四级阅读练习 (2)

大学英语四级阅读练习40篇（含答案）

The economy of the United states after 1952 was the econnomy of a well-fed,almost fully employed people. Despit occasional alarms, the country escaped any postwar depression and lived in a state of boom. A n economic survey of the year 1955, a typical year of the 1950’s, may be typical as illustrating the rapid economic growth of the decade. The national output was value at 10 percent above that of 1954 (1955 output was estimated at 392 billion dollars). The production of manufacturers was about 40 percent more than it had averaged in the years immediately following World War 2. The country’s business spent about 30billion dollars for new factories and machinery. National income available for spending was almost a third greater than it had been it had been in 1950. Consumers spent about 256 billion dollars; that is about 700 million dollars a day ,or about twenty-five million dollars every hour , all round the clock. Sixty-five million people held jobs and only a little more than two million wanted jobs but could not find them . Only agriculture complained that it was not sharing in the room. To some observers this was an ominous echo of the mid-1920’s . As farmer’s shre of their products declined , marketing costs rose. But there were , among the observers of the national economy, a few who were not as confident as the majority . Those few seemed to fear that the boom could not last and would eventually lead to the oppsite-depression.

1. What is the best title of the passage?

a. The Agricu latural Trends of 1950’s

b. The Unemployment Rate of 1950’s

c. U.S. Economy in the 50’s

d. The Federal Budget of 1952

2. In Line 3, the word “boom” could best be replaced by______.

a. nearby explosion

b. thunderous noise

c. general public support

d. rapid economic growth

3. It can be inferred the national from the passage that most people in the United States in 1955 viewed the national economy with an air of _________.

a. confidence

b. confusion

c. disappointment

d. suspicion

4. Which of the following were LEAST satisfied with the national economy in the 1950’s?

a. Economists

b. Frmaers

c. Politicians

d. Steelworkers

5. The passage states that incom available for spending in the U.S. was greater in 1955 than in 1950 . How much was it ?

a. 60％

b. 50％

c. 33％

d. 90％

答案：cdabc

大学英语四级阅读练习40篇（含答案）

There are three kinds of goals: short-term,medium-range and long-term goals. Short-range goals are those that usually deal with current activities,which we can apply on a daily basis.Such goals can be achieved in a week or less,or two weeks,or possible months.It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation ,out long-term goals cannot amount to very munch without the achievement of solid short-term goals.Upon completing our short-term goals,we should date the occasion and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed.

The intermediate goals bukld on the foundation of the short-range goals.They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school year,or they could even extend for several years.Any time you move a step at a time,you should never allow yourself to become discouraged or overwhelmed. As you complete each step,you will enforce the belief in your ability to grow adn succeed.And as your list of completion dates grow,your motivation and desire will increase.

Long-range goals may be related to our dreams of the future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing.We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action.

1.Our long-term goals mean a lot______.

A.if we complete our short-range goals

B.if we cannot reach solid short-term goals

C.if we write down the dates

D.if we put forward some plans

2.New short-term goals are bulid upon______.

A.two years

B.long-term goals

C.current activities

D.the goals that have been completed

3.When we complete each step of our goals ,______.

A.we will win final success

B.we are overwhelmed

C.we should build up confidence of success

D.we should strong desire for setting new goals

4.Once our goals are drawn up,_______.

A.we should stick to them until we complete them

B.we may change our goals as we have new ideas and opportunities

C.we had better wait for the exciting news of success

D.we have made great decision

5.It is implied but not stated in the passage that ______.

A.those who habe long-term goals will succeed

B.writing down the dates may discourage you

C.the goal is only a guide for us to reach our desination

D.every should have a goal

答案：adcbc

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之四（含答案）

Today ,as in every other day of the year ,more than 3000 U.S. adlescents will smoke their first cigarette on their way to becoming regular smokers as adults. During their lifetime,it can be expected that of these 3000 about 23 will be murdered,30 will die in traffic accidents, and nearly 750 will be killed by a smoking-related disease. The number of deaths attributed to cigarette smoking outweithts all other factors, whether voluntary or involuntary, as a cause of death.

Since the late 1970s, when daily smoking among high school seniors reached 30 precent , smoking rates among youth have declined . While the decline is impressive ,several important issues must be raised.

First, in the past several years,smoking rates among youth have declined very little. Second,in the late 1970s ,smoking among male high school seniors exceeded that among female by nearly 10 percent . The statistic is reversing.Third ,several recent studies have indicate high school dropouts have excessively high smoking rates, as much as 75 percent .

Finally, thouth significant declines in adolescent smoking have occurred in the past decade,no definite reasons for the decline exist. Within this context,the Naional Cancer Instiute (NCI) began its current effort to determine the most effecive measures to reduce smoking levesl among youth.

1.According to the author, the deaths among youth are mainly caused by _____.

a.traffic accidents

b.smoking-related desease

c.murder

d.all of these

2.Every day there are over_____high school strdents who will become regular smoker.

a.75

b.23

c.30

d.3000

3.By "dropout" the author means______.

a.students who failed the examination

b.students who left school

c.students who lost their way

d.students who were driven out of school

4.The reason for declining adolescent smoking is that ________.

a.NCI has taken effective measures

b.smoking is prevented among high school seniors

c.there are many smokers who have died of cancer

d.none of these

5.What is implied but not stated by the author is that ________.

a.smoking rates among youth have declined very little

b.there are now more female than male smokers among high school seniors

c.high smoking rates are due to the incease in wealth

d.smoking at high school are from low socio-economic backgrounds

答案：bdbdb

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之五（含答案）

The food we eat seems to have profound effects on our health.Although science has made enormous steps in making food more fit to eat ,it has, at the same time,made many foods unfit to eat. Some research has shown that perhaps eighty percent of all human illnesses are related to diet and forty percent of cancer is related to the diet as well,especially cancer of the colon. Different cultures are more likely to cause certain different illnesses because of the food that is characteristic in these cultures. That food is related to illness is nto a new discovery. In 1945, about 35 years ago, government researchers realized that nitrates, commonly used to preserve color in meats,and other food additivies,caused cancer. Yet, these carcinogenic additives remain in our food, and it becomes more difficult all the time to know which things on the packaging labels of processed food are helpful or harmful. The additives which we eat are not all so direct. Farmers often give penicillin to beef and living animals, and because of this ,penicillin has been found in the milk of treated cow. Sometimes similar drugs are given to animals not for medical purposes,but for financial reasons. The farmers are simply trying to fatten the animals in order to obtain a higher price on the market. Although the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has tried repeatedly to control these procedures, the practices continue.

1.What is the best possible title of the passage?

a.Drug and Food

b.Cancer and Health

c.Food and Health

d.Health and Drug

2.Which of the following statements is NOT ture?

a.Drugs are always given to animals for medical reasons

b.Some of the additives in our food are added to the food itself and some are given to the living animals

c.Researchers have known about the potential dangers of food additives for over thirty-five years.

d.Food may cause forty percent of cancer in world.

3.How has science done something harmful to mankind?

a.Because of science , diseases caused by polluted food haven been virtually eliminated.

b.It has caused a lack of information concerning the value of food.

c.Because of the application of science,some potentially harmful substances have been added to foo

d.

d.The scientists have preserved the color of meats,but not of vegetables.

4.What are nitrates used for?

a.They preserve flavor in packaged foods.

b.They preserve the color of meats.

c.They are the objects of research.

d.They cause the animals to become fatter.

5.The word 'carcinogenic' most nearly means '_____'.

a.trouble-making

b.color-retaining

c.money-making

d.cancer-causing

答案：cacbd

大学英语四级阅读练习40篇（含答案）

Women are also underrepresented in the administration and this is because there are so few women full professors. In 1985,Regent Beryl Milburn produced a report blasting the University of Texas System adminitration for not encouraging women.The University was rated among the lowest for the system.In a 1987 update ,Milburn commended the progress that was made and called for even more improvement.

One of the positive results from her study was a System-wide program to inform women of available administrative jobs. College of Communication Associate Dean Patrica Witherspoon,said it is important that woman be flexible when it comesto relocating if they want to rise in the ranks.

Although a woman may face a chilly climate on campus , many times in order for her to succeed , she must rise above the problems around her and concentrate on her work.

Until women make up a greater percentage of the senior positions in the University and all academia,inequities will exist. "Women need to spend their energies and time doing scholarly activities that are important here at the University." Spirduso said. "If they do that will be successful in this system.If they spend their time in little groups mourning the sexual discrimination that they think exists here, they are wasting valuable study time."

1.According to Spirduso,women need to ____.

a.produce a report on sexual discrimination

b.call for further improvement in their working conditions

c.spend their energies and time fighting against sexual discrimination

d.spend more time and energy doing scholarly activities

2.From this passage ,we know that _____.

a.there are many women full professors in the University of Texas

b.women play an important part in adminitrating the University

c.the weather on the campus is chilly

d.women make up a small percentage of the senior positions in the University

3.Which of the following statements is true?

a.the number of women professors in the University in 1987 was greater than that of 1985

b.the number of women professors in the University in 1987 was smaller than that of 1985

c.the number of women professors was the same as that of 1985

d.more and more women professors thought that sexual discrimination did exit in the University

4.One of the positive results from Milburn's study was that _____.

a.women were told to con centrate on teir work

b.women were given information about available administrative jobs

c.women were encouraged to take on all the administrative jobs in the Unversity

d.women were encouraged to do more scholarly activities

5. The title for this passage should be _______.

a.The University of Texas

https://www.wendangku.net/doc/da16006058.html,burn's Report

c.Women Professors

d.Sexual Discrimination in Academia

答案：ddabd

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之六（含答案）

As the pace of life continues to increase ,we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through lift,being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body. Stress is an natural part of everyday lift and there is no way to avoid it. In fact ,it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be .A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation adn give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.

The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress,and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress,in whatever form,we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "fight" or "flight" and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme,but however little the stress,it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long,through continued exposure to stress,that health becomes endangered.Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and

heart disease have established links with stress.Since we cannot remove stress from our lives(it would be unwise to do so even if we could),we need to find ways to deal with it.

1.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because_____.

a.they do not know how to enjoy themselves

b.they do not believe that relaxation is important for health

c.they are travelling fast all the time

d.they are becoming busier with their work

2.According to the writer ,the most important character for a good manager is his ________.

a.not fearing stress

b.knowing the art of relaxation

c.high sense of responsibility

d.having control over performance

3.Which of the follwing statements is ture?

a.We can find some ways to avoid stress

b.Stress is always harmful to people

c.It is easy to change the hagit of keeping oneself busy with work.

d.Different people can withstand different amounts of stress

4.In Paragraph 3, "such a reaction" refers back to_______.

a."making a choice between 'flight' or 'fight'"

b."reaction to stress both chemically and physically"

c."responding to crises quickly"

d."losing heart at the signs difficulties"

5.In the last sentence of the passage,"do so " refers to ______.

a."expose ourselves to stress"

b."find ways to deal with stress"

c."remove stress from our lives"

d."established links between diseases and stress"

答案：dadbc

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之七（含答案）

In the 1960s, many young Americans were dissatisfied with American society. They wanted to end the Vietnam War and to make all of the people in the U.S. epual. Some of them decided to "drop out" of American society and form their own societies . They formed utopian communities , which they called "communes," where they could follow their philosophy of "do your own thing." A group of artists founded a commune in southern Colorado called "Drop City." Following the ideas of philosopher and architect Buckminster Fuller they built domeshaped houses from pieces of old cars. Other groups, such as author Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, the followers fo San Francisco poet Steve Gakin, and a group that called itself the Hog Farm, lived in old school huses and traveled around the United States. The Hog Farm become famous when they helped organize the Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969. Steve Gaskin's followers tried to settle down on a farm in Tennessee, but they had to leave when some members of the gruop were arrested for growing marijuana.

Not all communes believed in the philosophy of "do you own thing," however . Twin Oaks , a commune founded in Virgiania in the late 1960s, was based on the ideas of psychologist B.F.Skinner. The people who lived at Twin Oaks were carefully controlled by Skinner's "conditioning" techniques to do things that were good for the community. In 1972, Italian architect Paolo Soleri began to build Arcosanti, a utopian city Arizsona where 2500 people will live closely together in one large building called an "archology" Soleri believes that people must live closely together so that they will all become one.

1.Why did some young Americans decide to "drop out" of scoiety during the 1960s?

a.They were not satisfied with American society.

b.They wanted to grow marijuana.

c.They wanted to go to the Vietnam War.

d.They did not want all people to be equal.

2.Where did the members of the Hog Farm commune live?

a.In dome-shaped house

b.In old school huses

c.On a farm inTennessee

d.In an archology in Arizona

3.Who gave the people of Drop City the idea to bulid dome-shaped house?

a.Paolo Soleri

b.B.G.Skinner

c.Steve Gaskin

d.Buckminster Fuller

4.What was the Twin Oaks commune base on ?

a.The philosophy of "do your own thing"

b.Virginaia in the late 1960s

c.The ideas of psychologist

d.The belief that people must live closely togerher.

5.What is an "archology"?

a.A person who studies archaeology

b.A large building where people live closely together

c.A city in A rizona

d.A technique to contorl people

答案：abdcb

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之八（含答案）

There are two factors which determine an individual's intelligence. The first is the sort of brain he is born with. Human brains differ considerably, some being more capable than others. But no matter how good a brain he has to begin with, an individual will have a low order of intelligence unless he has opportunities to learn. So the second factor is what happens to the individual—the sort of environment in which he is reared. If an individual is handicapped envionmentally ,it is likely that his brain will fail to develop and he will never attain the level of intelligence of which he is capable.

The importance of environment in determining an individual's intellingence can be demonstrated by the case history of the identical twins, Peter and Mark X. Being identical, the twins had identical brains at birth, and their growth processes were the same. When the twins were three months old , their parents died, and they were placed in separate foster homes. Peter was reated by parents of low intelligence in an isolatedcommunity with poor educational pooprtunities.Mark was reared inthe home of well-to-do parents who had been to college. He was read to as a child , sent to good schools, and given every opportunity to be stimulated intellectually.This enviromental difference continued until the twins were in their late teens, when they were giben tesets to measure their intelligence. Mark's I.Q. was 125, twenty-five points higher than the average and fully forty points higher than his identical brother. Given equal opportunities , the twins , having identical brains,would have tested at roughly the same level.

1.This selection can best be titled_________.

a.Measuring Your Intelligence

b.Intelligence and Environment

c.The Case of Peter and Mark

d.How the brain Influences Intelligence

2.The beststatement of the main idea of this passage is that _____.

a.human brains differ considerably

b.the brain a person is born with is improtant in determining his intelligence

c.environment is crucial in determining a person's intelligence

d. persons having identical brains will have roughly the same intelligence

3.According to the passage , the average I.Q.is _____.

a.85

b.100

c.110

d.125

4.The case history of the twins appears to support the conclusion that _______.

a.individual with identical brains seldom test at same level

b.an individual's intelligence is determined only by his enviroment

https://www.wendangku.net/doc/da16006058.html,ck of opportunity blocks the growth of intelligence

d.changes of enviroment produce changes in the structure of the brain

5.This passage suggests that an individual 's I.Q.______.

a.can be predicted at birth

b.stays the same throuthout his life

c.can be increased by education

d.is determined by his childhood

答案：bcbcc

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之九（含答案）

As she walked round the huge department store,Edith reflected how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas present for her father.She wish that he was as easy to please as her mother, who was always delighted with perfume

Besides,shoppong at this time of the year was a most disgreeable experience :people trod on your toes,poked you with their elbows and almost knocked you overin their haste to get to a bargain ahead of you.

Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter where some attracive ties were on display. "They are real silk," the assistant assured her, trying to tempt her. "Worth double the price." But edit knew from past experience that her choice of ties hardly ever pleased her father.

She moved on reluctantly and then quite by chance, stopped where a small crowd of man had gathered round a counter. She found some good quality pipes on sale-----and the prices were very reasonable. Edith did not hesitate for long : although her father only smoked a pipe occasionally, she knew that this was a present which was bund to please him.

When she got home,with her small well-chosen present concealed in her handbag, her parents were already at the supper table. Her mother was in an especially cheerful mood, "Your father has at last to decided to stop smoking." She informed her daughter.

1.Edith's father _______.

a.did not like present

b.never got present

c.preferred ties

d.was difficult to choose a present for

2.The assistant spoke to Edith because she seemed_______.

a.attractive

b.interested in ties

c.tired

d.in need of comfort

3.Edith stopped at the next counter_________.

a.purosely

b.suddenly

c.unwillingly

d.accidentally

4.Edith's father smoked a pipe_______.

a.when he was obliged

b.on social occasions

c.from time to time

d.when he was delighted

5.Shopping was very disagreeable at that time of the year because_______.

a.coustomers trod on each other's toes

b.coustomers poked each other with their elbows

c.customers knocked each other

d.customers were doing their shopping in a great hurry

答案：dbdcd

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十（含答案）

If the population of the earth goes on increasing at its present rate, there will eventually not be enough resources left to sustain life on the planet.By the middle of the 21st century,if present trends continue, we will have used up all the oil that drives our cars,for example.Even if scientists develop new ways of feeding the human race,the crowded conditions on earth will make it necessary for lus to look for open space somewhere else. But none of the other planets in our solar system are capable of supporting life at present. One possible solution to the problem, however,has recently been suggested by American scientist, Professor Carl Sagan.

Sagan believes that before the earth's resources are compleetely exhausted it will be possible to change the atmophere of Venus and so create a new world almost as large as earth itself. The difficult is that Venus is much hotter than the earth and there is only a tiny amount of water there.

Sagan proposes that algae organisms that can live in extremely hot or cold atmospheres and at the same time produce oxygen,should be bred in condition similar to those on V enus.As soon as this has been done, the algae will be placed in small rockets. Spaceship will then fly to Venus and fire the rockets into the atmosphere .In a fairly short time, the alge will break down the carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon.

When the algae have done theri work, the atmosphere will become cooler,but befor man can set foot on Venus it will be neccessary for the oxygen to produce rain. The surface of the planet will still be too hot for man to land on it but the rain will eventually fall and in a few years something like earth will be reproduced on Venus.

1.Inte long run, the most insoluble problem caused by population growth on earth will probably be the lack of ______.

a.food

b.oil

c.space

d.resources

2.Carl Sagan believes that Venus might be colonized from earth because _____

a.it might be possible to change its atmosphere

b.its atmosphere is the same as the earth's

c.there is a good supply of water on Venus

d.the days on Venus are long enough

3.On Venus there is a lot of ________.

a.water

b.carbon dioxide

c.carbon monoxide

d.oxygen

4.Algae are plants that can____.

a.live in very hot temperatures

b.live in very cold temperatures

c.manufacture oxygen

d.all of the above

5. Man can land on Venus only when_______.

a.the algae have done their work

b.the atmosphere becomes cooler

c.thereis oxygen

d.it rains there

答案：cabdd

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十一（含答案）

What is your favourite colour? Do you like yellow , orange ,red? If you do ,you must be an optimist, a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer greys and blues? Then you are probably quiet,shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend to be a pessimist. At least, this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know,because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colours preference, as well as the effect that colours have on human beings. They tells us, among other facts,that we do not choose our favourite clour as we grow up----we are born with our preference.If you happen to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.

Colours do influence our moods----there is no doubt about it .A yellow room makes most people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one; and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand ,black is depressing. A black bridge over the Thames River, near London, used to be the scene of more suicides than any other bridge in the area ----until it was repainter green.The number of suicide attempts immediately fell sharply ;perhaps it would have fallen even more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue.

Light and bright colours make people not only hppier but more active. It is an established fact that factory workers work better,harder ,and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.

1."You would rather follow than red" means_______.

a.you don't like to follow others

b.you would be a member rather than a leader

c.you would be afraid of following others

d.you would like to be a leader rather than a follower

2.If one enjoys life, one is sure to prefer________.

a.red to yellow

b.blue to orange

c.red to grey

d.blue to yellow

3."They tell us, among other facts,that we don't choose our favourite colours as we grow up." "Among other facts" means______.

a.besides other facts

b.in regard to other facts

c.not considering other facts

d.according to other facts

4.Which of the following is facts?

a.People's preference of one colour to another is instinct

b.People's preference of one colour to another is acquired as they grow up.

c.More people happen to love brown because they saw something brown when they were born

d.Colours have little influence on our moods

5.Those who committed suicide preferred the bridge over the Thames River near london to others because of _______.

a.its shape

b.its structure

c.its colour

d.its building materials

答案：bcaac

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十二（含答案）

Social customs and ways of behaving change. Things which were considered impolite many years ago are now acceptable. Just a few years ago, it was considered impolite behaviour for a man to smoke on street. No man who thought of himself by smoking when a lady was in a room.

Customs also differ from country to country. Does a man walk on the left or the right of a woman in your country? Or doesn't it matter? Should you use both hands when you are eating? Should leave one in your lap,or on the table?

The Americans and the British not only speak the same language but also share a large number of social customs. For example, in both America and England people shake hands when they meet each other for the first time. Also, most Englishmen will open a door for a wonman or offer their seat to a woman , and so will most Americans. Promptness is important both in England and in America. That is , if a dinner invitation is for 7 o'clock , the dinner guest either arrives close to that time or calls up to explain his delay.

The important thing to remember about social customs is not to do anything that might make other people feel uncomfortable-----especially if they are your guests. When the food was served , one of the guests strated to eat his peas with a knife . The other guests were amused or shocked , but the host calmly picked up his knife and began eating in the same way. It would have been bad manners to make his guest feel foolish or uncomfortable.

1.If one has accepted a dinner invitation ,what should he do if he is tobe late for the dinner?

a.He should find an excuse

b.He should adk for excuse.

c.He should say sorry

d.He should telephone to explain his being lat

e.

2."It would have been bad manners to make his guests feel foolish or uncomfortable." "Bad manners " means ________.

a.ugly

b.dishonest

c.impolite

d.shameful

3.which of the following do you think is the best tiltle for this passage?

a.Social Customs and Customs

b.Social Life

c.American and British Customs

d.Promptness Is Important

4.According to the text, the best host_______.

a.tries his best to make his guests feel comfortable

b.makes his guests feel excited

c.tries to avoid being naughty to his guests

d.tries to avoid being foolish

5.The author of this article may agree with which of the following?

a.The guest who ate his peas with a knife

b.The other guests who were amused or shocked

c.The host who picked up his knife and began eating in the same way

d.None of the above

答案：dcaac

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十三（含答案）

New Orleans, Louisiana, was established as part of the French Empire in 1718.

Its location on the east bank of the Mississippi River gave it control of the American hinerland and it became strategically important to many nations. It was transferred from France to Spain, returned to France,and finally sold by Napoleon to the United States in 1803. The city was the site of a famous battle fought in 1815 between the British, who hoped to control it , and the Americans under General And rew Jackson.

The riverbed of the Mississippi is constantly silting and the river is now actually higher than the city. Levees hold back the river and giant pumps are used to move water from the city into the river.

Although New Orleans haas beena part of the United States for almost two centuries, its population takes great pride in its French heritage. Louisiana still retains parts of the Code Napoleon which,form many years,was its only law.

New Orleans is carefree city and it boasts its hot, spicy Creole seafood and its native Dixieland Jazz. The jackson Square neighborhood maintains its French colonial homes and in other sections are pre-Civil War mansions. Visitors are surprised to find that behind this interesting facade of yesteryear, is a busy industrial and port city. Grain and coal come from the Midwest and foreigh cargoes are unloaded here. New Orleans is no longer a sleepy Southern town----but it's still fun to visit.

1.What accounts for the levees and pumps in New Orleans?

a.The Mississippi frequently floods the city.

b.The riverbed has raised inthe past 200 years.

c.The torrential rains flood the city frequently.

d.The high humidity cannot otherwise be comtrolled.

2.The battle of New Orleans was fought by jackson against______.

a.France

b.Britain

c.Spain

d.The North

3.The Code Napoleon was _______.

a.an agreement to sell Louisiana

b.a body of laws

c.a city plan

d.a military code for the army

4.Which of the following elements does not apply to the attiude of the inhabitants of New Orleans?

a.Pride in their French heritage.

b.A desire to retain picturesque colonial buildings.

c.A refusal to engage in trade and commerce

d.A praising of Dixieland Jazz.

5.Tourists visiting New Orleans are surprised to encounter_____.

a.Creole food

b.Dixieland jazz

c.bustling city

d.authentic colonial homes

13/200答案：bbbcc

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十四（含答案）

14/200

The United States is on the verge of losing its leading place in the world's technology. So says more than one study in recent years. One of the reasons for this decline is the parallel decline in the number of U.S. scientists and engineers.

Since 1976,employment of scientists and engineers is up 85 percent. This trend is expected to continue. However, the trend shows that the number of 22-year-olds--the near term source of future PH.D.s-is declining. Further adding to the problem is the increased competition for these candidates from other fields-law,medicine,business,etc. While the number of U.S. PH.D.s in science and engineering declines,the award of PH.D.s to foreign nationals is increasing rapidly.

Our inability to motivate students to pursue science and engineering careers at the graduate level is compounded because of the intense demand industry has for bright Bachelor's and Master's degree holders. Too often, promising PH.D.candidates, confronting the cost and financial sacrifice of pursuing their education,find the attraction of industry irresistible.

1.The U.S.will come to lose its leading place in technology probably because ________.

a. the number of PH.D. degree holders is declining

b. the number of scientists and engineers is decreasing

c. the number of 22-year-ilds is declining

d. scientists and engineers are not employed

2.The field of science and engineering is facing a competition from ________ .

a. technology

b. foreign nationals

c. such fields as law, medicine and business

d. postgraduates

https://www.wendangku.net/doc/da16006058.html,rge-scale enterprises now need _______.

a. bright graduates and postgraduates

b. new inventions

c. advanced technology

d. engineers

4.Many promising postgraduates are unwilling to pursue a PH.D. degree because _________.

a. they are not encouraged to be engaged in science

b. industry does not require PH.D. holders

c. they have financial difficulties

d. they will spend much time and energy completing PH.D.

5.PH.D. candidates "find the attraction of industry irresistible" means that _________.

a. they find industry is attracting more and more college students

b. they don't think they can prevent themselves from working for industry

c. they cannot resist any attraction from all sides

d. they cannot work for industry any longer

14/200答案：bcadb

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十五（含答案）

15/200

Newdays,a standard for measuring power has changed.These changes foretell a new standard for measuring power.No longer will a nation's political influence be based solely on the strength of its military forces. Of course, military effectiveness will remain a primary primary measure of power.But political influence is also closely tied to industrial competitiveness. It's often said that without its military the Soviet Union would really be a third-world nation. The new standard of opwer and influence that is evolving now places more emphasis on the ability of a country to compete effectively in the economic markets of the world.

America must recognize this new course of events. Our success in shaping world events over the past 40 years has been the direct result of our ability to adapt technology and to take advantage of the capabilities of our people for the purpose of maintaining peace. Our industrial prowess over most of this period was unchallenged. It is ironic that it is just this prowess that has enabled other countries to prosper and in turn to threaten our industrial leadership.

The competitiveness of America's industrial base is an issue bigger than the Department of Defense and is going to require the efforts of the major institutional forces in our society-government,industry,and education. That is not to say that the Defense Department will not be a strong force in the process because we will. But we simply cannot be, nor should we be, looked upon by others as the savior of American industry.

1. Now a nation's political influence depends on _________.

a. the strength of its military forces

b. its ability to compete in industry

c. economic markets

d. both a and b

2. The Soviet Union was not listed as a third-world nation just because of _________.

a. its powerful military forces

b. its vast land

c. its industrial competitiveness

d. its contributions to world peace

3. The author indicates that ______ is threatening American political power.

a. other countries

b. the declining U.S. industrial base

c. a new standard for measuring power

d. less advanced technology

4. America succeeded in shaping world events over past 40 years probably because of ___________.

a. its ability to adapt technology

b. its ability to take advantage of the capabilities of its people

c. its ability to compete in the world markets

d. both a and b

5. The purpose of writing this article is __________.

a. to draw the readers' attention to a new standard for measuring power

b. to demonstrate American political influence in the world

c. to emphasize that efforts must be made to strengthen the declining U.S. industrial base

d. to show American industrial prowess

15/200答案：dabdc

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十六（含答案）

16/200

Trees should only be pruned when there is a good and clear reason for doing so and , fortunately,the number of such reasons is small. Pruning involves the cutting away of obergrown and unwanted branches, and the inexperienced gardener can be encouraged by the thought that more damage results from doing it unnecessarily than from leaving the tree to grow in its own way.

First, pruning may be done to make sure that trees have a desired shape or size. The object may be to get a tree of the right height, and at the same time to help the growth of small side branches which will thicken its appearance or give it a special shape. Secondly, pruning may be done to make the tree healthier. You may cut diseaed or dead wood, or branches that are rubbing against each other and thus cause wounds. The health of a tree may be encouraged by removing branches that are blocking up the centre and so preventing the free movement of air.

One result of pruning is that an open wound is left on the tree and this provides an easy entry for disease, but itis a wound that will heal. Often there is a race between the healing and the desease as to whether the tree will live or die, so that there is a period when the tree is at risk. It should be the aim of every gardener to reduce which has been pruned smooth and clean, for healing will be slowed down by roughness. You should allow the cut surface to dry for a few hurs and then paint it with one of the substances available from garden shops produced especially for this purpose. Pruning is usually without interference from the leaves and also it is very unlikely that the cuts yu make will bleed. If this does happen,it is, of course,impossible to paint them properly.

1.Pruning should be done to ______.

a.make the tree grow taller

b.improve the shape of the tree

c.get rid of the small branches

d.make the small branches thicker

2.Trees become unhealthy if the gardener ______.

a.allows too many branches to grow in the middle

b.does not protect them from wind

c.forces them to grow too quickly

d.damages some of the small side branches

3.Why is a special substance painted on the tree?

a.To make a wound smooth

b.To prevent disease entering a wound

c.To cover a rough surface

d.To help a wound to dry

4.A good gardener prunes a tree______.

a.at intervals throughout the year

b.as quickly as possible

c.occasionally when necessary

d.regular every winter

5.What was the author's purpose when writing this passage?

a.To give pratical instruction for pruning a tree.

b.To give a general description of pruning

c.To explain how trees develop diseases

d.To discuss different methods of pruning.

16/200答案：babca

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十七（含答案）

17/200

On Thursday afternoon Mrs. Carke, dressed for going out, took her handbag with her money and her key in it, pulled the door behind her to lock it and went to the over 60s Club. She always went there on Thursdays. It was a nice outing for an old woman who lived alone.

At six o'clock she cane home, let herself in and at once smelt cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke in her house? How? How? Had someone got in? She checked the back door and the windows. All were locked or fastened, as usual. There was no sign of forced entry.

Over a cup of tea she wondered whether someone might have a key that fitted her front door-"a master key"perhaps. So she stayed at home the following Thursday. Nothing happened. Was anyone watching her movements? On the Thursday after that she went out at her usual time,dressed as usual, but she didn't go to the club. Instead she took a short cut home again, letting herself in through her garden and the back door. She settled down to wait.

It was just after four o'clock when the front door bell rang.Mrs. Clarke was making a cup of tea at the time. The bell rang again, and then she heard her letter-box being pushed open. With the kettle of boiling water in her hand, she moved quietly towards the front door. A long piece of wire appeared through the letter-box, and then a hand. The wire turned and caught around the knob on the door-lock. Mrs. Clarke raised the kettle and poured the water over the hand. There was a shout outside, and the skin seemed to drop off the fingers like a glove. The wire fell to the floor, the hand was pulled back, and Mrs. Clarke heard the sound of running feet.

1.Mrs. Clarke looded forward to Thursday because_______.

a.she worked at a club on the day

b.she said visitors on Thursdays

c.she visited a club on Thursday

d.a special visitor came on Thursday

2.If someone had made a forced entery,_______.

a.Mrs.Clarke would have found a broken door or window

b.he or she was still in the house

c.things would have been thown about

d.he or she would have needed a master key

3.On the third Thursday Mrs. Clarke went out_______.

a.because she didn't want to miss the club again

b.to see if the thief was hnging about outside

c.to the club but then changed her mind

d.in an attempt to trick the thief

4.The lock on the front door was one which_______.

a.needed a piece of wire to open it

b.could he opened from inside without a key

c.could't be opened without a key

https://www.wendangku.net/doc/da16006058.html,ed a knob instead of a key

5.The wire feel to the floor_______.

a.because Mrs.Clarke refused to open the door

b.when the man's glove dropped off

c.because it was too hot to hold

d.because the man justwanted to get away

17/200答案：cadbd

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十八（含答案）

18/200

Many people believe the glare from snow causes snowblindnenss. Yet, dark glasses or not , they find themselves suffering from headaches and watering eyes,and even snowblindness,when exposed to several hours of "snow light" .

The United States Army has now determined that glare from snow does not cause snowblindness in troops in a snow-covered country.Rather, a man's eyes frequently find nothing to foucs on in a broad expanse of barren snow-covered terrain. So his gaze continually shifts and jumps back and forth over the entire landscape in search of tsomething to look at. Finding nothing, hour after hour, the eyes never sotp searching and the eyeballs become sore and the eye muscles ache. Nature offsets this irritation by producing more and fluid which covers the eyeball. The fluid coversthe eyeball in increasing quantity until vision blurs, then is obsured,and the result is total, even though temporary,snowblindness.

Experiments led the Army to a simple method of overcoming this problem. Scouts ahead of a main body of troops are trained to shake snow from evergreen bushes, creating a dotted line as they cross completely snow-covered landscape,Even the scouts themselves throw lightweight , dark colored objects ahead on which they too can focus . The men following can then see something.Their gaze is arrested. Their eyes focus on a bush and having found something to see,stop scouring the snow-blanketed lanscape. By focusing their attention on one object at a time,the men can cross the snow without becoming hopelessly snowblind or lost. In this way the problem of crossing a solid white terrain is overcome.

1.To prevent headaches, watering eyes and blindness caused by the glare from snow, dark glasses are_____.

a.indispensible

https://www.wendangku.net/doc/da16006058.html,eful

c.ineffective

d.available

2.When the eyes are sore tears are produced to ________.

a.clear the vision

b.remedy snowblindness

c.ease the irritation

d.loosen the muscles

3.Snowblindness may be avoided by_______.

a.concentrating to the solid white terrain

b.searching for something to look at in snow-covered terrain

c.providing the eyes with something to foucs on

d.covering the eyeballs with fluid

4.The scouts shake snow from evergreen bushes in order to _______.

a.bive the men behind something to see

b.beautify the landscape

c.warm themselves in the cold

d.prevent the men behind from losing their way

5.A suitable title for this passage would be _______.

a.snowblindness and how to overcome it

b.natrue's cure for snowblindness

c.soldiers in the snow

d.snow vision

18/200答案：CCCAA

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之十九（含答案）

19/200

Water problems in the future will become nore intense and more complex. Our increasing population will tremendously increase urban wastes,primarily sewage. On the other hand, increasing demands for water will decease substantialy the amount of water available for diluting wastes. Rapidly expanding industries which involve more and more complex chemical processes will produce large volumes of liquid wastes, and many of these will contain chemicals which are noxious. To feed our rapidly expanding population, agriculture will have to be intensified. This will involve ever-increasingquantities of agricultural chemicals, From this , it is apparent that drastic steps must be taken immediately to develop corrective measures for the pollution problem.

There are two ways by which this pollution problem can be dwindled. The first relates to the treatment of wastes to decrease their pollution hazard. This involves the processing of solid wastes "prior to " disposal and the treatment of liquid wastes, or efflunets,to permit the reuse of the water or minimize pollution upon final disposal.

A second approach is to develop an economic use for all or a part of the wastes. Farm manure is spread in fields as a nutrient or organic supplement . Effluents from sewage disposal plants are used in some areas both for irrigation and for the nutrients contained. Efflunets from other processing plants may also be used as a supplemental source of water. Many industries, such as meat and poultry processing plants, are currently converting former waste products into marketable byproducts. Other industries are potential eonomic uses for waste products.

1.The purpose of this passage is ______.

a.to alert the reader to the dwindling water supply

b.to explain industrial uses of water

c.to acquaint the reader with water pollution problems

d.to demostrate various measures to solve the pollution problem

2.Which of the following points is NOT INCLUDED in the passage?

a.In dustrial development incudes the simplification of complex chemical processes.

b.Diluting wastes needs certain amount of water

c.Demands for water will go up along with the expanding population

d.Intensive cultivation of land requires more and more chemicals

3.The reader can conclued that________.

a.countries of the world will work together on polution problems

b.byproducts from wastes lead to a more prosperous marketplace

c.science is making great progress on increasing water supplies

d.some industries are now ,aking economic use of wastes

4.The author gives substance to the passage through the use of _______.

a.interviews with authorities in the field of water controls

b.opinions and personal observations

c.definitions which clarify important terms

d.strong arguments and persuasions

5.The words "prior to "(para.2) probably mean______.

a.after

b.during

c.before

d.beyond

19/200答案:cadbc

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之二十（含答案）

20/200

One of the qualities that most people admire in others is the willingness to admit one's mistakes. It is extremely hard sometimes to say a simple thing like "I was wrong about that," and it is even harder to say, "I was wrong , and you were right about that."

I had an experience recently with someone admitting to me that he had made a mistake fifteen years ago. He told me he had been the manager of a certain grocery store in the neighbourhood where I grew up, and he asked me if I remembered the egg cartons. Then he related an incident and Ibegan to remember vaguely the incident he was describing.

I was about eight years old at the time, and I had gome into the store with may mother to do the weekly grocery shopping. On that particular day, I must have found my way to the dairy food department where the incident tood place.

There must have been a special sale on eggs that day because there was an impressive display of eggs indozen and half-dozen cartons. The cartons were stacked three or four feet high. I must have stopped in front of a display to admire the stacks. Just then a woman came by pushing her grocery cart and knocked off the stacks of cartons. For some reason, I decided it was up to me to put the display back together, so I want to work.

The manager heard the moise and came rushing over to see what had happened. When he appeared, I was on my knees inspecting some of the cartons to see if any of the eggs were broken, but to him it looked as though I was the culprit. He severely reprimanded me and wanted me to pay for any broken eggs. I protested my innocence and tried to explain, but it did no good. Even though I quickly forgot all about the incident, apparently the manager did not.

1.How old was the author when he wrote this article?

a.about 8

b.about 18

c.about 23

d.about 15

2.Who was to blame for knocking off the stacks of cartons?

a.The author

b.The manager

c.A woman

d.The author's mother

3.Which of the following statements is not true?

a.The woman who knocked off the stacks of cartons was seriously criticized by the mananger

b.The author was severely critizized by the manager.

c.A woman carelessly knocked off the stacks of cartons

d.It was the author who put the display back together

4.Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?

a.Its Harder to Admit One's Mistake

b.I was once the culprit

c.I remember an incident

d.A case of mistaken identity

5.The tone of the article expresses the author's_______.

a.admiration for the manager's willingness to admit mistakes

b.anger to the manager for his wrong accusation

c.indignation against the woman who knocked off the stacks of cartons

d.reget for the mistake the made in the store

20/200答案：ccada

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之二十一（含答案）

21/200

Flying over a desert area in an airplane, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight

one of the scientists wrote in his book, 'Look here for probable metal' Scientists in another airplane, flying over a mountain region,sent a message to other scientists on the ground,'Gold possible.' Walking across hilly ground, four scientists reported,'This ground should be searched for metals.' From an airplane over a hilly wasteland a scientist sent back by radio one word,'Uranium'.

None of the scientists had X-ray eyes: they had no magic powers for looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely putting to use one of the newest methods of location minerals in the ground---using trees and plants as signs that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants are growing.

This newest method of searching for minerals is based on the fact that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.At Watson Bar Creek, a brook six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada,a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxed were filled with small banches from te trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested .Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.

Study of the roots , branches,and seeds showed no silver. But there were small amounts of gold in the roots and a little less gold in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.

If the trees had not indicated that there was gold in the ground, the scientists would not have spent money to pay for digging into the deeper. They did dig and found more fold below. They dug deeper. They found large quantities of gold.

1.Scientists were flying over a desert or hilly wasteland or a mountain region in order to search for _____ in the ground.

a.gold

b.silver

c.metals

d.minerals

2.The study of trees,branches and roots indicates that_______.

a.there were larger amounts of gold in the branches than in the seeds.

b.there were small amounts of gold in the roots than in the branches

c.there were larger amounts of gold in the seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk than seeds growing on the ends of branches.

d.there were more gold in the branches than in the roots

3.Which is the best title ?

a.Scientists searching for metals with sepcial power

b.New methods of searching for minerals

c.Gold could be found by trees and plants

d.A new method of searching for minerals---using trees and plants

4.Which of the following is not mentioned as part of a tree that can help find minerals?

a.leaves

b.roots

c.branches

d.seeds

5.The scientists were searching for minerals by using ______.

a.X-ray

b.magic power

c.a special instrument

d.trained eyes

21/200答案：dcdad

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之二十二（含答案）

22/200

In the United States, it is not customary to telephone somenone very early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention.The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 p.m..If someone receives a call during sleeping hours , he assumes it's a matter of life or death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance.

In social life, time plays a very important part. In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a

dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world , it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten. The meaning of thime differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings arise between peopel from cultures that treat time differently. Promptness is valued highly in American life, for edample. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the U.S. no noe would think of keeping a business associate waiting for an hour , it would be too impolite . A person who is 5 minutes late, he will say a few words of explanation, though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.

1."The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 p.m.." Here " attached" means______

a.taken

b.drawn

c.given

d.shown

2.Supposing one wants to make a telephone call at dawn, this would mean________.

a.the matter is important

b.the matter is somewhat important

c.the matter requires immediate attention

d.it is a matter of life and death

3.According to this passage , time plays an important role in _________.

a.everyday life

b.shool life

https://www.wendangku.net/doc/da16006058.html,munications

d.private life

4. The best title for this passage is_________.

a. the voices of time

b.the importance of time

c.the importance of an ammouncement

d.time and tide wait for no man

5.According to the passage, the author of the article may agree to which of the following statements?

a.It is appropriate to send your invitation cards three or four days before a dinner party date in U.S.A.

b.It may be appropriate to send your invitation to your guests three or four days before a dinner party date in some cultures.

c.It is best for one to make telephone calls at night because it costs much less.

d.If one is less than 5 minutes late, he has to make a short apology.

22/200答案：cdcab

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之二十三（含答案）

23/200

Liberia, the oldest independent Negro state in West A frica, has been struggling for survial ever since its foundation in 1822.Progress has been hampered by constant hostility between the American Negroes whose families returned there in the early 19th century, and the West Africans whose ancestors never left the continent. Though the two groups are of the same race, they are divided by language and outlook and regard each other with deep suspicion creating a conflict which was not foreseen by Liberia's founders.

In addition, neighboring states, native tribel,disease, and poverty have made life dangerous and difficult. The government has tried desperately, through loans and a trickle of trade, to make ends meet.Anxiety about financial matters lessened somewhat when,in 1910, the United States accepted responsibility for Liberia's sruvival. However, not until Harvey Firestone, the American rubber king,decided that the United States must produce itsown rubber----with Liberia as the site of the rubber plantations----did liberia have much hope of paying its debts and balancing its budget.

The rubber industry,founded in the 1920's ,and the activity that followed it brought both progerss and profit to Liberia. Before that time Liberia had no roads, no mechanical transport and no good port; its people had little education and few tools. Liberians feel that the country is being ruled by rubber. For this reason, the recent discovery of iron ore is important. Liberian leaders are trying to moderate the power of the ruvver industry and to estaglish the country's political and economic

independence.

1.Liberia has been in idffculty since its independence mainly because______.

a.the american negroes do not want to help the country.

b.there have been constant hostillity and suspicion between different tribes in the country.

c.there haven been constant hostility and suspicion between two groups of the same tride.

d.the goverment has adoped a wrong policy

2."The government has tried desperately, through loans and a trickle of trade, to make ends meet." to make ends meet" means_______.

a.the goverment has to borrow money from others

b. the goverment has to lend money to others

c.the goverment doesn't have to borrow or lend money

d.the goverment has either to borrow or to lend money

3.The country's finance began to improve a bit in________.

a.1822

b.1910

c.1920

d.1920's

4.The Liberians's attitude on to improve a bit in_______.

a.a total agreement

b.a total disagreement

c.a hostility

d.not a total agreement

5.The best title for this passage is_______.

a. American Negroes in West Africa

b.liberia----- a poor country

c.liberia and its development

d.liberia ----a country with rich rubber and iron

23/200答案：ccbdc

大学英语四级阅读理解试题40篇之二十四（含答案）

24/200

The accuracy of cientific observations and calculations is always at the mercy of the scientist's timekeeping methods. For this reason,scientists are interested in devices that give promise of more precise timekeeping.

In their search for precision, scientists have turned to atomic clocks that depend on various vibrating atoms or molecules to supply their "ticking" .This is possible because each kind of atom or molecule has its own characteristic rate of vibration. The nitrogen atom in ammonia , for example, vibrates or "ticks" 24 billion times a second.

One such atomic clock is so accurate that it will probaly lose no more than a second in 3000 years. It will be of great improtance in fields such as astronomical is a sesium atom that vibrates 9.2 billion times a second when heated to the temperature of boiling water.

An atomic clock that operates with an ammonia molecue may be used to check the accuracy of predictions based on Einstein's relativity theories, according to which a clock in motion and a clock at rest should keep time differently. Placed in an orbiting satellite moving at a speed of 18000 miles an hour, the clock could broadcast its time readings to a ground station, where they would be compared with the readings on a similar model. Whatever differences develop would be checked against the differences predicted.

1.Scientists expect that the atomic clocks will be ______.

a.more precise

b.absolutely accurate

c.more durable

d.indestructible

2.The heart of the atomichron is _______.

a.acesium atom

专家解析英语四级考试历年阅读真题(一)

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英语四级阅读训练

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