12月英语四级阅读备考试题：真题汇合

2017年12月英语四级阅读备考试题：真题汇合

　　Unit 16

　　Passage One

　　Interest in pursuing international careers has soared in recent years, enhanced by chronic (长久的)personnel shortages that are causing companies to search beyond their home borders for talent.

　　Professionals seek career experience outside of their home countries for a variety of reasons. They may feel the need to recharge their batteries with a new challenge. They may want a position with more responsibility that encourages creativity and initiative. Or they may wish to expose their children to another culture, and the opportunity to learn a second language.

　　When applying for a job, one usually has to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). The two terms generally mean the same thing:a one-or two-page document describing one‘s educational qualifications and professional experience. However, guidelines for preparing a resume are constantly changing. The best advice is to find out what is appropriate regarding the corporate (公司)culture, the country culture, and the culture of the person making the hiring decision. The challenge will be to embrace two or more cultures in one document. The following list is a good place to start.

　　●“Educational requirements differ from country to country. In almost every case of ‘cross-border ‘job hunting, just stating the title of your degree will not bean adequate description. Provide the reader with details about your studies and any related experience. ”

　　●Pay attention to the resume format you use-chronological or reverse-chronological order. Chronological order means listing your ‘oldest‘work experience first. Reverse-chronological order means listing your current or most recent experience first. Most countries have preferences about which format is most acceptable. If you find no specific guidelines, the general preference is for the reverse-chronological format. ”

　　●If you are submitting your resume in English, find out if the recipient (收件人)uses British English or American English because there are variations between the two versions. For example, university education is often referred to as ‘tertiary education‘in the United Kingdom, but this term is almost never used in the United States. A reader who is unfamiliar with these variations may assume that your resume contains errors.

　　21.Companies are hiring more foreign employees because ________.

　　A) they find foreign employees are usually more talented

　　B) they need original ideas from employees hired overseas

　　C) they want to expand their business beyond home borders

　　D) they have difficulty finding qualified personnel at home

　　22.The author believes that an individual who applies to work overseas ________.

　　A) is usually creative and full of initiative

　　B) aims to improve his foreign language skills

　　C) is dissatisfied with his own life at home

　　D) seeks either his own or his children‘s development

　　23.When it comes to resume writing, it is best to ________.

　　A) take cultural factors into consideration

　　B) learn about the company‘s hiring process

　　C) follow appropriate guidelines for job hunting

　　D) know the employer‘s personal likes and dislikes

　　24.When writing about qualifications, applicants are advised to ________.

　　A) stress their academic potential to impress the decision maker

　　B) give the title of the university degree they have earned at home

　　C) provide a detailed description of their study and work experiences

　　D) highlight their keen interest in pursuing a ‘cross-border ‘career

　　25.According to the author‘s last piece of advice, the applicants should be aware of ________.

　　A) the different educational systems in the US and the UK

　　B) the differences between the varieties of English

　　C) the recipient‘s preference with regard to the format

　　D) the distinctive features of American and British cultures

　　Passage Two

　　Educating girls quite possibly yields a higher rate of return than any other investment available in the developing world. Women‘s education may be unusual territory for economists, but enhancing women‘s contribution to development is actually as much an economic as a social issue. And economics, with its emphasis on incentives (激励), provides guideposts that point to an explanation for why so many girls are deprived of an education.

　　Parents in low-income countries fail to invest in their daughters because they do not expect them to make an economic contribution to the family:girls grow up only to marry into somebody else‘s family and bear children. Girls are thus seen as less valuable than boys and art kept at home to do housework while their brothers are sent to school-the prophecy (预言)becomes self-fulfilling, trapping women in a vicious circle (恶性循环)of neglect.

　　An educated mother, on the other hand, has greater earning abilities outside the home and faces an entirely different set of choices. She is likely to have fewer but healthier children and can insist on the development of all her children, ensuring that her daughters are given a fair chance. The education of her daughters then makes it much more likely that the next generation of girls, as well as of boys, will be educated and healthy. The vicious circle is thus transformed into a virtuous circle.

　　Few will dispute that educating women has great social benefits. But it has enormous economic advantages as well. Most obviously, there is the direct effect of education on the wages of female workers. Wages rise by 10 to 20 per cent for each additional year of schooling. Such big returns are impressive by the standard of other available investments, but they are just the beginning. Educating women also has a significant impact on health practices, including family planning.

　　26.The author argues that educating girls in developing countries is ________.

　　A) troublesome

　　B) labor-saving

　　C) rewarding

　　D) expensive

　　27.By saying “. . . the prophecy becomes self-fulfilling . . . ” (Lines 45, Para. 2). the author means that ________.

　　A) girls will turn out to be less valuable than boys

　　B) girls will be capable of realizing their own dreams

　　C) girls will eventually find their goals in life beyond reach

　　D) girls will be increasingly discontented with their life at home

　　28.The author believes that a vicious circle can turn into a virtuous circle when ________.

　　A) women care more about education

　　B) girls can gain equal access to education

　　C) a family has fewer but healthier children

　　D) parents can afford their daughters‘education

　　29.What does the author say about women‘s education?

　　A) It deserves greater attention than other social issues.

　　B) It is now given top priority in many developing countries.

　　C) It will yield greater returns than other known investments.

　　D) It has aroused the interest of a growing number of economists.

　　30.The passage mainly discusses ________.

　　A) unequal treatment of boys and girls in developing countries

　　B) the potential earning power of well-educated women

　　C) the major contributions of educated women to society

　　D) the economic and social benefits of educating women

　　Passage Three

　　Speeding off in a stolen car, the thief thinks he has got a great catch. But he is in for an unwelcome surprise. The car is fitted with a remote immobiliser (锁止器), and a radio signal from a control centre miles away will ensure that once the thief switches the engine off, he will not be able to start it again.

　　The idea goes like this. A control box fitted to the car contains a mini-cellphone, a micro-processor and memory, and a GPS (全球定位系统)satellite positioning receiver. If the car is stolen, a coded cellphone signal will tell the control centre to block the vehicle‘s engine management system and prevent the engine being restarted.

　　In the UK, a set of technical fixes is already making life harder for car thieves. ‘The pattern of vehicle crime has changed, ‘says Martyn Randall, a security expert. He says it would only take him a few minutes to teach a person how to steal a car, using a bare minimum of tools. But only if the car is more than 10 years old.

　　Modern cars are far tougher to steal, as their engine management computer won‘t allow them to start unless they receive a unique ID code beamed out by the ignition (点火)key. In the UK, technologies like this have helped achieve a 31%drop in vehicle-related crime since 1997.

　　But determined criminals are still managing to find other ways to steal cars, often by getting bold of the owner ‘s keys. And key theft is responsible for 40%of the thefts of vehicles fitted with a tracking system.

　　If the car travels 100 metres without the driver confirming their ID, the system will send a signal to an operations centre that it has been stolen. The hundred metres minimum avoids false alarms due to inaccuracies in the GPS signal.

　　Staff at the centre will then contact the owner to confirm that the car really is missing, and keep police informed of the vehicle‘s movements via the car‘s GPS unit.

　　31.What‘s the function of the remote immobilizer fitted to a car?

　　A) To help the police make a surprise attack on the car thief.

　　B) To allow the car to lock automatically when stolen.

　　C) To prevent the car thief from restarting it once it stops.

　　D) To prevent car theft by sending a radio signal to the car owner.

　　32.By saying “The pattern of vehicle crime has changed”(Lines 1-2. Para. 3), Martyn Randall suggests that ________.

　　A) it takes a longer time for the car thief to do the stealing

　　B) self-prepared tools are no longer enough for car theft

　　C) the thief has to make use of computer technology

　　D) the thief has lost interest in stealing cars over 10 years old

　　33.What is essential in making a modem car tougher to steal?

　　A) A coded ignition key.

　　B) A unique ID card.

　　C) A special cellphone signal.

　　D) A GPS satellite positioning receiver.

　　34.Why does the tracking system set a 100-metre minimum before sending an alarm to the operations centre?

　　A) To leave time for the operations centre to give an alarm.

　　B) To keep police informed of the car‘s movements.

　　C) To give the driver time to contact the operations centre.

　　D) To allow for possible errors in the GPS system.

　　35.What will the operations centre do first after receiving an alarm?

　　A) Start the tracking system.

　　B) Contact the car owner.

　　C) Block the car engine.

　　D) Locate the missing car.

　　Passage Four

　　Psychiatrists (精神病专家)who work with older parents say that maturity can be an asset in child rearing-older parents are more thoughtful, use less physical discipline and spend more time with their children. But raising kids takes money and energy. Many older parents find themselves balancing their limited financial resources, declining energy and failing health against the growing demands of an active child. Dying and leaving young children is probably the older parents‘biggest, and often unspoken, fear. Having late-life children, says an economics professor, often means parents, particularly fathers, “end up retiring much later. ”For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream.

　　Henry Metcalf, a 54-year-old journalist, knows it takes money to raise kids. But he‘s also worried that his energy will give out first. Sure, he can still ride bikes with his athletic fifth grader, but he‘s learned that young at heart doesn‘t mean young. Lately he‘s been taking afternoon naps (午睡)to keep up his energy. “My body is aging, ”says Metcalf. “You can‘t get away from that. ”

　　Often, older parents hear the ticking of another kind of biological clock. Therapists who work with middle-aged and older parents say fears about aging are nothing to laugh at. “They worry they‘ll be mistaken for grandparents, or that they‘ll need help getting up out of those little chairs in nursery school, ”says Joann Galst, a New York psychologist. But at the core of those little fears there is often a much bigger one:“that they won‘t be alive long enough to support and protect their child, ”she says.

　　Many late-life parents, though, say their children came at just the right time. After marrying late and undergoing years of fertility (受孕)treatment, Marilyn Nolen and her husband. Randy, had twins. “We both wanted children, ”says Marilyn, who was 55 when she gave birth. The twins have given the couple what they desired for years, “a sense of family. ”Kids of older dads are often smarter, happier and more sociable because their fathers are more involved in their lives. “The dads are older, more mature, ”says Dr. Silber, “and more ready to focus on parenting. ”

　　36.Why do psychiatrists regard maturity as an asset in child rearing?

　　A) Older parents are often better prepared financially.

　　B) Older parents can take better care of their children.

　　C) Older parents are usually more experienced in bringing up their children.

　　D) Older parents can better balance their resources against children‘s demands.

　　37.What does the author mean by saying “For many, retirement becomes an unobtainable dream”(Lines 7-8, Para. 1)?

　　A) They are reluctant to retire when they reach their retirement age.

　　B) They can‘t obtain the retirement benefits they have dreamed of.

　　C) They can‘t get full pension unless they work some extra years.

　　D) They have to go on working beyond their retirement age.

　　38.The author gives the example of Henry Metcalf to show that ________.

　　A) older parents should exercise more to keep up with their athletic children

　　B) many people are young in spirit despite their advanced age

　　C) older parents tend to be concerned about their aging bodies

　　D) taking afternoon naps is a good way to maintain energy

　　39.What‘s the biggest fear of older parents according to New York psychologist Joan Galst?

　　A) Approaching of death.

　　B) Slowing down of their pace of life.

　　C) Being laughed at by other people.

　　D) Being mistaken for grandparents.

　　40.What do we learn about Marilyn and Randy Nolen?

　　A) They thought they were an example of successful fertility treatment.

　　B) Not until they reached middle age did they think of having children.

　　C) Not until they had the twins did they feel they had formed a family.

　　D) They believed that children born of older parents would be smarter.

　　Unit 16

　　21.D 22.D 23.A 24.C 25.B 26.C 27.A 28.B 29.C 30.D

　　31.C 32.B 33.A 34.D 35.B 36.C 37.D 38.C 39.A 40.C

　　2017年12月英语四级阅读备考：全真试题(5)

　　Unit 5

　　Passage One

　　People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1993, the owners of a large hotel and of several houses discovered, to their horror, that their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eaten into the soft limestone cliffs on which they had been built. While experts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.

　　Erosion (侵蚀)of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has become more serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be abandoned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be swallowed up by the hungry sea.

　　Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents go further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland area of hard rock which will not be eaten as limestone is. Meanwhile, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain future, apply to a house agent in one of the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knockdown price but it may turn out to be a knockdown home.

　　11.What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?

　　A) The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens.

　　B) The experts‘lack of knowledge.

　　C) The rising of the sea level.

　　D) The washing-away of limestone cliffs.

　　12.The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ________.

　　A) will soon become a problem for people living in central England

　　B) has now become a threat to the local residents

　　C) is quickly changing the map of England

　　D) can be stopped if proper measures are taken

　　13.The experts‘study on the problem of erosion can ________.

　　A) lead to its eventual solution

　　B) provide an effective way to slow it down

　　C) help to prevent it from worsening

　　D) warn people whose homes are in danger

　　14.It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because ________.

　　A) it is too costly and will endanger neighbouring areas

　　B) the government is too slow in taking action

　　C) they will be easily knocked down by waves and currents

　　D) house agents along the coast do not support the idea

　　15.According to the author, when buying a house along the south coast of England, people should ________.

　　A) be aware of the potential danger involved

　　B) guard against being cheated by the house agent

　　C) take the quality of the house into consideration

　　D) examine the house carefully before making a decision

　　Passage Two

　　Sport is not only physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive amount of anxiety or stress for young athletes (运动员). Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological, and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.

　　The early years of development are critical years for learning abut oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to cooperate with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their lives.

　　Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents‘and coaches‘criticisms to heart and find aflaw (缺陷)in themselves. Coaches and parents should also be cautious that youth sport participation does not become work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of learning the sport and other life lessons. In today‘s youth sport setting, young athletes may be worrying more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game, many parents and coaches focus on the outcome and find fault with youngsters‘performances. Positive reinforcement should be provided regardless of the outcome. Research indicates that positive reinforcement motivates and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.

　　16.An effective way to prevent the burnout of young athletes is ________.

　　A) to make sports less competitive

　　B) to make sports more challenging

　　C) to reduce their mental stress

　　D) to increase their sense of success

　　17.According to the passage sport is positive for young people in that ________.

　　A) it can help them learn more about society

　　B) it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves

　　C) it enables them to find flaws in themselves

　　D) it can provide them with valuable experiences

　　18.Many coaches and parents are in the habit of criticizing young athletes ________.

　　A) without realizing criticism may destroy their self confidence

　　B) in order to make them remember life‘s lessons

　　C) believing that criticism is beneficial for their early development

　　D) so as to put more pressure on them

　　19.According to the passage parents and coaches should ________.

　　A) help children to win every game

　　B) pay more attention to letting children enjoy sports

　　C) enable children to understand the positive aspect of sports

　　D) train children to cope with stress

　　20.The author‘s purpose in writing the passage is ________.

　　A) to persuade young children not to worry about criticism

　　B) to stress the importance of positive reinforcement to children

　　C) to discuss the skill of combining criticism with encouragement

　　D) to teach young athletes how to avoid burnout

　　Passage Three

　　Humanity uses a little less than half the water available worldwide. Yet occurrences of shortages and droughts (干旱)are causing famine and distress in some areas, and industrial and agricultural by-products are polluting water supplies. Since the world‘population is expected to double in the next 50 years, many experts think we are on the edge of a widespread water crisis.

　　But that doesn‘t have to be the outcome. Water shortages do not have to trouble the world—if we start valuing water more than we have in the past. Just as we began to appreciate petroleum more after the 1970s oil crises, today we must start looking at water from a fresh economic perspective. We can no longer afford to consider water a virtually free resource of which we can use as much as we like in any way we want.

　　Instead, for all uses except the domestic demand of the poor, governments should price water to reflect its actual value. This means charging a fee for the water itself as well as for the supply costs.

　　Governments should also protect this resource by providing water in more economically and environmentally sound ways. For example, often the cheapest way to provide irrigation (灌溉)water in the dry tropics is through small-scale projects, such as gathering rainfall in depressions (凹地)and pumping it to nearby cropland.

　　No matter what steps governments take to provide water more efficiently, they must change their institutional and legal approaches to water sue. Rather than spread control among hundreds or even thousands of local, regional, and national agencies that watch various aspects of water use, countries should set up central authorities to coordinate water policy.

　　21.What is the real cause of the potential water crisis?

　　A) The world population is increasing faster and faster.

　　B) Half of the world‘s water resources have been seriously polluted.

　　C) Humanity has not placed sufficient value on water resources.

　　D) Only half of the world‘s water can be used.

　　22.As indicated in the passage, the water problem ________.

　　A) has been exaggerated by some experts in the field

　　B) is underestimated by government organizations at different levels

　　C) poses a challenge to the technology of building reservoirs

　　D) is already serious in certain parts of the world

　　23.According to the author, the water price should ________.

　　A) correspond to its real value

　　B) be reduced to the minimum

　　C) stimulate domestic demand

　　D) take into account the occurrences of droughts

　　24.The author says that in some hot and dry areas it is advisable to ________.

　　A) build big lakes to store water

　　B) construct big pumping stations

　　C) channel water from nearby rivers to cropland

　　D) build small and cheap irrigation systems

　　25.In order to raise the efficiency of the water supply, measures should be taken to ________.

　　A) centralize the management of water resources

　　B) increase the sense of responsibility of agencies at all levels

　　C) guarantee full protection of the environment

　　D) encourage local and regional control of water resources

　　Passage Four

　　We can see how the product life cycle works by looking at the introduction of instant coffee. When it was introduced, most people did not like it as well as “regular”coffee, and it took several years to gain general acceptance (introduction stage). At one point, though, instant coffee grew rapidly in popularity, and many brands were introduced (stage of rapid growth). After a while, people became attached to one brand and sales leveled off (stage of maturity). Sales went into a slight decline (衰退)when freeze-dried coffees were introduced (stage of decline).

　　The importance of the product life cycle to marketers is this:Different stages in the product life cycle call for different strategies. The goal is to extend product life so that sales and profits do not decline. One strategy is called market modification. It means that marketing managers look for new users and market sections. Did you know, for example, that the backpacks that so many students carry today were originally designed for the military?

　　Market modification also means searching for increased usage among present customers or going for a different market, such as senior citizens. A marketer may re-position the product to appeal to new market sections.

　　Another product extension strategy is called product modification. It involves changing product quality, features, or style to attract new users or more usage from present users. American auto manufacturers are using quality improvement as one way to recapture world markets. Note, also, how auto manufacturers once changed styles dramatically from year to year to keep demand from falling.

　　26.According to the passage, when people grow fond of one particular brand of a product, its sales will ________.

　　A) decrease gradually

　　B) remain at the same level

　　C) become unstable

　　D) improve enormously

　　27.The first paragraph tells us that a new product is ________.

　　A) not easily accepted by the public

　　B) often inferior to old ones at first

　　C) often more expensive than old ones

　　D) usually introduced to satisfy different tastes

　　28.Marketers need to know which of the four stages a product is in so as to ________.

　　A) promote its production

　　B) work out marketing policies

　　C) speed up its life cycle

　　D) increase its popularity

　　29.The author mentions the example of “backpacks”(Line 4, Para. 2)to show the importance of ________.

　　A) pleasing the young as well as the old

　　B) increasing usage among students

　　C) exploring new market sections

　　D) serving both military and civil needs

　　30.In order to recover their share of the world market, U. S. auto makers are ________.

　　A) improving product quality

　　B) increasing product features

　　C) modernizing product style

　　D) re-positioning their product in the market

　　Unit 5

　　11.C 12.B 13.A 14.B 15.D 16.A 17.C 18.B 19.A 20.C

　　21.D 22.A 23.C 24.C 25.B 26.D 27.D 28.A 29.B 30.A

　　2017年12月英语四级阅读备考：全真试题(4)

　　Unit 4

　　Passage One

　　Dogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave like wild animals. They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, fight other dogs and even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal dog activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect its normal behavior to outlets that are acceptable in the domestic setting.

　　One of the best things you can do for your dog and yourself is to obedience train it. Obedience training doesn‘t solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Training pens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want it to do.

　　Training is also an easy way to establish the social rank order. When your dog obeys a simple request of “come here, sit, ”it is showing obedience and respect for you. It is not necessary to establish yourself as top dog or leader of the pack (群)by using extreme measure. You can teach your dog its subordinate (从属的)role by teaching it to show submission to you. Most dogs love performing tricks for you to pleasantly accept that you are in charge.

　　Training should be fun and rewarding for you and your dog. It can enrich your relationship and make living together more enjoyable. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained animal.

　　21.Behavior problems of dogs are believe to ________.

　　A) be just part of their nature

　　B) worsen in modern society

　　C) occur when they go wild

　　D) present a threat to the community

　　22.The primary purpose of obedience training is to ________.

　　A) teach the dog to perform clever tricks

　　B) make the dog aware of its owner‘s authority

　　C) provide the dog with outlets for its wild behavior

　　D) enable the dog to regain its normal behavior

　　23.Effective communication between a dog and its owner is ________.

　　A) essential to solving the dog‘s behavior problems

　　B) the foundation for dogs to perform tasks

　　C) a good way to teach the dog new tricks

　　D) an extreme measure in obedience training

　　24.Why do pet dogs love performing tricks for their masters?

　　A) To avoid being punished.

　　B) To show their affection for their masters.

　　C) To win leadership of the dog pack.

　　D) To show their willingness to obey.

　　25.When a dog has received effective obedience training, its owner ________.

　　A) can give the dog more rewards

　　B) will enjoy a better family life

　　C) can give the dog more freedom

　　D) will have more confidence in himself

　　Passage Two

　　Engineering students are supposed to be examples of practicality and rationality, but when it comes to my college education I am an idealist and a fool. In high school I wanted to be an electrical engineer and, of course, any sensible student with my aims would have chosen a college with a large engineering department, famous reputation and lots of good labs and research equipment. But that‘s not what I did.

　　I chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts (文科)university that doesn‘t even offer a major in electrical engineering. Obviously, this was not a practical choice;I came here for more noble reasons. I wanted a broad education that would provide me with flexibility and a value system to guide me in my career. I wanted to open my eyes and expand my vision by interacting with people who weren‘t studying science or engineering. My parents, teachers and other adults praised me for such a sensible choice. They told me I was wise and mature beyond my 18 years, and I believed them.

　　I headed off to college sure I was going to have an advantage over those students who went to big engineering “factories”where they didn‘t care if you have values or were flexible. I was going to be a complete engineer:technical genius and sensitive humanist (人文学者)all in one.

　　Now I‘m not so sure. Somewhere along the way my noble ideals crashed into reality, as all noble ideals eventually do. After three years of struggling to balance math, physics and engineering courses with liberal-arts courses, I have learned there are reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile (协调)engineering with liberal-arts courses in college.

　　The reality that has blocked my path to become the typical successful student is that engineering and the liberal arts simply don‘t‘mix as easily as I assumed in high school. Individually they shape a person in very different ways;together they threaten to confuse. The struggle to reconcile the two fields of study is difficult.

　　26.The author chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts university because he ________.

　　A) wanted to be an example of practicality and rationality

　　B) intended to be a combination of engineer and humanist

　　C) wanted to coordinate engineering with liberal-arts courses in college

　　D) intended to be a sensible student with noble ideals

　　27.According to the author, by interacting with people who study liberal arts, engineering students can ________.

　　A) balance engineering and the liberal arts

　　B) receive guidance in their careers

　　C) become noble idealists

　　D) broaden their horizons

　　28.In the eyes of the author, a successful engineering student is expected ________.

　　A) to have an excellent academic record

　　B) to be wise and mature

　　C) to be imaginative with a value system to guide him

　　D) to be a technical genius with a wide vision

　　29.The author‘s experience shows that he was ________.

　　A) creative

　　B) ambitious

　　C) unrealistic

　　D) irrational

　　30.The word “they”in “. . . together they threaten to confuse. ”(Line 3, Para. 5)refers to ________.

　　A) engineering and the liberal arts

　　B) reality and noble ideals

　　C) flexibility and a value system

　　D) practicality and rationality

　　Passage Three

　　Priscilla Ouchida‘s “energy-efficient”house turned out to be a horrible dream. When she and her engineer husband married a few years ago, they built a $100, 000, three-bedroom home in California. Tightly sealed to prevent air leaks, the house was equipped with small double-paned (双层玻璃的)windows and several other energy-saving features. Problems began as soon as the couple moved in, however. Priscilla‘s eyes burned. Her throat was constantly dry. She suffered from headaches and could hardly sleep. It was as though she had suddenly developed a strange illness.

　　Experts finally traced the cause of her illness. The level offormaldehyde (甲醛)gas in her kitchen was twice the maximum allowed by federal standards for chemical workers. The source of the gas?Her new kitchen cabinets and wall-to-wall carpeting.

　　The Ouchidas are victims of indoor air pollution, which is not given sufficient attention partly because of the nation‘s drive to save energy.

　　The problem itself isn‘t new. “The indoor environment was dirty long before energy conservation came along, ”says Moschandreas, a pollution scientist at Geomet Technologies in Maryland. “Energy conservation has tended to accentuate the situation in some cases. ”The problem appears to be more troublesome in newly constructed homes rather than old ones. Back in the days when energy was cheap, home builders didn‘t worry much about unsealed cracks. Because of such leaks, the air in an average home was replaced by fresh outdoor air about once an hour. As a result, the pollutants generated in most households seldom build up to dangerous levels.

　　31.It can be learned from the passage that the Ouchidas‘house ________.

　　A) is well worth the money spent on its construction

　　B) is almost faultless from the point of energy conservation

　　C) failed to meet energy conservation standards

　　D) was designed and constructed in a scientific way

　　32.What made the Ouchidas‘new house a horrible dream?

　　A) Lack of fresh air.

　　B) Poor quality of building materials.

　　C) Gas leakage in the kitchen.

　　D) The newly painted walls.

　　33.The word “accentuate”(Line 4, Para. 3)most probably means “________”.

　　A) relieve

　　B) accelerate

　　C) worsen

　　D) improve

　　34.Why were cracks in old houses not a big concern?

　　A) Because indoor cleanliness was not emphasized.

　　B) Because energy used to be inexpensive.

　　C) Because environmental protection was given top priority.

　　D) Because they were technically unavoidable.

　　35.This passage is most probably taken from an article entitled “________”.

　　A) Energy Conservation

　　B) Houses Building Crisis

　　C) Air Pollution Indoors

　　D) Traps in Building Construction

　　Passage Four

　　In 1993 New York State ordered stores to charge a deposit on beverage (饮料)containers. Within a year. Consumers had returned millions of aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles. Plenty of companies were eager to accept the aluminum and glass as raw materials for new products. But because few could figure out what to do with the plastic, much of it wound up buried in landfills (垃圾填埋场). The problem was not limited to New York. Unfortunately, there were too few uses for second-hand plastic.

　　Today, one out of five plastic soda bottles is recycled (回收利用)in the United States. The reason for the change is that now there are dozens of companies across the country buying discarded plastic soda bottles and turning them into fence posts, paint brushes, etc.

　　As the New York experience shows, recycling involves more than simply separating valuable materials from the rest of the rubbish. A discard remains a discard until somebody figures out how to give it a second life-and until economic arrangements exist to give that second life value. Without adequate markets to absorb materials collected for recycling, throwaways actually depress prices for used materials.

　　Shrinking landfill space, and rising costs for burying and burning rubbish are forcing local governments to look more closely at recycling. In many areas, the East Coast especially, recycling is already the least expensive waste-management option. For every ton of waste recycled, a city avoids paying for its disposal, which, in parts of New York, amounts to saving of more than $100 per ton. Recycling also stimulates the local economy by creating jobs and trims the pollution control and energy costs of industries that make recycled products by giving them a more refined raw material.

　　36.What regulation was issued by New York State concerning beverage containers?

　　A) Beverage companies should be responsible for collecting and reusing discarded plastic soda bottles.

　　B) Throwaways should be collected by the state for recycling.

　　C) A fee should be charged on used containers for recycling.

　　D) Consumers had to pay for beverage containers and could get their money back on returning them.

　　37.The returned plastic bottles in New York used to ________.

　　A) end up somewhere underground

　　B) be turned into raw materials

　　C) have a second-life value

　　D) be separated from other rubbish

　　38.The key problem in dealing with returned plastic beverage containers is ________.

　　A) to sell them at a profitable price

　　B) how to turn them into useful things

　　C) how to reduce their recycling costs

　　D) to lower the prices for used materials

　　39.Recycling ahs become the first choice for the disposal of rubbish because ________.

　　A) local governments find it easy to manage

　　B) recycling ahs great appeal for the jobless

　　C) recycling causes little pollution

　　D) other methods are more expensive

　　40.It can be concluded from the passage that ________.

　　A) rubbish is a potential remedy for the shortage of raw materials

　　B) local governments in the U. S. can expect big profits from recycling

　　C) recycling is to be recommended both economically and environmentally

　　D) landfills will still be widely used for waste disposal

　　Unit 4

　　21.C 22.D 23.D 24.A 25.B 26.C 27.A 28.B 29.D 30.B

　　31.D 32.A 33.A 34.D 35.B 36.C 37.D 38.C 39.B 40.A

　　2017年12月英语四级阅读备考：全真试题(3)

　　Unit 3

　　Passage One

　　Long after the 1998 World Cup was won, disappointed fans were still cursing the disputed refereeing (裁判)decisions that denied victory to their team. A researcher was appointed to study the performance of some top referees.

　　The researcher organized an experimental tournament (锦标赛)involving four youth teams. Each match lasted an hour, divided into three periods of 20 minutes during which different referees were in charge.

　　Observers noted down the referees‘errors, of which there were 61 over the tournament. Converted to a standard match of 90 minutes, each referee made almost 23 mistakes, a remarkably high number.

　　The researcher then studied the videotapes to analyse the matches in detail. Surprisingly, he found that errors were more likely when the referees were close to the incident. When the officials got it right, they were, on average, 17 meters away from the action. The average distance in the case of errors was 12 meters. The research shows the optimum (最佳的.)distance is about 20 meters.

　　There also seemed to be an optimum speed. Correct decisions came when the referees were moving at a speed of about 2 meters per second. The average speed for errors was 4 meters per second.

　　If FIFA, football‘s international ruling body, wants to improve the standard of refereeing at the next World Cup, it should encourage referees to keep their eyes on the action from a distance, rather than rushing to keep up with the ball, the researcher argues.

　　He also says that FIFA‘s insistence that referees should retire at age 45 may be misguided. If keeping up with the action is not so important, their physical condition is less critical.

　　21.The experiment conducted by the researcher was meant to ________.

　　A) review the decisions of referees at the 1998 World Cup

　　B) analyse the causes of errors made by football referees

　　C) set a standard for football refereeing

　　D) reexamine the rules for football refereeing

　　22.The number of refereeing errors in the experimental matches was ________.

　　A) slightly above average

　　B) higher than in the 1998 World Cup

　　C) quite unexpected

　　D) as high as in a standard match

　　23.The findings of the experiment show that ________.

　　A) errors are more likely when a referee keeps close to the ball

　　B) the farther the referee is from the incident, the fewer the errors

　　C) the more slowly the referee runs, the more likely will errors occur

　　D) errors are less likely when a referee stays in one spot

　　24.The word “officials”(Line 2, Para. 4)most probably refers to ________.

　　A) the researchers involved in the experiment

　　B) the inspectors of the football tournament

　　C) the referees of the football tournament

　　D) the observers at the site of the experiment

　　25.What is one of the possible conclusions of the experiment?

　　A) The ideal retirement age for an experienced football referee is 45

　　B) Age should not be the chief consideration in choosing a football referee.

　　C) A football referee should be as young and energetic as possible.

　　D) An experienced football referee can do well even when in poor physical condition.

　　Passage Two

　　While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states—at least in getting people off welfare. It‘s estimated that more than 2 million people have left the rolls since 1994.

　　In the past four years, welfare rolls in Athens Country have been cut in half. But 70 percent of the people who left in the past tow years took jobs that paid less than $6 an hour. The result:The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent—twice the national average.

　　For advocates (代言人)for the poor, that‘s an indication much more needs to be done.

　　“More people are getting jobs, but it‘s not making their lives any better, ”says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington.

　　A center analysis of US Census data nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed households were earning money on their own, but that average income for these households actually went down.

　　But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory.

　　“Welfare was a poison. It was a toxin (毒素)that was poisoning the family, ”says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst. “The reform in changing the moral climate in low-income communities. It‘s beginning to rebuild the work ethic (道德观), which is much more important. ”

　　Mr. Rector and others argued that once “the habit of dependency is cracked, ”then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards.

　　26.From the passage, it can be seen that the author ________.

　　A) believes the reform has reduced the government‘s burden

　　B) insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor

　　C) is overenthusiastic about the success of welfare reform

　　D) considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful

　　27.Why aren‘t people enjoying better lives when they have jobs?

　　A) Because many families are divorced.

　　B) Because government aid is now rare.

　　C) Because their wages are low.

　　D) Because the cost of living is rising.

　　28.What is worth noting from the example of Athens County is that ________.

　　A) greater efforts should be made to improve people‘s living standards

　　B) 70 percent of the people there have been employed for two years

　　C) 50 percent of the population no longer relies on welfare

　　D) the living standards of most people are going down

　　29.From the passage we know that welfare reform aims at ________.

　　A) saving welfare funds

　　B) rebuilding the work ethic

　　C) providing more jobs

　　D) cutting government expenses

　　30.According to the passage before the welfare reform was carried out, ________.

　　A) the poverty rate was lover

　　B) average living standards were higher

　　C) the average worker was paid higher wages

　　D) the poor used to rely on government aid

　　Passage Three

　　Americans are pound of their variety and individuality, yet they love and respect few things more than a uniform, whether it is the uniform of an elevator operator or the uniform of a five-star general. Why are uniforms so popular in the United States?

　　Among the arguments for uniforms, one of the first is that in the eyes of most people they look more professional than civilian (百姓的)clothes. People have become conditioned to expect superior quality from a man who wears a uniform. The television repairman who wears uniform tends to inspire more trust than one who appears in civilian clothes. Faith in the skill of a garage mechanic is increased by a uniform. What easier way is there for a nurse, a policeman, a barber, or a waiter to lose professional identity (身份)than to step out of uniform?

　　Uniforms also have many practical benefits. They save on other clothes. They save on laundry bills. They are tax-deductible (可减税的). They are often more comfortable and more durable than civilian clothes.

　　Primary among the arguments against uniforms is their lack of variety and the consequent loss of individuality experienced by people who must wear them. Though there are many types of uniforms, the wearer of any particular type is generally stuck with it, without change, until retirement. When people look alike, they tend to think, speak, and act similarly, on the job at least.

　　Uniforms also give rise to some practical problems. Though they are long-lasting, often their initial expense is greater than the cost of civilian clothes. Some uniforms are also expensive to maintain, requiring professional dry cleaning rather than the home laundering possible with many types of civilian clothes.

　　31.It is surprising that Americans who worship variety and individuality ________.

　　A) still judge a man by his clothes

　　B) hold the uniform in such high regard

　　C) enjoy having a professional identity

　　D) will respect an elevator operator as much as a general in uniform

　　32.People are accustomed to think that a man in uniform ________.

　　A) suggests quality work

　　B) discards his social identity

　　C) appears to be more practical

　　D) looks superior to a person in civilian clothes

　　33.The chief function of a uniform is to ________.

　　A) provide practical benefits to the wearer

　　B) make the wearer catch the pubic eye

　　C) inspire the wearer‘s confidence in himself

　　D) provide the wearer with a professional identity

　　34.According to the passage, people wearing uniforms ________.

　　A) are usually helpful

　　B) have little or no individual freedom

　　C) tend to lose their individuality

　　D) enjoy greater popularity

　　35.The best title for this passage would be ________.

　　A) Uniforms and Society

　　B) The Importance of Wearing a Uniform

　　C) Practical Benefits of Wearing a Uniform

　　D) Advantages and Disadvantages of Uniforms

　　Passage Four

　　Since we are social beings, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human condition is our tendency to give and receive support from one another under stressful circumstances. Social support consists of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties. Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to cope with major life changes and daily hassles (困难). People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over a range of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, reveal that the presence of social support helps people fend off (挡开)illness, and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.

　　Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives, and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others despite our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Engaging in leisure-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting (转移??注意力)us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give us instrumental support—financial aid, material resources, and needed services—that reduces stress by helping us resolve and cope with our problems.

　　36.Interpersonal relationships are important because ________.

　　A) they are indispensable to people‘s social well-being

　　B) they awaken people‘s desire to exchange resources

　　C) they help people to cope with life in the information era

　　D) they can cure a range of illnesses such as heart disease, etc

　　37.Research shows that people‘s physical and mental health ________.

　　A) relies on the social welfare systems which support them

　　B) has much to do with the amount of support they get from others

　　C) depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles

　　D) is closely related to their strength for coping with major changes in their lives

　　38.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “cushions”(Line 1, Para. 2)?

　　A) Adds up to.

　　B) Does away with.

　　C) Lessens the effect of.

　　D) Lays the foundation for.

　　39.Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work is an example of ________.

　　A) instrumental support

　　B) informational support

　　C) social companionship

　　D) the strengthening of self-respect

　　40.Social companionship is beneficial in that ________.

　　A) it helps strengthen our ties with relatives

　　B) it enables us to eliminate our faults and mistakes

　　C) it makes our leisure-time activities more enjoyable

　　D) it draws our attention away from our worries and troubles

　　Unit 3

　　21.B 22.C 23.A 24.C 25.B 26.D 27.C 28.A 29.B 30.D

　　31.B 32.A 33.D 34.C 35.D 36.A 37.B 38.C 39.A 40.D

　　2017年12月英语四级阅读备考：全真试题(2)

　　Unit 2

　　Passage One

　　Unless we spend money to spot and prevent asteroids (小行星)now, one might crash into Earth and destroy life as we know it, say some scientists.

　　Asteroids are bigger versions of the meteoroids (流星)that race across the night sky. Most orbit the sun far from Earth and don‘t threaten us. But there are also thousands of asteroids whose orbits put them on a collision course with Earth.

　　Buy $50 million worth of new telescopes right now. Then spend $10 million a year for the next 25 years to locate most of the space rocks. By the time we spot a fatal one, the scientists say, we‘ll have a way to change its course.

　　Some scientists favor pushing asteroids off course with nuclear weapons. But the cost wouldn‘t be cheap.

　　Is it worth it?Two things experts consider when judging any risk re:1)How likely the event is;and 2)How bad the consequences if the event occurs. Experts think an asteroid big enough to destroy lots of life might strike Earth once every 500, 000 years. Sounds pretty rare—but if one did fall, it would be the end of the world. “If we don‘t take care of these big asteroids, they‘ll take care of us, ”says one scientist. “It‘s that simple. ”

　　The cure, though, might be worse than the disease. Do we really want fleets of nuclear weapons sitting around on Earth?“The world has less to fear from doomsday (毁灭性的)rocks than from a great nuclear fleet set against them, ”said a New York Times article.

　　21.What does the passage say about asteroids and meteoroids?

　　A) They are heavenly bodies different in composition.

　　B) They are heavenly bodies similar in nature.

　　C) There are more asteroids than meteoroids.

　　D) Asteroids are more mysterious than meteoroids.

　　22.What do scientists say about the collision of an asteroid with Earth?

　　A) It is very unlikely but the danger exists.

　　B) Such a collision might occur once every 25 years.

　　C) Collisions of smaller asteroids with Earth occur more often than expected.

　　D) It‘s still too early to say whether such a collision might occur.

　　23.What do people think of the suggestion of using nuclear weapons to alter the courses of asteroids?

　　A) It sounds practical but it may not solve the problem.

　　B) It may create more problems than it might solve.

　　C) It is a waste of money because a collision of asteroids with Earth is very unlikely.

　　D) Further research should be done before it is proved applicable.

　　24.We can conclude from the passage that ________.

　　A) while pushing asteroids off course nuclear weapons would destroy the world

　　B) asteroids racing across the night sky are likely to hit Earth in the near future

　　C) the worry about asteroids can be left to future generations since it is unlikely to happen in our lifetime

　　D) workable solutions still have to be found to prevent a collision of asteroids with Earth

　　25.Which of the following best describes the author‘s tone in this passage?

　　A) Optimistic.

　　B) Critical.

　　C) Objective.

　　D) Arbitrary.

　　Passage Two

　　Believe it or not, optical illusion (错觉)can cut highway crashes.

　　Japan is a case in point. It has reduced automobile crashes on some roads by nearly 75 percent using a simple optical illusion. Bent stripes, called chevrons (人字形), painted on the roads make drivers think that they are driving faster than they really are, and thus drivers slow down.

　　Now the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety in Washington D. C. is planning to repeat Japan‘s success. Starting next year, the foundation will paint chevrons and other patterns of stripes on selected roads around the country to test how well the patterns reduce highway crashes.

　　Excessive speed plays a major role in as much as one fifth of all fatal traffic accidents, according to the foundation. To help reduce those accidents, the foundation will conduct its tests in areas where speed-related hazards are the greatest—curves, exit slopes, traffic circles, and bridges.

　　Some studies suggest that straight, horizontal bars painted across roads can initially cut the average speed of drivers in half. However, traffic often returns to full speed within months as drivers become used to seeing the painted bars.

　　Chevrons, scientists say, not only give drivers the impression that they are driving faster than they really are but also make a lane appear to be narrower. The result is a longer lasting reduction in highway sped and the number of traffic accidents.

　　26.The passage mainly discusses ________.

　　A) a new way of highway speed control

　　B) a new pattern for painting highways

　　C) a new approach to training drivers

　　D) a new type of optical illusion

　　27.On roads painted with chevrons, drivers tend to feel that ________.

　　A) they should avoid speed-related hazards

　　B) they are driving in the wrong lane

　　C) they should slow down their speed

　　D) they are approaching the speed limit

　　28.The advantage of chevrons over straight, horizontal bars is that the former ________.

　　A) can keep drivers awake

　　B) can cut road accidents in half

　　C) will have a longer effect on drivers

　　D) will look more attractive

　　29.The American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety plans to ________.

　　A) try out the Japanese method in certain areas

　　B) change the road signs across the country

　　C) replace straight, horizontal bars with chevrons

　　D) repeat the Japanese road patterns

　　30.What does the author say about straight, horizontal bars painted across roads?

　　A) They are falling out of use in the United States.

　　B) They tend to be ignored by drivers in a short period of time.

　　C) They are applicable only on broad roads.

　　D) They cannot be applied successfully to traffic circles.

　　Passage Three

　　Amtrak (美国铁路客运公司)was experiencing a downswing in ridership (客运量)along the lines comprising its rail system. Of major concern to Amtrak and its advertising agency DDB Needham, were the long-distance western routes where ridership had been declining significantly. ]At one time, trains were the only practical way to cross the vast areas of the west. Trains were fast, very luxurious, and quite convenient compared to other forms of transportation existing at the time. However, times change and the automobile became America‘s standard of convenience. Also, air travel had easily established itself as the fastest method of traveling great distances. Therefore, the task for DDB Needham was to encourage consumers to consider other aspects of train travel in order to change their attitudes and increase the likelihood that trains would be considered for travel in the west.

　　Two portions of the total market were targeted:1)anxious fliers—those concerned with safety, relaxation, and cleanliness and 2)travel-lovers—those viewing themselves as relaxed, casual, and interested in the travel experience as part of their vacation. The agency then developed a campaign that focused on travel experiences such as freedom, escape, relaxation, and enjoyment of the great western outdoors. It stressed experiences gained by using the trains and portrayed western train trips as wonderful adventures.

　　Advertisements showed pictures of the beautiful scenery that could be enjoyed along some of the more famous western routes and emphasized the romantic names of some of these trains (Empire Builder, etc. ). These ads were strategically placed among family-oriented TV shows and programs involving nature and America in order to most effectively reach target audiences. Results were impressive. The Empire Builder, which was focused on in one ad, enjoyed a 15 percent increase in profits on its Chicago to Seattle route.

　　31.What‘s the author‘s purpose in writing this passage?

　　A) To show the inability of trains to compete with planes with respect to speed and convenience.

　　B) To stress the influence of the automobile on America‘s standard of convenience.

　　C) To emphasize the function of travel agencies in market promotion.

　　D) To illustrate the important role of persuasive communication in changing consumer attitudes.

　　32.It can be inferred from the passage that the drop in Amtrak ridership was due to the fact that ________.

　　A) trains were not suitable for short distance passenger transportation

　　B) trains were not the fastest and most convenient form of transportation

　　C) trains were not as fast and convenient as they used to be

　　D) trains could not compete with planes in terms of luxury and convenience

　　33.To encourage consumers to travel by train, DDB Needham emphasized ________.

　　A) the freedom and convenience provided on trains

　　B) the practical aspects of train travel

　　C) the adventurous aspects of train trips

　　D) the safety and cleanliness of train trips

　　34.The train ads were placed among family-oriented TV programs involving nature and America because ________.

　　A) they could focus on meaningful travel experiences

　　B) they could increase the effectiveness of the TV programs

　　C) their profits could be increased by some 15 percent

　　D) most travel-lovers and nervous fliers were believed to be among the audiences

　　35.According to the passage, the Empire Builder enjoyed an increase in ridership and profits because ________.

　　A) the attractiveness of its name and route was effectively advertised

　　B) it provided an exciting travel experience

　　C) its passengers could enjoy the great western outdoors

　　D) it was widely advertised in newspapers and magazines in Chicago and Seattle

　　Passage Four

　　Why does cram go bad faster than butter?Some researchers think they have the answer, and it comes down to the structure of the food, not its chemical composition—a finding that could help rid some processed foods of chemical preservatives.

　　Cream and butter contain pretty much the same substances, so why cream should sour much faster has been a mystery. Both are emulsions—tiny globules (小球体)of one liquid evenly distributed throughout another. The difference lies in what‘s in the globules and what‘s in the surrounding liquid, says Brocklehurst, who led the investigation.

　　In cream, fatty globules drift about in a sea of water. In butter, globules of a watery solution are locked away in a sea of fat. The bacteria which make the food go bad prefer to live in the watery regions of the mixture. “This means that in cream, the bacteria are free to grow throughout the mixture, ”he says.

　　When the situation is reversed, the bacteria are locked away in compartments (隔仓室)buried deep in the sea of fat. Trapped in this way, individual colonies cannot spread and rapidly run out of nutrients (养料). They also slowly poison themselves with their waste products. “In butter, you get a self-limiting system which stops the bacteria growing, ”says Brocklehurst.

　　The researchers are already working with food companies keen to see if their products can be made resistant to bacterial attack through alterations to the food‘s structure. Brocklehurst believes it will be possible to make the emulsions used in salad cream, for instance, more like that in butter. The key will be to do this while keeping the salad cream liquid and not turning it into a solid lump.

　　36.The significance of Brocklehurst‘s research is that ________.

　　A) it suggested a way to keep some foods fresh without preservatives

　　B) it discovered tiny globules in both cream and butter

　　C) it revealed the secret of how bacteria multiply in cream and butter

　　D) it found that cream and butter share the same chemical composition

　　37.According to the researchers, cream sours fast than butter because bacteria ________.

　　A) are more evenly distributed in cream

　　B) multiply more easily in cream than in butter

　　C) live on less fat in cream than in butter

　　D) produce less waste in cream than in butter

　　38.According to Brocklehurst, we can keep cream fresh by ________.

　　A) removing its fat

　　B) killing the bacteria

　　C) reducing its water content

　　D) altering its structure

　　39.The word “colonies”(Line 2, Para. 4)refers to ________.

　　A) tiny globules

　　B) watery regions

　　C) bacteria communities

　　D) little compartments

　　40.Commercial application of the research finding will be possible if salad cream can be made resistant to bacterial attack ________.

　　A) by varying its chemical composition

　　B) by turning it into a solid lump

　　C) while keeping its structure unchanged

　　D) while retaining its liquid form

　　Unit 2

　　21.B 22.A 23.B 24.D 25.C 26.A 27.C 28.C 29.A 30.B

　　31.D 32.B 33.C 34.D 35.A 36.A 37.B 38.D 39.C 40.D

　　2017年12月英语四级阅读备考：全真试题(1)

　　Unit 1

　　Passage One

　　The biggest safety threat facing airlines today may not be a terrorist with a gun, but the man with the portable computer in business class. In the last 15 years, pilots have reported well over 100 incidents that could have been caused by electromagnetic interference. The source of this interference remains unconfirmed, but increasingly, experts are pointing the blame at portable electronic device such as portable computers, radio and cassette players and mobile telephones.

　　RTCA, an organization which advises the aviation (航空)industry, has recommended that all airlines ban (禁止)such devices from being used during “critical”stages of flight, particularly take-off and landing. Some experts have gone further, calling for a total ban during all flights. Currently, rules on using these devices are left up to individual airlines. And although some airlines prohibit passengers from using such equipment during take-off and landing, most are reluctant to enforce a total ban, given that many passengers want to work during flights.

　　The difficulty is predicting how electromagnetic fields might affect an aircraft‘s computers. Experts know that portable device emit radiation which affects those wavelengths which aircraft use for navigation and communication. But, because they have not been able to reproduce these effects in a laboratory, they have no way of knowing whether the interference might be dangerous or not.

　　The fact that aircraft may be vulnerable (易受损的)to interference raises the risk that terrorists may use radio systems in order to damage navigation equipment. As worrying, though, is the passenger who can‘t hear the instructions to turn off his radio because the music‘s too loud.

　　21.The passage is mainly about ________.

　　A) a new regulation for al airlines

　　B) the defects of electronic devices

　　C) a possible cause of aircraft crashes

　　D) effective safety measures for air flight

　　22.What is said about the over 100 aircraft incidents in the past 15 years?

　　A) They may have been caused by the damage to the radio systems.

　　B) They may have taken place during take-off and landing.

　　C) They were proved to have been caused by the passengers portable computers.

　　D) They were suspected to have resulted from electromagnetic interference.

　　23.Few airlines want to impose a total ban on their passengers using electronic devices because ________.

　　A) they don‘t believe there is such a danger as radio interference

　　B) the harmful effect of electromagnetic interference is yet to be proved

　　C) most passengers refuse to take a plane which bans the use of radio and cassette players

　　D) they have other effective safety measures to fall back on

　　24.Why is it difficult to predict the possible effects of electromagnetic fields on an airplane‘s computers?

　　A) Because it is extremely dangerous to conduct such research on an airplane.

　　B) Because it remains a mystery what wavelengths are liable to be interfered with.

　　C) Because research scientists have not been able to produce the same effects in labs.

　　D) Because experts lack adequate equipment to do such research.

　　25.It can be inferred from the passage that the author ________.

　　A) is in favor of prohibiting passengers‘use of electronic devices completely

　　B) has overestimated the danger of electromagnetic interference

　　C) hasn‘t formed his own opinion on this problem

　　D) regards it as unreasonable to exercise a total ban during flight

　　Passage Two

　　The rise of multinational corporations (跨国公司), global marketing, new communications technologies, and shrinking cultural differences have led to an unparalleled increase in global public relations or PR.

　　Surprisingly, since modern PR was largely an American invention, the U. S. leadership in public relations is being threatened by PR efforts in other countries. Ten years ago, for example, the world‘s top five public relations agencies were American-owned. In 1991, only one was. The British in particular are becoming more sophisticated and creative. A recent survey found that more than half of all British companies include PR as part of their corporate (公司的)planning activities, compared to about one-third of U. S. companies. It may not be long before London replaces New York as the capital of PR.

　　Why is America lagging behind in the global PR race? First, Americans as a whole tend to be fairly provincial and take more of an interest in local affairs. Knowledge of world geography, for example, has never been strong in this country. Secondly, Americans lag behind their European and Asian counterparts (相对应的人)in knowing a second language. Less than 5 percent of Burson—Marshall‘s U. S. employees know two languages. Ogilvy and Mather has about the same percentage. Conversely, some European firms have half or more of their employees fluent in a second language. Finally, people involved in PR abroad tend to keep a closer eye on international affairs. In the financial PR area, for instance, most Americans read the Wall Street Journal. Overseas, their counterparts read the Journal as well as the Financial Times of London and The Economist, publications not often read in this country.

　　Perhaps the PR industry might take a lesson from Ted Turner of CNN (Cable News Network). Turner recently announced that the word “foreign”would no longer be used on CNN news broadcasts. According to Turner, global communications have made the nations of the world so interdependent that there is no longer any such things as foreign.

　　26.According to the passage, U. S. leadership in public relations is being threatened because of ________.

　　A) an unparalleled increase in the number of public relations companies

　　B) shrinking cultural differences and new communications technologies

　　C) the decreasing number of multinational corporations in the U. S.

　　D) increased efforts of other countries in public relations

　　27.London could soon replace New York as the center of PR because ________.

　　A) British companies are more ambitious than U. S. companies

　　B) British companies place more importance on PR than U. S. companies

　　C) British companies are heavily involved in planning activities

　　D) four of the world‘s top public relations agencies are British-owned

　　28.The word “provincial”(Line 2, Para. 3)most probably means “________”.

　　A) limited in outlook

　　B) like people from the provinces

　　C) rigid in thinking

　　D) interested in world financial affairs

　　29.We learn from the third paragraph that employees in the American PR industry ________.

　　A) speak at least one foreign language fluently

　　B) are ignorant about world geography

　　C) are not as sophisticated as their European counterparts

　　D) enjoy reading a great variety of English business publications

　　30.What lesson might the PR industry take from Ted Turner of CNN?

　　A) American PR companies should be more internationally-minded.

　　B) The American PR industry should develop global communications technologies.

　　C) People working in PR should be more fluent in foreign languages.

　　D) People involved in PR should avoid using the word “foreign”.