英语四级阅读练习题

英语四级阅读四

WashingtonnowcoverstheentireDistrictColumbia.Itwasfirstknownas

NationalCity,anditremainsthecapitaloftheUSA.Theauthoritytoestablisha

federaldistrictwasembodiedintheConstitutionbutthecity'slocationresulted

fromanearlypoliticalcompromise.Originallytenmilessquare,theDistrict'slands

weretakenfromVirginiaandMaryland.Inthe1840s,congressreturnedVirginia's

landandnowmanygovernmentalbuildingsareoutsidethefederaldistrict.Until50

yearsago,Washington'spopulationwassmall--aswasthenation'sconceptof

government.Nowthereare3millioninhabitants.

GeorgeWashingtonwasdeeplyinvolvedincreatingthiscity.Hishome,Mount

Vernon,wasonly25milesawaybutduringhispresidency,thenationalcapitalwasin

NewYorkCity.TheAmericangovernmentoccupieditsnewcapitalin1800andthe

citywasthennamedinhonorofGeorgeWashingtonwhohadrecentlydied.

FewcitiesareasimpressiveorbeautifulasWashington.Ithasagreatmallwith

theCapitalatoneendtheLincolnMemorialattheother.Inmid-pointisthe

WashingtonMonument.Thewhitehouseisjustoffthemall.

Washingtonattractsmillionsoftouristsannually---peoplewhocometoseetheir

governmentinactionandtoexaminethedozensofmuseums,galleries,parksand

buildings.Theheaviesttouristinvasionisinthespringwhentheweatherisbestand

whenhundredsofcherrytrees,agiftfromJapan,areinbloom.

1.Washingtonisbeautifulcitybecause_______.

a.itsflatterrainallowsforeasyarrangementofbuildings

b.itslocationisinthecenterofthenation

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c.ithasmanymuseums

d.itwascarefullyplannedandhasagracefulmall

2.TheDistrictofColumbiaandthecityofWashington________.

a.occupythesamerealestate

b.holdallofthebuildingsofthenationalcapital

c.providehomesforallthefederalgovernmentemployees

d.areinlandsoncebelongingtoVirginia

3.AspringtimevisittoWashingtonwouldbegoodexceptforoneofthese

reasons:______.

a.goodweather

b.cherrytreesinbloom

d.toomanytourists

c.allofthefacilitiesareopen

4.ThelandwhichcomprisesthepresentDistrictofColumbia_____.

a.alwaysbelongedtothenationalgovernment

b.untilveryrecentlycoveredlandcededbytwostates

c.isinareawhichoncebelongedentirelytoMaryland

d.isstrictlylimitedtogovernmentaloperations

5.ThelocationofWashingtonwasselectedbecause_________.

a.ofapoliticalcompromisebetweentwopoliticalparties

b.GeorgeWashingtondidnotwishtocommutefarfromMountVernon

c.atidalrivernearbymadeforeasyoceanaccess

d.Virginiawantedtogetridofsomeland

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Notalllong-distancephonecallsaremadeoverphonewires.Today,phone

wiresarebeingreplacedbyfiberoptics.Fiberopticsmakestelephoningfasterand

easierthaneverbefore.

Inthepast,telephonecallsweremademostlyovercopperwires.Copperwires

areheavyandbulky.Fiberopticsisflexible,glassfibers.Theyarenothickerthana

humanhair.Awirecableisasthickasaman'sarm.Anopticalfibercableisasthick

asathumb.

Fiberopticstransferssoundintolight.First,apersonspeaksintoaphone.The

soundischangedintoelectricalimpulses.Asmalllaserchangestheelectrical

impulsesintocodedburstsoflight.Thelightisdecodedbackintoelectricalimpulses

atthetelephonereceivingstation.Finally,theelectricalimpulsesarechangedinto

soundsagainatthereceivingtelephone.

Opticalfiberstransmitcallsmuchfasterthancopperwirescan.Thelaserpulses

withlightcangoasfastas90milliontimesasecond.Atthatspeed,everywordina

dictionarycanbesentthroughasinglefiberinafewseconds.Opticalfibersalsosave

space.Afewfiberscancarrymorecallsthanthousandsofstrandsofcoppercable.

Opticalfiberswillbeusedforvideoaswellasvoicecommunications.Andthey

willproveusefulincomputer-to-computerhookups(connection).However,itwill

takeyearstoreplaceexistingwires.

1.Whichofthefollowingbestexpressesthemainpointofthepassage?

a.Fiberopticsisflexible,glassfibers.

b.Copperwireshavebeenusedinmostphonesystems.

c.Fiberopticsisanimprovementincommunicationsystems.

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d.Afewopticalfiberscancarrythousandsofphonecalls.

2.Asitisusedinthepassage,thephrase"fiberoptics"(paragraph1)means

_____.

a.transmissionofinformationbymeansofinfra-redlightsignalsalongathin

glassfiber.

b.materialorsubstanceformedfromamassoffibers.

c.aflexiblefiber-opticinstrumentthatisusedtoviewobjects

d.acompositematerialconsistingofglassfibersinresin

3.Whichofthefollowingcannotbeinferredaboutfibercablesfromthe

passage?

a.Theycarrylightwaves.

b.Theycanbeusedinmanyformsofcommunication.

c.Theyarebetterthancopperwires.

d.Theyareshorterthancopperwires.

4.Youcaninferfromthepassagethata"cable"is_____.

a.agroupofwiresthatstrandsorarebundledtogether

b.acopperwirethatisusedtocarryphonecalls

c.aglassfiberthatcarriescodedburstsoflight

d.alaserthatchangerselectricalimpulsesintolight

5.Youcaninferfromthepassagethattheword"transmit"(paragraph4)most

nearlymeans_____.

a.carryfromoneplacetoanother

b.pulsewithlight

d.speak

c.operatequickly

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InOctober1987,theNationalBoardforProfessionalTeachingStandardsbegan

itsworktosetnewstandardsofaccomplishmentfortheteachingprofessionandto

improvethequalityofeducationavailabletoallchildrenintheUnitedStates.

Teachersarecommittedtostudentsandtheirlearning.Theymustactonthe

beliefthatallstudentscanlearn.Theymustrecognizeindividualdifferencesintheir

studentsandadjusttheirpracticeaccordingly.Theymustknowthattheirmission

extendsbeyonddevelopingthecognitivecapacityoftheirstudents.Theymustbe

concernedwiththeirstudents'self-concept,withtheirmotivation,andwiththe

developmentofcharacter.

Teachermustknowthesubjectstheyteachandhowtoteachthem.Theymust

commandspecializedknowledgeofhowtoconveyasubjecttostudents.Teachersare

responsibleformanagingandmonitoringstudentlearning.Theymustcallonmultiple

methodstomeettheirgoals,knowingandbeingabletoemployavarietyof

instructionalskills.Teachersmustthinksystematicallyabouttheirpracticeandlearn

fromexperience,seekingtheadviceofothersanddrawingoneducationresearchand

scholarshiptoimprovetheirpractice.

Asmembersoflearningcommunities,teacherscontributetoschooleffectiveness

bycollaboratingwithotherprofessionals.Theytakeadvantageofcommunity

resources,cultivationknowledgeoftheirschool'scommunityasapowerfulresource

forlearning.

1."Teachersarecommittedtostudentsandtheirlearning."Thesentencemeans

that_____.

a.teachersshouldmeetallthedemandsofstudents

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b.teachersshouldsetveryhighdemandsonstudents

c.teachersshouldbeverykindtostudents

d.teachersmustberesponsibleforstudentsandtheirleaning

2.Accordingtotheauthor,ifastudentperformspoorlyatschool,itmaybethe

dutyof_____.

a.society

b.teachers

c.parents

d.otherstudents

3.Teachers'taskshouldgobeyonddevelopingthelearningabilityofstudents

andtheyshould_____.

a.knowhesubjectstheyteach

b.transmitvaluedknowledge

c.respecttheirstudents,knowabouttheirinterestsanddeveloptheircharacter

d.seektheadviceofothers

4.Schooleffectivenessmainlydependson_____.

a.teacherswhoworktogether

c.teachingmaterials

b.Students

d.schoolleaders

5.Thebesttitleforthispassageis_____.

a.HowtoManageStudentLearning

b.LearningfromExperience

c.RelationsBetweenTeachersandStudents

d.TowardHighStandardsforTeachers

Veryoldpeopledoraisemoralproblemsforalmosteveryonewhocomesin

contactwiththem.Theirvalues-thiscan'tberepeatedtoooften-arenotnecessarilyour

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values.Physicalcomfort,cleannessandorderarenecessarilythemostimportant

things.Thesocialservicesfromtimetotimefindthemselvesfacedwithaflatwith

decayingfoodcoveredbysmallworms,andanoldpersonlyingaloneinbed,taking

nonoticeoftheworms.Butisitinterferingwithpersonalfreedomtoinsistthatthey

gotolivewithsomeoftheirrelativessothattheymightbetakenbettercareof?Some

socialworkers,theoneswhoclearuptheworms,thinkweareindangerofcarrying

thisconceptofpersonalfreedomtothepointwhereseriousrisksarebeingtakenwith

thehealthandsafetyoftheold.

Indeed,theoldcanbeeasilyhurtorharmed.Thebodyislikeacar,itneedsmore

mechanicalmaintenanceasitgetsolder.Youcancarrythiscomparisonrightthrough

totheprovisionofspareparts.Butneverforgetthatsuchoperationsarepainful

experiences,howevergoodtheresults.Andatwhatpointshouldyouceasetotreatthe

oldbody?Isitmorallyrighttotrytopushoffdeathbypursuingthedevelopmentof

drugstoexcitetheforgetfuloldmindandtoactivatetheoldbody,knowingthatitis

designedtodie?Youcannotaskdoctorsorscientiststodecide,becausesolongas

theycanseethetechnicalopportunities,theywillfeelboundtogivethematry,onthe

principlethatwhilethere'slife,there'shope.

Whenyoutalktotheoldpeople,however,youareforcedtotheconclusionthat

whetherageishappyorunpleasantdependslessonmoneyoronhealththanitdoes

onyourabilitytohavefun.

1.ItisimpliedinParagraph1that__________.

a.veryoldpeopleenjoylivingwiththeirrelatives

b.socialserviceshavenothingtodowithveryoldpeople

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c.veryoldpeoplewouldliketolivealonesothattheycanhavemorepersonal

freedom

d.veryoldpeopleareabletokeeptheirroomsveryclean

2.Somesocialworkersthinkthat_______________.

a.healthandsafetyaremoreimportantthanpersonalfreedom

b.personalfreedomismoreimportantthanhealthandsafety

c.oldpeopleshouldkeeptheirroomsclean

d.oneshouldnottaketheriskofdealingwitholdpeople

3.Theword"it"inthelastparagraphrefersto_________.

a.theconclusionyouhavecometo

b.yourtalktotheoldpeople

c.whetherageishappyorunpleasant

d.one'smoneyorone'shealth

4.Theauthorthinksthat_____________.

a.medicaldecisionsforoldpeopleshouldbelefttothedoctors

b.oldpeoplecanenjoyahappylifeonlyiftheyareveryrich

c.theopinionthatweshouldtryeverymeanspossibletosaveoldpeopleis

doubtful

d.itisalwaysmorallyrighttotreatoldpeopleandpushoffdeath

Theworldhasbecomeaworldofcities.Withthepresentrateofurbangrowth

(3.8%intheThirdWorld),themajorityofthepopulationoftheworldwillbeliving

incitiesbytheyear2000.Thiswilltransformtherural-urbanequationwhichhas

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markedthehistoryofmankinduptonowandwillcallfornewparadigmsandagreat

dealofinnovationtofacethisphenomenon.

Thisbeingso,onemustacceptthefactthatforsomeyearstocome,nopolicy

willbecapableofstoppingorreversingthepresentmigratorytrendsfromtherural

areastothecitiesintheThirdWorld.InAfrica,theurbanpopulationwillreach330

millionpeoplebytheendofthecenturyasagainst150millionin1985.

Themummerofpeoplelivinginshantytowns(棚户区)willinevitablyincrease

inspiteoftheeffortstoimprovehousingconditions.Africaaloneneedstobuild12

millionhousingunitsbetweennowandtheyear2000tomeetitsmostbasicneeds.In

anILO(internationallabororganization)study,M.S.V.Sethuramanestimatesthatin

70ThirdWorldcitiestheproportionofpeoplelivinginshantytownsvariesfrom15%

to70%andthataboutUS$116billionarerequiredtogiveminimumcomforttothese

peoplebytheturnofthecentury--lessthanUS$10billionperyear.

Theworldpopulationisgrowingatarateofabout90millionpeopleperyear,

withtheThirdWorldaccountingfor80millionofthem.Thepressureoncitiescan

onlygoonincreasing.Theurbanpopulationofthedevelopingcountrieswillexceed2

billionpeoplebytheyear2000andsincethemainreasonforthehighdemographic

growthispoverty,theadditionalpopulationwillbemostlymadeofpeopleofvery

limitedmeans.

1.Iftheurbanpopulationofthedevelopingcountriesexceeds2billionpeopleby

theyear2000,theadditionalpeoplewillfacetheproblemof_____.

a.housing

b.food

c.poverty

d.limitedland

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2.Accordingtothepassage"aboutUS$116billionarerequiredtogive

minimumcomforttothesepeoplebytheturnofthecentury--lessthanUS

$10billionperyear."Doyouthinkwhichyearwasthearticlewrittenby

saying"lessthan$10billionperyear"bytheturnofthecentury?

a.1985

b.1990

c.1988

d.1987

3.Themankindshouldfacethephenomenonthattheworldhasbecomeaworld

ofcitieswith_____.

a.alotofdifficulties

b.effortstoimprovehousingcondition

c.pressureofthebasicneeds

d.newnodelsandagreatdealoftransformationofideasandmethods

4.InAfrica,peopleincitieswillbe_____bytheendofthecentury.

a.almosttwiceasmuchasin1985

b.doubledthanthatin1985

c.overtwiceasmuchasin1985

d.300million

5.Inspiteoftheeffortstoimprovehousingcondition,thenumberofpeople

livinginshantytownswillincreasebecause_____.

a.housesinshantytownsarecheap

b.shantytownscouldprovidepeoplewithminimumcomfort

c.nopolicywillbecapableofstoppingorchangingtheprsentimmigrant

tendencyfromtheruralareastothecitiesintheThirdWorld

d.theThirdWorldpopulationisgrow

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Atsometimeinyourlifeyoumayhaveastrongdesiretodosomethingstrange

orterrible.However,chancesarethatyoudon'tactonyourimpulse,butletitpass

instead.Youknowthattocommittheactioniswronginsomewayandthatother

peoplewillnotacceptyourbehavior.

Perhapsthemostinterestingthingaboutthephenomenonoftaboobehavioris

howcertainchangeovertheyearswithinthesamesociety,howcertainbehaviorand

attitudesonceconsideredtaboocanbecomeperfectlyacceptableandnaturalat

anotherpointintime.Topicssuchasdeath,forexample,wereonceconsideredso

upsettingandunpleasantthatitwasatabootoeventalkaboutthem.Nowwiththe

publicationofimportantbookssuchasOnDeathandDyingandLearningtoSay

Goodbye,peoplehavebecomemoreawareoftheimportanceofexpressingfeelings

aboutdeathand,asaresult,aremorewillingtotalkaboutthistaboosubject.

OneofthenewesttaboosinAmericansocietyisthetopicoffat.Unlikemany

othertaboos,fatisatopicthatAmericanstalkaboutconstantly.It'snottaboototalk

aboutfat;it’stabootobefat.The"in”lookisthin,notfat.Intheworkworld,most

companiespreferyouthful-looking,trimexecutivestoselltheirimageaswellastheir

productstothepublic.Thethinlookisassociatedwithyouth,vigor,andsuccess.The

fatperson,ontheotherhand,isthoughtofaslazyandlackinginenergy,

self-discipline,andself-respect.Afterall,peoplethink,howcanpeoplewhocare

aboutthemselves,andthereforethewaytheylook,permitthemselvestobecomefat?

Inanimage-conscioussocietyliketheU.S.,thinis"in",fatis"out".

It'snotsurprising,then,thatmillionsofAmericanshavebecomeobsessedwith

stayingslimand"inshape".Thepursuitofayouthfulphysicalappearancein

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not,however,thesolereasonforAmerican’sobsessionwithdietandexercise.Recent

researchhasshownthecriticalimportanceofdietandexerciseforpersonalhealth.As

inmosttechnologicallydevelopednations,thelife-styleofnorthAmericanshas

changeddramaticallyduringthecourseofthelastcentury.Modernmachinesdoall

thephysicallaborthatpeoplewereonceforcedtodobyhand.Carsandb