner in an inter local agreement that calls for resource managing agencies to work together and with the more than 400 private owners in the area. A draft plan has been prepared, with objective of maintaining traditional economic uses but limiting new development that would damage park resources. Voluntary action by landowners, in cooperation with the park and the county, is helping to restrict small lot subdivisions, maintain wildlife corridors, and minimize any harmful impact
on the environment.
The willingness of local landowners to participate in this protection effort may have been stimulated by concerns that congress would impose a legislative solution. Nevertheless, many local residents want to retain the existing character of the area. Meetings between park officials and landowners have led to a dramatically improved understanding of all concerns.
1. The passage mainly discusses______.
A. the endangered species in Glacier National Park
B. the protection of lands surrounding Glacier National Park
C. conservation laws imposed by the state of Montana
D. conservation laws imposed by Congress
2. Why are the private lands surrounding Glacier National Park so important?
A. They function as a hunting preserve.
B. They are restricted to government use.
C. They are heavily populated.
D. They contain natural habitats of threatened species.
3. The relationship between park officials and neighboring landowners may best be described as______.
A. indifferent
B. intimate
C. cooperative
D. disappointing
4. It can be inferred from the passage that a major interest of the officials of Glacier National Park is to______.
A. limit land development around the park
B. establish a new park in Montana
C. influence national legislation
D. settle border disputes with Canada
■填空答案■
答案：
1. B) 这是一道主旨题。通过阅读文章可知，为了保护冰川国家公园的濒危物种和资源，公园当局和地方土地所有者制订了限制土地使用计划，故答案为B。
2. D) 这是一道细节题。根据第一段第三句“This land is an important part of the habita t and migratory routes for several endangered species that frequent the park.”（这片土地是非常重要的，因为这里是几种经常光顾此公园的濒危物种的栖息地和迁徙路线。）可知选项D 为正确答案。
3. C) 根据第二段可知，公园当局和地方土地所有者密切合作来保护资源，因此他们的关系是"cooperative" (合作性的)。
4. A) 这是一道推理题。根据第二段第三句和阅读全文，我们很容易就可以得到这样一个信息：为了保护自然资源和濒危物种，公园管理者限制那些会破坏资源的土地开发。因此选项A为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习4
About 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians and other people in the Near East began to use pictures as kind of writing. They drew simple pictures or signs to represent things and ideas, and also to represent the sounds of their language. The signs these people used became a kind of alphabet.
The Egyptians used to record information and to tell stories by putting picture writing and pictures together. When an important person died, scenes and stories from his life were painted and carved on the walls of the place where he was buried. Some of these pictures are like modern comic strip stories. It has been said that Egypt is the home of the comic strip. But, for the Egyptians, pictures still had magic power. So they did not try to make their way of writing simple. The ordinary people could not understand it.
By the year 1,000 BC, people who lived in the area around the Mediterranean Sea had developed a simpler system of writing. The signs they used were very easy to write, and there were fewer of them than in the Egyptian system. This was because each sign, or letter, represented only one sound in their language. The Greeks developed this system and formed the letters of the Greek alphabet. The Romans copied the idea, and the Roman alphabet is now used all over the world.
These days, we can write down a story, or record information, without using pictures. But we still need pictures of all kinds: drawing, photographs, signs and diagrams. We find them everywhere: in books and newspapers, in the street, and on the walls of the places where we live and work. Pictures help us to understand and remember things more easily, and they can make a story much more interesting.
1. Pictures of animals were painted on the walls of caves in France and Spain
because______.
A. the hunters wanted to see the pictures
B. the painters were animal lovers
C. the painters wanted to show imagination
D. the pictures were thought to be helpful
2. The Greek alphabet was simpler than the Egyptian system for all the following reasons EXCEPT that______.
A. the former was easy to write
B. there were fewer signs in the former
C. the former was easy to pronounce
D. each sign stood for only one sound
3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. The Egyptian signs later became a particular alphabet.
B. The Egyptians liked to write comic strip stories.
C. The Roman alphabet was developed from the Egyptian one.
D. The Greeks copied their writing system from the Egyptians.
4. In the last paragraph, the author thinks that pictures ______.
A. should be made comprehensible
B. should be made interesting
C. are of much use in our life
D. have disappeared from our life
1. D)根据文章第一段第五行“Perhaps the painters thought that their pictures would help them to catch these animals.”可知古代人以为在墙上画画会对他们有所帮助，故选项D为正确答案。
2. C)在做此类题时要注意题干的要求。通过阅读文章第四段很清楚就知道选项C “前者容易发音”在文中没有提及，故为正确答案。
3. A)可用排除法来做本题。通过阅读文章很清楚选项B和D为错误陈述。选项C “罗马字母是从埃及字母发展而来的”根据文章第四段第四，五句可知为错误论述，因此只有选项A为正确答案。
4. C)文章最后一段讲述了图画在今天的用途，故选项C为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习5
There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world, even the seasonal changes, as unpredictable, and they sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained or veiled the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.
Those who believed that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those rites contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances, and when the entire community did not participate, a clear division was usually made between the "acting area" and the "auditorium". In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and mimed the desired effect-success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun-as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.
Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The origins of theater.
B. The role of ritual in modern dance.
C. The importance of storytelling.
D. The variety of early religious activities.
2. What aspect of drama does the author discuss in the first paragraph?
A. The reason drama is often unpredictable.
B. The seasons in which dramas were performed.
C. The connection between myths and dramatic plots.
D. The importance of costumes in early drama.
3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a common element of theater and ritual?
A. Dance.
B. Costumes.
C. Music.
D. Magic.
4. According to the passage, what is the main difference between ritual and drama?
A. Ritual uses music whereas drama does not.
B. Ritual is shorter than drama.
C. Ritual requires fewer performers than drama.
D. Ritual has a religious purpose and drama does not.
5. The passage supports which of the following statements?
A. No one really knows how the theater began.
B. Myths are no longer represented dramatically.
C. Storytelling is an important part of dance.
D. Dramatic activities require the use of costumes.
1. A)这是一道主旨题。根据文章第一句“There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece.”及第三段第一句“Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling.”可知本文是讨论戏剧的起源的。故选项A为正确答案。
2. C)这也是一道主旨题。本题可用排除法来做。通过阅读第一段，首先很明显可将选项B和D排除；选项A（戏剧无法预测的原因）也不正确，故只有选项C（神话与戏剧情节的联系）为正确答案。
3. D)这是一道细节题。在做本题时要注意题干中的NOT。通过阅读文章很明显选项D Magic 为正确答案。
4. D)根据文章第二段可知尽管有人说戏剧起源于宗教仪式，但是它们还是有区别的，例如：戏剧演出“performances”要有合适的演出地点；戏剧表演时，“表演区”（“acting area”）和“观看区”（“auditorium”）有明显的分界线，另外表演戏剧还要有演员。而宗教仪式在进行过程中为了避免犯错误都是由宗教领袖来进行，由他们戴上面具，穿上服装来模仿其他人，动物或超自然的东西，做出一些动作以求达到一些目的，例如：在打猎或战斗中取得胜利，祈雨等。由此可判断宗教仪式都有一定的宗教目的，而戏剧却没有，这正符合选项D。
5. A)通过阅读文章可知，选项A 为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习6
Certainly no creature in the sea is odder than the common sea cucumber. All living creature，especially human beings，have their peculiarities，but everything about the little sea cucumber seems unusual. What else can be said about a bizarre animal that，among other eccentricities，eats mud，feeds almost continuously day and night but can live without eating for long periods，and can be poisonous but is considered supremely
edible by gourmets？
For some fifty million years，despite all its eccentricities，the sea cucumber has subsisted on its diet of mud. It is adaptable enough to live attached to rocks by its tube feet，under rocks in shallow water，or on the surface of mud flats. Common in cool water on both Atlantic and Pacific shores，it has the ability to suck up mud or sand and digest whatever nutrients are present.
Sea cucumbers come in a variety of colors，ranging from black to reddish brown to sand color and nearly white. One form even has vivid purple tentacles. Usually the creatures are cucumber shaped-hence their name-and because they are typically rock inhabitants，this shape，combined with flexibility，enables them to squeeze into crevices where they are safe from predators and ocean currents.
Although they have voracious appetites，eating day and night，sea cucumbers have the capacity to become quiescent and live at a low metabolic rate-feeding sparingly or not at all for long periods，so that the marine organisms that provide their food have a chance to multiply. If it were not for this faculty，they would devour all the food available in a short time and would probably starve themselves out of existence.
But the most spectacular thing about the sea cucumber is the way it defends itself. Its major enemies are fish and crabs，when attacked，it squirts all its internal organs into water. It also casts off attached structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber will eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked or even touched；it will do the same if the surrounding water temperature is too high or if the water becomes too polluted.
1. According to the passage，why is the shape of sea cucumbers important？
A. It helps them to digest their food.
B. It helps them to protect themselves from danger.
C. It makes it easier for them to move through the mud.
D. It makes them attractive to fish.
2. The fourth paragraph of the passage primarily discusses______.
A. the reproduction of sea cucumbers
B. the food sources of sea cucumbers
C. the eating habits of sea cucumbers
D. threats to sea cucumbers' existence
3. What can be inferred about the defence mechanisms of the sea cucumber？
A. They are very sensitive to surrounding stimuli.
B. They are almost useless.
C. They require group cooperation.
D. They are similar to those of most sea creatures.
4. Which of the following would NOT cause a sea cucumber to release its internal organs into the water？
A. A touch
B. Food
C. Unusually warm water
D. Pollution.
1. B）通过阅读文章可以排除选项A、C、D，因为文中没有提及，故选项B为正确答案。
2. C）此题为段落主旨题。通过阅读第四段可知作者都是讲述海参的进食习惯，故选项C为正确答案。
3. A）此题为推论题。根据最后一段可知海参在受到外界刺激时，会做出一定的反应，这也反映出它的防御机制非常敏感，故A为正确答案。
4. B）此题为细节题。根据最后一段可知惟有food不会使海参将体内器官吐出来，故其为正确答案。专四阅读理解练习7
Municipal sewage is of relatively recent origin as a pollutant. It was first brought to public attention in the 19th century by a London physician who showed that the city's cholera outbreak had been caused by just one contaminated well. Even though the contamination of drinking water by disease germs has been nearly eliminated in this country, hundreds of communities are still discharging raw sewage into streams and rivers. When we consider that this sewage contains effluents from toilets, hospitals, laundries,industrial plants, etc., then the potential of the pollutants as a health hazard is apparent.
The problem of municipal sewage disposal is complicated by the fact that, years ago, mostcities combined their storm and waste disposal sewers. Many of these combined systems work well, but others cannot cope with sudden heavy rains. When such storms occur, water mixed with sewage may flood and disable treatment plants unless bypassed, untreated, into a stream. In either case, the people may have little protection for several days from these wastes that may contain disease germs. Even if adequately treated to eliminate the health hazard, sewage is aesthetically undesirable because of odors and colors produced. Detergents have posed a particular disposal problem. Although there is no
indication that they are injurious to health, they can cause foaming, which can clog treatment plants and, at the least, spoil the scenic beauty of streams. Rural and suburban residents should be aware that septic tanks and cesspools are a potential source of pollution to ground water supplies. This is especially true in the suburban areas with a high population density and with no municipal sewage disposal and treatment system available. In some areas, sewage disposal is accomplished by cesspools. Soil research is furnishing guidelines for more effective and safer use of systems such as these.
1. This passage is concerned primarily with the _____ .
A. problems of waste disposal
B. dangers of drinking from wells
C. turbidity of polluted water
D. outbreak of cholera
2. The author mentions the London cholera epidemic to _____ .
A. prove that the city refused to deal with pollution
B. prove that medical science once knew little about pollution
C. introduce the idea of contaminated water supplies
D. recall a historical fact
3. In densely populated suburban areas, a danger exits from _____ .
A. streams that do not flow directly to open bodies of water
B. cesspools and septic tanks that contaminate water supplies
C. storm and waste disposal sewers that have been combined
D. the undesirable odors of sewage
4. In developing the main point, the author makes use of _____ .
A. scientific arguments
B. convincing testimony
C. common sense observations
D. analogy
1.A。此题为主旨题。线索词为"sewage"、"pollutant"、"sewage disposal"等，这些词贯穿文章始终，可见A项符合题意。B、C、D三项皆为文中细节，不能反映主题。
2.C。此题为细节题。答案在第一段。线索词为"London cholera"。此题考查作者引用的目的。A项与文中所述事实相反。B项文中未涉及此话题。D项"London cholera"是一个"historical fact"，却不是作者引用之目的。
3. B。此题为细节题。答案在最后一段的主题句中。线索词为"suburban"、"source of pollution"和"ground water"。
4. C。此题为篇章结构题。作者首先提出排污系统为污染源，然后通过观察、分析、归纳来阐述观点，而没用A项"科学论证"、B项"令人信服的证据"或D项"类比"。
专四阅读理解练习8
Certainly no creature in the sea is odder than the common sea cucumber. All living creature, especially human beings, have their peculiarities, but everything about the little sea cucumber seems unusual. What else can be said about a bizarre animal that, among other eccentricities, eats mud, feeds almost continuously day and night but can live without eating for long periods, and can be poisonous but is considered supremely edible by gourmets? For some fifty million years, despite all its eccentricities, the sea cucumber has subsisted on its diet of mud. It is adaptable enough to live attached to rocks by its tube feet, under rocks in shallow water, or on the surface of mud flats.
Common in cool water on both Atlantic and Pacific shores, it has the ability to suck up mud or sand and digest whatever nutrients are present. Sea cucumbers come in a variety of colors, ranging from black to reddish brown to sand color and nearly white. One form even has vivid purple tentacles. Usually the creatures are cucumber shaped—hence their name—and because they are typically rock inhabitants, this shape, combined with flexibility, enables them to squeeze into crevices where they are safe from predators and ocean currents. Although they have voracious appetites, eating day and night, sea cucumbers have the capacity to become quiescent and live at a low metabolic rate—feeding sparingly or not at all for long periods, so that the marine organisms that provide their food have a chance to multiply. If it were not for this faculty, they would devour all the food available in a short time and would probably starve themselves out of existence. But the most spectacular thing about the sea cucumber is the way it defends itself. Its major enemies are fish and crabs, when attacked, it squirts all its internal organs into water. It also casts off attached structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber will eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked or even touched; it will do the same if the surrounding water temperature is too high or if the water becomes too polluted.
20. According to the passage, why is the shape of sea cucumbers important?
A. It helps them to digest their food.
B. It helps them to protect themselves from danger.
C. It makes it easier for them to move through the mud.
D. It makes them attractive to fish.
21. The fourth paragraph of the passage primarily discusses ____ .
A. the reproduction of sea cucumbers
B. the food sources of sea cucumbers
C. the eating habits of sea cucumbers
D. threats to sea cucumbers’ existence
22. What can be inferred about the defence mechanisms of the sea cucumber?
A. They are very sensitive to surrounding stimuli.
B. They are almost useless.
C. They require group cooperation.
D. They are similar to those of most sea creatures.
23. Which of the following would NOT cause a sea cucumber to release its internal organs into the water?
A. A touch.
B. Food.
C. Unusually warm water.
D. Pollution.
20. B)通过阅读文章可以排除选项A、C、D，因为文中没有提及，故选项B为正确答案。
21. C)此题为段落主旨题。通过阅读第四段可知作者都是讲述海参的进食习惯，故选项C为正确答案。
22. A)此题为推论题。根据最后一段可知海参在受到外界刺激时，会做出一定的反应，这也反映出它的防御机制非常敏感，故A为正确答案。
23. B)此题为细节题。根据最后一段可知惟有food不会使海参将体内器官吐出来，故其为正确答案。专四阅读理解练习9
Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago.
They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood. Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily.
Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines.The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind. Since 1960 a new kind of tool has appeared. This is the silicon chip—a little chip of silicon crystal. It is smaller than a fingernail, but it can store more than a million“bits” of information. It is an electronic brain. Every year these chips get cleverer, but their size gets smaller, and their cost gets less.
They are used in watches, calculators and intelligent machines that we can use in many ways. In the future we will not need to work with tools in the old way. Machines will do everything for us. They will even talk and play games with us. People will have plenty of spare time. But what will they do with it? Human beings used stone chips for more than two million years, but human life changed very little in that time. We have used silicon chips for only a few years, but life is changing faster every day. What will life be like twenty years from now? What will the world be like two million years from now?
24. The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it ______.
A. was one of the first tools
B. developed human capabilities
C. led to the invention of machines
D. was cruci al to the development of mankind
25. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in future is ______.
A. disastrous
B. unpredictable
C. exciting
D. colorfu l
解析和答案
24. D)这是一道细节题。根据文章第二段尾句“Some scientists say that it was the key to the success of mankind”可知“stone chip”对于人类的发展起到了非常重要的作用，这与D正好相符。
25. B)在文章最后一段中作者说人类在过去的几百万年时间里一直使用“stone chip”，人类社会发生的变化很校而我们使用“silicon chips”才不过几年，生活却发生了巨大的变化。于是作者发出了疑问：“二十年后的生活会是什么样子的呢？”，“二百万年后的世界又会是什么样子呢？”，表明将来的生活无法预料，这与选项B相符。
专四阅读理解练习10
California is a land of variety and contrast. Almost every type of physical land feature, sort of arctic ice fields and tropical jungles can be found within its borders. Sharply contrasting types of land often lie very close to one another. People living in Bakersfield, for instance, can visit the Pacific Ocean and the coastal plain, the fertile San Joaquin Valley, the arid Mojave Desert, and the high Sierra Nevada, all within a radius of about 100 miles.
In other areas it is possible to go snow skiing in the morning and surfing in the evening of the same day, without having to travel long distance.
Contrast abounds in California. The highest point in the United States (outside Alaska) is in California, and so is the lowest point (including Alaska).Mount Whitney, 14,494 feet above
PART Ⅱ READING COMPREHENSION ［25 MIN.］ In this section there are four passages followed by fifteen questions or unfinished statements, each with four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the correct answer.Mark your choice on your ANSWER SHEET. TEXT A As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with storerooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them “pueblos”, which is Spanish for town.The people of the pueblos raised what are called “the three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain. The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou. The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison, commonly called the buffalo. Its meat was the chief food of these tribes, and its hide was used to make their clothing and covering of their tents and tipis. 16. What does the passage mainly discuss? A. The architecture of early American Indian buildings. B. The movement of American Indians across North America. C. Ceremonies and rituals of American Indians. D. The way of life of American Indian tribes in early North America. 17. It can be inferred from the passage that the dwellings of the Hopi and Zuni were ___ A. very small B. highly advanced C. difficult to defend D. quickly constructed TEXT B Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth’s surface. But earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much. In comparison with the total number of earthquakes each year, the number of disastrous earthquakes is very small.[JP] The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an erect set, it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in Agadir, Morocco, was not strong enough to be recorded on distant instruments, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done
阅读短文，按要求作答。 （一） 滴水穿石 雨越下越大，本来我要到同学家去学习，这下只好拉倒了。我坐在门口，看着瓢泼大雨出神。爸爸喊我：“你看，雨水都溅在身上了。”我没理会，却好像发现了什么奇妙的东西：“爸爸，你看！屋檐下的石头，怎么隔着一段距离，就有一个小窝？”爸爸还没有回答，我就自己解释说：“爸爸，我知道了，那是让屋檐滴下的雨水打的。”“是吗？”爸爸故意惊奇地问：“雨水有那么大的尽儿，把石头打出窝窝来？”爸爸这一问，我也愣住了。 爸爸见我答不出，就走过来笑着说：“这叫‘水滴石穿’。咱们这房子已有几十年了，雨点的力量虽小，可是长年累月，它总滴到一个地方，渐渐地就打出小窝来了。”接着，爸爸又说，“无论干什么事情，只要有这种滴水穿石的精神，就一定会成功的。”‖ 听了爸爸的话，我心里想：“要永远记住‘滴水穿石’的启发。”‖ 1、用“‖”给文章分段。 2、给本文命一个合适的题目，写在文章前面的横线上。 3、“我”发现了什么美妙的东西？（用“”划出文中的句子回答。） 4、用“————”标出有关的句子，来说明这篇文章告诉我们的道理。 5、联系这篇文章回答： ⑴爸爸为什么要“故意”地发问？ _____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________ ⑵读了这篇文章后你得到什么启发？ _____做任何事都要有恒心，只要长年累月地努力去做，就一定能成功。 （二） 家乡的小河（10分） 在我家院子的后面，流淌着一条清澈的小河。它是宁静的，宛如明镜一般，倒映着红色的花，绿色的树；她又是活泼可爱的，层层鳞浪随风而起，伴着跳跃的阳光在舞蹈，舞姿优美得就像天空的七彩绸。 小河的早晨是迷人的。绚丽的晨曦中，刚刚苏醒的小河揉了揉眼睛，好奇地张望她周围的新鲜东西。这时水绿得像玉，霞红得似胭脂，袅袅上升的雾气像洁白的羽纱，轻掩着小河姑娘那羞涩的脸蛋。 太阳爬上了树梢，把自己的身躯映在河水中，欣赏着火红的脸庞。一群白鹅开始了“曲项向天歌”“红掌拨轻波”的嬉戏。鱼儿凑趣地跳跃着，翻起了一个个跟头，顿时河面上鳞光闪闪。中午的小河真是活泼极了。 傍晚小河真可爱。夕阳西下，太阳把余晖洒在河面上，小河里这处红，那处绿。又一阵风来，倒映着的泥岸和成排的桑树、桃树，都乱成灰暗的一片，像醉汉，可一会儿又站定了。 小河的夜晚可静啦。喧闹了一天的小河带着倦意入睡了，她像凝固了一般，躺在那
专四阅读理解练习1 As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with store rooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them "pueblos", which is Spanish for town. The people of the pueblos raised what are called"the three sisters" - corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain. The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou. The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison,
阅读理解训练题 一、四年级语文阅读理解练习 1．阅读文章，回答问题。 讲故事的人和羊（节选） 从前，有一位国王，身边有一个讲故事的人。只要国王躺下休息，他就得给国王讲五个故事。这对日理万机的国王来说，简直是最舒服的休息和莫大的享受。 一天晚上，国王上床后久久不能入睡，那天料理的一些大事老是萦绕在他的脑际，使他无法平静。于是，他命令讲故事的人比平时再多讲几个。那个人多讲了三个故事。国王不满地说：“你尽给我讲些短的，我倒很想听一个比较长的故事。快讲吧，讲完你再去睡觉。” 讲故事的人开始说了：“从前有一个挺富的农夫，带着上千磅的钱币，到集市上买了两千只羊。他赶着这许多羊回家，途中经过的一条河因暴雨而上涨了。他寻找着带羊过河的办法，好不容易才找到一只小船。船太小了，每次只能带一只大羊或两只小羊过河。这个农夫便开始将羊儿一只接一只地摆渡过河。” 刚说完这句话，讲故事的人便当着国王的面睡着了。国王马上摇醒他，要他把这个故事讲完。讲故事的人说：“陛下，这条河相当宽，而船又很小。这里总共有两千只羊，得先让这个农夫将所有的羊都送过河去，然后，我才能告诉你，后来农夫和羊的情况如何了。”国王只好罢休，同意讲故事的人回去睡觉。 （选自《欧洲寓言故事》，陕西师范大学出版社）（1）从文中找出下列词语的近义词。 舒适—________ 环绕—________ 处理—________ 允许—________ （2）“日理万机”在文中指的是________，现在多用来形容________。 （3）国王不让讲故事的人去睡觉的原因是什么？________后来为什么又让了呢？________ （4）读了这个故事，你得到了什么启示呢？ 【答案】（1）舒服；萦绕；料理；同意 （2）国王每天要处理纷繁的政务；工作繁重或者工作非常勤奋； （3）国王不让讲故事的人去睡觉的原因是那天料理了一些大事，使他无法平静；后来又让了是因为讲故事的人讲了一个很长的故事，故事里的农夫要把两千只羊摆渡过河，才能继续讲后面的发展。 （4）我们做事情要适可而止，不可做过了头。 【解析】【分析】（1）本题主要考查对近义词的辨析能力。近义词，是指词汇意义相同或相近的词语，解答本题，要理解词语的意思，然后找出所给词语的近义词。（2）词语理解的考查。认真阅读短文，联系上下文，正确理解词义。（3）考查对课文内容的理解能力。解答时要带着问题读课文整体感知文章内容，再用简洁的语言概括出来即可。（4）本题考查概括文章给人的启示和道理。学生通过感知文本内容，继而理解文本的中心主题以及作
4) For a long time, researchers have tried to nail down just what shapes us--or what, at least, shapes us most. And over the years, they've had a lot of exclamation moments. First it was our parents, particularly our mothers. Then it was our genes. Next it was our peers, who show up last but hold great sway. And all those ideas were good ones--but only as far as they went. Somewhere, there was a sort of temperamental dark matter exerting an invisible gravitational pull of its own. More and more, scientists are concluding that this unexplained force is our siblings. From the time we are born, our brothers and sisters are our collaborators and co-conspirators, our role models and cautionary tales. They are our scolds, protectors, goads, tormentors, playmates, counselors, sources of envy, objects of pride. They teach us how to resolve conflicts and how not to; how to conduct friendships and when to walk away from them. Sisters teach brothers about the mysteries of girls; brothers teach sisters about the puzzle of boys. Our spouses arrive comparatively late in our lives; our parents eventually leave us. Our siblings may be the only people we'll ever know who truly qualify as partners for life. "Siblings," says family sociologist Katherine Conger, "are with us for the whole journey." Within the scientific community, siblings have not been wholly ignored, but research has been limited mostly to discussions of birth order．Older sibs were said to be strivers；younger ones rebels；middle kids the lost souls．The stereotypes were broad，if not entirely untrue，and there the discussion mostly ended． But all that’s changin9．At research centers in the U．S．，Canada，Europe and elsewhere，investigators are launching a wealth of new studies into the sibling dynamic，looking at ways brothers and sisters steer one another int0—or away from--risky behavior how they form a protective buffer(减震器)against family upheaval；how they educate one another about the opposite sex；how all siblings compete for family recognition and come to terms--or blows--over such impossibly charged issues as parental favoritism． From that research，scientists are gaining intriguing insights into the people we become as adults．Does the manager who runs a harmonious office call on the peacemaking skills learned in the family playroom? Does the student struggling with a professor who plays favorites summon up the coping skills acquired from dealing with a sister who was Daddy’s girl? Do husbands and wives benefit from the inter—gender negotiations they waged when their most important partners were their sisters and brothers? All that is under investigation．“Siblings have just been o ff the radar screen until now，”says Conger．But today serious work is revealing exactly how our brothers and sisters influence us．1．The beginning of the passage indicates that A．researchers have found out what shapes us．B．our peer is the last factor influencing us． C．what researchers found contributes in a limited way． D．what researchers found is good and trustworthy．2．In the third paragraph, the author tries to demonstrate that our siblings A．offer us much useful information． B．have great influences on us． C．are the ones who love us completely． D．accompany us throughout our life． 3．In scientific community, previous research on siblings A．mostly focused on the sibling order． B．studied the characteristics of the kids． C．studied the matter in a broad sense． D．wasn’t believable and the discussion ended． 4．Which of the following is NOT sibling dynamic? A．A brother cautions his sister against getting into trouble． B．Sisters have quarrels with each other． C．Siblings compete for parental favoritism． D．Older kids in a family try hard to achieve． 5．From the last paragraph，we can conclude that A．managers learned management skills from the family playroom． B．spouses learned negotiation skills from their siblings． C．studies on siblings are under the way。 D．studies on siblings need thorough investigation． 5) What comes to mind when you hear the word--diversity? Issues of race or gender may spring to mind．Equal rights? Or minority issues? I encourage people to look at a much wider definition of the word．1 would tend to say diversity is “differentness” in any form．A good example of this kind of diversity has been experienced by every person who ever left behind the comforts of home and moved into uncharted territory．Issues of diversity are informed not only by your cultural background and context，but also by your religion，age，field of work，family situation，personality，and countless other factors that make us unique．Diversity affects everyone．
秋天的思考 秋天，金色的秋天，是五谷丰登的美好时光，是百果飘香的幸福日子。 走进银镰翻搅金波的稻田谷地，你可能会想到这丰硕成果得来不易。那犁翻曙光、耧摇夜色的春耕春播，那足蒸暑气、头顶烈日的夏锄夏灌，那面朝黄土背朝天的间苗除草，那一身力气百斤汗的施肥杀虫。 走进果实压弯枝条的梨园、桃园、苹果林，你可能会想到由果核萌发、树苗破土，到大树参天、硕果满枝，这中间不但需要付出汗水和智慧，而且必须具备恒心和毅力。从事甜蜜事业的园丁们，却把事业的甜蜜奉献给别人品尝，他们实在是蜜蜂般的人啊！ 走进白杨遮天蔽日的林荫道，走进碧草铺毡的绿化地，再抬头遥望赤裸着肌肤的山峦，再想到山后那寸草不生的荒原。你一定会听到远山的呼唤：给我树种！给我草籽！给我鸟语！给我花香！我要收获！我要贡献！啊，亲爱的红领巾，现在你站在前人栽种的树阴下乘凉，你不会不想到自己的责任吧！ 少年，是人生的春天，愿大家在思考中成长，在成长中思考，一步步走向秋天，走向成熟…… 1、“犁翻曙光、耧摇夜色”是说在春耕、春播中，农民天蒙蒙亮就下田干活，天黑还不收工这一意思。用一个成语来表示（） 2、“一身力气百斤汗”是说农民在是非杀虫的劳动中肯出力，流汗多。
这一意思可用一个成语来表示（） 3、问答： （1）稳重“甜蜜的事业”和“事业的甜蜜”分别指什么？ （2）“站在前人栽种的树阴下乘凉的“含义是什么？ 答案： 1、早出晚归 2、汗流浃背 3、（1）在果园里辛勤劳动/通过劳动收获了丰盛的果实（2）享受着前辈辛苦劳动所得的成果 梨花满咸阳 咸阳街头的梨花开了。 雪白雪白的梨花，多么素净，又多么纯洁。它那小小的嫩黄的叶芽儿在春风里舒展着，那一簇簇一簇簇的花朵，在叶芽儿中开放着，嫩黄衬托着雪白，和谐极了，醒目极了。如果一株一株地看，那花朵，就像无数的浪花儿；如果站在远处眺望，它就像雪白雪白的项链，xu2n gu4（）在这新兴古城的脖颈上。 哦，这使得咸阳增色生辉的花朵！‖ 咸阳街道的梨树挂满了果，金钟一般的梨子啊，那香甜的味儿，在街道弥漫，在窗口缭绕，然而却没有一个人伸手去摘。即使它跌落在地上，也会有人捡拾起来，送到应交去的地方……
2010年专业四级英语真题（翻译） Passage 4（翻译） Cultural rules determine every aspect of food consumption. Who eats together defines social units. For example, in some societies, the nuclear family is the unit that regularly eats together. The anthropologist Mary Douglas has pointed out that, for the English, the kind of meal and the kind of food that is served relate to the kinds of social links between people who are eating together. She distinguishes between regular meals, Sunday meals when relatives may come, and cocktail parties for relatives and friends. The food served symbolizes the occasion and reflects who is present. For example, only snacks are served at a cocktail party. It would be inappropriate to serve a steak or hamburgers. The distinctions among cocktails, regular meals, and special dinners mark the social boundaries between those guests who are invited for drinks, those who are invited to dinner, and those who come to a family meal. In this example, the type of food symbolizes the category of guest and with whom it is eaten. In some New Guinea societies, the nuclear family is not the unit that eats together. The men take their meals in a men’s house, separately from their wives and children. W omen prepare and eat their food in their own houses and take the husband’s portion to the
专业四级考试阅读理解模拟练习试题 As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe －sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably1 like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with store rooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense2 against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them pueblos3 , which is Spanish for town. The people of the pueblos raised what are called the three sisters - corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery4 and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain.
四年级写人阅读练习 一、《陈毅》 陈毅五岁半就在一家书塾读书。他学习成绩总是名列前茅，同学们都称他“小神童”。// 一天，毛老师来到陈毅家，看到他正在灶前一边烧火一边看书。因为他看书入了迷，火烧得太旺了，从锅里透出了糊味儿。妈妈刚从井边洗菜回来，发现米饭烧糊了，气得火冒三丈，抄起刷子，就往灶前冲去。“不要打孩子！”毛老师连忙劝阻，“饭烧糊了，可以将就吃，这孩子专心用功，我就喜欢。”说着，毛老师又亲切地对陈毅说：“以后做事，要多多留心！”陈毅点点头。毛老师从陈毅手里那过书一看，原来是一篇还未教的课文，他已经用笔在上面画了许多圈圈点点。毛老师惊奇地问：“这些符号是什么意思？” 陈毅回答说：“打圈圈的，是懂得的；打半圈圈的，不太明白，等老师讲明白了，再打圈圈；打墨点的是生字。原来陈毅每次听课前，总要把新的课文先预习一下，把生字和不懂的词勾画出来。听课时，格外留心，再抓住不懂的地方，便直接向老师提出问题。毛老师十分高兴地称赞道：“真是一个很好的学习方法。今天我总算发现了你学习成绩好的‘秘诀’。人们称赞你是‘小神童’，说你天资聪明，其实更重要的是你勤奋，你真正懂得了‘学问学问，多学多问’的道理！”// 1．短文已用“//”分为两段，写出每段的段意。（6分） 第一段： 第二段： 2．同学们都称赞陈毅为“小神童”的原因有两点：（4分） （1） （2） 3．“学问学问，多学多问”中的“学问”指，（2分）“多学多问”的好处是。（3分） 4．“秘诀”的意思是？用“”在文中划出具体描写陈毅学习成绩好的秘诀的语句。（4分） 5、加下划画的句子把妈妈生气时的动作写得惟妙惟肖，你能将妈妈高兴 ．．时候的动作写出来吧！至少要有4个连续的动词哦！（6分） ㈡成全善良 李文勇 那是三月里的一天，我去医院看望一个生病的朋友。 因为是双休日，等公交车的人很多，在我旁边站着一个老人和他的女儿，听他们的对话，是陪老人去医院看病的，正好跟我同路。 那个女儿为了不让人群碰撞到父亲，一手在前面挡着人群，一手搀着父亲的胳膊上车。车上早就人满为患，这时一个姑娘站了起来，微笑着对那位老人说：“大爷，您来这里坐吧！”可那位老人却说：“谢谢了，姑娘，我站站没关系，你坐吧！”那女儿也说父亲身体硬朗着，站站就到了！ 那个姑娘似乎没想到会这样，有些尴尬，再次说：“您坐吧，大爷！”那个女儿似乎还想说什么，只见老人拉了拉她的手，说：“好好，那就太谢谢你了！”说完，慢慢走到座位前微笑着坐下，那位姑娘流露出笑意。但我发现那个女儿明显
英语专业四级考试阅读理解训练（一） Passage One Computers monitor everything in Singapore from soil composition to location of manholes. At the airport, it took just 15 seconds for the computerized immigration system to scan and approve my passport. It takes only one minute to be checked into a public hospital. By 1998, almost every household will be wired for interactive cable TV and the Internet, the global computer network. Shoppers will be able to view and pay for products electronically. A 24-hour community telecomputing network will allow users to communicate with elected representatives and retrieve information about government services. It is all part of the government’s plan to transform the nation into what it calls the ―Intelligent Island‖. In so many ways, Singapore has elevated the concept of efficiency to a kind of national ideology. For the past ten years, Singapore’s work force was rated the best in the world—ahead of Japan and the U. S. –In terms of productivity, skill and attitude by the Business Environment Risk Intelligence service. Behind the ―Singapore miracle‖ is a man Richard Nixon described as one of ―the ablest leaders I have met,‖ one who, ―in other times and other places, might have attained the world stature of a Churchill.‖ Lee Kuan Yew led Sing apore’s struggle for independence in the 1950s, serving as Prime Minister from 1959 until 1990. Today (1995), at 71, he has nominally retired to the office of Senior Minister, where he continues to influence his country’s future. Lee offered companies tax breaks, political stability, cheap labor and strike-free environment. Nearly 90 percent of Singaporean adults now own their own homes and thanks to strict adherence to the principle of merit, personal opportunities abound. ―If you’ve got talent and work hard, you can be anything here,‖ says a Malaysian-born woman who holds a high-level civil-service position. Lee likes to boast that Singapore has avoided the ―moral breakdown‖ of Western countries. He attributes his nation’s success to strong family ties, a reliance on education as the engine of advancement and social philosophy that he claims is superior to America’s. In an interview with Reader’s Digest, he said that the United States has ―lost its bearings‖ by emphasizing individual rights at the expense of society. ―An ethical society,‖ he said, ―is one which matches human rights with responsibilities.‖ 1. What characterizes Singapore’s advancement is its___. A. computer monitoring B. work efficiency C. high productivity D. value on ethics 2. Fr om Nixon’s perspective, Lee is___. A. almost as great as Churchill B. not as great as Churchill C. only second to Churchill in being a leader D. just as great as Churchill 3. In the last paragraph, ―lost its bearings‖ may mean___. A. become impatient B. failed to find the right position C. lost its foundation D. grown band-mannered 4. ―Y ou can be anything here‖（Paragraph 5）may be paraphrased as___. A. Y ou can hope for a very bright prospect. B. Y ou may be able to do anything needed. C. Y ou can choose any job as you like. D. Y ou will become an outstanding worker. 5. In Singapore, the concept of efficiency___. A. has been emphasized throughout the country. B. has become an essential quality for citizens to aim at. C. is brought forward by the government in order to compete with America. D. is known as the basis for building the ―Intelligent Island.‖