英语四级阅读练习.doc

Passage 1The United States of America is often seen as a nation in which the pursuit(追求) of happiness is not a dream but a reality. The sad truth is that although portrayed（描绘）as an unusually easy life, life in America is as much of a struggle as in any other nation.For example, higher level education for Americans does not come easy. Although there are scholarships, grants and loans available, if the student fails to meet the criteria（标准）he is left with only personal resources to draw from. This takes him into a life with not only a school schedule to follow but perhaps, also, a work schedule and family life. These are often the difficulties which many believe they will not encounter by attending an American college.In the second place, there is financial security. Many times what is portrayed of life in America is a life where “money” is no object. The fallacy(谬误) in this is that, in spite of the comparatively higher wages available, the cost of living is also higher. Even though it may seem like one is making more money, just as much is spent in surviving. Each person has their own personal struggle and money is an object for the majority of the people.Thirdly is the belief that in the America way of life everyone has a good job. With the increasing advancements in technology, a well-paying job for those currently in the work force is getting harder to find. These who have not been exposed to computers and other new methods of communication are finding this to be true. As it stands now, the job market is requiring at least a two-year degree from college, in order to make enough to live comfortably. Even then good paying jobs are not easy to find, as it is sometimes believed because of the portrayal of life in America.1 The life in America emphasizes_. (A) justice (B) entertainment (C) liberty (D) efficiency2 According to the passage, if the students in America cant obtain scholarships, grants and loans, they have to_. (A) depend on the government to help them (B) get college admission by their own hard work (C) rely to themselves even in colleges (D) borrow 3 Most people regard money as a life object because_. (A) money is everything in America (B) it is easy to earn money in America (C) money is a symbol of status (D) they require more money for survival4 The labor force in America_. (A) provides many positions for applicants (B) only needs the people with advanced science and technology (C) seldom promises qualified applicants a high wage (D) has fierce competition beyond our imagination 5 Which of following is not the example cited by the author to testify his judgement of the life in America? (A) The description in movies. (B) Higher level education. (C) Financial security. (D) Work force.Passage 2 Mars(火星) has been the stock in trade of sci-fi writers for generations and the warlike planet has strongly attracted poets and songwriters. National Aeronautics（航天）and Space Administration(NASA) is proposing a mission to Mars within 20 years. The multibillion-dollar question is whether there is enough drinking water there to sustain a mission and eventually to allow human colonisation. Last year scientists advanced an assumption that there was water on the planet by piecing together data from previous explorations. Since then, the Mars Odyssey spacecraft has had a closer look and speculation has turned to hard conviction-not least among those who want to believe it anyway. Odyssey was sent to look for water and seems to have found it. NASAs exploration chief apparently believes the ice deposits beneath the surface are so great they could be the remains of former oceans. Mars fans believe this ties in with signs of what might have been huge flood channels on the planets barren(贫瘠的) surface, big enough to handle water flows 50,000 times greater than the Amazon river.We should know more next year when Mars Express, Europes contribution to galactic(银河的) exploration, reports its findings. It will drill for rock samples and analyze them on the spot. Meanwhile, the space experts are wondering whether evidence of warer will lead to evidence of past life on Mars. Sadly, the chances are slim.If the planet did have water, they reckon it was more than 3 billion years ago. But if Mars was ever a wet, living planet, no matter how long ago, speculation will run riot, and our view of ourselves, the earth and the cosmos(宇宙) will change for ever.1 The plan to explore Mars_. (A) attracted many authors and poets (B) needs more detailed researches (C) is short of funds (D) needs to bring much water from earth2 The Mars Odyssey spacecraft_. (A) is at the beginning of human emigration to Mars (B) successfully got the sample of drinking water (C) collected some useful date for scientists (D) had found the ice deposits3 The apparent flood channels in Mars_. (A) are an indicator of water to some degree (B) have been deduced by many scientists (C) have been proved by the Odyssey spacecraft (D) make human living on Mars possible4 The Europes Mars Express_. (A) has played an important role in the last year (B) is a device that can finish analysis on Mars (C) can collect the rock samples for specialists to study in labs (D) have found many important rock samples5 The main idea of the passage is_. (A) how to find water on Mars (B) its uncertain whether Mars has water (C) Mars is a heated topic for scientists (D) a new device will be used to study MarsPassage 3Wars have typically been fought against proper nouns (Germany, say) for the good reason that proper nouns can surrender and promise not to do it again. Wars against common nouns (poverty, crime, drugs) have been less successful. Such opponents never give up. The war on terrorism, unfortunately, falls into the second category. Victory is possible only if the United States confines itself to fighting individual terrorists rather than the tactic(策略) of terrorism itself. Yet defining who is more complicated than it might seem-and even if it were not, choosing ones enemies on the basis of their tactics alone has little to recommend it.Terrorists, it is usually agreed, are defined not by their goals but by how they elect to pursue them. If terrorism is never to be supported, terrorists must employ some means that no end can justify. But how exactly are unjustifiable means to be identified? One school favors a legal approach. Both domestic and international law concede to the state a monopoly(垄断) on organized violence. A simple definition of a terrorist might therefore be a nonstate actor employing violence for political ends. Another school highlights the fear that terrorism seeks to instill(慢慢地灌输). This is the original use of the word “terror” in a political context. By this logic, terrorists are people who aim to get their way by frightening opponents into submission. A third school looks at tactics, arguing that certain methods are just plain wrong and should not be employed. The civilian resistance movements against Hitlers Germany, for example, operated outside of the accepted rules of war, and the Germans certainly thought of them as terrorists. Yet today we view these resistance fighters as heroes, and rightly so. Suicide attacks are generally frowned on, but all military heroes are willing to die. The fact that most combatants persist in the hope that they will somehow survive tells us more about human psychology(心理) than about the relationship between heroes, terrorists, and suicide.1 The passage is mainly concerned with_.(A) the difference between wars against proper nouns and wars against common nouns(B) how to succeed in the wars against terrorism(C) how to define terrorism(D) American tactics in combating terrorism2 What the wars against common nouns differ from the wars against proper nouns is that_.(A) the wars against common nouns can never have an absolute victory(B) the wars against common nouns are more time-consuming(C) the wars against common nouns are more complicated to be defined(D) the wars against common nouns are much easier3 As for how to define terrorism, the most popular viewpoint is_.(A) terrorists should br defined by their goals(B) terrorists should be defined by their means(C) terrorists should be defined by their tactics(D) terrorists should be defined by their ends4 According to the first school, the civilian resistance movements against Hitlers Germany are_.(A) terrorism (B) justifiable course(C) heroic behaviors (D) wars5 Which of following can best express the main idea of the third school? (A) It is the means that can be used to define terrorism. (B) It is the tactics that can be used to define terrorism. (C) The civilian resistance movements against Hitlers Germany should be seen as heroism. (D) The civilian resistance movements against Hitlers Germany should be seen as terrorism.Passage 4About 2 percent of American students are now taught at home. Educators are confused about how this growing practice should be regulated, and also wonder whether children who are not fully registered in school should get some public services. The issue shows how dim the line between public and private education can become, even when that private education is delivered at home.Probably about half the parents who teach at home are religiously motivated and use lessons by mail (or Internet) from church schools. Perhaps an additional fourth have philosophical doubts about public education, think schools are unsafe or feel that their children have special needs that regular schools dont meet. In some cases, parents home-school to escape compulsory(义务的) education; they do least teaching while having older children care for siblings(兄妹) or work in home businesses. Although children often learn well at home, weak regulations in most states mean that officials rarely challenge or monitor parents who say they are home-schooling. With growing frequency, however, public schools offer services to the home-schooled. Districts may permit them to enroll part time, for instance; educators fear that otherwise these children could later return full time with serious academic weaknesses, and in any case some districts wanting to qualify for state aid can benefit from part-timers filling empty seats.Here in Helean, Mary Brown has taught her 12 children at home while manufacturing clothing there in her nonteaching hours. Mrs. Brown says her motive is to give more training in basics(like phonics(发音学) than public schools offer. Most of her curriculum is from a church school, with tests returned by mail.Two years ago her seventh child, Andrea, wanting to join regular athletic programs, enrolled at Capital High School. Andrea soon changed her mind and resumed home study. But she had liked gym and chorus(合唱), so Mrs. Brown asked that she be allowed to continue in them while taking other courses at home.1 The education specialists worry about_. (A) whether the growing private education should be under control (B) whether the children studying at home need help (C) how to guide private education using the right methods (D) how to attract the children studying at home to go to public schools2 The dominant reason that parents choose to teach at home is out of_. (A) religious consideration (B) distruct of public education (C) escaping obligation (D) giving more basal training3 The crucial problem of private education is_. (A) no qualified teachers (B) inefficiency in study (C) shortage of strict management (D) lack of creativity4 Mary Brown gave Andrea_. (A) permission to attend public schools (B) athletic courses (C) home education mainly (D) all the subjects as public schools teach5 According to the passage, which of following is right? (A) Most parents arent satisfied with public education. (B) Its advisable that schools accept enrollment part time. (C) The public schools have no relation to private education now. (D) The government can administer home teaching effectively.Passage 11. 选D。（根据第一段最后一句话可知在美国生活同样需要奋斗，这自然与工作效率是分不开的。）2. 选B。（根据第二段第二句：“.，if the student fails to meet the criteria he is left with only personal resources to draw from.”可知应选项。）3. 选D。（由第三段第二至五行可知：在美国，生存的开销大得惊人，所以人们为了生存，就必须为了金钱而奋斗。）4. 选D。(文章第四段指出找一份不错的工作正愈发艰难，所以A项不对，D项正确。根据常识也可以判断B项不对。)5. 选A。（B、C、D三项作者均提到了，惟有A项没有提及。）Passage 21. 选B。