英语专八考试历年阅读理解练习及答案详解

英语专八考试阅读题及答案解析英语专八考试阅读题及答案解析Pageants Pageants are usually conceived on a fairly large scale, oftenunder the auspices of some local or civic authority or at any ratein connection with local groups of some kind. This sometimesmeans that there is an allocation of funds available for thepurpose of mounting the production, though unfortunately thiswill usually be found to be on the meager side and muchingenuity will have to be used to stretch it so that all performerscan be adequately clothed.Most pageants have a historical flavour as they usually come about through the celebration of theanniversary of some event of historic importance, or the life or death of some local worthy.Research among archives and books in the public library will probably prove very useful andproduce some workable ideas which will give the production an especially local flavour. From thefirst economy will have to be practiced because there are usually a great number of people todress. Leading characters can be considered individually in the same way as when designing for aplay; but the main body of the performers will need to be planned in groups and the massed effectmust be always borne in mind.Many pageants take place in daylight in the open air. This is an entirely different problem fromdesigning costumes which are going to be looked at under artificial lighting; for one thing, scenesviewed in the daylight are subject to many more distractions. No longer is everything around cutout by the surrounding darkness, but instead it is very easy to be aware of disturbing movementin the audience of behind the performers.Very theatrically conceived clothes do not always looktheir best when seen in a daylight setting of trees, verdant lawns and old ivy-covered walls; thesame goes for costumes being worn in front of the mellow colors of stately homes. The locationneeds to be studied and then a decision can be made as to what kinds of colors and textures willharmonize best with the surroundings and conditions and then to carry this out as far as possibleon the funds available.If money is available to dress the performers without recourse to their own help in the provision ofitems, it is best to arrange for all the cutting and pinning together of the costumes to be done byone or two experienced people than to be given out to the groups and individuals for completion.When there is little or no money at all, the garments need to be reduced to the basic necessities.Cloaks and shawls become invaluable, sheets and large bath towels and bath sheets are admirablefor draping. Unwanted curtains and bed spreads can be cut to make tunics, robes and skirts.These are particularly valuable if they are of heavy fabrics such as velvet or chenille.Colors should be massed together so that there are contrasting groups of dark and light, this willbe found to help the visual result substantially. Crowds of people gathered together in a jumble ofcolors will be ground to look quite purposeless and will lack dramatic impact.The use of numbers of identical head-dresses, however simply made, are always effective whenworking with groups. If these are made of cardboard and painted boldly the cost can be almostnegligible. Helmets, hats and plumes will all make quite a show even if the costumes are onlyblandest or sheets cleverly draped. The same can be said of the use of banners, shields andpoleswith stiff pennants and garlands—anything which will help to have a unifying effect. Any kind ofeye-catching device will always go with a flourish and add excitement to the scenes.1. The main idea of this passage is[A] Pageants. [B] Costumes on the stage.[C] Costumes for pageants. [D] How to arrange a pageant.2. It can be inferred that the most important factor in costume design is[A] money [B] color [C] harmony [D] texture3. Why will much ingenuity have to be required in costume design?[A] Because pageants take place in daylight in the open air.[B] Because different characters require different costumes.[C] Because the colors and textures must be in harmony with the setting.[D] Because an allocation of the funds available is usually rather small.4. Why do most pageants have a historical flavour?[A] Because most pageants take place for celebration.[B] Many pageants take place for amusement.[C] A lot of pageants take place for religion.[D] Because pageants usually take place for competition.答案详解：1. C. 露天演出的服装。

精读原文：Passage 1 The Law to Keep the Oil Industry under ControlThe Norwegian Government is doing its best to keep the oil industry under control.A new law limits exploration to an area south of the southern end of the long coastline; production limits have been laid down (though these have already been raised); and oil companies have not been allowed to employ more than a limited number of foreign workers.But the oil industry has a way of getting over such problems, and few people believe that the Government will be able to hold things back for long.As on Norwegian politician said last week: "We will soon be changed beyond all recognition."`Ever since the war, the Government has been carrying out a programme of development in the area north of the Arctic Circle. During the past few years this programme has had a great deal of success: Tromso has been built up into a local capital with a university, a large hospital and a healthy industry.But the oil industry has already started to draw people south, and within a few years the whole northern policy could be in ruins.The effects of the oil industry would not be limited to the north, however. With nearly 100 percent employment, everyone can see a situation developing in which the service industries and the tourist industry will lose more of their workers to the oil industry. Some smaller industries might even disappear altogether when it becomes cheaper to buy goods from abroad.The real argument over oil is its threat to the Norwegian way of life. Farmers and fishermen do not make up most of the population, but they are an important part of it, because Norwegians see in them many of the qualities that they regard with pride as essentially Norwegian.#And it is the farmers and the fishermen who are most critical of the oil industry because of the damage that it might cause to the countryside and to the sea.【阅读练习题】Norwegian Government would prefer the oil industry to[A] provide more jobs for foreign workers.[B]slow down the rate of its development.>[C] sell the off it is producing abroad.[D] develop more quickly than at present.Norwegian Government has tried to[A] encourage the off companies to discover new off sources.[B]prevent oil companies employing people from northern Norway.[C] help the oil companies solve many of their problems.[D] keep the off industry to something near its present size.—to the passage, the off industry might lead northern Norway to[A] the development of industry.[B]a growth in population.[C] the failure of the development programme.[D] the development of new towns.the south, one effect to the development of the oil industry might be %[A] a large reduction on unemployment.[B]a growth in the tourist industry.[C] a reduction in the number of existing industries.[D] the development of a number of service industries.farmers and fishermen have an important influence because[A] they form such a large part of Norwegian ideal.[B]their lives and values represent the Norwegian ideal.|[C] their work is so useful to the rest of Norwegian society.[D] they regard off as a threat to the Norwegian way of life.1-5BDCCBPassage 2 TV's HarmfulnessYes, but what did we use to do before there was television How often we hear statements like this!Television hasn't been with us all that long, but we are already beginning to forget what the world was like without it. Before we admitted the one-eyed monster into our homes, we never fond it difficult to occupy our spare time. We used to enjoy civilized pleasures. For instance, we used to have hobbies, we used to entertain our friends and be entertained by them, we used to go outside for our amusements to theatres, cinemas, restaurants and sporting events.We even used to read books and listen to music and broadcast talks occasionally. All that belongs to the past. Now all our free time is regulated by the goggle box. We rush home or gulp down our meals to be in time for this or that programme.We have even given up sitting at table and having a leisurely evening meal, exchanging the news of the day. A sandwich and a glass of beer will do一anything, providing it down't interfere with the programme. The monster demands and obtains absolute silence and attention.If any member of the family dares to open his mouth during a programme, he is quickly silenced.Whole generations are growing up addicted to the telly. Food is left uneaten, homework undone and sleep is lost.The telly is a universal pacifier. It is now standard practice for mother to keep the children quiet by putting them in the living-room and turning on the set.It doesn't matter that the children will watch rubbishy commercials or spectaclesof sadism and violence一so long as they are quiet.There is a limit to the amount of creative talent available in the world. Every day, television consumes vast quantities of creative work. That is why most of the programmes are so bad: it is impossible to keep pace with the demand and maintain high standards as well.When millions watch the same programmes, the whole world becomes a village, and society is reduced to the conditions which obtain in preliterate communities. We become utterly dependent on the two most primitive media of communication: pictures and the spoken word.Television encourages passive enjoyment. We become content with second-hand experiences. It is so easy to sit in our armchairs watching others working. Little by little, television cuts us off from the real world.We get so lazy, we choose to spend a fine day in semi-darkness, glued to our sets, rather than go out into the world itself. Television may be s splendid medium of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other.We only become aware how totally irrelevant television is to real living when we spend a holiday by the sea or in the mountains, far away from civilization. In quiet, natural surroundings, we quickly discover how little we miss the hypnotic tyranny of King Telly.【阅读词汇学习】is the biggest harm of TV[A] It deprives people of communication with the real world.[B]People become lazy.[C] People become dependent on second-hand experience.[D] TV consumes a large part of one' s life.what way can people forget TV[A] Far away from civilization.[B]To a mountain.[C] By the sea.[D] In quiet natural surroundings.does a mother usually do to keep her children quiet[A] Let them watch the set.[B]Put them in the living room.[C]Let them watch the rubbish.[D]Let them alone.does the first sentence in the first paragraph mean[A] We found it difficult to occupy our spare time.[B]We become addicted to TV[C] What we used to do is different from now.[D] We used to enjoy civilized pleasures.1-4ADABPassage 3 Strictly Ban smokingIf you smoke and you still don't believe that there's a definite link between smoking and bronchial troubles, heart disease and lung cancer, then you are certainly deceiving yourself. No one will accuse you of hypocrisy. Let us just say that you are suffering from a bad case of wishful thinking.This needn't make you too uncomfortable because you are in good company. Whenever the subject of smoking and health is raised, the governments of most countries hear no evil, see no evil and smell no evil. Admittedly, a few governments have taken timid measures.In Britain for instance, cigarette advertising has been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased, while the population continues to puff its way to smoky, cancerous death.You don' t have to look very far to find out why the official reactions to medical findings have been so lukewarm. The answer is simply money. Tobacco is a wonderful commodity to tax. It' s almost like a tax on our daily bread.In tax revenue alone, the government of Britain collects enough from smokers to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly that smoking may, conceivable, be harmful, it down't do to shout too loudly about it.This is surely the most short-sighted policy you could imagine. While money is eagerly collected in vast sums with one hand, it is paid out in increasingly vaster sums with the other. Enormous amounts are spent on cancer research and on efforts to cure people suffering from the disease.Countless valuable lives are lost. In the long run, there is no doubt that everybodywould be much better-off if smoking were banned altogether.Of course, we are not ready for such a drastic action. But if the governments of the world were honestly concerned about the welfare of their peoples, you'd think they'd conduct aggressive anti-smoking campaigns. Far from it! The tobacco industry is allowed to spend staggering sums on advertising.Its advertising is as insidious as it is dishonest. We are never shown pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the morning. That would never do. The advertisement always depict virile, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly to smoke, even positively healthy!Smoking is associated with the great open-air life, with beautiful girls, true love and togetherness. What utter nonsense!For a start, governments could begin by banning all cigarette and tobacco advertising and should then conduct anti-smoking advertising campaigns of their own. Smoking should be banned in all public places like theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Great efforts should be made to inform young people especially of the dire consequences of taking up the habit. A horrific warning say, a picture of a death's head should be included in every packet of cigarettes that is sold. As individuals, we are、certainly weak, but if governments acted honestly and courageously, they could protect us from ourselves.【阅读练习题】do a few governments take timid measures toward smoking[A] because they are afraid of people.[B]Because diseases cost a lot.[C] Because they are afraid of the cutting down of their revenue.[D] Because they are afraid of manufacturers.tone of this passage is[A] critical.[B]ironical.[C]distaste.[D]amusmdoes the sentence "because you are in good company" mean[A] you are backed by the government.[B]You are not alone.[C] You have good colleagues.[D] Governments are blind to evils of smoking too.is the best title of this passage[A] World Governments should conduct serious campaigns against smoking.[B]World governments take timid measures against smoking.[C] smoking is the most important source of income to many countries.[D] tobacco industry spends a large sum of money on medical research. 1-4 CBDAPassage 4 On the President's ProgramPresident Arling has put his long awaited economic restructuring program before the Congress. It provides a coordinated program of investment credits, research grants, education reforms, and changes designed to make American industry more competitive. This is necessary to reverse economic slide into unemployment, lack of growth, and trade deficits that have plagued the economy for the past six years.The most liberal wing of the President' s party has called for stronger and more direct action.They want an incomes policy to check inflation while federal financing helps rebuild industry behind a wall of protective tariffs.The Republicans, however, decry even the modest, graduated tax increases in the President' s program.They want tax cuts and more open market. They say if federal money has to be injected into the economy, let it through defence spending.Both these alternatives ignore the unique nature of the economic problem before us. It is not simply a matter of markets or financing. The new technology allows vastly increased production for those able to master it.But it also threatens those who fail to adopt it with permanent second-class citizenship in the world economy. If an industry cannot lever itself up to the leading stage of technological advances, then it will not be able to compete effectively. If it cannot do this, no amount of government protectionism or access to foreign markets can keep it profitable for long.Without the profits and experience of technological excellence to reinvest, that industry can only fall still further behind its foreign competitors.So the crux is the technology and that is where the President' s program focused. The danger is not that a plan will not be passed, it is that the ideologues of right and left will distort the bill with amendments that will blur its focus on technology. The economic restructuring plan should be passed intact.If we fail to restructure our economy now, we may not get a second chance.【阅读练习题】focus of the President' s program is on[A]investment.[B]economy.[C] technology.}D} tax.is the requirement of the most liberal wing of the Democratic-party[A] They want a more direct action.[B]They want an incomes policy to check inflation.[C]They want to rebuild industry.[D]They want a wall of protective tariffs.is the editor' s attitude[A] support.[B]distaste.[C] Disapproval.[D] Compromise.danger to the plan lies in[A] the two parties'objection.[B]different idea of the two parties about the plan.[C] its passage.[D1 distortion.passage is[A] a review.[B]a preface.[C] a advertisement.[D1 an editorial.1-5 CAADDPassage 5 MulesAlthough the top men in smuggling business must work together, most of a syndicate's small fry, especially the mules, know only their immediate contacts. If caught there is little they can give away.A mule probably will not even know the name of the person who gives him his instructions, nor how to get in touch with him. Usually he even does not know the person to whom he has to make delivery.He will be told just to sit tight in a certain hotel or bar until someone contacts him. In this way if he is blown, coming through airport customs he cannot unwittingly lead agents to the next link in the chain.All the persons at the receiving end do is to hang around the airport among the waiting crowd, and see that the mule comes through safely. If he does not, he is dimply written off as a loss.To make identification of mules easier, several syndicates have devised their own "club ties" so that a mule wearing one can immediately be picked out.Mules often receive careful training before embarking on their first journey. One Beirut organization, for example, uses a room with three airline seats in it. There the trainee mules sit for hours on end wearing weighted smuggling vests beneath their clothes, so that they become accustomed to standing up after a long flight in a natural way, and without revealing what they are carrying.An outfit in Brussels maintained a comfortable apartment where the mules could relax and get a firm grip on themselves on the night before their first journey; they were helped to dress before setting out for the airport in the morning. More often than not a courier will not know precisely where he is going or what flight number isuntil he is actually handed his tickets at the airport.This prevents the careless boast in some bar or to a girl friend the night before.Mules occasionally run off with the goods to keep the profit themselves. As insurance against this, a syndicate often sends a high-up on the same plane to keep a wary eye on couriers, particularly new ones. Even then things can go badly wrong. One international currency smuggler who was having trouble getting money out of Britain was offered help by a group of men who said they were in a position to "fix thing"一for a fee of course. Foolishly, the smuggler agreed to accept their help.When he got to London's Heathrow Airport, he handed over to one of the men a black suitcase containing nearly $90,000 in cash, destined for Frankfurt. Just to keep an eye on things, the smuggler went along on the same plane. When they landed at Frankfurt he was handed back his suitcase.He beat a straight path to the men's toilet, opened the case, and found only old clothes. The courier had switched suitcase en route, but the smuggler could hardly run to the police and complain that "the man who was smuggling money out of England for me has stolen it."【阅读练习题】is a "mule"[A] A person who sends smuggling goods for a syndicate is called mule.[B]A person in charge of smuggling goods is called mule.[C] A person who makes delivery for a syndicate is called mule.[D] A person who receives instructions from a smuggler is called mule.sentence "if he is blown" in line (6) is closest in meaning to[A] if he is arrested.[B]if he is recognized, but not necessarily arrested.[C] if he is recognized and arrested.[D] if he runs away.does the author give an example in the last paragraph[A] To show how a smuggler is caught.[B]To show a smuggler is afraid of the police.[C] To show to keep a wary eye on couriers is useless.[D] To show mules may keep the profit for themselves.does a mule work[A] Jointly.[B]Independently.[C] consciously.[D] Separately.1-4 CBDDPassage 6 Contribution of CoeducationImagining being asked to spend twelve or so years of your life in a society which consisted only of members of own sex. How would you react Unless there was something definitely wrong with you, you wouldn't be too happy about it, to say the least. It is all the more surprising therefore that so many parents in the world choose to impose such abnormal conditions on their children conditions which they themselves wouldn't put up with for one minute!Any discussion of this topic is bound to question the aims of education. Stuffing children's heads full of knowledge is far from being foremost among them. One of the chief aims of educations is to equip future citizens with all they require to take their place in adult society.Now adult society is made up of men and women, so how can a segregated school possibly offer the right sort of preparation for itAnyone entering adult society after years of segregation can only be in for a shock.A co-educational school offers children nothing less than a true version of society in miniature. Boys and girls are given the opportunity to get to know each other, to learn to live together from their earliest years.They are put in a position where they can compare themselves with each other in terms of academic ability, athletic achievement and many of the extra-curricular activities which are part of school life.What a practical advantage it is(to give just a small example)to be able to put on a school play in which the male parts will be taken by boys and the female parts by girls! What nonsense co-education makes of the argument that boys are cleverer than girl or vice-versa.When segregated, boys and girls are made to feel that they are a race apart. Rivalry between the sexes is fostered.In a coeducational school, everything falls into its proper place. But perhaps the greatest contribution of co-education is the healthy attitude to life it encourages.Boys don't grow up believing that women are mysterious creatures一airy goddesses, more like book-illustrations to a fairy-tale, than human beings. Girls don't grow up imagining that men are romantic heroes.Years of living together at school dispel illusions of this kind. There are no goddesses with freckles, pigtails, piercing voices and inky fingers. There are no romantic heroes with knobbly knees, dirty fingernails and unkempt hair. The awkward stage of adolescence brings into sharp focus some of the physical and emotional problems involved in growing up. These can better be overcome in a co-educational environment.Segregated schools sometimes provide the right conditions for sexual deviation. This is hardly possible under a co-educational system. When the time comes for the pupils to leave school, they are fully prepared to enter society as well-adjusted adults.They have already had years of experience in coping with many of the problems that face men and women.【阅读练习题】is the best title for this passage[A] only co-education can be in harmony with society.[B]people are in great need of co-education.[C] any form of education other than co-education is simply unthinkable.[D] co-education has many features.does co-education offer to children[A] A society.[B]A true small model of society.[C] A real life.[D] 1}ue version of social condition.to the passage, what is one of the chief aims of education[A] It is for students to acquire knowledge.[B]It is to equip future citizens with scientific technology.[C] It is to equip future citizens with what is required in getting a position in society.[D] It is for students to get academic achievements.do boys and girls in co-education have no illusion about each other[A] They live together and know each other too well.[B]Years of living together at school dismiss such illusion.[C] co-education encourage them to have an healthy attitude toward life.[D] They are familiar with each other' s problems.CBCBPassage 7 Antarctica and EnvironmentAntarctica has actually become a kind of space station a unique observation post for detecting important changes in the world' s environment. Remote from major sources of pollution and the complex geological and ecological systems that prevail elsewhere, Antarctica makes possible scientific measurements that are often sharper and easier to interpret than those made in other parts of the world.Growing numbers of scientists therefore see Antarctica as a distant-early-warning sensor, where potentially dangerous global trends may be spotted before they show up to the north. One promising field of investigation is glaciology. Scholars from the United States, Switzerland, and France are pursuing seven separate but related projects that reflect their concern for the health of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet 一a concern they believe the world at large should share.The Transantarctic Mountain, some of them more than 14,000 feet high, divide the continent into two very different regions. The part of the continent to the "east" of the mountains is a high plateau covered by an ice sheet nearly two miles thick. "West" of the mountain, the half of the continent south of the Americas is also covered by an ice sheet, but there the ice rests on rock that is mostly well below sea level. If the West Antarctic Ice Sheet disappeared, the western part of the continent would be reduced to a sparse cluster of island.While ice and snow are obviously central to many environmental experiments, others focus on the mysterious "dry valley" of Antarctica, valleys that contain little ice or snow even in the depths of winter. Slashed through the mountains of southern Victoria Land, these valleys once held enormous glaciers that descended 9,000 feet from the polar plateau to the Ross Sea.Now the glaciers are gone,perhaps a casualty of the global warming trend during the 10,000 years since the ice age. Even the snow that falls in the dry valleys is blasted out by vicious winds that roars down from the polar plateau to the sea. Left bare are spectacular gorges, rippled fields of sand dunes, clusters of boulderssculptured into fantastic shapes by 100-mile-an-hour winds, and an aura of extraterrestrial desolation.Despite the unearthly aspect of the dry valleys, some scientists believe they may carry a message of hope of the verdant parts of the earth. Some scientists believe that in some cases the dry valleys may soak up pollutants faster than pollutants enter them.【阅读练习题】is the best title for this passage[A] Antarctica and environmental Problems.[B]Antarctica: Earth' s Early-Warning station.[C] Antarctica: a Unique Observation Post.[D] Antarctica: a Mysterious Place.would the result be if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet disappeared[A] The western part of the continent would be disappeared.[B]The western part of the continent would be reduced.[C] The western part of the continent would become scattered Islands.[D] The western part of the continent would be reduced to a cluster of Islands.are the Dry Valleys left bare[A] Vicious wind blasts the snow away.[B]It rarely snows.[C] Because of the global warming trend and fierce wind.[D] Sand dunes.of the following is true[A]The "Dry Valleys" have nothing left inside.[B]The "Dry Valleys" never held glaciers.[C]The "Dry Valleys"may carry a message of hope for the verdant.[D]The "Dry Valleys"are useless to scientists.ADCCPassage 8 The Neutrality of American in the Early World War IIThe establishment of the Third Reich influenced events in American history by starting a chain of events which culminated in war between Germany and the United States. The compete destruction of democracy, the persecution of Jews, the war on religion, the cruelty and barbarism of the Nazis, and especially the plans of Germany and her allies, Italy and Japan, for world conquest caused great indignation in this country and brought on fear of another world war.While speaking out against Hitler' s atrocities, the American people generally favored isolationist policies and neutrality.The Neutrality Acts of 1935 and 1936 prohibited trade with any belligerents or loans to them. In 1937 the President was empowered to declare an arms embargo in wars between nations at his discretion.American opinion began to change somewhat after President Roosevelt' s "quarantine the aggressor" speech at Chicago (1937) in which he severely criticized Hitler' s policies. Germany's seizure of Austria and the Munich Pact for the partition of Czechoslovakia (1938) also aroused the American people.The conquest of Czechoslovakia in March, 1939 was another rude awakening to the menace of the Third Reich. In August,1939 came the shock of the Nazi-soviet Pact and in September the attack on Poland and the outbreak of European war.The United States attempted to maintain neutrality in spite of sympathy for the democracies arrayed against the Third Reich. The Neutrality Act of 1939 repealed the arms embargo and permitted "cash and carry" exports of arms to belligerent nations. A strong national defense program was begun.A draft act was passed (1940) to strengthen the military services. A Lend Act (1941)authorized the President to sell, exchange, or lend materials to any country deemed necessary by him for the defense of the United States. Help was given to Britain by exchanging certain overage destroyers for the right to establish American bases in British territory in the Western Hemisphere. In August, 1940 President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met and issued the Atlantic Charter which proclaimed the kind of a world which should be established after the war.In December, 1941, Japan launched the unprovoked attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor.Immediately thereafter, Germany declared war on the United States.【阅读练习题】item occurring before 1937 that the author does not mention in his list of actions that alienatedthe American public was[A] the burning of the Reichstag.[B]German plans for conquest.[D] Nazi barbarism.[D] the persecution of religious groups.Lend-Lease Act was designed to[A] help the British.[B]strengthen the national defense of the United States.[C] promote the Atlantic Charter.[D] avenge Pearl Harbor.。

专八阅读理解精读训练附答案和解析第1篇:The Only Way to Travel is on Foot•第1 页：精读练习原文•第2 页：精读答案详解•第3 页：精读点拨精读原文：The past ages of man have all been carefully labeled by anthropologists. Desc riptions like 'Palaeolithic Man', 'Neolithic Man', etc., neatly sum up whole perio ds. When the time comes for anthropologists to turn their attention to the twe ntieth century, they will surely choose the label'Legless Man'. Histories of the time will go something like this: 'in the twentieth century, people forgot how t o use their legs. Men and women moved about in cars, buses and trains froma very early age. There were lifts and escalators in all large buildings to prevent people from walking. This situation was forced upon earth dwellers of tha t time because of miles each day. But the surprising thing is that they didn't u se their legs even when they went on holiday. They built cable railways, ski-lifts and roads to the top of every huge mountain. All the beauty spots on earth were marred by the presence of large car parks.'The future history books might also record that we were deprived of the use of our eyes. In our hurry to get from one place to another, we failed to see anything on the way. Air travel gives you a bird's-eye view of the world – or even less if the wing of the aircraft happens to get in your way. When you travel by car or train a blurred image of the countrysi de constantly smears the windows. Car drivers, in particular, are forever o bsessed with the urge to go on and on: they never want to stop. Is it the lure of the great motorways, or what? And as for sea travel, it hardly deservesmention. It is perfectly summed up in the words of the old song: 'I joined the navy to see the world, and what did I see? I saw the sea.' The typical twenti eth-century traveler is the man who always says 'I've been there.'You mention the remotest, most evocative place-names in the world like El Dorado, Kabul, Irkutsk and someone is bound to sa y 'I've been there'– meaning, 'I drove through it at 100 miles an hour on the way to somewhere else. 'When you travel at high speeds, the present means nothing: you live mainly in the future because you spend most of your time looking forward to arriving at some other place. But actual arrival, when it is achieved, is meaningless. Y ou want to move on again. By traveling like this, you suspend all experience; the present ceases to be a reality: you might just as well be dead. The travel er on foot, on the other hand, lives constantly in the present. For him traveli ng and arriving are one and the same thing: he arrives somewhere with every step he makes. He experiences the present moment with his eyes, his ears a nd the whole of his body. At the end of his journey he feels a delicious physic al weariness. He knows that sound. Satisfying sleep will be his: the just rew ard of all true travellers.【阅读练习题】1、Anthorpologists label nowaday's men 'Legless' becauseA people forget how to use his legs.B people prefer cars, buses and trains.C lifts and escalators prevent people from walking.D there are a lot of transportation devices.2、Travelling at high speed meansA people's focus on the future.B a pleasure.C satisfying drivers' great thrill.D a necessity of life.3、Why does the author say 'we are deprived of the use of our eyes' ?A People won't use their eyes.B In traveling at high speed, eyes become useless.C People can't see anything on his way of travel.D People want to sleep during travelling.4、What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?A Legs become weaker.B Modern means of transportation make the world a small place.C There is no need to use eyes.D The best way to travel is on foot.5. What does 'a bird's-eye view' mean?A See view with bird's eyes.B A bird looks at a beautiful view.C It is a general view from a high position looking down.D A scenic place.【答案详解】1.A 人们忘了用脚。

英语专八阅读理解练习附答案英语专八阅读理解练习附答案篇一Racket, din clamor, noise, whatever you want to call it, unwanted sound is America’s most widespread nuisance. But noise is more than just a nuisance. It constitutes a real and present danger topeople’s health. Day and night, at home, at work, and at play, noise can produce serious physical and psychological stress. No one is immune to this stress. Though we seem to adjust to noise by ignoring it, the ear, in fact, never closes and the body still responds—sometimes with extreme tension, as to a strange sound in the night. The annoyance we feel when faced with noise is the most common outward symptom of the stress building up inside→← us. Indeed, because irritability is so apparent, legislators have made public annoyance the basis of many noise abatement programs. The more subtle and more serious health hazards associated with stress caused by noise traditionally have been given much less attention. Nevertheless, when we are annoyed or made irritable by noise, we should consider these symptoms fair warning that other thing may be happening to us, some of which may be damaging to our health.Of many health hazards to noise, hearing loss is the most clearly observable and measurable by health professionals. The other hazards are harder to pin down. For many of us, there may be a risk that exposure to the stress of noise increases susceptibility to disease and infection. The more susceptible among us may experience noise as a complicating factor in heart problems and other diseases. Noisethat causes annoyance and irritability in health persons may have serious consequences for these already ill in mind or body.Noise affects us throughout our lives. For example, there areindications of effects on the unborn child when mothers are exposedto industrial and environmental noise. During infancy and childhood, youngsters exposed to high noise levels may have trouble falling asleep and obtaining necessary amounts of rest.Why, then, is there not greater alarm about these dangers? Perhaps it is because the link between noise and many disabilities or diseases has not yet been conclusively demonstrated. Perhaps it is because we tend to dismiss annoyance as a price to pay for living in the modern world. It may also be because we still think of hearing loss as only an occupational hazard.1.In Paragraph 1, the phrase immune to are used to mean ___.A.unaffected byB.hurt byC.unlikely to be seen byD.unknown by2.The author’s attitude toward noise would best be described as ___.A.unrealisticB.traditionalC.concernedD.hysterical3.Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?A.Noise is a major problem; most people recognize its importance.B.Although noise can be annoying, it is not a major problem.C.Noise is a major problem and has not yet been recognized as such.D.Noise is a major problem about which nothing can be done.4.The author condemns noise essentially because it ___.A.is against the lawB.can make some people irritableC.is a nuisanceD.in a ganger to people’s health5.The author would probably consider research about the effects noise has on people to be ___.possible.C.a waste of moneyD.essential答案：ACCDD英语专八阅读理解练习附答案篇二Joy and sadness are experienced by people in all cultures around the world, but how can we tell when other people are happy or despondent? It turns out that the expression of many emotions may be universal. Smiling is apparently a universal sign of friendliness and approval. Baring the teeth in a hostile way, asnoted by Charles Darwin in the nineteenth century, may be a universe sign of anger. As the originator of the theory of evolution, Darwin believed that the universal recognition of facial expressions would have survival value. For example, facial expressions could signal the approach of enemies (or friends) in the absence of language.Most investigators concur that certain facial expressions suggest the same emotions in a people. Moreover, people in diverse cultures recognize the emotions manifested by the facial expressions. In classic research Paul Ekman took photographs of people exhibiting the emotions of anger, disgust, fear, happiness, and sadness. He then asked people around the world to indicate what emotions were being depicted in them. Those queried ranged from European college studentsto members of the Fore, a tribe that dwells in the New Guinea highlands. All groups including the Fore, who had almost no contact with Western culture, agreed on the portrayed emotions. The Fore also displayed familiar facial expressions when asked how they would respond if they were the characters in stories that called for basic emotional responses. Ekman and his colleagues morerecently obtained similar results in a study of ten cultures in which participants were permitted to report that multiple emotions were shown by facial expressions. The participants generally agreed on which two emotions were being shown and which emotion was more intense.Psychological researchers generally recognize that facial expressions reflect emotional states. Infact, various emotional states give rise to certain patterns of electrical activity in the facial muscles and in the brain. The facial-feedback hypothesis argues, however, that the causal relationship between emotions and facial expressions can also work in the opposite direction. According to this hypothesis, signals from the facial muscles ("feedback") are sent back to emotion centers of the brain, and so a person's facial expression can influence that person's emotional state.ConsiderDarwin's words: "The free expression by outward signs of an emotion intensifies it. On the otherhand, the repression, as far as possible, of all outward signs softens our emotions." Can smiling giverise to feelings of good will, for example, and frowning to anger?Psychological research has given rise to some interestingfindings concerning the facial-feedback hypothesis. Causing participants in experiments to smile, for example, leads them to report morepositive feelings and to rate cartoons (humorous drawingsof people or situations) as being morehumorous. When they are caused to frown, they rate cartoons as being more aggressive.What are the possible links between facial expressions and emotion? One link is arousal, which is the level of activity or preparedness for activity in an organism. Intense contraction of facial muscles,such as those used in signifying fear, heightens arousal. Self-perception of heightened arousal then leads to heightened emotional activity. Other links may involve changes in brain temperature and the release of neurotransmitters (substances that transmit nerve impulses.) The contraction of facial muscles both influences the internal emotional state and reflects it. Ekman has found that theso-called Duchenne smile, which is characterized by "crow's feet" wrinkles around the eyes and asubtle drop in the eye cover fold so that the skin above the eye moves down slightly toward theeyeball, can lead to pleasant feelings.Ekman's observation may be relevant to the British expression "keep a stiff upper lip" as are commendation for handling stress. It might be that a "stiff" lip suppresses emotional response-as long as the lip is not quivering with fear or tension. But when the emotion that leads to stiffening the lip is more intense, and involves strong muscle tension, facial feedback may heighten emotional response.1. The word despondent in the passage is closest in meaning toA curiousB unhappyC thoughtfulD uncertain2. The author mentions "Baring the teeth in a hostile way" in order toA differentiate one possible meaning of a particular facial expression from other meanings of itB upport Darwin's theory of evolutionC provide an example of a facial expression whose meaning is widely understoodD contrast a facial expression that is easily understood with other facial expressions3. The word concur in the passage is closest in meaning toA estimateB agreeC expectD understand4. According to paragraph 2, which of the following was true of the Fore people ofNew Guinea?A They did not want to be shown photographs.B They were famous for their story-telling skills.C They knew very little about Western culture.D They did not encourage the expression of emotions.5. According to the passage, what did Darwin believe would happen to human emotions that werenot expressed?A They would become less intense.B They would last longer than usual.C They would cause problems later.D They would become more negative.参考答案：B C B C A。

专业八级英语考试阅读理解练习题及答案专业八级英语考试阅读理解练习题及答案不吃饭则饥，不读书则愚。

以下是店铺为大家搜索整理专业八级英语考试阅读理解练习题及答案，希望对正在关注的您有所帮助!“I have great confidence that by the end of the decade we’ll know in vast detail how cancer cells arise,” says microbiologist Robert Weinberg, an expert on cancer. “But,” he cautions, “some people have the idea that once one understands the causes, the cure will rapidly follow. Consider Pasteur, he discovered the causes of many kinds of infections, but it was fifty or sixty years before cures were available.”This year, 50 percent of the 910,000 people who suffer from cancer will survive at least five years. In the year 2000, the National Cancer Institute estimates, that figure will be 75 percent. For some skin cancers, the five-year survival rate is as high as 90 percent. But other survival statistics are still discouraging -- 13 percent for lung cancer, and 2 percent for cancer of the pancreas.With as many as 120 varieties in existence, discovering how cancer works is not easy. The researchers made great progress in the early 1970s, when they discovered that oncogenes, which are cancer-causing genes, are inactive in normal cells. Anything from cosmic rays to radiation to diet may activate a dormant oncogene, but how remains unknown. If several oncogenes are driven into action, the cell, unable to turn them off, becomes cancerous.The exact mechanisms involved are still mysterious, but the likelihood that many cancers are initiated at the level of genes suggests that we will never prevent all cancers. “Changes are a normal part of the evolutionary process,” says oncologist William Hayward. Environmental factors can never be totallyeliminated; as Hayward points out, “We can’t prepare a medici ne against cosmic rays.”The prospects for cure, though still distant, are brighter.“First, we need to understand how the normal cell controls itself. Second, we have to determine whether there are a limited number of genes in cells which are always responsible for at least part of the trouble. If we can understand how cancer works, we can counteract its action.”习题1.The example of Pasteur in the passage is used to ________.[A] predict that the secret of cancer will be disclosed in a decade[B] indicate that the prospects for curing cancer are bright[C] prove that cancer will be cured in fifty to sixty years[D] warn that there is still a long way to go before cancer can be conquered2. The author implies that by the year 2000, ________.[A] there will be a drastic rise in the five-year survival rate of skin-cancer patients[B] 90 percent of the skin-cancer patients today will still be living[C] the survival statistics will be fairly even among patients with various cancers[D] there won’ t be a drastic increase of survival rate of all cancer patients3. Oncogenes are cancer-causing genes ________.[A] that are always in operation in a healthy person[B] which remain unharmful so long as they are not activated[C] that can be driven out of normal cells[D] which normal cells can’t turn off4. The word “dormant” in the third paragraph most probably means ________.[A] dead[B] ever-present[C] inactive[D] potential全文翻译“我有极大的信心相信到这个十年期结束时我们将会详尽地知晓癌细胞的生成原因，”一位癌症专家和微生物学家罗伯特•温伯格说道。

英语专业八级考试阅读试题及答案详解英语专业八级考试阅读试题及答案详解The Result of the Falling US DollarLike a ticking time bomb, the falling dollar has grabbed the attention of Japan and West Germany, forcing them to consider adopting economic polices the United States advocates. The U.S. gover____ent wants the dollar to fall because as the dollar declines in value against the yen and Deutsche mark, U.S. good bees cheaper. U.S. panies then sell more at home and abroad, and U.S. trade deficit declines. Cries for trade protection abate, and the global free-trade system is preserved.Then, the cheaper dollar makes it cheaper for many foreign investors to snap up U.S. stocks. That prompts heavy buying from abroad—especially from Japan. Also, if the trade picture is improving, that means U.S. panies eventually will be more petitive. Consequently, many investors are buying shares of export-orientedU.S. panies in anticipation of better profits in the next year or so. But that is a rather faddish notion right now; if corporate earnings are disappointing in interest rates, the stock market rally could stall.Improving U.S. petitiveness means a decline in another’s petitiveness.Japan and West Germany are verging on recession. Their export-oriented economies are facing major problems. Japan is worried about the damage the strong yen will do to Japanese trade. West Germany is also worried. Share prices in Frankfurt plummeted this past week. Bonn is thought to be considering a cut in interest rates to boost its economy.1. What is the main idea of this passage?[A] The impression of the falling U.S. dollar.[B] The result of the U.S. falling dollar.[C] The side effect of U.S. falling dollar.[D] Japan and West Germany are worried about U.S. falling dollar.2. What does the word “rally” mean.[A] prosperity. [B] decline. [C] richness. [D] import.3. Why are Japan and West Germany worried aboutthe falling dollar?[A] Because the falling dollar may cause inflation in their countries.[B] Because it may force them to sell a lot of U.S, stocks.[C] Because it may do damage to their trade.[D] Because it may make Japanese pany lesspetitive.4. If dollar-falling got out of hand, and the U.S. Federal Reserve might step in , what would happen?[A] The prosperity of the U.S. economy would disappear.[B] The U.S. economy might face serious problems.[C] Investors might lose confidence in U.S. investments.[D] Inflation could flare up.答案详解：1. B.美元下跌的结果。

专八英语阅读理解题及答案详解专八英语阅读理解题及答案详解在学习、工作或生活中，大家都跟阅读理解题打过交道吧，借助阅读理解题人们可以反映客观事物、表达思想感情、传递知识信息。

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专八英语阅读理解题及答案详解篇1The Military Is InThings have really changed. Not only is the military standing tall again, it is staging a remarkable comeback in the quantity and quality of the recruits it is attracting. Recruiters, once denounced by antiwar students as “baby killers” and barred from campuses, are welcomed ever at elite universities. ROTC (Reserve Officer’s Training Corps) programs, that faltered during the Viet Nam era, when protesters were fire bombing their headquarters, are flourishing again. The military academies are enjoying a steady increase in applications.Certainly, the depressed economy has increased the allure of the jobs, technical training and generous student loans offered by the military. Students know that if they go in and become, say, nuclear weapons specialists, they can come out and demand a salary of $60,000 a year. Military salaries, while not always competitive with those paid for comparable jobs in the private sector, are more than respectable, especially considering the wide array of benefits that are available: free medical service, room and board, and PX (Post Exchange) privileges. Monthly pay for a recruit is $574; for a sergeant with four years services it is $906; for a major with ten years’ service it is $2,305. The services’ slick $175 million-a-year advertising campaign promisingadventure and fulfillment has helped win over the TV generation. Kids are walking down the school hallways chanting ‘Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,’ just like in the commercials. And many military officials feel that the key difference is the enhanced patriotism among the nation’s youth. There is a return to the view that the military is an honorable profession. The days of a judge telling a miscreant to join the Army or go to jail are over. Recruiting for all four services combined is running at 101%of authorized goals. And the retention rate is now so high, that the services are refusing some re-enlistment applications and reducing annual recruiting target.The military academics are also enjoying halcyon years, attracting more and better-qualified students. Compared to private colleges, where tuition and expenses have been climbing sharply, the service schools are a real bargain: not only is tuition free, but recruits get allowances of up to $500 a mouth. It is reported 12,300 applicants are for the 1,450 positions in this year’s freshman class. Military academies are now just as selective as any of the best universities in the country.Nationwide, ROTC enrollment exceeds 105,000,a 64% increase over the 1974 figure. In the mid 70’s, the ROTC students refused to wear their uniforms on campus because they suffered all sorts of ridicule, if they did. Now if they wear them to class no one looks at them twice. To them, Viet Nam is ancient history, something the old folks talk about.1. What is the main idea of this passage?[A] The Military is in [B] The Military is up[C] The Military is down [D] The Military is on2. What was the attitude of the students in 1970’s towards the military?[A] Approval. [B] Indifferent. [C] Distaste. [D] Scolding.3. The phras e “come out” is closest in meaning to[A] “become visible”. [B] “begin to grow”.[C] “be made public”. [D] “gain a certain position”.4. Which one of the following is NOT mentioned as a reason to attract students.[A] Free tuition. [B] Spacious room.[C] Considerate allowance. [D] Technical training.答案详解：1. A. 军队又吃香了。

英语专八考试阅读练习及答案解析英语专八考试阅读练习及答案解析no pain, no gain. 以下是我为大家搜寻整理的英语专八考试阅读练习及答案解析，期望能给大家带来帮忙!更多精彩内容请准时关注我们应届毕业生考试网!The British psychoanalyst John Bowlby maintains that separation from the parents during the sensitive "attachment' period from birth to three may scar a childs personality and predispose to emotional problems in later life. Some people have drawn the conclusion from Bowlbys work that children should not be subjected to day care before the age of three because of the parental separation it entails, and many people do believe this. But there are also arguments against such a strong conclusion.Firstly, anthropologists point out that the insulated love affair between children and parents found in modern societies does not usually exist in traditional societies. For example, we saw earlier that among the Ngoni the father and mother of a child did not rear their infant alone--far from it. Secondly, common sense tells us that day care would not so widespread today if parents, caretakers found children had problems with it. Statistical studies of this kind have not yet been carried out, and even if they were, the results would be certain to be complicated and controversial. Thirdly, in the last decade, there have been a number of careful American studies of children in day care, and they have uniformly reported that day care hada neutral or slightly positive effect on childrens development. But tests that have had to be used to measure this development are not widely enough accepted to settle the issue.But Bowlbys analysis raises the possibility that early day care has delayed effects. The possibility that such care might lead to, say, more mental illness or crime 15 or 20 years later can only be explored by the use of statistics. Whatever the long-term effects, parents sometimes find the immediate effects difficult to deal with. Children under three are likely to protest at leaving their parents and show unhappiness. At the age of three or three and a half almost all children find the transition to nursery easy, and this is undoubtedly why more and more parents make use of child care at this time. The matter, then, is far from clear-cut, though experience and available evidence indicate that early care is reasonable for infants.1. This passage primarily argues that ___.A. infants under the age of three should not be sent to nursery schools.B. whether children under the age of three should be sent to nursery schools.C. there is not negative long-term effect on infants who are sent to school before they are three.D. there is some negative effect on children when they are sent to school after the age of three.2. The phrase "predispose to' (Para. 1, line 3) most probably means ___.A. lead toB. dispose toC. get intoD. tend to suffer3. According to Bowlbys analysis, it is quite possible that ___.A. childrens personalities will be changed to some extent through separation from their parents.B. early day care can delay the occurrence of mental illness in children.C. children will be exposed to many negative effects from early day care later on.D. some long-term effects can hardly be reduced from childrens development.4. It is implied but not stated in the second paragraph that ___.A. traditional societies separate the child from the parent at an early age.B. Children in modern societies cause more troubles than those in traditional societies.C. A child did not live together with his parents among the Ngoni.D. Children in some societies did not have emotional problems when separated from the parents.5. The writer concludes that ___.A. it is difficult to make clear what is the right age for nursery school.B. It is not settled now whether early care is reasonable for children.C. It is not beneficial for children to be sent to nursery school.D. It is reasonable to subject a child above three to nursery school.答案：BDCAD文档内容到此结束，欢迎大家下载、修改、丰富并分享给更多有需要的人。

专八英语考试阅读理解试题附答案专八英语考试阅读理解试题附答案Often and violates, what the people.以下是我为大家搜寻整理的专八英语考试阅读理解试题附答案，期望能给大家带来帮忙!更多精彩内容请准时关注我们应届毕业生考试网!Can electricity cause cancer? In a society that literally runs on electric power, the very idea seems preposterous. But for more than a decade, a growing band of scientists and journalists has pointed to studies that seem to link exposure to electromagnetic fields with increased risk of leukemia and other malignancies. The implications are unsettling, to say the least, since everyone comes into contact with such fields, which are generated by everything electrical, from power lines and antennas to personal computers and micro-wave ovens. Because evidence on the subject is inconclusive and often contradictory, it has been hard to decide whether concern about the health effects of electricity is legitimateor the worst kind of paranoia.Now the alarmists have gained some qualified support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In the executive summary of a new scientific review, released in draft form late last week, the EPA has put forward what amounts to the most serious government warning to date. The agency tentatively concludes that scientific evidence "suggests a casual link' between extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fieldsthose having very longwave-lengthsand leukemia, lymphoma and braincancer, While the report falls short of classifying ELF fields as probable carcinogens, it does identify the common 60-hertz magnetic field as "a possible, but not proven, cause of cancer in humans.'The report is no reason to panicor even to lost sleep. If there is a cancer risk, it is a small one. The evidence is still so controversial that the draft stirred a great deal of debate within the Bush Administration, and the EPA released it over strong objections from the Pentagon and the Whit House. But now no one can deny that the issue must be taken seriously and that much more research is needed.At the heart of the debate is a simple and well-understood physical phenomenon: When an electric current passes through a wire, tit generates an electromagnetic field that exerts forces on surrounding objects, For many years, scientists dismissed any suggestion that such forces might be harmful, primarily because they are so extraordinarily weak. The ELF magnetic field generated by a video terminal measures only a few milligauss, or about one-hundredth the strength of the earths own magnetic field, The electric fields surrounding a power line can be as high as 10 kilovolts per meter, but the corresponding field induced in human cells will be only about 1 millivolt per meter. This is far less than the electric fields that the cells themselves generate.How could such minuscule forces pose a health danger? The consensus used to be that they could not, and for decades scientists concentrated on more powerful kinds of radiation, like X-rays, that pack sufficient wallop to knock electrons outof the molecules that make up the human body. Such "ionizing' radiations have been clearly linked to increased cancer risks and there are regulations to control emissions.But epidemiological studies, which find statistical associations between sets of data, do not prove cause and effect. Though there is a body of laboratory work showing that exposure to ELF fields can have biological effects on animal tissues, a mechanism by which those effects could lead to cancerous growths has never been found.The Pentagon is for from persuaded. In a blistering 33-page critique of the EPA report, Air Force scientists charge its authors with having "biased the entire document' toward proving a link. "Our reviewers are convinced that there is no suggestion that (electromagnetic fields) present in the environment induce or promote cancer,' the Air Force concludes. "It is astonishing that the EPA would lend its imprimatur on this report.' Then Pentagons concern is understandable. There is hardly a unit of the modern military that does not depend on the heavy use of some kind of electronic equipment, from huge ground-based radar towers to the defense systems built into every warship and plane.1. The main idea of this passage is ___________[A]. studies on the cause of cancer[B]. controversial view-points in the cause of cancer[C]. the relationship between electricity and cancer.[D]. different ideas about the effect of electricity on caner.2. The view-point of the EPA is ___________[A]. there is casual link between electricity and cancer.[B]. electricity really affects cancer.[C]. controversial.[D].low frequency electromagnetic field is a possible cause of cancer3. Why did the Pentagon and Whit House object to the release of the report? Because ___________[A]. it may stir a great deal of debate among the Bush Administration.[B]. every unit of the modern military has depended on the heavy use of some kind of electronic equipment.[C]. the Pentagons concern was understandable.[D]. they had different arguments.4. It can be inferred from physical phenomenon ___________[A]. the force of the electromagnetic field is too weak tobe harmful.[B]. the force of the electromagnetic field is weaker than the electric field that the cells generate.[C]. electromagnetic field may affect health.[D]. only more powerful radiation can knock electron out of human body.5. What do you think ordinary citizens may do after reading the different arguments?[A].They are indifferent. [B]. They are worried very much.[C]. The may exercise prudent avoidance. [C]. They are shocked.Vocabulary1. preposterous 反常的，非常荒谬的，乖戾的2. leukemia 白血病3. malignancy 恶性肿瘤4. legitimate 合法的`，合理的5. paranoia 偏执狂，妄想狂。