专四阅读详解 3
星期3 Wednesday
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation.从希望中得到欢乐，在苦难中保持坚韧。
The environment is everything that surrounds us: plants, animals, buildings, country, air, water — literally everything that might affect us. The environment of a town, with its buildings and traffic and its noise and smells, where everyone is on top of everyone else, is a far cry from that of the countryside, with its fields and crops, its wild and domestic animals and its feeling of spaciousness. And the environment differs in different parts of the world.
Ecology is the science of how living creatures and plants exist together and depend on each other and on the local environment. Where an environment is undisturbed, the ecology of an area is in balance, but if a creature is exterminated or an unfriendly species introduced, then the ecology of the district will be upset — in other words, the balance of nature will be disturbed.
Man, as a part of the environment, has done more to upset the ecology during his short span on earth than any other living creature with his ignorance, greed, thoughtless foolishness and wastefulness.
He had poisoned the atmosphere and polluted both land and water. He has squandered the e arth’s natural resources with no thought for the future, and has thought out the most savage ways of killing his fellow men —and every other sort of life.
Since man has done so much damage, it is up to man to put matters right —if it is not already too late. If there is to be any remedy for our ills, that remedy ultimately lies in the hands of the young, and the sooner they start doing something about it, the better.
One of the ma in causes of the earth’s troubles is the world’s overpopulation and its growing at an ever-increasing rate. Meanwhile we are using up our natural resources —fuels and mineral ores —at an ever-increasing rate with no hope of replacing them.
For many years the earth has been unable to provide enough food for these rapidly expanding populations and the position is steadily worsening since the fertility of some of our richest soils has been lost and vast areas once fertile have turned into barren deserts. And the trouble with deserts is that they tend to creep outwards on to the fertile soils. What is now the northern Sahara Desert was the cradle of the civilized world 2,500 years ago.
Even at this moment many of the earth’s natural treasures are being destroy ed, many valuable animals and plants are being killed off, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to grow enough food to preserve much of the earth’s population from starvation. The situ ation is getting out of hand. Time is running out. But with your help, we may be able to reverse the trends threatening our very existence. Who cares?
1. “The environment of a town…is a far cry from…”in Para. 1 means
[A] the town has far more buildings etc. than that of the countryside.
[B] the environment in town is far better than that in the countryside.
[C] the environment in town is quite different from that of the countryside.
[D] the environment of a town is no better than that of the countryside.
2. What does the ecological balance depend on?
[A] The preservation of environment.
[B] How much fertile lands we have.
[C] The introduction of unfriendly species.
[D] Natural resources.
3. Men have done all the following damage to the ecology EXCEPT
[A] polluting the air.
[B] wasting natural resources.
[C] killing the future generations.
[D] causing the death of other living creature.
4. At the end of paragraph 7, the author implies that
[A] the northern Sahara Desert resulted from natural disasters.
[B] the northern Sahara Desert is newly formed.
[C] the northern Sahara Desert was fertile in the past.
[D] the northern Sahara Desert has a long history.
5. The main purpose of this passage is to
[A] inform people about the science of ecology.
[B] urge people to do something about the environment.
[C] criticize some actions of human beings.
[D] help us understand the world we live in.
Text B
Why would Bill Gates choose to challenge the federal government and twenty attorneys-general over the Web browsers? Picking a fight with powerful government regulators can only be justified for one of two reasons: a legitimate fear that Microsoft will be drastically reduced in value if the regulators get their way —or a reasonable prospect that Microsoft will dramatically increase in value if it gets its way.
The best way to protect a nd enhance Microsoft’s value is to transform its current 90 percent share in the opening system market (yesterday’s computing market) into an equivalent share in the access to the Internet market (today’s computing market).
The key tool enabling Microsoft to move from one market to another is what the regulators call the “first-screen requirement”. Microsoft requires that all computers using Windows be shipped so what the first screen consumers see is exactly the screen that Microsoft wants them to see. The consumer has no ability to tell the manufacturer to change the first screen in any way.
Without the first-screen requirement, consumers might well decide to tell the manufacturer not to change the first screen and enjoy the “Windows experience” ju st as Microsoft hopes. On the other hand, they might just as easily allow or ask the manufacturer to change the first screen so that they can enjoy the “Compaq experience”, the “IBM experience” or even the “Netscape experience”.
Microsoft’s first-screen requirement is like a car manufacturer with a 90 percent market share
telling its car buyers that they can replace the car radio, but only if they do the installation all by themselves. A few hardy souls may make the replacement, but the rest of us would probably decide that the original radio was good enough.
With the first-screen requirement, Microsoft’s browser does not have to be the best to achieve virtually total market share. It merely has to be “good enough” to prevent everyone other than the hardiest of the users from changing to another browser.
With the “good enough” browser and the resulting market share, Microsoft would not only have control over users’ access to the Internet, but would be able to use its dominance in that market to be ready for the next market, whatever it may be. With stakes that high, it is not surprising that Bill Gates and Microsoft have decided that a fierce battle with federal regulators is worth the risk.
6. According to the author, Microsoft is so daring as to fight the federal regulators to
[A] keep moving to a more profitable market.
[B] stop government’s interference with business.
[C] protect the rights of its consumers.
[D] change part of law system.
7. What is Microsoft’s strategy to move to another marke t?
[A] Selling the Web browser. [B] The opening system.
[C] The first-screen requirement. [D] The Internet.
8. Which statement is NOT true about the first-screen requirement?
[A] It protects and enhances Microsoft’s value in today’s computing market.
[B] It enables Microsoft to transform its market successfully.
[C] It prevents the consumers from changing the first screen.
[D] It allows the consumers to enjoy the “IBM experience”.
9. Why don’t most consumers of Microsoft’s Windows replace its Web browser?
[A] Because they believe that other browsers are not as good as Microsoft’s.
[B] Because they probably can’t make the replacement by themselves.
[C] Because Microsoft does not allow them to do that.
[D] Because Windows in their computers won’t work well if they do so.
10. According to the last two paragraphs, we know that
[A] the best browser is indispensable to achieving total market share.
[B] Microsoft successfully prevents the users from changing to other browsers.
[C] the “good enough” browser will help Microsoft dominate the next market.
[D] it’s reasonable for Bill Gates and Microsoft to pick a fight with federal regulators.
Text C
Fifty years ago, I joined Albert Einstein, Bertrand Russell and eight others in signing a manifesto warning of the dreadful consequences of nuclear war. This statement, the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, was Einstein’s final public act. He died shortly after signing it. Now, in my 97th year, I am the only remaining signatory. Because of this, I feel it is my duty to carry Einstein’s message forward, into this 60th year since the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which evoked almost universal opposition to any further use of nuclear weapons.
I was the only scientist to resign on moral grounds from the United States nuclear weapons program known as the Manhattan Project. On Aug. 6, 1945, I switched on my radio and heard that
we had dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. I knew that a new era had dawned in which nuclear weapons would be used, and I grew worried about the future of mankind.
Several years later, I met Bertrand Russell on the set of the BBC Television program “Panorama”, where we discussed the new hydrogen bomb. I had become an authority on the biological effects of radiation after examining the fallout(放射尘) from the American hydrogen bomb test in Bikini Atoll in 1954. Russell, who was increasingly agitated about the developments, started to come to me for information. Russell decided to persuade a number of eminent scientists from around the world to join him in issuing a statement outlining the dangers of thermonuclear(热核的) war and calling on the scientific community to convene a conference on averting that danger.
The most eminent scientist alive at that time was Albert Einstein, who responded immediately an d enthusiastically to Russell’s request. And so the man who symbolized the height of human intellect adopted what became his last message —this manifesto, which implored governments and the public not to allow our civilization to be destroyed by human folly. I was the youngest of the 11 signatories, but Russell asked me to lead the press conference in London to present the manifesto to the public.
The year was 1955, and Cold War fears and hostilities were at their height. We took action then because we felt that the world situation was entering a dangerous phase, in which extraordinary efforts were required to prevent a catastrophe.
Now, two generations later, as the representatives of nearly 190 nations meet in New York to discuss how to advance the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, we face the same perils and new ones as well. Today we confront the possibilities of nuclear terrorism and of the development of yet more new nuclear warheads in the United States. The two former superpowers still hold enormous nuclear arsenals(军械库). D.P.R. Korea and Iran are advancing their capability to build nuclear weapons. Other nations are increasingly likely to acquire nuclear arsenals on the excuse that they are needed for their security. The result could be a new nuclear arms race.
Fifty years ago we wrote: “We have to learn to think in a new way. We have to learn to ask ourselves, not what steps can be taken to give military victory to whatever group we prefer, for there no longer are such steps; the question we have to ask ourselves is: what steps can be taken to prevent a military contest of which the issue must be disastrous to all parties?” That question is as relevant today as it was in 1955. So is the manifesto’s admonition: “Remember your humanity, and forget the re st.”
11. The purpose of the Russell-Einstein Manifesto was
[A] to indicate Einstein’s final public act.
[B] to warn the superpowers not to use nuclear weapons.
[C] to alarm the world the grievous consequences of nuclear war.
[D] to prevent any further use of nuclear weapons.
12. The author gives up the work in the Manhattan Project because
[A] he found another job.
[B] he was not qualified for the job.
[C] he hated to research on nuclear weapons.
[D] he thought his job was not ethical.
13. Russell decided to persuade the scientists to
[A] stop the nuclear research.
[B] find a way to settle the nuclear issue.
[C] develop more new nuclear warheads.
[D] warn the danger of nuclear war by issuing a statement.
14. Albert Einstein’s attitude towards Russell’s peti tion is
[A] negative. [B] positive. [C] indifferent [D] neutral.
15. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
[A] It’s possible to start a new nuclear arms race.
[B] The author was an expert on the biological effects of radiation.
[C] Scientists are responsible to give their favorite group the military victory.
[D] The question of how to prevent a military contest is as important as it was in 1955.
Text D
It might be supposed that greater efficiency should be achieved if several people collaborate to solve a problem than if only one individual works on it. Such results are by no means invariable.
Although groups often may increase the motivation of their members to deal with problems, there is a counter-balancing need to contend with conflicts arising among members of a group and with efforts to give it coherent direction. Problem solving is facilitated by the presence of an effective leader who not only provides direction but permits the orderly, constructive expression of a vari ety of opinions; much of the leader’s effort may be devoted to resolving differences. Success in problem solving also depends on the distribution of ability within a group. Solutions simply may reflect the presence of an outstanding individual who might perform even better by himself.
Although groups may reach a greater number of correct solutions, or may require less time to discover an answer, their net man-hour efficiency is typically lower than that achieved by skilled individuals working alone.
A process called brainstorming has been offered as a method of facilitating the production of new solutions to problems. In brainstorming, a problem is presented to a group of people who then proceed to offer whatever they can think of, regardless of quality and with as few inhibitions as can be managed. Theoretically these unrestricted suggestions increase the probability that at least some superior solutions will emerge. Nevertheless, studies show that when individuals work alone under similar conditions, performance tends to proceed more efficiently than it does in groups.
Under special circumstances, however, a group may solve problems more effectively than does a reasonably competent individual. Group members may contribute different (and essential) resources to a solution that no individual can readily achieve alone; such pooling of information and skills can make group achievements superior in dealing with selected problems. Sometimes social demands may require group agreement on a single alternative, as in formulating national economic or military policies under democratic governments. When only one among several alternative solutions is correct, even if a group requires more time, it has a higher probability of identifying the right one than does an individual alone.
One difference between problem solving by a group and by an individual is the relative importance of covert or vicarious(间接感受到的) processes. The group depends heavily on verbal communication, while the individual, in considerable degree, attacks the problem through implicit, subjective, silent activity.
16. The author believes that a group
[A] solves a problem more efficiently than an individual.
[B] cannot solve a problem as efficiently as an individual.
[C] doesn’t necessarily solve a problem mo re efficiently than an individual.
[D] tends to solve a problem less efficiently than an individual.
17. Successful problem solving by a group primarily depends on
[A] the motivation of its members.
[B] the pooling of information and skills.
[C] the constructive expression of various opinions.
[D] the presence of an effective leader.
18. Compared with an individual, a group
[A] may require less time to find a solution to a problem.
[B] tends to spend more time to find a solution to a problem.
[C] generally achieves higher net man-hour efficiency.
[D] is typically less efficient than any individual working alone.
19. Brainstorming may result in all the following EXCEPT
[A] a facilitation to the production of new solutions to problem.
[B] unrestrained offering of ideas and suggestions to a problem.
[C] greater efficiency in the process of problem-solving.
[D] some disqualified suggestions on solving a problem.
20. Under what circumstances can groups achieve higher efficiency?
[A] When problems need intensive study.
[B] When analyzing important information.
[C] When dealing with national problem.
[D] When selecting the best solution .
语境词汇
Text A
1. exterminate v.彻底根除，灭绝
2. squander v.浪费，挥霍
3. savage a.野蛮的；凶猛的；极严重的n.野人
4. barren a.贫瘠的；不育的；无用的
5. creep v.渐渐产生；爬行；蹑手蹑脚地走
6. reverse v.颠倒；使倒退n.相反,背面
Text B
1. attorney-general n.首席检察官；司法部长
2. pick a fight with 寻衅滋事，寻机与…吵(打)架
3. legitimate a.正当的，合理的；法定的；婚生的
4. equivalent a.相等的，相当的n.相等物，等价物
5. hardy a.大胆的；强壮的；能吃苦耐劳的；耐寒的
6. stake n.赌注；桩；投资；奖金vt.把…押下打赌；支持
Text C
1. manifesto n.宣言
2. dawn vi.开始；破晓n.拂晓；开端
3. eminent n.著名的，杰出的；明显的，突出的
3. agitate vt.使焦虑；搅动，摇动
5. avert vt.防止，避免；转移
6. peril n.严重的危险；危险的事物
7. admonition n.告诫，劝告，警告
Text D
1. collaborate vi.合作，协力；（与敌人）勾结
2. by no means 绝不，一点儿也不
3. contend vi.搏斗；竞争vt.主张
4. coherent a.一致的，协调的；（话语等）连贯的
5. distribution n.分配；配给物；分布；散布
6. formulate vt.制定；系统地阐述；使公式化
7. covert a.隐蔽的；不公开的n.隐蔽处；掩饰
8. vicarious a.间接体验的
9. attack v.&n.着手处理，对付；进攻，侵袭；抨击
难句突破
Text A
1. Where an environment is undisturbed, the ecology of an area is in balance, but if a creature is exterminated or an unfriendly species introduced, then the ecology of the district will be upset —in other words, the balance of nature will be disturbed.
【分析】并列复合句。but连接了两个并列分句。在第一个分句中，where引导地点状语从句。在第二个分句中，if引导条件状语从句，其主句是the ecology of the district will be upset；破折号后的内容对该主句进行解释说明，其中in other words为插入语。
【译文】一个地区如果环境未受扰乱，那么其生态就是平衡的，但是如果某一生物灭绝或者某种有害的物种被引入，这个地区的生态将被打乱，换句话说也就是自然平衡将被打破。2. If there is to be any remedy for our ills, that remedy ultimately lies in the hands of the young, and the sooner they start doing something about it, the better.
【分析】并列复合句。and连接两个并列分句。在第一个分句中，if引导条件状语从句。在第二个分句中，用到了the more…the more…句式；其中，the better后省略了主语和谓语it is。【译文】如果我们的问题还有补救的办法，那么这些办法最终得由年轻的一代完成，而且他们越早开始行动越好。
Text B
1. Picking a fight with powerful government regulators can only be justified for one of two reasons: a legitimate fear that Microsoft will be drastically reduced in value if the regulators get their way — or a reasonable prospect that Microsoft will dramatically increase in value if it gets its way.
【分析】复合句。句子主干为picking a fight can be justified。冒号后的内容对two reasons进行解释说明，由并列的名词短语a legitimate fear和a reasonable prospect构成；这两个名词
短语又各由一个that引导的同位语从句进行解释说明，每个同位语从句中又分别含有一个if 引导的条件状语从句。
【译文】跟强大的政府管理者寻衅只有如下两个合理解释中的其中一个：出于合理的担心——如果政府司法人员如愿，那么微软的价值就会大幅度下降；出于合理的期望——倘若微软如愿，那么其价值就会大幅度增长。
2. With the “good enough” browser and the resulting market share, Microsoft would not only have control over users’ access to the Internet, but would be able to use its dominance in that market to be ready for the next market, whatever it may be.
【分析】复合句。句首的with结构作方式状语；句中not only… but (also) 连接两个并列谓语；句末的whatever引导让步状语从句。
【译文】借助“足够好”的浏览器以及其所带来的市场份额，微软不仅会控制用户浏览互联网的渠道，而且会利用其现有的市场份额优势为下一个市场做好准备，不管下个市场将会是什么。
Text C
1. And so the man who symbolized the height of human intellect adopted what became his last message —this manifesto, which implored governments and the public not to allow our civilization to be destroyed by human folly.
【分析】复合句。who引导定语从句，修饰man；what引导的从句作adopted的宾语；破折号后的部分是what became his last message的同位语，其中包含which引导非限制性定语从句，修饰manifesto。
【译文】因此这位象征人类最高智慧的科学家采纳了成为他生命绝响的宣言，宣言是请世界各国政府和人民不要让人类文明被愚蠢的行为所毁灭。
2. We have to learn to ask ourselves, not what steps can be taken to give military victory to whatever group we prefer, for there no longer are such steps; the question we have to ask ourselves is: what steps can be taken to prevent a military contest of which the issue must be disastrous to all parties?
【分析】并列复合句。由分号连接的两个并列分句组成。在第一个分句中，for引导原因状语从句，主句是We have to…prefer；what引导宾语从句，作ask的直接宾语；we prefer是省略that的定语从句，修饰group。在第二个分句中，we have to ask ourselves是省略that的定语从句，修饰question；冒号后疑问句是对question的解释说明，语法上相当于is的表语；其中，which引导定语从句，修饰military contest，因为the issue与military contest之间用of表示修饰关系，所以which前加of。
【译文】我们必须学会责问自我，要问的并不是我们能采取什么样的措施使得我们所偏向的集团获得军事胜利——因为已经不再有这样的措施；我们要问的是：我们能采取什么样的措施去阻止必将会使各方都损失惨重的军备竞赛？
Text D
1. It might be supposed that greater efficiency should be achieved if several people collaborate to solve a problem than if only one individual works on it.
【分析】复合句。句首it作形式主语，真正的主语是that引导从句；句中的suppose意为“推想，猜想”，所以在主语从句中用了虚拟语气，即should+动词原形；在主语从句中，包含比较结构more…than…和两个if引导的条件状语从句。
【译文】人们可能会认为几个人合作解决一个问题会比单独一个人解决更有效。
2. Although groups may reach a greater number of correct solutions, or may require less time to discover an answer, their net man-hour efficiency is typically lower than that achieved by skilled individuals working alone.
【分析】复合句。although引导让步状语从句，主句是their net man-hour… alone。在主句中，than引导比较状语，注意此处的that是代词，指代efficiency。
【译文】虽然集体能想到解决问题的正确方法多一些，所需的时间可能少一些，但是，集体的纯工时效率往往要比熟练的个人单独完成时低。
英语专业四级阅读理解练习四附答案解析
PART Ⅱ READING COMPREHENSION ［25 MIN.］ In this section there are four passages followed by fifteen questions or unfinished statements, each with four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the correct answer.Mark your choice on your ANSWER SHEET. TEXT A As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with storerooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them “pueblos”, which is Spanish for town.The people of the pueblos raised what are called “the three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain. The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou. The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison, commonly called the buffalo. Its meat was the chief food of these tribes, and its hide was used to make their clothing and covering of their tents and tipis. 16. What does the passage mainly discuss? A. The architecture of early American Indian buildings. B. The movement of American Indians across North America. C. Ceremonies and rituals of American Indians. D. The way of life of American Indian tribes in early North America. 17. It can be inferred from the passage that the dwellings of the Hopi and Zuni were ___ A. very small B. highly advanced C. difficult to defend D. quickly constructed TEXT B Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth’s surface. But earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much. In comparison with the total number of earthquakes each year, the number of disastrous earthquakes is very small.[JP] The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an erect set, it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in Agadir, Morocco, was not strong enough to be recorded on distant instruments, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done
英语专业四级考试阅读理解考前最后冲刺技巧上
英语专业四级考试阅读理解解题步骤 1．浏览试题，明确目标 在进行阅读之前，首先浏览短文后面的题目。看完试题题干和四个选项后，分析掌握每道试题考查的内容和题型（如是主旨大意题、细节理解题，还是推理分析题等），以便带着问题有目标地阅读短文，按照相应的解题技巧寻找正确答案。 2．略读全文，掌握大意 有效的阅读是先掌握全局，再寻求细节。略读（skimming）又称跳读（reading and skipping）或浏览(glancing)，是一种专门而实用的快速阅读方法，主要特点是选择性地阅读。拿到一篇500字左右的文章时，应先用30秒左右的时间进行略读，其目的一是：以尽可能快的速度获取文章主旨大意或中心思想；二是辨识文章体裁，掌握结构（如果是记叙文，就需要了解故事发生的时间、地点、背景和人物活动等主要线索；如果是议论文，就要弄清文章的中心论点以及论述内容）。略读完成后就去看题干，这时有关文章主旨大意题已经有了答案，而对细节题要根据题目的具体要求回到文章中再进行快速扫读以找到相应的信息。 【真题示例】（2009） Nowadays, a cellphone service is available to everyone, everywhere. Probably thousands of people have already been using it, but I just discovered it, so I’m going to claim it and also name it: Fake Foning. The technology has been working well for me at the office, but there are infinite applications. Virtually in any public space. Say you work at a big university with lots of talky faculty members buzzing about. Now, say you need to use the restroom. The trip down the hall will take approximately one hour, because a person can’t walk into those talky people without getting pulled aside for a question, a bit of gossip, a new read on a certain line of Paradise Lost. So, a cellphone. Any cellphone. Just pick it up. Don’t dial. Just h old that phone to your face and start talking. Walk confidently down the hall engaged in fake conversation, making sure to tailor both the topic and content to the person standing before you whom you are trying to evade. For standard colleague avoidance, I suggest fake chatting about fake business: “Yes, I’m glad you called, because we really need to hammer out the details. What’s that? Yes, I read Page 12, but if you look at the bottom of 4, I think you can see the problem begins
2007英语专业四级阅读理解答案及详解
TEXT A If you like the idea of staying with a family, living in house (guest house 1. 小旅馆2. （大房子旁供客人居住的）客房) might be the answer.[81]Good landladies (a woman from whom you rent a room, a house, etc. 女房东；女地主; a woman who owns or manages a pub or a guest house （酒吧或招待所的）女店主，老板娘)---those who are superb cooks and launderers (洗衣工. thunderer 怒喝的人大声说话的人. blunderer 犯大错的人), are figures as popular in fiction as the bad ones who terrorize（to frighten and threaten people so that they will not oppose something or will do as they are told 恐吓；恫吓；威胁）their guest and overcharge （to make somebody pay too much for something 多收（某人的）钱）them at the slightest opportunity. The truth is probably somewhere between the two extremes. If you are lucky, the food will be adequate, some of your laundry may be done for you and you will have a reasonable amount of comfort and companionship. For the less fortune, house rules may restrict the freedom to invite friends to visit, and shared cooking and bathroom facilities can be frustrating and row-provoking (/ra?/ a serious disagreement between people, organizations, etc. about something 严重分歧；纠纷; a noisy argument between two or more people 吵架；争吵) if tidy and untidy guest (a person who is staying at a hotel, etc. 旅客；房客) are living under the same roof. // [82]The same disadvantages can apply to flat sharing, with the added difficulties that arise from deciding who pays for what, and in what proportion. One person may spend hours on the phone, while another rarely makes calls. If you want privacy with guest, how do you persuade the others to go out; how do you persuade them to leave you in peace, especially if you are student and want to study? [83]Conversely, flat sharing can be very cheap, there will always
专四阅读理解练习
专四阅读理解练习1 As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with store rooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them "pueblos", which is Spanish for town. The people of the pueblos raised what are called"the three sisters" - corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain. The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou. The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison,
专四阅读详解 2
星期2 Tuesday Happiness is nearly always a rebound from hard work.辛勤工作的报酬几乎总是幸福。 Beauty is a curious phenomenon, one of permeable, shifting boundaries. We may think we understand it, since we sense it effortlessly. In fact, it is a bundle of mysteries researchers are still uncovering. Consider the ancient proverb: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Until about 30 years ago it seemed too obvious for scientists to bother with. When they finally tested it, their results startled them. On the one hand, the maxim is false. Facial beauty is the same throughout the world. In every tribe and culture, individuals will consider Marilyn Monroe, say, an attractive woman. It goes further. Males can identify good-looking men, and females charming women. Old and young, rich and poor, learned and ignorant, all agree on who is beautiful. So do people of every class and personality type. We don’t learn this response. We’re born with it. In one recent study, babies just 20 hours old recognized attractive faces and preferred them. So beauty is in our DNA. The eye of the beholder doesn’t matter. On the other hand, and this is where it gets interesting, the facial shell is just the foundation of beauty. We see the self in the face, every day, all the time, and we can’t distinguish the two. This blurring means that we gift the attractive with a large number of virtues. They seem more competent, likeable, happier, blessed with better lives and personalities. In one experiment, people predicted happier marriages and better jobs for them, and rated them lower on only one aspect: their caliber as parents. Another study found people consider them more amiable, happy, flexible, pleasure-seeking, serious, candid, outspoken, perceptive, confident, assertive, curious and active. They exert more control over their destiny, subjects felt, while the homely endure the world’s sudden change. It is calle d the “beautiful is good” stereotype, and it grants the attractive a parade of boons. Teachers consider them smarter and give them higher grades. Bosses promote them faster. In one tale in The Thousand and One Nights, a thief steals a coin-bag, and when the victim accuses him, people protest: “No, he’s such a handsome youth. He wouldn’t steal anything!” In fact, attractive people can shoplift with greater ease, since witnesses are less likely to report them. And when they do stand before the court, juries acquit them more readily and judges give them lighter penalties. 1. The proverb “beauty is in the eye of beholder” means [A] that beauty can only be admitted when most people recognize it. [B] whether somebody is beautiful depends on the person who is looking.
英语专业四级英语阅读的技巧
书山有路勤为径，学海无涯苦作舟英语专业四级英语阅读的技巧 一段文章的中心思想常常由主题句(Topic Sentence)表达。主题句常 常位于段首或段尾处，间或出现在段落中间。同样，一篇文章的中心思 想也常常在开始或结尾段点出。因此在阅读中，我们要特别注意文章的 开头或结尾。例四： English is clearly an international language.It is spoken by pilots and airport control operators on all the airways of the world.Over 70 percent of the worlds radio programs are in English. 本段主题句为首句，其后的内容句均说明首句。例五： Some students prefer a strict teacher who tells them exactly what to do.Others prefer to be left to work on their own.Still others like a democratic discussion type of class.No one teaching method can be devised to satisfy all students at the same time. 本段中心思想在结尾句得到体现，它是此段内容的结论。例六： For adults a cold is not that serious.However，this is not the case for children.Cold symptoms in children may be signs of more serious diseases and should be given prompt medical attention. 本段主题句为第二句，因为在however 后面才是作者真正的看 法，并在下文中进一步作了说明。 然而，我们也常常发现，有的主题思想并非直接由一、二个句子 表述，而是在文中间接暗示着。这就需要读者根据文中细节进行概括与 归纳，找出主题思想。 tips:感谢大家的阅读，本文由我司收集整编。仅供参阅！
专四阅读理解
4) For a long time, researchers have tried to nail down just what shapes us--or what, at least, shapes us most. And over the years, they've had a lot of exclamation moments. First it was our parents, particularly our mothers. Then it was our genes. Next it was our peers, who show up last but hold great sway. And all those ideas were good ones--but only as far as they went. Somewhere, there was a sort of temperamental dark matter exerting an invisible gravitational pull of its own. More and more, scientists are concluding that this unexplained force is our siblings. From the time we are born, our brothers and sisters are our collaborators and co-conspirators, our role models and cautionary tales. They are our scolds, protectors, goads, tormentors, playmates, counselors, sources of envy, objects of pride. They teach us how to resolve conflicts and how not to; how to conduct friendships and when to walk away from them. Sisters teach brothers about the mysteries of girls; brothers teach sisters about the puzzle of boys. Our spouses arrive comparatively late in our lives; our parents eventually leave us. Our siblings may be the only people we'll ever know who truly qualify as partners for life. "Siblings," says family sociologist Katherine Conger, "are with us for the whole journey." Within the scientific community, siblings have not been wholly ignored, but research has been limited mostly to discussions of birth order．Older sibs were said to be strivers；younger ones rebels；middle kids the lost souls．The stereotypes were broad，if not entirely untrue，and there the discussion mostly ended． But all that’s changin9．At research centers in the U．S．，Canada，Europe and elsewhere，investigators are launching a wealth of new studies into the sibling dynamic，looking at ways brothers and sisters steer one another int0—or away from--risky behavior how they form a protective buffer(减震器)against family upheaval；how they educate one another about the opposite sex；how all siblings compete for family recognition and come to terms--or blows--over such impossibly charged issues as parental favoritism． From that research，scientists are gaining intriguing insights into the people we become as adults．Does the manager who runs a harmonious office call on the peacemaking skills learned in the family playroom? Does the student struggling with a professor who plays favorites summon up the coping skills acquired from dealing with a sister who was Daddy’s girl? Do husbands and wives benefit from the inter—gender negotiations they waged when their most important partners were their sisters and brothers? All that is under investigation．“Siblings have just been o ff the radar screen until now，”says Conger．But today serious work is revealing exactly how our brothers and sisters influence us．1．The beginning of the passage indicates that A．researchers have found out what shapes us．B．our peer is the last factor influencing us． C．what researchers found contributes in a limited way． D．what researchers found is good and trustworthy．2．In the third paragraph, the author tries to demonstrate that our siblings A．offer us much useful information． B．have great influences on us． C．are the ones who love us completely． D．accompany us throughout our life． 3．In scientific community, previous research on siblings A．mostly focused on the sibling order． B．studied the characteristics of the kids． C．studied the matter in a broad sense． D．wasn’t believable and the discussion ended． 4．Which of the following is NOT sibling dynamic? A．A brother cautions his sister against getting into trouble． B．Sisters have quarrels with each other． C．Siblings compete for parental favoritism． D．Older kids in a family try hard to achieve． 5．From the last paragraph，we can conclude that A．managers learned management skills from the family playroom． B．spouses learned negotiation skills from their siblings． C．studies on siblings are under the way。 D．studies on siblings need thorough investigation． 5) What comes to mind when you hear the word--diversity? Issues of race or gender may spring to mind．Equal rights? Or minority issues? I encourage people to look at a much wider definition of the word．1 would tend to say diversity is “differentness” in any form．A good example of this kind of diversity has been experienced by every person who ever left behind the comforts of home and moved into uncharted territory．Issues of diversity are informed not only by your cultural background and context，but also by your religion，age，field of work，family situation，personality，and countless other factors that make us unique．Diversity affects everyone．
2008年专四阅读详解
PART V READING COMPREHENSION [25 MIN] In this section there are four passages followed by questions or unfinished statements, each with four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer. Mark your answers on your answer sheet. TEXT A 1 When the sun is up in Amsterdam, the largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River. You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi. 2 But when the sun goes down, the partying begins. In the big clubs and in coffee shops, tourists gather to hang out, talk politics and smoke. 3 Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam. And they're all within a short cab ride of each other. 81. At the beginning of the passage, the author indicates that A. Amsterdam is generally known as a quiet city. B. parties go on all day long in Amsterdam, C. Amsterdam presents two different pictures. D. Amsterdam attracts many daytime visitors. Notice the linking word “but” to indicate the contrast “When the sun is up” and “when the sun goes down”. 梵高美术馆或安妮弗兰克博物馆，酒吧和咖啡馆 81. C. (Paras.1~2)可见阿姆斯特丹给人的感觉是，白天夜晚完全不同，故选C。 4 For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events. Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there. And there is the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall. 5 But as evening descends on Dam Square so do the party-seekers. Hip pop or funk music begins blaring嘟嘟声，巨响from Club Paradiso and Club Melkweg. These are two of the most popular clubs in Europe. So if you come, be ready to dance. The clubs don't shut down until 4 am. 82. Which tourist attraction is cited for elaboration in Paragraphs Four and Five? A. Royal Palace. B. Dam Square. 大坝广场 C. Club Paradiso. 天堂篇，神曲中的一篇 D. Magna Plaza. 82. Ｂ. (Paras.4~5) For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events. But as evening descends on Dam Square so do the party-seekers. 在这两段中，作者着力阐述Dam Square具有两重娱乐性。 6 And while you are there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city. Don't worry about getting lost. Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions. 7 And you'll notice that half the people in the streets are on bicycles. They rent for US$17 to $20 for a whole day. 83. According to the passage, the local people have all the following characteristics EXCEPT A. they are party goers. B. they show hospitality. C. they can speak English. D. they are fond of cycling.