英语四级阅读题库含答案解析
英语四级阅读题库含答案解析
1.Passage One
Global warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the 21st century, but regardless of whether it is or isn’t –we won’t do much about it. We will argue over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed.
Al Gore calls global warming an “inconvenient truth,” as if merely recognizing it could put us on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we don’t know enough to relieve global warming, and –without major technological breakthroughs—we can’t do much about it.
From 2003 to 2050, the world’s population is projected to grow from 6.4 billion to 9.1 billion, a 42% increase. If energy use per person and technology remain the same, total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions (mainly, CO2) will be 42% higher in 2050. but that’s too low, because societies that grow richer use more energy. We need economic growth unless we condemn the world’s poor to their present poverty and freeze everyone else‘s living standards. With modest growth, energy use and greenhouse emissions more than double by 2050.
No government will adopt rigid restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel) that might cut back global warming. Still, politicians want to show they’re “doing something.” Consider the Kyoto Protocol (京都议定书). It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn’t. But it hasn’t reduced CO2 emissions (up about 25% since 1990), and many signatories (签字国) didn’t adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets.
The practical conclusion is that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development program might find ways of breaking dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it.
The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral problem when it’s really an engineering one. The inconvenient truth is that if we don’t solve the engineering problem, we’re helpless.
57. What is said about global warming in the first paragraph?
A) It may not prove an environmental crisis at all.
B) It is an issue requiring world wide commitments. C) Serious steps have been taken to avoid or stop it.
D) Very little will be done to bring it under control.
58. According to the author’s understanding, what is Al Gore’s view on global warming?
A) It is a reality both people and politicians are unaware of.
B) It is a phenomenon that causes us many inconveniences.
C) It is a problem that can be solved once it is recognized.
D) It is an area we actually have little knowledge about.
59. Green house emissions will more than double by 2050 because of _______.
A) economic growth
B) the widening gap between the rich and poor C) wasteful use of energy
D) the rapid advances of science and technology
60. The author believes that, since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, ________.
A) politicians have started to do something to better the situation
B) few nations have adopted real tough measures to limit energy use
C) reductions in energy consumption have greatly cut back global warming
D) international cooperation has contributed to solving environmental problems
61. What is the message the author intends to convey?
A) Global warming is more of a moral issue than a practical one.
B) The ultimate solution to global warming lies in new technology
C) The debate over global warming will lead to technological breakthroughs.
D) People have to give up certain material comforts to stop global warming.
Passage Two
Someday a stranger will read your without your permission or scan the Websites you’ve visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchase or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.
In fact, it’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen — the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked.
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it’s important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs (碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter?
When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is “slipping away, and that bothers me.”
But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon (优惠券).
But privacy does matter – at least sometimes. It’s like health: When you have it, you don’t notice it. Only when it’s gone do you wish you’d done more to protect it.
62. What does the author mean by saying “the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked ”(Lines 3-4, Para.2)?
A) People’s personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.
B) In the 21st century people try every means to look into others’ secrets.
C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.
D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.
63. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
A) Friends should open their hearts to each other.
B) Friends should always be faithful to each other.
C) There should be a distance even between friends.
D) There should be fewer disputes between friends.
64. Why does the author say “we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret”(Line 5, Para.3)?
A) Modern society has finally evolved into an open society.
B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.
C) There are always people who are curious about others’ affairs.
D) Many search engines profit by revealing people’s identities.
65. What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?
A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.
B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions.
C) They rely more and more on electronic devices. D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.
66. According to the passage, privacy is like health in that ________.
A) people will make every effort to keep it
B) its importance is rarely understood
C) it is something that can easily be lost
D) people don’t cherish it until they lose it
2.Passage One
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
If you are a male and you are reading this ,congratulations: you are a survivor .According to statistics .you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman ,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman.
There are many reasons for this-typically, men take more risks than woman and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.
“Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should, ” says Dr. Gullotta, “This is particularly so for the over-40s,when diseases tend to strike.”
Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45,it should be at least once a year.
Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old ma who had delayed doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year.
“When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer” he says, “Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged this life”
According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.
“A lot of men think they are invincible （不可战胜的）”Gullotta says “They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think” Geez, if it could happen to him.
Then there is the ostrich approach,”some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know, ” says Dr. Ross Cartmill.
“Most men get their cars serviced more
regularly than they service their bodies,”Cartmill says .He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups.
Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says.” But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death.”57.Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage?
A. They are more likely to survive serious diseases today.
B. Their average life span has been considerably extended.
C. They have lived long enough to read this article.
D. They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier live.
58.What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women?
A. men drink and smoke much more than women
B. men don’t seek medical care as often as women
C. men aren’t as cautions as women in face of danger
D. men are more likely to suffer from fatal diseases
59. Which of the following best completes the sentence “Geez, if it could happen to him…’(line2,para,8)?
A. it could happen to me, too
B. I should avoid playing golf
C. I should consider myself lucky
D. it would be a big misfortune
60what does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by “the ostrich approach”(line q para.9)
A. a casual attitude towards one’s health conditions
B. a new therapy for certain psychological problems
C. refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involved
D. unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear
61. What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men?
A.They may increase public expenses
B.They will save money in the long run
C.They may cause psychological strains on men
D.They will enable men to live as long as women
Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
High-quality customer service is preached(宣扬) by many ,but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than done
Shoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead will alert their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers-and anyone who will listen.
Store managers are often the last to hear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide t frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde group and Wharton school
“Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers,”said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde group.”the store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement.”
On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four other, and will no longer visit the specific store for every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative reviews. The resulting “snowball effect”can be disastrous to retailers.
According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing encountered the
most problems. ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers.
The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered (塞满了的) shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople.
During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved the parking problems by getting moonlighting（业余兼职的）local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance eliminated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space.
Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions.
Most importantly, salespeople should be diplomatic and polite with angry customers.
“Retailers who’re responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly.”said Professor Stephen Hoch. “Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help.”
Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答
62. Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints?
A Most customers won’t bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences.
B Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them.
C Few customers believe the service will be improved.
D Customers have no easy access to store managers.
63. What does Paula Courtney imply by saying “… the shopper must also find a replacement” (Line 2, Para. 4)?
A New customers are bound to replace old ones.
B It is not likely the shopper can find the same products in other stores.
C Most stores provide the same
D Not complaining to the manager causes the shopper some trouble too.
64. Shop owners often hire moonlighting police as parking attendants so that shoppers_____
A can stay longer browsing in the store
B won’t have trouble parking their cars
C won’t have any worries about security
D can find their cars easily after shopping
65. What contributes most to smoothing over issues with customers?
A Manners of the salespeople
B Hiring of efficient employees
C Huge supply of goods for sale
D Design of the store layout.
66. To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to _________.
A exert pressure on stores to improve their service
B settle their disputes with stores in a diplomatic way
C voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directly
D shop around and make comparisons between stores
3. The January fashion show, called Future Fashion , exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.
The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to fine . “Most designers with existing labels are finding there aren’t comparable fabrics that can just replace what you’re doing and shat your customers are used to,” he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents.
Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs(企业家) who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable . It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce a major initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional(过渡型的) cotton at higher prices , thus helping to expand the supply of a key sustainable material . “Mainstream is about to occur,” says Hahn.
Some analysts(分析师) are less sure . Among consumers, only 18%are even aware that ecofashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer, when asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied: “Not that I’m aware of.” Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.”By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But –thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers –one day it will be.
57. What is said about Future Fashion?
A) It inspired many leading designers to start going green.
B) It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far.
C) It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized.
D) It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable.
58. According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will go
organic is that .
A) much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainable
materials .
B) they have to create new brands for clothes made of organic
materials .
C) customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organic
materials .
D) quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readily
available .
59. We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers who undertake green
fashion .
A) can attend various trade shows free .
B) are readily recognized by the fashion world
C) can buy organic cotton at favorable prices .
D) are gaining more and more support .
60. What is Natalie Hormilla’s attitude toward ecofashion?
A) She doesn’t seem to care about it. C) She is doubtful of its
practical value.
B) She doesn’t think it is sustainable D) She is very much opposed
to the idea
61. What does the author think of green fashion?
A) Green products will soon go mainstream.
B) It has a very promising future.
C) Consumers have the final say.
D) It will appeal more to young people.
Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
Scientists have devised a way to determine roughly where a person has lived using a strand(缕) of hair , a technique that could help track the movements of criminal suspects or unidentified murder victims .
The method relies on measuring how chemical variations in drinking water show up in people’s hair.
“You’re what you eat and drink, and that’s recorded in you hair,”said Thure Cerling, a geologist at the University of Utah.
While U.S diet is relatively identical, water supplies vary. The differences result from weather patterns. The chemical composition of rainfall changes slightly as raid clouds move.
Most hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are stable , but traces of both elements are also present as heavier isotopes(同位素) . The heaviest raid falls first .As a result, storms that form over the Pacific deliver heavier water to California than to Utah.
Similar patterns exist throughout the U.S. By measuring the proportion of heavier hydrogen and oxygen isotopes along a strand of hair, scientists can construct a geographic timeline. Each inch of hair corresponds to about two months.
Cerling’s team collected tap water samples from 600 cities and constructed a mop of the regional differences. They checked the accuracy of the map by testing 200 hair samples collected from 65 barber shops.
They were able to accurately place the hair samples in broad regions roughly corresponding to the movement of raid systems.
“It’s not good for pinpointing (精确定位),” Cerling said . “It’s good for eliminating many possibilities.”
Todd Park, a local detective, said the method has helped him learn more about an unidentified woman whose skeleton was found near Great Salt Lake.
The woman was 5 feet tall. Police recovered 26 bones, a T-shirt and several strands of hair.
When Park heard about the research, he gave the hair samples to the researchers. Chemical testing showed that over the two years before her death, she moved about every two months.
She stayed in the Northwest, although the test could not be more specific than somewhere between eastern Oregon and western Wyoming.
“It’s still a substantial area,” Park said “But it narrows it way down for me.”
62. What is the scientists’ new discovery?
A) One’s hair growth has to do with the amount of water they drink.
B) A person’s hair may reveal where they have lived.
C) Hair analysis accurately identifies criminal suspects.
D) The chemical composition of hair varies from person to person.
63. What does the author mean by “You’re what you eat and drink” (Line 1, Para.3)?
A) Food and drink affect one’s personality development.
B) Food and drink preferences vary with individuals.
C) Food and drink leave traces in one’s body tissues.
D) Food and drink are indispensable to one’s existence.
64. What is said about the rainfall in America’s West?
A) There is much more rainfall in California than in Utah.
B) The water it delivers becomes lighter when it moves inland.
C) Its chemical composition is less stable than in other areas.
D) It gathers more light isotopes as it moves eastward.
65. What did Cerling’s team produce in their research?
A) A map showing the regional differences of tap water.
B) A collection of hair samples from various barber shops.
C) A method to measure the amount of water in human hair.
D) A chart illustrating the movement of the rain system.
66. What is the practical value of Cerling’s research?
A) It helps analyze the quality of water in different regions.
B) It helps the police determine where a crime is committed.
C) It helps the police narrow down possibilities in detective work.
D) It helps identify the drinking habits of the person under investigation.
4.
Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so, but selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.
Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The
prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can’t escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic (酗酒的) mothers.
These images have helped define the way all women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simple to be herself.
It won’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.
Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogs have written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House—mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise (沉着), confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.
57. Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong fascination for the author?
A) She serves as a role model for African women.
B) She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.
C) She will present to the world a new image of African-American women.
D) She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-American women.
58. What is the common stereotype of African-American women according to the author?
A) They are victims of violence. B) They are of an inferior violence.
C) They use quite a lot of body language. D) They live on charity and social welfare.
59. What do many African-Americans write about in their blogs?
A) Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her fans.
B) How Michelle should behave as a public figure.
C) How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House.
D) What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House.
60. What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?
A) However many fans she has, she should remain modest,
B) She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community.
C) However hard she tries, she can’t expect to please everybody.
D) She will give priority to African-American women’s concerns.
61. What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obama will do?
A) Help change the prevailing view about black women.
B) Help her husband in the task of changing America.
C) Outshine previous First Lady.
D) Fully display her fine qualities.
Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
When next year’s crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they’ll be joined by a new face; Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost (教务长) of Yale, who’ll become Oxford’s vice-chancellor—a position equivalent to university president in America.
Hamilton isn’t the only educator crossing the Atlantic. Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc, have also recently made top-level hires from abroad. Higher education has become a big and competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it’s gone global. Yet the talent flow isn’t universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only one direction: outward from America.
The chief reason is that American schools don’t tend to seriously consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state government, a major source of the university’s budget. “We didn’t do any global consideration,” says Patricia Hayes, the board’s chair. The board ultimately picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist (活动家) who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a distinctively American thing, since U.S. schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a product of experience and necessity.
Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising student number. The decline in government support has made funding-raising an increasing necessary ability among administrators and has hiring committees hungry for Americans.
In the past few years, prominent schools around the world have joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen “a major strengthening of Yale’s financial position.”
Of course, fund-raising isn’t the only skill outsiders offer. The globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with international experience of some kind of promote international programs and attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on established practices.
62. What is the current trend in higher education discussed in the passage?
A) Institutions worldwide are hiring administrators from the U.S.
B) A lot of political activists are being recruited as administrators.
C) American universities are enrolling more international students.
D) University presidents are paying more attention to funding-raising.
63. What is the chief consideration of American universities when hiring top-level administrators?
A) The political correctness. B) Their ability to raise funds.
C) Their fame in academic circles. D) Their administrative experience.
64. What do we learn about European universities from the passage?
A) The tuitions they charge have been rising considerably.
B) Their operation is under strict government supervision.
C) They are strengthening their position by globalization.
D) Most of their revenues come from the government.
65. Cambridge University appointed Alison Richard as its vice-chancellor chiefly because _____.
A) she was known to be good at raising money
B) she could help strengthen its ties with Yale
C) she knew how to attract students overseas
D) she had boosted Yale’s academic status
66. In what way do top-level administrators from abroad contribute to university development?
A) They can enhance the university’s image.
B) They will bring with them more international faculty.
C) They will view a lot of things from a new perspective.
D) They can set up new academic disciplines.
5.
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
You never see him, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going,how fast you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a comic book.They're known as the black box.
When planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine (潜水艇) detected the device's homing signal five days later, the discovery marked a huge step toward determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed.
In 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early models often failed to
withstand crashes, however, so in 1965 the device was completely redesigned and moved to the rear of the plane – the area least subject to impact – from its original position in the landing wells (起落架舱). The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to aid visibility.
Modern airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations,and a flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noises and other operating functions that help investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated (隔绝的) case and surrounded by a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand massive force and temperatures up to 2,000℉. When submerged, they're also able to emit signals from depths of 20,000 ft. Experts believe the boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crashed near Brazil on June 1,2009, are in water nearly that deep, but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-sea crashes over the past 30 years, only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
57. What does the author say about the black box?
A) It ensures the normal functioning of an airplane.
B) The idea for its design comes from a comic book.
C) Its ability to ward off disasters is incredible.
D) It is an indispensable device on an airplane.
58. What information could be found from the black box on the Yemeni airliner?
A) Data for analyzing the cause of the crash.
B) The total number of passengers on board.
C) The scene of the crash and extent of the damage.
D) Homing signals sent by the pilot before the crash.
59. Why was the black box redesigned in 1965?
A) New materials became available by that time.
B) Too much space was needed for its installation.
C) The early models often got damaged in the crash.
D) The early models didn't provide the needed data.
60. Why did the Federal Aviation Authority require the black boxes be painted orange or yellow?
A) To distinguish them from the colour of the plane.
B) To caution people to handle them with care.
C) To make them easily identifiable.
D) To conform to international standards.
61. What do we know about the black boxes from Air France Flight 447?
A) There is still a good chance of their being recovered.
B) There is an urgent need for them to be reconstructed.
C) They have stopped sending homing signals.
D) They were destroyed somewhere near Brazil.
Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
The $11 billion self-help industry is built on the idea that you should turn negative thoughts like "I never do anything right" into positive ones like "I can succeed." But was positive thinking advocate Norman Vincent Peale right? Is there power in positive thinking?
Researchers in Canada just published a study in the journal Psychological Science that says trying to get people to think more positively can actually have the opposite effect: it can simply highlight how unhappy they are.
The study's authors, Joanne Wood and John Lee of the University of Waterloo and Elaine Perunovic of the University of New Brunswick, begin by citing older research showing that when people get feedback which they believe is overly positive, they actually feel worse, not better. If you tell your dim friend that he has the potential of an Einstein, you're just underlining his faults. In one 1990s experiment, a team including psychologist Joel Cooper of Princeton asked participants to write essays opposing funding for the disabled. When the essayists were later praised for their sympathy, they felt even worse about what they had written.
In this experiment, Wood, Lee and Perunovic measured 68 students' self-esteem. The participants were then asked to write down their thoughts and feelings for four minutes. Every 15 seconds, one group of students heard a bell. When it rang, they were supposed to tell themselves, "I am lovable."
Those with low self-esteem didn't feel better after the forced self-affirmation. In fact, their moods turned significantly darker than those of members of the control group, who weren't urged to think positive thoughts.
The paper provides support for newer forms of psychotherapy (心理治疗) that urge people to accept their negative thoughts and feelings rather than fight them. In the fighting, we not only often fail but can make things worse. Meditation (静思) techniques, in contrast, can teach people to put their shortcomings into a larger, more realistic perspective. Call it the power of negative thinking.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2 上作答。
62. What do we learn from the first paragraph about the self-help industry?
A) It is a highly profitable industry.
B) It is based on the concept of positive thinking.
C) It was established by Norman Vincent Peale.
D) It has yielded positive results.
63. What is the finding of the Canadian researchers?
A) Encouraging positive thinking many do more harm than good.
B) There can be no simple therapy for psychological problems.
C) Unhappy people cannot think positively.
D) The power of positive thinking is limited.
64. What does the author mean by "… you're just underlining his faults" (Line 4, Para. 3)?
A) You are not taking his mistakes seriously enough.
B) You are pointing out the errors he has committed.
C) You are emphasizing the fact that he is not intelligent.
D) You are trying to make him feel better about his faults.
65. What do we learn from the experiment of Wood, Lee and Perunovic?
A) It is important for people to continually boost their self-esteem.
B) Self-affirmation can bring a positive change to one's mood.
C) Forcing a person to think positive thoughts may lower their self-esteem.
D) People with low self-esteem seldom write down their true feelings.
66. What do we learn from the last paragraph?
A) The effects of positive thinking vary from person to person.
B) Meditation may prove to be a good form of psychotherapy.
C) Different people tend to have different ways of thinking.
D) People can avoid making mistakes through meditation.
6.
It is pretty much a one-way street. While it may be common for university researchers to try their luck in the commercial world, there is very little traffic in the opposite direction. Pay has always been the biggest deterrent, as people with families often feel they cannot afford the drop in salary when moving to a university job. For some industrial scientists, however, the attractions of academia (学术界) outweigh any financial considerations.
Helen Lee took a 70% cut in salary when she moved from a senior post in Abbott Laboratories to a medical department at the University of Cambridge. Her main reason for returning to academia mid-career was to take advantage of the greater freedom to choose research questions. Some areas of inquiry have few prospects of a commercial return, and Lee’s is one of them.
The impact of a salary cut is probably less severe for a scientist in the early stages of a career. Guy Grant, now a research associate at the Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics at the University of Cambridge, spent two years working for a pharmaceutical (制药的) company before returning to university as a post-doctoral researcher. He took a 30% salary cut but felt it worthwhile for the greater intellectual opportunities.
Higher up the ladder, where a pay cut is usually more significant, the demand for scientists with a wealth of experience in industry is
forcing universities to make the transition (转换) to academia more attractive, according to Lee. Industrial scientists tend to receive training that academics do not, such as how to build a multidisciplinary team, manage budgets and negotiate contracts. They are also well placed to bring something extra to the teaching side of an academic role that will help students get a job when they graduate, says Lee, perhaps experience in manufacturing practice or product development. “Only a small number of undergraduates will continue in an academic career. So someone leaving university who already has the skills needed to work in an industrial lab has far more potential in the job market than someone who has spent all their time on a narrow research project.”
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
57. By “a one-way street” (Line 1, Para. 1), the author means ________. ［A］ university researchers know little about the commercial world ［B］ there is little exchange between industry and academia
［C］ few industrial scientists would quit to work in a university ［D］ few university professors are willing to do industrial research 58. The word “deterrent” (Line 2, Para. 1) most probably refers to something that ________.
［A］ keeps someone from taking action ［C］ attracts people’s attention
［B］ helps to move the traffic ［D］ brings someone a financial burden
59. What was Helen Lee’s major consideration when she changed her job in the middle of her career?
［A］ Flexible work hours. ［C］ Her preference for the lifestyle on campus.
［B］Her research interests. ［D］Prospects of academic accomplishments.
60. Guy Grant chose to work as a researcher at Cambridge in order to ________.
［A］ do financially more rewarding work
［B］ raise his status in the academic world
［C］ enrich his experience in medical research
［D］ exploit better intellectual opportunities
61. What contribution can industrial scientists make when they come to teach in a university?
［A］ Increase its graduates’ competitiveness in the job market ［B］ Develop its students’ potential in research.
［C］ Help it to obtain financial support from industry.
［D］ Gear its research towards practical applications.
Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life.
Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity (长寿) boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship. The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Farr, who wrote that widows and widowers (鳏夫) were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers. Studies since then suggest that marriage could add as much as seven years to a man’s life and two to a woman’s. The effect holds for all causes of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.
Even if the odds are stacked against you, marriage can more than compensate. Linda Waite of the University of Chicago has found that a married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart. Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn’t smoke. There’s a flip side, however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouse’s death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems. Even so, the odds favour marriage. In a 30-year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.
So how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio-economic factors, health-service provision, emotional support and other more physiological (生理的) mechanisms. For example, social contact can boost development of the brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression later in life. People in supportive relationships may handle stress better. Then there are the psychological benefits of a supportive partner.
A life partner, children and good friends are all recommended if you aim to live to 100. The ultimate social network is still being mapped out, but Christakis says: “People are interconnected, so their health is interconnected.”
62. William Farr’s study and other studies show that _________.
［A］ social life provides an effective cure for illness
［B］ being sociable helps improve one’s quality of life
［C］ women benefit more than men from marriage
［D］ marriage contributes a great deal to longevity
63. Linda Waite’s studies support the idea that _________.
［A］ older men should quit smoking to stay healthy
［B］ marriage can help make up for ill health
［C］ the married are happier than the unmarried
［D］ unmarried people are likely to suffer in later life
64. It can be inferred from the context that the “flip side” (Line 4, Para. 2) refers to _________.
［A］ the disadvantages of being married
［B］ the emotional problems arising from marriage
［C］ the responsibility of taking care of one’s family
［D］ the consequence of a broken marriage
65. What does the author say about social networks?
［A］ They have effects similar to those of a marriage.
［B］ They help develop people’s community spirit.
［C］ They provide timely support for those in need.
［D］ They help relieve people of their life’s burdens.
66. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
［A］ It’s important that we develop a social network when young.
［B］ To stay healthy, one should have a proper social network.
［C］ Getting a divorce means risking a reduced life span.
［D］ We should share our social networks with each other.
7.
Several recent studies have found that being randomly (随机地) assigned to a roommate of another race can lead to increased tolerance but also to a greater likelihood (可能性)of conflict.
Recent reports found that lodging with a student of a different race may decrease prejudice and compel students to engage in more ethnically diverse friendships.
An Ohio State University study also found that black students living with a white roommate saw higher academic success throughout their college careers. Researchers believe this may be caused by social pressure.
In a New York Times article, Sam Boakye – the only black student on his freshman year floor -said that "if you're surrounded by whites, you have something to prove."
Researchers also observed problems resulting from pairing interracial students in residences.
According to two recent studies, randomly assigned roommates of different races are more likely to experience conflicts so strained that one roommate will move out.
An Indiana University study found that interracial roommates were three times as likely as two white roommates to no longer live together by the end of the semester.
Grace Kao, a professor at Penn said she was not surprised by the findings. "This may be the first time that some of these students have interacted, and lived, with someone of a different race," she said. At Penn, students are not asked to indicate race when applying for housing.
"One of the great things about freshman housing is that, with some exceptions, the process throws you together randomly," said Undergraduate Assembly chairman Alec Webley. "This is the definition of integration."
"I've experienced roommate conflicts between interracial students that have both broken down stereotypes and reinforced stereotypes," said one Penn resident advisor (RA). The RA of two years added that while some conflicts "provided more multicultural acceptance and melding (融合)," there were also "jarring cultural confrontations."
The RA said that these conflicts have also occurred among roommates of the same race.
Kao said she cautions against forming any generalizations based on any one of the studies, noting that more background characteristics of the students need to be studied and explained.
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
57. What can we learn from some recent studies?
A)Conflicts between students of different races are unavoidable.
B)Students of different races are prejudiced against each other.
C)Interracial lodging does more harm than good.
D)Interracial lodging may have diverse outcomes.
58. What does Sam Boakye's remark mean?
A)W hite students tend to look down upon their black peers.
B)Black students can compete with their white peers academically.
C)Black students feel somewhat embarrassed among white peers during
the freshman year.
D)B eing surrounded by white peers motivates a black student to work
harder to succeed.
59. What does the Indiana University study show?
A)I nterracial roommates are more likely to fall out.
B)Few white students like sharing a room with a black peer.
C)Roommates of different races just don't get along.
D)A ssigning students' lodging randomly is not a good policy.
60. What does Alec Webley consider to be the "definition of integration"?
A)Students of different races are required to share a room.
B)Interracial lodging is arranged by the school for freshmen.
C)Lodging is assigned to students of different races without
exception.
D)The school randomly assigns roommates without regard to race.
61. What does Grace Kao say about interracial lodging?
A)It is unscientific to make generalizations about it without further
study.
B)Schools should be cautious when making decisions about student
lodging.
C)Students' racial background should be considered before lodging is
assigned.
D)Experienced resident advisors should be assigned to handle the
problems.
Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.
Global warming is causing more than 300,000 deaths and about $125 billion in economic losses each year, according to a report by the Global Humanitarian Forum, an organization led by Annan, the former United Nations secretary general.
The report, to be released Friday, analyzed data and existing studies of health, disaster, population and economic trends. It found that human-influenced climate change was raising the global death rates from illnesses including malnutrition (营养不良)and heat-related health problems.
But even before its release, the report drew criticism from some experts on climate and risk, who questioned its methods and conclusions.
Along with the deaths, the report said that the lives of 325 million people, primarily in poor countries, were being seriously affected by climate change. It projected that the number would double by 2030.
Roger Pielke Jr., a political scientist at the University of Colorado, Boulder, who studies disaster trends, said the Forum's report was "a methodological embarrassment" because there was no way to distinguish deaths or economic losses related to human-driven global warming amid the much larger losses resulting from the growth in populations and economic development in vulnerable(易受伤害的) regions. Dr. Pielke said that “climate change is an important problem requiring our utmost attention.” But the report, he said, "will harm the cause for action on both climate change and disasters because it is so deeply flawed (有瑕疵的)."
However, Soren Andreasen, a social scientist at Dalberg Global Development Partners who supervised the writing of the report, defended it, saying that it was clear that the numbers were rough estimates. He said the report was aimed at world leaders, who will meet in Copenhagen in December to negotiate a new international climate treaty.
In a press release describing the report, Mr. Annan stressed the need for the negotiations to focus on increasing the flow of money from rich to poor regions to help reduce their vulnerability to climate hazards while still curbing the emissions of the heat-trapping gases. More than 90% of the human and economic losses from climate change are occurring in poor countries, according to the report.
62. W hat is the finding of the Global Humanitarian Forum?
A)Global temperatures affect the rate of economic development.
B)Rates of death from illnesses have risen due to global warming.
C)Malnutrition has caused serious health problems in poor countries.
D)Economic trends have to do with population and natural disasters.
63. W hat do we learn about the Forum's report from the passage?
A)It was challenged by some climate and risk experts.