1、专业英语四级-78及答案解析 (总分：100.00，做题时间：90分钟)一、READING COMPREHENSIO(总题数：0，分数：0.00)二、TEXT A(总题数：3，分数：25.00)In the case of Archimedes, although he made many wonderful discoveries of diverse kinds, yet of them all, the following, which I shall relate, seems to have been the result of a boundless ingenuity. Hier
2、o, after gaining the royal power in Syracuse, resolved, as a consequence of his successful exploits, to place in a certain temple a golden crown which he had vowed to the immortal gods. He contracted for its making at a fixed price, and weighed out a precise amount of gold to the contractor. At the
3、appointed time the latter delivered to the kings satisfaction an exquisitely finished piece of handiwork, and it appeared that in weight the crown corresponded precisely to what the gold had weighed. But afterwards a charge was made that gold had been abstracted and an equivalent weight of silver ha
4、d been added in the manufacture of the crown. Hiero, thinking it an outrage that he had been tricked, and yet not knowing how to detect the theft, requested Archimedes to consider the matter. The latter, while the case was still on his mind, happened to go to the bath, and on getting into a tub obse
5、rved that the more his body sank into it the more water ran out over the tub. As this pointed out the way to explain the case in question, without a moments delay, and transported with joy, he jumped out of the tub and rushed home naked, crying with a loud voice that he had found what he was seeking
6、. Taking this as the beginning of his discovery, it is said that he made two masses of the same weight as the crown, one of gold and the other of silver. After making them, he filled a large vessel with water to the very brim, and dropped the mass of silver into it. As much water ran out as was equa
7、l in bulk to that of the silver sunk in the vessel. Then, taking out the mass, he poured back the lost quantity of water, using a pint measure, until it was level with the brim as it had been before. Thus he found the weight of silver corresponding to a definite quantity of water. After this experim
8、ent, he likewise dropped the mass of gold into the full vessel and, on taking it out and measuring as before, found that not so much water was lost, but a smaller quantity: namely, as much less as a mass of gold lacks in bulk compared to a mass of silver of the same weight. Finally, filling the vess
9、el again and dropping the crown itself into the same quantity of water, he found that more water ran over for the crown than for the mass of gold of the same weight. Hence, reasoning from the fact that more water was lost in the case of the crown than in that of the mass, he detected the mixing of s
10、ilver with the gold, and made the theft of the contractor perfectly clear.（分数：10.00）(1).Heiro gained the royal power in Syracuse, _.（分数：2.00）A.thanks to the aid of the immortal godsB.because of his successful exploitsC.so as to place a golden crown in a templeD.in order to observe his heroic deeds(2
11、).According to the author, Archimedes must have found the way _.（分数：2.00）A.accidentallyB.effortlesslyC.theoreticallyD.technically(3).The word transported in Paragraph Two is closest in meaning to _.（分数：2.00）A.transmittedB.departedC.preoccupiedD.haunted(4).In order to test his discovery, Archimedes _
12、.（分数：2.00）A.made two crowns of silver and gold respectivelyB.made two masses of silver and gold respectivelyC.made a vessel as large as the tub where he had a bathD.made a pint measure level with the brim of the vessel(5).The story is intended to _.（分数：2.00）A.illustrate the cleverness of ArchimedesB
13、.tell an interesting story about ArchimedesC.recount how Archimedes solve the difficult crown problemD.explain the discovery of the relation between bulk and massYellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the world. About three million people visit it each year. Its great natural beaut
14、y has made it one of the most popular national parks. Most visitors like to see Old Faithful, the worlds most famous geyser. A geyser shoots hot water high into the air. There are more than three hundred geysers in Yellowstone. Old Faithful is not the biggest or the most beautiful geyser. But it is
15、the most popular. Visitors gather around Old Faithful before each eruption. Experts at the park are able to predict when these will happen. The average time between eruptions is about ninety minutes. Old Faithful shoots water an average of forty meters into the air. This eruption lasts between two a
16、nd five minutes. Old Faithful releases up to about thirty thousand liters of water into the air each time. The hot spot deep under the ground produces geysers like Old Faithful. Old Faithful is evidence of the volcanic activity at Yellowstone. But will the Yellowstone volcano erupt again? Most exper
17、ts think the answer is yes. But no one knows when. The most recent of the three extremely powerful eruptions was about six hundred fifty thousand years ago. Experts say at least thirty smaller volcanic eruptions have taken place at Yellowstone. Some of these were perhaps as big as the nineteen ninet
18、y-one eruption at Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. Several are believed to have been much larger. The most recent of these smaller eruptions took place about seventy thousand years ago. Volcano experts say it is extremely difficult to tell when Yellowstone might become an active volcano again. How
19、ever, earthquakes near a volcano are usually good evidence that a volcano might become active again. For example, Mount Saint Helens in the northwestern state of Washington exploded in nineteen eighty. Several earthquakes took place near the volcano before that time. On the morning that it exploded,
20、 Mount Saint Helens experienced an earthquake of five point one on the Richter scale. Yellowstone National Park experiences several thousand earthquakes each year. Most are very small. They cannot be felt. They can only be measured by scientific instruments. However, in August of nineteen fifty-nine
21、, an earthquake at Yellowstone measured seven point five on the Richter scale. Twenty-eight people were killed. It was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the United States. But Yellowstones sleeping giant volcano did not erupt. In two thousand one, the United States Geological Survey,
22、 Yellowstone National Park and the University of Utah signed an agreement. That agreement established the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Under the agreement, the park, the Geological Survey and the university are responsible for improving efforts to study the volcanic system of Yellowstone. The ob
23、servatory uses information from many different instruments on the ground and from satellites to study the volcano. The information will help officials decide if Yellowstones huge volcano is becoming a danger. Then they could warn the public quickly if necessary. Experts at the observatory say Yellow
24、stone represents some danger to the public. It always has. However, its natural beauty also makes it a treasure that could not be possible without the sleeping giant volcano that is under Yellowstone National Park.（分数：10.00）(1).The Old Faithful shows that the volcanic activity at Yellowstone is _.（分
25、数：2.00）A.constantB.perilousC.inactiveD.unstable(2).What is true about the volcanic eruption in Yellowstone?（分数：2.00）A.Experts predict that volcanic eruption is unlikely to happen recently.B.There are at least 30 small volcanic eruptions every year.C.The volcanic eruptions can be compared to that at
26、Mount Pinatubo.D.There have been three extremely powerful volcanic eruptions so far.(3).What do the experts find out about the volcano at Yellowstone?（分数：2.00）A.Its eruption is closely related to the earthquakes nearby.B.The stronger an earthquake nearby is, the more possibly it erupts.C.Earthquakes
27、 nearby are useless in regard to the prediction of its eruption.D.Its eruption has nothing to do with the earthquakes nearby.(4).Which of the following question has been illustrated in the passage?（分数：2.00）A.Why is the Old Faithful the most popular geyser?B.How is the formation of geysers related to
28、 volcanoes?C.What makes Yellowstone a national treasure?D.What causes Mount Saint Helens to erupt in 1980?(5).Experts at the observatory are most concerned about _.（分数：2.00）A.when the next earthquake happensB.when the volcano becomes activeC.if the volcano threatens the publicD.if the volcano will e
29、rupt before longFor any surfer, nothing beats the idea of just hanging out in a beach riding the waves all day. The thrill of riding giant breaks and staying there a minute or two is enough to thrill any surfer. Some surfers save money just to go to certain locations around the world to experience t
30、he waves they will cherish their whole life. Read on and well tell you where to go and whats the best place in the world to surf ever. Lets start with the simplest. Cocoa Beach in Florida is one of the key surfing destinations in US. However, dont go there during summer as the waves could be unpredi
31、ctable, and most of the time youll just end up sitting there for nothing at all. The good thing about this beach is that you can still enjoy the waters and the party mood especially in summer time. The best time to go this beach for surfing is from November to March, thats right: winter season. Duri
32、ng these months the Atlantic winds becomes stronger and the water responds perfectly! Expect to have waves that will reach up to 10 feet. The beach is perfect for beginners in the sport. Of course we dont want to leave out the state that started it all: Hawaii. Specifically Oahu, Hawaii; which is th
33、e home to one of the biggest waves on earth. During winter months, the waves could reach up to 20 feet. During summer, the place is surprisingly calm. There are various beaches in Oahu that cover at least 20 miles of beautiful white sand shores. Among them perfect for surfing is Ehukai Beach and Wai
34、mea Beach which are paradise for most surfers as they try their skills to the dangerous waves of Hawaii. Its just a humble tribute to the islands that started this great sport. Next is the unofficial place for surfing in USA. Calling itself Surf City, USA, Huntington is the home for many known surfe
35、rs around the country and the world. People from all parts of the country visit this place just to enjoy the perpetual sun and waves in any given month. If youre still not sure about this place, just ask its 11 million annual visitors. If Oahu is the surfers paradise, then this one should be the hea
36、ven. Tell any avid surfer about Jeffreys Bay in Southern Africa and they can tell many tales that go with the bay. 10-foot waves are a regular occurrence in this bay. Every July, all pros in the world congregate in this bay and enjoy the waves in the highly competitive Billabong Pro. Even though the
37、 waves are there all year long, its best that you go there from June till November. In these months the waves are consistent. During these months the waves are very predictable, making it the best place to surf. Watch out for the waves that you can ride for as long as three minutes.（分数：5.00）(1).In C
38、ocoa Beach in summer, vacationers had better _.（分数：1.00）A.go there without bearing the purpose for surfingB.get trained before riding the unpredictable wavesC.sit on the beach appreciating the peaceful seaD.be prepared for giant waves as high as 10 feet(2).Surfing was originated in _.（分数：1.00）A.the
39、Oahu islandB.Ehukai and WaimeaC.the state of HawaiiD.Florida and Hawaii(3).Huntington is called Surf City because _.（分数：1.00）A.surfing is virtually forbidden hereB.many visitors come here yearlyC.surfing is possible here throughout the yearD.visitors can only enjoy sunshine and waves here(4).The aut
40、hor mentions the waves that you can ride for as long as three minutes at Jeffreys Bay in order to illustrate _.（分数：1.00）A.that such waves are only rare occurrencesB.that such waves are best for competitionsC.how dangerous the waves may becomeD.how consistent the waves may become(5).Which of the foll
41、owing statements is true according to the passage?（分数：1.00）A.Cocoa Beach requires the least surfing skills while Jeffreys Bay requires the best.B.It is suggested that surfers should stay away from unpredictable waves.C.It is every surfers dream to visit all the places for surfing in the world.D.The
42、passage is mainly intended for the average surfers.三、TEXT B(总题数：3，分数：25.00)The world is going through the biggest wave of mergers and acquisitions ever witnessed. The process sweeps from hyperactive America to Europe and reaches the emerging countries with unsurpassed might. Many in these countries
43、are looking at this process and worrying: Wont the wave of business concentration turn into an uncontrollable anti-competitive force? Theres no question that the big are getting bigger and more powerful. Multinational corporations accounted for less than 20% of international trade in 1982. Today the
44、 figure is more than 25% and growing rapidly. International affiliates account for a fast-growing segment of production in economies that open up and welcome foreign investment. In Argentina, for instance, after the reforms of the early 1990s, multinationals went from 43% to almost 70% of the indust
45、rial production of the 200 largest firms. This phenomenon has created serious concerns over the role of smaller economic firms, of national businessmen and over the ultimate stability of the world economy. I believe that the most important forces behind the massive M&A wave are the same that underli
46、e the globalization process: falling transportation and communication costs, lower trade and investment barriers and enlarged markets that require enlarged operations capable of meeting customers demands. All these are beneficial, not detrimental, to consumers. As productivity grows, the worlds weal
47、th increases. Examples of benefits or costs of the current concentration wave are scanty. Yet it is hard to imagine that the merger of a few oil firms today could re-create the same threats to competition that were feared nearly a century ago in the U.S., when the Standard Oil Trust was broken up. T
48、he mergers of telecom companies, such as WorldCom, hardly seem to bring higher prices for consumers or a reduction in the pace of technical progress. On the contrary, the price of communications is coming down fast. In cars, too, concentration is increasingwitness Daimler and Chrysler, Renault and Nissanbut it does not appear that consumers are being hurt. Yet the fact remains that the merger movement must be watched. A few weeks ago, Alan Greenspan warned against the megamergers in the banking industry. Who is going to supervise, re
