四级阅读练习80详细解析.doc

第一章 阅读理解

一． 阅读理解概述
大学英语四级考试阅读部分共有四篇短文，考试时间为35分钟。每篇文章长度在250~300词左右，共有20题。考试形式为多项选择题，要求考生根据文章内容从中选出最佳答案。阅读理解占总分的40%，几乎达到总分的一半。因此，考生对阅理解这一部分应有足够的重视。
阅读理解中的文章所涉及的题材十分广泛，但大致可分为两大类。一类是人文社会方面的，诸如政治、经济、法律、历史、地理、文化、教育、人物、家庭、婚姻、伦理、犯罪以及交通、能源、环境等社会问题。另一类是自然科学方面的，如动植物、生物、医学、地质、海洋、天文、空间技术及其它最新科技发展及其成果。就文体而言，包括记叙文、说明文、议论文等。记叙文记叙过去发生的事件和经历，包括传记、游记、报导、回忆录和故事等。说明文说明客观事物和现象的特点和性能。议论文是采用摆事实讲道理的方式来论说某一观点是否正确，由论点、论据与结论构成。从历届四级考题来看，虽然各类题材和文体都有，但主要还是与科技内容有关的说明文与议论文。
阅读理解部分主要测试考生以下几方面的能力：
1． 掌握所读文章的主旨和中心大意；
2． 了解说明中心大意的事实和有关细节；
3． 根据上下文判断词汇和短语的具体含义；
4． 既能理解单个句子的意思，又能判断句与句之间存在的逻辑关系；
5． 既能理解字面的意思，也能根据所读材料进行一定的分析、判断和推论；
6． 领会作者的观点和态度。
由此可见，要想在阅读理解这一部分取得较佳成绩，考生除了要有一定的词汇短语及语法知识作基础外，还必须具有一定的快速阅读能力和分析、理解、判断以及推理的能力。这些能力是可以通过大量的阅读实践和一定的方法指导，逐步得到提高的。

二． 阅读理解题目的类型及解题方法
很多同学在做阅读理解题时都有这样的经验，即使在能读懂文章的情况下，有时也难免选错答案，其中一个重要原因，是没有把握住阅读理解题的一些基本特征。四级考试阅读部分的题型主要有以下四种类型，各有其出题的目的与解题方法，现分别介绍如下：
1． 主旨题
主旨题是阅读理解中每次必考的问题类型之一，其目的在于考查考生是否能把握所读文章的主旨和中心大意。
四级考试中，常见的主旨题有：
* The best title of this passage is .
* The most appropriate title for this passage is .
* The main purpose of the passage is .
* The auther’s purpose of writing this passage is to .
* The main theme / topic / point of the passage is .
* The main / central / principle / idea of this passage is .
* The passage is mainly about .
* The passage could be titled .
* The passage illustrates .
* The author’s attitude toward...... is .
* The tone of the passage can be described as .
* What is the main subject / topic of the passage?
* What does the passage mainly discuss / deal with?
* What is the main idea expressed in this passage?
* What is the author’s main point?
* Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?
* With what topic / subject is the passage mainly / primarily concerned?
主旨题是有关整篇文章内容的问题，只要抓住了文章的中心思想，就能答好这类问题。文章的中心思想往往可以通过主题句（Topic Sentence）而得以确认。主题句是作者为了简明扼要地表达其文章内容而使用的一个句子或者若干个句子，作者用主题句作引导来展开其论述或对文章进行总结。文章中的其它句子则围绕着主题句展开，对主题句进行解释、补充和说明。主题句一般多出现在文章的开头部分，但也有出现在文章中段部分或末尾的情况。有时作者为了强调，甚至句首句末都用了主题句。考生应有较强的主题句意识，阅读和回答主旨题时，留心细察，注意可以发现说明中心思想的主题句。
例文：
How can you find out what is going on inside a person’s body?---without opening the patient up? Regular X-rays can show a lot. CAT scans can show even more. They can give three dimensional view of body organs.
What is a CAT scan? CAT stands for Computerized Axial Tomography (层面X线照相术). It is a special X-ray machine that obtains a 360-degree picture of a small area of a patient’s body.
Doctors use X-rays to study and diagnose diseases and injuries within the body. X-rays can locate foreign objects inside the body or take pictures of some internal organs---if special substances are dyed or special liquids are added to the organs to be X-rayed.
A CAT scanner, however, uses a beam of X-rays to give a cross-sectional view of a specific part of the body. A fine beam of X-rays is scanned across the body and rotated around the patient from many different angles. A computer analyzes the information from each angle and produces a clear cross-sectional image on a screen. This image is then photographed for later use. Several cross-sections, taken one after another, can give clear “photo” of the entire body or of any body organs. The newest CAT sacnners can even give clear images of active, moving organs just as a fast-action camera can “stop the action” giving clear images of what appears only misitly to the eye. And because of the 360-degree pictures, CAT scans show 3-dimensional views of organs in a manner that was once only revealed during surgery or outopsy ( examining a dead patient).
Too much exposure to X-rays can cause skin burns,cancer or other damage to the body.Yet CAT scans actually don’t expose the patient to more radiation than conventional X-rays do. CAT scans can also be done without injecting dyes into the patient, so they are less risky than regular X-tay procedures.
CAT scans provide accurate, detailed information. They can detect such a thing bleeding inside the brain. They are helping to save lives.
The passage is mainly about .
A) how to avoid exposure to X-rays
B) the newest medical invention
C) a new type of X-ray machine to save lives
D) advantages and disadvantages of CAT scanners
本文的主题句出现在第二段的第二句“It is a special X-ray machine that obtains a 360-degree picture of a small area of a patient’s body” 以及全文的末一句“They are helping to save lives”，因此，正确答案应为C）。而A）、B）、D）项均与内容不符。
当然，并非所有的文章都有明确的主题句。在这种情况下，考生应在通读原文并正确理解所有细节的基础上，运用自己的逻辑分析能力、推理和概括的能力，找出文章的中心思想。
上述主旨题中，有一部分是有关作者写作目的、态度、立场以及文章风格的，这要求考生在了解文章大意的基础上，运用各种分析和推理的方法来解答。
2．细节题
细节题在四级统考试题中占有较大的比例，也是难度相对较易的题目。主要测试考生正确理解字面意义和把握文章细节的能力，同时也需要考生运用综合和判断能力。通常是针对文章中一些具体的信息，如事实、例证、原因、特点、过程、论述等进行提问。常见的提问形式有：
* Which of the following statement / sentence is true / NOT true?
* Which of the following is NOT mentioned?
* Which of the following is true EXCEPT ?
* Which of the following is mentioned EXCEPT ?
* Which of the following is NOT answered by ?
* Which of the following is NOT considered as ?
* Which of the following is NOT included in the passage?
* Which of the following is correct according to the passage?
* According to the passage, what / who / when / where / why / how ......?
在做此类问题时，考生应首先注意看清题干中是否有“NOT”和“EXCEPT”等词。经常有的考生做题心切或细心不够，没有看清问题就去做题，只是想当然地把正确的、符合事实的一项选出，结果当然出错。
此类题型的四个选择项所涉及的信息有时集中在一、二个句子里，有时也集中在某一个段落里，这时候只要返回文章，在文中找到相关的句子，稍作考量和比较，就不难确定正确选项。但有时候四个选择项所涉及的信息分散在不同的句子，甚至是不同的段落之中，遇到这种情况，考生须把四个选项逐一与文中有关信息加以对照，并运用排除法，这样可节省时间，增加找出正确答案的机会。
例文：（同上）
What is NOT true of a CAT scanner?
A) It can show 3-dimensional views of body organs.
B) It utilizes computer techniques.
C) It may cause skin burns or cancer to the patient’s body.
D) It is safer than regular X-ray procedures.
A)、B)、D)三项内容在文中都分别谈及，A）项可在第四段末句找到：“CAT scans show 3-dimensional views of organs”。B）项可在第四段第三句找到：“A computer analyzes the information from each angle and produces a clear cross-sectional image on a screen.”D）项可在第五段末句找到：“CAT scans can also be done without injecting dyes into the patient, so they are less risky than regular X-tay procedures.”C）项的有关内容可在第五段第一、二句找到，但可以看到，C）项所谈情况不是CAT scanner 所造成，故答案应选C）。
3．词汇题
阅读理解中的词汇题，主要是为了测试考生考生根据上下文推测词义的能力。它不同于词汇测试部分的词汇题。后者所考的词汇，基本上是教学大纲所要求掌握的，而前者所考的词汇，常常是超纲词或熟词新用。考生要回答的往往不是这个词的大概意思，也不是它的基本意思，而是该词在一定的上下文中特定而确切的含义。阅读理解中的词汇题，通常有以下提问方式：
* The word “.....” in Line 6 / in the 5th paragraph probably means .
* The word “.....” in the passage means .
* The word “.....” roughly refers to .
* The expression “.....” is closest to .
* The writer used the word “.....” to indicate that .
* The world “.....” in the context means .
* By saying that “.....” the author means .
* From the passage we know that “.....” is a term referring to .
* The word “.....” stands for .
在做阅读理解中的词汇题的时候，考生应注意从上下文中找到推断词义的线索，而且也应该能够找到。须要注意的倒应该是不要望文生义，而应该根据上下文来确定其具体含义。
例文：（同上）
The words “foreign object” in Paragraph.3 most probably means .
A) a strange organ that has grown in the body
B) a new thing that is unknown to the doctor
C) a severely injured part inside the body
D) a substance that gets inside the body by chance
根据上下文，我们可以判断，“foreign object”应指长在体中的“异物”，对照四个选项，D）项最接近“异物”的意思。
4．推理题
在阅读理解的各类题目中，推理性的题目应该说是最困难的一类。考生之所以普遍感到比较棘手，就在于这类题目的答案无法直接从文章中找到，它要求考生在理解原文的基础上，运用自己的思维判断能力和头脑中已有的常识，领悟作者的弦外之音，对有关的内容进行符合逻辑的推理，从而得出作者的真实意图或观点。常见的推理型题目主要有：
* Which of the following can be / can not be inferred from the passage?
* It can be inferred from the passage that .
* By...... the author implies / indicates / suggests that .
* We can learn from the passage that .
* The author seems to be in favor of / against .
* It can be concluded that .
* The passage is intended to .
* The tone of the passage / the author may be .
* According to the author, what does the sentence suggest?
* How does the author feel about ?
* In the author’s opinion, .
考生在做这类题目时，应当注意，既然是推理题，那这个答案就不应当是原文中直接提到的内容，而应当是通过表面文字信息推理出来的。如果选项中的问题在文中有直接表述，那这个选项就一定不是正确答案。做这类题目时，可以利用排除法，将不正确的选项一一排除，最后得到正确答案。
例文：（同上）
It can be inferred from the passage that .
A) the patient can be exposed to a slight amount radiation safely
B) CAT scanners can take photos of body organs
C) CAT scanners need computers to analyze the information
D) CAT scanners are more expensive than regular X-ray machines
B)、C)选项在文中都有直接而明确的描述，不是推论，故应排出在外。D）项意思在文中虽未提及，但其推论缺乏依据。而A）项意思则可根据第五段内容推论出来，即，人体可以承受微量的X线辐射而不致使身体受到损害。
做阅读理解题时，一般来讲，要避免这样一种心态，即，总是想把文章中每一个词或每一句话的意义都弄清楚，每一个细节都掌握，否则就心里不踏实，就无法作题。其实并没有那个必要。一篇文章二三百字，只有五个问题，不可能覆盖文中所有细节或每一个句子。只要抓住文章大意和主要细节，就可以试着做题了。事实上，在做题时，有时候还需回过头去看原文，查找所需信息，把问题与原文加以对照比较，才能得出正确答案。因此，考生平时在做阅读理解题时，应注意培养自己快速阅读理解和抓文章大意的能力。
在做阅读理解题时，是先读文章后看题呢，还是先看题后读文章呢？对这个问题，历来看法各异，而且，在不同情况下，也确实各有千秋。但总的说来，我们主张考生还是应首先以较快速度通读全文，力求对文章大意和主要细节有所了解，然后才做题。在阅读文章时，应注意用笔标出文章的主题词或主题句、逻辑关联词、有关时间和地点的词句、人名、数字等。在做题的过程中，如有不明确的地方，再回过头在原文中查找相关信息。这种阅读方式和习惯，考生在平时就应当培养，这样考试时才会感到得心应手一点。

三． 阅读理解短文（80 篇）

Passage 1
Researchers have established that when people are mentally engaged, biochemical changes occur in the brain that allow it to act more effectively in cognitive（认知的）areas such as attention and memory. This is true regardless of age.
People will be alert (警觉的) and receptive (接受能力强的) if they are faced with information that gets them to think about things they are interested in. And someone with a history of doing more rather than less will go into old age more cognitively sound than someone who has not had an active mind.
Many experts are so convinced of the benefits of challenging the brain that they are putting the theory to work in their own lives. “The idea is not necessarily to learn to memorize enormous amounts of information,” says James Fozard, associate director of the National Institute on Aging. “Most of us dont need that kind of skill. Such specific training is of less interest than being able to maintain mental alertness.” Fozard and others say they challenge their brains with different mental skills, both because they enjoy them and because they are sure that their range of activities will help the way their brains work.
Gene Cohen, acting director of the same institute, suggests that people in their old age should engage in mental and physical activities individually as well as in groups. Cohen says that we are frequently advised to keep physically active as we age, but older people need to keep mentally active as well. Those who do are more likely to maintain their intellectual abilities and to be generally happier and better adjusted. "The point is, you need to do both," Cohen says, “intellectual activity actually influences brain-cell health and size.”
1. People who are cognitively healthy are those _______ .
A) who can remember large amounts of information
B) who are highly intelligent
C) whose minds are alert and receptive
D) who are good at recognizing different sounds
2. According to Fozard’s argument, people can make their brains work more efficiently by
.
A) constantly doing memory work
B) taking part in various mental activities
C) going through specific training
D) making frequent adjustments
3. The findings of James and other scientists in their work ______ .
A) remain a theory to be further proved
B) have been challenged by many other experts
C) have been generally accepted
D) are practised by the researchers themselves
4. Older people are generally advised to _______ .
A) keep fit by going in for physical activities
B) keep mentally active by challenging their brains
C) maintain mental alertness through specific training
D) maintain a balance between individual and group activities
5. What is the passage mainly about?
A) How biochemical changes occur in the human brain.
B) Why people should keep active not only physically but also mentally.
C) How intellectual activities influence brain-cell health.
D) Why people should receive special mental training as they age.

Passage 2
People can be addicted to different things -- e.g., alcohol, drugs, certain foods, or even television. People who have such an addiction (癖好; 瘾) are compulsive (难以抑制的) ; i.e., they have a very powerful psychological need that they feel they must satisfy. According to psychologists, many people are compulsive spenders. They feel that they must spend money. This compulsion, like most others, is irrational -- impossible to explain reasonably. For compulsive spenders who buy on credit (赊购), charge accounts (赊购帐户) are even more exciting than money. In other words, compulsive spenders feel that with credit, they can do anything. Their pleasure in spending enormous amounts is actually greater than the pleasure that they get from the things they buy.
There is even a special psychology of bargain hunting. To save money, of course, most people look for sales, low prices, and discounts. Compulsive bargain hunters, however, often buy things that they dont need just because they are cheap. They want to believe that they are helping their budgets, but they are really playing an exciting game. When they can buy something for less than other people, they feel that they are winning. Most people, experts claim, have two reasons for their behavior: a good reason for the things that they do and the real reason.
It is not only scientists, of course, who understand the psychology of spending habits, but also businesspeople. Stores, companies, and advertisers use psychology to increase business: They consider peoples needs for love, power, or influence, their basic values, their beliefs and opinions, and so on in their advertising and sales methods.
Psychologists often use a method called "behavior therapy (疗法)" to help individuals solve their personality problems. In the same way, they can help people who feel that they have problems with money.
1. According to the psychologists, a compulsive spender is one who spends large amounts of
money .
A) and takes great pleasure from what he or she buys
B) in order to satisfy his or her basic needs in life
C) just to meet his or her strong psychological need
D) entirely with an irrational eagerness
2. According to the writer, compulsive bargain hunters are in constant search of the lowest
possible prices .
A) because they want to save money to help their budgets
B) because they can openly boast of their triumph over others in getting things for less
C) and will not have money problems if they can keep to their budgets
D) but they seldom admit they feel satisfied if they can get things for less than others
3. Which of the following is true?
A) All people spend money for exactly the same reason that they need to buy things.
B) Businesspeople and advertisers ca