2012英语专业四级考试阅读理解习题及答案
专业英语四级阅读理解辅导：先读文章后看题目
有的考生在做阅读理解题的时候，喜欢先看题目后读文章。他们认为这样会节省时间，但是大多数情况下结果与他们的初衷相反。
实际上，在做阅读理解题的时候先看题目不会节省时间，反而会浪费时间。这是因为如果你先看题目，在你阅读文章的时候你的脑中就会充斥着这些题目，那么你就不能集中注意力。你就会集中注意力寻找这些题目的答案，从而影响对文章整体的理解。因此在做阅读理解时要先读文章，后看题目。以下是一些具体的方法：
1.在阅读文章时不要担心时间不够，否则就不能全神贯注于文章内容。在阅读文章开头几句时，你要联想一下文章的大意：文章是关于什么内容、写的谁、谈论什么事物等。
2.当你继续阅读文章时，要努力识别出文章的文体，即是科普文章、文学作品，还是新闻报道或是别的;同时要识别出作者的写作手法，文章是写给谁看的，作者是带着一种什么样的感情写这篇文章的。
3.在读完文章一遍后，你会对文章的主题和文章的结构有了一定的印象，但是为了准确起见，在你回答问题的时候一定要回过头来再看一遍该文，以确认你的答案。不要根据自己第一遍阅读时的印象答题，也不要根据自己所掌握的文章以外的知识答题。
4.在阅读题目的时候，要注意一些关键字眼，比如EXCEPT, CANNOT, NOT, INCORRECT 等出题者为了引起考生特别注意的大写词
英语专业四级阅读理解面面观
一、专四阅读理解十大话题
社会话题:如商场偷窃(2004),体育商业化(2002)
教育话题:如儿童择校(2001),大学教育(1997),教学方法(1997),
科技话题:如轻型飞机(1993), 昆虫思维(1994),
人物传记;某小说家(1992),个人历史(1996),姓氏溯源(2000)
历史研究:北爱尔兰问题(1992),法国变化(1993)
妇女话题:夫妻关系(2001),家电与妇女(2002)
种族话题:民族矛盾(1998)
自然话题:雪崩(1996),海啸(1997),潮汐(1992)
健康话题:饮酒与心脏病(1995),
经济话题:如瑞士银行(2000),中国经济特区(2004)
二、阅读理解五种材料
说明文、记叙文、议论文、描写文、应用文(尤其是新闻报道)
三、题型分析及应对策略
1．主旨类
(1)What is the main idea (subject) of this passage ?
(2)What does this passage mainly (primarily)concerned ?
(3)The main theme of this passage is ___________.
(4)The main point of the passage is__________.
(5)Which of the following is the best title for the passage ?
(6)The title that best expresses thetheme of the passage is ___________.我要收藏
(7)On which of the following subject would the passage most likely be found in a textbook ?
(8)The purpose of the writer in writing this passage _________.
(9)Which of the following best describes the passage as a whole ?
应对策略：跳读（skimming）文章的开头、结尾及段落的首句和尾句。主旨应该是宏观的，但有不能失之空泛。
2．态度类
(1)What’s the writer’s attitude to …?
(2)What’s the tone of the passage?
(3)The author’s view is _______
(4)The writer’s attitude of .this passage is apparently _________-
(5)The author suggests that _________
(6)According to author __________
应对策略：有的文章观点明确，基调清楚，这时跳读（skimming）文章的开头、结尾及段落的首句和尾句。而另一些则需要阅读时对某些细节仔细琢磨。尤其应注意有些表明作者观点词汇，如形容词、副词等。3．细节类
(1)Which of the following is NOT true according to the information in the passage?
(2) Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?
(3) What is the example of . . . as described in the passage?
(4) The author mentions all of the following except . . .
(5) The reason for . . .is . . .
(6) The author states that . . .
(7) According to the passage, when (where, why, how, who, etc. ) ...
应对策略：寻读（scanning）出现关键词的相应段落，四个答案中相同的词即为关键词。仔细对比答案与文中相应细节。
4．推理类
(1)The writer implies but not directly states that__________-.
(2) It can be inferred from the passage that_________.
(3) The author strongly suggests that__________ .
(4) It can be concluded from the passage that________.
(5) The passage is intended to__________ .
(6)The writer indicates that__________ .
应对策略：推理类题，可能是针对文章整体也可能是针对某个细节。如果是前者，跳读（skimming）文章的开头、结尾及段落的首句和尾句。即可得出答案。如果是后者，寻读（scanning）相应段落并仔细研读相应细节。
4．词汇类
(1)According to the author ,the word "…"mea ns_______.
(2)Which of the following is nearest in meaning to "…"?
(3)The term ".."in paragraph… can be best replaced by ….
(4)What’s the meaning of "…"in line …of paragraph….?
(5)As used in the line …, the word "…"refers to _______.我要收藏
应对策略：寻读（scanning）定位相关词的出处。根据上下文与词的构造来猜测。最好将四个选项带回文中，看看哪一个最合适。即使不是生词，也应当作生词来猜。
5．指代类
(1)What does “it” refers to in Line 2, Paragraph 5?
(2)What does “they” stand for in Line 3, Paragraph 2?
(3) What does “their” stand for in Line 3, Paragraph 2?
(4) What does “its” refer to in Line 3, Paragraph 2?
应对策略：寻读（scanning），定位相关代词的出处，离它最近且单复数一致的名词即是。注意英语中“they”既可指代人也可指代物。
克服不良阅读习惯，提高英语阅读理解能力
克服不良阅读习惯，提高英语阅读理解能力：通过有效分辨意群、增强语感、加强速度训练等有效策略，既可以克服、纠正上述影响阅读效率的不良习惯，同时又可以提高阅读速度，加强阅读理解，愉悦阅读过程。英语阅读理解能力是学习者学习和运用英语需要掌握的一项基本技能，是否很好地掌握这一技能直接影响用英语进行交流和获取信息。事实证明，培养良好的阅读习惯是提高阅读能力的一个有效手段。很多学生之所以阅读速度跟不上，是因为没有养成正确的阅读习惯。
多年的教学实践发现学生中常见的不良阅读习惯有：(1)指读。即为了集中注意力，用手指、笔尖或用尺子指着文章逐字阅读。(2)回读。读文章时，遇到生词、不熟悉的短语或者对读过的部分不放心、惟恐遗漏要点内容时，返回到旬首甚至段首重读；如果遇到长句，常常反复多次。(3)译读。在阅读中不断地进行词、短语乃至句子的翻译，通过译成母语来达到理解。(4)多余、不自觉的习惯性动作，如左右摆头、发声阅读和潜意识里的默读。(5)慢读、细读，所有的阅读材料都以习惯性的、同样的慢速度来阅读有了这些不良习惯，要以较决的速度从大量材料中捕捉有关信息，的确是十分困难的。其后果表现为，无法以阅渎的自然方式一以恿群为单位阅读，导致注意力不能集中到整篇文章的内容上；迟滞理解力集中，使信息的扩展，逻辑推理和理解材料内容受到影响；同时也挫伤了阅读兴趣，从而产生焦虑畏难等消极情感，增强了学习者对语言输人的过滤作用，妨碍读者对语言信息的顺畅接受。因此，培养学生养成良好的阅读习惯十分必要。
一、纠正不良习惯的教学对策
调查显示，回读的原因一般有：(1)没读懂或者一知半解。(2)生词较多，即使猜测词义也需要思考的时间，且往往还对自己所猜的词义举棋不定。(3)注意力不集中，无法统摄句、段、文的要旨和主题对此问题可采取的策略是：首先，对已养成回读习惯的学生，指导他们可用手掌或索引卡作为控制行步进的工具。把手放在卡片上，在读的过程中，让卡片从上向下移动，遮住刚读过的一行。迫使自己专注地阅读不走神，做到身心并用，更好地理解文章。其次，对阅读材料的难易度作出正确判断，并给予有效的控制。伯林从对注意力的研究中得出结论：只有当刺激物既不简单又不太复杂时，人们才能保持最长久的注意力。这就告诉我们，保持最长久的注意力，刺激物的强弱必须适度。所以，最好先选择浅易的材料读。这样可以把注恿力集中在阅读当中的视线移动，不受内容理解的描绊。再次，帮助学生培养积极的态度，保持自信。默念：“我能够读得更快更好。. (我可以提高阅读速度并理解得更准确。. 【我是一个优秀的读者。”鼓励他们调动已有的知识和经验，敢于一口气越过障碍读完，保持阅读的连贯性和整体性最后，逐步养成纵式阅读习惯。让学生视线专注于阅i卖材料的每行中央，纵向移动。同时余光扫描左右两边的文字，要求学生按愚群向前跳读。在每个意群中，把重点放在实词上，如名词、形容词、副词、数词等(不必过多注意虚词，如冠词、介词等)。抓住文章的主要意思和主体框架，忽视细节和不相干的内容。
学生误认为指读能促使他们专注于文中的每个单词，能帮助理解和记忆。其实，专注于每个单独的单词，只能给他们的理解制造难题。向大脑传送的是“弱信号”——看上去是一大堆互不相关的信息．以至于大脑无法集中于阅读上，心不在焉或者感觉厌倦。对此，有必要让学生明白两点：(1)如同交谈时人们不会说话吞吞吐吐，在每个单词之后都停顿反而通常一组词一组词地说一样，阅读应以意群为单位，集中注意思想内容而不是单词。(2)阅读是思维同语言之间相互反应的积极过程。阅读是眼和脑的体操，眼睛和大脑协同工作时才能进行阅读。要具有高的阅读水平，则需“眼明脑快”，对外来视觉信号迅速加工和处理。因此，有效的对策是：不断进行速读训练，增强语感。指导学生利用报刊上的文章练习扩展眼睛的视程，拓宽注视范围。眼睛要抓住成串的文字，搜索有具体含义的慝群，一个意群一个意群的扫描、连贯阅读，保持流畅的、合逻辑的思维不被割断，捕捉表达整篇文章重要文恿的关键词语，在最短的时间内获取所需的信息
很多学生一眼能看五、六个词的意群或句子。可见，平时训l练要强化这种薏群组合能力，直到意群阅读成为一个自觉的过程，有效克服指读的习惯。针对慢读、细读的不良习惯，通过课堂教学，让学生掌握基本阅读技巧：预测、略读、寻读，明白阅读时不仅有一种方法，阅读速度的提高不会影响理解效果。并根据阅读目的和读物材料的难易这两个因素来调整自己的阅读速度，采用不同的阅读方法，懂得灵活运用阅读技巧进行高效阅读。有学生认为译读可以保证他们理解文章的全部意思并记住每个单词。实际上，这种咬文嚼字、偏重语法分析的做法，使得阅读进程非常缓慢，阻碍了对内容的深化理解，而且常感到疑惑并失去阅读的乐趣。阅读是一个理解的过程，而不是一字一句的翻译过程。译读只能理解字面意思，并不能充分理解作者真实的意图。Goodman说：“阅读是一个寻求意义、预测、证实和排除预测的过程。”从阅读理解既是文字的解码过程也是意义假设的过程这一观点出发，除了提高学生的解码技能，迅速感知文字符号所产生的视觉信息在大脑里直接产生意义以外，丰富学生的非视觉信息，加强速读训练从语篇的角度来把握文章的理解，丢掉每次都试图100％获知信息的幻想，排除母语干扰引起的负迁移，摆脱抠语法、纠缠个别细节的做法，是纠正译读习惯的良策。弗莱认为，读者看到印刷符号，就直接获得意思，而不经过声音阶段是完全可能的，阅读心理学的研究亦表明：高效率的阅读可以跳过由文字到声音这一步来达到理解。可见，发声阅读和准发声阅读阻碍有效阅读。为了克服这两个痼疾：第一，训练学生把注意力集中在关键词、文章的主旨上。第二、引导学生阅读时尽可能作形象化思考，练习把看到的文字在脑海中转化成图像，为自己创造一个内向的视频。尤其在读短篇故事时，像看电影一样想象它展示的情景，充分调动自己把文字形象化的行力。
另外，针对不必要、不自觉的习惯性动作，要求学生读的时候要少眨眼、不摆头不动嘴唇，只要眼球来回转动就可以了，目光要尽可能少地停驻。每一次停驻时试着尽可能多纳人一些信息。保持坐姿端正，书本放在眼睛正前方，眼睛与书本距离大约一尺为宜。这样才能保证同一适当距离，同一视角范围内尽可能多地摄人文字信息。
二、结语
实践表明：采取有效的策略克服、纠正影响阅读效率的不良习惯，完全可以提高阅读速度，加强对阅读内容的理解，会使阅读过程变得更愉决。总之，通过大量的练习和树立积极的态度，掌握实用的阅读方式技巧，调整阅读速度，阅读时以恿群为单位纳人信息，视线移动时扩展视幅，全身心沉浸在所读的内容中，尽可能让内容形象化，能够避免影响阅i卖效
翠的坏习惯，成为优秀的读者。当学生养成良好的阅读习惯以后，会发现阅读是其乐无穷、受益终身的
专四阅读理解练习1
As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with store rooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realized since they called them "pueblos", which is Spanish for town.
The people of the pueblos raised what are called"the three sisters" - corn, beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain.
The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou.
The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison, commonly called the buffalo. Its meat was the chief food of these tribes, and its hide was used to make their clothing and covering of their tents and tipis.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The architecture of early American Indian buildings.
B. The movement of American Indians across North America.
C. Ceremonies and rituals of American Indians.
D. The way of life of American Indian tribes in early North America.
2. It can be inferred from the passage that the dwellings of the Hopi and Zuni were______.
A. very small
B. highly advanced
C. difficult to defend
D. quickly constructed
答案：
1. D) 根据阅读短文可知，作者主要描述了北美地区不同印第安部落的不同的生活方式。故选项D为正确答案。
2. B) 此题为推断题。根据文章第一段可知，早在一千年前Hopi和Zuni两支北美印第安部
落就用一种砖坯“adobe”来建造房屋，高可达四层楼高，有居住室还有储藏室，颇像现代的公寓，故选项B（高度发达）为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习2
Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood.
Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily. Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines. The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.
1. The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it ______.
A. was one of the first tools
B. developed human capabilities
C. led to the invention of machines
D. was crucial to the development of mankind
2. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in future is ______.
A. disastrous
B. unpredictable
C. exciting
D. colorful
■答案■
答案：
1. D) 这是一道细节题。根据文章第二段尾句
“Some scientists say that it was the key to the success of mankind”
可知“stone chip”对于人类的发展起到了非常重要的作用，这与D正好相符。
2. B) 在文章最后一段中作者说人类在过去的几百万年时间
里一直使用“stone chip”，人类社会发生的变化很小。
而我们使用“silicon chips”才不过几年，生活却发生了巨大的变化。
于是作者发出了疑问：“二十年后的生活会是什么样子的呢？”，
“ 二百万年后的世界又会是什么样子呢？”，
表明将来的生活无法预料，这与选项B相符。
专四阅读理解练习3
Glacier National Park in Montana shares boundaries with Canada, an American Indian reservation, and a national forest. Along the North Fork of the Flathead River, the park also borders about
17,000 acres of private lands that are currently used for ranching, timber, and agriculture. This land is an important part of the habitat and migratory routes for several endangered species that frequent the park. These private lands are essentially the only ones available for development in the region.
With encouragement from the park, local landowners initiated a land use planning effort to guide the future of the North Fork. The park is a partner in an inter local agreement that calls for resource managing agencies to work together and with the more than 400 private owners in the area. A draft plan has been prepared, with objective of maintaining traditional economic uses but limiting new development that would damage park resources. Voluntary action by landowners, in cooperation with the park and the county, is helping to restrict small lot subdivisions, maintain wildlife corridors, and minimize any harmful impact on the environment.
The willingness of local landowners to participate in this protection effort may have been stimulated by concerns that congress would impose a legislative solution. Nevertheless, many local residents want to retain the existing character of the area. Meetings between park officials and landowners have led to a dramatically improved understanding of all concerns.
1. The passage mainly discusses______.
A. the endangered species in Glacier National Park
B. the protection of lands surrounding Glacier National Park
C. conservation laws imposed by the state of Montana
D. conservation laws imposed by Congress
2. Why are the private lands surrounding Glacier National Park so important?
A. They function as a hunting preserve.
B. They are restricted to government use.
C. They are heavily populated.
D. They contain natural habitats of threatened species.
3. The relationship between park officials and neighboring landowners may best be described as______.
A. indifferent
B. intimate
C. cooperative
D. disappointing
4. It can be inferred from the passage that a major interest of the officials of Glacier National Park is to______.
A. limit land development around the park
B. establish a new park in Montana
C. influence national legislation
D. settle border disputes with Canada
■填空答案■
答案：
1. B) 这是一道主旨题。通过阅读文章可知，为了保护冰川国家公园的濒危物种和资源，公园当局和地方土地所有者制订了限制土地使用计划，故答案为B。
2. D) 这是一道细节题。根据第一段第三句“This land is an important part of the habitat and migrato ry routes for several endangered species that frequent the park.”（这片土地是非常重要的，因为这里是几种经常光顾此公园的濒危物种的栖息地和迁徙路线。）可知选项D为正确答案。
3. C) 根据第二段可知，公园当局和地方土地所有者密切合作来保护资源，因此他们的关系是"cooperative" (合作性的)。
4. A) 这是一道推理题。根据第二段第三句和阅读全文，我们很容易就可以得到这样一个信息：为了保护自然资源和濒危物种，公园管理者限制那些会破坏资源的土地开发。因此选项A为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习4
About 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians and other people in the Near East began to use pictures as kind of writing. They drew simple pictures or signs to represent things and ideas, and also to represent the sounds of their language. The signs these people used became a kind of alphabet.
The Egyptians used to record information and to tell stories by putting picture writing and pictures together. When an important person died, scenes and stories from his life were painted and carved on the walls of the place where he was buried. Some of these pictures are like modern comic strip stories. It has been said that Egypt is the home of the comic strip. But, for the Egyptians, pictures still had magic power. So they did not try to make their way of writing simple. The ordinary people could not understand it.
By the year 1,000 BC, people who lived in the area around the Mediterranean Sea had developed a simpler system of writing. The signs they used were very easy to write, and there were fewer of them than in the Egyptian system. This was because each sign, or letter, represented only one sound in their language. The Greeks developed this system and formed the letters of the Greek alphabet. The Romans copied the idea, and the Roman alphabet is now used all over the world.
These days, we can write down a story, or record information, without using pictures. But we still need pictures of all kinds: drawing, photographs, signs and diagrams. We find them everywhere: in books and newspapers, in the street, and on the walls of the places where we live and work. Pictures help us to understand and remember things more easily, and they can make a story much more interesting.
1. Pictures of animals were painted on the walls of caves in France and Spain because______.
A. the hunters wanted to see the pictures
B. the painters were animal lovers
C. the painters wanted to show imagination
D. the pictures were thought to be helpful
2.The Greek alphabet was simpler than the Egyptian system for all the following reasons EXCEPT that______.
A. the former was easy to write
B. there were fewer signs in the former
C. the former was easy to pronounce
D. each sign stood for only one sound
3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. The Egyptian signs later became a particular alphabet.
B. The Egyptians liked to write comic strip stories.
C. The Roman alphabet was developed from the Egyptian one.
D. The Greeks copied their writing system from the Egyptians.
4. In the last paragraph, the author thinks that pictures ______.
A. should be made comprehensible
B. should be made interesting
C. are of much use in our life
D. have disappeared from our life
1. D)根据文章第一段第五行“Perhaps the painters thought that their pictures would help them to catch these animals.”可知古代人以为在墙上画画会对他们有所帮助，故选项D为正确答案。
2. C)在做此类题时要注意题干的要求。通过阅读文章第四段很清楚就知道选项C “前者容易发音”在文中没有提及，故为正确答案。
3. A)可用排除法来做本题。通过阅读文章很清楚选项B和D为错误陈述。选项C “罗马字母是从埃及字母发展而来的”根据文章第四段第四，五句可知为错误论述，因此只有选项A 为正确答案。
4. C)文章最后一段讲述了图画在今天的用途，故选项C为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习5
There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today is based on the assumption that drama evolved from ritual. The argument for this view goes as follows. In the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces of the world, even the seasonal changes, as unpredictable, and they sought through various means, to control these unknown and feared powers. Those measures which appeared to bring the desired results were then retained and repeated until they hardened into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which explained or veiled the mysteries of the rites. As time passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories, later called myths, persisted and provided material for art and drama.
Those who believed that drama evolved out of ritual also argue that those rites contained the seed of theater because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be provided for performances, and when the entire community did not
participate, a clear division was usually made between the "acting area" and the "auditorium". In addition, there were performers, and, since considerable importance was attached to avoiding mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes, they often impersonated other people, animals, or supernatural beings, and mimed the desired effect-success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the revival of the Sun-as an actor might. Eventually such dramatic representations were separated from religious activities.
Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this view, tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The origins of theater.
B. The role of ritual in modern dance.
C. The importance of storytelling.
D. The variety of early religious activities.
2. What aspect of drama does the author discuss in the first paragraph?
A. The reason drama is often unpredictable.
B. The seasons in which dramas were performed.
C. The connection between myths and dramatic plots.
D. The importance of costumes in early drama.
3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a common element of theater and ritual?
A. Dance.
B. Costumes.
C. Music.
D. Magic.
4. According to the passage, what is the main difference between ritual and drama?
A. Ritual uses music whereas drama does not.
B. Ritual is shorter than drama.
C. Ritual requires fewer performers than drama.
D. Ritual has a religious purpose and drama does not.
5. The passage supports which of the following statements?
A. No one really knows how the theater began.
B. Myths are no longer represented dramatically.
C. Storytelling is an important part of dance.
D. Dramatic activities require the use of costumes.
1. A)这是一道主旨题。根据文章第一句“There are many theories about the beginning of drama in ancient Greece.”及第三段第一句“Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the human interest in storytelling.”可知本文是讨论戏剧的起源的。故选项A为正确答案。
2. C)这也是一道主旨题。本题可用排除法来做。通过阅读第一段，首先很明显可将选项B 和D排除；选项A（戏剧无法预测的原因）也不正确，故只有选项C（神话与戏剧情节的联系）为正确答案。
3. D)这是一道细节题。在做本题时要注意题干中的NOT。通过阅读文章很明显选项D Magic 为正确答案。
4. D)根据文章第二段可知尽管有人说戏剧起源于宗教仪式，但是它们还是有区别的，例如：戏剧演出“performances”要有合适的演出地点；戏剧表演时，“表演区”（“acting area”）和“观看区”（“auditorium”）有明显的分界线，另外表演戏剧还要有演员。而宗教仪式在进行过程中为了避免犯错误都是由宗教领袖来进行，由他们戴上面具，穿上服装来模仿其他人，动物或超自然的东西，做出一些动作以求达到一些目的，例如：在打猎或战斗中取得胜利，祈雨等。由此可判断宗教仪式都有一定的宗教目的，而戏剧却没有，这正符合选项D。
5. A)通过阅读文章可知，选项A 为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习6
Certainly no creature in the sea is odder than the common sea cucumber. All living creature，especially human beings，have their peculiarities，but everything about the little sea cucumber seems unusual. What else can be said about a bizarre animal that，among other eccentricities，eats mud，feeds almost continuously day and night but can live without eating for long periods，and can be poisonous but is considered supremely edible by gourmets？
For some fifty million years，despite all its eccentricities，the sea cucumber has subsisted on its diet of mud. It is adaptable enough to live attached to rocks by its tube feet，under rocks in shallow water，or on the surface of mud flats. Common in cool water on both Atlantic and Pacific shores，it has the ability to suck up mud or sand and digest whatever nutrients are present.
Sea cucumbers come in a variety of colors，ranging from black to reddish brown to sand color and nearly white. One form even has vivid purple tentacles. Usually the creatures are cucumber shaped-hence their name-and because they are typically rock inhabitants，this shape，combined with flexibility，enables them to squeeze into crevices where they are safe from predators and ocean currents.
Although they have voracious appetites，eating day and night，sea cucumbers have the capacity to become quiescent and live at a low metabolic rate-feeding sparingly or not at all for long periods，so that the marine organisms that provide their food have a chance to multiply. If it were not for this faculty，they would devour all the food available in a short time and would probably starve themselves out of existence.
But the most spectacular thing about the sea cucumber is the way it defends itself. Its major enemies are fish and crabs，when attacked，it squirts all its internal organs into water. It also casts off attached structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber will eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked or even touched；it will do the same if the surrounding water temperature is too high or if the water becomes too polluted.
1. According to the passage，why is the shape of sea cucumbers important？
A. It helps them to digest their food.
B. It helps them to protect themselves from danger.
C. It makes it easier for them to move through the mud.
D. It makes them attractive to fish.
2. The fourth paragraph of the passage primarily discusses______.
A. the reproduction of sea cucumbers
B. the food sources of sea cucumbers
C. the eating habits of sea cucumbers
D. threats to sea cucumbers' existence
3. What can be inferred about the defence mechanisms of the sea cucumber？
A. They are very sensitive to surrounding stimuli.
B. They are almost useless.
C. They require group cooperation.
D. They are similar to those of most sea creatures.
4. Which of the following would NOT cause a sea cucumber to release its internal organs into the water？
A. A touch
B. Food
C. Unusually warm water
D. Pollution.
1. B）通过阅读文章可以排除选项A、C、D，因为文中没有提及，故选项B为正确答案。
2. C）此题为段落主旨题。通过阅读第四段可知作者都是讲述海参的进食习惯，故选项C 为正确答案。
3. A）此题为推论题。根据最后一段可知海参在受到外界刺激时，会做出一定的反应，这也反映出它的防御机制非常敏感，故A为正确答案。
4. B）此题为细节题。根据最后一段可知惟有food不会使海参将体内器官吐出来，故其为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习7
Municipal sewage is of relatively recent origin as a pollutant. It was first brought to public attention in the 19th century by a London physician who showed that the city's cholera outbreak had been caused by just one contaminated well. Even though the contamination of drinking water by disease germs has been nearly eliminated in this country, hundreds of communities are still discharging raw sewage into streams and rivers. When we consider that this sewage contains effluents from toilets, hospitals, laundries,industrial plants, etc., then the potential of the pollutants as a health hazard is apparent.
The problem of municipal sewage disposal is complicated by the fact that, years ago, mostcities combined their storm and waste disposal sewers. Many of these combined systems work well, but others cannot cope with sudden heavy rains. When such storms occur, water mixed
with sewage may flood and disable treatment plants unless bypassed, untreated, into a stream. In either case, the people may have little protection for several days from these wastes that may contain disease germs. Even if adequately treated to eliminate the health hazard, sewage is aesthetically undesirable because of odors and colors produced. Detergents have posed a particular disposal problem. Although there is no indication that they are injurious to health, they can cause foaming, which can clog treatment plants and, at the least, spoil the scenic beauty of streams. Rural and suburban residents should be aware that septic tanks and cesspools are a potential source of pollution to ground water supplies. This is especially true in the suburban areas with a high population density and with no municipal sewage disposal and treatment system available. In some areas, sewage disposal is accomplished by cesspools. Soil research is furnishing guidelines for more effective and safer use of systems such as these.
1. This passage is concerned primarily with the _____ .
A. problems of waste disposal
B. dangers of drinking from wells
C. turbidity of polluted water
D. outbreak of cholera
2. The author mentions the London cholera epidemic to _____ .
A. prove that the city refused to deal with pollution
B. prove that medical science once knew little about pollution
C. introduce the idea of contaminated water supplies
D. recall a historical fact
3. In densely populated suburban areas, a danger exits from _____ .
A. streams that do not flow directly to open bodies of water
B. cesspools and septic tanks that contaminate water supplies
C. storm and waste disposal sewers that have been combined
D. the undesirable odors of sewage
4. In developing the main point, the author makes use of _____ .
A. scientific arguments
B. convincing testimony
C. common sense observations
D. analogy
1.A。此题为主旨题。线索词为"sewage"、"pollutant"、"sewage disposal"等，这些词贯穿文章始终，可见A项符合题意。B、C、D三项皆为文中细节，不能反映主题。
2.C。此题为细节题。答案在第一段。线索词为"London cholera"。此题考查作者引用的目的。A项与文中所述事实相反。B项文中未涉及此话题。D项"London cholera"是一个"historical fact"，却不是作者引用之目的。
3. B。此题为细节题。答案在最后一段的主题句中。线索词为"suburban"、"source of pollution"和"ground water"。
4. C。此题为篇章结构题。作者首先提出排污系统为污染源，然后通过观察、分析、归纳来阐述观点，而没用A项"科学论证"、B项"令人信服的证据"或D项"类比"。
专四阅读理解练习8
Certainly no creature in the sea is odder than the common sea cucumber. All living creature, especially human beings, have their peculiarities, but everything about the little sea cucumber seems unusual. What else can be said about a bizarre animal that, among other eccentricities, eats mud, feeds almost continuously day and night but can live without eating for long periods, and can be poisonous but is considered supremely edible by gourmets? For some fifty million years, despite all its eccentricities, the sea cucumber has subsisted on its diet of mud. It is adaptable enough to live attached to rocks by its tube feet, under rocks in shallow water, or on the surface of mud flats.
Common in cool water on both Atlantic and Pacific shores, it has the ability to suck up mud or sand and digest whatever nutrients are present. Sea cucumbers come in a variety of colors, ranging from black to reddish brown to sand color and nearly white. One form even has vivid purple tentacles. Usually the creatures are cucumber shaped—hence their name—and because they are typically rock inhabitants, this shape, combined with flexibility, enables them to squeeze into crevices where they are safe from predators and ocean currents. Although they have voracious appetites, eating day and night, sea cucumbers have the capacity to become quiescent and live at a low metabolic rate—feeding sparingly or not at all for long periods, so that the marine organisms that provide their food have a chance to multiply. If it were not for this faculty, they would devour all the food available in a short time and would probably starve themselves out of existence. But the most spectacular thing about the sea cucumber is the way it defends itself. Its major enemies are fish and crabs, when attacked, it squirts all its internal organs into water. It also casts off attached structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber will eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked or even touched; it will do the same if the surrounding water temperature is too high or if the water becomes too polluted.
20. According to the passage, why is the shape of sea cucumbers important?
A. It helps them to digest their food.
B. It helps them to protect themselves from danger.
C. It makes it easier for them to move through the mud.
D. It makes them attractive to fish.
21. The fourth paragraph of the passage primarily discusses ____ .
A. the reproduction of sea cucumbers
B. the food sources of sea cucumbers
C. the eating habits of sea cucumbers
D. threats to sea cucumbers’ existence
22. What can be inferred about the defence mechanisms of the sea cucumber?
A. They are very sensitive to surrounding stimuli.
B. They are almost useless.
C. They require group cooperation.
D. They are similar to those of most sea creatures.
23. Which of the following would NOT cause a sea cucumber to release its
internal organs into the water?
A. A touch.
B. Food.
C. Unusually warm water.
D. Pollution.
20. B)通过阅读文章可以排除选项A、C、D，因为文中没有提及，故选项B为正确答案。
21. C)此题为段落主旨题。通过阅读第四段可知作者都是讲述海参的进食习惯，故选项C为正确答案。
22. A)此题为推论题。根据最后一段可知海参在受到外界刺激时，会做出一定的反应，这也反映出它的防御机制非常敏感，故A为正确答案。
23. B)此题为细节题。根据最后一段可知惟有food不会使海参将体内器官吐出来，故其为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习9
Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago.
They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood. Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily.
Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and
human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines.The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind. Since 1960 a new kind of tool has appeared. This is the silicon chip—a little chip of silicon crystal. It is smaller than a fingernail, but it can store more than a million“bits” of information. It is an electronic brain. Every year these chips get cleverer, but their size gets smaller, and their cost gets less.
They are used in watches, calculators and intelligent machines that we can use in many ways. In the future we will not need to work with tools in the old way. Machines will do everything for us. They will even talk and play games with us. People will have plenty of spare time. But what will they do with it? Human beings used stone chips for more than two million years, but human life changed very little in that time. We have used silicon chips for only a few years, but life is changing faster every day. What will life be like twenty years from now? What will the world be like two million years from now?
24. The stone chip is thought to be the most important tool because it ______.
A. was one of the first tools
B. developed human capabilities
C. led to the invention of machines
D. was crucial to the development of mankind
25. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest that life in future is ______.
A. disastrous
B. unpredictable
C. exciting
D. colorful
解析和答案
24. D)这是一道细节题。根据文章第二段尾句“Some scientists say that it was the key to the success of mankind”可知“stone chip”对于人类的发展起到了非常重要的作用，这与D正好相符。
25. B)在文章最后一段中作者说人类在过去的几百万年时间里一直使用“stone chip”，人类社会发生的变化很校而我们使用“silicon chips”才不过几年，生活却发生了巨大的变化。于是作者发出了疑问：“二十年后的生活会是什么样子的呢？”，“二百万年后的世界又会是什么样子呢？”，表明将来的生活无法预料，这与选项B相符。
专四阅读理解练习10
California is a land of variety and contrast. Almost every type of physical land feature, sort of arctic ice fields and tropical jungles can be found within its borders. Sharply contrasting types of land often lie very close to one another. People living in Bakersfield, for instance, can visit the Pacific Ocean and the coastal plain, the fertile San Joaquin Valley, the arid Mojave Desert, and the high Sierra Nevada, all within a radius of about 100 miles.
In other areas it is possible to go snow skiing in the morning and surfing in the evening of the same day, without having to travel long distance.
Contrast abounds in California. The highest point in the United States (outside Alaska) is in
California, and so is the lowest point (including Alaska).Mount Whitney, 14,494 feet above sea level, is separated from Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level, by a distance of only 100 miles.
The two areas have a difference in altitude of almost three miles. California has deep, clear mountain lakes like Lake Tahoe, the deepest in the country, but it also has shallow, salty desert lakes. It has Lake Tulainyo, 12,020 feet above sea level, and the lowest lake in the country, the Salton Sea, 236 feet below sea level. Some of its lakes, like Owens Lake in Death V alley, are not lakes at all: they are dried-up lake beds. In addition to mountains, lakes, valleys, deserts, and plateaus, California has its Pacific coastline, stretching longer than the coastlines of Oregon and Washington combined.
26. Which of the following is the lowest point in the United States?
A. Lake Tulainyo.
B. Mojave desert.
C. Death V alley.
D. The Salton Sea.
27. Where is the highest point in the United States located?
A. Lake Tahoe.
B. Sierra Nevada.
C. Mount Whitney.
D. Alaska.
28. How far away is Death Valley from Mount Whitney?
A. About 3 miles.
B. Only 100 miles.
C. 282 feet.
D. 14,494 feet.
29. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as being within a radius of about 100 miles of Bakersfield? A. The Pacific Ocean. B. San Joaquin Valley. C. Mojave Desert. D. Oregon and Washington.
30. Which statement best demonstrates that California is a land of variety and contrast?
A. The highest lake in California is Lake Tulainyo.
B. It is possible to go surfing and snow skiing in some parts of California without having to travel long distance.
C. Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, Mojave Desert and the Pacific Ocean all lie within a radius of about 100 miles.
D. Owens Lake, in Death Valley, is not really a lake at all.
答案和解析：
26. C)这是一道细节题。根据第三段所给的海拔高度，可知美国最低点在death valley。
27. D)此题很容易误选为C，这是因为第三段提到Mount Whitney的海拔高度；但是要注意此段第二句提到美国最高点时在括号中补充说明这个最高点是在Alaska以外的。这就说明美国的海拔最高点不是Mount Whitney，而是位于Alaska。
28. B)这是一道细节题。根据第三段可找出答案。
29. D)根据第二段可知答案。
30. C)文中说加利福尼亚是一个地貌多样，富于变化的地方，而选项C是一个最突出的例子
专四阅读理解练习11
Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the earth's surface. But earthquakes can and do occur at all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month, but the yearly average does not vary much. In comparison with the total number of earthquakes each year, the number of disastrous earthquakes is very small.
The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with an erect set, it will still stand no matter how much you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make it fall. An earthquake in Agadir, Morocco, was not strong enough to be recorded on distant instruments, but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger earthquakes have done comparatively little damage. If a building is well constructed and built on solid ground, it will resist an earthquake. Most deaths in earthquakes have been due to faulty building construction or poor building sites. A third and very serious factor is panic. When people rush out into narrow streets, more deaths will result.
The United Nations has played an important part in reducing the damage done by earthquakes. It has sent a team of experts to all countries known to be affected by earthquakes. Working with local geologists and engineers, the experts have studied the nature of the ground and the type of most practical building code for the local area. If followed, these suggestions will make disastrous earthquakes almost a thing of the past.
There is one type of earthquake disaster that little can be done about. This is the disaster caused by seismic sea waves, or tsunamis. (These are often called tidal waves, but the name is incorrect. They have nothing to do with tides.) In certain areas, earthquakes take place beneath the sea. These submarine earthquakes sometimes give rise to seismic sea waves. The waves are not noticeable out at sea because of their long wave length. But when they roll into harbors, they pile up into walls of water 6 to 60 feet high. The Japanese call them "tsunamis", meaning "harbor waves", because they reach a sizable height only in harbors.
Tsunamis travel fairly slowly, at speeds up to 500 miles an hour. An adequate warning system is in use to warn all shores likely to be reached by the waves. But this only enables people to leave the threatened shores for higher ground. There is no way to stop the oncoming wave.
18. Which of the following CANNOT be concluded from the passage?
A. The number of earthquakes is closely related to depth.
B. Roughly the same number of earthquakes occur each year.
C. Earthquakes are impossible at depths over 460 miles.
D. Earthquakes are most likely to occur near the surfaces.
19. The destruction of Agadir is an example of ______.
A. faulty building construction
B. an earthquake's strength
C. widespread panic in earthquakes
D. ineffective instruments
20. The United Nations' experts are supposed to______.
A. construct strong buildings
B. put forward proposals
C. detect disastrous earthquakes
D. monitor earthquakes
21. The significance of the slow speed of tsunamis is that people may______.
A. notice them out at sea
B. find ways to stop them
C. be warned early enough
D. develop warning systems
答案：
18-21 C A B C
专四阅读理解练习12
I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood and year-round sun. You may think people in such a glamorous, fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness.
Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more abiding emotion.
Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends.
I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have constant access to glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that spells “happiness”. But in memoir after memoir, celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression,alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and profound loneliness.
Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he’s honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Similarly, couples that choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless fun over painful happiness. They can dine out ever they want and sleep as late as they want. Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three-day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations we can ever come to. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those rich and glamorous people we were so sure are happy because they are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
1.Which of the following is true?
A.Fun creates long-lasting satisfaction.
B.Fun provides enjoyment while pain leads to happiness.
C.Happiness is enduring whereas fun is short-lived.
D.Fun that is long-standing may lead to happiness.
2.To the author, Hollywood stars all have an important role to play that is to __.
A.rite memoir after memoir about their happiness.
B.tell the public that happiness has nothing to do with fun.
C.teach people how to enjoy their lives.
D.bring happiness to the public instead of going to glamorous parties.
3.In the author’s opinion, marriage___.
A.affords greater fun.
B.leads to raising children.
C.indicates commitment.
D.ends in pain.
4.Couples having infant children___.
A.are lucky since they can have a whole night’s sleep.
B.find fun in tucking them into bed at night.
C.find more time to play and joke with them.
D.derive happiness from their endeavor.
5.If one get the meaning of the true sense of happiness, he will__.
A.stop playing games and joking with others.
B.make the best use of his time increasing happiness.
C.give a free hand to money.
D.keep himself with his family.
答案：CBCDB
词汇讲解
1. glamorous 富有魅力的,迷人的
I know you want adventure and, be that as it may, the Foreign Legion is not as glamorous as it appears in the films.
我知道你喜欢冒险，不过得想一想，“外国军团”并不像电影中出现的那样具有魅力。