2020年英语四级考试阅读理解练习20篇(4).doc

大学英语四级考试阅读理解练习20篇大学英语四级考试阅读理解练习20篇大学英语四级考试阅读理解练习20篇When one looks back upon the fifteen hundred years that are the life span of the English language, he should be able to notice a number of significant truths. The history of our language has always been a history of constant change—at times a slow, almost imperceptible change, at other times a violent collision between two languages. Our language has always been a living growing organism, it has never been static. Another significant truth that emerges from such a study is that language at all times has been the possession not of one class or group but of many. 『At one extreme it has been the property of the common, ignorant folk, who have used it in the daily business of their living, much as they have used their animals or the kitchen pots and pans.』①At the other extreme it has been the treasure of those who have respected it as an instrument and a sign of civilization, and who have struggled by writing it down to give it some permanence, order, dignity, and if possible, a little beauty.As we consider our changing language, we should note here two developments that are of special and immediate importance to us. One is that since the time of the Anglo-Saxons there has been an almost complete reversal of the different devices for showing the relationship of words in a sentence. Anglo-Saxon (old English) was a language of many inflections. Modern English has few inflections. We must now depend largely on word order and function words to convey the meanings that the older language did by means of changes in the formsof words. Function words, you should understand, are words such as prepositions, conjunctions, and a few others that are used primarily to show relationships among other words. A few inflections, however, have survived. And when some word inflections come into conflict with word order, there may be trouble for the users of the language, as we shall seelater when we turn our attention to such maters as WHO or WHOM and ME or I. The second fact we must consider is that as language itself changes, our attitudes toward language forms change also. 『The eighteenth century, for example, produced from various sources a tendency to fix the language into patterns not always set in and grew, until at the present time there is a strong tendency to restudy andre-evaluate language practices in terms of the ways in which people speak and write.』②1.In contrast to the earlier linguists, modern linguists tend to .A. attempt to continue the standardization of the languageB. evaluate language practices in terms of current speech rather than standards or proper patternsC. be more concerned about the improvement of the language than its analysis or historyD. be more aware of the rules of the language usage 2.Choose the appropriate meaning for the word “inflection” used in line 4 of paragraph 2.A. Changes in the forms of words.B. Changes in sentence structures.C. Changes in spelling rules.D. Words that have similar meanings.3.Which of the following statements is not mentioned in the passage? A. It is generally believed that the year 1500 can be set as the beginning of the modern English language.B. Some other languages had great influence on the English language at some stages of its development.C. The English language has been and still in a state of relatively constant change.D. Many classes or groups have contributed to the development of the English language.4. The author of these paragraphs is probably a(an) .A. historianB. philosopherC. anthropologistD. linguist5.Which of the following can be best used as the title of the passage? A. The history of the English language.B. Our changing attitude towards the English language.C. Our changing language.D. Some characteristics of modern English.Vocabulary1. span n. 跨度，范围，一段时间，期间。

大学英语四级考试阅读理解真题及答案（全套）大学英语四级考试阅读理解真题【阅读】Section CDirections： There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.In recent years, a growing body of research has shown that our appetite and food intake are influenced by a large number of factors besides our biological need for energy, including our eating environment and our perception of the food in front of us.Studies have shown, for instance, that eating in front of the TV (or a similar distraction) can increase both hunger and the amount of food consumed. Even simple visual cues, like plate size and lighting, have been shown to affect portion size and consumption.A new study suggested that our short-term memory also may play a role in appetite. Several hours after a meal, people's hunger levels were predicted not by how much they’d eaten but rather by how much food they'd seen in front of them—in other words, how much they remembered eating.This disparity (盖弃）suggests the memory of our previous meal may have a bigger influence on our appetite than the actual size of the meal, says Jeffrey M. Brunstrom, a professor of experimental psychology at the University of Bristol."Hunger isn't controlled solely by the physical characteristics of a recent meal. We have identified an independent role for memory for that meal，" Brunstrom says. "This shows that the relationship between hunger and food intake is more complex than we thought."These findings echo earlier research that suggests our perception of food can sometimes trick our body’s response to the food itself. In a 2011 study, for instance, people who drank the same 3S0-calorie (卡路里）milkshake on two separate occasions produced different levels of hunger-related hormones （荷尔蒙），depending on whether the shake’s label said it contained 620 or 140 calories. Moreover, the participants reported feeling more full when they thought they'd consumed a higher-calorie shake.What does this mean for our eating habits? Although it hardly seems practical to trick ourselves into eating less, the new findings do highlight the benefits of focusing on our food and avoiding TV and multitasking while eating.The so-called mindful-eating strategies can fight distractions and help us control our appetite, Brunstrom says.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

2020年英语四级阅读理解模拟试题及答案（卷四）Many private institutions of higher education around the country are in danger. Not all will be saved, andperhaps not all deserve to be saved. There are low-quality schools just as there are low-quality business.We have no obligation to save them simply because they exist.But many thriving institutions that deserve to continue are threatened. They are doing a fine job educationally, but they are caught in a financial squeeze, with no way to reduce rising costs or increase revenuessignificantly. Raising tuition doesn’t bring in more revenue, for each time tuition goes up, the enrollment goes down, or the amount that must be given away in student aid goes up. Schools are bad businesses, whether public or private, not usually because of mismanagement but because of the nature of the enterprise.They lose money on every customer, and they can go bankrupt either from too few students or too many students. Even a very good college is a very bad business.It is such colleges, thriving but threatened, I worry about. Low enrollment is not their chief problem. Even with full enrollments, they may go under. Efforts to save them, and preferably to keep them private, are a national necessity. There is no basis for arguing that private schools are inherently (固有地)better than public schools. Examples to the contrary abound. Anyone can name state universities and colleges thatrank as the finest in the nation and the world. It is now inevitable that public institutions will be dominant, and therefore diversity is a national necessity. Diversity in the way we support schools tends to give us a healthy diversity in the forms of education. In an imperfect society such as ours, uniformity of education throughout the nation could be dangerous. In an imperfect society, diversity is a positive good. Enthusiastic supporters of public higher education know the importance of sustaining private higher education.试题：Choose correct answers to the question:1.According to the author's opinion, schools are bad businesses because of _______.A. mismanagementB. too few studentsC. financial squeezeD. their characteristics2.The author used the phrase “go under" in Para. 3 to mean "_______".A. get into difficultiesB. have low enrollmentC. have little moneyD. bring in more money3.We can reasonably conclude from this passage that the author made an appeal to the public in order to support_____A. public institutionB. private schoolsC. uniformity of educationD. diversity of education4.Which of the following is NOT mentioned about private schools?A. High-quality private schools deserve to be saved.B. If the tuition of the private schools is raised, the enrollment goes down.C. There are many cases to show that public schools are better than private schools.D. Private schools are more profitable than public schools.5.Which of the following ways could possibly save private schools?A. Raising tuition.B. Full enrollment.C. National awareness and support.D. Reduction of rising costs.1.[D] 事实细节题。

2020年大学英语四级阅读理解练习题及解析(24)【阅读练习】Americans are proud of their variety and individualty, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform. Why are uniforms so __1__ in the United States?Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first isthat in the eyes of most people they look more __2__ than civilian(百姓的) clothes. People have become conditioned to __3__ superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears a uniform tends to __4__ more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the __5__ of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What an easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to __6__ professional identity(身份) than to step out of uniform? Uniforms also have many __7__ benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of __8__ experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without __9__, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act __10__, on the job at least.[A]skill[B]popular[C]get[D]change[E]similarly[F]professional[G]character[H]individuality[I]inspire[J]differently[K]expect[L]practical[M]recall[N]lose[O]ordinary【答案及详解】1.选B)。

2020年6月英语四级阅读练习题及答案2020年6月英语四级阅读练习题及答案Section CDirections： There are 2 passages in this section. Each is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A ),B．, C．andD ). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.Passage OneQuestions 56 to 60 are based on the following passage.People's tastes in recreation differ widely. At a recent festival of pop-music in the Isle of Wight, crowds of teenagers flocked to listen to their favorite singers and musicians. They went with single railway tickets and slept in the open, a very risky thing to do in the climate of Britain, even in August. They were packed together like sardines for four days. There were innumerable thieves, a gang of roughs tried several times to break things up, and police were everywhere. At the end of the festival many young fans found themselves broke, with no money left,and they had difficulty in getting back home. Most people would consider these conditions a nightmare of discomfort; the fans appeared to enjoy it all enormously.Even in the overcrowded United Kingdom there are large tracts of open un-spoilt country, where people with more traditional tastes can go for quiet, and for the sense offreedom they derive from contact with nature. In the national parks especially, modern development of housing and industry is strictly controlled. Visitors may walk for miles through landscape of the greatest beauty and wildness, and often of considerable historic or scientific interest. Along the coasts of some of the maritime counties, public pathways have been created; these paths stretch for many miles along cliffs that look out on the Atlantic Ocean or the English Channel. Another path,lying inland, goes along the range of mountains in the north of England. It is called the Pennine Way. Here, the long-distance waller and the nature-lover can find much to enjoy, without feeling disturbed by large numbers of their fellows.Yet few people make full use of the national parks established for everyone's benefit. The commonest thing nowadays is for family groups to motor out to a beautiful spot and park their cars in a lay-by ( 英国的路旁停车带 ). A picnic basket is produced, along with a folding table and chairs, a kettle and a portable stove. They then settle down to a picnic in the lay-by beside the car. Apparently their idea of enjoyment is to get into the fresh air and amongst the country sights and sounds without having to wall a yard. They seem almost to like to hear and to smell the traffic.56. In Britain it is very risky to __________.A．go with a single railway ticketB．listen to pop-music at the festivalC. sleep in the openD．pack together in crowds57. At the end of the festival, many young fans__________.A．were arrested by the policeB．had spent most of their moneyC．were sleeping outD．became quite penniless58. Even in the overcrowded United Kingdom there arelarge__________.A．tracks through the open countryB．areas of country without soilC．areas of countryside not developedD．expanses of land where nobody works59. Public pathways are created for people to__________.A．commute to workB．enjoy long-distance walkingC. wall to maritime countiesD．visit the historic or scenic sites60. Family groups nowadays like to__________.A．have meals out of doors by the road-sideB．go for a walk away from homeC．drive out past the beautiful placesD．hear and smell the animals。

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 attainthe 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 ismuch 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 theatmosphere .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 forman 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。

2020年四级阅读理解练习题及解析(4)【阅读练习】Now let us look at how we read. When we read a printed text, our eyes move across a page in short, jerky movement. We recognize words usually when our eyes are still when they fixate. Each time they fixate, we see a group of words. This is known as the recognition span or the visual span. The length of time ofr which the eyes stop ---the duration of the fixation ----varies considerably from person to person. It also vaies within any one person according to his purpose in reading and his familiarity with the text. Furthermore, it can be affected by such factors as lighting and tiredness.Unfortunately, in the past, many reading improvement courses have concentrated too much on how our eyes move across the printed page. As a result of this misleading emphasis on the purely visual aspects of reading, numerous exercises have been devised to train the eyes to see more words at one fixation. For instance, in some exercises, words are flashed on to a screen for, say, a tenth or a twentieth of a second. One of the exercises has required students tofix their eyes on some central point, taking in the words on either side. Such word patterns are often constructed in the shape of rather steep pyramids so the reader takes in more and more words at each successive fixation. All these exercises are very clever, but it’s one thing to improve a person’s ability to see words and quite another thing to improve his ability to read a text efficiently. Reading requires the ability to understand the relationship between words. Consequently, for these reasons, many experts have nowbegun to question the usefulness of eye training, especially since any approach whichtrains a person to read isolated words and phrases would seem unlikely to help him in reading a continuous text.Q：1. The time of the recognition span can be affected by the following facts except ________ .A. one’s familiarity with the textB. one’s purpose in readingC. the length of a group of wordsD. lighting and tiredness2. The author may believe that reading ______.A. requires a reader to take in more words at each fixationB. requires a reader to see words more quicklyC. demands an deeply-participating mindD. demands more mind than eyes3 What does the author mean by saying “but it’s one thing to improve a person’s ability to see words and quite another thing to improve his ability to read a text efficiently.” in the second parapraph?A. The ability to see words is not needed when an efficient reading is conducted.B. The readin g exercises mentioned can’t help to improve both the ability to see and to comprehend words.C. The reading exercises mentioned can’t help to improve an efficient reading.D. The reading exercises mentioned has done a great job to improve one’s ability to see words.4. Which of the following is NOT true?A. The visual span is a word or a group of words we see each time.B. Many experts began to question the efficiency of eye training.C. The emphasis on the purely visual aspects is misleading.D.The eye training will help readers in reading a continuous text.5. The tune of the author in writing this article is________A criticalB neutralC prssimisticD optimistic【答案及详解】答案：CCCDA解题思路1 C。

北大曹其军老师英语阅读理解20篇阅读理解单项练习Passage1In 1939 two brothers, Mac and Dick McDonald, started a drive-in restaurant in San Bernadino, California. They carefully chose a busy corner for their location. They had run their own businesses for years, first a theater, then a barbecue（烤肉）restaurant., then another drive-in. But in their new operation, they offered a new, shortened menu: French fries, hamburgers, and sodas. To this small selection they added one new concept: quick service, no waiters or waitresses, and no tips. Their hamburgers sold for fifteen cents. Cheese was another four cents. Their French fries and hamburgers had a remarkable uniformity, for the brothers had developed a strict routine for the preparation of their food, and they insisted on their cooks’ sticking to their routine. Their new drive-in became incredibly popular, particularly for lunch. People drove up by the hundreds during the busy noontime. The self-service restaurant was so popular that the brothers had allowed ten copies of their restaurant to be opened. They were content with this modest success until they met Ray Kroc.Kroc was a salesman who met the McDonald brothers in 1954, when he was selling milkshake-mixing machines. He quickly saw the unique appeal of the brothers’ fast-food restaurants and bought the right to franchise（特许经营）other copies of their restaurants. The agreement struck included the right to duplicate the menu. The equipment, even their red and white buildings with the golden arches（拱门）.Today McDonald’s is really a household name. Its names for its sandwiches have come to mean hamburger in the decades since the day Ray Kroc watched people rush up to order fifteen-cent hamburgers. In 1976, McDonald’s had over $ 1 billion in total sales. Its first twenty-two years is one of the most incredible success stories in modern American business history.1. This passage mainly talks abort.A)the development of fast food servicesB)how McDonald’s became a billion-dollar business C)the business careers of Mac and Dick McDonaldD)Ray Kroc’s business talent2. Mac and Dick managed all of the following businesses except.A) a drive-in B) a cinema C) a theater D) a barbecue restaurant3. We may infer from this passage that.A)Mac and Dick McDonald never became wealthy for they sold their idea to KrocB)The location the McDonalds chose was the only source of the great popularity of their drive-inC)Forty years ago there were numerous fast-food restaurantsD)Ray Kroc was a good businessman4. The passage suggests that.A)creativity is an important element of business successB)Ray Kroc was the close partner of the McDonald brothersC)Mac and Dick McDonald became broken after they sold their ideas to Ray KrocD)California is the best place to go into business5. As used in the second sentence of the third paragraph, the word ”unique” means.A) special B) attractive C) financial D) peculiarPassage2You’re busy filling out the application form for a position you really need; let’s assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn’t it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University?More and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university. Registrars at most well-known colleges say they deal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of about one per week.Personnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then . If it turns out that an applicant is lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them “impostors 骗子”; another refers to them as “special cases.” one well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made by “no such people.”To avoid outright (彻底的) lies, some job-seekers claim that they “attended” or “were associated with” a college or university. After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that “attending” means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that “being associated with” a college means that the job –seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century –that’s when they began keeping records, anyhow.If you don’t want to lie or even stretc h the truth, there are co MPA nies that will sell you a phony （假的）diploma. One co MPA ny, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of nonexistent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from “Smoot State University.” The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the “University of Purdue.” As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana is properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.6. The main idea of this passage is that.A)employers are checking more closely on applicants nowB)lying about college degrees has become a widespread problemC)college degrees can now be purchased easilyD)employers are no longer interested in college degrees7. According to the passage, “special cases” refers to cases where.A)students attend a school only part-timeB)students never attended a school they listed on their application C)students purchase false degrees from commercial filmsD)students attended a famous school8. We can infer from the passage that.A)performance is a better judge of ability that a college degreeB)experience is the best teacherC)past work histories influence personnel officers more than degrees doD) a degree from a famous school enables an applicant to gain advantage over others in job competition9. This passage implies that.A)buying a false degree is not moralB)personnel officers only consider applicants from famous schools C)most people lie on applications because they were dismissed from schoolD)society should be greatly responsible for lying on applications10. As used in the first. Line of the second paragraph, the word “utter” means.A) address B) ultimate C) thorough D) decisivePassage 3Everyone has heard of the San Andreas fault (断层), which constantly threatens California and the West Coast with earthquakes. But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri?Between December of 1811 and February of 1812, three major earthquakes occurred, all centered around the town of New Madrid, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. Property damage was severe. Buildings in the area were almost destroyed. Whole forests fell at once, and huge cracks opened in the ground, allowing smell of sulfur （硫磺）to filter upward.The Mississippi River itself completely changed character, developing sudden rapids and whirlpools. Several times it changed its course, and once, according to some observers, it actually appeared to run backwards. Few people were killed in the New Madrid earthquakes, probably simply because few people lived in the area in 1811; but the severity of the earthquakes are shown by the fact that the shock waves rang bells in church towersin Charleston, South Carolina, on the coast. Buildings shook in New York City, and clocks were stopped in Washington, D.C.Scientists now know that America’s two major faults are essentially different. The San Andreas is a horizontal boundary between two major land masses that are slowly moving in opposite directions. California earthquakes result when the movement of these two masses suddenly lurches (倾斜) forward.The New Madrid fault, on the other hand, is a vertical fault; a some point, possibly hundreds of millions of years ago, rock was pushed up toward the surface, probably by volcanoes under the surface. Suddenly, the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed, leaving huge cracks. Even now, the rock continues to settle downwards, and sudden sinking motions trigger (触发) earthquakes in the region. The fault itself, a large crack in this layer of rock, with dozens of other cracks that split off from it, extends from northeast Arkansas through Missouri and into southern lllinois.Scientists who have studied the New Madrid fault say there have been numerous smaller quakes in the area since 1811; these smaller quakes indicate that larger ones are probably coming, but the scientists say have no method of predicting when a large earthquake will occur.11. This passage is mainly about.A)the New Madrid fault in MissouriB)the San Andreas and the New Madrid faults C)the causes of faultsD)current scientific knowledge about faults12. The New Madrid fault is.A)a horizontal faultB) a vertical fault C) a more serious fault than the San Andreas faultD)responsible for forming the Mississippi River13. We may conclude from the passage that.A)it is probably as dangerous to live in Missouri as in CaliforniaB)the New Madrid fault will eventually develop a mountain range in MissouriC)California will become an island in futureD) A big earthquake will occur to California soon14. This passage implies that.A)horizontal faults are more dangerous than vertical faults.B)Vertical faults are more dangerous than horizontal faultsC)Earthquakes occur only around fault areasD)California will break into pieces by an eventual earthquake15. As used in the first sentence of the fourth paragraph, the word “essentially” means.A) greatly C) basicallyB) extremely D) necessarilyPassage 4Those who welcomed the railway saw it as more than a rapid and comfortable means of passing. They actually saw it as a factor in world peace. They did not foresee that the railway would be just one more means for the rapid movement of aggressive armies. None of them foresaw that the more we are together-the more chances there are of war. Any boy or girl who is one of a large family knows that.Whenever any new invention is put forward, those for it and those against it can always find medical men to approve or condemn. The anti-railway group produced doctors who said that tunnels would be most dangerous to public health: they would produce colds, catarrhs (粘膜炎) and consumptions. The deafening noise and the glare of the engine fire, would have a bad effect on the nerves. Further, being moved through the air at a high speed would do grave injury to delicate lungs. In those with high blood-pressure, the movement of the train might produce apoplexy (中风). The sudden plunging of a train into the darkness of a tunnel, and the equally sudden rush into full daylight, would cause great damage to eyesight. But the pro-railway group was of course able to produce equally famous medical men to say just the opposite. They said that the speed and swing of the train would equalize the circulation, promote digestion, tranquilize the nerves, and ensure good sleep.The actual rolling-stock was anything but comfortable. If it was a test of endurance to sit for four hours outside a coach in rain, or inside in dirty air, the railway offered little more in the way of comfort. Certainly the first-class carriages had cushioned seats; but the second-class had only narrow bare boards, while the third-class had nothing at all; no seats and no roof; they were just open trucks. So that third-class passengers gained nothing from the few mode except speed. In the matter of comfort, indeed they lost; they did, on the coaches, have a seat, but now they had to stand all the way, which gave opportunities to the comic (滑稽的) press. This kind of thing: ‘A man was seen yesterday buying a third-class ticket for the new London and Birmingham Railway. The state of his mind is being enquired into.’A writer in the early days of railways wrote feelingly of both second-and third-class carriages. He made the suggestion that the directors of the railways must have sent all over the world to find the hardest possible wood. Of the open third-class trucks he said that they had the peculiar property of meeting the rain from whatever quarter it came. He described them as horizontal shower-baths, from whose searching power there was no escape.16. All boys and girls in large families know that.A)a boy and a girl usually fight when they are togetherB)people tend to be together more than they used to be C) a lot of people being together makes fights likelyD)Railway leads the world to peace17. According to those who welcomed the railway, the railway itself should include all the following except.A)the railway enables people travel fastB)the railway brings comfort to people C)the railway makes the world peacefulD)the railway leads the world to war as well.18. According to the anti-railway group, all the followings are true but.A)tunnels are dangerous to public healthB)the noise and the glare of the engine fire may affect people’s nervesC)the rapid speed through the air does damage to people’s lungsD)to those with high blood-pressure, the rapid speed of the train causes them to die19. We may safely conclude that.A)the author belongs to the anti-railway groupB)the author belongs to the for-railway group C)the author speaks highly of the railwayD)the author may never take train because of its potential dangers20. What is the tone of this passage?A) Practical C) SatiricalB) Humorous.D) ExaggeratedPassage 5In 1960-1961, Chad (乍得) harvested 9800 tons of cotton seed for the first time in its history, and put out the flag a little too soon. The efforts of the authorities to get the peasants ‘back’ to work, as they had slacked off (松懈) a great deal the previous year during independence celebrations, largely contributed to it. Also, rains were well spaced, and continued through the whole month of October. If the 1961-1962 total is back to the region of 45000 tons, it is mostly because efforts slackened again and sowing was started too late.The average date of sowing is about July 1st. If this date is simply moved up fifteen or twenty days, 30000 to 60000 tons of cotton are gained, depending on the year. The peasant in Chad sows his millet (小米) first, and it is hard to criticize this instinct ive priority given to his ‘daily bread’ . An essential reason for his lateness with sowing cotton is that at the time when he should leave to prepare the fields he has just barely sold the cotton of the previous season. The work required to sow, in great h eat, is psychologically far more difficult if one’s pockets are full of money. The date of cotton sales should therefore be moved forward as much as possible, and purchases of equipment and draught animals encouraged.Peasants should also be encouraged to save money, to help them through the difficult period between harvests. If necessary they should be forced to do so, by having the payments for cotton given to them in installments (分期付款). The last payment would be made after proof that the peasant has planted before the deadline, the date being advanced to the end of June. Those who have done so would receive extra money whereas the last planters would not receive their last payment until later.Only the first steps are hard, because once work has started the peasants continue willingly on their way. Educational ca MPA igns among the peasants will play an essential role in this basic advance, early sowing, on which all the others depend. It is not a matter of controlling the peasants. Each peasant will remain master of his fields. One could, however, suggest the need for the time being of kind but firm rule, which, as long as it cannot be realized ‘by the people’ , should at least be ‘for the people.’21. In 1960-1961, Chad had a good harvest of cotton because.A)the government greatly encouraged peasantsB)rains favored the growth of cotton C)Chad gained independence in the previous yearD)Both A) and B)22. We learn from the passage that the date of sowing cotton is usually.A) on June 15th C) on July 1stB) on July 15th D) on July 20th23. As used in the third sentence of the second paragraph, “ daily bread” refers to.A) breakfast C) riceB) bread and butter D) millet24. In order to help them through the difficult time between harvests the peasants have to.A)sell cotton in advanceB)be encouraged to save money C)sow cotton in timeD)plant millet first25. Which of the following is NOT true?A)Educational ca MPA igns are very important to early sowing.B)Of all the advances that the writer hopes for, early sowing is the most important.C)Peasants should remain the masters of their fields.D)Government might as well make good and firm rule for peasants.Passage 6We can make mistakes at any age. Some mistakes we make are about money. But most mistakes are about people. “Did Jerry really care when I broke up with Helen?” “When I got that great job, did Jim really feel goodabout it, as a friend? Or did he envy my luck?” “And Paul-why didn’t pick up that he was friendly just because 1 had a car?” When we look back, doubts like these can make us feel bad. But when we look back, It’s too late.Why do we go wrong about our friends – or our enemies? Sometimes what people say hides their real meaning. And if we don’t really listen we miss the feeling behind the words. Suppose someone tells you, “You’re a lucky dog .” that’s being friendly. But “lucky dog”? There’s a bit of envy in those words. Maybe he doesn’t see it himself. But bringing in the “dog” bit puts you down a little. What he may be saying is that the doesn’t think you deserve your luck.“Just think of all the things you have to be thankful for ” is another noise that says one thing and means another. It could mean that the speaker is trying to get you to see your problem as part of your life as a whole. But is he? Wrapped up in this phrase is the thought that your problem isn’t important. It’s telling you to think of a all the starving people in the world when you haven’t got a date for Saturday night.How can you tell the real meaning behind someone’s words? One way is to take a good look at the person talking. Do his words fit the way he looks? Does what he says agree with the tone of voice? His posture (姿态)? The look in his eyes? Stop and think. The minute you spend thinking about the real meaning of what people to you may save another mistake.26. This passage is mainly about.A)how to interpret what people sayB)what to do when you listen to others talking C)how to avoid mistakes when you communicate with peopleD)Why we go wrong with people sometimes27. According to the author, the reason why we go wrong about our friends is that.A)We fail to listen carefully when they talkB)People tend to be annoyed when we check what they say C)People usually state one thing but means anotherD)We tend to doubt what our friends say28. In the sentence “Maybe he doesn’t see it himself.” In the second paragraph, the pronoun “it “refers to.A) being friendly C) lucky dogB) a bit of envy D) your luck29. When we listen to a person talking, the most important thing for us to do is.A)notice the way the person is talkingB)take a good look at the person talkingC)mind his tone, his posture and the look in his eyesD)examine the real meaning of what he says based on his manner, his tone and his posture30. The author most probably is a.A) teacher B) psychologist C) philosopher D) doctorPassage 7A moment’s drilling by the dentist may make us nervous and upset. Many of us cannot stand pain. To avoid the pain of a drilling that may last perhaps a minute or two, we demand the “needle”- a shot of novocaine (奴佛卡因)－that deadens the nerves around the tooth.Now it’s true that the human body has developed its millions of nerves to be highly aware of what goes on both inside and outside of it. This helps us adjust to the world. Without our nerves - and our brain, which is a bundle of nerves - we wouldn’t know what’s happening. But we pay for our sensitivity. We can feel pain when the slightest thing is wrong with any part of our body. The history of torture is based on the human body being open to pain.But there is a way to handle pain. Look at the Indian fakir(行僧) who sits on a bed of nails. Fakirs can put a needle right through an arm, and feel no pain. This ability that some humans have developed to handle pain should give us ideas about how the mind can deal with pain.The big thing in withstanding pain is our attitude toward it. if the dentist says, “This will hurt a little,” it helps us to accept the pain. By staying relaxed, and by treating the pain as an interesting sensation (感觉), we can handle the pain without falling apart. After all, although pain is an unpleasant sensation, it is still a sensation, and sensations are the stuff of life.31. The passage is mainly about.A) how to suffer painB) how to avoid pain C) how to handle painD) how to stop pain32. The sentence “But we pay for our sensitivity.” in the second paragraph implies that.A) we should pay a debt for our feelingB) we have to be hurt when we feel something C) our pain is worth feelingD) when we feel pain, we are suffering it33. When the author mentions the Indian fakir, he suggests that.A) Indians are not at all afraid of painB) people may be senseless of pain C) some people are able to handle painD) fakirs have magic to put needles right through their arms34. the most important thing to handle pain is.A) how we look at pain B) to feel pain as much as possibleC) to show an interest in pain D) to accept the pain reluctantly35. The author’s attitude towards pain is.A) pessimistic B) optimistic C) radical (极端的)D) practicalPassage 8Thirty-two people watched kitty Genovese being killed right beneath their windows. She was their neighbor. Yet none of the 32 helped her. Not one even called the police. Was this in gunman cruelty? Was it lack of feeling about one’s fellow man?“Not so,” say scientists John Barley and Bib Fatane. These men went beyond the headlines to probe the reasons why people didn’t act. They found that a person has to go through two steps before he can help. Firs t he has to notice that is an emergency.Suppose you see a middle-aged man fall to the side-walk. is he having a heart attack? is he in a coma (昏迷) from diabetes(糖尿病)? Or is he about to sleep off a drunk?is the smoke coming into the room from a leak in the air conditioning? Is it “steam pipes”? Or is it really smoke from a fire? it’s not always easy to tell if you are fa ced with a real emergency.Second, and more important, the person faced with an emergency must feel personally responsible. He must feel that he must help, or the person won’t get the help he needs.The researchers found that a lot depends on how many people are around. They had college students in to be “tested.” Some came alone. Some came with one or two others. And some came in large groups. The receptionist started them off on the “tests.” Then she went into the next room. A curtain divided the “testi ng room” and the room into which she went. Soon the students heard a scream, the noise of file cabinets falling and a cry for help. All of this had been pre-recorded on a tape-recorder.Eight out of ten of the students taking the test alone acted to help. Of the students in pairs, only two out of ten helped. Of the students in groups, none helped.In other words, in a group, Americans often fail to act. They feel that others will act. They, themselves, needn’t. They do not feel any direct responsibility.Are people bothered by situations where people are in trouble? Yes. scientists found that the peo0ple were emotional, they sweated, they had trembling hands. They felt the other person’s trouble. But they did not act. They were in a group. Their actions were shaped by the actions of those they were with.36. The purpose of this passage is.A) to explain why people fail to act in emergenciesB) to explain when people will act in emergencies C) to explain what people will do in emergenciesD) to explain how people feel in emergencies37. Which of the following is NOT true?A) When a person tries to help others, he must be clear that there is a real emergency.B) When a person tries to help others, he should know whether hey are worth his help.C) A person must take the full responsibility for the safety of those in emergencies if he wants to help.D) A person with a heart attack needs the most.38. The researchers have conducted an experiment to prove that people will act in emergencies when.A) they are in pairsB) they are in groups C) they are aloneD) they are with their friends39. The main reason why people fail to act when they stay together is that.A) they are afraid of emergenciesB) they are reluctant to get themselves involved C) others will act if they themselves hesitateD) they do not have any direct responsibility for those who need help40. The author suggests that.A) we shouldn’t blame a person if he fails to act in emergen ciesB) a person must feel guilty if he fails to helpC) people should be responsible for themselves in emergenciesD) when you are in trouble, people will help you anywayPassage 9People do not analyze every problem they meet. Sometimes they try to remember a solution from the last time they had a similar problem. They often accept the opinions or ideas of other people. Other times they begin to act without thinking; they try to find a solution by trial and error. However, when all these methods fail, the person with a problem has to start analyzing. There are six stages in analyzing a problem.First the person must recognize that there is a problem. For example, Sam’s bicycle is broken, and he cannot read it to class as he usually does. Sam must see that there is a problem with his bicycle.Next the thinker must define the problem. Before Sam can repair his bicycle. he must find the reason why it does not work. For instance, he must determine if the problem is with the gears, the brakes, or the frame. He must make his problem more specific.Now the person must look for information that will make the problem clearer and lead to possible solutions. For instance. suppose Sam decided that his bike does not work because there is something wrong with the gearwheels. At this time. he can look in his bicycle repair book and read about gears. He can talk to his friends at the bike shop. He can look at his gears carefully.after studying the problem, the person should have several suggestions for a possible solution. Take Sam as an illustration. His suggestions might be: put oil on the gear wheels; buy new gear wheels and replace the old ones; tighten or loosen the gear wheels.Eventually one suggestion seems to be the solution to the problem. Sometimes the final idea comes very suddenly because the thinker suddenly sees something new or sees something in a new way. Sam, for example, suddenly sees that there is a piece of chewing gum(口香糖)between the gear wheels. He immediately realizes the solution to his problem: he must clean the gear wheels.Finally the solution is tested. Sam cleans the gear wheels and finds that afterwards his bicycle works perfectly. In short, he has solved the problem.41. What is the best title for this passage?A) Six Stages for Repairing Sam’s BicycleB) Possible Ways to Problem-solving C) Necessities of Problem AnalysisD) Suggestions for Analyzing a Problem42. In analyzing a problem we should do all the following except.A) recognize and define the problemB) look for information to make the problem clearer C) have suggestions for a possible solutionD) find a solution by trial or mistake43. By referring to Sam’s broken bicycle, the author intends to.A) illustrate the ways to repair his bicycleB) discuss the problems of his bicycle C) tell us how to solve a problemD) show us how to analyses a problem44. Which of the following is NOT true?A) People do not analyze the problem they meet.B) People often accept the opinions or ideas of other people. C) People may learn from their past experienceD) People can not solve some problems they meet.45. As used in the last sentence, the phrase “in short” me ans.A) in the long run B) in detail C) in a word D) in the endPassage 10The poverty line is the minimum income that people need for an acceptable standard of living. People with incomes below the poverty line are considered poor. Economists study the causes of poverty in order to find solutions to the problem.。

2020年大学英语四级阅读理解练习题及解析(4)Some kids start to drink alcohol (酒精) at a young age. They think it is part of becoming an adult. They also think drinking is not that bad because so many people do it. They feel it is not as bad as taking drugs (毒品). It is easy for kids to get liquor (酒精饮料)by using fake identification (伪造证件).Parents may start to notice a change in their child’s behavior if the child starts drinking. Kids who drink sometimes stop doing things they normally liked to do. They may keep telephone calls and meetings a secret and not want anybody to touch their things. They act moody (喜怒无常) and do not have the same eating and sleeping habits.Parents need to stay involved (牵涉) in their kids’ lives. They should talk to their children about their problems to be aware of any changes.Parents can be the best protection. Children who get alot of love can feel good about themselves. It helps them resist(抵抗) doing bad things even when other kids are doing them. Parents can also help set a good example by notdrinking and driving. They can have firm rules in the home that everyone follows.Give the children good ideas on how to say “no” to drinking, even when they are at a party. Try not to overreact or panic (惊慌) if the child tries alcohol. How you handle it can affect their attitude. It may be helpful to talk to other parents about setting up curfews (宵禁令) and rules about parties or other events.1. Which of the following is NOT the reason why some kids have an early start of drinking?A. They want to show their maturity (成熟) by drinking alcohol.B. Drinking alcohol is much cooler than taking drugs.C. They are affected by many other people around them.D. They can get liquor easily.2.According to the passage, what changes may happen to the kids who start drinking?A. Nothing serious will happen to them.B. They keep the same eating and sleeping habits.C. They can control their moods quite well.D. Sometimes they act secretly.3.According to the writer, if parents find their children try alcohol, they had better ________.A. punish them at onceB. ask the police for helpC. ask their children’s friends for helpD. set up curfews and rules about parties or other events with other parents4.Which is the main subject discussed in the passage?A. Teen health.B. Teen education.C. Teen drinkingD. Parents’ worries.答案解析1. B 由第一段，用排除法。

【篇一】2020年上半年英语四级考试阅读理解A pile of wood一堆木头An old material may find a new use in batteries一种古老的原材料可能会在电池上发挥它的新用途。

ON A list of cutting-edge materials for high-tech applications, you might not expect to see wood near the top.在一个应用于高科技的尖端材料目录上，看到木材会名列前茅，你可能不会想到。

But an experiment by Teng Li and Liangbing Hu of the University of Maryland may soon put it there.但是，由马里兰大学的李腾和胡良冰所做的一个实验可能会产生这种意外情况。

For Dr Li and Dr Hu, writing in Nano Letters, have just described how wood might be used to make one class of batteries cheaper by permitting the lithium now employed in them to be replaced with sodium.根据纳米快报的报道，李博士和胡博士已经详细说明了，在得到允许的情况下，用钠取代现在制造电池的锂。

再用木材制造某一类电池可能会降低成本。

As any high-school chemist knows, lithium and sodium are chemically similar.任何一个高中的化学家都知道，锂和钠的化学性质很相似。

Sodium ions are, however, five times the size of lithium ions.然而，钠离子—在缺少一个电子的前提下，钠原子带正电—是锂离子的五倍大小。