1、专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 141及答案与解析 一、 SECTION A In this section there are several passages followed by ten multiple-choice questions. For each question, there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that you think is the best answer. 0 (1)The idea of creating a system that allows the u
2、nderprivileged the opportunity to break the cycle and achieve something is praiseworthy. So it never ceases to amaze me how something so noble can be so blatantly abused and the offenders are able to get away with it. (2)I live in a countrythe only country, I might addthat was colonised through an a
3、ct of diplomacy and not force. The citizens of the country became members of the British Empire by scratching ink on the paper of a poorly translated treaty that disadvantaged them from the beginning. All because of some greedy Brits wanted to trade land for glass beads, tobacco and blankets.(In som
4、e ways, this treaty protected the natives from some pretty nasty scams, but only so that the government could scam the tribes themselves). The third article of this treaty allowed the “natives“(although their claim to be native of the land in question is dubious in itselfthey were merely there befor
5、e the British)all the rights and benefits of a subject under the rule of Her Majesty Queen Victoria. The history lesson is nearly overbear with me, it is relevant. (3)The rights and benefits of becoming a member of the British Empire included the banning of the native language to be taught in school
6、s and used to communicate in public. The savages were to be tamed. For a country so progressive that gave women the vote 10 years before the rest of the world(if only to call a politicians bluff), this was a barbaric act. But these acts of naturalisation, and reparation have since been carried out b
7、y the government for the last 50-75 years, allowing the natives extra rights and benefits as to soothe the indignity done to their ancestors. Now a considerable number of the “disenfranchised“ live on a social welfare benefit from the government, and can afford cable TV, all the latest mod-cons and
8、a fast track into the good life of higher education(all subsidised, of course)in the name, not of affirmative action although it isbut of racial appeasement. Now I could talk about some of the blind privileges that come with this, but I will save that essay for another day. The topic I wish to addre
9、ss today are those who are born with silver spoons in their mouths that claim these benefits without batting an eyelid. (4)In order to claim a number of these benefits, one need only 1/16th of native blood in ones family to be considered “native“. So you have blond-haired blue-eyed “natives“ that ha
10、ve no clue of their whakapapa, let alone can speak the language. These young opportunists come from upper class families. They went to the best private schools, and for birthdays, mummy and daddy dearest sent them around the world to see history and what real culture is. These bright young things ha
11、ve trust funds amounting to tens of thousands that they will get when they turn 21. Theyre on a first name basis with all the hot shot company directors and politicians, and they still have the audacity to claimand receivethe scholarships and benefits their less fortunate counterparts deserve. (5)Th
12、is is where the “blind eye“ of privilege amazes me. As Betacandys first post so beautifully sets outprivilege is something given or assumed so often that a set of actions and expectations are built up and become a normal attitude to associate with specific practices, races and gender. The selection
13、process assures us that equal opportunities are afforded to each applicant(that assertion is worth another whole rant in itself). How can the close examination of each applicanttheir achievements and backgroundallow such a gross abuse of privilege to take place? This is merely one country where it h
14、appens, and I could go on for ever on this subject. (6)The privileged are simply thatprivileged. What gives them the right to take for themselves the opportunities offered to those who cannot afford to pay for the experience in the first place? Somebody, please, answer me this. 1 There was a “poorly
15、 translated“ treaty because _. （ A） the Brits didnt take it seriously （ B） the Brits intended it as a scam （ C） the natives were mostly unable to read or write （ D） the natives were guaranteed what they wanted 2 What does the author think about the blond-haired blue-eyed “natives“? （ A） They are pro
16、ud of being natives. （ B） They are ashamed of their identity. （ C） Their family origin is hard to trace back. （ D） They dont know about their family origin. 3 According to the fifth paragraph, the author thinks that the “selection process“_. （ A） offers equal opportunity to each applicant （ B） close
17、ly examines each applicant （ C） allows a gross abuse of privileges （ D） neglects achievements and background 3 (1)Yellowstone National Park is in the western state of Wyoming. It is one of the most unusual places in the world. Extremely hot water shoots out of the ground in several hundred places. S
18、mall lakes contain water that is so hot it is dangerous to come too close. (2)Visitors can watch bubbles coming up through boiling hot mud. They can see rocks that were once liquid and have cooled into strange shapes. (3)Yellowstone is built on an ancient volcano. A lake of hot liquid rock is about
19、six kilometers under the park. This lake is about sixty-five kilometers wide. Experts say this lake is under huge amounts of pressure. The pressure and heat cause hot water to shoot out of the ground and mud to boil at Yellowstone. (4)Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the worl
20、d. About three million people visit it each year. Its great natural beauty has made it one of the most popular national parks. (5)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 Yellows
21、tone. (6)Old Faithful is not the biggest or the most beautiful geyser. But it is 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
22、 water an average of forty meters into the air. This eruption lasts between two and five minutes. Old Faithful releases up to about thirty thousand liters of water into the air each time. (7)The hot spot deep under the ground produces geysers like Old Faithful. Old Faithful is evidence of the volcan
23、ic activity at Yellowstone. But will the Yellowstone volcano erupt again? Most experts 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. (8)Experts say at least thirty smaller volcanic eruptions h
24、ave taken place at Yellowstone. Some of these were perhaps as big as the nineteen ninety-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. (9)Volcano experts say it
25、 is extremely difficult to tell when Yellowstone might become an active volcano again. However, 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
26、earthquakes took place near the volcano before that time. On the morning that it exploded, Mount Saint Helens experienced an earthquake of five point one on the Richter scale. (10)Yellowstone National Park experiences several thousand earthquakes each year. Most are very small. They cannot be felt.
27、They can only be measured by scientific instruments. However, in August of nineteen fifty-nine, an earthquake at Yellowstone measured seven point five on the Richter scale. Twenty-eight people were killed. (11)It was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded in the United States. But Yellowston
28、es sleeping giant volcano did not erupt. (12)In two thousand one, the United States Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park and the University of Utah signed an agreement. (13)That agreement established the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Under the agreement, the park, the Geological Survey an
29、d the university are responsible for improving efforts to study the volcanic system of Yellowstone. (14)The observatory uses information from many different instruments on the ground and from satellites to study the volcano. The information will help officials warn the public once if Yellowstones hu
30、ge volcano shows any sign of eruption. (15)Experts at the observatory say Yellowstone 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. 4 The
31、 Old Faithful shows that the volcanic activity at Yellowstone is _. （ A） constant （ B） perilous （ C） inactive （ D） unstable 5 What is true about the volcanic eruption in Yellowstone? （ A） Experts predict that volcanic eruption is unlikely to happen recently. （ B） There are at least 30 small volcanic
32、 eruptions every year. （ C） The volcanic eruptions can be compared to that at Mount Pinatubo. （ D） There have been three extremely powerful volcanic eruptions so far. 6 What do the experts find out about the volcano at Yellowstone? （ A） Its eruption is closely related to the earthquakes nearby. （ B）
33、 The stronger an earthquake nearby is, the more possibly it erupts. （ C） Earthquakes nearby are useless in regard to the prediction of its eruption. （ D） Its eruption has nothing to do with the earthquakes nearby. 7 Which of the following question has been illustrated in the passage? （ A） Why is the
34、 Old Faithful the most popular geyser? （ B） How is the formation of geysers related to volcanoes? （ C） What makes Yellowstone a national treasure? （ D） What causes Mount Saint Helens to erupt in 1980? 7 (1)When Scrooge awoke it was so dark, that, looking out of bed, he could scarcely distinguish the
35、 transparent window from the opaque walls of his chamber. He was endeavouring to pierce the darkness with his ferret eyes, when the chimes of a neighbouring church struck the four quarters. So he listened for the hour. (2)To his great astonishment, the heavy bell went on from six to seven, and from
36、seven to eight, and regularly up to twelve; then stopped. Twelve! It was past two when he went to bed. The clock was wrong. An icicle must have got into the works. Twelve! (3)He touched the spring of his repeater, to correct this most preposterous clock. Its rapid little pulse beat twelve, and stopp
37、ed. “Why, it isnt possible,“ said Scrooge, “that I can have slept through a whole day and far into another night. It isnt possible that anything has happened to the sun, and this is twelve at noon! “ (4)The idea being an alarming one, he scrambled out of bed, and groped his way to the window. He was
38、 obliged to rub the frost off with the sleeve of his dressing-gown before he could see anything; and could see very little then. All he could make out was, that it was still very foggy and extremely cold, and that there was no noise of people running to and fro, and making a great stir, as there unq
39、uestionably would have been if night had beaten off bright day, and taken possession of the world. This was a great relief, because “Three days after sight of this First of Exchange pay to Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge or his order,“ and so forth, would have become a mere United States security if there were
40、 no days to count by. (5)Scrooge went to bed again, and thought, and thought, and thought it over and over, and could make nothing of it. The more he thought, the more perplexed he was; and, the more he endeavoured not to think, the more he thought. (6)Marleys Ghost bothered him exceedingly. Every t
41、ime he resolved within himself, after mature enquiry, that it was all a dream, his mind flew back again, like a strong spring released, to its first position, and presented the same problem to be worked all through, “Was it a dream or not?“ (7)Scrooge lay in this state until the chime had gone three
42、-quarters more, when he remembered, on a sudden, that the Ghost had warned him of a visitation when the bell tolled one. He resolved to lie awake until the hour was passed; and, considering that he could no more go to sleep than go to heaven, this was, perhaps, the wisest resolution in his power. (8
43、)The quarter was so long, that he was more than once convinced he must have sunk into a doze unconsciously, and missed the clock. At length it broke upon his listening ear. (9)“Ding, dong! “ (10)“A quarter past,“ said Scrooge, counting. (11)“Ding, dong! “ (12)“Half past,“ said Scrooge. (13)“Ding, do
44、ng! “ (14)“A quarter to it,“ said Scrooge. (15)“Ding, dong! “ (16)“The hour itself,“ said Scrooge triumphantly, “and nothing else! “ (17)He spoke before the hour bell sounded, which it now did with a deep, dull, hollow, melancholy ONE. Light flashed up in the room upon the instant, and the curtains
45、of his bed were drawn. (18)The curtains of his bed were drawn aside, I tell you, by a hand. Not the curtains at his feet, nor the curtains at his back, but those to which his face was addressed. The curtains of his bed were drawn aside; and Scrooge, starting up into a half-recumbent attitude, found
46、himself face to face with the unearthly visitor who drew them: as close to it as I am now to you, and I am standing in the spirit at your elbow. 8 It was most alarming to Scrooge that _. （ A） he had slept for a whole day （ B） there was an icicle in the clock （ C） he might never see the sun again （ D
47、） it was noon but it was dark outside 9 Marleys Ghost kept Scrooge thinking that _. （ A） what he saw was nothing but a dream （ B） all that happened was more than a dream （ C） spring would come soon （ D） spring would never come 10 At a quarter to one, Scrooge made a decision to _. （ A） lie awake （ B）
48、 go to sleep （ C） go to heaven （ D） regain his power 二、 SECTION B In this section there are five short answer questions based on the passages in Section A. Answer the questions with No more than TEN words in the space provided. 10 PASSAGE ONE 11 What issue is the author most concerned about in this passage? 12 Which paragraph appears least concerned with the theme of the passage? 13 PASSAGE TWO 13 What do the experts at the Observatory most concern? 13 PASSAGE THREE 14 What time was it when Scrooge woke up? 15 Finding it was quiet outside, what did Scrooge feel? 专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 141答案与解析
