专业英语四级阅读3.doc

Exercise 3TEXT A The early American settlers came primarily for economic reasons. They settled down in the colonies in America because they wanted to get more raw materials for English commerce and create new markets for English goods. Other reasons for settlement-to escape religious persecution, to reduce the population, to catch up with the Spanish and French advance in the colonies, and to search for a quicker passage to India-were secondary to the desire of the English Crown and commercial interests to develop America in ways that increased Englands prosperity. Here, emphasis was placed on private property, contracts, and markets. The drive to take land, develop farms, kill or displace Native Americans, and import slaves was fueled by the effort to create markets that sent raw materials across the Atlantic and brought back finished goods from commercial and industrial interests in England. The Revolution freed this market-oriented economy from the chartered companies of the English Crown and created what eventually was to be a dynamic form of capitalism that relied upon disadvantaged and inexpensive ethnic labor. The enslavement of Africans was the first way to make use of ethnic populations to make profits; the mass killing of Native Americans was ultimately for the economic gains that came with their land and resources; the conquest of Mexican Americans in the Southwest marked a similar appropriation of land and subordination of an ethnic group for economic gain; finally, the large-scale importation of white ethnic groups from other parts of continental Europe and Asians from the east was used to keep further expansion of industrial development. Thus, the legacy of early British commercial capitalism developed into a system that depended upon subordinated ethnic labor- a situation that persists to the present day.81. What is the most important purpose of British colonial settlement in North America? A. To find a larger market for their raw material. B. To increase Englands prosperity. C. To pursue their religion. D. To escape the Revolution.82. What was the English settlers benefit from the new market in North America? A. They made Native Americans cheap ethnic labor. B. They escaped the religious persecution. C. They expanded the British territory. D. They profited in commerce and industry.83. After the Revolution, what happened to capitalism? A. The market became dependent on the chartered companies of the English Crown. B. The economy became market-oriented. C. The system relied on subordinated ethnic labor.D. The system depended on the land and resources.84. Where were the inexpensive ethnic laborers from?A. Continental Europe. B. Britain C. North America D. Mexico81B细节题，第一段第三句列举各种理由，并指出英国欲在发展美洲过程中获益是主要原因。82D细节题，答案在第一段最后一句。83C细节题，见第二段第一句。84A细节题，在第二段倒数第二句可找到答案。TEXTB As a result of legal, economic, political, educational, and housing discrimination, a majority of black Americans have been pushed to the bottom of the society. They tend to have few resources and even fewer prospects of the future. Some African Americans have made it out of poverty and the lower socioeconomic position. Indeed, the percentage of black families that earn more than the national median family income-around $35,000 per year-has increased noticeably over the last decade, to nearly 25%. Also, the number of black families earning over $50,000 per year has increased significantly-perhaps as much as 40 %. At the same time, poverty rates for African Americans have remained very high-around 30 % of all African Americans and around 50 % of households headed by black women. African Americans are divided by social class, and although many middle-class African Americans still encounter discrimination in public, in jobs, in housing, and in education, they no longer live in poverty. Many of those outside the middle class live in slums or, even worse, public housing projects in the inner city; they live in crime-ridden and dangerous neighborhoods; they send their children to inferior schools; they work-if they can find work-for low wages in jobs with little security, few benefits, and an uncertain future; they seek help from the welfare system, which erodes their self-respect; and if they are women, often they are raising their children alone. Indeed, a majority of black children are now raised by single parents, most of whom are women living in poverty. Thus, the situation for poor blacks has been made worse by the disruption to the family structure.85. What does the sentence they tend to have few resources mean? A. They usually lack money. B. They need life necessities. C. They lack sources of money. D. They need basic civil rights.86. The author presents all the percentages in the first paragraph to show_ A. the fast increase of black families that earn over $35,000 per year B. the difference in income among the African Americans C. poverty rate remains very high D. that most African Americans were still in poverty and the lower socioeconomic position87. Which of the following statements is true? A. Most of African Americans made it out of poverty. B. The African Americans of middle class are no more discriminated.C. All the black children are raised by their mothers.D. The disruption of the African Americans families worsens their situation.88. The main idea of the passage is thatA. the gap between the rich and poor African Americans are wideningB. most African American children are raised by single parentsC. lots of African Americans live in povertyD. some African Americans have become rich85D细节题，第一段第一句所列举的正是所谓的resources，是一些基本的公民权。86B考查作者大量使用数据的目的，所列数据说明：非裔美国人中贫富阶层都不在少数。第一段最后一句也指出非裔美国人按社会阶层划分。87D细节题，见第二段最后一句。88A文章主旨题，第一段说明非裔美国人的社会阶层多样化而且中产阶级并不贫穷；第二段说明部分非 裔美国人的生活条件恶劣。因此A项最能涵盖全文TEXT C Asking appropriate questions of people who know about your topic is an excellent way to gather detail. Interviewing gives you other perspectives from which to view your topic, and it often gives information that otherwise you might never have learned. The kinds of questions you ask should be determined by your purpose. If you are trying to learn why something happened, what someone did, or how something works, for example, you might begin your interview with a group of questions like those journalists rely on and that you read about under Brainstorming. They have to do with the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a topic. Again, however, you might have to decide on your own set of questions.Just make sure that the person you interview is knowledgeable about your subject and willing to spend enough time with you to make your interview worthwhile. People who can give you only a few minutes might not be good sources of information. When you make the appointment to meet with the person you want to interview, tell him or her a little about your topic, your purpose, and the kinds of questions you will ask. This will give your subject a chance to think about the interview in advance and prepare thoughtful responses to your questions. Finally, come to the interview prepared. Think carefully about the questions you need answered ahead of time. Write them down-at least those you feel are most important- in your journal or on a piece of notebook paper. Bring them to the interview, and use them to get your subject talking. If your questions are clear and interesting, you should gather more information than you expected. On the other hand, dont get upset if the interview doesnt go exactly as you planned. Your subject might not answer any of your questions but simply discuss ideas as they come to mind. Such interviews sometimes provide a lot of useful information. Just take good notes!89. Interviewing is not a way toA. gather information B. answer questionsC. seek other s opinions D. learn something that has never been thought of90. A good interviewee should_A. be well-informed about your topic B. have a thorough discussion with you C. be prepared for all your questions D. try to arrange several minutes to be interviewed91. Before the interview, youd better A. design a question list B. write down every question you want to ask C. tell your subject all the questions D. make good use of the questions you have listed92. During the interview, you should A. ask all the questions listed B. ask some clear and interesting questionsC. take careful notes D. take rough notes89B细节题，答案可在第一段里找到。90A细节题，见第三段第一句。91A细节题，答案在第四段第三句。 92C细节题，参看第四段最后一句。TEXT D Taoism was one of the philosophies that shaped Chinese traditions. Little is known about its founder, Laozi. However, his teachings have survived in the Tao Te Ching. Like Confucius, Laozi was concerned with how to achieve a good society. However, Taoist philosophy stressed simplicity and closeness with nature. Laozi taught that the goal of life was to become attuned to the tao. The tao was a universal force that could not be defined. It could only be felt. The tao also meant the way a person followed to reach that goal. Laozi believed a person reached harmony with nature not by using reason but through contemplation. To the Taoists, the best government was the one that governed the least. The more laws are enforced, began one Taoist saying, the more thieves and robbers there will be. Taoism was a religion as well. Yet it was concerned with ways of improving a persons life in this world rather than with saving souls. The Chinese believed that spirits and ghosts were everywhere and had to be appeased. Taoist priests provided charms and magic to influence the spirits. As a result, Taoism became very popular among the common people. Taoists recorded the movement of the planets, thereby gaining knowledge of astronomy. They also studied and recorded their observations in chemistry and botany. Taoist priests may have invented gunpowder for use in firecrackers to frighten ghosts. They may also have developed the magnetic compass to determine the most favorable position for graves. Later, the magnetic compass would make long ocean voyages possible.93. Taoists believed that A. Human beings should conquer the natureB. People should live in harmony with the natureC. People could reach nature by using reasonD. People should define tao clearly94. Taoism became popular among common people becauseA. Taoist priests could influence the spiritsB. people wanted to live in harmony with the natureC. people liked the government that governed the leastD. it could save souls95. The main idea of the last paragraph is thatA. the Taoist emphasis on nature shaped Chinese astronomyB. the Taoist emphasis on nature shaped Chinese science and technologyC. the Taoist emphasis on nature shaped Chinese philosophy and societyD. the Taoist emphasis on nature shaped Chinese botany and chemistry 93B细节题，第二段中提到，人生的目的是与不可名状的宇宙力量相协调，与B项的意思最接近。94A细节题，第四段中可以找到答案。95B段落主旨题，最后一段中提到的天文、植物和化学等学科应属于科学技术TEXT E To some environmentalists, hoping for an effective technological solution to the worlds energy dilemma is like waiting for Godot. We cannot wait around for whiz-bang solutions, they say: If we simply use less energy, well create fewer energy-related problems.But many technological solutions with real promise get a bad rap. Yes, technology has brought us nuclear power plants (and nuclear waste with nowhere to go) as well as the gasoline engine (and greenhouse gases with nowhere to go). But most of us like being able to heat a kettle of water without first having to build a fire from cow dung(牛粪). A civilization that rents out seats on space flights to television reporters need not make its citizens shiver to save energy. Fortunately, energy efficiency and well-designed technology go hand in hand. While we can reduce consumption (by throwing away our car keys, for example), less austere solutions include putting advances in electronics and materials to work in designing more efficient vehicles and cities. Perhaps someday we can even fulfill the space age promises of fully automated offices and homes, or guided roadways where vehicles using better energy sources. What follows is a look at a few of the technologies-some proven and merely waiting for political and economic support to succeed, and some existing only in paper-that might help ease us away from our dependence on fossil fuels.96. The first sentence of the passage means that some environmentalists A. believe people will face an energy dilemma in the future B. do not think there will be an energy dilemma C. think it impossible to solve the energy dilemma D. are sure that the energy dilemma will be solved97. Many promising technological solutionsA. have vices B. fail C. are useless D. are broken98. The main idea of the second paragraph is thatA. some good solutions get a bad rapB. to use less energy is the best solution to the energy crisisC. our science and technology are developed enough to solve the problem with energyD. with our highly developed science and technology