大学英语快速阅读套题练习
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第一套试题CET4 2008.12真题Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A),B),C) and D).For questions 8-10,complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.That’s enough, kidsIt was a lovely day at the park and Stella Bianchi was enjoying the sunshine with her two children when a young boy, aged about four, approached her two-year-old son and pushed him to the ground.―I‘d watched him for a little while and my son was the fourth or fifth child he‘d shoved,‖ she says.‖ I went over to them, picked up my son, turned to the boy and said, firmly, ‘No, we don‘t push,‖ What happened next was unexpected.―The boy‘s mother ran toward me from across the park,‖ Stella says,‖ I thought she was coming over to apologize, but instead she started shouting at me for disciplining her child, All I did was let him know his behavior was unacceptable. Was I supposed to sit back while her kid did whatever he wanted, hurting other children in the process?‖Getting your own children to play nice is difficult enough. Dealing with other people‘s children has become a minefield.In my house, jumping on the sofa is not allowed. In my sister‘s house it‘s encouraged. For her, it‘s about kids being kids:“If you can‘t do it at three, when can you do it?‖Each of these philosophies is valid and, it has to be said, my son loves visiting his aunt‘s house. But I find myself saying ―no‖ a lot when her kids are over at mine. That‘s OK between sisters but becomes dangerous territory when you‘re talking to the children of friends or acquaintances.―Kids aren‘t all raised the same,‖ agrees Professor Naomi White of Monash University.‖ But there is still an idea that they‘re the property of the parent. We see our children as an extension of ourselves, so if you‘re saying that my child is behaving inappropriately, then that‘s somehow a criticism of me.‖In those circumstances, it‘s difficult to know whether to approach the child directly or the parent first. There are two schools of thought.―I‘d go to the child first,‖ say s Andrew Fuller, author of Tricky Kids. Usually a quiet reminder that ‘we don‘t do that here‘ is enough. Kids nave finely tuned antennae (直觉) for how to behave in different settings.‖He points out bringing it up with the parent first may make them feel neglectful, which could cause problems. Of course, approaching the child first can bring its own headaches, too.This is why White recommends that you approach the parents first. Raise your concerns with the parents if they‘re there and ask them to deal with it,‖ she says. Asked how to approach a parent in this situation, psychologist Meredith Fuller answers:‖ Explain your needs as well as stressing the importance of the friendship.Preface your remarks with something like: ‘I know you‘ll think I‘m sil ly but in my house I don‘t want…‘‖When it comes to situations where you‘re caring for another child, white is straightforward: ―common sense must prevail. If things don‘t go well, then have a chat.‖There‘re a couple of new grey areas. Physical punishment, once accepted from any adult, is no longer appropriate. ―A new set of considerations has come to the fore as part of the debate about how we handle children.‖For Andrew Fuller, the child-centric nature of our society has affected everyone:‖ The rules are different now from when today‘s parents were growing up,‖ he says, ―Adults are scared of saying: ‘don‘t swear‘, or asking a child to stand up on a bus. They‘re worried that there will be conflict if they point these things out – either from older child ren, or their parents.‖He sees it as a loss of the sense of common public good and public courtesy (礼貌), and says that adults suffer form it as much as child.Meredith Fuller agrees: ―A code of conduct is hard to create when you‘re living in a world in which everyone is exhausted from overwork and lack of sleep, and a world in which nice people are perceived to finish last.‖―it‘s about what I‘m doing and what I need,‖ Andrew Fuller says. ‖the days when a kid came home from school and said, ―I got into trouble‖. And dad said, ‗you probably deserved it‘. Are over. Now the parents are charging up to the school to have a go at teachers.‖This jumping to our children‘s defense is part of what fuels the ―walking on eggshells‖ feeling that surrounds our dealings with other people‘s children. You know that if you remonstrate(劝诫) with the child, you‘re going to have to deal with the parent. it‘s admirable to be protective of our kids, but is it good?―Children have to learn to negotiate the world on their own, withi n reasonable boundaries,‖ White says. ―I suspect that it‘s only certain sectors of the population doing the running to the school –better –educated parents are probably more likely to be too involved.‖White believes our notions of a more child-centred, it‘s a way of talking about treating our children like commodities(商品). We‘re centred on them but in ways that reflect positively on us. We treat them as objects whose appearance and achievements are something we can be proud of, rather than serve the best i nterests of the children.‖One way over-worked, under-resourced parents show commitment to their children is to leap to their defence. Back at the park, Bianchi‘s intervention(干预) on her son‘s behalf ended in an undignified exchange of insulting words with the other boy‘s mother.As Bianchi approached the park bench where she‘d been sitting, other mums came up to her and congratulated her on taking a stand. ―Apparently the boy had a longstanding reputation for bad behaviour and his mum for even worse behaviour if he was challenged.‖Andrew Fuller doesn‘t believe that we should be afraid of dealing with other people‘s kids. ―look at kids that aren‘t your own as a potential minefield,‖ he says. Herecommends that we don‘t stay silent over inappropriate behavio ur, particularly with regular visitors1. What did Stella Bianchi expect the young boy‘s mother to do when she talked to him?A) make an apologyB) come over to interveneC) discipline her own boyD) take her own boy away2. What does the author say about dealing with other people‘s children?A) it‘s important not to hurt them in any wayB) it‘s no use trying to stop their wrongdoingC) it‘s advisable to treat them as one‘s own kidsD) it‘s possible for one to get i nto lots of trouble3．According to professor Naomi white of Monash university, when one‘s kids are criticized, their parents will probably feelA) discouragedB) hurtC) puzzledD) overwhelmed4. What should one do when seeing other people‘s kids misbehave according to Andrew fuller?A) talk to them directly in a mild wayB) complain to their parents politelyC) simply leave them aloneD) punish them lightly5. Due to the child-centric nature of our society,A) parents are worried when their kids swear at themB) people think it improper to criticize kids in publicC) people are reluctant to point our kids‘ wrongdoingsD) many conflicts arise between parents and their kids6. In a world where everyone is exhausted from over work and lack of sleep, .A) it‘s easy for people to become impatientB) it‘s difficult to create a code of conductC) it‘s important to be friendly to everybodyD) it‘s hard for people to admire each other7. How did people use to respond when their kids got into trouble at school?A) they‘d question the teachersB) they‘d charge up to the schoolC) they‘d tell the kids to clam downD) They‘d put the blame on their kids8. Professor White believes that the notions of a more child-centred society should be ________.9. According to professor white, today‘s parents treat their children as something they________.10. Andrew fuller suggests that, when kids behave inappropriately, people should not ________.第二套试题 CET4 2009.6 真题Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.How Do You See Diversity?As a manager, Tiffany is responsible for interviewing applicants for some of the positions with her company .During one interview, she noticed that the candidate never made direct eye contact. She was puzzled and somewhat disappointed because she liked the individual otherwise.He had a perfect resume and gave good responses to her questions, but the fact that he never looked her in the eye said ―untrustworthy,‖ so she decided to offer the job to her second choice.―It wasn‘t until I attended a div ersity workshop that I realized the person we passed over was the perfect person,‖ Tiffany confesses. What she hadn‘t known at the time of the interview was that the candidate‘s ―different‖ behavior was simply a cultural misunderstanding. He was an Asian-American raised in a household where respect for those in authority was shown by averting(避开) your eyes.―I was just thrown off by the lack of ye contact; not realizing it was cultural,‖ Tiffany says. ―I missed out, but will not miss that opportunity again.‖Many of us have had similar encounters with behaviors we perceive as different. As the world becomes smaller and our workplaces more diverse, it is becoming essential to expand our understanding of others and to reexamine some of our false assumptions.Hire AdvantageAt a time when hiring qualified people is becoming more difficult ,employers who can eliminate invalid biases(偏爱) from the process have a distinct advantage .My company, Mindsets LLC ,helps organizations and individuals see their own blind spots . A real estate recruiter we worked with illustrates the positive difference such training can make.―During my Mindsets coaching session, I was taught how to recruit a diversified workforce. I recruited people from different cultures and skill sets .The agents were able to utilize their full potential and experiences to build up the company .When the real estate market began to change, it was because we had a diverse agent pool that we were able to stay in the real estate market much longer than others in the same profession.‖Blinded by GenderDale is an account executive who attended one of my workshops on supervising a diverse workforce. ―Through one of the sessions, I discovered my personal bias,‖ he recalls. ―I lea rned I had not been looking at a person as a whole person, and being open to differences.‖ In his case, the blindness was not about culture but rather gender. ―I had a management position open in my department; and the two finalists were a man and a woman. Had I not attended this workshop, I would have automatically assumed the man was the best candidate because the position required quite a bit of extensive travel. My reasoning would have been that even though both candidates were great and could have been successful in the position, I assumed the woman would have wanted to be home with her children and not travel.‖Dale‘s assumptions are another example of the well-intentioned but incorrect thinking that limits an organization‘s ability to tap into the ful l potential of a diverse workforce.―I learned from the class that instead of imposing my gender biases into the situation, I needed to present the full range of duties, responsibilities and expectations to all candidates and allow them to make an i nformed decision.‖ Dale credits the workshop, ―because it helped me make decisions based on fairness.‖Year of the Know-It-AllDoug is another supervisor who attended one of my workshops .He recalls a major lesson learned from his own employee.―One of my most embarrassing moments was when I had a Chinese-American employee put in a request to take time off to celebrate Chinese New Year. In my ignorance, I assumed he had his dates wrong, as the first of January had just passed. When I advised him of this, I gave him a long talking-to about turning in requests early with the proper dates.―He patiently waited , then when I was done , he said he would like Chinese New Year did not begin January first , and that Chinese New Year ,which is tied to the lunar cycle ,is one of the most celebrated holidays on the Chinese calendar . Needless to say, I felt very embarrassed in assuming he had his dates mixed up. But I learned a great deal about assumptions, and that the timing of holidays varies considerably from culture to culture.―Attending the diversity workshop helped me realize how much I could learn by simply asking questions and creating dialogues with my employees , rather than making assumptions and trying to be a know-it-all ,‖ Doug admits . ―The biggest thing I took away from the workshop is learning how to be more ‗inclusive‘ to differences.‖A better Bottom LineAn open mind about diversity not only improves organizations internally , it is profitable as well . These comments from a customer service representative show how an inclusive attitude can improve sales.‖Most of my customers speak English as a second language. One of the best things my company has done is to contract with a language service that offers tra nslations over the phone. It wasn‘t until my boss received Mindsets‘ training that she was able to understand how important inclusiveness was to customer service. As result, our customer base has increased.‖Once we start to see people as individuals，and discard the stereotypes , we can move positively toward inclusiveness for everyone . Diversity is about coming together and taking advantage of our differences and similarities. It is about building better communities and organizations that enhance us as individuals and reinforce our shared humanity.When we begin to question our assumptions and challenge what we think we have learned from our past , from the media, peers , family , friends , etc , we begin to realize that some of our conclusions are flawed(有缺陷的) or contrary to our fundamental values . We need to train our-selves to think differently, shift our mindsets and realize that diversity opens doors for all of us, creating opportunities in organizations and communities that benefit everyone.1. What bothered Tiffany during an interview with her candidate?A) He just wouldn‘t look her in the eye.B) He was slow in answering her questions.C) His answers to some of her questions were irrelevant.D) His answers to some of her questions were irrelevant.2. Tiffany‘s misjudgment about the candidate stemmed from.A) Racial stereotypes. C) Cultural ignorance.B) Invalid personal bias . D) Emphasis on physical appearance3. What is becoming essential in the course of economic globalization according to the author?A) Hiring qualified technical and management personnel.B) Increasing understanding of people of other cultures.C) Constantly updating knowledge and equipment.D) Expanding domestic and international markets.4. What kind of organization is Mindsets LLC?A) A real estate agency. C) A cultural exchange organization.B) A personnel training company. D) A hi-tech company5. After one of the workshops, account executive Dale realized that .A) He had hired the wrong person.B) He could have done more for his company.C) He had not managed his workforce well.D) He must get rid of his gender bias.6. What did Dale think of Mindsets LLC‘s workshop?A) It was well-intentioned but poorly conducted.B) It tapped into the executives‘ full potential.C) It helped him make fair decisions.D) It met participants‘ diverse needs.7. How did Doug, a supervisor, respond to a Chinese-American employee‘s request for leave?A) He told him to get the dates right. C) He flatly turned it downB) He demanded an explanation. D) He readily approved it.8. Doug felt ____________ when he realized that his assumption was wrong.9. After attending Mindsets‘ workshops, the participants came to know theimportance of ____________ to their business.10. When we view people as individuals and get rid of stereotypes, we can achieve diversity and benefit from the _______________ between us.第三套试题CET4 2010.6真题Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.Obama's success isn't all good news for black Americans As Erin White watched the election results head towards victory for Barack Obama, she felt a burden lifting from her shoulders. "In that one second, it was a validation for my whole race," she recalls."I've always been an achiever," says White, who is studying for an MBA at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. "But there had always been these things in the back of my mind questioning whether I really can be who I want. It was like a shadow, following me around saying you can only go so far. Now it's like a barrier has been let down."White's experience is what many psychologists had expected - that Obama would prove to be a powerful role model for African Americans. Some hoped his rise to prominence would have a big impact on white Americans, too, challenging those who still harbour racist sentiments. "The traits that characterise him are very contradictory to the racial stereotypes that black people are aggressive and uneducated," says Ashby Plant of Florida State University. "He's very intelligent and eloquent."Sting in the tailAshby Plant is one of a number of psychologists who seized on Obama's candidacy to test hypotheses about the power of role models. Their work is already starting to reveal how the "Obama effect" is changing people's views and behaviour. Perhaps surprisingly, it is not all good news: there is a sting in the tail of the Obama effect.But first the good news. Barack Obama really is a positive role model for African Americans, and he was making an impact even before he got to the White House. Indeed, the Obama effect can be surprisingly immediate and powerful, as Ray Friedman of Vanderbilt University and his colleagues discovered.They tested four separate groups at four key stages of Obama's presidential campaign. Each group consisted of around 120 adults of similar age and education, and the test assessed their language skills. At two of these stages, when Obama's success was less than certain, the tests showed a clear difference between the scores of the white and black participants—an average of 12.1 out of 20, compared to 8.8, for example. When the Obama fever was at its height, however, the black participantsperformed much better. Those who had watched Obama's acceptance speech as the Democrats' presidential candidate performed just as well, on average, as the white subjects.After his election victory, this was true of all the black participants.Dramatic shiftWhat can explain this dramatic shift? At the start of the test, the participants had to declare their race and were told their results would be used to assess their strengths and weaknesses. This should have primed the subjects with "stereotype threat" – an anxiety that their results will confirm negative stereotypes, which has been shown to damage the performance of African Americans.Obama's successes seemed to act as a shield against this. "We suspect they felt inspired and energised by his victory, so the stereotype threat wouldn't prove a distraction," says Friedman.Lingering racismIf the Obama effect is positive for African Americans, how is it affecting their white compatriots (同胞)? Is the experience of having a charismatic (有魅力的) black president modifying lingering racist attitudes? There is no easy way to measure racism directly; instead psychologists assess what is known as "implicit bias", using a computer-based test that measures how quickly people associate positive and negative words—such as "love" or "evil"—with photos of black or white faces. A similar test can also measure how quickly subjects associate stereotypical traits—such as athletic skills or mental ability—with a particular group.In a study that will appear in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Plant's team tested 229 students during the height of the Obama fever. They found that implicit bias has fallen by as much as 90% compared with the level found in a similar study in 2006. "That's an unusually large drop," Plant says.While the team can't be sure their results are due solely to Obama, they also showed that those with the lowest bias were likely to subconsciously associate black skin colour with political words such as "government" or "president". This suggests that Obama was strongly on their mind, says Plant.Drop in biasBrian Nosek of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, who runs a website that measures implicit bias using similar test, has also observed a small drop in bias in the 700,000 visitors to the site since January 2007, which might be explained by Obama's rise to popularity. However, his preliminary results suggest that change will be much slower coming than Plant's results suggest.Talking honestly"People now have the opportunity of expressing support for Obama every day," says Daniel Effron at Stanford University in California. "Our research arouses the concern that people may now be more likely to raise negative views of African Americans." On the other hand, he says, it may just encourage people to talk more honestly about their feelings regarding race issues, which may not be such a bad thing.Another part of the study suggests far more is at stake than the mere expression of views. The Obama effect may have a negative side. Just one week after Obama waselected president, participants were less ready to support policies designed to address racial inequality than they had been two weeks before the election.Huge obstaclesIt could, of course, also be that Obama's success helps people to forget that a disproportionate number of black Americans still live in poverty and face huge obstacles when trying to overcome these circumstances. "Barack Obama's family is such a salient (出色的) image, we generalise it and fail to see the larger picture—that there's injustice in every aspect of American life," says Cheryl Kaiser of the University of Washington in Seattle. Those trying to address issues of racial inequality need to constantly remind people of the inequalities that still exist to counteract the Obama's effect, she says.Though Plant's findings were more positive, she too warns against thinking that racism and racial inequalities are no longer a problem. "The last thing I want is for people to think everything's solved."These findings do not only apply to Obama, or even just to race. They should hold for any role model in any country. "There's no reason we wouldn't have seen the same effect on our views of women if Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin had been elected," says Effron. So the election of a female leader might have a downside for other women.Beyond raceWe also don't yet know how long the Obama effect—both its good side and its bad—will last.Political sentiment is notoriously changeable: What if things begin to go wrong for Obama, and his popularity slumps?And what if Americans become so familiar with having Obama as their president that they stop considering his race altogether? "Over time he might become his own entity," says Plant. This might seem like the ultimate defeat for racism, but ignoring the race of certain select individuals—a phenomenon that psychologists call subtyping—also has an insidious (隐伏的) side. "We think it happens to help people preserve their beliefs, so they can still hold on to the previous stereotypes." That could turn out to be the cruellest of all the twists to the Obama effect.注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1上作答。
