英语四级阅读题库含答案解析

英语四级阅读试题及答案详解1Reading is thought to be a kind of conversation between the reader and the text. The reader puts questions, as it were, to the text and gets answers. In the light of these he puts __1__ questions, and so on.For most of the time this “conversation” goes on below the level of consciousness. At times, however, we become __2__ of it. This is usually when we are running into difficulties, when mismatch is occurring between __3__ and meaning. When successful matching is being experienced, our question of the text continues at the unconscious level.Different people __4__ with the text differently. Some stay very close to the words on the page, others take off imaginatively from the words, interpreting, criticizing, analyzing and examining. The former represents a kind of comprehension which is __5__ in the text. The latter represents __6__ levels of comprehension. The balance between these is important, especially for advanced readers.There is another conversation which from our point of view is __7__ important, and that is to do not with what is read but with how it is read. We call this a “process” conversation as __8__ to a “content” conversation. It is concerned not with meaning but with the __9__ we employ in reading. If we are an advanced reader our ability to hold aprocess conversation with a text is usually pretty well __10__. Not so our ability to hold a content conversation.A)opposed B)converse C)equally D)writtenE)developed F)strategies G)compared H)awakeI)higher J)expectations K)deal L)absolutelyM)aware N)better O)further参考答案及解析: 1. 选O ）。

As the pace of life continues to increase ,we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through lift,being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.Stress is an natural part of everyday lift and there is no way to avoid it. In fact ,it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be .A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation adn give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress,and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress,in whatever form,we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme,but however little the stress,it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long,through continued exposure to stress,that health becomes endangered.Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress.Since we cannot remove stress from our lives(it would be unwise to do so even if we could),we need to find ways to deal with it.1.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.a.they do not know how to enjoy themselvesb.they do not believe that relaxation is important for healthc.they are travelling fast all the timed.they are becoming busier with their work2.According to the writer ,the most important character for a good manager is his ________.a.not fearing stressb.knowing the art of relaxationc.high sense of responsibilityd.having control over performance3.Which of the follwing statements is ture?a.We can find some ways to avoid stressb.Stress is always harmful to peoplec.It is easy to change the hagit of keeping oneself busy with work.d.Different people can withstand different amounts of stress4.In Paragraph 3, "such a reaction" refers back to_______.a."making a choice between 'flight' or 'fight'"b."reaction to stress both chemically and physically"c."responding to crises quickly"d."losing heart at the signs difficulties"5.In the last sentence of the passage,"do so " refers to ______.a."expose ourselves to stress"b."find ways to deal with stress"c."remove stress from our lives"d."established links between diseases and stress"答案：dadbcIn the 1960s, many young Americans were dissatisfied with American society. They wanted to end the Vietnam War and to make all of the people in the U.S. epual. Some of them decided to "drop out" of American society and form their own societies . They formed utopian communities , which they called "communes," where they could follow their philosophy of "do your own thing." A group of artists founded a commune in southern Colorado called "Drop City." Following the ideas of philosopher and architect Buckminster Fuller they built domeshaped houses from pieces of old cars. Other groups, such as author Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, the followers fo San Francisco poet Steve Gakin, and a group that called itself the Hog Farm, lived in old school huses and traveled around the United States. The Hog Farm become famous when they helped organize the Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969. Steve Gaskin's followers tried to settle down on a farm in Tennessee, but they had to leave when some members of the gruop were arrested for growing marijuana.Not all communes believed in the philosophy of "do you own thing," however . Twin Oaks , a commune founded in Virgiania in the late 1960s, was based on the ideas of psychologist B.F.Skinner. The people who lived at Twin Oaks were carefully controlled by Skinner's "conditioning" techniques to do things that were good for the community. In 1972, Italian architect Paolo Soleri began to build Arcosanti, a utopian city Arizsona where 2500 people will live closely together in one large building called an "archology" Soleri believes that people must live closely together so that they will all become one.1.Why did some young Americans decide to "drop out" of scoiety during the 1960s?a.They were not satisfied with American society.b.They wanted to grow marijuana.c.They wanted to go to the Vietnam War.d.They did not want all people to be equal.2.Where did the members of the Hog Farm commune live?a.In dome-shaped houseb.In old school husesc.On a farm inTennesseed.In an archology in Arizona3.Who gave the people of Drop City the idea to bulid dome-shaped house?a.Paolo Solerib.B.G.Skinnerc.Steve Gaskind.Buckminster Fuller4.What was the Twin Oaks commune base on ?a.The philosophy of "do your own thing"b.Virginaia in the late 1960sc.The ideas of psychologistd.The belief that people must live closely togerher.5.What is an "archology"?a.A person who studies archaeologyb.A large building where people live closely togetherc.A city in A rizonad.A technique to contorl people答案：abdcbThere are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence. The first is the sort of brain he is born with. Human brains differ considerably, some being more capable than others. But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn. So the second factor is what happens to the individual—the sort of environment in which he is reared. If an individual is handicapped envionmentally ,it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable.The importance of environment in determining an individual's intellingence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark X. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth processes were the same. When the twins were three months old , their parents died, and they were placed in separate foster homes. Peter was reated by parents of low intelligence in an isolatedcommunity with poor educational pooprtunities.Mark was reared inthe home of well-to-do parents who had been to college. He was read to as a child , sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually.This enviromental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when they were giben tesets to measure their intelligence. Mark's I.Q. was 125, twenty-five points higher than the average and fully forty points higher than his identical brother. Given equal opportunities , the twins , having identical brains,would have tested at roughly the same level.1.This selection can best be titled_________.a.Measuring Your Intelligenceb.Intelligence and Environmentc.The Case of Peter and Markd.How the brain Influences Intelligence2.The beststatement of the main idea of this passage is that _____.a.human brains differ considerablyb.the brain a person is born with is improtant in determining his intelligencec.environment is crucial in determining a person's intelligenced. persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence3.According to the passage , the average I.Q.is _____.a.85b.100c.110d.1254.The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that _______.a.individual with identical brains seldom test at same levelb.an individual's intelligence is determined only by his enviromentck of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligenced.changes of enviroment produce changes in the structure of the brain5.This passage suggests that an individual 's I.Q.______.a.can be predicted at birthb.stays the same throuthout his lifec.can be increased by educationd.is determined by his childhood答案：bcbccAs she walked round the huge department store,Edith reflected how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas present for her father.She wish that he was as easy to please as her mother, who was always delighted with perfumeBesides,shoppong at this time of the year was a most disgreeable experience :people trod on yourtoes,poked you with their elbows and almost knocked you overin their haste to get to a bargain ahead of you.Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter where some attracive ties were on display. "They are real silk," the assistant assured her, trying to tempt her. "Worth double the price." But edit knew from past experience that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.She moved on reluctantly and then quite by chance, stopped where a small crowd of man had gathered round a counter. She found some good quality pipes on sale-----and the prices were very reasonable. Edith didnot hesitate for long : although her father only smoked a pipe occasionally, she knew that this was a present which was bund to please him.When she got home,with her small well-chosen present concealed in her handbag, her parents were already at the supper table. Her mother was in an especially cheerful mood, "Your father has at last to decided to stop smoking." She informed her daughter.1.Edith's father _______.a.did not like presentb.never got presentc.preferred tiesd.was difficult to choose a present for2.The assistant spoke to Edith because she seemed_______.a.attractiveb.interested in tiesc.tiredd.in need of comfort3.Edith stopped at the next counter_________.a.puroselyb.suddenlyc.unwillinglyd.accidentally4.Edith's father smoked a pipe_______.a.when he was obligedb.on social occasionsc.from time to timed.when he was delighted5.Shopping was very disagreeable at that time of the year because_______.a.coustomers trod on each other's toesb.coustomers poked each other with their elbowsc.customers knocked each otherd.customers were doing their shopping in a great hurry答案：dbdcdIf the population of the earth goes on increasing at its present rate, there will eventually not be enough resources left to sustain life on the planet.By the middle of the 21st century,if present trends continue, we will have used up all the oil that drives our cars,for example.Even if scientists develop new ways of feeding the human race,the crowded conditions on earth will make it necessary for lus to look for open space somewhere else. But none of the other planets in our solar system are capable of supporting life at present. One possible solution to the problem, however,has recently been suggested by American scientist, Professor Carl Sagan.Sagan believes that before the earth's resources are compleetely exhausted it will be possible to change the atmophere of Venus and so create a new world almost as large as earth itself. The difficult is that Venus is much hotter than the earth and there is only a tiny amount of water there.Sagan proposes that algae organisms that can live in extremely hot or cold atmospheres and at the same time produce oxygen,should be bred in condition similar to those on Venus.As soon as this has been done, the algae will be placed in small rockets. Spaceship will then fly to Venus and fire the rockets into the atmosphere .In a fairly short time, the alge will break down the carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon.When the algae have done theri work, the atmosphere will become cooler,but befor man can set foot on Venus it will be neccessary for the oxygen to produce rain. The surface of the planet will still be too hot for man to land on it but the rain will eventually fall and in a few years something like earth will be reproduced on Venus.1.Inte long run, the most insoluble problem caused by population growth on earth will probably be the lack of ______.a.foodb.oilc.spaced.resources2.Carl Sagan believes that Venus might be colonized from earth because _____a.it might be possible to change its atmosphereb.its atmosphere is the same as the earth'sc.there is a good supply of water on Venusd.the days on Venus are long enough3.On Venus there is a lot of ________.a.waterb.carbon dioxidec.carbon monoxided.oxygen4.Algae are plants that can____.a.live in very hot temperaturesb.live in very cold temperaturesc.manufacture oxygend.all of the above5. Man can land on Venus only when_______.a.the algae have done their workb.the atmosphere becomes coolerc.thereis oxygend.it rains there答案：cabdd。

四级英语考试阅读精选题及答案解析四级英语考试阅读精选题(一)There are people in Italy who can’t stand soccer. Not all Canadians love hockey. A similar situation e某ists in America, where there are those individuals you may be one of them who yawn or even frown when somebody mentions baseball. 『Baseball to them means boring hours watching grown men in funny tight outfits standing around in a field staring away while very little of anything happens.』① They tell you it’s a game better suited to the 19th century, slow, quiet, gentlemanly. These are the same people you may be one of them who love football because there’s the sport that glorifies “the hit〞.By contrast, baseball seems abstract, cool, silent, still.On TV the game is fractured into a dozen perspectives, replays, close瞮ps. The geometry of the game, however, is essential to understanding it. You will contemplate the game from one point as a painter does his subject; you may, of course, project yourself into the game. It is in this projection that the game affords so much space and time for involve ment. The TV won’t do it for you.Take, for e某ample, the third baseman. You sit behind the third base dugout and you watch him watching home plate. His legs are apart, knees fle某ed. His arms hang loose. He does a lot of this. The skeptic still cannot think of any other sports so still, so passive. 『But watch what happens every time the pitcher throws: the third baseman goes up on his toes, fle某es his arms or bring the glove to a point in front of him, takes a step right or left, backward or forward, perhaps he glances across the field to check his first baseman’s position.』② Suppose the pitch is a ball. “Nothinghappened,〞you say. “I could have had my eyes closed.〞The skeptic and the innocent must play the game. And this involvement in the stands is no more intellectual than listening to music is. Watch the third baseman. Smooth the dirt in front of you with one foot; smooth the pocket in your glove; watch the eyes of the batter, the speed of the bat, the sound of horsehide on wood. If football is a symphony of movement and theatre, baseball is chamber music, a spacious interlocking of notes, chores and responses.1. The passage is mainly concerned with .A. the different tastes of people for sportsB. the different characteristics of sportsC. the attraction of footballD. the attraction of baseball2. Those who don’t like baseball may complain that .A. it is only to the taste of the oldB. it involves fewer players than footballC. it is not e某citing enoughD. it is pretentious and looks funnyThe author admits that .A. baseball is too peaceful for the youngB. baseball may seem boring when watched on TVC. football is more attracting than baseballD. baseball is more interesting than football4. By stating “I could have had my eyes closed. 〞 the author means (4th paragraph last sentence): A. The third baseman would rather sleep than play the game.B. Even if the third baseman closed his eyes a moment ago, it could make no different to the result.C. The third baseman is sogood at baseball that he could finish the game with eyes closed all the time and do his work well.D. The consequent was too bad he could not bear to see it.5. We can safely conclude that the author.A. likes footballB. hates footballC. hates baseballD. likes baseball四级英语考试阅读精选题答案1. D主旨题。

英语四级阅读题库含答案解析1.Passage OneGlobal warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the 21st century, but regardless of whether it is or isn’t –we won’t do much about it. We will argue over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoidit. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely theyare to be observed.Al Gore calls global warming an “inconvenient truth,”as if merely recognizing it could put us on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we don’t know enough to relieve global warming, and –without major technological breakthroughs—we can’t do much about it.From 2003 to 2050, the world’s population is projected to grow from 6.4 billion to 9.1 billion, a 42% increase. If energy use per person and technology remain the same, totalenergy use and greenhouse gas emissions (mainly, CO2) will be 42% higher in 2050. butthat’s too low, because societies that grow richer use more energy. We need economicgrowth unless we condemn the world’s poor to their present poverty and freeze everyone else‘s living standards. With modest growth, energy use and greenhouse emissions more than double by 2050.No government will adopt rigid restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel) that might cut back global warming. Still, politicians want to show they’re “doing something.”Consider the Kyoto Protocol (京都议定书). It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn’t. But it hasn’t reduced CO2 emissions (up about 25% since 1990), and many signatories (签字国) didn’t adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets.The practical conclusion is that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development program might find ways of breaking dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it.The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral problem whenit’s really an engineering one. The inconvenient truth is that if we don’t solve the engineering problem, we’re helpless.57. What is said about global warming in the first paragraph?A) It may not prove an environmental crisis at all. B) It is an issue requiring world wide commitments.C) Serious steps have been taken to avoid or stop it. D) Very little will be done to bring it under control.58. According to the author’s understanding, what is Al Gore’s view on global warming?A) It is a reality both people and politicians are unaware of.B) It is a phenomenon that causes us many inconveniences.C) It is a problem that can be solved once it is recognized.D) It is an area we actually have little knowledge about.59. Green house emissions will more than double by 2050 because of _______.A) economic growthB) the widening gap between the rich and poor C) wasteful use of energyD) the rapid advances of science and technology60. The author believes that, since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, ________.A) politicians have started to do something to better the situationB) few nations have adopted real tough measures to limit energy useC) reductions in energy consumption have greatly cut back global warmingD) international cooperation has contributed to solving environmental problems61. What is the message the author intends to convey?A) Global warming is more of a moral issue than a practical one.B) The ultimate solution to global warming lies in new technologyC) The debate over global warming will lead to technological breakthroughs.D) People have to give up certain material comforts to stop global warming.Passage TwoSomeday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Websites you’ve visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your creditcard purchase or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.In fact, it’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who wouldwatch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you neverintended to be seen —the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked.Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it’s important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. Thedigital bread crumbs(碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simpleGoogle search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a worldwhere you simple cannot keep a secret.The key question is: Does that matter?When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned aboutlosing it. A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is “slipping away, and that bothers me.”But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans changeany behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount attollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personalinformation like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-offcoupon (优惠券).But privacy does matter –at least sometimes. It’s like health: When you have it, you don’t notice it. Only when it’s gone do you wish you’d done more to protect it.62. What does the author mean by saying “the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked ”(Lines 3-4, Para.2)?A) People’s personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.B) In the 21st century people try every means to look into others’secrets.C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.63. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?A) Friends should open their hearts to each other.B) Friends should always be faithful to each other. C) There should be a distance even between friends.D) There should be fewer disputes between friends.64. Why does the author say “we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret”(Line 5, Para.3)?A) Modern society has finally evolved into an open society.B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.C) There are always people who are curious about others’affairs.D) Many search engines profit by revealing people’s identities.65. What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions.C) They rely more and more on electronic devices. D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.66. According to the passage, privacy is like health in that ________.A) people will make every effort to keep itB) its importance is rarely understoodC) it is something that can easily be lostD) people don’t cherish it until they lose it2.Passage OneQuestions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.If you are a male and you are readingthis ,congratulations: you are a survivor .According to statistics .you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman ,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming youmake it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman.There are many reasons for this-typically, men take more risks than woman and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.“Men aren’t seeing doctors as oftenas they should, ”says Dr. Gullotta, “This is particularly so for the over-40s,when diseases tend to strike.”Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45,it should be at least once a year.Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old ma who had delayed doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year.“When I finally saw him it had alreadyspread and he has since died from lung cancer”he says, “Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but itwould have prolonged this life”According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.“A lot of men think they are invincible（不可战胜的）”Gullotta says “They only come in when a friend drops dead on thegolf course and they think”Geez, if it could happen to him.Then there is the ostrich approach,”some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know, ”says Dr. Ross Cartmill.“Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies,”Cartmill says .He believes most diseases that commonly affect men couldbe addressed by preventive check-ups.Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says.”But prevention is cheaperin the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death.”57.Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage?A. They are more likely to survive serious diseases today.B. Their average life span has been considerably extended.C. They have lived long enough to read this article.D. They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier live.58.What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women?A. men drink and smoke much more than womenB. men don’t seek medical care as oftenas womenC. men aren’t as cautions as women in face of dangerD. men are more likely to suffer from fatal diseases59. Which of the following best completesthe sentence “Geez, if it could happen to him…’(line2,para,8)?A. it could happen to me, tooB. I should avoid playing golfC. I should consider myself luckyD. it would be a big misfortune60what does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by “the ostrich approach”(line q para.9)A. a casual attitude towards one’s health conditionsB. a new therapy for certain psychological problemsC. refusal to get medical treatment for fearof the pain involvedD. unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear61. What does Cartmill say about regularcheck-ups for men?A.They may increase public expensesB.They will save money in the long runC.They may cause psychological strains on menD.They will enable men to live as long as womenPassage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.High-quality customer service is preached(宣扬) by many ,but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than doneShoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead will alert their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers-and anyone who will listen.Store managers are often the last tohear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide t frequent their competitors, according to astudy jointly conducted by Verde group and Wharton school“Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers,”said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde group.”the store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement.”On average, every unhappy customerwill complain to at least four other, and will no longer visit the specific store for every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative reviews. The resulting “snowball effect”can be disastrous to retailers.According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing encountered themost problems. ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers.The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered (塞满了的) shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople.During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved the parking problems by getting moonlighting（业余兼职的）local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance eliminated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space.Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions.Most importantly, salespeople shouldbe diplomatic and polite with angry customers.“Retailers who’re responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly.”said Professor Stephen Hoch. “Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help.”Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaintsto the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they haveno idea what is wrong.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答62. Why are store managers often the lastto hear complaints?A Most customers won’t bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences.B Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them.C Few customers believe the service will be improved.D Customers have no easy access to store managers.63. What does Paula Courtney imply by saying “…the shopper must also find a replacement”(Line 2, Para. 4)?A New customers are bound to replace old ones.B It is not likely the shopper can find thesame products in other stores.C Most stores provide the sameD Not complaining to the manager causesthe shopper some trouble too.64. Shop owners often hire moonlightingpolice as parking attendants so that shoppers_____A can stay longer browsing in the storeB won’t have trouble parking their carsC won’t have any worries about securityD can find their cars easily after shopping65. What contributes most to smoothing over issues with customers?A Manners of the salespeopleB Hiring of efficient employeesC Huge supply of goods for saleD Design of the store layout.66. To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to _________.A exert pressure on stores to improve their serviceB settle their disputes with stores in a diplomatic wayC voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directlyD shop around and make comparisons between stores3. The January fashion show, called Future Fashion , exemplified howfar green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofitEarth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges toinclude organic fabrics in their lines.The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate,which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials canstill be tough to fine . “Most designers with existing labels are findingthere aren’t comparable fabrics that can just replace what you’re doing and shat your customers are used to,”he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, stillhave few eco-friendly equivalents.Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support.Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs(企业家) who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gavespecial recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable . It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewerthan a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce amajor initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buytransitional(过渡型的) cotton at higher prices , thus helping to expand thesupply of a key sustainable material . “Mainstream is about to occur,”says Hahn.Some analysts(分析师) are less sure . Among consumers, only 18%are even aware that ecofashion exists, up from 6% four years ago.Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer, when asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied:“Not that I’m aware of.”Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.”By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But–thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers –one day it will be.57. What is said about Future Fashion?A) It inspired many leading designers to start going green.B) It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far.C) It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized.D) It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be madedurable.58. According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will goorganic is that .A) much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainablematerials .B) they have to create new brands for clothes made of organicmaterials .C) customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organicmaterials .D) quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readilyavailable .59. We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers who undertake greenfashion .A) can attend various trade shows free .B) are readily recognized by the fashion worldC) can buy organic cotton at favorable prices .D) are gaining more and more support .60. What is Natalie Hormilla’s attitude toward ecofashion?A) She doesn’t seem to care about it. C) She is doubtful of itspractical value.B) She doesn’t think it is sustainable D) She is very muchopposed to the idea61. What does the author think of green fashion?A) Green products will soon go mainstream.B) It has a very promising future.C) Consumers have the final say.D) It will appeal more to young people.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.Scientists have devised a way to determine roughly where a personhas lived using a strand(缕) of hair , a technique that could help track the movements of criminal suspects or unidentified murder victims .The method relies on measuring how chemical variations in drinkingwater show up in people’s hair.“You’re what you eat and drink, and that’s recorded in you hair,”said Thure Cerling, a geologist at the University of Utah.While U.S diet is relatively identical, water supplies vary. The differences result from weather patterns. The chemical composition of rainfall changes slightly as raid clouds move.Most hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are stable , but traces ofboth elements are also present as heavier isotopes (同位素) . The heaviest raid falls first .As a result, storms that form over the Pacific deliver heavierwater to California than to Utah.Similar patterns exist throughout the U.S. By measuring the proportion of heavier hydrogen and oxygen isotopes along a strand ofhair, scientists can construct a geographic timeline. Each inch of hair corresponds to about two months.Cerling’s team collected tap water samples from 600 cities and constructed a mop of the regional differences. They checked the accuracy of the map by testing 200 hair samples collected from 65 barber shops.They were able to accurately place the hair samples in broad regionsroughly corresponding to the movement of raid systems.“It’s not good for pinpointing (精确定位),”Cerling said . “It’s good for eliminating many possibilities.”Todd Park, a local detective, said the method has helped him learnmore about an unidentified woman whose skeleton was found near Great Salt Lake.The woman was 5 feet tall. Police recovered 26 bones, a T-shirt andseveral strands of hair.When Park heard about the research, he gave the hair samples to the researchers. Chemical testing showed that over the two years before herdeath, she moved about every two months.She stayed in the Northwest, although the test could not be morespecific than somewhere between eastern Oregon and western Wyoming.“It’s still a substantial area,”Park said “But it narrows it way down for me.”62. What is the scientists’new discovery?A) One’s hair growth has to do with the amount of water they drink.B) A person’s hair may reveal where they have lived.C) Hair analysis accurately identifies criminal suspects.D) The chemical composition of hair varies from person to person.63. What does the author mean by “You’re what you eat and drink”(Line 1, Para.3)?A) Food and drink affect one’s personality development.B) Food and drink preferences vary with individuals.C) Food and drink leave traces in one’s body tissues.D) Food and drink are indispensable to one’s existence.64. What is said about the rainfall in America’s West?A) There is much more rainfall in California than in Utah.B) The water it delivers becomes lighter when it moves inland.C) Its chemical composition is less stable than in other areas.D) It gathers more light isotopes as it moves eastward.65. What did Cerling’s team produce in their research?A) A map showing the regional differences of tap water.B) A collection of hair samples from various barber shops.C) A method to measure the amount of water in human hair.D) A chart illustrating the movement of the rain system.66. What is the practical value of Cerling’s research?A) It helps analyze the quality of water in different regions.B) It helps the police determine where a crime is committed.C) It helps the police narrow down possibilities in detective work.D) It helps identify the drinking habits of the person under investigation.4.Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so, but selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might beable to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-Americanwoman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get upclose and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can’t escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic (酗酒的) mothers.These images have helped define the way all women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit toa cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhapsmost complicated duty may be simple to be herself.It won’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have donein-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis.For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogshave written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House—mainly showing the world that a black woman can support herman and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise (沉着), confidence and intelligence will goa long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.57. Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong fascination for the author?A) She serves as a role model for African women.B) She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.C) She will present to the world a new image of African-American women.D) She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-Americanwomen.58. What is the common stereotype of African-American women according to the author?A) They are victims of violence. B) They are of an inferior violence.C) They use quite a lot of body language. D) They live on charity andsocial welfare.59. What do many African-Americans write about in their blogs?A) Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her fans.B) How Michelle should behave as a public figure.C) How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House.D) What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House.60. What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?A) However many fans she has, she should remain modest,B) She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community.C) However hard she tries, she can’t expect to please everybody.D) She will give priority to African-American women’s concerns.61. What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obamawill do?A) Help change the prevailing view about black women.B) Help her husband in the task of changing America.C) Outshine previous First Lady.D) Fully display her fine qualities.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.When next year’s crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they’ll be joined by a new face; Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost (教务长) of Yale, who’ll become Oxford’s vice-chancellor—a position equivalent to university presidentin America.Hamilton isn’t the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc, have also recently made top-level hires from abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it’s gone global. Yet the talent flow isn’t universal. High-level personnel tend to head in onlyone direction: outward from America.The chief reason is that American schools don’t tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the Universityof Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university’s budget. “We didn’t do any global consideration,”says Patricia Hayes, the board’s chair. The board ultimately picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist (活动家) who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a distinctively American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity.Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependenton government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student number. The decline in government support hasmade funding-raising an increasing necessary ability among administrators and has hiring committees hungry for Americans.In the past few years, prominent schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed AlisonRichard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the universitypublicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen “a major strengthening of Yale’s financial position.”Of course, fund-raising isn’t the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking headswith international experience of some kind of promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices.62. What is the current trend in higher education discussed in the passage?A) Institutions worldwide are hiring administrators from the U.S.B) A lot of political activists are being recruited as administrators.C) American universities are enrolling more international students.D) University presidents are paying more attention to funding-raising.63. What is the chief consideration of American universities when hiring top-level administrators?A) The political correctness. B) Their ability to raise funds.C) Their fame in academic circles. D) Their administrative experience.64. What do we learn about European universities from the passage?。

英语四级阅读理解练习题及解析(1)【阅读练习】What is it about Americans and food? We love to eat,but we feel 1 about it afterward. We say we want only the bes t, but we strangely enjoy junkfood.We’re 2 with health an d weight loss but face an unprecedented epidemic of obesity(肥胖). Perhaps the 3 to this ambivalence(矛盾情结) lies in our history. The first Europeans cameto this con tinent searching for new spices but went in vain. The first cash crop经(济作物)wasn’t eaten but smoked. Then there was Prohibition, i ntended to prohibit drinking butactually encouraging more 4 ways of doing it.The immigrant experience, too, has been one of inharmony.Do as Romans do meanseating what ―real Americans‖ e at, but our nation’s food has come to be 5 by import—s piz za,say, or hot dogs. And some of thecountry’s most treas ured cooking comes from people whoarrived here in shack les.Perhaps it should come as no surprise then that food has been a medium for the nation’sdefining struggles, whether at the Boston Tea Party or the sit?ins at southern lunch c ounters.It is integral to our concepts of health and even m orality whether one refrains from alcohol forreligious reaso ns or evades meat for political 6But strong opinions have not brought 7 . Americans are a mbivalent about what they putin their mouths. We have b ecome 8 of our foods, especially as we learn more about what theycontain.The 9 in food is still prosperous in the American conscious ness. It’s no coincidence, then,that the first Thanksgiving holds the American imagination in such bondage( 束缚). It’s whatwe eat—and how we 10 it with friends, famil y, and strangers—that help define America as acommunity today.A.answer I. creativeB.result J. beliefC.share K. suspiciousD.guilty L. certaintyE.constant M. obsessedF.defined N. identifyG.vanish O. idealsH.adapted【答案及详解】1. D feel 是一个系动词，可以判断此处应填入一个形容词，通过上下文意思，以及后面介词about, 可以确定选项为D 项guilty, 短语feel guilty about sth. 对……感到有愧‖。

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.。

大学英语四级阅读理解练习题和答案解析大学英语四级阅读理解练习题：【原文】The Earth comprises three principal layers: the dense, iron-rich core, the mantle made of silicate (硅酸盐) that are semi-molten at depth, and the thin, solid-surface crust There are two kinds of crust, a lower and denser oceanic crust and an upper，lighter continental crust found over only about 40 percent of the Earths surface. The rocks of the crust are of very different ages. Some continental rocks are over 3,000 million years old, while those of the ocean floor are less than 200 million years old. The crusts and the top, solid part of the mantle, totaling about 70 to 100 kilometers in thickness, at present appear to consist of about 15 rigid plates, 7 of which are very large. These plates move over the semi-molten lower mantleto produce all of the major topographical(地形学的)features of the Earth. Active zones where intense deformation occur are confined to the narrow, interconnecting boundaries of contact of the plates.There are three main types of zones of contact: spreading contacts where plates move apart, converging contacts where plates move towards each other, and transform contacts where plates slide past each other. Newoceanic crust is formed along one or more margins of each plate by material issuing from deeper layers of the Earth s crust, for example, by volcanic eruptions (爆发) of lava (火山熔岩) at mid-ocean ridges. If at such a spreading contact the two plates support continents，a rift(裂缝) is formed that will gradually widen and become flooded by the tea. The Atlantic Ocean formed like this as the American and Afro-European plates moved in opposite directions. When two plates carrying continents collide, the continental blocks,too light to be drawn down, continue to float and therefore buckle (起褶皱) to form a mountain chain along the length of the margin of the plates.大学英语四级阅读理解练习题：【题目】Choose correct answers to the question:1.The Earths crust______.A.can be classified into two typesB.is formed along the margins of the platesC.consists of semi-molten rocksD.is about 70 to 100 kilometers thick2.The 15 plates of the Earth are formed from ___.A.the oceanic crusts and continental crustsB.the crusts and the mantleC.the crusts and the top and solid part of the mantleD.the continental crusts and the solid part of the mantle3.Seriously-deformed zones appear _______A.whenever the crusts move over mantleB.when the plates move towards each otherC.in the narrow boundaries where two plates meetD.to be the major topographical feature of the Earth4.According to the second paragraph, the formation of the Atlantic Ocean is the example of_______.A.spreading contactsB.the influence of volcanic eruptionsC.converging contactsD.transform contacts5.This passage is probably_______.A.a newspaper advertisementB.a chapter of a novelC.an excerpt from a textbookD.a scientific report of new findings大学英语四级阅读理解练习题：【答案】1.[A] 事实细节题。

Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)Section AQuestions 47 to 56 are based on the following passage.A bookless life is an incomplete life. Books influence the depth and breadth of life. They meet the natural 47______ for freedom, for expression, for creativity and beauty of life. Learners, therefore, must have books, and the right type of book, for the satisfaction of their need. Readers turn 48______ to books because their curiosity concerning all manners of things, their eagerness to share in the experiences of others and their need to 49______ from their own limited environment lead them to find in books food for the the mind and spirit. Through their reading they find a deeper significance to life as books acquaint them with life in the world as it was and it is now. They are presented with a 50______of human experiences and come to 51______ other ways of thought and living. And while 52______ their own relationships and responses to readers often find that the 53______ in their stories are going through similar adjustments, which help to clarify and give significance to their own.Books provide 54______ material for readers' imagination to grow. Imagination is a valuable quality and a motivating power, and stimulates achievement. While enriching their imagination, books 55______ their outlook, develop a fact-finding attitude and train them to use leisure 56______. The social and educational significance of the readers' books cannot be overestimated in an academic library.Section BPassage oneQuestion 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.If you’re a male and you’re reading this , congratulations : you’re a survivor. According to statistics, you’re more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman ,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS . Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78years for men in Australia , you’ll die on average five years before a woman.There’re many reasons for this ---typically , men take more risks than women and are more likely to drink and smoke—but perhaps more importantly , men don’t go to the doctor.“men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should ,” says Dr.Gullotta . “this is particularly so for the over-40s, when diseases tend to strike .”Gullotta say a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two . For those over 45,it should be at least once a year .Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old man who had delayed doing anything about his smo ker’s cough for a year .“when I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer ,” he says. “Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him but it would have prolonged his life .”According to a recent survey ,95% of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year , compared to 70% of men in the same age group.“A lot of men think they’re invincible(不可战胜的),” Gullatta says . “they only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and the y think ,’Geez,if it could happen to him ,……’ ”Then there’s the ostrich approach .”Some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know ,” says Dr.Ross Cartmill.“most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service th eir bodies ,” Garmill says .He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups.Regular check-us for men would inevitably lace strain on the public purse , Cartmill says . “but prevention is cheaper in the long ru n than having to treat the disease . Besides , the ultimate cost is far greater :it’s called premature death .”注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答57．Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage ?A)They are more likely to survive serious diseases todayB）Their average life span has been considerably extendedC)They have lived long enough to read this articleD)They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier life58.What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women ?A)men drink and smoke much more than womenB)men don’t seek medical care as often as womenC)men aren’t as cautious as women in face of dangerD)men are more likely to suffer from fatal disease59.Which of the following best completes the sentence “Geez ,if it could happen to him, ...”(line 2, para.8)A)it could happen to me ,tooB）I should avoid playing golfC)I should consider myself luckyD)it would be a big misfortune60. what does Dr.Ross Cartmill mean by “the ostrich approach “(Line 1 ,Para 9)A)A cause attitude towards one’s health conditionsB)A new therapy for certain psychological problemsC)Refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involvedD)Unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear61.What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men ?A)They may increase public expenseB)They will save money in the long runC)They may cause psychological strain s on menD)They will enable men to live as long as womenPassage twoQuestion 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.High-quality customer service is preached by many, but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than done.Shoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store ,but instead will alert their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers and anyone who will listen.Store managers are often the last to hear complaints,and often find out only when their regular customers decide to frequent their competitors, according to study jointly conducted by Verde Group and Wharton School.“storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers” said Paula Courtney, Preside nt of the Verde Group. “The store losers the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement”On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four others, and will no longer visit the specific store. For every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative reviews. The resulting “snowball effect” can be disastrous to retailers.According to the research, shopper who purchased clothing encountered the most problem Ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers.The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered shelves over loaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople.During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved the parking problems by getting moonlighting (业余兼职的) local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance eliminated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly , and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space.Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers , and having sales representatives on hand to answer question .Most importantly , salespeople should be diplomatic and polite with angry customers .“Retailers who’er responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly , “ said professor Stephen Hoch .” Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help .“Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer , instead of complaining to the rest of the world . Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they hace no idea what is wrong.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

四级阅读理解When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to Grandma’s generation. Their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code will be Sunday-best.But in many other homes, this china--and--silver elegance has given way to stoneware (粗陶)--and--stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual--Friday look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it spells economic hard times.Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-onTrent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000 jobs--one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4,000 the number of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) region. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier.Although a strong pound and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs in Stoke have their roots in earthshaking social shifts. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company “has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend”toward casual dining. Families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either because they are single or they eat in front of television.Even dinner parties, if they happen at all, have gone causal. In a time of long work hours and demanding family schedules, busy hosts insist, rightly, that it’s better to share a takeout pizza on paper plates inthe family room than to wait for the perfect moment or a “real” dinner party. Too often, the perfect moment never comes, Iron a fine-pattened tablecloth? Forget it. Polish the silver? Who has time?Yet the loss of formality has its down side. The fine points of etiquette(礼节) that children might once have learned at the table by observation or instruction from parents and grandparents(“Chew with your mouth closed.”“keep your elbows off the table.”)must be picked up elsewhere. Some companies now offer etiquette seminars for employees who may be competent professionally but clueless socially.练习题：Choose correct answers to the question:1.The trend toward casual dining has resulted in ______A. bankruptcy of fine china manufacturersB. Shrinking of the pottery industryC. restructuring of large enterprisesD. Economic recession in Great Britain2.Which of the following may be the best reason for casual dining?A. Family members need more time to relax.B. Busy schedules leave people no time for formality.C. People want to practice economy in times of scarcity.D. Young people won’t follow the etiquette of the older generation.3.It can be learned from the passage that Royal Doulton is _______A. a retailer of stainless steel tablewareB. a dealer in stonewareC. a pottery chain storeD. a producer of fine china4.The main cause of the layoffs in the pottery industry is _______A. the increased value of the poundB. the economic recession in AsiaC. the change in people’s way of lifeD. the fierce competition at home and abroad5.Refined table manners, though less popular than before in current social life, _______A. are still a must on certain occasionsB. are bound to return sooner or laterC. are still being taught by parents at homeD. Can help improve personal relationships1.[B] 推理判断题。

英语四级阅读题库含答案解析1.Passage Onest century, Global warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the 21’t –we won ’t do much about it. We will argue overbut regardless of whether it is or isnit and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed.Al Gore calls global warming an “inconvenient truth, ”as if merely recognizing it’t know enough tocould put us on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we donrelieve global warming, and—we can ’t do–without major technological breakthroughsmuch about it.’s population is projected to grow from 6.4 billion to 9.1 From 2003 to 2050, the worldbillion, a 42% increase. If energy use per person and technology remain the same, total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions (mainly, CO2) will be 42% higher in 2050. but that ’s too low, because societies that grow richer use more energy. We need economic growth unless w e condemn t he world ’s poor to their present poverty and freeze everyone e lse‘s living standards. With modest growth, energy u se and greenhouse emissions more than double by 2050.No government w ill adopt rigid restrictions o n economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, d riving and travel) that might cut back global’re “doing something. ”Consider the Kyoto warming. Still, politicians want to show theyProtocol (京都议定书). It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn’t. But itsignatories (签字hasn ’t reduced CO2 emissions (up about 25% since 1990), and many国) didn ’t adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets.The practical c onclusion i s that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development p rogrammight find ways of breaking dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it.The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral problem when it ’s really a n engineering one. The inconvenient t ruth is that if we don ’t solve t he’re helpless.engineering problem, we57. What is said about global warming in the first paragraph?A) It may not prove an environmental B) It is an issue requiring world wide crisis at all. commitments.C) Serious steps have been taken to avoid D) Very little will be done to bring it underor stop it. control.58. According to the author ’s understanding, what is Al Gore ’s view on global warming?A) It is a reality both people and politicians are unaware of.B) It is a phenomenon that causes us many inconveniences.C) It is a problem that can be solved once it is recognized.D) It is an area we actually have little knowledge about.59. Green house emissions will more than double by 2050 because of _______.A) economic growth C) wasteful use of energyB) the widening gap between the rich and D) the rapid advances o f science a ndpoor technology60. The author believes that, since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, ________.A) politicians have started to do something to better the situationB) few nations have adopted real tough measures to limit energy useC) reductions in energy consumption have greatly cut back global warmingD) international cooperation has contributed to solving environmental problems61. What is the message the author intends to convey?A) Global warming is more of a moral issue than a practical one.B) The ultimate solution to global warming lies in new technologyC) The debate over global warming will lead to technological breakthroughs.D) People have to give up certain material comforts to stop global warming.Passage TwoSomeday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission o r scan theWebsites you ’ve visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your creditcard purchase or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.In fact, it ’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who wouldwatch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketingcompany, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen —the 21 st century equivalent of being caught naked.Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it ’s important to reveal yourself tofriends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs ( 碎屑) you leave everywhere m ake it easy for strangers toreconstruct w ho you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simpleGoogle search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret.The key question is: Does that matter?When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is”“slipping away, and that bothers me.But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths (收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system t hat can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠券).’s like health: When you have it, you But privacy does matter –at least sometimes. Itdon ’t notice it. Only when it ’s gone do you wish you’d done more to protect it.“the 21 st century equivalent of being caught62. What does the author mean by sayingnaked ”(Lines 3-4, Para.2)?A) People ’s personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.’secrets.B) In the 21 st century people try every means to look into othersC) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.63. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?A) Friends s hould open their hearts to C) There should be a distance even each other. between friends.B) Friends should always be faithful to D) There should be fewer disputes each other. between friends.”64. Why does the author say“we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret (Line 5, Para.3)?A) Modern society has finally evolved into an open society.B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.’affairs.C) There are always people who are curious about othersD) Many search engines profit by revealing people’s identities.65. What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions.C) They rely more and more on electronic D) They talk a lot but hardly do anythingdevices. about it.66. According to the passage, privacy is like health in that ________.A) people will make every effort to keep itwoman.B) its importance is rarely understoodThere are many reasons forC) it is something that can easily be lostD) people don ’t cherish it until they lose itthis-typically, m en take more risks thanwoman a nd are more likely t o drink andsmoke but perhaps more importantly,men don ’t go to the doctor.“Men aren ’t seeing doctors as often 2.Passage One“Thisas they should, ”says Dr. Gullotta, Questions 57 to 61 are based on theis particularly so for the over-40s,when following passage.”diseases tend to strike.If you are a male and you are readingGullotta says a healthy man should this ,congratulations: you are avisit the doctor every year or two. For survivor .According to statistics .you a rethose over 45,it should be at least once a more than twice as likely to die of skinyear.cancer than a woman ,and nine timesTwo months ago Gullotta saw a more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you50-year-old m a who had delayed doing make i t to the end of your natural t erm,’s cough for aanything about his smokerabout 78 years for men in Australia, youyear.will die on average f ive years b efore a“When I finally saw him it had alreadyspread a nd he has since died from lung Regular check-ups for men would cancer ”he says, “Earlier d etection a nd inevitably place strain on the public purse,”But prevention is cheaper treatment may not have cured him, but it Cartmill says.”in the long run than having to treat the would have prolonged this lifeAccording t o a recent survey, 95%of diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far”women aged between 15 and early 40s greater: it is called premature death.see a doctor once a year, c ompared t o 57.Why does the a uthor congratulate h is70% of men in the same age group. male readers at the beginning of the “A lot of men think they are invincible passage?（不可战胜的）”Gullotta says “They only A. They are more likely to survive serious come in when a friend drops dead on the diseases today.golf course a nd they think ”Geez, if it B. Their average life span has been could happen to him. considerably extended.Then there is the ostrich approach,” C. They have l ived long enough to read some men are scared o f what might be this article.there and would rather not know, ”says D. They are sure to enjoy a longer andDr. Ross Cartmill. happier live.“Most men get their cars serviced 58.What does the author state is the most more regularly than they service their important reason men die five years bodies, ”Cartmill says .He believes most earlier on average than women?diseases that commonly affect men could A. men drink and smoke much more thanbe addressed by preventive check-ups. womenB. men don ’t seek medical care as often disease because of fearas women 61. What does Cartmill say about regular C. men aren ’t as cautions a s women in check-ups for men?face of danger A.They may increase public expensesD. men are more likely to suffer from fatal B.They will save money in the long rundiseases C.They may cause psychological strains on 59. Which of the following best completes menthe sentence “Geez, if it could happen to D.They will enable men to live as long ashim ?’(line2,para,8)? womenA. it could happen to me, too Passage TwoB. I should avoid playing golf Questions 62 to 66 are based on theC. I should consider myself lucky following passage.D. it would be a big misfortune High-quality customer service is60what does Dr. Ross C artmill mean by preached( 宣扬)by many ,but actually”(line q para.9) keeping customers h appy is easier said“the ostrich approach’s health than doneA. a casual attitude towards oneconditions Shoppers seldom complain to the B. a new therapy for certain psychological m anager o r owner of a retail store, b utproblems instead will alert their friends, relatives, C. refusal to get medical treatment for fear co-workers, strangers-and a nyone whoof the pain involved will listen.’s Store m anagers are often the last toD. unwillingness to find out about onehear complaints, and often find out only include f illed parking l ots, cluttered (塞满when their regular customers decide t 了的) shelves, overloaded racks, frequent their competitors, according to a out-of-stock items, long check-out l ines,study jointly conducted b y Verde g roup and rude salespeople.and Wharton school During peak shopping hours, some “Storytelling hurts retailers and retailers s olved t he parking problems by entertains consumers, ”said Paula getting moonlighting （业余兼职的）local”police to work as parking attendants. Courtney, President of the Verde group.the store loses the customer, but the Some hired flag wavers to direct”customers to empty parking s paces. This shopper must also find a replacement.On average, every unhappy customer g uidance eliminated the need forwill complain to at least four other, and customers to circle the parking lotwill no longer visit the specific s tore for endlessly, and avoided confrontationevery dissatisfied c ustomer, a store will between t hose eyeing the same p arkinglose up to three more due to negative space.”Retailers can relieve the headaches by reviews. The resulting “snowball effectcan be disastrous to retailers. redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking According t o the research, shoppers sales items, hiring speedy and who purchased clothing encountered the experienced c ashiers, a nd having salesmost problems. r anked s econd a nd third representatives on hand to answerwere grocery and electronics customers. questions.The most common complaints Most importantly, salespeople shouldbe diplomatic and polite with angry them.customers. C Few c ustomers believe t he service w ill “Retailers w ho ’re responsive and be improved.friendly are more likely to smooth over D Customers have no easy access to store’t so friendly. ”managers.issues than those who arensaid Professor S tephen H och. “Maybe 63. What does Paula C ourtney i mply by something as simple a s a greeter at the saying “?the shopper must also find astore entrance would help.”replacement ”(Line 2, Para. 4)?Customers c an also improve future A New customers a re bound to replace shopping experiences by filing complaints o ld ones.to the retailer, instead o f complaining t o B It is not likely the shopper can find thethe rest of the world. Retailers are same products in other stores.hard-pressed to improve when they have C Most stores provide the sameno idea what is wrong. D Not complaining to the manager causes 注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答the shopper some trouble too.62. Why are store managers often the last 64. Shop owners often hire moonlightingto hear complaints? police as parking attendants so that A Most customers won ’t bother to shoppers_____complain even if they have had unhappy A can stay longer browsing in the store experiences. B won ’t have trouble parking their cars B Customers w ould rather relate their C won ’t have any worries about security unhappy experiences to people around D can find their cars easily after shopping65. What contributes m ost to smoothing over issues with customers?A Manners of the salespeopleB Hiring of efficient employeesC Huge supply of goods for saleD Design of the store layout.66. To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to_________.A exert pressure o n stores to improve their serviceB settle their disputes with stores in a diplomatic wayC voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directlyD shop around and make comparisons between stores3. The January fashion show, called Future Fashion , exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, t he show inspired many top designers t o work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to fine . “Most designers with existing labels are finding’re doingthere aren ’t comparable fabrics that can just replace what youand shat your customers are used to, ”he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable o nce woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents.Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers &Agents stopped(企业家) who charging its participation fee for young greenentrepreneursattend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special r ecognition to designers w hose collections a re at least 25% sustainable . It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce amajor initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional (过渡型的) cotton at higher prices , thus helping to expand the”“Mainstream is about to occur, supply of a key sustainable material .says Hahn.分析师) are less sure . Among consumers, only Some analysts (18%are even aware that ecofashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example o f the unconverted consumer, when asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied: “Not that I ’m aware of.”Like most consumers, she finds little time to’t too’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isnshop, and when she does, she’t yet on her mind. But ”By her own admission, green just isnexpensive.––thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliersone day it will be.57. What is said about Future Fashion?A) It inspired many leading designers to start going green.B) It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far.C) It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized.D) It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable.58. According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will goorganic is that .A) much more time is needed to finish a dress u sing sustainablematerials .B) they have to create new brands for clothes made of organicmaterials .C) customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organicmaterials .D) quality organic replacements f or synthetics are not readilyavailable .59. We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers w ho undertake g reenfashion .A) can attend various trade shows free .B) are readily recognized by the fashion worldC) can buy organic cotton at favorable prices .D) are gaining more and more support .’s attitude toward ecofashion?60. What is Natalie HormillaA) She d oesn ’t seem t o care a bout it. C) S he i s doubtful of itspractical value.B) She doesn ’t think it is sustainable D) She is very muchopposed to the idea61. What does the author think of green fashion?A) Green products will soon go mainstream.B) It has a very promising future.C) Consumers have the final say.D) It will appeal more to young people.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.Scientists have devised a way to determine roughly where a person缕) of hair , a technique that could help track the has lived using a strand(movements of criminal suspects or unidentified murder victims .The method relies on measuring how chemical variations in drinking water show up in people’s hair.”“You’re what you eat and drink, and that’s recorded in you hair, said Thure Cerling, a geologist at the University of Utah.While U.S diet is relatively identical, water supplies vary. The differences result from weather p atterns. The chemical composition o frainfall changes slightly as raid clouds move.Most hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are stable , but traces ofisotopes (同位素) . The heaviestboth elements are also present as heavierraid falls first .As a result, storms that form over the Pacific deliver heavier water to California than to Utah.Similar patterns exist throughout the U.S. By measuring the proportion of heavier hydrogen and oxygen isotopes along a strand of hair, scientists can construct a geographic t imeline. Each i nch of hair corresponds to about two months.Cerling ’s team collected t ap water samples f rom 600 cities and constructed a mop of the regional differences. T hey checked the accuracy of the map by testing 200 hair samples c ollected f rom 65 barber shops.They were able to accurately place the hair samples in broad regions roughly corresponding to the movement of raid systems.“It’s not good for pinpointing ( 精确定位),”Cerling said .“It’s good”for eliminating many possibilities.Todd Park, a local detective, said the method has helped him learn more about an unidentified woman whose skeleton w as found nearGreat Salt Lake.The woman was 5 feet tall. Police recovered 26 bones, a T-shirt and several strands of hair.When Park heard about the research, he gave the hair samples to the researchers. Chemical testing showed that over the two years before her death, she moved about every two months.She stayed in the Northwest, although the test could not be more specific than somewhere between eastern Oregon and western Wyoming.”Park said “But it narrows it way down “It’s still a substantial area,for me. ”62. What is the scientists’new discovery?A) One ’s hair growth has to do with the amount of water they drink.’s hair may reveal where they have lived.B) A personC) Hair analysis accurately identifies criminal suspects.D) The chemical composition of hair varies from person to person.”“You’re what you eat and drink63. What does the author mean by(Line 1, Para.3)?A) Food and drink affect one’s personality development.B) Food and drink preferences vary with individuals.’s body tissues.C) Food and drink leave traces in one’s existence.D) Food and drink are indispensable to one64. What is said about the rainfall in America’s West?A) There is much more rainfall in California than in Utah.B) The water it delivers becomes lighter when it moves inland.C) Its chemical composition is less stable than in other areas.D) It gathers more light isotopes as it moves eastward.’s team produce in their research?65. What did CerlingA) A map showing the regional differences of tap water.B) A collection of hair samples from various barber shops.C) A method to measure the amount of water in human hair.D) A chart illustrating the movement of the rain system.’s research?66. What is the practical value of CerlingA) It helps analyze the quality of water in different regions.B) It helps the police determine where a crime is committed.C) It helps the police narrow down possibilities in detective work.D) It helps identify the drinking habits of the person under investigation.4.Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on thepresidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so, but ’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be selfishly, Iable to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American’s attention.woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the worldAnd that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close a nd personal w ith the type of African-American woman t hey sorarely see.Usually, t he lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems t o be that we ’re all hot-tempered single’t keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black mothers who can’t escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed women still can酗酒的) mothers.females raised by our never-married, alcoholic (These images h ave helped define the way all women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit toa cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simple to be herself.It won ’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have donein-depth features o n regular A frican-American women, l ittle is knownabout who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis.For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogs’d like to see Michelle bring to the Whitehave written about what theyHouse —mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone —an impossible task. B ut for many African-American women沉着), confidence and intelligence will golike me, just a little of her poise (’s been around for far too long.a long way in changing an image that57. Why does Michelle Obama h old a strong fascination for the author?A) She serves as a role model for African women.B) She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.C) She w ill present to the world a new image of African-American women.D) She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-American women.58. What is the common stereotype o f African-American women according to the author?A) They are victims of violence. B) They are of an inferior violence.C) They use quite a lot of body language. D) They live on charity and social welfare.59. What do many African-Americans write about in their blogs?A) Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her fans.B) How Michelle should behave as a public figure.C) How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House.D) What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House.60. What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?A) However many fans she has, she should remain modest,B) She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community.’t expect to please everybody.C) However hard she tries, she can’s concerns.D) She will give priority to African-American women61. What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obama will do?A) Help change the prevailing view about black women.B) Help her husband in the task of changing America.C) Outshine previous First Lady.D) Fully display her fine qualities.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.When n ext year ’s crop of high-school g raduates arrive a t Oxford’ll be joined by a new face; Andrew University in the fall of 2009, theyHamilton, the 55-year-old p rovost (教务长) of Yale, w ho ’ll become—a position equivalent to university president Oxford ’s vice-chancellorin America.Hamilton isn ’t the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, S ingapore, etc, have a lso recently m ade top-level hiresfrom abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive’s gone global. Yet business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it’t universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only the talent flow isnone direction: outward from America.’t tend to seriously The chief reason is that American schools donconsider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado s earched for a new president, it wanted a leader f amiliar’s budget.with the state government, a major source of the university“We didn ’t do any global consideration, ”says P atricia H ayes, the board ’s chair. The board ultimately picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old活动家) who is likely to do Colorado businessman and political activist (well in the main task of modern university presidents: f und-raising. Fund-raising is a distinctively A merican t hing, since U.S. s chools r ely heavily o n donations. T he fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity.Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government f unding. But government s upport has failed to keep pace with rising student number. The decline in government support has made funding-raising an increasing necessary ability among administrators and has hiring committees hungry for Americans.In the past few years, prominent schools a round the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed Alison。

英语四级阅读理解练习题及答案解析英语四级阅读理解练习题原文If the salinity(含盐量) of ocean waters is analyzed, it is found to vary only slightly from place toplace.Nevertheless, some of these small changes are important. There are three basic processesthat cause a change in oceanic salinity. One of these is the subtraction of water from the oceanby means of evaporation--conversion of liquid water to water vapor. In this manner, thesalinity is increased, since the salts staybehind. If this is carried to the extreme, of course,white crystals of salt would be left behind.The opposite of evaporation is precipitation(降水), such as rain, by which water is added tothe ocean. Here the ocean is being diluted(稀释) so that the salinity is decreased. This mayoccur in areas of high rainfall or in coastal regions where rivers flow into the ocean. Thus salinitymay be increased by the subtraction of water by evaporation, or decreased by the additionof fresh water by precipitation or runoff(形成地表水部分的降水).Normally, in tropical regions where the sun is very strong, the ocean salinity is somewhathigher than it is in other parts of the world where there is not as much evaporation. Similarly,in coastal regions whererivers dilute the sea, salinity is somewhat lower than in other oceanicareas.A third process by which salinity may be altered is associated with the formation and meltingof sea ice. When seawater is frozen, the dissolved materials are left behind. In this manner,seawater directly beneath freshly formed sea ice has a higher salinity than it did before the iceappeared. Of course, when this ice melts, it will tend to decrease the salinity of the surroundingwater.In the Weddell Sea, off Antarctica, the densest water in the oceans is formed as a result of thisfreezingprocess, which increases the salinity of cold water. This heavy water sinks and is foundin the deeper portions of the oceans of the world.英语四级阅读理解练习题1.The best title of the passage can be “_____”.A.Typical Oceans and Their Respective FeaturesB.The Causes of the Changes in Salinity of Ocean WaterC.Different Oceans Have Different SalinityD.The Precipitation and Evaporation of Oceans2.Which of the following processes will increase salinity of ocean waters?A.Evaporation.B. Precipitation.C. Melting.D. Dilution.3.According to this passage, the sea _ is likely to have the lowest salinity.A. in tropical areasB. off AntarcticaC. of high rainfallD. with abundant4.The Weddell Sea _____.A.is a good example of increased salinity in freezing sea waterB.is much larger in area than the Arctic oceansC.has a much lower salinity now than everD.has the denser water in its upper parts5.Coastal regions are mentioned as cases where _____.A.sea water is less salty because fresh water joins inB.rivers carry industrial exhaust into seaC.sea ice tends to melt more quickly than in the center of oceansD. heavy water sinks to the deeper portions of the oceans英语四级阅读理解练习题答案解析1.[B] 主旨大意题。

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.。

英语四级考试题库及答案第一部分：听力部分（共四个选择题）1. 问题：What does the man ask the woman?- 选项：- A. How to get to the library.- B. What time the library closes.- C. Where the library is.- D. What books are available at the library.- 答案：C2. 问题：What does the man suggest the woman do? - 选项：- A. Rent the movie.- B. Watch the movie on TV.- C. Buy the movie on DVD.- D. Borrow the movie from the library.- 答案：D3. 问题：What is the man's opinion about the book?- 选项：- A. He didn't enjoy it.- B. He thought it was interesting.- C. He hasn't finished reading it yet.- D. He didn't have time to read it.- 答案：B4. 问题：Why is the man asking the woman?- 选项：- A. He wants to know if she can give him notes for the class. - B. He wants to know if there's a quiz on Friday.- C. He wants to know when the assignment is due.- D. He wants to know if he can borrow her textbook.- 答案：C第二部分：阅读部分（共四个选择题）5. 问题：What is the main idea of the passage?- 选项：- A. The benefits of exercise.- B. The importance of a healthy diet.- C. The relationship between diet and exercise.- D. The effects of a sedentary lifestyle.- 答案：C6. 问题：What does the word "obsolete" mean?- 选项：- A. No longer used or needed.- B. Unable to function properly.- C. Extremely difficult to understand.- D. Relatively expensive or hard to find.- 答案：A7. 问题：What is the author's opinion about the new technology? - 选项：- B. It is not as reliable as traditional methods.- C. It is too expensive for most people.- D. It will eventually replace traditional methods.- 答案：D8. 问题：What is the passage mainly about?- 选项：- A. The benefits of living in the countryside.- B. The advantages of city life over country life.- C. The challenges of moving from the city to the countryside.- D. The differences between living in the city and the countryside.- 答案：D第三部分：写作部分（共两个问题）9. 问题：Write a short letter to your friend inviting him/her to your birthday party.- 参考答案：Dear [Friend's Name],We have planned some fun activities and delicious food for the party. There will be music, games, and plenty of laughter. It would be a wonderful opportunity for old friends to gather and create new memories together.Please let me know if you will be able to attend the party, so I can make the necessary arrangements. If you have any dietary restrictions or preferences, please inform me in advance.I am really looking forward to celebrating my special day with you. Your presence would make it even more memorable. I hope you can make it!Best regards,[Your Name]10. 问题：Write a short essay discussing the benefits of regular exercise.- 参考答案：Regular exercise has numerous benefits that contribute to both our physical and mental well-being. Firstly, exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight. By engaging in regular physical activity, we burn calories and build muscle, which can prevent obesity and related health issues.Secondly, exercise improves cardiovascular health. Aerobic exercises such as running, cycling, or swimming, help to strengthen the heart and improve blood circulation. This can reduce the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure.Thirdly, exercise enhances our mood and mental health. When we exercise, our body releases endorphins, often referred to as "feel-good" hormones, which can uplift our spirits and reduce stress and anxiety. Physical activity also promotes better sleep, which is crucial for mental well-being.Lastly, exercise can be a social activity that fosters connections and relationships. Joining group exercises or sports teams provides an opportunity to meet new people and bond over shared interests.In conclusion, regular exercise has countless advantages for our physical and mental health. It helps to maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular health, enhance mood, boost energy levels, and create social connections. Incorporating exercise into our daily routine is essential for leading a fulfilling and healthy life.以上是英语四级考试题库及答案的内容。

英语四级阅读理解习题附答案解析Of all the components of a good night's sleep, dreams seem to be least within our control. Indreams, a window opens into a world where logic is suspended and dead people speak. Acentury ago,Freud formulated his revolutionary theory that dreams were the disguisedshadows of our unconscious desires and fears; by thelate 1970s, neurologists had switched tothinking of them as just"mental noise"-the random byproducts of the neural repair work thatgoes on during sleep. Now researchers suspect that dreams are part of the mind's emotionalthermostat, regulating moods whilethe brain is "off line." And one leading authority says thatthese intensely powerful mental events can be not only harnessed but actually brought underconscious control, to help us sleep andfeel better. "It's your dream," says RosalindCartwright, chair of psychologyat Chicago's Medical Center, "if you don't like it, change it."he link between dreams and emotions shows up among the patients in Cartwright's clinic. Mostpeople seem to have more bad dreams early in the night, progressing toward happier onesbeforeawakening, suggesting that they are working through negative feelings generatedduring the day. Because our conscious mind is occupied with dailylife we don't always thinkabout the emotionalsignificance of the day's events-until, it appears, we begin to dream.And this process need not be left to the unconscious. Cartwright believes one can exerciseconscious control over recurring bad dreams. As soon as you awaken, identify what isupsetting aboutthe dream. Visualizehow you would like it to end instead; the next time itoccurs, try to wake up just enough to control its course. With much practice people can learnto, literally, do it intheir sleep.At the end of the day, there's probably little reason to pay attention to our dreams at all unlessthey keep us from sleeping or "we wake up in panic," Cartwright says. Terrorism,economicuncertainties and general feelings of insecurity have increased people's anxiety. Thosesuffering from persistent nightmares should seek help from a therapist. For the rest of us,thebrain has its ways of working through bad feelings.Sleep-or rather dream-on it and you'll feelbetter in the morning.练习题：Choose correct answers to the question:1.By saying that “dreams are part of the mind's emotional thermostat," Lines 4-5,Para. 1 the researchers mean that _______.A.we can think logically in the dreams tooB.dreams can be brought under conscious controlC.dreams represent our unconscious desires and fearsD.dreams can help us keep our mood comparatively stable2.What did Cartwright find in her clinic?A.Most bad dreams were followed by happier ones.B.Divorced couples usually have more bad dreams.C.One’s dreaming process is related to his emotion.D.People having negative feelings dream more often.3.Cartwright believed with much practice，we can learn to _____.A.control what dreams to dreamB.sleep well without any dreamsC.wake up in time to stop the bad dreamsD.identify what is upsetting about the dreams4.The author points out that a person who has constant bad dreams should ______A.learn to control his dreamsB.consult a doctorC.sleep and dream on itD.get rid of anxiety first5.The author most probably thinks that controlling dreams is ______.A.a good practiceB.a new discoveryC.helpful for everyoneD.not essential for everyone1.[D] 词义理解题。

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大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析1The world has become a world of cities. With the present rate of urban growth(3. 8% in the Third World) , the majority of the population of the world will be living in cities by the year 2000. This will transform the rural-urban equation which has marked the history of mankind up to now and will call for new example and a great deal of innovation to face this phenomenon.This being so, one must accept the fact that for some years to come, no policy will be capable of stopping or reversing the present migratory trend from the rural areas to the cities in the Third World. In Africa, the urban population will reach 330 million people by the end of the century as against 150 million in 1995.The number of people living in shanty-towns (贫富窟) will inevitably increase in spite of the efforts to improve housing conditions.Africa alone needs to build 12 million housing units between now and the year 2000 to meet its most basic needs. In an ILO study, M. S. V. Sethuraman estimates that in 70 Third "World cities the proportion of people living in shanty-towns varies from 15% to 70% and that about US $ 116 billion is required to give minimum comfort to these people by the turn of the century—less than US $ 10 billion per year.The world population is growing at a rate of about 90 million people per year, with the Third World accounting for 80 million of them. The pressure on cities can only go on increasing. The urban population of the developing countries will exceed 2 billion people by the year 2000 and since the main reason for the high demographic (人口统计的) growth is poverty, the additional population will be mostly made of people of very limited means.21. If the urban population of the developing countries exceeds 2 billion people by the year 2000, the main problem the additional people will face is______.A. housingB. foodC. povertyD. limited land22. According to the passage, "about US $116 billion is required to give minimum comfort to these people by the turn of the century—less than US $ 10 billion per year. " Do you think which year was the article written by saying "less than $ 10 billion per year" by theturn of the century?A. 1985.B. 1990.C. 1988.D. 2000.23. The mankind should face the phenomenon that the world has become a world of cities with______.A. a lot of difficultiesB. efforts to improve housing conditionC. pressure of the basic needsD. new models and a great deal of transformation of ideas and methods24. In Africa, people in cities will be______by the end of the century.A. almost twice as much as in 1985B. doubled than that in 1985C. over twice as much as in 1985D. 300 million25. In spite of the efforts to improve housing condition, the number of people living in shanty-towns will increase because______.A. houses in shanty-towns are cheapB. shanty-towns could provide people with minimum comfortC. no policy will be capable of stopping or changing the present immigrant tendency from the rural areas to the cities in the Third WorldD. the Third Word population is growing at a rate of about 80 million people per year答案：21. C 22. C 23. D 24. C 25. C大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析2There are two factors which determine an individuals intelligence. The first is the sort of brain he is born with. Human brains differ considerably, some being more capable than others. But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn. So the second factor is what happens to the individual—the sort of environment in which he is reared. If an individual is handicapped envionmentally ,it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable. The importance of environment in determining an individuals intellingence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark X. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth processes were the same. When the twins were three months old , their parents died, and they were placed in separate foster homes. Peter was reated by parents of low intelligence in an isolatedcommunity with poor educational pooprtunities.Mark was reared inthe home of well-to-do parents who had been to college. He was read to as a child , sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually.This enviromental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when theywere giben tesets to measure their intelligence. Marks I.Q. was 125, twenty-five points higher than the average and fully forty points higher than his identical brother. Given equal opportunities , the twins , having identical brains,would have tested at roughly the same level.1.This selection can best be titled_________.a.Measuring Your Intelligenceb.Intelligence and Environmentc.The Case of Peter and Markd.How the brain Influences Intelligence2.The beststatement of the main idea of this passage is that _____. a.human brains differ considerablyb.the brain a person is born with is improtant in determining his intelligencec.environment is crucial in determining a persons intelligenced. persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence3.According to the passage , the average I.Q.is _____.a.85b.100c.110d.1254.The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that _______. a.individual with identical brains seldom test at same level b.an individuals intelligence is determined only by his enviroment ck of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligence d.changes of enviromentproduce changes in the structure of the brain5.This passage suggests that an individual s I.Q.______. a.can be predicted at birthb.stays the same throuthout his lifec.can be increased by educationd.is determined by his childhood答案：bcbcc大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析3There are three kinds of goals: short-term,medium-range and long-term goals. Short-range goals are those that usually deal with current activities,which we can apply on a daily basis.Such goals can be achieved in a week or less,or two weeks,or possible months.It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation ,out long-term goals cannot amount to very munch without the achievement of solid short-term goals.Upon completing our short-term goals,we should date the occasion and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed. The intermediate goals bukld on the foundation of the short-range goals.They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school year,or they could even extend for several years.Any time you move a step at a time,you should never allow yourself to become discouraged or overwhelmed. As you complete each step,you will enforce the belief inyour ability to grow adn succeed.And as your list of completion dates grow,your motivation and desire will increase. Long-range goals may be related to our dreams of the future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing.We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action. 1.Our long-term goals mean a lot______.A.if we complete our short-range goalsB.if we cannot reach solid short-term goalsC.if we write down the datesD.if we put forward some plans2.New short-term goals are bulid upon______.A.two yearsB.long-term goalsC.current activitiesD.the goals that have been completed3.When we complete each step of our goals ,______.A.we will win final successB.we are overwhelmedC.we should build up confidence of successD.we should strong desire for setting new goals 4.Once our goals are drawn up,_______.A.we should stick to them until we complete themB.we may change our goals as we have new ideas and opportunitiesC.we had better wait for the exciting news of successD.we have made great decision5.It is implied but not stated in the passage that ______.A.those who habe long-term goals will succeedB.writing down the dates may discourage youC.the goal is only a guide for us to reach our desinationD.every should have a goal答案：adcbc大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析4Today ,as in every other day of the year ,more than 3000 U.S. adlescents will smoke their first cigarette on their way to becoming regular smokers as adults. During their lifetime,it can be expected that of these 3000 about 23 will be murdered,30 will die in traffic accidents, and nearly 750 will be killed by a smoking-related disease. The number of deaths attributed to cigarette smoking outweithts all other factors, whether voluntary or involuntary, as a cause of death. Since the late 1970s, when daily smoking among high school seniors reached 30 precent , smoking rates among youth have declined . While the decline is impressive ,several important issues must be raised. First, in the past several years,smoking rates among youth have declined very little. Second,in the late 1970s ,smoking among male high school seniors exceeded that among female by nearly 10 percent . The statistic is reversing.Third ,several recent studies have indicate high school dropouts have excessively high smoking rates, as much as 75 percent . Finally,thouth significant declines in adolescent smoking have occurred in the past decade,no definite reasons for the decline exist. Within this context,the Naional Cancer Instiute (NCI) began its current effort to determine the most effecive measures to reduce smoking levesl among youth.1.According to the author, the deaths among youth are mainly caused by _____.a.traffic accidentsb.smoking-related deseasec.murderd.all of these2.Every day there are over_____high school strdents who will become regular smoker.a.75b.23c.30d.30003.By "dropout" the author means______.a.students who failed the examinationb.students who left schoolc.students who lost their wayd.students who were driven out of school4.The reason for declining adolescent smoking is that ________.a.NCI has taken effective measuresb.smoking is prevented among high school seniorsc.there are many smokers who have died of cancerd.none of these5.What is implied but not stated by the author is that ________.a.smoking rates among youth have declined very littleb.there are now more female than male smokers among high school seniorsc.high smoking rates are due to the incease in wealthd.smoking at high school are from low socio-economic backgrounds答案：bdbdb【大学生英语四级考试阅读理解试题及答案解析】。

英语四级阅读题库含答案解析1.Passage OneGlobal warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the 21st century, but regardless of whether it is or isn’t –we won’t do much about it. We will argue over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed.Al Gore calls global warming an “inconvenient truth,”as if merely recognizing it could put us on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we don’t know enough to relieve global warming, and –without major technological breakthroughs—we can’t do much about it.From 2003 to 2050, the world’s population is projected to grow from 6.4 billion to 9.1 billion, a 42% increase. If energy use per person and technology remain the same, total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions (mainly, CO2) will be 42% higher in 2050. but that’s too low, because societies that grow richer use more energy. We need economic growth unless we condemn the world’s poor to their present poverty and freeze everyone else‘s living standards. With modest growth, energy use and greenhouse emissions more than double by 2050.No government will adopt rigid restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel) that might cut back global warming. Still, politicians want to show they’re “doing something.”Consider the Kyoto Protocol (京都议定书). It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn’t. But it hasn’t reduced CO2 emissions (up about 25% since 1990), and many signatories (签字国) didn’t adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets.The practical conclusion is that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development program might find ways of breaking dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it.The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral problem when it’s really an engineering one. The inconvenient truth is that if we don’t solve the engineering problem, we’re helpless.57. What is said about global warming in the first paragraph?A) It may not prove an environmental crisis at all. B) It is an issue requiring world wide commitments.C) Serious steps have been taken to avoid or stop it. D) Very little will be done to bring it under control.58. According to the author’s understanding, what is Al Gore’s view on global warming?A) It is a reality both people and politicians are unaware of.B) It is a phenomenon that causes us many inconveniences.C) It is a problem that can be solved once it is recognized.D) It is an area we actually have little knowledge about.59. Green house emissions will more than double by 2050 because of _______.A) economic growthB) the widening gap between the rich and poor C) wasteful use of energyD) the rapid advances of science and technology60. The author believes that, since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, ________.A) politicians have started to do something to better the situationB) few nations have adopted real tough measures to limit energy useC) reductions in energy consumption have greatly cut back global warmingD) international cooperation has contributed to solving environmental problems61. What is the message the author intends to convey?A) Global warming is more of a moral issue than a practical one.B) The ultimate solution to global warming lies in new technologyC) The debate over global warming will lead to technological breakthroughs.D) People have to give up certain material comforts to stop global warming. Passage TwoSomeday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Websites you’ve visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchase or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.In fact, it’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen —the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked.Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it’s important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs(碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simpleGoogle search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret.The key question is: Does that matter?When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is “slipping away, and that bothers me.”But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠券).But privacy does matter –at least sometimes. It’s like health: When you have it, you don’t notice it. Only when it’s gone do you wish you’d done more to protect it. 62. What does the author mean by saying “the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked ”(Lines 3-4, Para.2)?A) People’s personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.B) In the 21st century people try every means to look into others’secrets.C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.63. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?A) Friends should open their hearts to each other.B) Friends should always be faithful to each other. C) There should be a distance even between friends.D) There should be fewer disputes between friends.64. Why does the author say “we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret”(Line 5, Para.3)?A) Modern society has finally evolved into an open society.B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.C) There are always people who are curious about others’affairs.D) Many search engines profit by revealing people’s identities.65. What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions.C) They rely more and more on electronic devices. D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.66. According to the passage, privacy is like health in that ________.A) people will make every effort to keep itB) its importance is rarely understoodC) it is something that can easily be lostD) people don’t cherish it until they lose it2.Passage OneQuestions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.If you are a male and you are reading this ,congratulations: you are a survivor .According to statistics .you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman ,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman.There are many reasons for this-typically, men take more risks than woman and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.“Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should, ”says Dr. Gullotta, “This is particularly so for the over-40s,when diseases tend to strike.”Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45,it should be at least once a year.Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old ma who had delayed doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year.“When I finally saw him it had alreadyspread and he has since died from lung cancer”he says, “Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged this life”According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.“A lot of men think they are invincible （不可战胜的）”Gullotta says “They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think”Geez, if it could happen to him.Then there is the ostrich approach,”some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know, ”says Dr. Ross Cartmill.“Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies,”Cartmill says .He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups.Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says.”But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death.”57.Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage?A. They are more likely to survive serious diseases today.B. Their average life span has been considerably extended.C. They have lived long enough to read this article.D. They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier live.58.What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women?A. men drink and smoke much more than womenB. men don’t seek medical care as often as womenC. men aren’t as cautions as women in face of dangerD. men are more likely to suffer from fatal diseases59. Which of the following best completes the sentence “Geez, if it could happen to him…’(line2,para,8)?A. it could happen to me, tooB. I should avoid playing golfC. I should consider myself luckyD. it would be a big misfortune60what does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by “the ostrich approach”(line q para.9) A. a casual attitude towards one’s health conditionsB. a new therapy for certain psychological problemsC. refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involvedD. unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear61. What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men?A.They may increase public expensesB.They will save money in the long runC.They may cause psychological strains on menD.They will enable men to live as long as womenPassage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.High-quality customer service is preached(宣扬) by many ,but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than doneShoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead will alert their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers-and anyone who will listen.Store managers are often the last tohear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide t frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde group and Wharton school“Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers,”said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde group.”the store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement.”On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four other, and will no longer visit the specific store for every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative reviews. The resulting “snowball effect”can be disastrous to retailers.According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing encountered the most problems. ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers.The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered (塞满了的) shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople.During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved the parking problems by getting moonlighting（业余兼职的）local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance eliminated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space.Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions.Most importantly, salespeople shouldbe diplomatic and polite with angry customers.“Retailers who’re responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly.”said Professor Stephen Hoch. “Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help.”Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答62. Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints?A Most customers won’t bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences.B Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them.C Few customers believe the service will be improved.D Customers have no easy access to store managers.63. What does Paula Courtney imply by saying “…the shopper must also find a replacement”(Line 2, Para. 4)?A New customers are bound to replace old ones.B It is not likely the shopper can find the same products in other stores.C Most stores provide the sameD Not complaining to the manager causes the shopper some trouble too.64. Shop owners often hire moonlighting police as parking attendants so that shoppers_____A can stay longer browsing in the storeB won’t have trouble parking their carsC won’t have any worries about securityD can find their cars easily after shopping65. What contributes most to smoothing over issues with customers?A Manners of the salespeopleB Hiring of efficient employeesC Huge supply of goods for saleD Design of the store layout.66. T o achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to _________.A exert pressure on stores to improve their serviceB settle their disputes with stores in a diplomatic wayC voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directlyD shop around and make comparisons between stores3. The January fashion show, called Future Fashion , exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to fine . “Most designers with existing labels are finding there aren’t comparable fabrics that can just replace what you’re doing and shat your customers are used to,”he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents.Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs(企业家) who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable . It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce amajor initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional(过渡型的) cotton at higher prices , thus helping to expand the supply of a key sustainable material . “Mainstream is about to occur,”says Hahn.Some analysts(分析师) are less sure . Among consumers, only 18%are even aware that ecofashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer, when asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied: “Not that I’m aware of.”Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.”By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But –thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers –one day it will be.57. What is said about Future Fashion?A) It inspired many leading designers to start going green.B) It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far.C) It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized.D) It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable.58. According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will goorganic is that .A) much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainablematerials .B) they have to create new brands for clothes made of organicmaterials .C) customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organicmaterials .D) quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readilyavailable .59. We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers who undertake greenfashion .A) can attend various trade shows free .B) are readily recognized by the fashion worldC) can buy organic cotton at favorable prices .D) are gaining more and more support .60. What is Natalie Hormilla’s attitude toward ecofashion?A) She doesn’t seem to care about it. C) She is doubtful of itspractical value.B) She doesn’t think it is sustainable D) She is very muchopposed to the idea61. What does the author think of green fashion?A) Green products will soon go mainstream.B) It has a very promising future.C) Consumers have the final say.D) It will appeal more to young people.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.Scientists have devised a way to determine roughly where a person has lived using a strand(缕) of hair , a technique that could help track the movements of criminal suspects or unidentified murder victims .The method relies on measuring how chemical variations in drinking water show up in people’s hair.“You’re what you eat and drink, and that’s recorded in you hair,”said Thure Cerling, a geologist at the University of Utah.While U.S diet is relatively identical, water supplies vary. The differences result from weather patterns. The chemical composition of rainfall changes slightly as raid clouds move.Most hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are stable , but traces of both elements are also present as heavier isotopes (同位素) . The heaviest raid falls first .As a result, storms that form over the Pacific deliver heavier water to California than to Utah.Similar patterns exist throughout the U.S. By measuring the proportion of heavier hydrogen and oxygen isotopes along a strand of hair, scientists can construct a geographic timeline. Each inch of hair corresponds to about two months.Cerling’s team collected tap water samples from 600 cities and constructed a mop of the regional differences. They checked the accuracy of the map by testing 200 hair samples collected from 65 barber shops.They were able to accurately place the hair samples in broad regions roughly corresponding to the movement of raid systems.“It’s not good for pinpointing (精确定位),”Cerling said . “It’s good for eliminating many possibilities.”Todd Park, a local detective, said the method has helped him learn more about an unidentified woman whose skeleton was found near Great Salt Lake.The woman was 5 feet tall. Police recovered 26 bones, a T-shirt and several strands of hair.When Park heard about the research, he gave the hair samples to the researchers. Chemical testing showed that over the two years before her death, she moved about every two months.She stayed in the Northwest, although the test could not be more specific than somewhere between eastern Oregon and western Wyoming.“It’s still a substantial area,”Park said “But it narrows it way down for me.”62. What is the scientists’new discovery?A) One’s hair growth has to do with the amount of water they drink.B) A person’s hair may reveal where they have lived.C) Hair analysis accurately identifies criminal suspects.D) The chemical composition of hair varies from person to person.63. What does the author mean by “You’re what you eat and drink”(Line 1, Para.3)?A) Food and drink affect one’s personality development.B) Food and drink preferences vary with individuals.C) Food and drink leave traces in one’s body tissues.D) Food and drink are indispensable to one’s existence.64. What is said about the rainfall in America’s West?A) There is much more rainfall in California than in Utah.B) The water it delivers becomes lighter when it moves inland.C) Its chemical composition is less stable than in other areas.D) It gathers more light isotopes as it moves eastward.65. What did Cerling’s team produce in their research?A) A map showing the regional differences of tap water.B) A collection of hair samples from various barber shops.C) A method to measure the amount of water in human hair.D) A chart illustrating the movement of the rain system.66. What is the practical value of Cerling’s research?A) It helps analyze the quality of water in different regions.B) It helps the police determine where a crime is committed.C) It helps the police narrow down possibilities in detective work.D) It helps identify the drinking habits of the person under investigation.4.Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on thepresidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so, but selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can’t escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic (酗酒的) mothers.These images have helped define the way all women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simple to be herself.It won’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogshave written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House—mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise (沉着), confidence and intelligence will goa long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.57. Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong fascination for the author?A) She serves as a role model for African women.B) She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.C) She will present to the world a new image of African-American women.D) She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-American women.58. What is the common stereotype of African-American women according to the author?A) They are victims of violence. B) They are of an inferior violence.C) They use quite a lot of body language. D) They live on charity and social welfare.59. What do many African-Americans write about in their blogs?A) Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her fans.B) How Michelle should behave as a public figure.C) How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House.D) What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House.60. What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?A) However many fans she has, she should remain modest,B) She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community.C) However hard she tries, she can’t expect to please everybody.D) She will give priority to African-American women’s concerns.61. What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obama will do?A) Help change the prevailing view about black women.B) Help her husband in the task of changing America.C) Outshine previous First Lady.D) Fully display her fine qualities.Passage TwoQuestions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.When next year’s crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they’ll be joined by a new face; Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost (教务长) of Yale, who’ll become Oxford’s vice-chancellor—a position equivalent to university president in America.Hamilton isn’t the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc, have also recently made top-level hiresfrom abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it’s gone global. Yet the talent flow isn’t universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only one direction: outward from America.The chief reason is that American schools don’t tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university’s budget. “We didn’t do any global consideration,”says Patricia Hayes, the board’s chair. The board ultimately picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist (活动家) who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a distinctively American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity.Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student number. The decline in government support has made funding-raising an increasing necessary ability among administrators and has hiring committees hungry for Americans.In the past few years, prominent schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed AlisonRichard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen “a major strengthening of Yale’s financial position.”Of course, fund-raising isn’t the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with international experience of some kind of promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices.62. What is the current trend in higher education discussed in the passage?A) Institutions worldwide are hiring administrators from the U.S.B) A lot of political activists are being recruited as administrators.C) American universities are enrolling more international students.D) University presidents are paying more attention to funding-raising.63. What is the chief consideration of American universities when hiring top-level administrators?A) The political correctness. B) Their ability to raise funds.C) Their fame in academic circles. D) Their administrative experience.64. What do we learn about European universities from the passage?A) The tuitions they charge have been rising considerably.B) Their operation is under strict government supervision.。

英语四级阅读理解考试题及答案英语四级阅读理解考试题及答案英语四级阅读理解考试题及答案篇1Trees should only be pruned when there is a good and clear reason for doing so and , fortunately,the number of such reasons is small. Pruning involves the cutting away of obergrown and unwanted branches, and the inexperienced gardener can be encouraged by the thought that more damage results from doing it unnecessarily than from leaving the tree to grow inits own way.First, pruning may be done to make sure that trees have a desired shape or size. The object may be to get a tree of the right height, and at the same time to help the growth of small side branches which will thicken its appearance or give it a special shape. Secondly, pruning may be done to make the tree healthier. You may cut diseaed or dead wood, or branches that are rubbing against each other and thuscause wounds. The health of a tree may be encouraged by removing branches that are blocking up the centre and so preventing the free movement of air.One result of pruning is that an open wound isleft on the tree and this provides an easy entry for disease, but itis a wound that will heal. Often there is a race between the healing and the desease as to whether the tree will live or die, so that there is a period when the tree is at risk. It should be the aim of every gardener to reduce which has been pruned smooth and clean, for healing will be slowed down by roughness. You should allow the cut surface to dry for a few hurs and then paint it with one of the substances available from garden shops produced especially for this purpose. Pruning is usually without interference from the leaves and also it is very unlikely that the cuts yu make will bleed. Ifthis does happen,it is, of course,impossible to paint them properly.1.．Why should pruning be done?A．To make the tree grow taller. B．To improve the shape of the tree.C．to get rid of the small ranches . D．To make the small branches thicker.2.．Trees bee unhealthy if the gardener__________.A. giving a tree a special shape and adefinite heightB. removing small side branches and making atree look less thickC. allowing too many branches to grow in themiddleD. having a tree surrounded by many othertrees3.．Why is a special material painted on the tree?A．To help a wound to dry. B．to cover a rough surface.C．To make a wound smooth. D．To prevent disease entering a wound.4.．A good gardener prunes a tree _________ .A．several times throughout the year B．as quickly as possibleC．occasionally when necessary D．regularly every winter5.．What was the author’s p urpose whenwritingthis passage?A．To discuss different methods of pruning.B．To introduce some mon knowledge of pruning.C．To explain how trees developdisease.D．To give practical instruction for pruning atree.英语四级阅读理解考试题及答案篇21. According to the report,______. A) many short sleepers need less sleep by nature B) many short sleepers are obliged to reduce their nightly sleeptime because they are busy with their work C) long sleepers sleep a longer period of time during the day D) many long sleepers preserve their sleeping habit formed during their childhood2. Many “short sleepers” are likely to hold the view that _____. A) sleep is a withdrawal from the reality B) sleep interferes with their sound judgement C) sleep is the least expensive item on their routine program D) sleep is the best way to deal with psychological troubles3. It is stated in the third paragraph that short sleepers _____. A) are ideally vigorous even under the pressures of life B) often neglect the consequences of inadequate sleep C) do not know how to relax properlyD) are more unlikely to run into mental problems4. When sometimes they cannot enjoy adequate sleep, the long sleepers might ____. A) appear disturbed B) bee energetic C) feel dissatisfied D) be extremely depressed5. Which of the following is Not included in the passage? A) If one sleeps inadequately, his performance suffers and his memory is weakened B) The sleep patterns of short sleepers are exactly the sane as those shown by many mental patients C) Long and short sleepers differ in their attitudes towards sleep D) Short sleepers would be better off with more rest【答案及详解】答案：DCBAB 贝克尔和哈特曼报道说，“睡眠少的人”在未进入少年期之前，其正常睡眠时间大致与所需要的时间差不多。