2016 专四阅读 真题(改革后)

PARTVREADINGCOMPREHENSION[35MIN]SECTIONAMULTIPLECHOICEQUESTIONSInthissectiontherearethreepassagesfollowedbytenmultiplechoicequestions.Foreachmultiplechoicequestion,therearefoursuggestedanswermarkedA,B,CandD.ChoosetheonethatyouthinkisthebestanswerandmarkyouranswersonANSWERSHEETTWO.PASSAGEONE(1)WhenIwastwenty-sevenyearsold,Iwasamining-broker’sclerkinSanFrancisco,andanexpertinallthedetailsofstocktraffic.Iwasaloneintheworld,andhadnothingtodependuponbutmywitsandacleanreputation;buttheseweresettingmyfeetintheroadtoeventualfortune,andIwascontentwiththeprospect.Mytimewasmyownaftertheafternoonboard,Saturdays,andIwasaccustomedtoputtingitinonalittlesail-boatonthebay.OnedayIventuredtoofar,andwascarriedouttosea.Justatnightfall,whenhopewasaboutgone,IwaspickedupbyasmallshipwhichwasboundforLondon.Itwasalongandstormyvoyage,andtheymademeworkmypassagewithoutpay,asacommonsailor.WhenIsteppedashoreinLondonmyclotheswereraggedandshabby,andIhadonlyadollarinmypocket.Thismoneyfedandshelteredmetwenty-fourhours.Duringthenexttwenty-fourIwentwithoutfoodandshelter.(2)Aboutteno’clockonthefollowingmorning,dirtyandhungry,IwasdraggingmyselfalongPortlandPlace,whenachildthatwaspassing,towedbyanurse-maid,tossedabigpear–minusonebite–intothegutter.Istopped,ofcourse,andfastenedmydesiringeyeonthatmuddytreasure.Mymouthwateredforit,mystomachcravedit,mywholebeingbeggedforit.ButeverytimeImadeamovetogetitsomepassingeyedetectedmypurpose,andofcourseIstraightenedupthen,andlookedindifferentandpretendedthatIhadn’tbeenthinkingaboutthepearatall.Thissamethinkkepthappeningandhappening,andIcouldn’tgetthepear.(3)Iwasjustgettingdesperateenoughtobravealltheshame,andtoseizeit,whenawindowbehindmewasraised,andagentlemanspokeoutofit,saying:“Stepinhere,please.”(4)Iwasadmittedbyamanservant,andshownintoasumptuousroomwhereacoupleofelderlygentlemenweresitting.Theysentawaytheservant,andmademesitdown.Theyhadjustfinishedtheirbreakfast,andthesightoftheremainsofitalmostoverpoweredme.Icouldhardlykeepmywitstogetherinthepresenceofthatfood,butasIwasnotaskedtosampleit,IhadtobearmytroubleasbestasIcould.(5)Now,somethinghadbeenhappeningtherealittlebefore,whichIdidnotknowanythingaboutuntilagoodmanydaysafterwards,butIwilltellyouaboutitnow.Thosetwooldbrothershadbeenhavingaprettyhotargumentacoupleofdaysbefore,andhadendedbyagreeingtodecideitbyabet,whichistheEnglishwayofsettlingeverything.(6)YouwillrememberthattheBankofEnglandonceissuedtwonotesofamillionpoundseach,tobeusedforaspecialpurposeconnectedwithsomepublictransactionwithaforeigncountry.Forsomereasonorotheronlyoneofthesehadbeenusedandcanceled;theotherstilllayinthevaultsoftheBank.Well,thebrothers,chattingalong,happenedtogettowonderingwhatmightbethefateofaperfectlyhonestandintelligentstrangerwhoshouldbeturnedadriftinLondonwithoutafriend,andwithnomoneybutthatmillion-poundbank-note,andnowaytoaccountforhisbeinginpossessionofit.BrotherAsaidhewouldstarvetodeath;BrotherBsaidhewouldn’t.BrotherAsaidhecouldn’tofferitatabankoranywhereelse,becausehewouldbearrestedonthespot.SotheywentondisputingtillBrotherBsaidhewouldbettwentythousandpoundsthatthemanwouldlivethirtydays,anyway,onthatmillion,andkeepoutofjail,too.BrotherAtookhimup.BrotherBwentdowntotheBankandboughtthatnote.Thenhedictatedaletter,whichoneofhisclerkswroteoutinabeautifulroundhand,andthenthetwobrotherssatatthewindowawholedaywatchingfortherightmantogiveitto.(7)Ifinallybecamethepickofthem.41.InPara.1,thephrase“setmyfeet”probablymeans____.A.putmeasideB.preparemeC.letmewalkD.startmyjourney42.ItcanbeconcludedfromPara.2that____.A.themanwantedtomaintaindignitythoughstarvedB.themancouldnotgetaproperchancetoeatthepear.C.themandidnotreallywantthepearsinceitwasdirtyD.itwasverydifficultforthemantogetthepear43.ComparedwithBrotherA,BrotherBwasmore____towardstheeffectoftheone-million-poundbank-noteonatotalstranger.A.neutralB.negativeC.reservedD.positivePASSAGETWO(1)Theconceptofpeaceisaveryimportantoneinculturesallovertheworld.Thinkabouthowwegreetpeople.Insomelanguages,thephrasesforgreetingscontainthewordforpeace.Insomecultureswegreetpeoplebyshakinghandsorwithanothergesturetoshowthatwearenotcarryingweapons–thatwecomeinpeace.Andtherearecertainsymbolswhichpeopleinverydifferentculturesrecognizeasrepresentingpeace.Let’slookatafewofthem.Thedove(2)Thedovehasbeenasymbolofpeaceandinnocenceforthousandsofyearsinmanydifferentcultures.InancientGreekmythologyitwasasymbolofloveandtherenewaloflife.InancientJapanadovecarryingaswordsymbolizedtheendofwar.(3)TherewasatraditioninEuropethatifadoveflewaroundahousewheresomeonewasdyingthentheirsoulwouldbeatpeace.Andtherearelegendswhichsaythatthedevilcanturnhimselfintoanybirdexceptforadove.InChristianare,thedovewasusedtosymbolizetheHolyGhostandwasoftenpaintedaboveChrist’shead.(4)ButitwasPabloPicassowhomadethedoveamodernsymbolofpeacewhenheuseditonaposterfortheWorldPeaceCongressin1949.Therainbow(5)Therainbowisanotherancientanduniversalsymbol,oftenrepresentingtheconnectionbetweenhumanbeingsandtheirgods.InGreekmythologyitwasassociatedwithIris,thegoddesswhobroughtmessagesfromthegodsonMountOlympus.InScandinavianmythologytherainbowwasabridgebetweenthegodsandtheearth.IntheBiblearainbowshowedNoahthattheBiblicalfloodwasfinallyover,andthatGodhadforgivenhispeople.IntheChinesetradition,therainbowisacommonsymbolformarriagebecausethecoloursrepresenttheunionofyinandyang.Nowadaystherainbowisusedbymanypopularmovementsforpeaceandtheenvironment,representingthepossibilityofabetterworldinthefutureandpromisingsunshineaftertherain.Mistletoe(6)Thisplantwassacredinmanycultures,generallyrepresentingpeaceandlove.MostpeopleknowofthetraditionofkissingunderthemistletoeatChristmastime,whichprobablycomesfromScandinavianmythology.ThegoddessFreya’ssonwaskilledbyanarrowmadeofmistletoe,so,inhonourofhim,shedeclaredthatitwouldalwaysbeasymbolofpeace.Itwasoftenhungindoorwaysasasignoffriendship.(7)TheancientDruidsbelievedthathangingmistletoeinyourdoorwayprotectedyoufromevilspirits.Tribeswouldstopfightingforaperiodoftimeiftheyfoundatreewithmistletoe.ButyouwillneverseemistletoeinaChristianchurch–itisbannedbecauseofitsassociationswithpaganreligionandsuperstition.Theolivebranch(8)Theolivetreehasalwaysbeenavaluablesourceoffoodandoil.InGreekmythology,thegoddessAthenagavetheolivetreetothepeopleofAthens,whoshowedtheirgratitudebynamingthecityafterher.Butnooneknowsforsurewhenorwhyitbegantosymbolizepeace.ThereisprobablyaconnectionwithancientGreece.WarsbetweenstatesweresuspendedduringtheOlympicGames,andthewinnersweregivencrownsofolivebranches.Thesymbolismmaycomefromthefactthattheolivetreetakesalongtimetoproducefruit,soolivescouldonlybecultivatedsuccessfullyinlongperiodsofpeace.Whateverthehistory,theolivebranchisapartofmanymodernflagssymbolizingpeaceandunity.Onewell-knownexampleistheUnitedNationssymbol.Theankh(9)Theankhisanancientsymbolwhichwasadoptedbythehippiemovementinthe1960storepresentpeaceandlove.ItwasfoundinmanyAsiancultures,butisgenerallyassociatedwithancientEgypt.Itrepresentedlifeandimmortality.Egyptianswereburiedwithanankh,sothattheycouldcontinuetoliveinthe“afterworld”.ThesymbolwasalsofoundalongthesidesoftheNile,whichgavelifetothepeople.Theybelievedthattheankhcouldcontroltheflowoftheriverandmakesurethattherewasalwaysenoughwater.44.Whichofthefollowingisthebesttitleforthepassage?A.ConceptofPeace.B.PopularPeaceSymbols.C.OriginofPeaceSymbols.D.CulturalDifferenceofPeace.45.TherainbowrepresentstheconnectionbetweenhumanbeingsandtheirgodsinallthefollowingcountriesEXCEPT_____.A.SwedenB.GreeceC.FinlandD.China46.InNorthEuropemistletoewasoftenhungindoorwaystoindicate_____.A.friendshipB.loveC.kinshipD.honour47.Theoriginoftheankhcandatebackto_____.A.theNileB.the“afterworld”C.thehippiemovementD.ancientEgyptPASSAGETHREE(1)Twosidesalmostneverchange:Thatyoucanmanipulatepeopleintoself-sufficiencyandthatyoucanpunishthemgoodcitizenship.(2)Thefirstmanifestsitselfinourtirelesssearchforthemagicallevelatwhichwelfaregrantsarebigenoughtomeetbasicneedsbutsmallenoughtomakelow-paidworkattractive.Thesecondhasuslookingtothecriminaljusticesystemtocurebehaviorthatisasmuchasanythingtheresultofdespair.(3)Thewelfareexampleiswellknown.Wedon’twantpoorpeopletoliveinsqualorortheirchildrentobemalnourished.Butwealsodon’twanttosubsidizetheindolenceofpeoplewhoaretoolazytowork.Thefirstimpulseleadsustoprovidehousing,foodstamps,medicalcareandacashstipendforfamiliesinneed.Thesecondgetsustothinkabout“workforce”.(4)We’vebeenthinkingaboutitfortworeasons:the“nanny”problemsoftwohigh-rankinggovernmentofficials(whohiredundocumentedforeignersashouseholdhelpers,presumablybecausetheycouldn’tfindAmericanstodothework)andPresidentClinton’sproposaltoputatwo-yearlimitonwelfare.(5)MaybesomethingusefulwillcomeofClinton’sidea,butI’mnotallthathopeful.Itlookstomelikeonemoreexampleoftryingtomanipulatepeopleintotakingcareofthemselves.(6)Onthecriminaljusticeside,wehopetomakepunishmenttoughenoughtodiscouragecrimebudnotsotoughastoclogourprisonswithrelativelyminoroffenders.Tooshortasentence,wefear,willcreatecontemptforthelaw.Toolongasentencewilltakeupcostlyspacebetterusedfortheviolentandunremorseful.(7)Notonlycanweneverfindthe“perfect”punishment,oursearchforoptimumpenaltiesiscomplicatedbyourdesireforfairness:toletthepunishmentfitthecrime.Theproblemisthatalmostanypunishment-eventhedisgraceofbeingchargedwithacrime-issufficienttodeterthemiddleclass,whileformembersoftheunderclass,probationmaybetranslatedas“Ibeatit.”(8)Sohowcanyouusethesystem-welfareorcriminaljustice-toproducethebehaviorwewant?Theanswer.Isuspectis:Youcan’t.(9)Wekeeptryingtousewelfareandprisontochangepeople-tomakethemthinkandbehavethewaywedo-whenthetruthistheincentivesworkonlyforthosewhoalreadythinkthewaywedo:whoviewtoday’sactionwithaneyeonthefuture.(10)Wewilltakelowlywork(ifthatisallthat’savailable)becausewebelievewecanmakebadjobsworkforus.Weavoidcrimenotbecausewearebetterpeoplebutbecauseweseegettingcaughtasafuture-wreckingdisaster.Weareguidedbyabeliefthatgoodthingswillhappenforusinthefutureifwelakepropercareofthepresent.Evenundertheworstofcircumstanceswebelieveweareincontrolofourlives.(11)Andwehavetroubleunderstandingthatnoteverybodybelievesaswebelieve.Thewelfarerolls,theprisonsandthemeanstreetsofourcitiesarefullofpeoplewhohavegivenupontheirfuture.Withouthopeforthefuture,hardworkatalow-paidjobmakesnosense.Workinghardinschool,orpleasingaboss,oravoidingpregnancymakesnosense.Thedeadlydiseaseishopelessness.Thelawlessnessandpovertyarconlytheobvioussymptoms.(12)I’mnotadvocatingthatwestoplookingforincentivestomovepoorpeopletowardself-sufficiencyorthatwestoppunishingpeopleforcriminalbehavior.Therewillalwaysbesomepeoplewhoneedhelpandsomewhodeservetobeinjail.(13)AllI’msayingisthatthelong-termanswerbothtowelfareandthecrimethatplaguesourcommunitiesisnottofinetunethewelfareandcriminaljusticesystemsbuttopreventourchildrenfromgettingthediseaseofdespair.(14)Ifweencourageouryoungpeopletobelieveinthefuture,andgivethemsolidevidenceforbelieving,we’llfindbothcrimeandpovertyshrinkingtomanageableproportions.48.Whatistheauthor’sattitudetowardsClinton’sproposaltowelfare?A.Pessimistic.B.Optimistic.C.Suspicious.D.Sarcastic.49.ItcanbeinferredfromPara.7thatoptimumpenaltiesare_____totheunderclass.A.hopelessB.uselessC.frighteningD.humiliating50.Whichofthefollowingisthemostappropriatetitleforthepassage?A.LawlessnessandPoverty.B.CriminalJusticeSystem.C.WelfareGrants.D.DiseaseofDespair.SECTIONBSHORTANSWERQUESTIONSInthissectiontherearefiveshortanswerquestionsbasedonthepassagesinSectionA.AnswerthequestionswithNOmorethanTENwordsinthespaceprovidedonANSWERSHEETTWO.PASSAGEONE51.InPara.4,whatdoesthemanmeanbysaying“Ihadtobearmytrouble”?52.Whatcanbeinferredfromthelastsentenceofthepassage?PASSAGETWO53.WhydoestheUNusetheolivebranchinitssymbol?PASSAGETHREE54.Accordingtotheauthor,whatbalanceshouldwekeepinwelfare?55.Whatdoestheauthormeanbysaying“Evenundertheworstofcircumstances,webelieveweareincontrolofourlives”(Para.10)?