1、《大学英语4》综合复习资料 Part I Reading Comprehension Passage 1 For centuries Dutch engineers have been fighting a war against water. Their main enemy is the sea. A large part of the country is below sea level. In fact, Holland is also called the “Netherlands” which means “low land.” Very tall and strong
2、walls, called dykes, have built to keep out the sea. But in very rough weather the sea may suddenly burst through a dyke. Great damage can be caused by floods when this happens. Three large rivers are also part of the problem. These rivers are the Rhine, the Maas and the Scheldt. They flow throug
3、h Holland into the North Sea. They have cut many passages across the country. At low tides, the rivers flow into the sea as usual. But at high tide, the sea can flow into the rivers! This is because the land is so low. The battles against the water never end, but they have made Holland a bigger a
4、nd bigger country. In order to prevent floods, the engineers take or reclaim land that was under water. The Dutch have been reclaiming land for seven hundred years. Land is usually reclaimed from a passage between islands. Two dykes are built across the passage, so they block the water between th
5、em. Then the engineers dig long canals and pump the water into them. At low tide, the canals empty the water into the sea. Because the land is so low, water from the sea and rivers can rise up through the ground. For this reason, the pumps continue working even the land has been drained (that is,
6、 when the water has been pumped away). The dykes contain gates, and through these the water is pumped out. In many parts of Holland, pumps must be working all the time. If they stopped, there will be very bad floods. 1. Water is the main threat to Holland because ____. A. the sea is too rough
7、 B. the land is lower than the sea C. the high and strong dykes can not keep the floods out D. the weather is too rough 2. “Netherlands” means ____. A. high land B. land of water C. low land D. land of dykes 3. Holland is threatened not only by the sea, but also by ____. A. the
8、floods from broken dykes B. the three rivers C. the sea tides D. many passages the three rivers have cut across the country 4. The Holland claim land from the sea in order to ____. A. prevent floods B. make their country larger C. make their country more beautiful D. have more farm
9、land 5. If pumps stop working there will be very bad floods because _____. A. the water will run back at high tide B. the sea may break the dykes in rough weather C. the battle against water will never end D. the land is too low and water can rise up through the drained land Passage 2
10、 Some people believe that international sport creates goodwill between the nations and that if countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international contests encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. Th
11、ere is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sports encourage international brotherhood. Not only was there the tragic incident involving the murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by lesser incidents caused
12、 principally by minor national contests. One country received its second-place medals with visible indignation after the hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the losers objecting to final decisions. They were convinced that one of their goals should not have be
13、en disallowed and that their opponents' victory was unfair. Their manager was in a rage when he said, “This wasn’t hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished.” The president of the Federation said later that such behavior could result in the suspension of the team for at lea
14、st two years. The American basketball team announced that they would not yield first place to Russia, after a disputable end to their contest. The game had ended in disturbance. It was thought at first that the United States had won, by a single point, but it was announced that there were three se
15、conds still to play. A Russian player then threw the ball from one end of the court to the other, and another player propped it into the basket. It was the first time the USA had ever lost an Olympic basketball match. An appeal jury debated the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that
16、 the result would stand. The American players then voted not to receive the silver medals. Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sport is played competitively rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that athletes should compete as individuals, or in non-national teams, might
17、 be too much to hope for. But in the present organization of the Olympics there is far too much that encourages aggressive patriotism. 6. According to the author, recent Olympic Games have____________. A. created goodwill between the nations B. bred only false national pride C. barely
18、showed any international friendship D. led to more and more misunderstanding and hatred 7. What did the manager mean by saying "... Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished."? A. His team would no longer take part in the international games. B. Hockey and the Federatio
19、n are both ruined by the unfair decisions. C. There should be no more hockey matches organized by the Federation. D. The Federation should be dissolved. 8. The basketball example implied that____________. A. too much patriotism was displayed in the incident B. the announcement to prol
20、ong the match was wrong C. the appeal jury was too hesitant in making the decision D. the American team was right in rejecting the silver medals 9. The author gives the two examples in paragraph 2 and 3 to show____________. A. how false national pride led to undesirable incidents in inte
21、rnational games B. that sportsmen have been more obedient than they used to be C. that competitiveness in the games discourages international friendship D. that unfair decisions are common in Olympic Games 10. What conclusion can be drawn from the passage? A. The organization of the
22、Olympic Games must be improved. B. Athletes should compete as individuals in the Olympic Games. C. Sport should be played competitively rather than for the love of the game. D. International contests are liable for misunderstanding between nations. Passage 3 More than how much money com
23、es in it's a matter of how you spend it. That's where budgeting comes in. A detailed budget helps you keep tabs on your income. There are many people who are able to live comfortably on what they earn, even if their income is modest. A budget, therefore, keeps track of income and expenses. It will s
24、egregate your fixed expenses like your food, stay and insurance and your variable expenses like your travel, entertainment, etc. Adequate insurance for you and your family is an essential part of investing. Life, health and property insurance protect you and your loved ones from unforeseen mishaps
25、 It is also wise to make a will so that your assets can be handled smoothly. Good personal finance management involves investing, managing risk, insurance, understanding and handling debt and credit, knowing the value of time and money and ensuring that your retirement is taken care of. While pla
26、nning you make an assessment of your present situation in relation to your goals. Managing personal finances becomes a hassle when you get into debt. Debt is what you owe, and can be good and bad. If you have borrowed money to buy property, it is an investment and the money you pay against interest
27、on the loan is tax deductible. But running up debts like overdue credit cards is not good. This is why budgeting is very important so that you know exactly where your money is going. It is very easy to lose track of what you spend without a budget. There are multiple ways to invest and save for th
28、e future. The crux of the matter is to keep in mind your sources of income and account for your expenses, while keeping a budget that is feasible. Periodical review keeps you in control of your personal finance. 11. The word “modest” in Para.1 probably means “____________”? A. Honest. B. Mi
29、ld. C. Average. D. Large. 12. How many ways of finance management does the author mainly mention? A. 3. B. 4. C. 5. D. 2. 13. What’s the essential part of investing for a family? A. Sources of income. B. Various expenses. C. Adequate insurance. D. Detaile
30、d budget. 14. How does the author think of debt? A. It's completely bad. B. It's both good and bad. C. It's wonderful. D. It's not mentioned. 15. What does this passage mainly talk about? A. How to manage money. B. How to spend money. C. How to invest money. D.
31、 How to loan money. Passage 4 The city has always been an engine of intellectual life, from the 18th-century cafes of London, where citizens gathered to discuss chemistry and politics, to the Left Bank bars of modern Paris, where Picasso talked about modem art. Without the metropolis, we might no
32、t have had the great art of Shakespeare. And yet, city life isn’t easy. Now scientists have begun to examine how the city affects the brain, and the results are depressing. Just being in an urban environment, they have found, impairs (损害) our basic mental processes. After spending a few minutes on
33、a crowded city street, the brain is less able to hold things in memory, and suffers from reduced self-control. While it’s long been recognized that city life is exhausting, this new research suggests that cities actually dull our thinking, sometimes dramatically so. One of the main forces at work i
34、s a complete lack of nature, which is surprisingly beneficial for the brain. Studies have demonstrated, for instance, that hospital patients recover more quickly when they can see trees from their windows, and that women living in public housing are better able to focus when their apartments overloo
35、k a lawn. Even these glimpses of nature improve brain performance, it seems, because they provide a mental break from the urban life. This research arrives just as humans cross an important milestone (里程碑). For the first time in history, the majority of people live in cities. Instead of inhabiting
36、wide-open spaces, we’re crowded into concrete jungles, surrounded by traffic and millions of strangers. In recent years, it’s become clear that such unnatural surroundings have important implications for our mental and physical health, and can powerfully alter how we think. 16. Which of the followi
37、ng is the main idea of this passage? A. The city inspires talented people. B. The city hurts your brain. C. The city has many pleasures and benefits. D. The city seriously affects the natural balance. 17. The word “metropolis” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to_______. A. ci
38、tizen B. nature C. city D. stress 18. People have just come to realize that_______. A. human attention is a scarce resource B. city life can make people very tired C. the city is an engine of intellectual life D. an urban environment is damaging to the brain 19. What is the f
39、actor mentioned in the third paragraph that helps the hospital patients recover more quickly? A. Nature. B. Better treatment. C. Experienced doctors. D. Good medicine. 20. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Different aspects (方面) of an urban e
40、nvironment, such as the crowded streets, can lead to an increase in self-control. B. Small changes in urban design cannot reduce the negative side effects of city life. C. For the first time in history, the earth’s population is more urban than rural. D. A walk down a busy city street will improv
41、e brain performance. Passage 5 For ages, sailors have said that it is good luck to see dolphins swimming alongside boats. Their presence meant that land was near, which would be vital information if a boat and her crew were in danger. Some dolphins have even protected shipwrecked sailors from sha
42、rks. It is no wonder that these unique and fascinating creatures have long been known as our friends. You may think dolphins are fish, but they are actually mammals. They are related to whales and porpoises, and they evolved around 10 million years ago. Dolphins breathe air, give birth to live you
43、ng, and feed them milk. They are social animals, living together in groups ranging in size of up to 12.In places rich in food, many schools can combine together to form schools of up to 1,000 dolphins. Dolphins are thought to be intelligent animals because of their playfulness, curiosity, and quic
44、k ability to learn. They seem to communicate with each other through a combination of squeaks, whistles, and clicks. While scientists don't know what they are going on about, it is thought that dolphins are telling each other that food is nearby, or warning each other of approaching danger. Dolphins
45、 use sonar to discover an object's size, shape, and location. By sending out a series of clicks and receiving the echo that bounces off the object, they can differentiate between a shark and a boat. Unfortunately, dolphins have faced increasing danger in recent years. Fishermen in pursuit of profi
46、table tuna may accidentally trap dolphins in their nets, killing them in the process. These intelligent mammals of the sea deserve our protection and respect. 21. Dolphins have been human's friends because of ____________. A. sailors may know that the land is not far away B. some dolphins p
47、rotect sailors from shark attacks C. sailors can communicate with them D. both A and B 22. Which of the following statement about dolphin is not true? A. Dolphins lay eggs under the sea. B. Dolphins can communicate with each other by sending out sounds. C. Dolphins have abilities t
48、o learn. D. Dolphins prefer to live in groups up to hundreds. 23. How do dolphins communicate with one another? A. Through radio waves. B. By sending out gases. C. By clapping their fins together. D. Through various noises. 24. According to the article, what makes a threat to d
49、olphins? A. Whales. B. Tuna. C. Sailors. D. Fishermen. 25. What is the main idea of the last paragraph? A. Fishermen accidentally trap dolphins. B. We should take some actions to stop killing dolphins. C. Dolphins often live with tunas. D. More and more dolphins are in
50、danger in the recent years. Passage 6 The average family spends about one-sixth of its income on food. Because food is expensive, it is important to spend money wisely when you shop. Here are some hints to help you shop better. Buy only the food that you need. There are several ways to avoi






