英语四级阅读理解

英语四级阅读理解 Passage One Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage. The prospects for women who are scientists and engineers at major research universities have improved, although women continue to face unfair treatment in salary and access to some other resources, a panel of the National Research Council concludes in a new report. In recent years “men and women faculty in science, engineering and mathematics have enjoyed comparable opportunities,” the panel said in its report, released on Tuesday. It found that women who applied for university jobs and, once they had them, for promotion and tenure (终身 任职), were at least as likely to succeed as men. In another report this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Wisconsin reviewed a variety of studies and concluded that the achievement gap between boys and girls in mathematics performance had narrowed to the vanishing point. Although girls are still of a smaller number in the ranks of young math prodigies (神童), they said, that gap is narrowing, which undermines claims that a greater prevalence (流行) of profound mathematical talent in males is biologically determined. The researchers said this and other phenomena “provide abundant evidence for the impact of sociocultural and other environmental factors on the development of mathematical skills and talent and the size, if any, of math gender gap.” The research council, an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, gathered its expert panel at the request of Congress. The panel surveyed six disciplines — biology, chemistry, mathematics, civil and electrical engineering, and physics — and based its analysis on interviews with faculty members at 89 institutions and data from federal agencies, professional societies and other sources. The panel was led by Claude Canizares, a physicist who is vice president for research at M.I.T, and Dr. Sally Shaywitz of Yale Medical School, an expert on learning. The Wisconsin researchers, Janet S. Hyde and Janet E. Mertz, studied data from 10 states collected in tests authorized by the No Child Left Behind Act as well as data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal testing program. Differences between girls’ and boys’ performance in the 10 states were “close to zero in all grades,” they said, even in high schools where gaps had existed earlier. In the national assessment, they said, differences between girls’ and boys’ performance were “trivial”. 57. We learn from the passage that female scientists and engineers in some universities ________. A) tend to compare themselves with men B) suffer from overwhelming unequal treatment C) find it difficult to get ideal jobs D) have a future as bright as men 58. According to the researchers at the University of Wisconsin, ________. A) girls usually think narrowly in math while boys don’t B) girls can do almost as well as boys in mathematics C) most girls perform better in mathematics than boys D) there are very few girls who are really talented in math 59. What is the conclusion of the research council based on? A) The analysis made by 89 college teachers and data from different agencies. B) The survey of six subjects, interviews with teachers and data from different kinds of sources. C) The survey at the request of the Congress and talks with teachers from 89 institutions. D) The research made by the National Academy of Sciences and the survey within six fields. 60. What can be inferred from the last paragraph? A) Neither gender nor age affects students’ performance in mathematics. B) People expect to see gaps between girls’ and boys’ performance in high school. C) Different tests show different results concerning students’ performance. D) Data from 10 states are not as accurate as those from the national tests. 61. The passage is mainly about ________. A) the unfair treatment towards female in universities B) women bridging gap in science opportunities C) the achievement of female scientists in universities D) a national study of teaching methods of mathematics Passage Two Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage. It’s time to stop complaining. The economy might be melting down like butter in a hot pot, but for some people — you, maybe? — this could be a very good thing. Here’s why. At no other time in recent history has it been easier or cheaper to start a new kind of company. Possibly a very profitable company. Let’s call these start-ups LILOs, for “a little in, a lot out;” These are Web-based businesses that cost almost nothing to get off the ground yet can turn into great moneymakers. How do you get started? All that’s required is a great idea for a product that will fill a need in the 21st century. These days you’d do best if your idea either makes people money or saves them money. And launching now will make your company stronger later — you’ll learn to survive on fumes until the economy improves. That’s what John Tayman is doing. He’s an author who lives in San Francisco, where I met him; he wrote reviews for a business magazine I edited. Tayman knew little about technology and even less about business. And yet he dreamed of a website that would summarize car reviews from other sources and rank every model of new car. “It’ll be like RottenTomatoes.com meets Kelley Blue Book,” he explained to me during lunch one day last June. Tayman said he intended to build the site on the side while continuing to write for a living. He’d work on his new company only at night and on weekends. Oh, yes, and he had only about $10,000. “Good luck with that!” I thought. Ideas are much easier to produce than they are to execute. Tayman went to work with nothing more than his PowerBook laptop. A very well-organized fellow, he quickly discovered a bunch of free stuff online — instructional manuals and sites that walk you through the process from start to finish. Within months, Tayman had a virtual staff of 20 employees working for him in five different countries. MotorMouths.com went live in January. Tayman figures he has worked about 10 hours a week on it and hasn’t spent a cent on marketing or advertising. Growth is modest but steady: nearly 10,000 people visit each week. 62. What is an advantage of starting a business now? A) It will guarantee you a big success. B) It can never be more profitable. C) It costs you much less than ever before. D) It keeps you from useless complaining. 63. What is essential to start your business according to the passage? A) Low-cost products used to be trade. B) A good idea helping people make or save money. C) Starting the business as early as possible. D) Practical products with good quality. 64. What is said about Tayman in the passage? A) He chooses to run his business in his spare time. B) He has raised enough funds for his business. C) He is good at Internet technology and e-commerce. D) He came up the idea when talking with his friend. 65. How did the author feel on hearing of Tayman’s idea? A) He was sure that it would make profit. B) He thought Tayman was out of his mind. C) He is suspicious of his executive capability. D) He had no confidence in Tayman’s success. 66. How is Tayman’s website going now? A) It starts to be used by more people now. B) It has made a huge profit since January. C) It still copies free stuff from the Internet. D) It has a capacity of 10,000 visits per week. Passage One Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage. When it comes to using technology to foster education, the prevailing wisdom has been that more is better. Over the past decade, universities around the globe have invested heavily in the wired classroom, adding everything from external laptop connections to Blu-ray DVD players. But there is little evidence that these devices enhance learning — and, critics believe, they might actually hinder it, making both students and teachers passive. What if classrooms were restored to the pre-Internet days of wooden tables and chalk? Take technology out of the classroom. Jose Bowen, dean of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Texas, has done just that. He wants his faculty to “teach naked”, meaning without the aid of any machines. “Just because you have a PowerPoint presentation doesn’t mean you have a good lecture,” he argues. Classroom time should be reserved for discussions with the professor, aimed at teaching students to think critically, argue, and raise new questions. Due to the grim (严峻的) economic climate at most universities, he says, avoiding new technology is also a sound way to save money. Bowen, who teaches music, delivers content via podcasts (播客), which students must listen to on their own time. He then quizzes them on the material before every class to make sure they’ve done the work, and uses class time for discussions and research according to the recorded lessons. He’s been teaching the same material for 25 years, but since he implemented the new way, he says, his students have been more engaged and scored better on exams. College students asked by researchers to list what motivates them have consistently emphasized teacher enthusiasm, organization, and rapport (融洽的关系), while naming lack of active participation as a major disincentive (遏制因素). Last spring the British Educational Research Journal published a survey that found that 59 percent of students called at least half their lectures boring — particularly those involving PowerPoint. Technology has a place in education, but it should be used independently by students outside the classroom. That gives them more time to absorb lectures via podcast or video, and frees teachers to spend class time coaching students in how to apply the material rather than simply absorb it. 57. What’s the opinion of critics about the technology used in the classrooms? A) It helps enhance teaching and learning. B) It puts extra financial burden on schools. C) It may serve as an obstacle to learning. D) It has injected great vitality into the class. 58. What does Jose Bowen expect his teachers to do? A) To teach the students how to use technology after class. B) To explain the materials clearly in their unique ways. C) To give PowerPoint presentation when teaching. D) To teach the students without the aid of technology. 59. According to the passage, class time should be used to _______. A) discuss how to treat technology B) learn the materials by heart C) promote students’ critical thinking D) update students on new information 60. What do we learn from the third paragraph? A) Active participation in class stimulates students to learn. B) Students need tests to check what they have learned. C) Most students regard lectures with PowerPoint as less boring. D) Teachers’ influence is the most important factor in teaching. 61. What is the author’s attitude towards using technology in the classroom? A) Concerned. B) Indifferent. C) Optimistic. D) Disapproving. Passage Two Questions 62 to 66 are based on the following passage. A theme is emerging from the flood of recent corporate earnings reports: Cost cuts are boosting profits. Investors are cheering, but they shouldn’t. Even in these tough times, more CEOs should be talking about how they are seeking out investments, developing new technologies and making acquisitions. That’s what will set their companies up for a stronger future. Intel Corp.’s former CEO Gordon Moore had it right when he said years ago that “you can’t save your way out of a recession.” He meant that even in the toughest times, companies have to spend money on new ideas. Recessions always end, Moore often said, and when they do, companies that embraced innovation (创新) during the downturn won’t be stuck with obsolete products and services. Instead, they’ll have new things to offer once demand picks up again. “Customers don’t come out of recessions spending the way they did before,” said Chunka Mui, who has studied how companies can capitalize on opportunities during crises at his Chicago-based consulting firm, The Devil’s Advocate Group. “They demand something different.” Surprisingly few companies are following Moore’s advice of innovating during recessions. Many have been weakened by the pullback in consumer and business spending as well as tight credit conditions, which is making it harder for companies to get loans to fund their operations. That’s driven some to hold cash and make drastic cost cuts. They’re slashing (大幅度削减) jobs and wages and closing stores and factories. The aggressive cuts have allowed companies to exceed Wall Street’s expectations for their earnings. In fact, the “good” news has sent the Dow Jones industrial average above 10,000 for the first time in a year. The problem is that too many companies are making widespread, not focused cuts. They’re telling every division to cut 10 percent of their work force or slashing marketing dollars by the same amount companywide. “That is a quick way to rid a company of costs. But it doesn’t help it get in a better position going forward”, says Cesare Mainardi, managing director at the consulting firm Booz & Co. and co-author of the new book Cut Costs, Grow Stronger, “and a downturn like this should force people’s hand”. 62. What does the author think companies should do during a recession? A) Cut jobs and wages so as to save more money. B) Seek ways to make the company go forward. C) Try hard to get loans to fund their operations. D) Motivate the employees by raising the salaries. 63. According to Gordon Moore, when the recession ends, companies that didn’t innovate will _______. A) enjoy faster development with the money saved B) set up more factories as consumer demand grows C) be hindered by out-of-date products and services D) attract more customers with traditional products 64. How do consumers change after the economic crisis? A) They lose confidence in the market. B) They start to live within their means. C) They have different ways of spending. D) They try to avoid unnecessary expenditure. 65. What’s Cesare Mainardi’s opinion about companies’ large-scale cuts? A) They do no good to companies’ future development. B) They help the companies out of the crisis quickly. C) They are the only way to get the expected profits. D) They force the employees to work much harder. 66. What can be the best title for this passage? A) Recession Not as Bad as Expected B) Ways to Save You Out of the Crisis C) Financial Crisis Spreading the World D) Innovation Needed Even in Recessions 文 - 汉语汉字 编辑词条 文，wen，从玄从爻。天地万物的信息产生出来的现象、纹路、轨迹，描绘出了阴阳二气在 事物中的运行轨迹和原理。 故文即为符。上古之时，符文一体。 古者伏羲氏之王天下也，始画八卦，造书契，以代结绳(爻)之政，由是文籍生焉。--《尚书 序》 依类象形，故谓之文。其后形声相益，即谓之字。--《说文》序》 仓颉造书，形立谓之文，声具谓之字。--《古今通论》 (1) 象形。甲骨文此字象纹理纵横交错形。"文"是汉字的一个部首。本义:花纹;纹理。 (2) 同本义 [figure;veins] 文，英语念为:text、article等，从字面意思上就可以理解为文章、文字，与古今中外的各个文学著作中出现的各种文字字形密不可分。古有甲骨文、金文、小篆等，今有宋体、楷体等，都在这一方面突出了"文"的重要性。古今中外，人们对于"文"都有自己不同的认知，从大的方面来讲，它可以用于表示一个民族的文化历史，从小的方面来说它可用于用于表示单独的一个"文"字，可用于表示一段话，也可用于人物的姓氏。 折叠编辑本段基本字义 1(事物错综所造成的纹理或形象:灿若,锦。 2.刺画花纹:,身。 3(语言的符号:,字。,盲。以,害辞。 4(用文字记下来以及与之有关的:,凭。,艺。,体。,典。,苑。,献(指有历史价值和参考价值的图书)。,采(a(文辞、文艺方面的才华;b(错杂艳丽的色彩)。 5(人类劳动成果的:,化。,物。 6(自然界的某些现象:天,。水,。 7(旧时指礼节仪式:虚,。繁,缛节(过多的礼节仪式)。 8(文华辞采，与“质”、“情”相对:,质彬彬。 9(温和:,火。,静。,雅。 10(指非军事的:,职。,治武功(指礼乐教化和军事功绩)。 11(指以古汉语为基础的书面语:552,言。,白间杂。 12(专指社会科学:,科。 13(掩饰:,过饰非。 14(量词，指旧时小铜钱:一,不名。 15(姓。 16( 皇帝谥号，经纬天地曰文;道德博闻曰文;慈惠爱民曰文;愍民惠礼曰文;赐民爵位曰文;勤学好问曰文;博闻多见曰文;忠信接礼曰文;能定典礼曰文;经邦定誉曰文;敏而好学曰文;施而中礼曰文;修德来远曰文;刚柔相济曰文;修治班制曰文;德美才秀曰文;万邦为宪、帝德运广曰文;坚强不暴曰文;徽柔懿恭曰文;圣谟丕显曰文;化成天下曰文;纯穆不已曰文;克嗣徽音曰文;敬直慈惠曰文;与贤同升曰文;绍修圣绪曰文;声教四讫曰文。如汉文帝。 折叠编辑本段字源字形 字源演变与字形比较 折叠编辑本段详细字义 〈名〉 1(右图是 “文”字的甲骨文图片，资料来源:徐无闻主编:《甲金篆隶大字典》，四川辞书出版社。1991年7月第一版。 “文”字的甲骨文字绘画的像一个正面的“大人”，寓意“大象有形”、“象形”;特别放大了胸部，并在胸部画了“心”，含义是“外界客体在心里面的整体影像、整体写真、整体素描、整体速写”。 许慎《说文解字》把“文”解释为“错画也”，意思是“对事物形象进行整体素描，笔画交错，相联相络，不可解构”，这与他说的独体为文、合体为字的话的意思是一致的。“说文解字”这个书名就表示了“文”只能“说”，而“字”则可“解”的意思。“文”是客观事物外在形象的速写，是人类进一步了解事物内在性质的基础，所以它是“字”的父母，“字”是“文”的孩子。“文”生“字”举例(以“哲”为例):先对人手摩画，其文为“手”;又对斧子摩画，其文为“斤”。以手、斤为父母，结合、生子，其子就是“折”(手和斤各代表父母的基因)。这个“折”就是许慎所谓的“字”。“字”从宀从子，“宀”表示“独立的房子”，子在其中，有“自立门户”的意思。故“字”还能与“文”或其他“字”结合，生出新“字”来。在本例，作为字的“折”与作为文的“口”结合，就生出了新的字“哲”。 2( 同本义 [figure;veins] 文，错画也。象交文。今字作纹。——东汉?许慎《说文》 五章以奉五色。——春秋?左丘明《左传?昭公二十五年》。注:“青与赤谓之文，赤与白谓之章，白与黑谓之黼，黑与青谓之黻。” 美于黼黼文章。——《荀子?非相》 茵席雕文。——《韩非子?十过》 织文鸟章，白旆央央。——《诗?小雅?六月》 斑文小鱼。——明? 刘基《诚意伯刘文成公文集》 3(又如:文驾(彩车);文斑(杂色的斑纹);文旆(有文彩的旗帜);文绣(绣有彩色花纹的丝织品;刺花图案);文织(有彩色花纹的丝织品);文鳞(鱼鳞形花纹)。 4(字，文字(“文”，在先秦时期就有文字的意思，“字”，到了秦朝才有此意。分别讲，“文”指独体字;“字”指合体字。笼统地说，都泛指文字。) [character] 饰以篆文。——南朝宋?范晔《后汉书?张衡传》 分文析字。——东汉?班固《汉书?刘歆传》 夫文，止戈为武。——《左传?宣公十二年》 距洞数百步，有碑仆道，其文漫灭。——王安石《游褒禅山记》 文曰“天启壬戌秋日”。——明? 魏学洢《核舟记》 文曰“初平山尺”。 5(又如:甲骨文;金文;汉文;英文;文迹(文字所记载的事迹);文书爻(有关文字、文凭之类的卦象);文异(文字相异);文轨(文字和车轨);文狱(文字狱);文钱(钱。因钱有文字，故称);文状(字据，军令状);文引(通行证;路凭);文定(定婚)。 6(文章(遣造的词句叫做“文”，结构段落叫做 “章”。) [literary composition] 故说诗者不以文害辞。——《孟子?万章上》 好古文。——唐? 韩愈《师说》 属予作文以记之。——宋? 范仲淹《岳阳楼记》 能述以文。——宋? 欧阳修《醉翁亭记》 摘其诗文。——清? 纪昀《阅微草堂笔记》 7(又如:文价(文章的声誉);文魔(书呆子);文会(旧时读书人为了准备应试，在一起写文章、互相观摩的集会);文移(旧时官府文书的代称);文雄(擅长写文章的大作家);文意(文章的旨趣);文义(文章的义理);文情(文章的词句和情思);本文(所指的这篇文章);作文(写文章;学习练习所写的文章);文魁(文章魁首);文价(文章的声价);文什(文章与诗篇)。 8(美德;文德 [virtue] 圣云继之神，神乃用文治。——杜牧《感怀诗一首》 9(又如:文丈(对才高德韶的老者的敬称);文母(文德之母);文武(文德与武功);文命(文德教命);文惠(文德恩惠);文德(写文章的道德);文薄(谓文德浅薄);文昭(文德昭著)。 10.文才;才华。亦谓有文才，有才华 [literary talent] 而文采不表于后世也。——汉? 司马迁《报任安书》 11(又如:文业(才学);文英(文才出众的人);文采风流(横溢的才华与潇洒的风度);文郎(有才华的青少年);文彦(有文才德行的人);文通残锦(比喻剩下不多的才华)。 12(文献，经典;韵文 [document;classics;verse] 儒以文乱法。——《韩非子?五蠹》 言必遵修旧文而不穿凿。——《说文解字?叙》 13(辞词句。亦指文字记载 [writings;record]。如:文几(旧时书信中开头常用的套语。意为将书信呈献于几前);文倒(文句颠倒);文过其实(文辞浮夸，不切实际);文义(文辞);文辞(言词动听的辞令);文绣(辞藻华丽)。 14(自然界的某些现象 [natural phenomenon] 经纬天地曰文。——《左传?昭公二十八年》 15(又如:天文;地文;水文;文象(日月星辰变化的迹象);文曜(指日月星辰;文星);文昌(星座名)。 16(文治;文事;文职。与“武”相对。 [achievements in culture and education;civilian post] 文能取胜。——《史记?平原君虞卿列传》 文不能取胜。 文武并用。——唐? 魏征《谏太宗十思疏》 精神折冲于千里，文武为宪于万邦。――明《袁可立晋秩兵部右侍郎诰》 17(又如:文臣，文吏(文职官吏);文席(教书先生的几席);文品(文官的品阶);文帅(文职官员出任或兼领统帅);文烈(文治显赫);文员(文职吏员);文阶(文职官阶);文道(文治之道);文业(文事);文僚(文职官吏)。 18(法令条文 [articles of decree] 而刀笔吏专深文巧诋，陷人于罪。——《史记?汲黯列传》 19(又如:文劾(根据律令弹劾);文法吏(通晓法令、执法严峻的官吏);文丈(规矩;);文移(官府文书);文牓(布告;文告);文宪(礼法;法制)。 20(文言。古代散文文体之一;别于白话的古汉语书面语 [literary language]。如:半文半白;文语;文白(文言文和白话文)。 21(文教;礼节仪式 [rites] 则修文德。——《论语?季氏》 22(又如:文丈(崇尚礼文仪节);文俗(拘守礼法而安于习俗);文致(指礼乐);文貌(礼文仪节);文绪(文教礼乐之事);文仪(礼节仪式) 23(指表现形式;外表 [form;appearance]。如:文服(表面服从);文榜(告示、布告之类);文诰(诰令) 24(指鼓乐，泛指曲调 [music;tune]。如:文曲(指乐曲);文始(舞乐名) 25(谥号，谥法:勤学好问叫文 [study deligently] 何以谓之文。——《论语》 是以谓之文。 26(姓 〈动〉 1(在肌肤上刺画花纹或图案 [tatto (the skin)] 被发文身。——《礼记?王制》。注:“谓其肌，以丹青涅之。” 文绣有恒。——《礼记?月令》 2(又如:文笔匠(在人身上刺花的艺人);文身断发(古代荆楚、南越一带的习俗。身刺花纹，截短头发，以为可避水中蛟龙的伤害。后常以指落后地区的民俗);文木(刻镂以文采之木) 3(修饰;文饰 [cover up] 身将隐，焉用文之?——《左传?僖公二十三年》 饰邪说，文奸言，以枭乱天下。——《荀子?非十二子》 4(又如:文过饰非;文致(粉饰;掩饰);文冢(埋葬文稿之处) 5(装饰 [decorate] 舍其文轩。——《墨子?公输》 此犹文奸。 文车二驷。——明? 归有光《项脊轩志》 文马四百匹。——《史记?宋世家》 若将比予文木邪。——《庄子?人间世》 6(又如:文巧(文饰巧辩);文竿(以翠羽为饰之竿);文舫(装饰华丽的游艇);文饰(彩饰);文榭(饰以彩画的台榭);文舟，文艘(装饰华丽的船);文剑(装饰华丽的剑);文舆(饰以彩绘的车) 7(撰写文章 [write]。如:文匠(写文章的大家);文祸(因写文章而招来的灾祸);文雄，文杰(指文豪) 〈形〉 1(有文采，华丽。与“质”或“野”相对 [magnificent;gorgeous] 其旨远，其辞文。——《易?系辞下》 晋公子广而俭，文而有礼。——《左传?僖公二十三年》 2(又如:文巧(华丽奇巧);文朴(文华与质朴);文服(华美的衣服);文砌(华美的石阶);文背(不文雅，粗俗);文轩(华美的车子);文质(文华与质朴) 3.柔和，不猛烈 [mild;gentle]。如:文烈(指火候温猛) 4(美，善 [fine;good]。如:文徽(华美);文鸳(即鸳鸯。以其羽毛华美，故称);文衣(华美的服装) 5(通“紊”。紊乱的 [disordered] 惇宗将礼，称秩元祀，咸秩无文。——《书?洛诰》 天子祭天下名山大川，怀柔百神，咸秩无文。——《汉书?郊祀志上》 王者报功，以次秩之，无有文也。——庆劭《风俗通义?山泽》 〈量〉 1(用于旧时的铜钱。如:一文钱 2(用于计算纺织物 五扶为一首，五首成一文。——《后汉书》