大学英语四级真题阅读部分(新)

英语四级、六级考试练习

2006年6月大学英语四级真题阅读部分

Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

Communications technologies are far from equal when it comes to conveying the truth. The first study to compare honesty across a range of communication media has fund that people are twice as likely to tell lies in phone conversations as they are in emails. The fact that emails are automatically recorded—and can come back to haunt (困扰) you—appears to be the key to the finding.

Jeff Hancock of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, asked 30 students to keep a communications diary for a week. In it they noted the number of conversations or email exchanges they had lasting more than 10 minutes, and confessed to how many lies they told. Hancock then worked out the number of lies per conversation for each medium. He found that lies made up 14 per cent of emails, 21 per cent of instant messages, 27 per cent of face-to-face interactions and an astonishing 37 per cent of phone calls.

His results to be presented at the conference on human-computer interaction in Vienna, Austria, in April, have surprised psychologists. Some expected emailers to be the biggest liars, reasoning that because deception makes people uncomfortable, the detachment (非直接接触) of emailing would make it easier to lie. Others expected people to lie more in face-to-face exchanges because we are most practised at that form of communication.

But Hancock says it is also crucial whether a conversation is being recorded and could be reread, and whether it occurs in real time. People appear to be afraid to lie when they know the communication could later be used to hold them to account, he says. This is why fewer lies appear in email than on the phone.

People are also more likely to lie in real time—in a instant message or phone call, say—than if they have time to think of a response, says Hancock. He found many lies are spontaneous (脱口而出的) responses to an unexpected demand, such as: ―Do you like my dress?‖

Hancock hopes his research will help companies work our the best ways for their employees to communicate. For instance, the phone might be the best medium foe sales where employees are encouraged to stretch the truth. But, given his result, work assessment where honesty is a priority, might be best done using email.

57. Hancock’s study focuses on ________.

A) the consequences of lying in various communications media

B) the success of communications technologies in conveying ideas

C) people are less likely to lie in instant messages

D) people’s honesty levels across a range of communications media

58. Hancock’s research finding surprised those who believed that ________.

A) people are less likely to lie in instant messages

B) people are unlikely to lie in face-to-face interactions

C) people are most likely to lie in email communication

D) people are twice as likely to lie in phone conversations

59. According to the passage, why are people more likely to tell the truth through certain media of communication?

英语四级、六级考试练习

A) They are afraid of leaving behind traces of their lies.

B) They believe that honesty is the best policy.

C) They tend to be relaxed when using those media.

D) They are most practised at those forms of communication.

60. According to Hancock the telephone is a preferable medium for promoting sales because ________.

A) salesmen can talk directly to their customers

B) salesmen may feel less restrained to exaggerate

C) salesmen can impress customers as being trustworthy

D) salesmen may pass on instant messages effectively

61. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A) honesty should be encouraged in interpersonal communications

B) more employers will use emails to communicate with their employees

C) suitable media should be chosen for different communication purposes

D) email is now the dominant medium of communication within a company

Passage Two

Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

In a country that defines itself by ideals, not by shared blood, who should be allowed to come work and live here? In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks these questions have never seemed more pressing.

On Dec. 11, 2001, as part of the effort to increase homeland security, federal and local authorities in 14 states staged ―Operation Safe Travel‖—raids on airports to arrest employees with false identification (身份证明). In Salt Lake City there were 69 arrests. But those captured were anything but terrorists, most of them illegal immigrants from Central or South America. Authorities said the undocumented workers’ illegal status made them open to blackmail (讹诈) by terrorists.

Many immigrants in Salt Lake City were angered by the arrests and said they felt as if they were being treated like disposable goods.

Mayor Anderson said those feelings were justified to a certain extent. ―We’re saying we want you to work in these places, we’re going to look the other way in terms of what our laws are, and then when it’s convenient for us, or when we can try to make a point in terms of national security, especially after Sept. 11, then you’re disposable. There are whole families being uprooted for all of the wrong reasons,‖ Anderson said.

If Sept. 11 had never happened, the airport workers would not have been arrested and could have gone on quietly living in America, probably indefinitely. Ana Castro, a manager at a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop at the airport had been working 10 years with the same false Social Security card when she was arrested in the December airport raid. Now she and her family are living under the threat of deportation (驱逐出境). Castro’s case is currently waiting to be settled. While she awaits the outcome, the government has granted her permission to work here and she has returned to her job at Ben & Jerry’s.

62. According to the author, the United States claims to be a nation ________.

A) composed of people having different values

B) encouraging individual pursuits

C) sharing common interests

英语四级、六级考试练习

D) founded on shared ideals

63. How did the immigrants in Salt Lake City feel about ―Operation Safe Travel‖?

A) Guilty.

B) Offended.

C) Disappointed.

D) Discouraged.

64. Undocumented workers became the target of ―Operation Safe Travel‖ because ________.

A) evidence was found that they were potential terrorists

B) most of them worked at airports under threat of terrorists

C) terrorists might take advantage of their illegal status

D) they were reportedly helping hide terrorists around the airport

65. By saying ―... we’re going to look the other way in terms of what our laws are‖ (Line 2, Para.

4), Mayor Anderson means ―________‖.

A) we will turn a blind eye to your illegal status

B) we will examine the laws in a different way

C) there are other ways of enforcing the law

D) the existing laws must not be ignored

66. What do we learn about Ana Castro from the last paragraph?

A) She will be deported sooner or later.

B) She is allowed to stay permanently.

C) Her case has been dropped.

D) Her fate remains uncertain

2006年12月大学英语四级真题阅读部分

Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

Reaching new peaks of popularity in North America is Iceberg Water, which is harvested from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

Arthur von Wiesenberger, who carries the title Water Master, is one of the few water critics in North America. As a boy, he spent time in the larger cities of Italy, France and Switzerland, where bottled water is consumed daily. Even then, he kept a water journal, noting the brands he liked best. ―My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water,‖ He says.

But is plain tap water all that bad? Not at all. In fact, New York’s municipal water for more than a century was called the champagne of tap water and until recently considered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity. Similarly, a magazine in England found that tap water from the Thames River tasted better than several leading brands of bottled water that were 400 times more expensive.

Nevertheless, soft-drink companies view bottled water as the next battle-ground for market share—this despite the fact that over 25 percent of bottled water comes from tap water: PepsiCo’s Aquafina and Coca-Cola’s Dasani are both purified tap water rather than spring water.

As diners thirst for leading brands, bottlers and restaurateurs salivate (垂涎) over the profits. A restaurant’s typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water it’s often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands aren’t available in stores, most diners don’t notice or care.

英语四级、六级考试练习

As a result, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water. According to an article in The Street Journal, some of the more shameless tactics include placing attractive bottles on the table for a visual sell, listing brands on the menu without prices, and pouring bottled water without even asking the diners if they want it.

Regardless of how it’s sold, the popularity of bottled water taps into our desire for better health, our wish to appear cultivated, and even a longing for lost purity.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

57. What do we know about Iceberg Water from the passage?

A) It is a kind of iced water.

B) It is just plain tap water.

C) It is a kind of bottled water.

D) It is a kind of mineral water.

58. By saying ―My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water‖ (Line 4 Para. 2), von Wiesenberger wants to convey the message that ________.

A) plain tap water is certainly unfit for drinking

B) bottled water is clearly superior to tap water

C) bottled water often appeals more to dogs taste

D) dogs can usually detect a fine difference in taste

59. The ―fancier brands‖ (Line 3 Para. 5) refers to ________.

A) tap water from the Thames River

B) famous wines not sold in ordinary stores

C) PepsiCo’s Aquafina and Coca-Cola’s Dasani

D) expensive bottled water with impressive names

60. Why are some restaurants turning up the pressure to sell bottled water?

A) Bottled water brings in huge profits.

B) Competition from the wine industry is intense.

C) Most diners find bottled water affordable.

D) Bottled water satisfied diners’ desire to fashionable.

61. According to passage, why is bottled water so popular?

A) It is much cheaper than wine.

B) It is considered healthier.

C) It appeals to more cultivated people.

D) It is more widely promoted in the market.

Passage Two

As we have seen, the focus of medical care in our society has been shifting from curing disease to preventing disease—especially in terms of changing our many unhealthy behaviors, such as poor eating habits, smoking, and failure to exercise. The line of thought involved in this shift can be pursued further. Imagine a person who is about the right weight, but does not eat very nutritious (有营养的) foods, who feels OK but exercises only occasionally, who goes to work every day, but is not an outstanding worker, who drinks a few beers at home most nights but does not drive while drunk, and who has no chest pains or abnormal blood counts, but sleeps a lot and often feels tired. This person is not ill. He may not even be at risk for any particular disease. But we can imagine that this person could be a lot healthier.

The field of medicine has not traditionally distinguished between someone who is merely ―not ill‖

英语四级、六级考试练习

and someone who is in excellent health and pays attention to the body’s special needs. Both types have simply been called ―well.‖ In recent years, however, some health specialists have begun to apply the terms ―well‖ and ―wellness‖ only to those who are actively striving to maintain and improve their health. People who are well are concerned with nutrition and exercise, and they make a point of monitoring their body’s condition. Most important, perhaps, people who are well take active responsibility for all matters related to their health. Even people who have a physical disease or handicap (缺陷) may be ―well,‖ in this new sense, if they make an effort to maintain the best possible health they can in the face of their physical limitations. ―Wellness‖ may perhaps best be viewed not as a state that people can achieve, but as an ideal that people can strive for. People who are well are likely to be better able to resist disease and to fight disease when it strikes. And by focusing attention on healthy ways of living, the concept of wellness can have a beneficial impact on the ways in which people face the challenges of daily life.

62. Today medical care is placing more stress on ________.

A) keeping people in a healthy physical condition

B) monitoring patients’ body functions

C) removing people’s bad living habits

D) ensuring people’s psychological well-being

63. In the first paragraph, people are reminded that ________.

A) good health is more than not being ill

B) drinking, even if not to excess, could be harmful

C) regular health checks are essential to keeping fit

D) prevention is more difficult than cure

64. Traditionally, a person is considered ―well‖ if he ________.

A) does not have any unhealthy living habits

B) does not have any physical handicaps

C) is able to handle his daily routines

D) is free from any kind of disease

65. According to the author, the true meaning of ―wellness‖ is for people ________.

A) to best satisfy their body’s special needs

B) to strive to maintain the best possible health

C) to meet the strictest standards of bodily health

D) to keep a proper balance between work and leisure

66. According to what the author advocates, which of the following groups of people would be considered healthy?

A) People who have strong muscles as well as slim figures.

B) People who are not presently experiencing any symptoms of disease.

C) People who try to be as possible, regardless of their limitations.

D) People who can recover from illness even without seeking medical care.

英语四级、六级考试练习

2007年6月大学英语四级真题阅读部分

Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

I’ve been writing for most of my life. The book Writing Without Teachers introduced me to one distinction and one practice that has helped my writing processes tremendously. The distinction is between the creative mind and the critical mind. While you need to employ both to get to a finished result, they cannot work in parallel no matter how much we might like to think so.

Trying to criticize writing on the fly is possibly the single greatest barrier to writing that most of us encounter. If you are listening to that 5th grade English teacher correct your grammar while you are trying to capture a fleeting (稍纵即逝的) thought, the thought will die. If you capture the fleeting thought and simply share it with the world in raw form, no one is likely to understand. You must learn to create first and then criticize if you want to make writing the tool for thinking that it is.

The practice that can help you past your learned bad habits of trying to edit as you write is what Elbow calls ―free writing.‖ In free writing, the objective is to get words down on paper non-stop, usually for 15-20 minutes. No stopping, no going back, no criticizing. The goal is to get the words flowing. As the words begin to flow, the ideas will come from the shadows and let themselves be captured on your notepad or your screen.

Now you have raw materials that you can begin to work with using the critical mind that you’ve persuaded to sit on the side and watch quietly. Most likely, you will believe that this will take more time than you actually have and you will end up staring blankly at the pages as the deadline draws near.

Instead of staring at a blank start filling it with words no matter how bad. Halfway through you available time, stop and rework your raw writing into something closer to finished product. Move back and forth until you run out of time and the final result will most likely be far better than your current practices.

57. When the author says the creative mind and the critical mind ―cannot work in parallel‖ (Line 4, Para. 1) in the writing process, he means ________.

A) no one can be both creative and critical

B) they cannot be regarded as equally important

C) they are in constant conflict with each other

D) one cannot use them at the same time

58. What prevents people from writing on is ________.

A) putting their ideas in raw form

B) attempting to edit as they write

C) ignoring grammatical soundness

D) trying to capture fleeting thoughts

59. What is the chief objective of the first stage of writing?

A) To organize one’s thoughts logically.

B) To choose an appropriate topic.

C) To get one’s ideas down.

D) To collect raw materials.

60. One common concern of writers about ―free writing‖ is that ________.

英语四级、六级考试练习

A) it overstresses the role of the creative mind

B) it takes too much time to edit afterwards

C) it may bring about too much criticism

D) it does not help them to think clearly

61. In what way does the critical mind help the writer in the writing process?

A) It refines his writing into better shape.

B) It helps him to come up with new ideas.

C) It saves the writing time available to him.

D) It allows him to sit on the side and observe.

Passage Two

I don’t ever want to talk about being a woman scientist again. There was a time in my life when people asked constantly for stories about what it’s like to work in a field dominated by men. I was never very good at telling those stories because truthfully I never found them interesting. What I do find interesting is the origin of the universe, the shape of space-time and the nature of black holes.

At 19, when I began studying astrophysics, it did not bother me in the least to be the only woman in the classroom. But while earning my Ph.D. at MIT and then as a post-doctor doing space research, the issue started to bother me. My every achievement—jobs, research papers, awards—was viewed through the lens of gender (性别) politics. So were my failures. Sometimes, when I was pushed into an argument on left brain versus (相对于) right brain, or nature versus nurture (培育), I would instantly fight fiercely on my behalf and all womankind.

Then one day a few years ago, out of my mouth came a sentence that would eventually become my reply to any and all provocations: I don’t talk about that anymore. It took me 10 years to get back the confidence I had at 19 and to realize that I didn’t want to deal with gender issues. Why should curing sexism be yet another terrible burden on every female scientist? After all, I don’t study sociology or political theory.

Today I research and teach at Barnard, a women’s college in New York City. Recently, someone asked me how may of the 45 students in my class were women. You cannot imagine my satisfaction at being able to answer, 45. I know some of my students worry how they will manage their scientific research and a desire for children. And I don’t dismiss those concerns. Still, I don’t tell them ―war‖ stories. Instead, I have given them this: the visual of their physics professor heavily pregnant doing physics experiments. And in turn they have given me the image of 45 women driven by a love of science. And that’s a sight worth talking about.

62. Why doesn’t the author want to talk about being a woman scientist again?

A) She feels unhappy working in male-dominated fields.

B) She is fed up with the issue of gender discrimination.

C) She is not good at telling stories of the kind.

D) She finds space research more important.

63. From Paragraph 2, we can infer that people would attribute the author’s failures to ________.

A) the very fact that she is a woman

B) her involvement in gender politics

C) her over-confidence as a female astrophysicist

D) the burden she bears in a male-dominated society

64. What did the author constantly fight against while doing her Ph.D. and post-doctoral research?

英语四级、六级考试练习

A) Lack of confidence in succeeding in space science.

B) Unfair accusations from both inside and outside her circle.

C) People’s stereotyped attitude toward female scientists.

D) Widespread misconceptions about nature and nurtured.

65. Why does the author feel great satisfaction when talking about her class?

A) Female students no longer have to bother about gender issues.

B) Her students’ performance has brought back her confidence.

C) Her female students can do just as well as male students.

D) More female students are pursuing science than before.

66. What does the image the author presents to her students suggest?

A) Women students needn’t have the concerns of her generation.

B) Women have more barriers on their way to academic success.

C) Women can balance a career in science and having a family.

D) Women now have fewer problems pursuing a science career.

2007年12月大学英语四级真题阅读部分

Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won last year.

As a writer I know about winning contests, and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip from the publisher. I also know the pressure of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface.

A revelation (启示) came last week when I asked her, ―Don’t you want to win again?‖ ―No,‖ she replied, ―I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.‖

I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously (自发地) told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly ―guided‖ by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.

Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was co-opting (借用) my daughter’s experience.

While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough a way to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

57. What do we learn from the first paragraph?

英语四级、六级考试练习

A) A lot of distractions compete for children’s time nowadays.

B) Children do find lots of fun in many mindless activities.

C) Rebecca is much too occupied to enjoy her leisure time.

D) Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials for her writing.

58. What did the author say about her own writing experience?

A) She was constantly under pressure of writing more.

B) Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers.

C) She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer.

D) Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations.

59. Why did Rebecca want to enter this year’s writing contest?

A) She had won a prize in the previous contest.

B) She wanted to share her stories with readers.

C) She was sure of winning with her mother’s help.

D) She believed she possessed real talent for writing.

60. The author took great pains to refine her daughter’s stories because ________.

A) she wanted to help Rebecca realize her dreams of becoming a writer

B) she was afraid Rebecca’s imagination might run wild while writing

C) she did not want to disappoint Rebecca who needed her help so much

D) she believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidance

61. What’s the author’s advice for parents?

A) Children should be given every chance to voice their opinions.

B) Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in.

C) Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience.

D) A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue.

Passage Two

Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

By almost any measure, there is a boom in Internet-based instruction. In just a few years, 34 percent of American universities have begun offering some form of distance learning (DL), and among the larger schools, it’s close to 90 percent. If you doubt the popularity of the trend, you probably haven’t heard of the University of Phoenix. It grants degrees entirely on the basis of online instruction. It enrolls 90,000 students, a statistic used to support its claim to be the largest private university in the country.

While the kinds of instruction offered in these programs will differ, DL usually signifies a course in which the instructors post syllabi (课程大纲), reading assignment, and schedules on Websites, and students send in their assignments by e-mail. Generally speaking, face-to-face communication with an instructor is minimized or eliminated altogether.

The attraction for students might at first seem obvious. Primarily, there’s the convenience promised by courses on the Net: you can do the work, as they say, in your pajamas (睡衣). But figures indicate that the reduced effort results in a reduced commitment to the course. While dropout rate for all freshmen at American universities is around 20 percent, the rate for online students is 35 percent. Students themselves seem to understand the weaknesses inherent in the setup. In a survey conducted for eCornell, the DL division of Cornell University, less than a third of the respondents expected the quality of the online course to be as good as the classroom course. Clearly, from the schools’ perspective, there’s a lot of money to be saved. Although some of

英语四级、六级考试练习

the more ambitious programs require new investments in servers and networks to support collaborative software, most DL courses can run on existing or minimally upgraded (升级) systems. The more students who enroll in a course but don’t come to campus, the more school saves on keeping the lights on in the classrooms, paying doorkeepers, and maintaining parking lots. And, while there’s evidence that instructors must work harder to run a DL course for a variety of reasons, they won’t be paid any more, and might well be paid less.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

62. What is the most striking feature of the University of Phoenix?

A) It boasts the largest number of students on campus.

B) All its courses are offered online.

C) Its online courses are of the best quality.

D) Anyone taking its online courses is sure to get a degree.

63. According to the passage, distance learning is basically characterized by ________.

A) a minimum or total absence of face-to-face instruction

B) a considerable flexibility in its academic requirements

C) the great diversity of students’ academic backgrounds

D) the casual relationship between students and professors

64. Many students take Internet-based courses mainly because they can ________.

A) save a great deal on traveling and boarding expenses

B) select courses from various colleges and universities

C) work on the required courses whenever and wherever

D) earn their academic degrees with much less effort

65. What accounts for the high drop-out rates for online students?

A) There is no mechanism to ensure that they make the required effort.

B) There is no strict control over the academic standards of the courses.

C) The evaluation system used by online universities is inherently weak.

D) Lack of classroom interaction reduces the effectiveness of instruction.

66. According to the passage, universities show great enthusiasm for DL programs for the purpose of ________.

A) building up their reputation

B) upgrading their teaching facilities

C) providing convenience for students

D) cutting down on their expenses

英语四级、六级考试练习

2008年6月大学英语四级真题阅读部分

Passage One

Question 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

Global warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the 21st century, but- regardless of whether it is or isn't - we won't do much about it. We will argue over it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they are to be observed.

A1 Gore calls global warming an "inconvenient truth," as if merely recognizing it could put us on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we don't know enough to relieve global warming, and - without major technological breakthroughs - we can't do much about it.

From 2003 to 2050,the world 's population is projected to grow from 6.4 billon to 9.1 billion ,a 42% increase. if energy use per person and technology remain te same, total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions(mainly,CO2)will be 42% higher in 2050.But that's too low, because societies that grow richer use more energy. We need econmic growth unless we condemn the world's poor to their present

Poverty and freeze everyone else's living standards. With modest growth, energy use and greenhouse emissions more then double by 2050.

No government will adopt rigid restrictions on economic growth and personal freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel)that might cut back global warming. Still, politicians want to show they're "doing something "Consider the Kyoto Protoco(京都议定书).It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn't. But it hasn't reduced CO2 emissions(up about 25% since 1990),and many signatories(签 字国) didn't adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets.

The practical codusion is that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development program might find ways of breaking our dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it.

The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral proble when it's really an engineering one. The inconvenient truth is that if we don't solve the engineering problem, we're helpless.

57.What is said about global warming in the first paragraph?

A) It may not prove an environmental crisis at all.

B) It is an issue requiring worldwide commitments.

C) Serious steps have been taken to avoid or stop it.

D) Very little will be done to bring it under control.

58.According to the author's understanding, what is A1 Gore's view on global warming?

A) It is a reality both people and politicians are unaware of.

B) It is a phenomenon that causes us many inconveniences.

C) It is a problem that can be solved once it is recognized.

D) It is an area we actually have little knowledge about.

59.Greenhouse emissions will more than double by 2050 because of ___.

A) economic growth

B) wasteful use of energy

C) the widening gap between the rich and poor

英语四级、六级考试练习

D) the rapid advances of science and technology

60.The author believes that, since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol,____.

A) politicians have started to do something to better the situation

B) few nations have adopted real tough measures to limit energy use

C) reductions in energy consumption have greatly cut back global warming

D) international cooperation has contributed to solving envoronmental problems

61.What is the message the author intends to convey?

A) Global warming is more of a moral issue than a practical one.

B) The ultimate solution to global warming lies in new technology.

C) The debate over global warming will lead to technological breakthroughs.

D) People have to give up certain material comforts to stop global warming.

Passage Two

Question 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

Someday a siranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the Website you've visited，Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit card purchases or cell phonebills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.

In fact, it's likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girl friend, a marketing company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never intended to be seen - the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked.

Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it's important to reveal yourself to friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The digital bread crumbs(碎屑) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret.

The key question is: Does that matter?

For many Americans, the answer apparently is "no."

When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about losing it. A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of respondents saying they feel their privacy is "slipping away, and that bothers me."

But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans change any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at tollbooths(收费站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist A lessandro Acauisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal information like Socail Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off coupon(优惠卷)。

But privacy does matter - at least sometimes. It's like health: When you have it, you don't notice it. Only when it's gone do you wish you'd done more to protect it.

62. What does the author mean by saying "the 21st century equivalent of being caught naked" (Lines 3-4,Para.2)?

A) People's personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.

B) In the 21st century people try every means to look into others' secrets.

C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.

D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.

英语四级、六级考试练习

63.What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?

A) Friends should open their hearts to each other.

B) Friends should always be faithful to each other.

C) There should be a distance even between friends.

D) There should be fewer disputes between friends.

64. Why does the author say "we live in a world where you simply cannot keep a secret" (Line5,para.3)

A) Modern society has finally evolved into an open society.

B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.

C) There are always people who are curious about others' affairs.

D) Many search engines profit by revealing people's identities.

65. What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?

A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.

B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions.

C) They rely most and more on electronic devices.

D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything about it.

66.According to the passage, privacy is like health in that ___.

A) people will make every effort to keep it.

B) its importance is rarely understood

C) is is something that can easily be lost

D) people don't cherish it until they lose it

2008年12月大学英语四级真题阅读部分

Passage one

Question 57 to 61 based on the following passage.

If you are a male and you are reading this ,congratulations: you are a survivor .According to statistics .you are more than twice as likely to die of skin cancer than a woman ,and nine times more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you make it to the end of your natural term, about 78 years for men in Australia, you will die on average five years before a woman.

There are many reasons for this-typically, men take more risks than woman and are more likely to drink and smoke but perhaps more importantly, men don’t go to the doctor.

―Men aren’t seeing doctors as often as they should, ‖ says Dr. Gullotta, ―This is particularly so for the over-40s,when diseases tend to strike.‖

Gullotta says a healthy man should visit the doctor every year or two. For those over 45,it should be at least once a year.

Two months ago Gullotta saw a 50-year-old ma who had delayed doing anything about his smoker’s cough for a year.

―When I finally saw him it had already spread and he has since died from lung cancer‖ he says, ―Earlier detection and treatment may not have cured him, but it would have prolonged this life‖ According to a recent survey, 95%of women aged between 15 and early 40s see a doctor once a year, compared to 70% of men in the same age group.

―A lot of men think they are invincible （不可战胜的）‖Gullotta says ―They only come in when a friend drops dead on the golf course and they think‖ Geez, if it could happen to him.

英语四级、六级考试练习

Then there is the ostrich approach,‖ some men are scared of what might be there and would rather not know, ‖ says Dr. Ross Cartmill.

―Most men get their cars serviced more regularly than they service their bodies,‖ Cartmill says .He believes most diseases that commonly affect men could be addressed by preventive check-ups

Regular check-ups for men would inevitably place strain on the public purse, Cartmill says.‖ But prevention is cheaper in the long run than having to treat the diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far greater: it is called premature death.‖

57.Why does the author congratulate his male readers at the beginning of the passage?

A. They are more likely to survive serious diseases today.

B. Their average life span has been considerably extended.

C. They have lived long enough to read this article.

D. They are sure to enjoy a longer and happier live.

58。What does the author state is the most important reason men die five years earlier on average than women?

A. men drink and smoke much more than women

B. men don’t seek medical care as often as women

C. men aren’t as cautions as women in face of danger

D. men are more likely to suffer from fatal diseases

59. Which of the following best completes the sentence ―Geez, if it could happen to him,…’(line2,para,8)?

A. it could happen to me, too

B. I should avoid playing golf

C. I should consider myself lucky

D. it would be a big misfortune

60what does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by ―the ostrich approach‖(line q para.9)

A. a casual attitude towards one’s health conditions

B. a new therapy for certain psychological problems

C. refusal to get medical treatment for fear of the pain involved

D. unwillingness to find out about one’s disease because of fear

61. What does Cartmill say about regular check-ups for men?

A.They may increase public expenses

B.They will save money in the long run

C.They may cause psychological strains on men

D.They will enable men to live as long as women

Passage two

Question 62 to 66 are based on the following passage

High-quality customer service is preached(宣扬) by many ,but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than done

Shoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead will alert their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers-and anyone who will listen.

Store managers are often the last to hear complaints, and often find out only when their regular

英语四级、六级考试练习

customers decide t frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde group and Wharton school

―Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers,‖ said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde group.‖ the store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement.‖

On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four other, and will no longer visit the specific store for every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative reviews. The resulting ―snowball effect‖ can be disastrous to retailers.

According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing encountered the most problems. ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers.

The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered (塞满了的) shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople.

During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved the parking problems by getting moonlighting local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance climinated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space.

Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions. Most importantly, salespeople should be diplomatic and polite with angry customers.

―Retailers who’re responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly.‖ said Professor Stephen Hoch. ―Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help.‖

Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong.

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答

62. Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints?

A Most customers won’t bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences.

B Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them.

C Few customers believe the service will be improved.

D Customers have no easy access to store managers.

63. What does Paula Courtney imply by saying ― … the shopper must also find a replacement‖ (Line 2, Para. 4)?

A New customers are bound to replace old ones.

B It is not likely the shopper can find the same products in other stores.

C Most stores provide the same

D Not complaining to the manager causes the shopper some trouble too.

64. Shop owners often hire moonlighting police as parking attendants so that shoppers_____

A can stay longer browsing in the store

B won’t have trouble parking their cars

C won’t have any worries about security

D can find their cars easily after shopping

65. What contributes most to smoothing over issues with customers?

A Manners of the salespeople

英语四级、六级考试练习

B Hiring of efficient employees

C Huge supply of goods for sale

D Design of the store layout.

66. To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to _________.

A exert pressure on stores to improve their service

B settle their disputes with stores in a diplomatic way

C voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directly

D shop around and make comparisons between stores

2009年6月大学英语四级真题阅读部分

Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

The January fashion show, called FutureFashion, exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.

The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to find. ―Most designers with existing labels are finding there aren’t comparable fabrics that can just replace what you’re doing and what your customers are used to,‖ he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents.

Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs (企业家) who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable. It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce a major initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional (过渡型的) cotton at higher prices, thus helping to expand the supply of a key sustainable material. ―Mainstream is about to occur,‖ says Hahn.

Some analysts (分析师) fl are less sure. Among consumers, only 18% are even aware that ecofashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer. When asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied: ―Not that I’m aware of.‖ Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for ―cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.‖ By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But—thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers—one day it will be. 注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。

57. What is said about FutureFashion?

A) It inspired many leading designers to start going green.

B) It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far.

C) It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized.

英语四级、六级考试练习

D) It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable.

58. According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will go organic is that ____.

A) much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainable materials

B) they have to create new brands for clothes made of organic materials

C) customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organic materials

D) quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readily available

59. We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers who undertake green fashion ____.

A) can attend various trade shows free

B) are readily recognized by the fashion world

C) can buy organic cotton at favorable prices

D) are gaining more and more support

60. What is Natalie Hormilla’s attitude toward ecofashion?

A) She doesn’t seem to care about it.

B) She doesn’t think it is sustainable.

C) She is doubtful of its practical value.

D) She is very much opposed to the idea.

61. What does the author think of green fashion?

A) Green products will soon go mainstream.

B) It has a very promising future.

C) Consumers have the final say.

D) It will appeal more to young people.

Passage Two

Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

Scientists have devised a way to determine roughly where a person has lived using a strand (缕) of hair, a technique that could help track the movements of criminal suspects or unidentified murder victims.

The method relies on measuring how chemical variations in drinking water show up in people’s hair.

―You’re what you eat and drink, and that’s recorded in your hair,‖ said Thure Ceiling, a geologist at the University of Utah.

While U.S. diet is relatively identical, water supplies vary. The differences result from weather patterns. The chemical composition of rainfall changes slightly as rain clouds move.

Most hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are stable, but traces of both elements are also present as heavier isotopes (同位素). The heaviest rain falls first. As a result, storms that form over the Pacific deliver heavier water to California than to Utah.

Similar patterns exist throughout the U.S. By measuring the proportion of heavier hydrogen and oxygen isotopes along a strand of hair, scientists can construct a geographic timeline. Each inch of hair corresponds to about two months.

Cerling’s team collected tap water samples from 600 cities and constructed a map of the regional differences. They checked the accuracy or the map by testing 200 hair samples collected from 65 barber shops.

They were able to accurately place the hair samples in broad regions roughly corresponding to the movement of rain systems.

―It’s not good for pinpointing (精确定位),‖ Ceding said. ―It’s good for eliminating many

英语四级、六级考试练习

possibilities.‖

Todd Park, a local detective, said the method has helped him learn more about an unidentified woman whose skeleton was found near Great Salt Lake.

The woman was 5 feet tall. Police recovered 26 bones, a T-shirt and several strands of hair.

When Park heard about the research, he gave the hair samples to the researchers. Chemical testing showed that over the two years before her death, she moved about every two months.

She stayed in the Northwest, although the test could not be more specific than somewhere between eastern Oregon and western Wyoming.

―It’s still a substantial area,‖ Park said. ―But it narrows it way down for me.‖

62. What is the scientists’ new discovery?

A) One’s hair growth has to do with the amount of water they drink.

B) A person’s hair may reveal where they have lived.

C) Hair analysis accurately identifies criminal suspects.

D) The chemical composition of hair varies from person to person.

63. What does the author mean by ―You’re what you eat and drink‖ (Line 1, Para. 3)?

A) Food and drink affect one’s personality development.

B) Food and drink preferences vary with individuals.

C) Food and drink leave traces in one’s body tissues.

D) Food and drink are indispensable to one’s existence.

64. What is said about the rainfall in America’s West?

A) There is much more rainfall in California than in Utah.

B) The water it delivers becomes lighter when it moves inland.

C) Its chemical composition is less stable than in other areas.

D) It gathers more light isotopes as it moves eastward.

65. What did Cerling’s team produce in their research?

A) A map showing the regional differences of tap water.

B) A collection of hair samples from various barber shops.

C) A method to measure the amount of water in human hair.

D) A chart illustrating the movement of the rain system.

66. What is the practical value of Cerling’s research?

A) It helps analyze the quality of water in different regions.

B) It helps the police determine where a crime is committed.

C) It helps the police narrow down possibilities in detective work.

D) It helps identify the drinking habits of the person under investigation.

2009年12月大学英语四级真题阅读部分

Passage One

Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the presidential candidates and how they’ll change America. Rightly so, but selfishly, I’m more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the potential First Lady, she would have the world’s attention. And that means that for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.

英语四级、六级考试练习

Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The prevailing theory seems to be that we’re all hot-tempered single mothers who can’t keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can’t escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our never-married, alcoholic (酗酒的) mothers.

These images have helped define the way all women are viewed, including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause, charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most complicated duty may be simple to be herself.

It won’t be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse, Michelle will represent us all.

Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American blogs have written about what they’d like to see Michelle bring to the White House—mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone—an impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of her poise (沉着), confidence and intelligence will go a long way in changing an image that’s been around for far too long.

57. Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong fascination for the author?

A) She serves as a role model for African women.

B) She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.

C) She will present to the world a new image of African-American women.

D) She will pay closer attention to the interests of African-American women.

58. What is the common stereotype of African-American women according to the author?

A) They are victims of violence. B) They are of an inferior violence.

C) They use quite a lot of body language. D) They live on charity and social welfare.

59. What do many African-Americans write about in their blogs?

A) Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her fans.

B) How Michelle should behave as a public figure.

C) How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House.

D) What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House.

60. What does the author say about Michelle Obama as a First Lady?

A) However many fans she has, she should remain modest,

B) She shouldn’t disappoint the African-American community.

C) However hard she tries, she can’t expect to please everybody.

D) She will give priority to African-American women’s concerns.

61. What do many African-American women hope Michelle Obama will do?

A) Help change the prevailing view about black women.

B) Help her husband in the task of changing America.

C) Outshine previous First Lady.

D) Fully display her fine qualities.

Passage Two

Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage.

When next year’s crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University in the fall of 2009, they’ll be joined by a new face; Andrew Hamilton, the 55-year-old provost (教务长) of

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