在英语四级备考的过程中，英语四级阅读是对学生深度理解、分析和应用英文文本的考量，如何高效阅读英语文章，
Merchant and passenger ships are generally required to have a life preserver for every person aboard and in many cases, a certain percentage of smaller sizes for children. According to United States requirements, life preservers must design, reversible capable of being quickly adjusted to fit the uninitiated individual, and must be so designed as to support the wearer in the water in an upright or slightly backward position.
Sufficient buoyancy(浮力) to support the wearer should be retained by the life preserver after 48 hours in the water, and it should be reliable even after long period of storage. Thus it should be made of materials resistant to sunlight, gasoline, and oils, and it should be not easily set on fire.?The position in which the life preserver will support a person who jumps or falls into the water is most important, as is its tendency to turn the wearer in the water from a face-down position to an upright or slightly backward position, with his face clear of the water, even when the wearer is exhausted or unconscious.
The method of adjustment to the body should be simple, and self-evident to uninitiated persons even in the dark under the confused conditions, which follow a disaster. Thus, the life be reversible that it is nearly impossible to get it on wrong. Catches, straps, and ties should be kept to a minimum. In addition, the life preserver must be adjustable to the wide variety of shapes and sizes of wearers, since this greatly affects the position of floating and the self-righting qualities. A suitable life also be comfortable to wear at all times, in and out of the water, not so heavy as to encourage to take it off on shipboard while the ship is in danger, nor so burdensome that it hinders a person in the water while trying to swim.
1. The passage is mainly about____.
A) the uses of life preservers
B) the design of life preservers
C) the materials for life preservers
D) the buoyancy of life preservers
2. According to the passage, a life be first of all ____.
A) adjustable B) comfortable C) self-evident D) self-righting
3. United States Coast Guard does NOT require the life preserver to be made ____.
A) with as few strings as possible
B) capable of being worn on both sides
C) according to each wearers size
D) comfortable and light to wear
4. By “the uninitiated individual” (Para. 1, Line. 4) the author refers to the person ____.
A) who has not been instructed how to use a life preserver
B) who has a little experience in using a life preserver
C) who uses a life preserver without permission
D) who becomes nervous before a disaster
5. What would happen if a person were supported by the life preserver in a wrong position?
A) The waves would move him backwards.
B) The water would choke him.
C) He would immediately sink to the bottom.
D) He would be exhausted or unconscious.
答案与解析：
1. B
文章主要讲述了救生衣的设计。间接题型段首主旨题。C项和D项都是对救生衣设计中设计材料的说明。A项为陷阱，指救生衣的用途，尽管开头提到，但范围不着边际。故只有B是正确选项。
2. D
根据文章，救生衣首先会自动扶正。事实细节题。本文第三段主要讨论救生衣落水位置，应设计的能“自动扶正”,或稍向后仰。B项是对材料的描述，范围太窄，而A和C不合题意，因此D是正确答案。
3. C
美国海岸巡逻队不需要救生衣根据穿戴者的尺寸生产。事实细节题。A项和B项都涉及method，其相关部分见最后一段第三句，A，B，D三项都是文章中提及的，C项与本题无关的内容，因此应该选C。
4. A
“the uninitiated individual”作者指的'是不知道怎么使用救生衣的人。语义指代题。根据文章最后一段第一句，我们可推出“the uninitiated individual”就是指的那些不知道怎么使用救生衣的人。故A是正确选项。
5. D
如果一个人没有正确使用救生衣，就会发生什么？细节辨别题。第三段第一句后半句中a face-down position和本题中的 in a wrong position相对应。因此选项D“他可能太累了或者是已经失去知觉”是正确答案。
"Culture shock" occurs as a result of total immersion (浸没) in a new culture. It happens to "people who have been suddenly transplanted abroad. " Newcomers may be anxious because they do not speak the language, know the customs, or understand people's behavior in daily life. The visitor finds that "yes" may not always mean "yes", that friendliness does not necessarily mean friendship, or that statements that appear to be serious are really intended as jokes. The foreigner may be unsure as to when to shake hands, when to start conversations, or how to approach a stranger. The notion of "culture shock" helps explain feelings of bewilderment and disorientation. Language problems do not account for all the frustrations that people feel. When one is deprived of everything that was once so familiar, such as understanding a transportation system, knowing how to register for university classes, or knowing how to make friends, difficulties in coping with the new society may arise.
"... when an individual enters a strange culture, he or she is like fish out of water, " Newcomers feel at times that they do not belong to and feel alienated from the native members of the culture. When this happens visitors may want to reject everything about the new environment and may glorify and exaggerate the positive aspects of their own culture. Conversely visitors may scorn their native country by rejecting its values and instead choosing to identify with (if only temporarily) the value of the new country. This may occur as an attempt to over-identify with the new culture in order to be accepted by the people in it.
26. The expression "he or she is like fish out of water" suggests_______.
A. people away from their cultures can hardly survive in a new culture
B. a fish can not survive without water
C. people away from their culture experience mental isolation
D. people away from their culture have difficulties in their studies
27. In order to identify with the new environment, some people may_______.
A. give an exaggerated picture of their own country
B. criticize the positive aspects of their own country
C. abandon their original beliefs
D. accept a temporary set of values
28. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the author?
A. Homesickness results in culture shock.
B. A typical symptom of culture shock is confusion.
C. Culture shock is the explanation of anxiety.
D. Culture shock happens to foreign students only.
29. Newcomers may worry about
A. their ignorance of the alien customs
B. their knowledge of "yes" in the native language
C. their understanding of friendship
D. their control of their behavior
30. When the foreign visitor is immersed in new problems he finds hard to cope with, he is most likely to feel_______.
A. uninsured B. deprived
C. alienated D. disappointed
答案
26. C 27. B 28. B 29. A 30. C
Leonard da Vinci was a painter, a sculptor, anarchitect, a musician, an engineer, and a scientist. He was a man of many talents, a Renaissance man1 in the true sense of the word.
Leonard was born at a small town near Florence, where he was apprenticed to2 a painter. But he soonsurpassed his masters in uniting precision of linewith rhythm of movement, and in finding new ways to show light and shade.
Although Leonard is generally known as a painter, his actual output was very small. In facttoday only about twelve paintings are looked upon as3 having been done by him. This isbecause his diverse interest, his far-ranging curiosity in nature and his endless scientificexperiments and designings. To understand the man one has therefore , to read the 5, 000 notebooks in which he put down his observations in life and his sketch4 drawings.
Nevertheless, Leonard had profound understandings of art, which exerted5 great influenceamong the painters of his own generation and generations to follow. In painting he stressed theexpression of emotional states, which , to him were, the heart of painting:
"A good painter has two chief objects — to paint man and the intention of his soul. The formeris easy, the latter hard, for it must be expressed by gestures and the movement of the limbs. .. A painting will only be wonderful for the beholder by making that which is not so raisedand detached from the wall."
His major works: Last Supper, many European art masters have painted on the same subject. But none of their versions has been as impressive as da Vinci's. And none has the enduringvalue in the art world as his.
Mona Lisa, if Last Supper is the most famous of religious pictures, then Mona Lisa probably isthe world's most famous portrait. Mona Lisa had as its model wife of a banker. The quietlyfolded hands, the gaze that is directed at the observer, the ambiguity of the“smile”togetherhelp to create a curious effect and a secret effect.
阅读自测
Ⅰ. Read the passage and fill in the blanks with proper words :
Leonard da Vinci is first known as a________ , and he is also a________ , an________ , a________ , an________ , and a ________ . The amount of da Vinci's paintings is very small. There are only about________ paintings. For da Vinci, a good painter has two chief objects — to paint ________ and the ________ of his soul. In his famous work Mona Lisa , thequietly________ hands, the________ that is directed at the observer, the ambiguity of the"________ " together help to create a curious effect and a secret effect.
Ⅱ. Question :
What are da Vinci's famous paintings?
参考答案
Ⅰ. painter / sculptor / architect / musician / engineer / scientist / 12 / man / intention / folded / gaze / smile Ⅱ. Last Supper and Mona Lisa .
参考译文
达芬奇传奇
列奥纳多· 达· 芬奇是一位画家、一位雕刻家、一位建筑师、一位音乐家、一位工程师 和一位科学家。他多才多艺， 是一位真正的文艺复兴新人。
列奥纳多出生在佛罗伦萨附近的一个小城镇上， 从小给一位画家当学徒。但是， 很快 他就超越了老师。他将清晰的线条与绘画的动态感和谐地结合在一起， 找到了显示光与影 的新方式。
虽然通常列奥纳多是作为画家而闻名， 可他的画作数量并不多。事实上， 今天也只有 12 幅画被认为是他的作品。之所以这样， 是因为他兴趣广泛， 对自然界充满好奇， 还做了 无穷无尽的科学实验及设计。因此， 要了解这个人， 就必须去读那5 000 份笔记。在那些 笔记中， 达· 芬奇记录了他在生活中的观察结果与许多素描。
尽管如此， 列奥纳多对艺术还是有着深刻的理解。这对与 在绘画方面， 他强调对人物情感的传达。对他而言， 这是衡量绘画优秀与否 的灵魂所在：
“ 优秀的画家有两大目标——— 画人和画魂。前者易而后者难， 因为后者必须通过人物姿 态及肢体语言来表达一幅挂在墙上的画， 只有给人以呼之欲出之感， 才算得上是杰作。” 他的主要作品有：
《最后的晚餐》, 许多欧洲艺术大师都作了同样的画。但是， 没有一幅能像达· 芬奇的 那样给人留下深刻印象； 也没有哪幅作品能像达· 芬奇的那样在艺术界拥有持久的价值。
《蒙娜丽莎》, 如果说《最后的晚餐》是最有名的宗教画， 那么《蒙娜丽莎》则算得上世界 上最的肖像画。 《蒙娜丽莎》以一位银行家的� 她娴静地搭在一起的双手， 凝视着欣赏者 的双眼以及那含义不甚明了的“ 微笑”, 共同创造出一种奇特而神秘的效果。
阅读导评
一生身兼数“职”, 在绘画、雕塑、建筑、科学方面都颇有建树的达·芬奇不愧是位传奇 人物。他的作品不仅给人以感官上的美的享受， 同时给人以无穷无尽的想象空间， 引人深 思。《达·芬奇密码》中对《最后的晚餐》*性的解读即体现了这种启发。难怪他经过了 历史批评的沉淀和净化至今依然光彩夺目。
阅读导释
1. Renaissance, 文艺复兴， 特指14—17 世纪的欧洲正在形成中的资产阶级在复兴希腊罗马 古典文化的名义下发起的弘扬资产阶级思想和文化的运动。名为“ 复兴”, 它本身却也 代表了一种进步。该运动发起于意大利， 波及整个欧洲， 囊括了文学、艺术、科学、哲学等 各个领域。被誉为西欧文学的三大天才巨匠———但丁( Dante, 1265—1321 ) 、莎士 比亚( Shakespeare, 1564—1616 ) 和歌德( Goethe, 1749—1832) , 以及“ 美术三杰”——— 达·芬奇、米开朗琪罗( Michelangelo, 1475—1564) 和拉斐尔( Raphael, 1483—1520) 都 是文艺复兴时代的精英。Renaissance man 则指“ 文艺复兴新人，文艺复兴时期的理想完 人”, 也可作“博学的人”,“ 多才多艺的人”,“开拓型人物”解。
2. 英语中很多名词转作动词用时， 很能提高句子质量， 此处的“be apprenticed to”就是一例。
3. 这是个非常有用的词组， 作“看作， 以为”解， 如： The Statue of Liberty is looked upon as the sign ofThe United States. ( 自由女神像被看作是美国的标志。) 和look 连用的短语很多， 如： look down upon / on 就是“看不起， 轻视”的意思， 而look down one's nose at 在口语中也是 表示“不把……放在眼里， 小看”。我们汉语中常说的“黑脸”, 就是指生气、厌恶或憎恨时 表现的怒容， 用a black look 表示。我们汉语说“三思而后行”, 英语是Look before you leap。
4. 在这里是“ 素描， 草图”的意思。达·芬奇一生不仅进行绘画创作， 还擅长画机械草图，
5. 这个词后面常和介词on 连用， 指“用( 某特质、技巧、压力等) , 应用( 某物) ”, 如： Her parents exerteda lot of pressure on her to succeed. ( 她父母殷切希望她成功， 给了她很大压力。
When global warming finally came, it stuck with avengeance(异乎寻常地).In some regions, temperatures rose several degrees in less than acentury. Sea levels shot up nearly 400 feet. floodingcoastal settlements and forcing people to migrateinland. Deserts spread throughout the world asvegetation shifted drastically in North America. Europe and Asia. After driving many of theanimals around them to near extinction, people were forced to abandon their old way of lifefor a radically new survival strategy that resulted in widespread starvation and disease. The adaptation was farming: the global-warming crisis that gave rise to it happened morethan 10,000 years ago.
As environmentalists convene in Rio de Janeiro this week to ponder the global climate of thefuture, earth scientists are in the midst of a revolution in understanding how climate haschanged in the past-and how those changes have transformed human existence. Researchershave begun to piece together an illuminating picture of the powerful geological andastronomical forces that have combined to change the planet's environment from hot tocold, wet to dry and back again over a time period stretching back hundreds of millions ofyears.
Most important. scientists are beginning to realize that the climatic changes have bad a majorimpact on the evolution of the human species. New research now suggests that climateshifts have played a key role in nearly every significant turning point in human evolution: fromthe dawn of primates(灵长目动物) some 65 million years ago to human ancestors rising up towalk on two legs. from the huge expansion of the human brain to the rise of agriculture. Indeed, the human history has not been merely touched by global climate change, somescientists argue, it has in some instances been driven by it.
The new research has profound implications for the environment summit in Rio. Amongother things, the findings demonstrate that dramatic climate change is nothing new forplanet Earth. The benign(宜人的) global environment that has existed over the past 10,000 years-during which agriculture. writing, cities and most other features of civilization appeared-isa mere bright spot in a much larger pattern of widely varying climate over the ages. In fact, the pattern of climate change in the past reveals that Earth's climate will almost certainly gothrough dramatic changes in the future-even without the influence of human activity.
1.Farming emerged as a survival strategybecause man had been obliged__________.
A) to give up his former way of life
B) to leave the coastal areas
C) to follow the ever-shifting vegetation
D) to abandon his original settlement
2. Earth scientists have come to understand that climate____________.
A)is going through a fundamental change
B)has been getting warmer for 10,000 years
C) will eventually change from hot to cold
D) has gone through periodical changes
3.Scientists believe that human evolution________.
A) has seldom been accompanied by climatic changes
B) has exerted little influence on climatic changes
C) has largely been affected by climatic changes
D) has had a major impact on climatic changes
4.Evidence of past climatic changes indicates that__________.
A) human activities have accelerated changes of Earth's environment
B) Earth’s environment will remain mild despite human interference
C) Earth's climate is bound to change significantly in the future
D) Earth's climate is unlikely to undergo substantial changes in the future
5.The message the author wishes to convey in the passage is that______________.
A) human civilization remains glorious though it is affected by climatic changes
B) mankind is virtually helpless in the face of the dramatic changes of climate
C) man bas to limit his activities to slow down the global warming process
D) human civilization will continue io develop in spite of the changes of nature
1.务农成了糊口策�
A)放弃原来的生活方式
B)离开海岸地区
C)跟随总在变化的植被情况
D)放弃原来的居住地
[A]文章第1段提到“人类在将其周围的许多种动物逼向濒临灭绝的境地之后，也被迫放弃他们已导致饥荒、疾病的旧有生活方式而选择全新的求生策略。这种策略就是农业”。A与文章的意思相符合。
2.地球科学家已经了解到，气候___________________。
A)正在经历重大的变化
B)已经在过去的l万年当中变得越来越热
C)终将从热变冷
D)已经经历了阶段性的变化
[D]文章第2段提到“研究者已经开始综合出一幅有关强大的地质和天文力量发生作用的说明性的图片，在过去的几百万年中，这两种力量结合在一起改变着地球的环境：从炎热到寒冷，从潮湿到干燥，如此反复，循环不止”，D与文章的意思一致。因而正确。
3.科学家认为人类的进化__________________。
A)极少伴随着气候变化
B)对气候变化的影响很小
C)深受气候变化的影响
D)对气候变化有重大影响
[C]文章第3段提到“最重要的是，科学家已经开始意识到气候的变化对人种的进化有着主要的影响。现在新的研究表明几乎在人类进化的每一个重大的转折时期天气变化都起着关键的作用”，所以人类进化受到气候变化的影响。因此，C正确。
4.过去气候变化的证据表明了__________________。
A)人类的活动已经加速了地球环境的变化
B)尽管受到了人类的干预，地球环境会保持湿和不变
C)地球的气候在未来会有重大的改变
D)地球的气候在未来不大可能发生实质性的改变
[C]文章最后一段提到“事实上，过去气候变化的模式表明地球的气候在将来肯定会经历重大的变化——即使是没有人类活动的影响”，因此，C与文章所表达的意思一致。
5.作者想通过文章传达出的信息是__________________。
A)虽然人类文明受到了气候变化的影响，但仍然绚烂无比
B)面对气候的剧烈变化，人类基本上束手无荣
C)人类应该限制自己的活动来减缓全球暖化的进程
D)尽管自然在发生变化，但人类文明仍会继续发展
[B]全文围绕气候变化给人类带来的影响展开，而文章最后一句“地球气候几乎注定要在将来发生巨大的变化——甚至无须人类的干预”，说明人类无力改变自然，B为正确答案。
Baekeland and Hartmann report that the “short sleepers” had been more or less average in their sleep needs until the men were in their teens. But at about age 15 or so, the men voluntarily began cutting down their nightly sleep time because of pressures from school, work, and other activities. These men tended to view their nightly periods of unconsciousness as bothersome interruptions in their daily routines. In general, these “short sleeps” appeared ambitious, active, energetic, cheerful, conformist（不动摇） in their opinions, and very sure about their career choices. They often held several jobs at once, or workers full-or part-time while going to school. And many of them had a strong urge to appear “normal” or “acceptable” to their friends and associates. When asked to recall their dreams, the “short sleepers” did poorly. More than this, they seemed to prefer not remembering. In similar fashion, their usual way of dealing with psychological problems was to deny that the problem existed, and then to keep busy in the hope that the trouble would go away. The sleep patterns of the “short sleepers” were similar to, but less extreme than, sleep patterns shown by many mental patients categorized as manic（疯人）。 The “long sleepers” were quite different indeed. Baekeland and Hartmann report that these young men had been lengthy sleeps since childhood. They seemed to enjoy their sleep, protected it, and were quite concerned when they were occasionally deprived of their desired 9 hours of nightly bed rest. They tended to recall their dreams much better than did the “short sleepers.” Many of the “long sleepers” were shy, anxious, introverted （内向）， inhibited （压抑）， passive, mildly depressed, and unsure of themselves (particularly in social situations)。 Several openly states that sleep was an escape from their daily problems.
1、 According to the report,______. A) many short sleepers need less sleep by nature B) many short sleepers are obliged to reduce their nightly sleep time because they are busy with their work C) long sleepers sleep a longer period of time during the day D) many long sleepers preserve their sleeping habit formed during their childhood
2、 Many “short sleepers” are likely to hold the view that _____. A) sleep is a withdrawal from the reality B) sleep interferes with their sound judgement C) sleep is the least expensive item on their routine program D) sleep is the best way to deal with psychological troubles
3、 It is stated in the third paragraph that short sleepers _____. A) are ideally vigorous even under the pressures of life B) often neglect the consequences of inadequate sleep C) do not know how to relax properly D) are more unlikely to run into mental problems
4、 When sometimes they cannot enjoy adequate sleep, the long sleepers might ____. A) appear disturbed B) become energetic C) feel dissatisfied D) be extremely depressed
5、 Which of the following is Not included in the passage? A) If one sleeps inadequately, his performance suffers and his memory is weakened B) The sleep patterns of short sleepers are exactly the sane as those shown by many mental patients C) Long and short sleepers differ in their attitudes towards sleep D) Short sleepers would be better off with more rest
【答案及详解】 答案：DCBAB 贝克尔和哈特曼报道说，“睡眠少的人”在未进入少年期之前，其正常睡眠时间大致与所需要的时间差不多。但到了15岁左右，由于学校、工作或其它活动的地压力，他们就故意地减少了夜间睡眠的时间。这些人持有这样的观点：夜间睡眠是一件令人讨厌的事情，打断了日常事务。 总的说来，这些“睡眠少的人”表现得雄心勃勃、积极活跃、精力充沛、无意识乐观豁达、立场坚定，对自己职业的选择胸有成竹。他们往往同时从事几项工作，或者一边上学读书，一边从事专职或兼职工作。其中许多人有强烈愿望，想在朋友和熟人面前表现得“正常”或“合群”。 当让他们回忆梦境时，“睡眠少的人”回忆不起什么来。更有甚者，他们似乎情愿什么都记不住。类似的情况是他们通常处理心理问题的方式：不承认问题的存在，希望只要忙忙碌碌，麻烦总会过去的。 “睡眠少的人”的睡眠模式与被划入疯子之类精神病患者的睡眠模式十分相似，只不过没有那么严重而已。 “睡眠多的人”情形则大不相同。贝克尔和哈特曼报道说，这些年轻人从小的，有抱负的睡眠就一直很长。他们好像注重睡眠，不让睡眠受打搅。偶尔没有所需的9个小时夜间卧床休息，他们便会十分不安。他们比“睡眠少的人”要更能回忆得起梦的内容。许多“睡眠多的人”腼腆、焦躁、内向、压抑、消极和稍微有点儿沮丧，尤其在社交场合缺乏自信。好几个人坦言，睡眠是摆脱每天烦恼的一种方式。
Most episodes of absent-mindedness forgetting where you left something or wondering why you just entered aroom-are caused by a simple lack of attention,says Schacter. “You’re supposed to remember something, butyou haven’t encoded it deeply.”
Encoding, Schacter explains, is a special way of paying attention to an event that has a major impact on recalling it later. Failure to encode properly can create annoying situations. If you put your mobile phonein a pocket, for example, and don’t pay attention to what you did because you’re involved in a conversation, you’ll probably forget that the phone is in the jacket now hanging in you wardrobe (衣柜). “Your memory itself isn’t failing you,” says Schacter. “Rather, you didn’t give your memory system the information it needed.”
Lack of interest can also lead to absent-mindedness. “A man who can recite sports statistics from 30 years ago,” says Zelinski, “may not remember to drop a letter in the mailbox.” Women have slightly better memories than men, possibly because they pay more attention to their environment, and memory relies on justthat.
Visual cues can help prevent absent-mindedness, says Schacter. “But be sure the cue is clear and available,” he cautions. If you want to remember to take a medication (药物) with lunch, put the pill bottle on the kitchen table—don’t leave it in the medicine chest and write yourself a note that you keep in a pocket.
Another common episode of absent-mindedness: walking into a room and wondering why you’re there. Most likely, you were thinking about something else. “Everyone does this from time to time,” says Zelinski. The best thing to do is to return to where you were before entering the room, and you’ll likely remember.
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1. Why does the author think that encoding properly is very important?
A. It helps us understand our memory system better.
B. It enables us to recall something form our memory.
C. It expands our memory capacity considerably.
D. It slows down the process of losing our memory.
2. One possible reason why women have better memories than men is that ________.
A. they have a wider range of interests
B. they are more reliant on the environment
C. they have an unusual power of focusing their attention
D. they are more interested in what’s happening around them
3. A note in the pocket can hardly serve as a reminder because ________.
A. it will easily get lost
B. it’s not clear enough for you to read
C. it’s out of your sight
D. it might get mixed up with other things
4. What do we learn from the last paragraph?
A. If we focus our attention on one thing, we might forget another.
B. Memory depends to a certain extent on the environment.
C. Repetition helps improve our memory.
D. If we keep forgetting things, we’d better return to where we were.
5. What is the passage mainly about?
A. The process of gradual memory loss.
B. The causes of absent-mindedness.
C. The impact of the environment on memory.
D. A way if encoding and recalling.
参考答案
1.[B]事实细节题。根据第2段第1句可知，encoding是关注某事的一种特殊方式，这影响到以后是否能回忆起这件事来，因此B正确。
2.[D]事实细节题。根据第3段第3句，“女性比男性的记忆力稍强，这也许是因为她们对周围的环境更加注意，而记忆正是依靠这个”，故选D “她们对于周围发生的事更感兴趣”。
3.[C]事实细节题。根据第4段首句中说到的“视觉线索可以防止遗忘某事”可知破折号之后的警告“不要把药瓶放在药箱里，然后写一张纸条装进口袋”正是为了防止药瓶、提示性信条离开了视线，故选C。
4.[A]推断题。根据最后一段的`前两句“心不在焉的另一个常见的情景是：走进房间，却不知为什么要进来。你很有可能是在想别的事”,可知本题答案为A。
5.[B]主旨题。根据第1、3、5段的首句可以得出，本文主要讲的是精神不集中的原因，故选B。
Ludwig Van Beethoven1 was one of the greatestmusicians in the 19 th century. John Lennon2 wasone of the greatest musicians in the 20 th century. Although there is a period of about 200 yearsbetween them, they are quite similar in certainways.
Both men expressed the spirit of their time in theirmusic. Beethoven lived in the period of rising capitalism. At that time, people were trying tobreak the shackles of feudalism3 , and they were pursuing freedom, equality, and universallove. This social trend, especially the French revolution, greatly inspired Beethoven. Hismusic was very active, passionate, and vigorous. Some of his works praised heroism, someconveyed the love for nature, and some extolled4 harmony among people. Similarly, Lennon'smusic revealed his time. In the 1960s and 1970 s, the youth in America were deeply frustratedby the discrimination and injustice in the society and were longing to build a new one . Mostof Lennon's songs expressed the ideas of the youth. In one of his songs entitled Imagine, hesings, "Imagine all the people , living under peace", and "The world will be united together asone". These words show his anti-war attitude and his hope for peace , and reflect the spirit ofthe 60s and 70 s.
Both men were social rebels to some extent. They refused to bow to social conventions andpower. Beethoven was a devoted republican. When Napoleon5 was in power, who claimed tobe a defender of republicanism, Beethoven admired him so much that he dedicated hisSymphony No. 3, the theme of which is heroism, to him. But then Napoleon crowned6 himselfand became an emperor. Beethoven was so angry that he openly declared he took back whathe had said about Napoleon, regardless of possible persecution. Lennon was also considered atrouble-maker by the authorities because of his support for youth movements. For a time hewas not even allowed to give public performances. But he ignored all this and stuck to hisbelief.
阅读自测
Ⅰ. Fin d the correct me anings of the words in the left from the right side :
1. passionate A. praise somebody or something highly
2. dedicate B. discouraged, not satisfied
3. frustrated C. caused by or showing strong feelings
4. stick to D. not change something; keep to
5. extol E. address ( one's book, a piece of music) to somebody as a way of showing respect
Ⅱ. Fill in the blanks :
1. At the time of capitalism, people were trying to break the _____________( 枷锁) offeudalism to pursue freedom _____________( 平等) and _____________( 博爱) . 2. In the 60 s and 70s, the youth in America were deeply frustrated by the _____________( 歧 视) and_____________( 不公正) in the society and were longing to build a new one. 3. They refusedto bow to social _____________( 习俗) and power and Beethoven was a _____________( 忠实的) republican. 4. But then Napoleon ________( 加冕) himself and became an emperor.
参考答案
Ⅰ. 1. C 2 . E 3. B 4 . D 5. A
Ⅱ. 1. shackles / equality / universal love 2. discrimination / injustice 3. conventions / devoted4. crowned
参考译文
以音乐作武器
路德维希· 冯·贝多芬是18 世纪最伟大的音乐家之一。约翰· 列侬则是20 世纪最 有成就的音乐家之一。尽管两人相距近两百年， 但是他们在某些方面却极其相似。
贝多芬和列侬都在音乐中表达各自的时代精神。贝多芬生活在资本主义崛起之时。 那时， 人们正试图打破封建主义的枷锁， 追求自由、平等和博爱。这种社会趋势， 特别是法 国*, 给了他极大的启发。贝多芬的音乐非常积极向上、热情激昂、气势磅礴。他的音 乐作品有的赞美英雄主义， 有的表达对自然的热爱之情， 还有的歌颂人与人之间的融洽情 感。和贝多芬一样， 列侬的音乐也展示了他生活的那个时代。20 世纪60 年代与70 年代， 美国社会上出现的歧视与不公正现象强烈地打击了青年们， 他们都期望建立新的社会。列 侬的歌曲大多表达了青年的这种思想。他在一首名为《想象》的歌曲中唱道，“ 想象全人类 都生活在和平之中”,“ 世界大同”。这些歌词表达了他的反战情绪以及对和平的向往之 情， 并反射出上世纪60 和70 年代的时代精神。
在 一定程度上， 两人都是社会的叛逆者。他们拒绝向社会习俗和权势低头。贝多芬是 个忠实的共和党人。拿破仑当权时曾宣称自己是共和制的捍卫者， 贝多芬非常钦佩他， 就 把歌颂英雄主义的作品《第三交响曲》献给了他。但是不久， 拿破仑就加冕称帝了。贝多 芬异常气愤， 不顾可能遭受的迫 害， 公开宣布收回对拿破仑的赞扬。列侬因支持青年运动 也被当权者认定是捣乱分子， 甚至一度遭到封 杀， 可他却依然不顾一切地坚持自己的信仰。
阅读导评
我国音乐家冼星海说过：“音乐是人生的快乐， 音乐是生活中的一股清泉， 音 乐是陶冶性情的熔炉。”贝多芬和列侬不仅体验到了这种快乐， 还从中获得了一种促使他们 前进的精神力量。为了更好地生活， 我们也当悉心倾听音乐。倾听音乐才能更好地领悟音 乐。能够领悟音乐的人， 才能从一切世俗的烦恼中超脱出来， 才能更好地驾驭生活， 才能成 为生活的主人。
阅读导释
1. 路德维希·冯·贝多芬( 1770—1827) , 德国作曲家， 毕生追求“ 自由、平等、博爱”的理 想， 其创作集西方古典乐派之大成， 开浪漫乐派之先河， 对后世西洋音乐的发展有深远影 响。贝多芬被后人尊称为“ 乐圣”, 其主要作品有《英雄》、《命运》、《田园》等交响乐9部，《悲怆》、《月光》、《暴风雨》等钢琴奏鸣曲32 部及弦乐四重奏17 部。文章中提及的 Symphony No. 3 即《第三交响曲》, 作品原来打算题献给贝多芬心目中的英雄拿破仑， 但 当他听说拿破仑称帝， 便划掉了献词。共和主义原则使他义愤填膺， 于是把题词改为 “ 为了纪念一位伟人”。
2. 约翰·列侬( 1940—1980) ,“ 披头士”( Beatles) 乐队主要代表人物， 被称为“ 摇滚之父”。 大家所熟悉的歌曲《黄色潜水艇》与《昨天》均出自该乐队。这支乐队属于先锋派， 他们比 较狂热与敏感， 是和平的忠实捍卫者。1980 年12 月8 日， 列侬在自己曼哈顿公寓的门口， 被一名疯狂的歌迷枪杀。文章中提到的《想象》表达了列侬呼唤和�
3. shackle 原意是“镣铐， 手 铐， 脚镣”, 常比喻为“ 枷锁， 桎梏， 束缚”, 这里就取此词的比喻 义。feudalism意思是“封建主义， 封建制度”, 与前文中的capitalism, 即“ 资本主义， 资本 主义制度”是相对而言的。
4. 这个词的意思是“ 颂扬， 赞扬， 赞美”, 是个美化用语的动词， 如： extol one's merits ( 称颂 某人的功绩) ; extol one to the skies ( 把某人捧上天) 。
5. 这里指的是通常所说的拿破仑一世( 1769—1821) , 法兰西第一帝国和百日王朝皇帝。 1804 年， 拿破仑发动雾月18 日政变， 自任第一执政。他称帝后颁布的《拿破仑法典》对 后世有着重要影响。他在位时连年对外用兵， 滑铁卢战役惨败后被流放到圣赫勒拿岛。 今天所说的短语meet one's waterloo ( 惨遭失败) 即来源于此。
6. 该词原本指“皇 冠， 桂冠”, 这里用作动词， 意思是“ 为……加冕， 立……为君王”, 还有 “ 给……戴( 花冠) , 授……以荣誉”的意思， 如： The Emperor crowned the victor with laurel. ( 国王授予胜利者以桂冠。) 词组the crown of the year 则指“收获季节， 秋季”。
Not surprising in these hard times, the student’s major objective “is to be financially well off. Less important than ever is developing a meaningful philosophy of life.” It follows then that today the most popular course is not literature or history but accounting.
Interest in teaching, social service and the“altruistic”fields is at a low. On the other hand, enrollment in business programs, engineering and computer science is way up.
That’s no surprise either. A friend of mine (a sales representative for a chemical company) was making twice the salary of her college instructors her first year on the job-even before she completed her two-yearassociate degree.
While it’s true that we all need a career, it is equally true that our civilization has accumulated an incredible amount of knowledge in fields far removed from our own and that we are better for our understanding of these other contributions m be they scientific or artistic. It is equally true that, in studying thediverse wisdom of others, we learn how to think. More important, perhaps, education teaches us to see the connections between things, as well as to see beyond our immediate needs.
Weekly we read of unions who went on strike for higher wages, only to drive their employer out of company; no job. How shortsighted in the long run!
But the most important argument for a broad education is that in studying the accumulated wisdom of the ages, we improve our moral sense. I saw a cartoon recently which shows a group of businessmen looking puzzled as they sit around a conference table; one of them is talking on the intercom (对讲机): “Miss Baxter,”he says, “could you please send in someone who can distinguish right from wrong?”
From the long-term point of view, that’s what education really ought to be about.
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1. According to the author’s observation, college students _______.
A. have never been so materialistic as today
B. have never been so interested in the arts
C. have never been so financially well off as today
D. have never attached so much importance to moral sense
2. The students’ criteria for selecting majors today have much to do with _______.
A. the influences of their instructors
B. the financial goals they seek in life
C. their own interpretations of the courses
D. their understanding of the contributions of others
3. By saying “While it’s true that ... be they scientific or artistic” (Lines 1-3, Para. 5), the author means that _______.
A. business management should be included in educational programs
B. human wisdom has accumulated at an extraordinarily high speed
C. human intellectual development has reached new heights
D. the importance of a broad education should not be overlooked
4. Studying the diverse wisdom of others can ________.
A. create varying artistic interests
B. help people see things in their right perspective
C. help improve connections among people
D. regulate the behavior of modern people
5. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Businessmen absorbed in their career are narrow-minded.
B. Managers often find it hard to tell right from wrong.
C. People engaged in technical jobs lead a more rewarding life.
D. Career seekers should not focus on immediate interests only.
1.[A]事实细节题。根据第1段可知，根据调査，当今处于传统年龄的大学一年级的学生在17年来的民意测验中是“最追求物质享受、最自私的”，这与A所述相一致。
2.[B]事实细节题。根据第2段第1句指出现在大学生选择专业的。目的是为了经济上的富裕，B中的financial goals对应文中的financial well off，故正确。
3.[D]句意理解题。本句首选强调Career职业的重要性，之后强啁我们也必须理解其他领域的知识，所以这句目的是强调全面教育的重要性，故D正确。
4.[B]事实细节题。根据第5段第2句：同样毋庸置疑的还有，学习他人的各种智慧时，我们也学会怎样去思考。句中how to think与B中的see things in…right perspective意思最为相反，故B正确。
5.[D]事实细节题。根据文章的第5至6段可知，作者认为罢工要求加薪等一些追求眼前利益的行为是目光短浅的，故D正确。
The simple act of surrendering a telephone number to a store clerk may not seem harmful--so much so that many consumers do it with no questions asked. Yet that one action can set in motion a cascade of silent events, as that data point is acquired, analyzed, categorized, stored and sold over and over again. Future attacks on your privacy may come from anywhere, from anyone with money to purchase that phone number you surrendered. If you doubt the multiplier effect, consider your e-mail inbox. If it's loaded with spam, it's undoubtedly because at some point in time you unknowingly surrendered your e-mall to the wrong Web site.
Do you think your telephone number or address is handled differently? A cottage industry of small companies with names you've probably never heard of--like Acxiom or Merlin--buy and sell your personal information the way other commodities like corn or cattle futures are bartered. You may think your cell phone is unlisted, but if you've ever ordered a pizza, it might not be. Merlin is one of many commercial data brokers that advertises sale of unlisted phone numbers compiled from various sources--including pizza delivery companies. These unintended, unpredictable consequences that flow from simple actions make privacy issues difficult to grasp, and grapple with.
In a larger sense, privacy also is often cast as a tale of "Big Brother"--the government is watching you or An big corporation is watching you. But privacy issues dont necessarily involve large faceless institutions: A spouse takes a casual glance at her husband's Blackberry, a co-worker looks at e-mall over your shoulder or a friend glances at a cell phone text message from the next seat on the bus. while very little of this is news to anyone--people are now well aware there are video cameras and Internet cookies everywhere--there is abundant evidence that people live their lives ignorant of the monitoring, assuming a mythical level of privacy. People write e-mails and type instant messages they never expect anyone to see. Just ask Mark Foley or even Bill Gates, whose e-mails were a cornerstone of the Justice Department's antitrust case against Microsoft.
And polls and studies have repeatedly shown that Americans are indifferent to privacy concerns. The general defense for such indifference is summed up a single phrase: "I have nothing to hide." If you have nothing to hide, why shouldn't the government be able to peek at your phone records, your wife see your e-mail or a company send you junk mail? It's a powerful argument, one that privacy advocates spend considerable time discussing and strategizing over.
It is hard to deny, however, that people behave different when they're being watched. And it is also impossible to deny that Americans are now being watched more than at any time in history.
1. In the first paragraph, the telephone number is cited to show
A. many customers didn't keep their privacy confidential.
B. it is harmful to give a store clerk a telephone number.
C. careless disposal of personal information can be harmful.
D. customers should inquire its use when giving telephone numbers to others.
2. What do companies like Acxiom and Merlin do?
A. Compile telephone directories for businessmen.
B. Collect and sell personal information to make a profit.
C. Trade commodities like corn on the market.
D. Crack down crimes like stealing private information.
3. From Paragraph 3, we learn that
A. cases of privacy intrusion happen only in large institutions.
B. people are quite aware of how their privacy is intruded.
C. it is not privacy intrusion when a wife glances at her husband's cell phone.
D. Bill Gates' email messages were cited as evidence against him.。
4. It can be inferred from the fourth paragraph that the author thinks
A. Americans are actually concerned about privacy issues.
B. Americans are indifferent to privacy concerns.
C. Americans are very frank about privacy concerns.
D. Americans are puzzled about privacy concerns.
5. Which of the following is the author's viewpoint?
A. Never give your private information to anyone.
B. People should pay more attention to their privacy issues.
C. Do not surrender your email to any website.
D. It does no good saying "I have nothing to hide".
【文章概要】
本文以个人无意泄漏电话号码和电子邮件为例引出对隐私问题的探讨。首段指出简单无意识地泄漏个人信息的行为可能事后会给自己带来麻烦；第2段讲述某些小 公司利用泄漏个人信息来赢利，使得隐私成为一个棘手的问题；第3段进一步提到隐私问题不一定只涉及大机构，隐私在日常生活中就可能有意无意地受到侵犯；第4段讲到美国人对隐私问题的态度及作者对此的看法；第5段作小结指出美国人正面临着更多的监视。
【答案解析】
1.[C]细节判断题。首段第l句提到泄漏电话号码的例子，第2、3句指出这一行为可能带来的'麻烦，故选C。A、B本身正确但只停留在例子本身，并没有指明举例要表明的问题；D在文中没有提及。
2.[B]细节推断题。根据Acxiom和Merlin定位到第2段第2旬。该句第2个破折号说明了这两家公司的性质，指出他们买卖个人信息就像买卖玉米和牛期货证券一样，故选8。文中提到Merlin公司出售那些未登记过的电话号码，这些号码汇编来源多样，A只是利用原文个别单词设置的干扰项；文中 只是说这些公司买卖个人信息的方式就像在市场买卖玉米的方式一样，故C错；D“破解如窃取个人信息的犯罪行为”在文中没有提及。
3.[D]段落细节题。由第3段第2句可知A错误；由该段倒数2、3句可知人们对隐私受侵犯并没有多深的意识，故B也错：But一句指出隐私问题并不一定只涉及大机构，冒号后所列举的例子即是对此观点的支持，可见C的说法也是不正确的；末旬指出司法部控告微软公司就是利用比尔·盖茨的邮件为证据，故D正确。
4.[A]推理判断题。第4段第l句指出调查和研究证明美国人对隐私问题漠不关心，但根据后文连续几个假设问句可以推断出。美国人实际上很关住他们的隐私问题，故C错误；B只是一种表面现象；文中没有提及他们对隐私的关注是否“迷惑”，D也不对。
5.[B]观点态度题。文章首段就提到了隐私无意间的泄漏可能会带来的麻烦，接下来几段分别从个人信息被滥用、隐私问题无处不在、美国人对隐私的态度等方面说明，在当今时代，由于通信技术的发达，个人隐私的保护问题越来越复杂。因此人们对隐私问题应给予更多的重视，故选B。A、C说法太过绝对；D项也不能概述作者的观点。
The dancers stand motionless at their position and the room grows silent. But as the music starts, they began to move, bending, turning and waving their fans gracefully as they perform. a traditional Japanese dance. Yoshihiro Kuroki watches in silence, occasionally making notes. But as the dance ends, he beams with happiness. The performance has been flawless.
There have been many performances of traditional Japanese dances over the centuries, but this one is unique,because it is performed not by human dancers but by robots. And the performance takes place not in a dance studio but in a laboratory of Sony Corp.s Entertainment Robot Co. in Shinagawa, Japan, where Kuroki isgeneral manager. He is the mastermind behind a series of even more capable humanoid entertainment robots,starting with the Sony Dream Robot, or SDR, in 1997, up to the current QRIO in 2003.
These delightful machines are only 58 cm tall, about the size of a newborn infant, weigh about 7 kg, and move with 38 degrees of freedom, each with its own servomotor(辅助马达).
QRIOs predecessor, the SDR4X, announced in 2002, can walk, dance, sing, speak, recognize faces, and understand continuous speech. Each robot has two charge-coupled-device cameras to detect color and position andcan locate a colored ball, move toward it, and kick it into a goal. It also has contact sensors in severaljoints to avoid pinching real human fingers. Seeing the robot perform, it is difficult to remember that there is no sentience(知觉)behind those glass eyes.
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1.Which of the following is the most suitable title of this passage?
A.New Entertainment Robots Produced in Japan.
B.QRIO the Robot Dancers.
C.Robots Mans Best Friend.
D.An Extraordinary Performance in Sonys Lab.
2.Yoshihiro Kuroki ______.
A.is excited when the robots are performing a traditional Japanese dance
B.keeps silent because he is a little unsatisfied with the new product
C.witnesses the creation of a series of entertainment robots
D.is an executive manager of Sony Corp.
3.Which aspect of the robots is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A.The vividness of their motion.
B.Their pleasant appearance.
C.Their smart designing principles.
D.Their communicative ability.
4.The Sony Dream Robot was___
A.the first human-like entertainment robot developed by the Sony Corp
B.as capable as the QRIO of speaking,dancing,singing and walking
C.largest among all the entertainment robot developed by the Sony Corp
D.the first entertainment robot sold at the market by the Sony Corp
5.The robot can locate colored balls by mens of ____
A.a charge-coupled device
B.two cameras
C.two contacts sensors
D.a digital detector
参考答案
1.[A]主旨大意题。标题需要既全面又突出地概括文章的主题。本文先是描述“舞蹈演员”，然后揭晓这是些“机器人”(第2段第1句)，接着对Sony公司的一些机器人产品进行详细介绍。选项A比较全面地概括了文章内容。选项B、D只是涉及细节，不能全面地概括本文的内容。而C又过于笼统，不具有针对性。
2.[C]事实细节题。选项C符合第2段最后一句“He is the mastermind behind a series of... robots...”。仔细阅读有关的细节信息会发现，第1段第3句可帮助否定选项A。第1段最后两句可帮助否定选项B。另外，根据第2段倒数第2句可否定选项D。
3.[D]事实细节题。全文分四段，分别讨论机器人三方面的特点：第1段和第2段描述机器人舞蹈演员栩栩如生的表演，即选项A;第3段描写它们的外表，即选项B;第4段介绍它们巧妙的设计，即选项C;只有选项D是没有提到的，故为答案。
4.[A]推理判断题。该句中的分词结构“starting with...”表明the Sony Dream Robot是第一个人形娱乐机器人，因此选项A正确。文章在最后一段的第1句提到两种能说话、跳舞的机器人，但没有提到SDR是否和它们一样，由此可否定选项B。在第3段讨论机器人大小的`时候也没有提到SDR体型最大，因此选项C不正确。选项D在文中没有讨论到。
5.[B]事实细节题。该句中“two…cameras to...”的结构表明这两个摄像头可以用于定位，所以选项B正确。选项A在该句中也有提到，但它只是摄像机的工作机制，而不是用于定位的装置。选项C在下一句提到，但与题干提到的定位功能无关。选项D在文中并未提及。
Trees should only be pruned when there is a good and clear reason for doing so and ， fortunately,the number of such reasons is small. Pruning involves the cutting away of obergrown and unwanted branches, and the inexperienced gardener can be encouraged by the thought that more damage results from doing it unnecessarily than from leaving the tree to grow in its own way.
First, pruning may be done to make sure that trees have a desired shape or size. The object may be to get a tree of the right height, and at the same time to help the growth of small side branches which will thicken its appearance or give it a special shape. Secondly, pruning may be done to make the tree healthier. You may cut diseaed or dead wood, or branches that are rubbing against each other and thus cause wounds. The health of a tree may be encouraged by removing branches that are blocking up the centre and so preventing the free movement of air.
One result of pruning is that an open wound is left on the tree and this provides an easy entry for disease, but itis a wound that will heal. Often there is a race between the healing and the desease as to whether the tree will live or die, so that there is a period when the tree is at risk. It should be the aim of every gardener to reduce which has been pruned smooth and clean, for healing will be slowed down by roughness. You should allow the cut surface to dry for a few hurs and then paint it with one of the substances available from garden shops produced especially for this purpose. Pruning is usually without interference from the leaves and also it is very unlikely that the cuts yu make will bleed. If this does happen,it is, of course,impossible to paint them properly.
1、．Why should pruning be done?
A．To make the tree grow taller. B．To improve the shape of the tree.
C．to get rid of the small ranches 。 D．To make the small branches thicker.
2、．Trees become unhealthy if the gardener__________.
A. giving a tree a special shape and adefinite height
B. removing small side branches and making atree look less thick
C. allowing too many branches to grow in themiddle
D. having a tree surrounded by many othertrees
3、．Why is a special material painted on the tree?
A．To help a wound to dry. B．to cover a rough surface.
C．To make a wound smooth. D．To prevent disease entering a wound.
4、．A good gardener prunes a tree _________ 。
A．several times throughout the year B．as quickly as possible
C．occasionally when necessary D．regularly every winter
5、．What was the author’s purpose when writingthis passage?
A．To discuss different methods of pruning.
B．To introduce some common knowledge of pruning.
C．To explain how trees developdisease.
D．To give practical instruction for pruning atree.
Professor Smith recently persuaded 35 people, 23 of them women, to keep a diary of all their absent-mindedactions for a fortnight. When he came to analyse their embarrassing lapses(差错)in a scientific report, hewas surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groupings, Nordid the lapses appear to be entirely random(随机的).
One of the women, for instance, on leaving her house for work one morning threw her dog her earrings and tried to fix a dog biscuit on her ear. "the explanation for this is that the brain is like a computer," explains the professor. "People programme themselves to do certain activities regularly. It was the woman’s custom every morning to throw her dog two biscuits and then put on her earrings. But somehow the action got reversed in the programme," About one in twenty of the incidents the volunteers reported were these "programme assembly failures,"
Altogether the volunteers logged 433 unintentional actions that they found themselves doing---an average of twelve each, There appear to be peak periods in the day when we are at our zaniest(荒谬可笑的).These aretwo hours some time between eight a.m. and noon, between four and six p.m. with a smaller peak between eight and ten p.m."Among men the peak seems to be when a changeover in brain’ programmes’ occurs, as for instance between going to and from work." Women on average reported slightly more lapses----- 12.5 compared with 10.9 for men m probably because they were more reliable reporters.
A startling finding of the research is that the absent-minded activity is a hazard of doing things in which we are skilled. Normally, you would expect that skill reduces the number of errors we make. But trying to avoid silly slips by concentrating more could make things a lot worse m even dangerous.
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1. In his study Professor Smith asked the subjects ________
A. to keep track of people who tend too forget things
B. to report their embarrassing lapses at random
C. to analyse their awkward experiences scientifically
D. to keep a record of what they did unintentionally
2. Professor Smith discovered that ________
A. certain patterns can be identified in the recorded incidents
B. many people were too embarrassed to admit their absent-mindedness
C. men tend to be more absent-minded than women
D. absent-mindedness is an excusable human weakness
3. "Programme assembly failures" (Line 6, Para. 2) refers to the phenomenon that people ______
A. often fail to programme their routines beforehand
B. tend to make mistakes when they are in a hurry
C. unconsciously change the sequence of doing things
D. are likely to mess things up if they are too tired
4. We learn from the third paragraph that _______
A. absent-mindedness tends to occur during certain hours of the day
B. women are very careful to perform actions during peak periods
C. women experience more peak periods of absent-mindedness
D. men’s absent-mindedness often results in funny situations
5.It can be concluded from the passage that _____
A. people should avoid doing important things during peak periods of lapses
B. hazards can be avoided when people do things they are good at
C. people should be careful when programming their actions
D. lapses cannot always be attributed to lack of concentration
答案
1.[D] 事实细节题。本文第1句中的to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions就是指to keep a record of what they did unintentionally,题目中的subjects指实验对象，被测试者。
2.[A] 事实细节题。根据第2句中nearly all of them fell into a few groupings可以找到本题答案，题目中的discover是该句中find的同义词，A的patterns与原文中的groupings意义相同。
3.[C] 语义题。根据第2段最后两句提到，但是不知怎么的这种行为在程序中颠倒了。这些被测试者报告的事件中二十个中有一个属于这种“流水线程序错误”。C的unconsciously与somehow对应，change the sequence of doing things与the action got reversed对应，故本题选C。
4.[A] 事实细节题。根据第3段的第2、3句“一天之中似乎存在一些人们易犯荒谬可笑错误的高峰时段”,之后到举了几个高峰时间，可知A与之相符。
5.[D] 推理判断题。根据文章最后两句“一般来说，我们会以为技术娴熟可以减少错误。但是为了避免出现愚蠢的失误而更加专注，只会把事情弄得更糟糕，甚至会导致危险。”可知D“差错并不总是注意力不集中导致的” 正确。
Foxes and farmers have never got on well. These small dog-like animals have long been accused of killing farm animals. They are officially classified as harmful and farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them.
Farmers can also call on the services of their local hunt to control the fox population. Hunting consists of pursuing a fox across the countryside, with a group of specially trained dogs, followed by men and women riding horses. When the dogs eventually catch the fox they kill it or a hunter shoots it.
People who take part in hunting think of as a sport; they wear a special uniform of red coats and white trousers, and follow strict codes of behavior. But owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive, so most hunters are wealthy.
It is estimated that up to 100,000 people watch or take part in fox hunting. But over the last couple of decades the number of people opposed to fox hunting, because they think it is brutal (残酷的), has risen sharply. Nowadays it is rare for a hunt to pass off without some kind of confrontation (冲突) between hunters and hunt saboteurs (阻拦者). Sometimes these incidents lead to violence, but mostly saboteurs interfere with the hunt by misleading riders and disturbing the trail of the fox’s smell, which the dogs follow.
Noisy confrontations between hunters and saboteurs have become so common that they are almost as much a part of hunting as the pursuit of foxes itself. But this year supporters of fox hunting face a much bigger threat to their sport. A Labour Party Member of the Parliament, Mike Foster, is trying to get Parliament toapprove a new law which will make the hunting of wild animals with dogs illegal. If the law is passed, wild animals like foxes will be protected under the ban in Britain.
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1. Rich people in Britain have been hunting foxes ________.
A. for recreation
B. in the interests of the farmers
C. to limit the fox population
D. to show off their wealth
2. What is special about fox hunting in Britain?
A. It involves the use of a deadly poison.
B. It is a costly event which rarely occurs.
C. The hunters have set rules to follow.
D. The hunters have to go through strict training.
3. Fox hunting opponents often interfere in the game ________.
A. by resorting to violence
B. by confusing the fox hunters
C. by taking legal action
D. by demonstrating on the scene
4. A new law may be passed by the British Parliament to ________.
A. prohibit farmers from hunting foxes
B. forbid hunting foxes with dogs
C. stop hunting wild animals in the countryside
D. prevent large-scale fox hunting
5. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. killing foxes with poison is illegal
B. limiting the fox population is unnecessary
C. hunting foxes with dogs is considered cruel and violent
D. fox-hunting often leads to confrontation between the poor and the rich
参考答案
1.[A] 事实细节题。根据第3段第1句的`前半部分People who take part in hunting think of it as a sport可知，参加捕杀的人们把猎杀狐狸当成是一种运动，A与之相符。
2.[C] 事实细节题。根据第3段首句末尾说，凡是参加的人都要遵循严格的行为准则，C “猎手已建立起需要遵循的规则”与之相符，故选C。
3.[B] 事实细节题。第4段末句提到，在大部分情况下，阻拦者利用为骑马的人引错路和进行气味干扰来干涉捕猎，B与之相符，故选B。
4.[B] 事实细节题。文章倒数第2句提及，督促议会通过一项新法案，将带狗猎杀野生动物列为非法。而狐狸是野生动物的一种，故选B。
5.[C] 推断题。.根据第4段第2句后半部分可知，反对捕猎狐狸的人数在上升是因为他
By 1970, according to a World Wildlife Fund report, only about 4,500 tigers survived throughout the world-half of them in India. Mr. Foresters, who followed and counted tiger footprints, estimated that in May 1972 only about 1,800 tigers existed in India. Project Tiger Supported by W.W.F. was immediately launched. Nine tiger reserves(保留地) were created, with armed guards protecting them.
The project provided opportunities for researchers from India and abroad to study tigers in the reserves and gather previously unavailable information about their habits. Studies show that a male tiger may control a hunting territory of between 10 and 20 square kilometers, depending on its age, size and strength. Theterritory of male includes the smaller territories(领地) of three or four tigresses. A tiger marks the boundaries of its territories by spraying urine and other bodily liquids on bushes. But it tries to avoid territorial fights, being guided by the distinctive body smell of other tigers. Tigers fight to death only when a tigress is defending her young, or when a tiger is guarding a tigress from the attentions of other males.
The popular image of the tiger is that of a merciless and unconquerable hunter. But studies show that it catches only one of 20 victims it tries to attack.
Fears have recently developed that Project Tiger has been too successful. It has enabled the tiger population to double (by mid-80 S), but India"s human population has also grown out of control. Currently it is 750 million and likely to be 900 million by the end of the century. Land problem is becoming serious and many rural people feel bitter about the fact that some rich forests are reserved for tigers. A growing number of attacks by tigers on man has added to the hostility .
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1.The ultimate aim of Project Tiger is to _____.
A.study the growth rate of tigers
B.protect tigers from being killed
C.promote the breeding of young tigers
D.analyze the behavioral patterns of tigers
2.Studies have shown that ______.
A.a tigress never attacks until attacked
B.the tigress is not as fierce as the tigers
C.a tiger usually fights another tiger to defend its own territory
D.the tiger is not an efficient hunter as is commonly described
3.According to the passage, a tiger"s territory _____.
A.remains unchanged
B.is often defended by tigresses
C.expands as the tiger grows up
D.is the cause of most fights
4.Some people are afraid that Project Tiger _____.
A.has been carried too far
B.has not received enough attention
C.has failed to achieve its goal
D.is not worth the money spent on it
5.The author seems _____.
A.to be enthusiastic about Project Tiger
B.to have a matter-of-fact attitude towards Project Tiger
C.to have a hostile attitude towards Project Tiger
D.to be satisfied with Project Tiger
1.[D] 根据文章第1段，老虎被捕杀是其数量剧减的根本原因，因此使老虎免于被杀是野生动物保护基金会的最终目的，故选D。
2.[B] 第3段第2句说，但研究表明老虎捕捉猎物的成功率仅为1/20，B与之相符。第2段说到老虎一般会避免领土之争，C与之不符，故排除；A、D在原文中并未提及均可排除。
3.[A] 第2段第2句提到，研究表明，一头雄老虎依年龄、体型及力量可以控制10至20公里的狩猎领地，随着老虎的长大，其体型及力量都在增大，其占领的狩猎领地的面积自然也就增大，故A正确。
4.[C] 文章第4段首句说，许多人近来开始担心老虎项目过于成功，C项是该句的同义替换，故为答案。
5.[B] 纵观全文，作者对于老虎保护项目没有加入个人的主观色彩，他持的是一种客观的态度，故选B。
Passage Three
Method of Scientific Inquiry
Why the inductive and mathematical sciences, after their first rapid development at the culmination of Greek civilization, advanced so slowly for two thousand years—and why in the following two hundred years a knowledge of natural and mathematical science has accumulated, which so vastly exceeds all that was previously known that these sciences may be justly regarded as the products of our own times—are questions which have interested the modern philosopher not less than the objects with which these sciences are more immediately conversant. Was it the employment of a new method of research, or in the exercise of greater virtue in the use of the old methods, that this singular modern phenomenon had its origin? Was the long period one of arrested development, and is the modern era one of normal growth? Or should we ascribe the characteristics of both periods to so-called historical accidents—to the influence of conjunctions in circumstances of which no explanation is possible, save in the omnipotence and wisdom of a guiding Providence?
The explanation which has become commonplace, that the ancients employed deduction chiefly in their scientific inquiries, while the moderns employ induction, proves to be too narrow, and fails upon close examination to point with sufficient distinctness the contrast that is evident between ancient and modern scientific doctrines and inquiries. For all knowledge is founded on observation, and proceeds from this by analysis, by synthesis and analysis, by induction and deduction, and if possible by verification, or by new appeals to observation under the guidance of deduction—by steps which are indeed correlative parts of one method; and the ancient sciences afford examples of every one of these methods, or parts of one method, which have been generalized from the examples of science.
A failure to employ or to employ adequately any one of these partial methods, an imperfection in the arts and resources of observation and experiment, carelessness in observation, neglect of relevant facts, by appeal to experiment and observation—these are the faults which cause all failures to ascertain truth, whether among the ancients or the moderns; but this statement does not explain why the modern is possessed of a greater virtue, and by what means he attained his superiority. Much less does it explain the sudden growth of science in recent times.
The attempt to discover the explanation of this phenomenon in the antithesis of “facts” and “theories” or “facts” and “ideas”—in the neglect among the ancients of the former, and their too exclusive attention to the latter—proves also to be too narrow, as well as open to the charge of vagueness. For in the first place, the antithesis is not complete. Facts and theories are not coordinate species. Theories, if true, are facts—a particular class of facts indeed, generally complex, and if a logical connection subsists between their constituents, have all the positive attributes of theories.
Nevertheless, this distinction, however inadequate it may be to explain the source of true method in science, is well founded, and connotes an important character in true method. A fact is a proposition of simple. A theory, on the other hand, if true has all the characteristics of a fact, except that its verification is possible only by indirect, remote, and difficult means. To convert theories into facts is to add simple verification, and the theory thus acquires the full characteristics of a fact.
1、 The title that best expresses the ideas of this passage is
[A]。 Philosophy of mathematics. [B]。 The Recent Growth in Science.
[C]。 The Verification of Facts. [C]。 Methods of Scientific Inquiry.
2、 According to the author, one possible reason for the growth of science during the days of the ancient Greeks and in modern times is
[A]。 the similarity between the two periods.
[B]。 that it was an act of God.
[C]。 that both tried to develop the inductive method.
[D]。 due to the decline of the deductive method.
3、 The difference between “fact” and “theory”
[A]。 is that the latter needs confirmation.
[B]。 rests on the simplicity of the former.
[C]。 is the difference between the modern scientists and the ancient Greeks.
[D]。 helps us to understand the deductive method.
4、 According to the author, mathematics is
[A]。 an inductive science. [B]。 in need of simple verification.
[C]。 a deductive science. [D]。 based on fact and theory.
5、 The statement “Theories are facts” may be called.
[A]。 a metaphor. [B]。 a paradox.
[C]。 an appraisal of the inductive and deductive methods.
[D]。 a pun.
Vocabulary
1、 inductive 归纳法
induction n.归纳法
2、 deductive 演绎法
deduction n.演绎法
3、 culmination 到达顶/极点
4、 conversant （with） 熟悉的，精通的
5、 exercise 运用，实行，执行仪式
singular 卓越的，非凡的，独一无二的
6、 conjunction 结合，同时发生
7、 omnipotence 全能，无限权/威力
8、 Providence （大写）指上帝，天道，天令
9、 commonplace 平凡的，陈腐的
10、 inquiry 调查，探究（真理，知识等）
11、 doctrine 教义，学说，讲义
12、 correlative 相互关联的
13、 antithesis 对立面，对偶（修辞学中），对句
14、 coordinate 同等的，并列的
15、 subsist 生存，维持生活
16、 attribute 特征，属性
17、 connote 意味着，含蓄（指词内涵）
难句译注
1、 Why the inductive and mathematical sciences, after their first rapid development at the culmination of Greek civilization, advanced so slowly for two thousand years are questions which have interested the modern philosopher not less than the objects with which these sciences are more immediately conversant.
[结构简析] 破折号后面的内容（见难句译注2）先撇开。这样便于理解，整个句子是主谓表结构，前面一个问题句作主语，question后跟一个定语从句，和not less than连接的表语。
[参考译文] 为什么归纳发和数学科学，在希腊文明达到顶点时首先快速发展后，两千年内进展缓慢，现在哲学家对这个问题的兴趣不亚于对这些科学很熟悉研究的对象。
2、 …—and why in the following two hundred years a knowledge of natural and mathematical science has accumulated, which so vastly exceeds all that was previously known that these sciences may be justly regarded as the products of our own times—…
[参考译文] 问什么在后来的二百年中自然科学数理科学积累起来，它们广泛的超越了过去已知的一切，所以就把这些科学视为我们时代的产品。
3、 arrested development 停滞发展（被制止了的发展）。
4、 Or should we ascribe the characteristics of both periods to so-called historical accidents—to the influence of conjunctions in circumstances of which no explanation is possible, save in the omnipotence and wisdom of a guiding Providence?
[参考译文] 或者我们是否应当把两个阶段的特点归因于所谓的历史的偶然性（意外事件）——归因于客观环境中相似（结合）的影响。这一点除非以指导一切的上帝的智慧和无限权利来解释，否则难以解说清楚。
写作方法与文章大意
这是篇议论文，论及科学探索的方法，总体是因果写法，具体分析又是对比写法。作者采用问答方式探究为什么希腊文明顶峰之后两千年，科技发展缓慢，而最近两百年又迅速发展超越前人，其原因在哪里？是采用新，旧方法所致，历史之偶然性，还是上天安排。
然后以现代用归纳法，古代用演绎法太狭隘说明科学总是在观察，实验，检验，证实中前进。但事实难以解释慢和快的现象。最后以“对立”——事实和理论对立古代重视事实来解释。然这两者是对立的统一。真正的理论就是事实。事实，构成之间具逻辑联系，就具有理论的一切正面特性。这种区分虽不足以解释科学研究中真正方法，但奠定了良好的基础，含有真正方法中的重要特性。
答案详解
1、 D. 科学研究/探索的方法。文章一开始就提出问题，为什么从希腊文化顶峰时期后两千年来归纳法和数学科学发展如此缓慢，而后的两百年又超越了前人，是应用新，旧方法关系还是其它（见难句译注1，2）。第二段讲埃及古代在科学探索中运用了演绎推理法，而现在应用了归纳法。这种解释太狭隘，经仔细审核，难以很清晰地点明古代和现代科学教义和探究上明显的`差别。因为一切知识都基于观察，通过分析，综合，或综合分析，归纳演绎推理，有可能的话，经过校正或经由演绎指导下再观察而向前推进。第三段进一步阐明不用这些方法观察，实验；忽略相关事实，推理不慎；不能答出理论的结论，再用实验或观察来检验等或用得不全，不论在古代还是现代都会失败。但这不能说明为什么现代科学具有较高的功效，通过什么方式方法，超越了前人，更不用说说明最近科学突飞猛进的原因。第四，五段涉及事实和理论的关系。
A. 数学的哲学，文内没有提。 B. 近来科学的发展。 C. 事实的验证，只是最后两段提及验证方法之作用。
2、 B. 是上天的安排，这是作家在用方法论等失败后得出的结论。见难句译注4，第一段最后一句话。
A. 两个阶段的相似性。 。 两者都试图应用归纳法。 D. 由于演绎法的衰落。
3、 A. 后者需要证实。答案在第四，五段，死段试图在事实的对立面和理论，或事实和思想中发现上述现象的解释看起来有饿太狭隘，也会因模糊不清遭批评。因为，对立面不全面，事实和理论不是同类的事物。理论，如果是真正的理论，就是事实——一种特殊类别的事实，一般复杂，但仍是事实。而事实，从词的狭义来说，如果很复杂，如果各成分中存在着逻辑的联系，就具有理论的一切主要特征。第五段第二句，事实是一个提议，通过运用知识的源泉和经验而证实的提议直接而又简单。而理论，若是真理论，就有事实的一切特性（除非其证实只能通过非直接的，遥远的和困难的方式方法），把理论转成事实必须用简单的核实，理论因此具有事实的一切特性。
B. 前者简单。 C. 是现代科学家和古希腊的差异。 D. 帮助我们了解演绎法，三项都不对。
4、 C. 是推理演绎科学，这个问题常识就能回答。
A. 归纳法科学。 B. 需要简单证实。 D. 基于事实和理论。
5、 B. 是一个悖论，见第四，五段注释。
A. 比喻。 C. 对归纳法和演绎法的赞扬。 D. 双关语。
“The worlds environment is surprisingly healthy. Discuss.”If that were an examination topic, most students would tear it apart. offering a long list of complaints: from local smog (烟雾) to global climate change, from the felling(砍伐) of forests to the extinction of species. The list would largely be accurate,the concern legitimate. Yet the students who should be given the highest marks would actually be those who agreed with the statement. The surprise is how good things are, not how bad.
After all. the worlds population has more than tripled during this century, and world output has risen hugely. so you would expect the earth itself to have been affected. Indeed, if people lived, consumed and produced things in the same way as they did in 1900 (or 1950. or indeed 1980), the world by now would be a pretty disgusting place: smelly, dirty. toxic and dangerous.
But they dont. The reasons why they dont. and why the environment has not been ruined. have to do with prices. technological innovation, social change and government regulation in response to popular pressure. That is why todays environmental problems in the poor countries ought. in principle, to be solvable.
Raw materials have not run out. and show no sign of doing so. Logically. one day they must: the planet is a finite place. Yet it is also very big. and man is very ingenious. What has happened is chat every time a material seems to be running short, the price has risen and. in response. people have looked for new sources of supply, tried to find ways to use less of the material, or looked for a new substitute. For this reason prices for energy and for minerals have fallen in real terms during the century. The same is true for food. Prices fluctuate, in response to harvests. natural disasters and political instability; and when they rise, it takes some time before new sources of supply become available. But they always do. assisted by new farming and crop technology. The long-term trend has been downwards.
It is where prices and markets do not operate properly that this benign (良性的) trend begins to scumble, and the genuine problems arise. Markets cannot always keep the environment healthy. If no one owns the resource concerned. no one has an interest in conserving it or fostering it: fish is the best example of this.
1.According to the author, most students_________________.
A) believe the worlds environment is in an undesirable condition
B) agree that the environment of the world is not as bad as it is thought to be
C) get high marks for their good knowledge of the worlds environment
D) appear somewhat unconcerned about the state of the worlds environment
2.The huge increase in world production and population________________.
A) has made the world a worse place to live in
B) has had a positive influence on che environment
C) has not significantly affected the environment
D) has made the world a dangerous place to live in
3.One of the reasons why the long-term trend of prices bas been downwards is that__________.
A) technological innovation can promote social stability
B) political instability will cause consumption io drop
C) new farming and crop technology can lead to overproduction
D) new sources are always becoming available
4.Fish resources are diminishing because_________________.
A) no new substitutes can be found in large quantities
B) they are not owned by any particular entity
C) improper methods of fishing have ruined che fishing grounds
D) water pollution is extremely serious
5.The primary solution to environmental problems is_______________.
A) to allow market forces to operate properly
B) to curb consumption of natural resources
C) to limit the growth of the world population
D) to avoid fluctuations in prices
答案：
1.作者认为，大部分学生__________________。
A)相信全球环境现在是糟糕的
B)同意全球环境没有人们想象的那么糟糕
C)在关于全球环境知识上掌握得很好，取得了很高的分数
D)对全球环境表现出不关心的态度
[A]根据文章第1段前两句“如果以《全球环境状况非常好》作为考试题，大多数学生会将试卷撕碎，并列出一大堆的抱怨，从烟雾到全球气候变暖，从砍伐森林到物种灭绝”，由此可推断，大多数学生认为全球环境并不令人满意。因此，A正确。
2.世界生产力和人口的激增，_________________。
A)使得这个世界的居住环境更加糟糕
B)已经对环境造成了正面的影响
C)并没有严重地影响环境
D)使得世界的居住环境更加危险
[C]根据文章第2段全段和第3段首句“本世纪，全球人口增加了三倍多，全球产量也有巨大的增长，因此你可能 的确。如果人们还像1900年或1950年甚至1980年那样居住，消费和生产，那么到现在，地球很可能是一个令人厌恶的地方但人们没有这样做”，注意此处的虚拟语气，由此可推断产量和人口的增加并没有对全球环境造成太大的影响，故此，应选C。
3.从长期来看，价格是下降的，其中的一个原因是_____________。
A)技术创新促进了社会稳定型
B)政治的不稳定性会导致消费下降
C)新的农耕和作物技术会导致过度生产
D)总能获得新的资源
[D]根据文章第4段第4、5句“每次当一种资源似乎就要匮乏时，价格就会上升，相应地，人们会寻找新的资源，想方设法找到节省资源的方法或者寻找新的替代品。正因为如此，本世纪能源和矿产品的价格实质上已经下降了一，故应选D。
4.鱼类资源在减少，因为___________________。
A)没有大量的新替代品
B)鱼类资源不属于任何一个实体
C)不当的'捕鱼方法损坏了渔区
D)水质污染非常严重
[B]根据文章最后一段第2、3句“市场并不能总是保持环境的健康发展。如果相关的资源不属于任何人，人们就没有兴趣保护它、培养它。鱼类资源就是一个最 好的例子”，因此，可推断B正是鱼类减少的原因。
5.解决环境问题的主要办法是_________________。
A)让市场力量恰当地运作
B)减步自然资源的消耗
C)限制世界人口增长
D)避免价格波动
[A]根据文章展后一段第1句“在价格和市场手段不能正常运转的地方，这种良性的趋势就会动摇，就会出现环境能源等问题”，故此，让市场价格手段正常地发挥作用才是解决环境问题的方法，A与文章的意思相符，故而正确。