2024年1月24日发(作者：)

大学英语四级考试阅读分类模拟试卷

Reading Comprehension

Section A

Directions: In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to

select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following

the passage. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Each

choice in the bank is identified by a letter. You may not use any of the words in the

bank more than once.

Shopping habits in the United States have changed greatly in the last quarter

of the 20th century. Early in the 1900s most American towns and cities had a Main

Street. Main Street was always in the 1 of a town. This street was lined on the

both sides with 2 businesses. Here, shoppers walked into stores to look at all

sorts of merchandise: clothing, furniture, hardware, groceries. In addition, some

shops offered 3 . These shops included drugstores, restaurants, shoe repair stores,

and barber or hairdressing shops. But in the 1950s, a change began to 4 place.

Too many automobiles had crowded into Main Street while too few parking places

were 5 to shoppers. Because the streets were crowded, merchants began to

look with interest at the open spaces outside the city limits. Open space is what their

car driving customers 6 . And open space is what they got when the first

shopping center was built. Shopping centers, or rather malls, 7 as a collection of

small new stores away from crowded city centers. Attracted by hundreds of free

parking space, customers were drawn away from 8 areas to outlying malls. And

the growing 9 of shopping centers led in turn to the building of bigger and

better stocked stores, By the late 1970s, many shopping malls had almost developed

into small cities themselves. In addition to providing the 10 of one-stop

shopping, malls were transformed into landscaped parks, with benches, fountains,

and outdoor entertainment.

A．designed B．take C．heart D．needed

E．though F．convenience G．services H．fame

I．various J．popularity K．cosmetics L．started

M．downtown N．available O．cheapness

In science, a theory is a reasonable explanation of observed events that are

related. A theory often involves an imaginary model that helps scientists envision the

way an observed event could be 11 . A good example of this is found in the

kinetic molecular theory (分子运动论), in which gases are pictured as being made up

of many small 12 that are in constant motion. A 13 theory, in addition to

explaining past observations, helps to predict events that have not as yet been

observed. After a theory has been 14 , scientists design experiments to test the

theory. If observations do not 15 the predictions, the scientists must

search 16 . There may be a fault in the experiment, or the theory may have to be

revised or rejected. Science involves imagination and creative thinking as well as

collecting information and performing experiments. Facts by themselves are not

science. As the mathematician Jules Henry Poincare said: "Science is 17 with

facts just as a house is built with bricks, but a collection of facts cannot be called

science any more than a pile of bricks can be called a house." Most scientists start an

investigation by finding out what other scientists have learned about a particular

problem. After known facts have been 18 , the scientist comes to the part of the

investigation that requires 19 imagination. Possible solutions to the problem are

formulated. These possible solutions are called hypotheses.

In a way, any hypothesis is a leap into the unknown. It extends the scientist's

thinking beyond the 20 facts. The scientist plans experiments, performs

calculations, and makes observations to test hypotheses. For without hypotheses,

further investigation lacks purpose and direction. When confirmed, they are

incorporated into theories.

A．nearly B．useful C．considerable D．considerate

E．published F．publicized G．gathered H．produced

I．built J．made K．known L．confirm

M．particles N．parts O．further

Section B

Directions: In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements

attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs.

Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived. You may choose a

paragraph more than once. Each paragraph is marked with a letter.

Preparing For Computer Disasters

A．Fires, power surges, and floods, they're all facts of life. We read about

them in the morning paper and see them on the evening news. We sympathize with

the victims and commiserate (怜悯，同情) over their bad luck. We also shake our

heads at the digital consequences—melted computers, system failures, destroyed

data. Yet, somehow, many of us continue to live by that old mantra (祷文) of denial:

"It won't happen to me." Well, the truth is, at some point you'll probably have to deal

with at least one disaster. That's just how it goes, and in most aspects of our lives we

do something about it. We buy insurance. We stow away provisions. We even make

disaster plans and run drills. But for some reason, computer disaster recovery is a

blind spot for many of us. It shouldn't be.

B．Home computers contain some of our most important information, both

business and personal, and making certain our data survives a disaster should be a

priority. Moreover, even the smallest disaster can be a serious disruption. Personal

computers have become an integral part of the smooth-running household. We use

them to communicate, shop, and do homework, and they're even more vital to home

office users. When home office computers go down, many small businesses grind to

a halt. Fortunately, taking steps to recover from disasters and minimize their effects is

quite straightforward. With a good offsite storage plan and the right tools, you can

bounce back quickly and easily from minor computer disasters. And, should a major

calamity strike, you can rest assured your data is safe.

Offsite Storage: Major Disasters

C．House fires and floods are among the most devastating causes of personal

computer destruction. That's why a solid offsite backup and recovery plan is essential.

Although many home users faithfully back up their hard drives, many would still lose

all their data should their house flood or burn. That's because they keep their

backups relatively close to their computers. Their backup disks might not be in the

same room as their computers—tucked away in a closet or even the garage—but

they're not nearly far enough away should a serious disaster strike. So, it's important

to back up your system to a removable medium and to store it elsewhere.

D．There are many ways to approach offsite storage. It starts with a choice of

backup tools and storage medium. Disaster situations are stressful, and your

recovery tools shouldn't add to that stress. They must be dependable and intuitive,

making it easy to schedule regular backups and to retrieve files in a pinch. They must

also be compatible with your choice of backup medium. Depending on your tools,

you can back up to a variety of durable disk types—from CDs to Jazz drives to remote

network servers. Although many of these storage media have high capacity, a backup

tool with compression capabilities is a big plus, eliminating the inconvenience of

multiple disks or large uploads.

E．Once you select your tools and a suitable medium, you need to find a

remote place to store your backups. The options are endless. However, no matter

where you choose, be sure the site is secure, easily accessible, and a good distance

away from your home. You may also want to consider using an Internet-based

backup service. More and more service providers are offering storage space on their

servers, and uploading files to a remote location has become an attractive alternative

to conventional offsite storage. Of course, before using one of these services, make

certain you completely trust the service provider and its security methods. Whatever

you do, schedule backups regularly and store them far away from your home.

Come What May: Handling the Garden Variety Computer Crisis

F．Not all home computer damage results from physical disaster. Many less

menacing problems can also hobble your PC or destroy your information. Systems

crash, kids "rearrange" data, adults inadvertently delete files. Although these events

might not seem calamitous, they can have serious implications. So, once again, it's

important to be prepared. As with physical disasters, regular backups are essential.

However, some of these smaller issues require a response that's more nuanced (有细微差别的) than wholesale backup and restoration. To deal with less-than-total

disaster, your tool set must be both powerful and agile (敏捷的). For example, when

a small number of files are compromised, you may want to retrieve those files alone.

Meanwhile, if just your settings are affected, you'll want a simple way to roll back to

your preferred setup. Yet, should your operating system fail, you'll need a way to

boot your computer and perform large-scale recovery. Computer crises come in all

shapes and sizes, and your backup and recovery tools must be flexible enough to

meet each challenge.

The Right Tools for the Right Job: Gearing up for Disaster

G．When disaster strikes, the quality of your backup tools can make the

difference between utter frustration and peace of mind. Symantec understands this

and offers a range of top quality backup and recovery solutions. Norton GoBack is

the perfect tool for random system crashes, failed installations, and inadvertent

deletions. With this powerful and convenient solution, it's simple to retrieve

overwritten files or to bring your system back to its pre-crash state. Norton Ghost is a

time-tested home office solution. Equipped to handle full-scale backups, it's also

handy for cloning hard drives and facilitating system upgrades. A favorite choice for

IT professionals, it's the ideal tool for the burgeoning home office. You can buy

Norton Ghost and Norton GoBack separately, or get them both when you purchase

Norton System Works.

H．Life's disasters, large and small, often catch us by surprise. However, with a

little planning and the right tools, you can reduce those disasters to bumps in the

road. So, don't wait another day. Buy a good set of disaster recovery tools, set up an

automatic backup schedule, and perform a dry run every now and again. Then, rest

easy.

21、 You should prepare for your computer disasters now and again.

22、 The backup and recovery tools must be flexible enough to deal with various

computer crises.

23、 For some reason, computer disaster recovery is always ignored by many of

us.

24、 The most devastating causes of personal computer destruction includes

house fires and floods.

25、 You should find a distant place to store your backups after selecting your

tools and a suitable medium.

26、 You can bounce back quickly and easily minor computer disasters with the

help of a good offsite storage plan and the right tools.

27、 Not only physical disaster can damage your computer.

28、 It's necessary for us to back up our systems to some transferable medium

and to put it somewhere else.

29、 The quality of your backup tools determines whether you are frustrated or

have a peaceful mind when disaster strikes.

30、 You should take steps to recover from computer disasters so as to minimize

their effects.

Paper—More Than Meets The Eye

A．We are surrounded by so much paper and card that it is easy to forget just

how complex it is. There are many varieties and grades of paper materials, and whilst

it is fairly easy to spot the varieties, it is far more difficult to spot the grades. It needs

to be understood that most paper and card is manufactured for a specific purpose,

so that whilst the corn-flake packet may look smart, it is clearly not something

destined for the archives. It is made to look good, but only needs a limited life span.

It is also much cheaper to manufacture than high grade card.

B．Paper can be made from an almost endless variety of cellulose (纤维)-based material which will include many woods, cottons and grasses, of which

papyrus is an example and from where we get the word "paper". Many of these are

very specialized, but the preponderance of paper making has been from soft wood

and cotton or rags, with the bulk being wood-based.

Paper from Wood

C．In order to make wood into paper it needs to be broken down into fine

strands. Firstly by powerful machinery and then boiled with strong alkalies (碱) such

as caustic soda, until a fine pulp of cellulose fibers is produced. It is from this pulp

that the final product is made, relying on the bonding together of the cellulose into

layers. That, in a very small nutshell is the essence of paper making from wood.

However, the reality is rather more complicated. In order to give us our white paper

and card, the makers will add bleach and other materials such as china clay and

additional chemicals.

D．A further problem with wood is that it contains a material that is not

cellulose, something called lignin (木质素). This is essential for the tree since it holds

the cellulose fibers together, but if it is incorporated into the manufactured paper it

presents archivists (档案员) with a problem. Lignin eventually breaks down and

releases acid products into the paper. This will weaken the bond between the

cellulose fibers and the paper will become brittle and look rather brown and

careworn. We have all seen this in old newspapers and cheap paperback books. It

has been estimated that most paper back books will have a life of not greater than

fifty years. Not what we need for our archives.

E．Since the lignin can be removed from the paper pulp during manufacture,

the obvious question is "why is it left in the paper?" The answer lies in the fact that

lignin makes up a considerable part of the tree. By leaving the lignin in the pulp a

papermaker can increase his paper yield from a tree to some 95%. Removing it

means a yield of only 35%. It is clearly uneconomic to remove the lignin for many

paper and card applications.

F．It also means, of course, that lignin-free paper is going to be more

expensive, but that is nevertheless what the archivist must look for in his supplies.

There is no point whatsoever in carefully placing our valuable artifacts in paper or

card that is going to hasten their demise. Acid (酸) is particularly harmful to

photographic materials, causing them to fade and in some cases simply vanish!

G．So, how do we tell a piece of suitable paper or card from one that is

unsuitable? You cannot do it by simply looking, and rather disappointingly, you

cannot always rely on the label. "Acid-free" might be true inasmuch as a test on the

paper may indicate that it is a neutral material at this time. But lignin can take years

before it starts the inevitable process of breaking down, and in the right conditions it

will speed up enormously.

H．Added to this, as I have indicated earlier, paper may also contain other

materials added during manufacture such as bleach, china clay, chemical whiteners

and size. This looks like a bleak picture, and it would be but for the fact that there are

suppliers who will guarantee the material that they sell. If you want to be absolutely

sure that you are storing in, or printing on, the correct material then this is probably

the only way. Incidentally, acids can migrate from material to material. Lining old

shoe boxes with good quality acid-free paper will do little to guard the contents. The

acid will get there in the end.

Paper from Rag

I．Paper is also commonly made from cotton and rag waste. This has the

advantage of being lignin-free, but because there is much less cotton and rag than

trees, it also tends to be much more expensive than wood pulp paper. You will still

need to purchase from a reliable source though, since even rag paper and card can

contain undesirable additives. A reliable source for quality rag papers is a recognized

art stockist. Many water color artists insist on using only fine quality rag paper and

board.

J．The main lesson to learn from this information is that you cannot rely on

purchasing archival materials from the high street. The only safe solution is to

purchase from specialist suppliers. It may cost rather more, but in the end you will

know that your important and valuable data and images have the best home

possible.

31、 During the whole manufacturing process, the final product is made from a

pulp of cellulose fibers.

32、 The corn-flake packet is cheaper than high grade card.

33、 There are a lot of materials which can be used for making paper, but the

superiority ones are soft wood, cotton and rags.

34、 Although free of lignin, paper made from cotton and rag waste can also

cost more money than wood pulp paper because there is much less cotton and rag

than trees.

35、 Lignin is essential for the tree but it will make paper easy to break.

36、 Many paper producers will preserve lignin during manufacture, because

leaving the lignin will make more paper from a tree.

37、 In order to make white paper and card, the makers will add bleach.

38、 Acid is particularly harmful to photographic materials.

39、 What we can learn from "Paper from Rag" is that you had better buy

archival materials from specialist suppliers.

40、 The lignin is commonly not removed from the paper, as the ligin-free paper

will be more expensive.

Section C

Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by

some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices

marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and mark the

corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

Passage One

The fridge is considered a necessity. It has been so since the 1960s when

packaged food first appeared with the label: "store in the refrigerator."

In my fridgeless fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthily. The milkman

came daily, the grocer, the butcher, the baker, and the ice-cream man delivered two

or three times a week. The Sunday meat would last until Wednesday and surplus

bread and milk became all kinds of cakes. Nothing was wasted, and we were never

troubled by rotten food. Thirty years on, food deliveries have ceased, fresh

vegetables are almost unobtainable in the country.

The invention of the fridge contributed comparatively little to the art of food

preservation. A vast way of well-tried techniques already existed—natural cooling,

drying, smoking, salting, sugaring, bottling. What refrigeration did promote was

marketing—marketing hardware and electricity, marketing soft drinks, marketing

dead bodies of animals around the globe in search of a good price.

Consequently, most of the world's fridges are to be found, not in the tropics

where they might prove useful, but in the wealthy countries with mild temperatures

where they are climatically almost unnecessary. Every winter, millions of fridges hum

away continuously, and at vast expense, busily maintaining an artificially-cooled

space inside an artificially-heated house—while outside, nature provides the desired

temperature free of charge.

The fridge's effect upon the environment has been evident, while its

contribution to human happiness has been insignificant. If you don't believe me, try

it yourself, invest in a food cabinet and turn off your fridge next winter. You may miss

the hamburger, but at least you'll get rid of that terrible hum.

41、 The statement "In my fridgeless fifties childhood, I was fed well and

healthily." (Para. 2) suggests that ______.

A．the author was well-fed and healthy even without a fridge in his fifties

B．the author was not accustomed to using fridges even in his fifties

C．the fridge was in its early stage of development in the 1950s

D．there was no fridge in the author's home in the 1950s

42、 Why does the author say that nothing was wasted before the invention of

fridges?

A．People would not buy more food than was necessary.

B．Food was delivered to people two or three times a week.

C．People had effective ways to preserve their food.

D．Food was sold fresh and did not get rotten easily.

43、 Who benefited the least from fridges according to the author?

A．Inventors. B．Manufacturers.

C．Consumers. D．Traveling salesmen.

44、 Which of the following phrases in the fourth paragraph indicates the

fridge's negative effect on the environment?

A．With mild temperatures. B．Climatically almost

unnecessary.

C．Artificially-cooled space. D．Hum away continuously.

45、 What is the author's overall attitude toward fridges?

A．Critical. B．Objective.

C．Neutral. D．Compromising.

I'm usually fairly skeptical about any research that concludes that people are

either happier or unhappier or more or less certain of themselves than they were 50

years ago. While any of these statements might be true, they are practically

impossible to prove scientifically. Still, I was struck by a report which concluded that

today's children are significantly more anxious than children in the 1950s. In fact, the

analysis showed, normal children ages 9 to 17 exhibit a higher level of anxiety today

than children who were treated for mental illness 50 years ago.

Why are America's kids so stressed? The report cites two main causes:

increasing physical isolation—brought on by high divorce rates and less involvement

in community, among other things—and a growing perception that the world is a

more dangerous place.

Given that we can't turn the clock back, adults can still do plenty to help the

next generation cope.

At the top of the list is nurturing (培育) a better appreciation of the limits of

individualism. No child is an island. Strengthening social ties helps build communities

and protect individuals against stress.

To help kids build stronger connections with others, you can pull the plug on

TVs and computers. Your family will thank you later. They will have more time for

face-to-face relationships, and they will get more sleep.

Limit the amount of virtual (虚拟的) violence your children are exposed to.

It's not just video games and movies; children see a lot of murder and crime on the

local news.

Keep your expectations for your children reasonable. Many highly successful

people never attended Harvard or Yale.

Make exercise part of your daily routine. It will help you cope with your own

anxieties and provide a good model for your kids. Sometimes anxiety is unavoidable.

But it doesn't have to ruin your life.

46、 The author thinks that the conclusions of any research about people's state

of mind are ______.

A．surprising B．confusing

C．illogical D．questionable

47、 What does the author mean when he says, "we can't turn the clock back"

(Para. 3)?

A．It's impossible to slow down the pace of change.

B．The social reality children are facing cannot be changed.

C．Lessons learned from the past should not be forgotten.

D．It's impossible to forget the past.

48、 According to an analysis, compared with normal children today, children

treated as mentally ill 50 years ago ______.

A．were less isolated physically B．were probably less

serf-centered

C．probably suffered less from anxiety D．were considered less

individualistic

49、 The first and most important thing parents should do to help their children

is ______.

A．to provide them with a safer environment

B．to lower their expectations for them

C．to get them more involved socially

D．to set a good model for them to follow

50、 What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?

A．Anxiety, though unavoidable, can be coped with.

B．Children's anxiety has been enormously exaggerated.

C．Children's anxiety can be eliminated with more parental care.

D．Anxiety, if properly controlled, may help children become mature.

Passage Two

Food can be divided into two basic categories: real food and pleasure food.

Real food is fuel for the body's needs, while pleasure food, which is high in fat and

sugar, is primarily for taste satisfaction. The categories are pretty obvious. Broccoli

(西兰花) is real food. Cookies are in the pleasure group.

When you are hungry, you are faced with choices. If you aren't suffering from

excessive hunger, you can be rational about them. Go to the refrigerator. What looks

good? If you have chosen a real food, say, a turkey sandwich, you can be certain your

body can use it for fuel. Eat it and enjoy.

Two hours later you are hungry again. Back to the refrigerator. What looks

good? Ice cream. Stop! Employ your will power just a little. Ice cream is not what

your body needs. Does something else look good? Yes, a piece of toast with peanut

butter and a glass of milk sound good too. Okay, go ahead, remembering that

high-fat real foods should be eaten in moderation.

One trick is to eliminate pleasure foods from your kitchen. Instead, keep a

variety of high-quality foods available at all times. In short, buy lots of delicious real

food, food you really like, and get rid of the junk.

But what if you have ice cream on hand and nothing sounds good? Although

you don't want to eat pleasure food whenever the urge strikes, there is a legitimate

place for them in your diet. If you have analyzed your feelings and there are no other

needs imitating hunger, eat the ice cream. You have not failed. On the contrary, you

have accepted your natural appetite, but not blindly.

Surprisingly, when you know you can eat anything you want, and that you

never have to put up with unsatisfied hunger again, it takes a lot of pressure off. You

will begin to want to eat what your body needs, and your body will begin to need

foods that will lead to slimness.

51、 Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．The author is against getting rid of pleasure food altogether.

B．One can eat the high-fat real foods heartily since it is fuel for the body.

C．Make sure to keep pleasure food such as ice cream in your diet.

D．Of course you can sometimes have ice cream if you really want to.

52、 What would be the best title for this passage?

A．Real Food And Pleasure Food.

B．Reducing Weight.

C．Limit Your Consumption Of Pleasure Food.

D．How To Choose Food When You Are Hungry.

53、 What can you assume from the last paragraph?

A．Being able to eat anything doesn't necessarily imply pleasure.

B．Real foods may lead to slimness.

C．Eat only what your body needs.

D．Be sure to satisfy your hunger whenever it strikes you.

54、 What can real food be except ______.

A．ice cream B．cauliflower

C．a turkey sandwich D．a piece of toast

55、 Judging from the fourth paragraph, what does "junk" mean?

A．Food like ice cream. B．Food you do not like.

C．Pleasure foods. D．Low-quality foods.

Researchers have established that when people are mentally engaged,

biochemical changes occur in the brain that allow it to act more effectively in

cognitive areas such as attention and memory. This is true regardless of age.

People will be alert and receptive if they are faced with information that gets

them to think about things they are interested in. And someone with a history of

doing more rather than less will go into old age more cognitively sound than

someone who has not had an active mind.

Many experts are so convinced of the benefits of challenging the brain that

they are putting the theory to work in their own lives. "The idea is not necessarily to

learn to memorize enormous amounts of information," says James Fozard, associate

director of the National Institute on Aging. "Most of us don't need that kind of skill.

Such specific training is of less interest than being able to maintain mental alertness."

Fozard and others say they challenge their brains with different mental skills, both

because they enjoy them and because they are sure that their range of activities will

help the way their brains work.

Gene Cohen, acting director of the same institute, suggests that people in

their old age should engage in mental and physical activities individually as well as in

groups. Cohen says that we are frequently advised to keep physically active as we age,

but older people need to keep mentally active as well. Those who do are more likely

to maintain their intellectual abilities and to be generally happier and better adjusted.

"The point is, you need to do both," Cohen says. "Intellectual activity actually

influences brain-cell health and size."

56、 People who are cognitively healthy are those ______.

A．whose minds are alert and receptive

B．who are highly intelligent

C．who can remember large amounts of information

D．who are good at recognizing different sounds

57、 According to Fozard's argument, people can make their brains work more

efficiently by ______.

A．constantly doing memory work

B．making frequent adjustments

C．going through specific training

D．taking part in various mental activities

58、 The findings of James Fozard and other scientists in their work ______.

A．remain a theory to be further proved

B．have been challenged by many other experts

C．are practised by the researchers themselves

D．have been generally accepted

59、 Older people are generally advised to ______.

A．keep mentally active by challenging their brains

B．keep fit by going in for physical activities

C．maintain mental alertness through specific training

D．maintain a balance between individual and group activities

60、 What is the passage mainly about?

A．How biochemical changes occur in the human brain.

B．Why people should receive special mental training as they age.

C．How intellectual activities influence brain-cell health.

D．Why people should keep active not only physically but also mentally.

答案:

Reading Comprehension

Section A

1、 2、 3、 4、 5、 6、 7、 8、

9、 10、 11、 12、 13、 14、 15、

16、 17、 18、 19、 20、

Section B

21、 22、 23、 24、 25、 26、 27、

28、 29、 30、 31、 32、 33、 34、

35、 36、 37、 38、 39、 40、

Section C

Passage One

41、D 42、B 43、C 44、D 45、A 46、D

47、B 48、C 49、C 50、A

Passage Two

51、B 52、A 53、C 54、A 55、C 56、A

57、D 58、C 59、B 60、D