英语四级快速阅读专项练习(含答案解析)

英语四级快速阅读专项练习(含答案解析)

（一）Skimming and Scanning

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked [A], [B], [C] and [D]. For question 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

Animals on the Move

It looked like a scene from “Jaws”but without the dramatic music. A huge shark was slowly swimming through the water, its tail swinging back and forth like the pendulum of a clock.

Suddenly sensitive nerve ending in the shark’s skin picked up vibrations of a struggling fish. The shark was immediately transformed into a deadly, efficient machine of death. With muscles taut, the shark knifed through the water at a rapid speed. In a flash the shark caught its victim, a large fish, in its powerful jaws. Then, jerking its head back and forth, the shark tore huge chunks of flesh from its victim and swallowed them. Soon the action was over.

Moving to Survive

In pursuing its prey, the shark demonstrated in a dramatic way the important role of movement, or locomotion, in animals.

Like the shark, most animals use movement to find food. They also use locomotion to escape enemies, find a mate, and explore new territories. The methods of locomotion include crawling, hopping, slithering, flying, swimming, or walking.

Humans have the added advantage of using their various inventions to move about in just about any kind of environment. Automobiles, rockets, and submarines transport humans from deep oceans to as far away as the moon. However, for other animals movement came about naturally through millions of years of evolution. One of the most successful examples of animal locomotion is that of the shark. Its ability to quickly zero in on its prey has always impressed scientists. But it took a detailed study by Duke University marine biologists S. A. Wainwright, F. Vosburgh, and J. H. Hebrank to find out how the sharks did it. In their study the scientists observed sharks swimming in a tank at Marine land in Saint Augustine, Fla. Movies were taken of the sharks’movements and analyzed. Studies were also made of shark skin and muscle.

Skin Is the Key

The biologists discovered that the skin of the shark is the key to the animal’s high efficiency in swimming through the water. The skin contains many fibers that crisscross like the inside of a belted radial tire. The fibers are called collagen fibers. These fibers can either store or release large amounts of energy depending on whether the fibers are relaxed or taut. When the fibers are stretched, energy is stored in them the way energy is stored in the string of a bow when pulled tight. When the energy is released, the fibers become relaxed.

The Duke University biologists have found that the greatest stretching occurs where the shark bends its body while swimming. During the body’s back and forth motion, fibers along the outside part of the bending body stretch greatly. Much potential energy is stored in the fibers. This energy is released when the shark’s body snaps back the other way.

As energy is alternately stored and released on both sides of the animal’s body, the tail

whips strongly back and forth. This whip-like action propels the animal through the water like a living bullet.

Source of Energy

What causes the fibers to store so much energy? In finding the answer the Duke University scientists learned that the shark’s similarity to a belted radial tire doesn’t stop with the skin. Just as a radial tire is inflated by pressure, so, too, is the area just under the shark’s collagen “radials”. Instead of air pressure, however, the pressure in the shark may be due to the force of the blood pressing on the collagen fibers.

When the shark swims slowly, the pressure on the fibers is relatively low. The fibers are more relaxed, and the shark is able to bend its body at sharp angles. The animal swims this way when looking around for food or just swimming. However, when the shark detects an important food source, some fantastic involuntary changes take place.

The pressure inside the animal may increase by 10 times. This pressure change greatly stretches the fibers, enabling much energy to be stored.

This energy is then transferred to the tail, and the shark is off. The rest of the story is predictable.

Dolphin Has Speed Record

Another fast marine animal is the dolphin. This seagoing mammal has been clocked at speeds of 32 kilometers (20 miles) an hour. Biologists studying the dolphin have discovered that, like the shark, the animal’s efficient locomotion can be traced to its skin. A dolphin’s skin is made up in such a way that it offers very little resistance to the water flowing over it. Normally when a fish or other object moves slowly through the water, the water flows smoothly past the body. This smooth flow is known as laminar flow. However, at faster speeds the water becomes more turbulent along the moving fish. This turbulence muses friction and slows the fish down.

In a dolphin the skin is so flexible that it bends and yields to the waviness of the water. The waves, in effect, become tucked into the skin’s folds. This allows the rest of the water to move smoothly by in a laminar flow. Where other animals would be slowed by turbulent water at rapid speeds, the dolphin can race through the water at record breaking speeds.

Other Animals Less Efficient

Not all animals move as efficiently as sharks and dolphins. Perhaps the greatest loser in locomotion efficiency is the slug. The slug, which looks like a snail without a shell, lays down a slimy trail over which it crawls. It uses so much energy producing the slimy mucus and crawling over it that a mouse traveling the same distance uses only one twelfth as much energy.

Scientists say that because of the slug’s inefficient use of energy, its lifestyle must be restricted. That is, the animals are forced to confine themselves to small areas for obtaining food and finding proper living conditions. Have humans ever been faced with this kind of problem?

1.According to the passage, a shark can use movement to do something except____________.

[A]to find food

[B]to avoid being chased by its enemies

[C]to find a new place to live

[D]to show its braveness

2.Examples of automobiles, rockets and submarines are used to show that _______________.

[A]humans are the most clever living creatures in the world

[B]human inventions enable us to travel in almost any kind of environment

[C]humans are very successful in inventing transportation tools

[D]humans can’t move like other animals in any circumstances

3.What is the key to the shark’s swift locomotion in water?

[A]The skin. [B]The tail. [C]The muscle. [D]The jaw.

4.According to the Duke University scientists, when does the shark stretch its collagen fibers to the greatest extent?

[A]When moving its tail rapidly.

[B]When finding its preys.

[C]When staying without any movement.

[D]When bending its body in swimming.

5.Why is the area just under the shark’s collagen fibers similar to a belted radial tire?

[A]Because it is also full of blood pressure.

[B]Because it is also filled of air pressure.

[C]Because it is also inflated by pressure.

[D]Because it also can be used again and again.

6.A laminar flow is formed when a fish swims________________.

[A]slowly through the water

[B]rapidly through the water

[C]against the current[D]at the fastest speed in water

7.Consuming the equal amount of energy as a slug does, a mouse can travel _________ as long as a slug.

[A]one twelfth times

[B]the same

[C]12 times

[D]1.2 times

8.A shark finds its prey by________________.

9.According to the passage, _______________can be compared to the string of a bow for both of them store energy when stretched.

10.When the shark detects an important food source, _______________________take place.

（二）

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked E A I, I B 3, I C I and IDa. For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

About Story Reader

Parents dearly hope their children learn to read well. They also hope their children learn to read quickly and easily, so that they’re ready for the demands put on them by school and the world.

Kids want to learn how to read, but they also crave entertainment, whether it’s quiet and passive or dynamic and interactive. The aims of the Story Reader line of electronic books are to entertain children and to introduce them to the process

of learning how to read in a gentle and enjoyable way. In this article, we’ll show you how Story Reader works and if it accomplishes that goal.

Story Reader is a compact, roughly 12-inch-by-12-inch plastic case (with a carrying handle ) that opens to reveal an actual book that fits snugly into the Reader itself. Story Reader’s core feature is that it "reads" the book aloud to a child as he follows along. The child turns the pages when prompted by the Story Reader or at his own pace.

Books have both text and illustrations. The electronic book responds to the child’s wishes. The Story Reader speaks the text for the current page. If the child turns back a few pages, the Reader recognizes that page and reads it again. Kids react well to this interactivity because it instills a sense of cuntrol over the story.

There are Three Story Reader Products

The basic Story Reader, introduced in 2003, is as described above and is intended for kids three years of age and older.

Each book has a small companion cartridge that slides into a port on the case and contains the audio encoded into its memory for the story.

The device has a volume control but no on/off switch--a deliberate choice so kids can simply open it up and begin reading. It takes four AAA batteries (or operates on household current with an optional adaptor) and retails for around $20.

Find out more information about the more than 60 titles at the Story Reader website.

Early in 2006, Publications International, Ltd.--Story Reader’s publisher--introduced My First Story Reader, designed for newborns to kids up to age three. As with the original, a narrator reads the story aloud, this time from a 12-page book made from a heavier paperstock that includes sound effects and music to enliven the experience.

My First Story Reader features two play modes, one with narration, the other that asks questions about the images on each page. The child can press any of three buttons to answer basic questions about shapes and colors. The last two pages of

each My First Story Reader book features a sing-along rhyming melody. My First Story Reader retails for about $20.

Late in 2006, Publications International introduced a video version of Story Reader called Story Reader Video Plus for kids up to the age of seven. Retailing for about $35, it combines a stand-alone Story Reader with an "Animated Story Mode"

that plays through your television and includes a "Learning Game Mode".

The Animated Story Mode works just as it sounds--when you connect it to your television through color-coded cables, the story appears on screen and changes as your child turns the pages. Kids get to the Learning Game Mode by turning to the

last page of the book. There, they can choose from five educational games. While it depends on the story, generally there are pattern games, memory games, and platform games. Similar to Nintendo games like Super Mario Brothers, in a platform game the child uses the included controller to guide him through the environment and conquer obstacles.

Story Reader Video Plus isn’t a video game, technically, and Publications International bills the Story Reader line more as electronic books than toys. This reassures many parents, and it’s why Story Reader is sold in bookstores and in the book section of major retailers.

What about the Educational Underpinnings of Story Reader?

Studies show an alarming decline in reading rates among all age groups in America, especially among the young.

Children are bombarded on a daily basis with multiple forms of entertainment that compete with traditional learning.

Kids naturally emulate the adults in their lives, and seeing their parents and other family members enjoy reading is a powerful motivator. Establishing and keeping a Read-At-Home Night helps families spend time together and helps form lifelong reading habits in children.

Here’s how you do it:

·Set aside one night a week in your household and call it "Read-At-Home Hour"--or anything you prefer. Establish a time allotment that works for your family, for example, 30 minutes or an hour.

·Minimize interruptions from the TV, computer, and video games--and turn on the telephone answering machine.

·Choose one book for the entire family to read aloud together, or encourage individual family members to choose their own books to read quietly. Electronic books can work in this context, as well.

·Finally, sit down, relax, and read.

1. The aims of the Story Reader line of electronic books are __

[A] to entertain and teach children

[B] to play with the child

[C] to ease the parents’burden

[D] to ease the teachers’burden

2. Story Reader’s key characteristic is that __

[A] it "reads" the book which the child likes

[B] it "reads" the book while the child plays

[C] it "reads" the book while the child follows along

[D] it "reads" the book while the parent works

3. Children __ are suitable users of the basic Story Reader.

[A] up to six months old

[B] up to age one

[C] up to age two

[D] up to age three

4. The basic Story Reader for sale is about __

[A] 12 dollars

[B] 20 dollars

[C] 35 dollars

[D] 60 dollars

5. My First Story Reader is characteristic with

[A] two play modes

[B] three play modes

[C] four play modes

[D] five play modes

6. Story Reader Video Plus is a video version of Story Reader designed for __

[A] newborns to kids up to age three

[B] newborns to kids up to age seven

[C] children up to the age of five

[D] children up to the age of seven

7. How many games can children choose from the Animated Story Mode?

[A] four

[B] five

[C] six

[D] seven

8. If the Story Reader speaks the text for the current page, but the child tums back a few pages, it will __________

9. Late in 2006, we can infer that there were Story Reader products___________.

10. Like Super Mario Brothers, children in a platform game use the included controllers to__________

（三）

Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)

Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked [A], [B], [ C ]and [D]. For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.

The Right Amount of Energy

We all enjoy being around people with energy. They inspire us. They are stimulating, fun, and uplifting. An energetic person has passion in his voice, a bounce in his step, and a smile on his face. Energy makes a person likable, and likability is a

key ingredient in persuasive communications. Many business professionals underestimate the energy level required to generate enthusiasm among their listeners. But electrifying speakers bring it. They have an energy that is several levels higher than the people they are attempting to influence.

Most business professionals could use an energy boost for public speaking situations such as Webinars, podcasts, staff meetings, conference calls, and television and radio interviews. Each of these opportunities requires a higher level of energy

than would normally be appropriate if you were just chatting to someone in the hallway. But how do you project the right level of vigor without seeming over the top? By weighing your self on an energy scale. And on this scale, more is better.

The Energy Scale

Recently I helped an executive prepare for his first major presentation in his new role.

"Tell me where your energy is right now on a scale of one to ten," I asked. "One bei ng fast asleep and ten being Jim Cramer on Mad Money. You know, the guy who’s yelling and gesturing wildly on his CNBC show. Where are you now?"

"A three," the speaker replied.

"OK, what would it feel like to be a seven, eight or nine? Give it a try," I suggested.

If they’re being honest, most presenters place themselves at a three to six on the energy scale. That means there is plenty of room to boost your energy while not appearing too zany. But keep in mind, once you hit a ten or higher, you could be the next YouTube (GOOG) hit--which is not necessarily your top objective! Here are several surefire strategies to boost your energy presence.

1. Practice leaving your comfort zone.

Record several minutes of your presentation as you would normally deliver it: Play it back, preferably with someone else watching and listening as well. Ask yourself and the observer, where am I on the energy scale? Now try it again. This time,

break out of your comfort zone. Ham it up. Raise your voice. Use big gestures. Put a big smile on your face. Get to a point where you would feel slightly awkward and uncomfortable. Now watch it. Most likely your energy level will be far more engaging and still remain appropriate fur the situation.

2. Smile and have fun.

Why do most people seem to enjoy Virgin entrepreneur Richard Branson? Because the guy has fun and it shows. He always has a warm, engaging smile on his face. Of course, you can argue that it’s easy to walk around with a smile when you’re worth $4 billion! But seriously, smile. It

won’t hurt and it will make you more likable. Most business professionals don’t smile as much as they should during presentations. I’m helping some executives prepare for CES, the big Consumer Electronics Show in January where they will announce new products. They get so caught up in the slides and what they’re going to say ( as they should during preparation ), they forget that new products bring joy to their consumers. In most cases--with the exception of bad news, of course--the first and last thing you say to yourself before launching into your presentation should be, "Have

3. Get your body moving.

Many people are uncomfortable using expansive hand gestures. Don’t be. I spoke to David McNeill at the University of Chicago, who is known for his research into gesture and speech. He says that clear, confident speakers use hand gestures and that the gestures leave a positive impression on listeners.

He went on to say that using gestures will help you speak better because for most of u s it takes effort not to use gestures.

Don’t be afraid of using your hands.

AOL’s (TWX) https://www.360docs.net/doc/a38601283.html, is one of my favorite video search engines. I use it to retrieve clips of business speakers to study their body language. Symantec’s (SYMC) John Thompson, Oracle’s (ORCL) Larry Ellison, Cisco’s (CSCO) John Chambers, and eBay’s (EBAY) Meg Whitman are excellent examples of people with confident, energetic body language.

4. Study TV and radio personalities.

Stars of television and radio who score high on the likability scale have high-energy personalities. I had a conversation with SuzeOrman over the phone a couple of years ago and remember it to this day. Her energy comes right through the speaker. What you see on her CNBC show is what you get behind the scenes. High energy. The other day I watched Food Network (SSP) star Rachael Ray sign books at a mall where I happened to be shopping. Sometimes critics poke fun at her"perky" personality and phrases like "yum-o," but the fact is she has energy and millions of viewers enjoy it. The networkmorning-show hosts are typically chosen for their energetic personalities. Today’s Matt Lauer on NBC (GE) and The EarlyShow’s Julie Chen on CBS (CBS) are excellent examples, but there are many others on morning television.

Remember, maintaining an energetic presence is very difficult to do unless you’re involved with something you enjoy. If you are truly passionate about your company, product, or service, then show it. Speak with energy and vitality. Your listeners

will love you for it.

l. From the first paragraph, what is a key point in persuasive communication?

[A] Stimulation.

[B] Uplitting.

[C] Fun.

[D] Likability.

2. Have an energy several levels higher than the people they are attempting to influence.

[A] Electrifying speakers

[B] Business professionals

[C] Und.vnamic persons

[D] Listeners

3. How do people show the right level of energy without seeming over the top’?

[A] By underestimating the energy level.

[B] By undervaluing the energy level.

[C] By estimating an energy scale.

[D] By using a lower level of energy.

4. The scale of the energy is

[A] seven, eight or nine

[B] ten or higher

[C] three to six

[D] one to ten

5. What does the example mean in the third paragraph?

[A] There is little room to boost your energy while not appeanng too zany.

[B] There is a little room to boost your energy while not appearing too zany.

[C] There is much room to boost your energy while not appearing too zany.

[D] There is no room to boost your energy while not appearing too zany.

6. Why is Virgin entrepreneur Richard Branson popular?

[A] Because he has fun and it shows.

[B] Because he doesn’t smile as much as he should during presentations.

[C] Because he is very humorous.

[D] Because he is famous.

7. David McNeill says that confident speakers use __

[A] hand gestures

[B] speech

[C] smile

[D] expression

8. I use AOL’s (TWX) https://www.360docs.net/doc/a38601283.html, to retrieve clips of business speakers to__________

9. Stars of television and radio who score high on the lik ability scale have__________

10. Maintaining an energetic presence is very difficult to do unless__________

（四）

The Earth

Power and Light

Compared to the rest of the universe, the Earth is very small. Our planet and seven others orbit the Sun, which is only one of about 200 billion stars in our galaxy. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is part of the universe, which includes millions of other

galaxies and their stars and planets. By comparison, the Earth is microscopic.

Compared to a person, on the other hand, the Earth is enormous. It has a diameter of 7,926 miles ( 12,756 kilometers) at the equator, and it has a mass of about 6 x 1024 kilograms. The Earth orbits the Sun at a speed of about 66,638 miles per hour (29.79 kilometers per second). Don’t dwell on those numbers too long, though; to a lot of people, the Earth is inconceivably, mind-bogglingly big. And it’s just a fraction of the size of the Sun.

From our perspective on Earth, the Sun looks very small. This is because it’s about 93 million miles away from us. The Sun’s diameter at its equator is about 100 times bigger than Earth’s, and about a million Earths could fit inside the Sun. The

Sun is inconceivably, mind-bogglingly bigger.

But without the Sun, the Earth could not exist. In a sense, the Earth is a giant machine, full of moving parts and complex systems. All those systems need power, and that power comes from the Sun.

The Sun is an enormous nuclear power source--through complex reactions, it transforms hydrogen into helium, releasing light and heat. Because of these reactions, every square meter of our planet’s surface gets about 342 Watts of energy from the Sun every year. This is about 1.7 ~ 1017 Watts total, or as much as 1.7 billion large power plants could generate. You can learn about how the Sun creates energy in How the Sun Works.

When this energy reaches the Earth, it provides power for a variety of reactions, cycles and systems. It drives the circulation of the atmosphere and the oceans. It makes food for plants, which many people and animals eat. Life on Earth could not exist without the Sun, and the planet itself would not have developed without it.

To a casual observer, the Sun’s most visible contributions to life are light, heat and weather.

Night and Day

Some of the Sun’s biggest impacts on our planet are also its most obvious. As the Earth spins on its axis, parts of the planet are in the Sun while others are in the shade. In other words, the Sun appears to rise and set. The parts of the world that are in daylight get warmer while the parts that are dark gradually lose the heat they absorbed during the day.

You can get a sense of how much the Sun affects the Earth’s temperature by standing outside on a partly cloudy day.

When the Sun is behind a cloud, you feel noticeably cooler than when it isn’t. The surface of our planet absorbs this heat from the Sun and emits it the same way that pavement continues to give off heat in the summer after the Sun goes down. Our

atmosphere does the same thing-it absorbs the heat that the ground emits and sends some of it back to the Earth.

The Earth’s relationship with the Sun also creates seasons. The Earth’s axis tips a little-about 23.5 degrees. One hemisphere points toward the Sun as the other points away. The

hemisphere that points toward the Sun is warmer and gets more light--it’s summer there, and in the other hemisphere it’s winter. This effect is less dramatic near the equator than at the poles, since the equator receives about the same amount of sunlight all year. The poles, on the other hand, receive no sunlight at all during their winter months, which is part of the reason why they’re frozen.

Most people are so used to the differences between night and day (or summer and winter) that they take them for granted.

But these changes in light and temperature have an enormous impact on other systems on our planet. One is the circulation of air through our atmosphere. For example:

The Sun shines brightly over the equator. The air gets very warm because the equator faces the Sun directly and because the ozone layer is thinner there.

As the air warms, it begins to rise, creating a low pressure system. The higher it rises, the more the air cools. Water condenses as the air cools, creating clouds and rainfall. The air dries out as the rain falls. The result is warm, dry air, relatively high in our atmosphere.

Because of the lower air pressure, air rushes toward the equator from the north and south. As it warms, it rises, pushing the dry air away to the north and the south.

The dry air sinks as it cools, creating high-pressure areas and deserts to the north and south of the equator.

This is just one piece of how the Sun circulates air around the world--ocean currents, weather patterns and other factors also play a part. But in general, air moves from high-pressure to low-pressure areas, much the way that high-pressure air rushes from the mouth of an inflated balloon when you let go. Heat also generally moves from the warmer equator to the cooler poles.

Imagine a warm drink sitting on your desk--the air around the drink gets warmer as the drink gets colder. This happens on Earth on an enormous scale.

The Coriolis Effect, a product of the Earth’s rotation, affects this system as well. It causes large weather systems, like hurricanes, to rotate. It helps create westward-running trade winds near the equator and eastward-running jet streams in the northem and southem hemispheres. These wind patterns move moisture and air from one place to another, creating weather patterns. (The Coriolis Effect works on a large scale--it doesn’t really affect the water draining from the sink like some people suppose. )

The Sun gets much of the credit for creating both wind and rain. When the Sun warms air in a specific location, that air rises, creating an area of low pressure. More air rushes in from surrounding areas to fill the void, creating wind. Without the Sun, there wouldn’t be wind. There also might not be breathable air at all.

Water and Fire

The Sun has a huge effect’on our water. It warms the oceans around the tropics, and its absence cools the water around the poles. Because of this, ocean currents move large amounts of warm and cold water, drastically affecting the weather and

climate around the world. The Sun also drives the water cycle, which moves about 18,757 cubic miles (495,000 cubic kilometers) of water vapor through the atmosphere every year.

If you’ve ever gotten out of a swimming pool on a hot day and realized a few minutes later that you were dry again, you have firsthand experience with evaporation. If you’ve seen water form on the side of a cold drink, you’ve seen condensation in

action. These are primary components of the water cycle, also called the hydrologic cycle,

which exchanges moisture between bodies of water and land masses. The water cycle is responsible for clouds and rain as well as our supply of drinking water.

1. How many Earths could fit inside the Sun?

[A] One million.

[B] 93 million.

[C] Two million.

[D] 100 million.

2. Earth would not have developed without __

[A] water

[B] fertilizer

[C] soil

[D] the Sun

3. What does our atmosphere do?

[A] It absorbs the heat from the ground and sends it to the Sun.

[B] It absorbs the heat from the Sun and emits it back to the Earth.

[C] It absorbs the heat from the Sun and emits it the same way.

[D] It absorbs the heat the ground emits and sends some of it back to the Earth.

4. __ receives about the same amount of sunlight all year.

[A] The poles

[B] The equator

[C] The north temperate zone

[D] The south temperate zone

5. Air rushes toward the equator from the north and south

[A] because of the dry air

[B] because of the cool air

[C] because of the lower air pressure

[D] because of the higher air pressure

6. What doesn’t the Corolis Effect cause’?

[A] Westward-running trade winds.

[B] Hurricanes.

[C] The water draining from the sink.

[D] Eastward-running jet streams.

7. The Sun has closely relation to create__

[A] wind

[B] the air

[C] soil

[D] fire

8. The Sun has a huge effect on___________.

9. If you’ve seen water form on the side of a cold drink, you’ve seen___________

10. The water cycle is responsible for clouds, rain and___________

（五）

How to Visualize Your Success

Have you ever heard of visualization (可视化)? Of course you have. Everybody’s heard

of visualization and everybody partakes in it whether they realize it or not. How it works though is

an altogether different matter. I want to take a closer look today at the mechanics of why visualizing works without necessarily delving into concepts and theories that cannot be proven. The brain has great difficulty in distinguishing between what ’s true and what ’s imagined. There is an off-cited ( 经常被引用的) example of an experiment conducted by Austrahan Psychologist, Alan Richardson. He took some basketball players and split them into 3 equal groups. One group was told to practice their free throw technique twenty minutes per day. The next group was told to spend twenty minutes per day visualizing, but not attempting free throws, and the final group wasn’t allowed to either practice or visualize. At the end of the test period the group that had done nothing remained as they were, but both the other groups showed

similar degrees of improvement, The people who only visualized playing basketball were able to perform almost as well as the ones who had actually practiced.

"How can that be so?"

Firstly, the people practicing would miss some shots. Each time they missed they had in

effect, practiced how to miss.

The people that were visualizing would be hitting every basket so they were building up

the feelings and memory of how to be successful.

Forging a Path through a Meadow

Imagine walking home from a new job. You suddenly realize that there is a meadow of

long grass that will cut 20 minutes off your walk. If you live in New York you’re going to need a great imagination for this one.

The first few times you can barely see which way you had walked the previous day.

However, after 10 or 20 times you can clearly see a pathway starting to form, and after 100 times all the grass is worn away and there’s a farmer with a shotgun

and large dog waiting for you at the end. Let’s presume our gun-toting friend is a big

softie and he allows you to use that route as long as you want. What are the odds that next time you try a slightly different direction? Slim to none would be my guess.

After all, you know this way works and you have a lovely easy path.

On the other hand, if Farmer Giles starts taking pot shotsat you and sportingly lets the

dog try and shoot you too, before releasing it to sink its gnashers into your rear end, then you’ll probably find a new way home once you’re released from

hospital.

The next time you’re walking home you opt against reacquainting yourself with Fido

and spot another meadow further along the road. The same process then begins to take place only

this time the original path you made has started to grow back.

How We Create a Path in Our Mind That is what happens when we form thoughts in our

mind. The first time we have a new thought it is a weakling(虚弱者) of a thought that has sand

kicked in its face by stronger thoughts and beliefs. Each time you re-think it though it grows in strength as the physical pathway becomes more and more well-defined. Not only that, but if it is a

belief that contradicts one you already hold, the older belief starts to atrophy and die.

This also explains why we have the same thoughts over and over again and why people

have difficulty snapping negative loops (循环) of thinking. The pathway has been established and it’s just easier to continue following it than trying to think

about something new and form a new connection in the brain.

Making Visualization Work for You

Visualization is an incredibly successful and simple way of speeding up the process by

fooling the unconscious into believing that you have already done something before you have. That’s what the basketball visualizers were doing, fooling their own unconscious into thinking they know how to hit basket after basket. Of course this in and of itself will not turn you into an NBA star, you do actually have to practice as well, but it will help you succeed more quickly.

All you need to do to be successful at this is to visualize yourself doing something, as

you would like to do it. Profound stuff, huh? Seriously though, that is all there is to it. How long you do it each day will affect the speed of change and it’s really

not advisable visualizing your success for 20 minutes per day and then spending 10

hours worrying about failing and replaying negative stuff in your head. It kind of defeats the object.

You can also incorporate the "fake it till you make it" method in with your visualization

to help speed up the process.

This is simply a matter of pretending you are already proficient at something before you

really are. Again, it’s simply a way of tricking your unconscious and getting it to do what you want it to do.

Some people have difficulty with this process and tell me it’s being unrealistic. Well

yeh, maybe they’re right, but who cares? If you want to be shackled by the chains of realism then

go ahead, knock yourself out, but let me tell you this. There are few highly successful people out there that haven’t used this method or visualization at one time or another. In fact, successful people don’t care too much for reality; it just gets in the way and slows them down. What about you?

注意：此部分试题请在答题卡1 上作答；8-10 题在答题卡1 上。

l. According to the passage, visualization works ______

[A] through delving into concepts and theories

[B] without searching deeply into concepts and theories

[C] in a way that could be proven

[D] when playing basketball

2. What were the results of the experiment conducted by Alan Richardson in the first

two groups?

[A] They both improved to a similar degree.

[B] Group One was much worse than Group Two.

[C] Group Two remained as they were.

[D] The results were different in the two groups.

3. How could the people who only visualized playing basketball do as well as the ones

who had actually practiced?

[A] Because they are very intelligent indeed.

[B] Because they build a path in the mind about how to throw.

[C] Because they practiced before.

[D] Beeanse they saw people who had actually practiced.

4. What probably makes you want to try another different direction when you already

have one path made?

[A] You already know this way works and you have a lovely easy path.

[B] There is a meadow of long grass that will cut 20 minutes off your walk.

[C] The farmer and the dog will wait for you and start attacking you.

[D] You know definitely a better way to be explored.

5. According to the passage, why do people have difficulty snapping negative loops of thinking?

[A] Because trying to think about something new in the brain is more difficult than

keeping a built path.

[B] Because having the passive thoughts in the brain is much easier than having the

positive thoughts.

[C] Because negative thoughts grow in strength much easily.

[D] Because negative thoughts form a easier connection in the brain.

6. How is visualization working in the basketball visualizers’brains?

[A] By playing basketball before visualization.

[B] By thinking days and nights about how to hit.

[C] By fooling them that this practice will turn them into NBA stars.

[D] By cheating their own unconscious into believing they know how to hit.

7. According to the passage, which of the following will help you turn into an NBA star

more quickly?

[A] To think about NBA stars every day.

[B] To watch NBA games every, day.

[C] To fool your own unconscious.

[D] To visualize it and practice.

8. It’s not advisable visualizing your success and ______in your head.

9. When we combine "fake it till you make it" and ______ , it can help us succeed quickly.

10. ______is not very important for successful people, because it just gets in the way and slows them down.

英语四级快速阅读专项练习答案

（一）

1.【解析】[D]属同义转换题，本题是一种排除选择题。根据题干中的中心词“movement to do something”，可以将答案定位在小标题“Moving to Survive”下第二段的前两句话，“Like the shark, most animals use movement to find food. They also use locomotion to escape enemies, find a mate, and explore now territories”。该句与题干是一种同义转换，选项A、B和C在原文中均有提及，所以不是正确选项;答案D在原文没有提及，所以是正确答案。

2.【解析】[B]属细节推断题。题干考查汽车、火箭和潜艇的例子是为了说明什么，其中的“examples of automobiles, rockets and submarines”是关键词，可以将答案定位在文章小标题“Moving to Survive”下第三段的前两句话，“Humans have the added advantage of using their various inventions to move about in just about any kind of environment. Automobiles, rockets, and submarines transport humans from deep oceans to as far away as the moon”，第二句话所举例子正是为了说明第一句话的内容，这与B项意思一致，而其他选项在文中均未提及。

3.【解析】[A]属细节推断题。分析题干，本题考查鲨鱼在水中快速游动的关键是在什么。其中的“key”是关键词，可以将答案定位在小标题“Skin Is the Key”下首段的第一句话，“The biologists discovered that the skin of the shark is the key to the animal’s high efficiency in swimming through the water”，这与选项A完全一致，所以直接选择A即可。其他选项在文中均有提及，但是都不符合题干的要求。

4.【解析】[D]属细节推断题。题干中的“collagen fibers to the greatest extent”是关键词，可以将答案定位在小标题“Skin Is the Key”下第二段的第一句话，“The Duke University biologists have found that the greatest stretching occurs where the shark bends its body while swimming”。这与选项D的内容完全一致，所以答案选D项，而其他选项原文均未提及，为干扰项。

5.【解析】[C]属细节推断题。题干中“a belted radial tire”是关键词，可以将答案锁定在文章小标题“Source of Energy”下第一段的第三句话，“Just as a radial tire is inflated by pressure, so, too, is the area just under the shark’s collagen ‘radials’”。其中的“just as”和“so”正说明了两者的相似之处在于“inflated by pressure”，所以答案应该是C。选项A和

B是两者的不同之处，选项D在文中没有提及。

6.【解析】[A]属细节推断题。题干中的关键词是“a laminar flow”，所以可以将答案锁定在文章小标题“Dolphin Has Speed Record”下，根据该节第一段的倒数第三、四句话，“Normally when a fish or other object moves slowly through the water, the water flows smoothly past the body. This smooth flow is known as laminar flow.”。题干是对这两句话的改写，所以正确答案是A选项。其他三个选项的意思均不符合“a laminar flow”的定义，与题干要求不符。

7.【解析】[C]属同义转换题。题干中“a slug”和“a mouse”均为关键词，可以直接定位在小标题“Other Animals Less Efficient”下第一段的第二句话，“It uses so much energy ... a mouse traveling the same distance uses only one twelfth as much energy”。题干是对该句的同义改写，所以正确答案是[C]12 times，其他选项均与原文内容不符。

8. 【解析】feeling the vibrations of a struggling prey鲨鱼靠感受猎物游动的震动来发现猎物。

9. 【解析】collagen fibers 在Skin Is the Key中，第二、三句话，The fibers are called collagen fibers.

10. 【解析】some fantastic involuntary changes 在Source of Energy中，第二段倒数第一句话就是本题答案。

（二）

文章向读者介绍了Story Reader(故事小宝贝)及其相关产品的情况。文章最后还指出，美国儿童现阶段的阅读现状尤其需要受到关注，并对家长提出了针对性的建议。

1.A信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词the aims of the Story Reader定位到文章第一个标题的第二段，第二句话中提到Story Reader的目的是娱乐孩子同时告诉他们如何学习阅读，故本题选A。

2.C信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词key characteristic和Story Reader可定位到文章第一个标题的第三段，该段中提到其主要特点是：孩子看着Story Reader展示的书页时，它能够大声为孩子朗读，故本题选C。

3.D信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词the basic Story Reader可定位到文章的第二个标题部分，该部分第一段第一句告知读者，the basic Story Reader适用于3岁及3岁以上的儿童，故本题选D。

4.B信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词the basic Story Reader可知应定位到第二个标题，而在该部分第二段第二句就提到，这种产品定价为20美元，故本题选B。

5.A信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词My First Story Reader和characteristic可定位到文章第二个标题，由该部分第四段第一句可知，My First Story Reader的特色是它有两个播放模式，故本题选A。

6.D信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词Story Reader Video Plus可定位到文章第二个标题，由该部分倒数第三段第一句可知，Story Reader Video Plus适用于7岁及以上儿童，故本题选D。

7.B信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词the Animated Story Mode可定位到文章第二个标题，由该部分倒数第二段第三句可知，the Animated Story Mode有5个教育性的游戏，故本题选B。

8.recognizes that page and reads it again。信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词Story Reader 可定位到文章的第一个标题，由该部分的最后一段可知，Story Reader能够识别当前书页的变化，由此可以得出答案。

9.three。信息明示题。根据题干中的信息词Story Reader products可定位到文章的第三个标题，由标题可知产品数目，再往下阅读可知，2006年末是截止时间，由此可以得出答案。

10.guide them through the environment and conquer obstacles。信息明示题。根据题干信息词Super Mario Brothers可定位到文章第二个标题，由该部分倒数第二段可知，儿童可以通过内置控制器来引导自己通过游戏场景并且克服障碍，由此可以得出答案。

（三）

本文介绍了保持活力的重要性，可爱在有效交流中的作用，以及人的能量范围。

1.D根据题干信息词persuasive communication定位到首段第五句：…，and likability is a key ingredient in persuasive communications…，即：可爱是有说服力的交流的首要因素，故选D。其他三项都是精力充沛的人具有的特征而非良好交流的首要因素，故排除。

2.A根据题干定位到首段后两句。原文提到，electrifying speakers…have an energy that is several levels higher than the people they are attempting to influence，故选A。原文提到“许多商务专业人士(business professionals)低估了需要在他们的听者(1isteners)中产生的狂热的能量水平”，故排除B和D;C项“精力不够的人”与原文叙述相反，故排除。

3.C根据题干定位到第二段最后两句。C项中的“estimating(估计)”与原文“weighing(权衡)”是同一意思，即：衡量自己的能量范围，故选c。A和B项是同一意思，均为“低估能量水平”，故排除;D项“通过使用低一点的能量水平”也与原文不符，故排除。

4.D根据题干信息词scale of the energy定位到小标题The Energy Scale下，由第二句话a scale of one to ten可知能量范畴为1到10，故选D。

5.C作者在The Energy Scale下举例，接着说That means there is plenty of room to boost your energy while not appearing too zany，故选C。A、B和D都与原文不符，故排除。

6.A根据题干信息词Virgin entrepreneur Richard Branson定位到小标题2.Smile and have fun下的首句Why do most people seem to enjoy Virgin entrepreneur Richard Branson? Because the guy has fun and it shows.，即：为什么大多数人喜欢Richard Branson?因为他是有趣的人并且表现了出来，选A。B项指的是business professionals而不是Richard Branson，故排除;C 项“幽默”不够全面，故排除;D项“出名”文章未提及，故排除。

7.A根据题干信息词David McNeill定位到小标题3.Get your body moving下的I spoke to David McNeill…He says that clear，confident speakers use hand gestures即：David McNeill认为自信的讲话者使用手势，故选A。gesture and speech是David McNeill的一个研究，故排除B。

8.study their body language。根据题干定位到小标题3.Get your body movmg下的第三段第二句话I use it to retrieve clips of business speakers to study their body language，由上一句话可知it指AOL’s(TWX)https://www.360docs.net/doc/a38601283.html,，即：我用美国在线服务网上的视频剪辑来学习商界人士的肢体语言，故得答案。

9.high-energy personalities。根据题干定位到小标题4.Study TV and radio personalities下的第一句话Stars of television and radio who score high on the likability scale have high-energy personalities，即：电视明星和广播明星之所以可爱，是因为他们在个性上都精力充沛，故得答案。

10.you’re involved with something you enjoy。根据题干定位到小标题4.Study TV and radio personalities下的第二段首句maintaining an energetic presence is very difficult to do unless you’re involved with something you enjoy，即：除非你做的事情是你所享受的，否则保持精力充沛是很困难的，故得答案。

（四）

太阳对地球上万物的生命起着不可缺少的作用，这种作用主要表现在：为地球提供能量与光;地球自转与绕日公转形成昼夜交替与四季交替.同时出现相应的气候与天气变化;对地球上的水、海洋以及与之相关的循环起着至关重要的作用。

1.A根据题干信息词fit inside the Sun定位到第一个小标题下的第三段第三句…and about

a million Earths could fit inside the Sun。本题问，多少个地球才能把一个太阳填满，根据原文表述，100万个(one million)地球才能填满一个太阳，故本题选A。

2.D根据题干信息词developed without定位到第一个小标题下的倒数第：二段末句Life On Earth could not exist without the Sun，and the planet itself would not have developed without it，根据文章表述，如果没有太阳，地球上的生命将不会存在，地球本身也不会发展到现在，太阳是地球存在发展的条件，题干中的Earth即指原文中的the planet itself，故本题选D。

3.D根据题干信息词our atmosphere定位到第二个小标题下的第二段末句0ur atmosphere does the same thing-it absorbs the heat that the ground emits and sends some ofit back to the Earth。本题问，大气的作用是什么?根据文章表述，地球吸收来自太阳的热量然

后释放，就像夏天里太阳落山后路面还持续放热一样，大气也在做同样的事——吸收地面的

热量，然后再把一部分返回到地面，故本题选D。

4.B根据题干信息词the same amount of sunlight定位到第二个小标题下的第三段倒数第

二句This effect is... at the poles.since the equator receives about the same amount of sunlight all year，根据文章表述，赤道附近季节交替的变化不如两极那样显著，这是因为一年当中无论

何时赤道所接收的太阳光都是没有变化的，与此相反，两极地区在冬季根本接收不到一点阳光，这也是那里为什么冰冻的原因，故本题选B。

5.C根据题干信息词air rushes和the equator定位到第二个小标题下的第七段首句Because of the lower air pressure, air rushes toward the equator from the north and south。根据

文章表述，由于气压较低，空气从南北部涌向赤道，在变暖的过程中上升，把干燥的空气推

向南部和北部，故本题选C。

6.C根据题干信息词the Coriolis Effect定位到第二个小标题下的倒数第二段，根据文章

表述，科里奥利效应作为地球上循环运动的产物，也影响着该系统，它能导致大规模的天气

变化，如飓风、赤道附近的向西信风、南北半球的向东高速气流，由此可以排除A、B、D

三项，故本题选C。

7.A根据题干信息词the Sun和create定位到第二个小标题下的最后一段首句The Sun gets much of the credit for creating both wind and rain。根据文章表述，太阳的一个重要作用

是制造风和雨，has closely relation与gets much of the credit属同义转换，选项中没有rain，符合题干的只有wind，故本题选A。

8.our water。根据题干信息词a huge effect定位到第三个小标题下的第一段首句The Sun has a huge effect on our water。根据文章表述，太阳对我们地球上的水(our water)发挥着巨大

作用，它温暖热带地区的海洋，又降低见不到太阳的两极地区的水温，在全球气候形成方面

起着重要作用。

9.condensation in action。根据题干信息词water form，cold drink定位到第三个小标题下

的第二段第二句It you’ve seen water form on the side of a cold drink，you’ve seen condensation in action。根据文章表述，如果你看到了冰冷的饮料旁边有一些水，事实上你

看到的就是冷凝现象在发挥作用(condensation in action)，这也是水循环的一个组成部分。in action意为“在起作用、在运转”。

10.Our supply of drinking water。根据题干信息词water cycle定位到文章最后一句The water cycle is responsible for clouds and rain as well as Our supply of drinking water。根据文章表述，水循环是云的形成及降雨的根源，还有我们的饮用水(our supply of drinking water)。（五）

文章精要

无论人们是否意识到，视觉化在日常生活中普遍存在，而且起着重要的作用。本文讲述了视觉化如何运作，以及如何通过视觉化加速成功。文章先通过打篮球的例子指出想象在人的思维中所起的重要作用；然后通过现实生活申找路的例子，讲述了如何在思维中建立想象的路径，以及怎样用想象来使我们达到成功的目的。1．B 根据题干信息词visualization 和works 定位到文章第一段末句，即：视觉化并不需要专研其概念和理论也能运作，选项B 中的searching deeply into 相当于原文的delving into，故选B。选项A 与原文相反。原文中提到那些概念和理论还未被证实，所以选项c 也不对。

2．A 根据题干信息词experiment 和Alan Richardson 定位到文章第二段。本题问的是“Alan Richardson 试验中前两个队的结果是什么?”文中提到：被要求每天想象打篮球的人与实际练习打篮球的人水平相似，故选A。

3．B 根据题干信息词visualized 和actually practiced 定位到文中“How Can that be so?”问题下，即文章第四段。本题问的是“那些仅仅想象打篮球的人是怎么做到与每天实际练习打篮球的人做的一样好呢?”文中提到：被要求想象打篮球的人是依靠在思维中建立感觉和记忆达到成功的，故选B。文中并未提及他们是否聪明、是否以前练习过打球或者看过别人练习打球，故排除A、c、D。

4．C 根据题干信息词try another different direction 定位到文章第六、七段。本题问“当你已经找到了一条路时，在什么情况下会使得你想尝试换另一个不同的方向?”文中提到：如果农夫用枪袭击你，并放狗咬你，一旦你从医院康复出来，你就有可能寻找一条新的路回家，故选C。选项A(你已经知道这条路行得通而且是一条愉快且轻松的路)，原文中提到，在这种情况下换路的可能性几乎没有，slim 在这里意为“(希望、可能性)微小的，渺茫的”。选项B(有一个长满长草的牧场可以缩短20 分钟步行时间)，这是指没有抄近路之前，而题于是you already have one path made 的情况，所以排除。

5．A 根据题干信息词difficulty snapping negative loops ofthinking定位到文章第二个小标题下的第二段。本题问的是“日常生活中，人们为什么很难停止消极思维的恶性循环”，该段第二句提到：由于思维已经形成，保持它比在大脑中试着想象新的事情、形成新的连接更容易，故选A。文中并没有提到消极思维是否比积极思维更容易形成并巩固，所以其他三项均排除。

6．D 根据题干信息词basketball visualizers 定位到文章中第三个小标题下的第一段。本题问的是“视觉化在被要求想象打篮球的人的大脑里是怎么运作的”，该段第二句提到：想象打篮球的人是这么做的，他们将自己无意识的思想变成认为他们知道怎么打篮球的思想，故选D。文中并未提及他们在想象之前打过篮球，也没有提到他们是否日思夜想如何打球，故排除A、B。该段最后一句提到仅仅是想象的话不可能把他们变成NBA 球星，选项c 也不对。

7．D 根据题干信息词NBA star 定位到文章第三个小标题下的第一段最后一句。即：当然这不会使你成为一名NBA 球星，你需要实际练习，但是它能够帮助你加速成功。也就是说练习加上视觉化可能让你变成球星，故选D。8．replaying negative stuff,根据题干信息词not advisable 将本题答案定位于第三个小标题下第二段。该段倒数第二句讲到：每天视觉化你的成功20 分钟，然后花l0 个小时用来担心失败、脑海中反复想象负面内容，这是很不明智的。因此这里需要填入replaying negative stuff。

9．visualization。根据题干信息词fake it till you make it 定位到文章倒数第二段。该段提到：You can also incorporate the“fake it till you make it”method in with your visualizationto help speed up the process．即：你也可以将“装下去直到成功”的方法与视觉化结合起来，这样可以帮助你加快进程。Combine 和incorporate 同义，故本题应填visualization。

10．Reality。根据题干信息词it just gets in the way and slows them down 定位到文章末段。该段提到：In fact．successful people don’t care too much for reality；it just gets in the way and slows themdown．即：实际上，成功的人并没有更多地关注事实，它只会碍事儿，让他们减速，故本题应填Reality。