研究生阅读理解练习-1

Reading Comprehension Practice (1)

Passage One

Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage:

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 year5s 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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

5. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone in thi s passage?

A) Optimistic.

B) Critical.

C) Objective.

D) Arbitrary.

Passage Two

Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage:

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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage:

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 Ame rica’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.

11. W hat’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.

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage:

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 bacte ria 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.

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. The word “colonies” (Line 2, Para. 4) refers to __________.

A) tiny globules

B) watery regions

C) bacteria communities

D) little compartments

20. 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

Passage Five

Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage:

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 Six

Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:

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 Seven

Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:

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 Eight

Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:

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

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