2023年专四阅读理解.doc

专四阅读理解预热（1）Peoplehavebeenpaintingpicturesforatleast30,000years.Theearliestpictureswerepaintedbypeoplewhohuntedanimals.Theyusedtopaintpicturesoftheanimalstheywantedtocatchandkill.PicturesofthiskindhavebeenfoundonthewallsofcavesinFranceandSpain.Nooneknowswhytheywerepaintedthere.Perhapsthepaintersthoughtthattheirpictureswouldhelpthemtocatchtheseanimals.Orperhapshumanbeingshavealwayswantedtotellstoriesinpictures.About5,000yearsago,theEgyptiansandotherpeopleintheNearEastbegantousepicturesaskindofwriting.Theydrewsimplepicturesorsignstorepresentthingsandideas,andalsotorepresentthesoundsoftheirlanguage.Thesignsthesepeopleusedbecameakindofalphabet.TheEgyptiansusedtorecordinformationandtotellstoriesbyputtingpicturewritingandpicturestogether.Whenanimportantpersondied,scenesandstoriesfromhislifewerepaintedandcarvedonthewallsoftheplacewherehewasburied.Someofthesepicturesarelikemoderncomicstripstories.IthasbeensaidthatEgyptisthehomeofthecomicstrip.But,fortheEgyptians,picturesstillhadmagicpower.Sotheydidnottrytomaketheirwayofwritingsimple.Theordinarypeoplecouldnotunderstandit.Bytheyear1,000BC,peoplewholivedintheareaaroundtheMediterraneanSeahaddevelopedasimplersystemofwriting.Thesignstheyusedwereveryeasytowrite,andtherewerefewerofthemthanintheEgyptiansystem.Thiswasbecauseeachsign,orletter,representedonlyonesoundintheirlanguage.TheGreeksdevelopedthissystemandformedthelettersoftheGreekalphabet.TheRomanscopiedtheidea,andtheRomanalphabetisnowusedallovertheworld.Thesedays,wecanwritedownastory,orrecordinformation,withoutusingpictures.Butwestillneedpicturesofallkinds:drawing,photographs,signsanddiagrams.Wefindthemeverywhere:inbooksandnewspapers,inthestreet,andonthewallsoftheplaceswhereweliveandwork.Pictureshelpustounderstandandrememberthingsmoreeasily,andtheycanmakeastorymuchmoreinteresting.1.PicturesofanimalswerepaintedonthewallsofcavesinFranceandSpainbecause_.A.thehunterswantedtoseethepicturesB.thepainterswereanimalloversC.thepainterswantedtoshowimaginationD.thepictureswerethoughttobehelpful2.TheGreekalphabetwassimplerthantheEgyptiansystemforallthefollowingreasonsEXCEPT that_.A.theformerwaseasytowriteB.therewerefewersignsintheformerC.theformerwaseasytopronounceD.eachsignstoodforonlyonesound3.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisTRUEA.TheEgyptiansignslaterbecameaparticularalphabet.B.TheEgyptianslikedtowritecomic?stripstories.C.TheRomanalphabetwasdevelopedfromtheEgyptianone.D.TheGreekscopiedtheirwritingsystemfromtheEgyptians.4.Inthelastparagraph,theauthorthinksthatpictures_.A.shouldbemadecomprehensibleB.shouldbemadeinterestingC.areofmuchuseinourlifeD.havedisappearedfromourlife专四阅读理解预热（2）AsthemerchantclassexpandedintheeighteenthcenturyinNorthAmericanColonies,thesilversmithandthecoppersmithbusinessesrosetoserveit.OnlyafewsilversmithswereavailableinNewYorkorBostoninthelateseventeenthcentury,butintheeighteenthcenturytheycouldbefoundinallmajorcolonialcities.Noothercolonialartisansrivaledthesilversmithsprestige.Theyhandledthemostexpensivematerialsandpossesseddirectconnectionstoprosperouscolonialmerchants.Theirproducts,primarilysilverplatesandbowls,reflectedtheirexaltedstatusandtestifiedtotheircustomersprominence. Silverstoodasoneofthesurestwaystostorewealthatatimebeforeneighborhoodbanksexisted.Unlikethesilvercoinsfromwhichtheyweremade,silverarticleswerereadilyidentifiable.Oftenformedtoindividualspecifications,theyalwayscarriedthesilversmithsdistinctivemarkingsandconsequentlycouldbetracedandretrieved.Customersgenerallysecurethesilverforthesilverobjecttheyordered.Theysavedcoins,tookthemtosmiths,anddiscussedthetypeofpiecestheydesired.Silversmithscompliedwiththeserequestsbymeltingthemoneyinasmallfurnace,addingabitofcoppertoformastrongeralloy,andcastingthealloyinrectangularblocks.Theyhammeredtheseingotstotheappropriatethicknessbyhand,shapedthemandpresseddesignsintothemforadornment.Engravingwasalsodonebyhand.Inadditiontoplatesandbowls,somecustomerssoughtmoreintricateproducts,suchassilverteapots.Theseweremadebyshapingorcastingpartsseparatelyandthensolderingthemtogether.Colonialcoppersmithalsocomeofageintheearlyeighteenthcenturyandprosperedinnortherncities.Coppersabilitytoconductheatefficientlyandtoresistcorrosioncontributedtoitsattractiveness.ButbecauseitwasexpensiveincolonialAmerica,coppersmithswereneververynumerous.VirtuallyallcopperworkedbySmithswasimportedassheetsorobtainedbyrecyclingoldcoppergoods.Copperwasusedforpracticalitems,butitwasnotadmiredforitsbeauty.Coppersmithsemployedittofashionpotsandkettlesforthehome.Theyshapeditinmuchthesamemannerassilverormelteditinafoundrywithleadortin.Theyalsomixeditwithzinctomakebrassformaritimeandscientificinstruments.1.Accordingtothepassage,whichofthefollowingeighteenthcenturydevelopmentshadstrongimpactonsilversmithsA.Adecreaseinthecostofsilver.B.Theinventionofheatefficientfurnaces.C.Thegrowingeconomicprosperityofcolonialmerchants.D.Thedevelopmentofnewtoolsusedtoshapesilver.2. IncolonialAmerica,wheredidsilversmithsusuallyobtainthematerialtomakesilverarticlesA.Fromtheirownmines.B.Fromimporters.C.Fromothersilversmiths.D.Fromcustomers.3.ThepassagementionsallofthefollowingasusesforcopperinColonialAmericaEXCEPT_.A.cookingpotsB.scientificinstrumentsC.musicalinstrumentsD.maritimeinstruments4.Accordingtothepassage,silversmithsandcoppersmithsincolonialAmericaweresimilarinwhichofthefollowingwaysA.Theamountofsocialprestigetheyhad.B.Thewaytheyshapedthemetaltheyworkedwith.C.Thecostofthegoodstheymade.D.Thepracticalityofthegoodstheymade专四阅读理解预热（3）OnJanuary10,1962,anenormouspieceofglacierbrokeawayandtumbleddownthesideofamountaininPeru.Ameresevenminuteslater,whencascadingicefinallycametoastoptenmilesdownthemountain;ithadtakenthelivesof4,000people.Thisdisasterisoneofthemost“devastating”examplesofaverycommonevent:anavalancheofsnoworice.Becauseitisextremelycoldatveryhighaltitudes,snowrarelymelts.Itjustkeepspilinguphigherandhigher.Glaciersareeventuallycreatedwhentheweightofthesnowissogreatthatthelowerlayersarepressedintosolidice.Butmostavalanchesoccurlongbeforethishappens.Assnowaccumulatesonasteepslope,itreachesacriticalpointatwhichtheslightestvibrationwillsenditslidingintothevalleybelow.Evenanavalancheoflightpowercanbedangerous,butthePeruviancatastrophewasparticularlyterriblebecauseitwascausedbyaheavylayerofice.Itisestimatedthattheicethatbrokeoffweighedthreemilliontons.Asitcrasheddownthesteepmountainsidelikeagiganticsnowplough,itsweptuptrees,bouldersandtonsoftopsoil,andcompletelycrushedanddestroyedthesixvillagesthatlayinitspath.Atpresentthereisnowaytopredictoravoidsuchenormousavalanches,but,luckily,theyareveryrare.Scientistsareconstantlystudyingthesmaller,morecommonavalanches,totrytounderstandwhatcausesthem.Inthefuture,perhapsdangerousmassesofsnowandicecanbefoundandremovedbeforetheytakehumanlives.1.Thefirstparagraphcatchesthereadersattentionwitha_.A.FirsthandreportB.dramaticdescriptionC.talltaleD.vividworldpicture2.Inthispassagedevastatingmeans_.A.violentlyruinousB.spectacularlyinterestingC.stunningD.unpleasant3.Thepassageismostlyabout_.A.avalanchesB.glaciersC.PeruD.Mountains专四阅读理解预热（4）ThreeEnglishdictionariespublishedrecentlyalllayclaimtopossessinga“new”feature.TheBBCEnglishDictionarycontainsbackgroundinformationon1,000peopleandplacesprominentinthenewssince1988;theOxfordAdvancedLearnersDictionary:EncyclopedicEditionistheOALDplusencyclopedicentries;theLongmanDictionaryofEnglishLanguageandCultureistheLDOCEplusculturalinformation.Thekeyfactisthatallthreedictionariescanbeseentohaveadistinctly“cultural”aswellaslanguagelearningcontent.Thatbeingsaid,thewayinwhichtheyapproachtheculturalelementisnotidentical,makingdirectcomparisonsbetweenthethreedifficult.Whilethereissomecommongroundbetweentheencyclopedic/culturalentriesfortheOxfordandLongmandictionaries,thereisacleardifference.OxfordlaysclaimtobeingencyclopediconcontentwhereasLongmandistinctlyconcentratesonthelanguageandcultureoftheEnglish-speakingworld.TheOxforddictionarycanthereforestandmorevigorousscrutinyforculturalbiasthantheLongmanpublicationbecausethelatterdoesnothesitateaboutviewingtherestoftheworldfromtheculturalperspectivesoftheEnglish-speakingworld.TheculturalobjectivesoftheBBCdictionaryareinturnmoredistinctstill.Basedonananalysisofover70millionwordsrecordedfromtheBBCWorldServiceandNationalPublicRadioofWashingtonoveraperiodoffouryears,their1,000briefencyclopedicentriesarebasedonpeopleandplacesthathavefeaturedinthenewsrecently.TheintendedusertheyhaveinmindisaregularlistenertotheWorldServicewhowillhaveareasonablestandardofEnglishandadevelopedskillinlisteningcomprehension.Inreality,though,theBBCdictionarywillbepurchasedbyafarwiderrangeoflanguagelearners,aswilltheothertwodictionaries.Wewillbefacedwithasituationwheremanyoftheusersofthesedictionarieswillattheveryleasthavedistinctsocio-culturalperspectivesandmayhaveworldviewswhicharetotallyopposedandevenhostiletothoseoftheWest.Advancedlearnersformthiskindofbackgroundwillnotonlyevaluateadictionaryonhowuser-friendlyitisbutwillalsohavedefiniteviewsaboutthescopeandappropriatenessofthevarioussocio-culturalentries.1. Whatfeaturesetsapartthethreedictionariesdiscussedinthepassagefromtraditionalones?A.Thecombinationoftwodictionariesintoone.B.Thenewapproachtodefiningwords.C.Theinclusionofculturalcontent.D.Theincreaseinthenumberofentries.2.TheLongmandictionaryismorelikelytobecriticizedforculturalprejudicebecause_.A.itsscopeofculturalentriesgoesbeyondthecultureoftheEnglish-speakingworldB.itpayslittleattentiontotheculturalcontentofthenon-English-speakingcountriesC.itviewstheworldpurelyfromthestandpointoftheEnglish-speakingpeopleD.itfailstodistinguishlanguagefromcultureinitsencyclopedicentries3.Itisimpliedinthelastparagraphthat,inapproachingsocio-culturalcontentinadictionary,socialthoughtshouldbegivento_ _.A.thelanguagelevelsofitsusersB.thenumberofitsprospectivepurchasersC.thedifferenttastesofitsusersD.thevariousculturalbackgroundsofitsusers 专四阅读理解预热（5）Therearesomeearthphenomenayoucancounton,butthemagneticfield,somedayisnotofthem.Itfluctuatesinstrength,driftsfromitsaxis,andeveryfew100,000yearsundergo,dramaticpolarityreversalaperiodwhenNorthPolebecomesSouthPoleandSouthPolebecomesNorthPole.Buthowisthefieldgenerated,andwhyisitsounstable?GroundbreakingresearchbytwoFrenchgeophysicistspromisestoshedsomelightonthemystery.Using80metersofdeepseasedimentcore,theyhaveobtainedmeasurementsofmagnetic-fieldintensitythatspan11polarityreversalsandfourmillionyears.Theanalysisrevealsthatintensityappearstofluctuatewithaclear,well-definedrhythm.Althoughthestrengthofthemagneticfieldvariesirregularlyduringtheshortterm,thereseemstobeaninevitablelongtermdeclineprecedingeachpolarityreversal.Whenthepolesflipaprocessthattakesseveralhundredthousandyearsthemagneticfieldrapidlyregainsitsstrengthandthecycleisrepeated.Theresultshavecausedastiramonggeophysicists.Themagneticfieldisthoughttooriginatefrommoltenironintheoutercore, 3000kilometersbeneaththeearthssurface.Bystudyingmineralgrainsfoundinmaterialrangingfromrockstoclayarticles,previousresearchershavealreadybeenabletoidentifyreversalsdatingback170millionyears,includingthemostrecentswitch730,000yearsago.Howandwhytheyoccur,however,hasbeenwidelydebated.Severaltheorieslinkpolarityflipstoexternaldisasterssuchasmeteorimpacts.ButPeterOlson,ageophysicistattheJohnsHopkinsUniversityinBaltimore,saysthisisunlikelyiftheFrenchresearchersareright.Infact,Olsonsaysintensitythatpredictablydeclinesfromonereversaltothenextcontradicts90percentofthemodelscurrentlyunderstudy.Iftheresultsprovetobevalidgeophysicistswillhaveanewtheorytoguidethemintheirquesttounderstandtheearthsinnerphysics.Itcertainlypointsthedirectionforfutureresearch.1.Whichofthefollowingtitlesismostappropriatetothepassage?A.PolarityReversal:AFantasticPhenomenonofNature.B.MeasurementoftheEarthsMagnetic-FieldIntensity.C.FormationoftheTwoPolesoftheEarth.D.ANewApproachtothestudyofGeophysics.2.WhathavethetwoFrenchgeophysicistsdiscoveredintheirresearch?A.Someregularityinthechangesoftheearthsmagneticfield.B.Somecausesofthefluctuationoftheearthsmagneticfield.C.Theoriginoftheearthsmagneticfield.D.Thefrequencyofpolarityreversals.3.TheFrenchgeophysicistsstudyisdifferentfromcurrentlyprevailingtheoriesin_.A.itsidentificationoftheoriginoftheearthsmagneticfieldB.thewaytheearthsmagneticintensityismeasuredC.itsexplanationoftheshiftintheearthspolarityD.thewaytheearthsfluctuationrhythmisdefined4.InPeterOlsonsopiniontheFrenchexperiment_.A.islikelytodirectfurtherresearchintheinnerphysicsoftheearthB.hassuccessfullysolvedthemysteryofpolarityreversalsC.iscertaintohelppredict