历年四级试题阅读理解的部分集粹
Passage 1
Oceanography has been defined as The application of a11 sciences to the study of the sea.
Before the nineteenth century scientists with an interest in the sea were few and far between. Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings, but he was reluctant to go to sea to further his work.
For most people the sea was remote, and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea, there was little reason to ask many questions about it, 1et alone to ask what lay beneath the surface. The first time that the question What is at the bottom of the oceans had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed. The engineer had to know the depth profile of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured.
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned, in l853, for information on this matter. In the 1840s, Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Later, some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book The Physical Geography of the Sea.
The cable was laid, but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable. At the early attempts, the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths, a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea.
Within a few years oceanography was under way. In 1872 Thomson 1ed a scientific expedition, which lasted for four years and brought home thousands of samples from the sea. Their classification and analysis occupied scientists for years and led to a five-volume report, the last volume being published in l895.
21. The proposal to 1ay a telegraph cable from Europe to America made oceanographic studies take on ___________.
A) an academic aspect B) a military aspect
C) a business aspect D) an international aspect
22. It was ____ that asked Maury for help in oceanographic studies.
A) the American Navy
B) some early intercontinental travelers
C) those who earned a living from the sea
D) the company which proposed to lay an undersea cable
23. The aim of the voyages Maury was responsible for in the 1840s was_____.
A) to make some sounding experiments in the oceans
B) to collect samples of sea plants and animals
C) to estimate the length of cable that was needed
D) to measure the depths of the two oceans
24. Defied in the 5th paragraph probably means ___
A) doubted B) gave proof to C) challenged D) agreed to
25. This passage is mainly about____
A) the beginnings of oceanography
B) the laying of the first undersea cable
C) the investigation of ocean depths
D) the early intercontinental communications
Passage 2
Do you find getting up in the morning so difficult that it, spainful This might be called 1aziness, but Dr. kleitman has a new explanation. He has proved that everyone has a daily energy cycle.
During the hours when you labour through your work you may say that yourehot. Thats true. The time of day when you feel most energetic is when your cycle of body temperature is at its peak. For some people the peak comes during the forenoon. For others it comes in the afternoon or evening. No one has discovered why this is so, but it 1eads to such familiar monologues as: Get up, John! Youll be late for work again! The possible explanation to the trouble is that John is at his temperature-and-energy peak in the evening. Much family quarrelling ends when husbands and wives realize what these energy cycles mean, and which cycle each member of the family has.
You cant change your energy cycle, but you can learn to make your life fit it better. Habit can help, Dr. K1eitman believes. Maybe youre sleepy in the evening but feel you must stay up late anyway. Counteract your cycle to some extent by habitually staying up later than you want to. If your energy is low in the morning but you have an important job to do early in the day, rise before your usual hour. This wont change your cycle, but youll get up steam and work better at your low point.
Get off to a slow start which saves your energy. Get up with a leisurely yawl and stretch. Sit on the edge of the bed a minute before putting your feet on the floor. Avoid the trouble some search for clean clothes by laying them out the night before. When ever possible, do routine work in the afternoon and save tasks requiring more energy or concentration for your sharper hours.
31. If a person finds getting up ear1y a problem, most probably____
A) he is a lazy person
B) he refuses to follow his own energy cycle
C) he is not sure when his energy is low
D) he is at his peak in the afternoon or evening
32. Which of the following may lead to family quarrels according to the passage
A) Unawareness of energy cycles.
B) Familiar monologues.
C) A change in a family members energy cycle.
D) Attempts to control the energy cycle of other family member.
33. If one wants to work more efficiently at his low point in the morning, he should_____
A) change his energy cycle C) get up earlier than usual
B) overcome his laziness D) go to bed earlier
34 .You are advised to rise with a yawn and stretch because it will____
A) help to keep your energy for the days work
B) help you to control your temper early in the day
C) enable you to concentrate on your routine work
D) keep your energy cycle under control a11 day
35. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE
A) Getting off to work with a minimum effort helps save ones energy.
B) Dr. Kleitman explains why people reach their peak at different hours of day.
C) Habit helps a person adapt to his own energy cycle.
D) Children have energy cycles, too.
Passage 3
We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed-ability teaching. On the contrary, both their knowledge and experience are enriched. We feel that there are many disadvantages in streaming pupils. It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates. It can have a bad effect on both the bright and the not-so-bright child. After all, it can be quite discouraging to be at the bottom of the top grade!
Besides, it is rather unreal to grade people just according to their intellectual ability. This is only one aspect of their total personality. We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our pupils to the full, not just their academic ability. We also value personal qualities and social skills, and we find that mixed-ability teaching contributes to all these aspects of learning.
In our classrooms, we work in various ways. The pupils often work in groups：this gives them the opportunity to learn to co-operate, to share, and to develop leadership skills. They also 1earn how to cope with personal problems as well as 1earning how to think, to make decisions, to analyse and evaluate, and to communicate effectively. The pupils learn from each other as well as from the teacher.
Sometimes the pupils work in pairs; sometimes they work on individual tasks and assignments, and they can do this at their own speed. They also have some formal class teaching when this is appropriate. We encourage our pupils to use the library, and we teach them the skills they need in order to do this efficiently. An advanced pupil can do advanced work：it does not matter what age the child is. We expect our pupils to do their best, not their least, and we give them every encouragement to attain this goal.
36. In the passage the authors attitude towards mixed-ability teaching is ____.
A) critical C) approving
B) questioning D) objective
37. By held back the author means _________.
A) made to remain in the same classes
B) forced to study in the lower c1asses
C) drawn to their studies
D) prevented from advancing
38. The author argues that a teachers chief concern should be the development of the students _________.
A) personal qualities and social skills
B) total personality
C) 1earning ability and communicative skills
D) intellectual ability
39. Which of the following is NOT MENTIONED in the third paragraph
A) Group work gives pupils the opportunity to learn to work together with others.
B) Pupils also learn to develop their reasoning abilities.
C)Group work provides pupils with the opportunity to learn to be capable organizers.
D) Pupils a1so learn how to participate in teaching activities.
40. The authors purpose in writing this passage is to _____________.
A) argue for teaching bright and not-so-bright pupils in the same class
B) recommend pair work and group work for classroom activities
C) offer advice on the proper use of the library
D) emphasize the importance of appropriate formal classroom teaching
试题分析：
Passage 1
内容大意
这是一篇叙述海洋学的文章。文章开头给海洋学下了一个定义, 认为海洋学是综合应用所有科学学科对海洋进行的研究。在19世纪前, 对海有兴趣的科学家凤毛麟角。牛顿在其著作中虽然也提到这方面的一些理论问题但对走向海洋作进一步的探测研究却停止不前。
在19世纪之前, 对大多数人来说, 海洋是遥远而陌生的。除早期飘洋过海旅行的人或靠海谋生的人之外; 很少有人对海洋感兴趣, 更谈不上关心海底有什么之类的问题了。只是当有人建议铺设一条从欧洲到美洲的海底电报电缆时, 人们才开始从商业意义上对海底进行探索。工程师要知道电线经过的海底的地貌, 以估算出要生产多长的电缆。
于是, 在1853年, 大西洋电报公司向美国海军的一位名叫Maury的人请教, 因为Maury 在40年代曾负责过多次令人鼓舞的航行, 对北大西洋和太平洋的水深进行过探测。他在The Physical Geography of the Sea这一著作中提到的发现引起了人们的广泛兴趣。直到1866年, 这条电缆才最终完成。在此之前出过几次故障。当人们将电缆从海底捞上来修复时, 还发现上面复盖了许多生物。这个事实批驳了当时认为海洋深处无生命的论点。
随着海底电缆的铺设成功, 海洋学得到发展。1872年, Thomson领导了长达4年的海洋考察, 收集了成千上万的海洋标本。通过数年的分类和分析, 科学家们完成了一份长达5卷的报告, 最后一卷于1895年出版。
试题分析
第21题：
本题要求学生推断：建议铺设海底电缆使得海洋学的研究具有什么样的性质。第3段讲到：只有当有人建议铺设一条从欧洲到美洲的海底电缆时, 人们才开始从商业意义上对海底进行探索。人们必须要知道海底有什么, 是个什么样子, 需要多长的电缆等等。因此, 选项C是答案。答对本题的考生为38%。有29%的考生误选了A项, 有24%的考生误选了A项。这些考生没有根据文章内容来答题, 而是根据题目本身的字面意义想当然地答题。
第22题：
本题问的是谁向Maury请教海洋研究方面的问题。要答对这一题, 必须看懂原文第4段第l句。这是一个强调句型, 原文突出向美国海军的MauD请教。而题干也是一个强调句型, 突出谁向Maury请教。理解本句的关键还在于学生要掌握 turned to...for...这个短语的用法。可见, 答案是选项D。60%的考生答对了本题。31%的考生误选了A项。还有少数考生误选B项或C项。
第23题：
本题问的是19世纪40年代Maury负责的远洋航行的目的是什么。这个问题比较具体。题干本身已点明了答案可能的出处, 即第4段的第2句。这句中动词不定式to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific 0ceans回答了这个问题。所以, 答案是D项。这题比较容易, 77%的考生答对本题。但也有11%的考生粗心大意, 把40年代的这些航行与1853年以后的海底电缆铺设过程混淆起来, 错选了C项。
第24题：
本题考核学生根据上下文推测词义的能力。defied是defy的过去式。要准确地推测它的词义, 必须完全读懂defied前后部分的意思：前一部分是说：从海底捞出的电缆上覆盖着各种各样的生物, 后一部分是说：当时的科学观点认为海洋深处是没有生命的。由此可见, 前一部分的事实是批驳后一部分的观点。所以, 答案是C项challenged。37%成绩较好的考生答对此题。既然前一部分是事实, 当然无法怀疑后一部分观点; 既然前后两部分相左, 前者当然也不能为后者提供证据, 更不可能与后面的观点一致。但仍有不少考生误选了这几项。特别值得一提的是有近25%中等程度的考生误选了A项。这可能是因为这些考生没有理解这句话的意思。
第25题：
本题问及全篇的中心意思。考生只有读懂全文各段, 才能有把握地回答。第1段谈及是关于海洋学的定义; 第2段是讲19世纪前对海洋感兴趣的科学家不多; 第3段谈到由于有人提出铺设海底电缆, 人们才开始研究海底深处究竟有什么; 第4段说Maury考察北大西洋和太平洋的发现引起广泛的注意; 第5段讲在铺设海底电缆过程中发现大量海样生物; 最后一段是海洋学研究的成果。可见全篇主要还是讲海洋学的研究是如何开展起来的, 所以答案是A项, 有74%左右的考生答对了这一题。文章有好几个地方谈到铺设海底电缆和越洋通讯, 但都是围绕着海洋学这条主线的。至于C项, 测量海洋深度, 只是一个细节, 不可能是文章中心意思。
Passage 2
内容大意
本文讲解了人体的能量周期现象。为什么有些人早上起不来, 甚至感到难受 有人可能会把这说成是懒散。但是Kleitman博士却另有解释。他证实了每个人的精力在一天里有个周期。在你尽力工作的时候, 你会感到热。确实如此。一天中当你感到精力最充沛时, 也就是你的体温处于整个周期的高峰。有些人的高峰出现在上午, 而另一些人的高峰出现在下午。为什么会这样呢 没有人能说清楚。但这种现象确会导致屡见不鲜的自言自语：John, 快起来!否则上班又要迟到了。对这种烦人的事可以这样解释：John的体温和能量高峰是在晚上。如果丈夫和妻子能明白不同的能量周期是怎么回事, 家里的每个人有什么样的能量周期, 很多家庭争吵就不会发生。
虽然你无法改变自己的能量周期, 但你可以使你的生活适应这一周期。Kleiman博士认为习惯性的行为能起作用。有可能晚上你感到很困倦, 但又必须熬夜。采取经常性地推迟睡觉的办法, 能在一定程度上不按周期行事。如果你在上午处于能量的低潮, 但你有重要的工作要在上午做, 那么你就要比平时早起。这并不改变你的周期, 但你可以在低潮时鼓起干劲, 工作得更好。
起床时慢慢来可以节省能量。起来时不慌不忙, 打个呵欠, 伸个懒腰, 在床边坐一坐。头一天晚上先把干净衣服放好, 早上就省去了寻找衣服的麻烦。在任何可能的情况下, 下午做些事务性的工作, 把耗费精力或者需要全神贯注的工作留待你思维最敏锐的时候去做。
试题分析
第31题：
本题的关键是搞清楚人们能否早起同什么有关。根据文章第1段可以看出早晨起不来是同一个人每天的能量周期有关。根据文章第2段中John的自言自语, 以及紧接着的解释：John is at his temperature-and-energy peak in the evening推理, 如果一个人早上不能早起, 这个人的能量高峰就很可能在下午或晚上。因此选项D是答案, 65%的考生答对了本题。有16%的考生误选了A项, 而第1段第2句说得很清楚：早晨起不来可能有人叫做懒, 但KIettnm博士却另有解释。可见选项A不是答案, 说明这部分考生没有看懂文章。有11的考生误选了B项。第3段讲到你无法改变自己的能量周期, 但你可使你的生活适应这一周期。可见, 并不存在拒绝遵守能量周期的问题。
