专四阅读理解模拟题.doc

PASSAGE ONEThis year, like lots of other people, Im going to try to make my own Christmas presents. Its not the first time that Ive promised myself this. Being a milliner, and an all-round crafty type, Ive often thought I should put my money where my mouth is. But this year Im really going to stick to it. Its partly that Im short of cash, but also that Ive recently returned from an inspiring trip around Britain, looking into make do and mend for BBC2s Newsnight.I dreamed up the trip a few months ago. The thought of traveling the country-making things as I went, meeting artists and craftspeople-sounded like the perfect way to spend the summer. Id pack a tent and a sewing machine and off Id go. But by the time I finalized my plans and hit the road, leaves were already crunching under foot. It seemed crazy to camp with winter on the way; instead, Newsnight viewers offered me board and lodging in return for help with a craft task. There was an overwhelming response.My tasks ranged from darning(缝补) a moth-eaten monks jumper to making trousers for a stilt walker. Textile students in Harpenden offered to pay for my petrol in return for a talk about hats. In Derby, Amy needed help to transform an old pair of curtains.I was really struck by peoples growing enthusiasm for making things. I asked a WI group in Sheffield how many could sew, and only a few put up their hands. But when I asked who wanted to learn, nearly everyone responded positively. At the Textile Workshop in Nottingham, the number of classes on offer has doubled in a year, and a knitting club in Leeds is growing by the week.Craft is definitely fashionable at the moment. But over and above fashion, were learning to appreciate effort and quality again. Perhaps once people rediscover the pleasure to be gained from making something unique, it may stick.Sue Pilchard is curator(管理者) of quilts at the V&A, where next spring shell be putting on the museums first major quilting exhibition. Sue believes the return to crafting is wrapped up in how we are redefining ourselves.Theres certainly a movement., towards a new domesticity. People, especially women, are starting to think about the way they live their lives. Its 40 years since the first womens liberation conference was held in Oxford. Since that time weve been in the workplace, and weve had the opportunity of choice. Now were deliberately choosing to go back into the home.Whether you agree with that or not, theres something about Christmas that brings out the artistic streak in everyone. Whether its baking mince pies or decking the halls, were all prepared to have a go. So if you fancy pushing the boat out and making a few presents, try these really simple ideas, each inspired by my recent journey. They make ideal stocking fillers or small gifts, and take no longer than 30 minutes each. Play some carols, settle down with a steaming cup of cocoa, and forget the cold. Youll save yourself a bit of money and spread a little bit of love too!1. The author promised to make herself a Christmas present this year mainly becauseA. she wanted to save money.B. she couldnt afford to buy one.C. she was inspired by her trip for a BBC2 program. D. A lot of people make presents themselves.2. Which of the following is CORRECT about the authors trip to Britain?A. She met many artists and craftsmen on her way to Britain.B. She spent a whole summer in Britain making crafts.C. She was asked to sew clothes, pants and curtains and made a fortune.D. Many people were found to be interested in making things themselves.3. When was the author probably on her trip to Britain?A. Spring.B. Late Summer.C. Late Autumn.D. Winter.4. According to the passage, through crafting people learn toA. appreciate the efforts in manual things.B. keep up with fashion.C. stick to something interesting.D. understand craft better.5. What is the authors view on homemade Christmas presents?A. Making Christmas presents can just convey a bit of your love.B. It would take long time to prepare a Christmas present.C. You can drink a cup of hot cocoa when you make preparations.D. People can find their artistic talent in making Christmas presents.PASSAGE TWOAt the age of twelve years, the human body is at its most vigorous. It has yet to reach its full size and strength, and its owner his or her full intelligence; but at this age the likelihood of death is least. Earlier, we were infants and young children, and consequently more vulnerable; later, we shall undergo a progressive loss of our vigor and resistance which, though imperceptible at first, will finally become so steep that we can live no longer, however well we look after ourselves, and however well society, and our doctors, look after us.This decline in vigor with the passing of time is called ageing. It is one of the most unpleasant discoveries which we all make that we must decline in this way, that if we escape wars, accidents and disease we shall eventually die of old age, and that this happens at a rate which differs little from person to person, so that there are heavy odds in favor of our dying between the ages of sixty-five and eighty. Some of us will die sooner, a few will live longer-on into a ninth or tenth decade. But the chances are against it, and there is a virtual limit on how long we can hope to remain alive, however lucky and robust we are.Normal people tend to forget this process unless and until they are reminded of it. We are so familiar with the fact that man ages, that people have for years assumed that the process of losing vigor with time, of becoming more likely to die the older we get, was something self-evident, like the cooling of a hot kettle or the wearing-out of a pair of shoes. They have also assumed that all animals, and probably other organisms such as trees, or even the universe itself, must in the nature of things wear out.Most animals we commonly observe do in fact age as we do, if given the chance to live long enough; and mechanical systems like a wound watch, or the sun, do in fact an out of energy in accordance with the second law of thermodynamics (热力学) (whether the whole universe does so is a moot point at present). But these are not analogous to what happens when man ages. A run-down watch is still a watch and can be rewound. An old watch, by contrast, becomes so worn and unreliable that it eventually is not worth mending. But a watch could never repair itself-it does not consist of living parts, only of metal, which wears away by friction. We could,at one time, repair ourselves-well enough, at least, to overcome all but the most instantly fatal illnesses and accidents. Between twelve and eighty years we gradually lose this power; an illness which at twelve would knock us over, at eighty can knock us out, and into our grave. If we could stay as vigorous as we are at twelve, it would take about 700 years for half of us to die, and another 700 for the survivors to be reduced by half again.1. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT?A. Our first twelve years represent the peak of human development.B. People usually are unhappy when reminded of ageing.C. Normally only a few of us can live to the eighties and nineties.D. People are usually less likely to die at twelve years old.2. The word it in the last sentence of Paragraph Two refers toA. remaining alive until 65.B. remaining alive after 80.C. dying before 65 or after 80.D. dying between 65 and 80.3. What is ageing?A. It is usually a phenomenon of dying at an old age.B. It is a fact that people cannot live any longer.C. It is a gradual loss of vigor and resistance.D. It is a phase when people are easily attacked by illness.4. What do the examples of watch show?A. Normally people are quite familiar with the ageing process.B. All animals and other organisms undergo the ageing process.C. The law of thermodynamics functions in the ageing process.D. Humans ageing process is different from that of mechanisms.5. Which of the following best fits the style of this passage?A. Argumentation.B. Exposition.C. Narration.D. Description.PASSAGE THREEImagine you are a citizen of Athens, enjoying a warm Mediterranean night in the Theater of Herodes Atticus. You are wearing jeans and a T-shirt, listening to a great concert.Now rewind this picture 1,839 years. You are in the same seat, only you are watching classical Greek entertainment and wearing a simple chiton, or tunic.The city of Athens is a fun mix of the old and the new, the classic and the modem. Often a little shop is located next to the rains of a temple, which is only a block from a large, air-conditioned hotel. The great city of 2,500 years ago is still visible today.Ruins are the most obvious sign of ancient Athens, and the most famous of these is the Acropolis. The Acropolis is a large hill that was the center of life in Athens. On its slopes were temples, monuments, and theaters. From the top, you can see how the urban sprawl (扩展,延伸) of Athens stretches out in every direction.On the top of the Acropolis is the Parthenon. This was once a huge temple to Athena, the citys patron. It was first completed in 432 B.C., but has been damaged and destroyed several times. However, visitors can still see the tricks used in building the Parthenon. The columns along the outside lean inward, and are slightly fatter in the middle. The temple is also higher in the middle than on the sides. All these effects make the Parthenon look perfectly straight from a distance.Only a block away from the Acropolis is the neighborhood of Plaka. The area, with its little shops and restaurants, is very popular with both tourists and locals, and is an important part of modem Athenian culture.Many great thinkers, writers, and political leaders lived in ancient Athens. The ruins of their homes and favorite spots are scattered throughout the busy port city. The hill where St. Paul addressed early Christian Athenians is located near the Acropolis. Great thinkers such as Perikles and Demosthenes spoke to the civil assemblies held at the Pnyx Hill. Today the Pnyx is an open-air theater for light and sound shows.Greeks still use some ancient sites, such as the Pnyx and the Theater of Herodes Atticus. During Roman times, in 76 A.D., gladiators (角斗士) used the Panathenaic Stadium for contests. The Olympics were held there in 1896, and today people still jog and exercise in the stadium.Tourism is very important to people who live in modem-day Athens. Thousands of people come every year to see these ruins and to tour the many museums that house artifacts from ancient times. This provides many jobs and brings money into Athens, which helps the city pay for improvements. Athenians take pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors, and people from all around the world come to admire them. By looking around the city today, we can imagine what life was like in ancient Athens.1. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the city of Athens?A. The culture of the city is a mixture of the old and modem.B. Traces of the ancient city can still be found.C. Ruins and modem hotels co-exist in the city.D. All the temples are not far away from air-conditioned hotels.2. Which tourist attraction was ancient Athens most famous for?A. Plaka.B. Acropolis.C. Pnyx.D. Parthenon.3. According to the context, tricks in Paragraph Five refer toA. mischievous acts.B. confusing constructing skills.C. skillful constructing methods.D. constructing materials.4. The writer mentioned all the following benefits of tourism in Athens for Athenians EXCEPTA. offering job opportunities to Athenians.B. enriching Athenians by providing accommodation for tourists.C. enabling Athenians to improve the infrastructures.D. making Athenians proud of their ancestors.5. What is the best title for the passage?A. Tourism in Athens.B. Athens: Then & Now.C. Historic Interests in Athens.D. The Magic of Ancient Athens.PASSAGE FOURCongratulations, Mr. Jones, its a girl.Fatherhood is going to have a different meaning and bring forth a different response from every man who hears these words. Some feel pride when they receive the news, while others worry, wondering whether they will be good fathers. Although there are some men who like children and may have had considerable experience with them, others do not particularly care for children and spend little time with them. Many fathers and mothers have been planning and looking forward to children for some time. For other couples, pregnancy was an accident that both husband and wife have accepted willingly or unwillingly.Whatever the reaction to the birth of a child, it is obvious that the shift from the role of husband to that of father is a difficult task. Yet, unfortunately, few attempts have been made to educate fathers in this reconciliation (协调) process. Although numerous books have been written about American mothers, only recently has literature focused on the role of fathers.It is argued by some writers that the change to the fathers role, although difficult, is not nearly as great as the change the wife must take to the mothers role. The mothers role seems to require a complete transformation in daily routine and highly innovative adaptation. On the other hand, the fathers role is less demanding and immediate. However, even though we mentioned the fact that growing numbers of women are working outside the home, the fa