英语四级阅读试题库含答案解析.doc

英语四级阅读题库含答案解析
1.Passage One
Global warming may or may not be the great environmental crisis of the 21 st century,
but regardless of whether it is or isn ’t –we won ’t do much about it. We will argue over
it and may even, as a nation, make some fairly solemn-sounding commitments to avoid
it. But the more dramatic and meaningful these commitments seem, the less likely they
are to be observed.
Al Gore calls global warming an “inconvenient truth, ” as if merely recognizing it
could put us on a path to a solution. But the real truth is that we don ’t know enough to
relieve global warming, and –without major technological breakthroughs —we can ’t do
much about it.
From 2003 to 2050, the world ’s population is projected to grow from 6.4 billion to 9.1
billion, a 42% increase. If energy use per person and technology remain the same, total
energy use and greenhouse gas emissions (mainly, CO2) will be 42% higher in 2050. but
that ’s too low, because societies that grow richer use more energy. We need economic
growth unless we condemn the world ’s poor to their present poverty and freeze
everyone else‘s living standards. With modest growth, energy use and greenhouse
emissions more than double by 2050.
No government will adopt rigid restrictions on economic growth and personal
freedom (limits on electricity usage, driving and travel) that might cut back global
warming. Still, politicians want to show they ’re “doing something. ”Consider the Kyoto
Protocol (京都议定书 ). It allowed countries that joined to punish those that didn ’t. But it
hasn ’t reduced CO2 emissions (up about 25% since 1990), and many signatories (签字
国) didn ’t adopt tough enough policies to hit their 2008-2012 targets.
The practical conclusion is that if global warming is a potential disaster, the only
solution is new technology. Only an aggressive research and development program
might find ways of breaking dependence on fossil fuels or dealing with it.
The trouble with the global warming debate is that it has become a moral problem when
it ’s really an engineering one. The inconvenient truth is that if we don ’t solve the
engineering problem, we ’re helpless.
57. What is said about global warming in the first paragraph?
A) It may not prove an environmental B) It is an issue requiring world wide
crisis at all. commitments.
C) Serious steps have been taken to avoid D) Very little will be done to bring it under
or stop it. control.
58. According to the author ’s understanding, what is Al Gore ’s view on global warming?
A) It is a reality both people and politicians are unaware of.
B) It is a phenomenon that causes us many inconveniences.
C) It is a problem that can be solved once it is recognized.
D) It is an area we actually have little knowledge about.
59. Green house emissions will more than double by 2050 because of _______.
A) economic growth C) wasteful use of energy
B) the widening gap between the rich and D) the rapid advances of science and
poor technology
60. The author believes that, since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, ________.
A) politicians have started to do something to better the situation
B) few nations have adopted real tough measures to limit energy use
C) reductions in energy consumption have greatly cut back global warming
D) international cooperation has contributed to solving environmental problems
61. What is the message the author intends to convey?
A) Global warming is more of a moral issue than a practical one.
B) The ultimate solution to global warming lies in new technology
C) The debate over global warming will lead to technological breakthroughs.
D) People have to give up certain material comforts to stop global warming.
Passage Two
Someday a stranger will read your e-mail without your permission or scan the
Websites you ’ve visited. Or perhaps someone will casually glance through your credit
card purchase or cell phone bills to find out your shopping preferences or calling habits.
In fact, it ’s likely some of these things have already happened to you. Who would
watch you without your permission? It might be a spouse, a girlfriend, a marketing
company, a boss, a cop or a criminal. Whoever it is, they will see you in a way you never
intended to be seen — the 21 st century equivalent of being caught naked.
Psychologists tell us boundaries are healthy, that it ’s important to reveal yourself to
friends, family and lovers in stages, at appropriate times. But few boundaries remain. The
digital bread crumbs ( 碎 屑 ) you leave everywhere make it easy for strangers to
reconstruct who you are, where you are and what you like. In some cases, a simple
Google search can reveal what you think. Like it or not, increasingly we live in a world
where you simple cannot keep a secret.
The key question is: Does that matter?
When opinion polls ask Americans about privacy, most say they are concerned about
losing it. A survey found an overwhelming pessimism about privacy, with 60 percent of
respondents saying they feel their privacy is “slipping away, and that bothers me. ”
But people say one thing and do another. Only a tiny fraction of Americans change
any behaviors in an effort to preserve their privacy. Few people turn down a discount at
tollbooths (收费 站) to avoid using the EZ-Pass system that can track automobile
movements. And few turn down supermarket loyalty cards. Privacy economist
Alessandro Acquisti has run a series of tests that reveal people will surrender personal
information like Social Security numbers just to get their hands on a pitiful 50-cents-off
coupon (优惠券).
But privacy does matter –at least sometimes. It ’s like health: When you have it, you
don ’t notice it. Only when it ’s gone do you wish you ’d done more to protect it.
62. What does the author mean by saying “the 21 st century equivalent of being caught
naked ”(Lines 3-4, Para.2)?
A) People ’s personal information is easily accessed without their knowledge.
B) In the 21 st century people try every means to look into others ’ secrets.
C) People tend to be more frank with each other in the information age.
D) Criminals are easily caught on the spot with advanced technology.
63. What would psychologists advise on the relationships between friends?
A) Friends should open their hearts to C) There should be a distance even
each other. between friends.
B) Friends should always be faithful to D) There should be fewer disputes
each other. between friends.
64. Why does the author say “we live in a world where you simple cannot keep a secret ”
(Line 5 Para.3)?
A) Modern society has finally evolved into an open society.
B) People leave traces around when using modern technology.
C) There are always people who are curious about others ’ affairs.
D) Many search engines profit by revealing people ’s identities.
65. What do most Americans do with regard to privacy protection?
A) They change behaviors that might disclose their identity.
B) They use various loyalty cards for business transactions.
C) They rely more and more on electronic D) They talk a lot but hardly do anything
devices. about it.
66. According to the passage, privacy is like health in that ________.
A) people will make every effort to keep it
woman.
B) its importance is rarely understood
There are many reasons for
C) it is something that can easily be lost
D) people don ’t cherish it until they lose it
this-typically, men take more risks than
woman and are more likely to drink and
smoke but perhaps more importantly,
men don ’t go to the doctor.
“Men aren ’t seeing doctors as often
2.Passage One
as they should, ” says Dr. Gullotta, “This
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the
is particularly so for the over-40s,when
following passage.
diseases tend to strike. ”
If you are a male and you are reading
Gullotta says a healthy man should
this ,congratulations: you are a
visit the doctor every year or two. For
survivor .According to statistics .you are
those over 45,it should be at least once a
more than twice as likely to die of skin
year.
cancer than a woman ,and nine times
Two months ago Gullotta saw a
more likely to die of AIDS. Assuming you
50-year-old ma who had delayed doing
make it to the end of your natural term,
anything about his smoker ’s cough for a
about 78 years for men in Australia, you
year.
will die on average five years before a
“When I finally saw him it had already
spread and he has since died from lung Regular check-ups for men would
cancer ” he says, “Earlier detection and inevitably place strain on the public purse,
treatment may not have cured him, but it Cartmill says. ” But prevention is cheaper
would have prolonged this life ” in the long run than having to treat the
According to a recent survey, 95%of diseases. Besides, the ultimate cost is far
women aged between 15 and early 40s greater: it is called premature death. ”
see a doctor once a year, compared to 57.Why does the author congratulate his
70% of men in the same age group. male readers at the beginning of the
“A lot of men think they are invincible passage?
（不可战胜的）” Gullotta says “They only A. They are more likely to survive serious
come in when a friend drops dead on the diseases today.
golf course and they think ” Geez, if it B. Their average life span has been
could happen to him. considerably extended.
Then there is the ostrich approach, ” C. They have lived long enough to read
some men are scared of what might be this article.
there and would rather not know, ” says D. They are sure to enjoy a longer and
Dr. Ross Cartmill. happier live.
“Most men get their cars serviced 58.What does the author state is the most
more regularly than they service their important reason men die five years
bodies, ” Cartmill says .He believes most earlier on average than women?
diseases that commonly affect men could A. men drink and smoke much more than
be addressed by preventive check-ups. women
B. men don ’t seek medical care as often disease because of fear
as women 61. What does Cartmill say about regular
C. men aren ’t as cautions as women in check-ups for men?
face of danger A.They may increase public expenses
D. men are more likely to suffer from fatal B.They will save money in the long run
diseases C.They may cause psychological strains on
59. Which of the following best completes men
the sentence “Geez, if it could happen to D.They will enable men to live as long as
him ⋯ ’(line2,para,8)? women
A. it could happen to me, too Passage Two
B. I should avoid playing golf Questions 62 to 66 are based on the
C. I should consider myself lucky following passage.
D. it would be a big misfortune High-quality customer service is
60what does Dr. Ross Cartmill mean by preached( 宣扬) by many ,but actually
“the ostrich approach ”(line q para.9) keeping customers happy is easier said
A. a casual attitude towards one ’s health than done
conditions Shoppers seldom complain to the
B. a new therapy for certain psychological manager or owner of a retail store, but
problems instead will alert their friends, relatives,
C. refusal to get medical treatment for fear co-workers, strangers-and anyone who
of the pain involved will listen.
D. unwillingness to find out about one ’s Store managers are often the last to
hear complaints, and often find out only include filled parking lots, cluttered (塞满
when their regular customers decide t 了 的 ) shelves, overloaded racks,
frequent their competitors, according to a out-of-stock items, long check-out lines,
study jointly conducted by Verde group and rude salespeople.
and Wharton school During peak shopping hours, some
“ Storytelling hurts retailers and retailers solved the parking problems by
entertains consumers, ” said Paula getting moonlighting （业余兼职的） local
Courtney, President of the Verde group. ” police to work as parking attendants.
the store loses the customer, but the Some hired flag wavers to direct
shopper must also find a replacement. ” customers to empty parking spaces. This
On average, every unhappy customer guidance eliminated the need for
will complain to at least four other, and customers to circle the parking lot
will no longer visit the specific store for endlessly, and avoided confrontation
every dissatisfied customer, a store will between those eyeing the same parking
lose up to three more due to negative space.
reviews. The resulting “snowball effect ” Retailers can relieve the headaches by
can be disastrous to retailers. redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking
According to the research, shoppers sales items, hiring speedy and
who purchased clothing encountered the experienced cashiers, and having sales
most problems. ranked second and third representatives on hand to answer
were grocery and electronics customers. questions.
The most common complaints Most importantly, salespeople should
be diplomatic and polite with angry them.
customers. C Few customers believe the service will
“ Retailers who ’ re responsive and be improved.
friendly are more likely to smooth over D Customers have no easy access to store
issues than those who aren ’t so friendly. ” managers.
said Professor Stephen Hoch. “ Maybe 63. What does Paula Courtney imply by
something as simple as a greeter at the saying “ ⋯ the shopper must also find a
store entrance would help. ” replacement ” (Line 2, Para. 4)?
Customers can also improve future A New customers are bound to replace
shopping experiences by filing complaints old ones.
to the retailer, instead of complaining to B It is not likely the shopper can find the
the rest of the world. Retailers are same products in other stores.
hard-pressed to improve when they have C Most stores provide the same
no idea what is wrong. D Not complaining to the manager causes
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2 上作答 the shopper some trouble too.
62. Why are store managers often the last 64. Shop owners often hire moonlighting
to hear complaints? police as parking attendants so that
A Most customers won ’ t bother to shoppers_____
complain even if they have had unhappy A can stay longer browsing in the store
experiences. B won ’t have trouble parking their cars
B Customers would rather relate their C won ’t have any worries about security
unhappy experiences to people around D can find their cars easily after shopping
65. What contributes most to smoothing
over issues with customers?
A Manners of the salespeople
B Hiring of efficient employees
C Huge supply of goods for sale
D Design of the store layout.
66. To achieve better shopping
experiences, customers are advised to
_________.
A exert pressure on stores to improve
their service
B settle their disputes with stores in a
diplomatic way
C voice their dissatisfaction to store
managers directly
D shop around and make comparisons
between stores
3. The January fashion show, called Future Fashion , exemplified how
far green design has come. Organ