1、专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 40及答案与解析 0 There must be few questions on which responsible opinion is so utterly divided as on that of how much sleep we ought to have. There are some who think we can leave the body to regulate these matters for itself. “The answer is easy,“ says Dr. A. Burton. “With the right amoun
2、t of sleep you should wake up fresh and alert five minutes before the alarm rings.“ If he is right many people must be undersleeping, including myself. But we must remember that some people have a greater inertia than others. This is not meant rudely. They switch on slowly, and they are reluctant to
3、 switch off. They are alert at bedtime and sleepy when it is time to get up, and this may have nothing to do with how fatigued their bodies are, or how much sleep they must take to lose their fatigue. Other people feel sure that the present trend is towards too little sleep. To quote one medical opi
4、nion, “Thousands of people drift through life suffering from the effects of too little sleep; the reason is not that they cant sleep.“ Like advancing colonists, we do seem to be grasping ever more of the land of sleep for our waking needs, pushing the boundary back and reaching, apparently, for a po
5、int in our evolution where we will sleep no more. This in itself, of course, need not be a bad thing. What could be disastrous, however, is that we should press too quickly towards this goal, sacrificing sleep only to gain more time in which to jeopardize our civilization by actions and decisions ma
6、de weak by fatigue. Then, to complete the picture, there are those who believe that most people are persuaded to sleep too much. Dr H. Roberts, writing in Every Man in Health, asserts: “It may safely be stated that, just as the majority eat too much, so the majority sleep too much.“ One can see the
7、point of this also. It would be a pity to retard our development by holding back those people who are gifted enough to work and play well with less than the average amount of sleep, if indeed it does them no harm. If one of the trends of evolution is that more of the life span is to be spent in gain
8、ful waking activity, then surely these people are in the van of this advance. 1 The author seems to indicate that （ A） there are many controversial issues like the right amount of sleep. （ B） among many issues the right amount of sleep is the least controversial. （ C） people are now moving towards s
9、olving many controversial issues. （ D） the right amount of sleep is a topic of much controversy among doctors. 2 The author disagrees with Dr. Burton because （ A） few people can wake up feeling fresh and alert. （ B） some people still feel tired with enough sleep. （ C） some people still feel sleepy w
10、ith enough sleep. （ D） some people go to bed very late at night. 3 In the last paragraph the author points out that （ A） sleeping less is good for human development. （ B） people ought to be persuaded to sleep less than before. （ C） it is incorrect to say that people sleep too little. （ D） those who
11、can sleep less should be encouraged. 4 We learn from the passage that the author （ A） comments on three different opinions. （ B） favours one of the three opinions. （ C） explains an opinion of his own. （ D） revises someone elses opinion. 4 In its first month orbiting Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft ha
12、s detected a new radiation belt in an unexpected place, its invisible swarm of trapped high-energy particles circling the planet inside the inner edge of Saturns signature disk of luminous rings. Scientists who reported the discovery said yesterday that they were surprised to find a relatively small
13、 radiation belt completely isolated from a planets main radiation belts, which lie at much greater distances. They had not expected that such a concentration of energetic particles could be sustained inside the famous Saturnian rings. The phenomenon of a single isolated belt, the scientists said, ha
14、s never been observed at any other planet in the solar system. By contrast, the Van Allen belts of Earth consist of two related regions of intense radiation trapped by the planets magnetic field. In a NASA conference call with reporters, Dr. Donald G. Mitchell, a Cassini mission scientist from Johns
15、 Hopkins University, said the newly discovered radiation belt was detected as the spacecraft made its closest approach to Saturn immediately after rocketing into its orbit on July 1. No previous spacecraft visiting Saturn had been in the proper position to make such a discovery. Dr. Mitchell said it
16、 was the spacecrafts imaging magnetometer that had observed the radiation belt, which extended around Saturn from about 15,000 miles above the planets cloud tops to the inner edge of the innermost of its spectacular rings. The belt is much smaller, and the energies of its particles are less intense,
17、 than Saturns main radiation belts. With its discovery, Dr. Mitchell said, “we have seen something that we did not expect: that radiation belt particles can hop over obstructions like Saturns rings.“ Other Cassini mission scientists reported puzzling patterns of lightning and thunderstorms on Saturn
18、 and observations of a striking glow emanating day and night from the planets largest moon, Titan. 5 What does the passage mainly discuss? （ A） The discovery of a new radiation belt has become a breakthrough in astronomical researches. （ B） After a recent discovery of a radiation belt, a relatively
19、small radiation belt has been perceived. （ C） A belt around Saturn unlike any ever seen before has been detected. （ D） Some mystifying patterns have been observed at Saturn. 6 What is special about the belt discovered latest? （ A） It is an insular belt which unexpectedly pierces through Saturnian ri
20、ngs. （ B） It is much smaller and less intense than the formerly-discovered belts. （ C） It is different from the Van Allen belts of Earth. （ D） It is the outermost belt of Saturn. 7 Why couldnt the radiation belt be found earlier? （ A） Because visual angles are different. （ B） Because spacecrafts did
21、nt approach Saturn close enough in the past. （ C） Because viewing spot matters. （ D） Because the spacecraft had no imaging magnetometer advanced enough in the past. 8 In the last paragraph, “emanating“could be replaced by these words EXCEPT （ A） spurting. （ B） emitting. （ C） effusing. （ D） diffusing
22、. 9 It can be inferred from the passage that （ A） The newly-discovered belt is in fact the outmost layer of Saturn. （ B） We cant see the newly-discovered belt without the help of imaging magnetometer. （ C） There can hardly be any belts similar as the newly discovered one at any other planet in the s
23、olar system （ D） The main radiation belts arent connected with Saturnian rings at all. 9 Scientists have determined that Archaeopteryx, the earliest known bird, was definitely birdbrained, meaning no disrespect. Indeed, they consider the fossils brain size decisive evidence that Archaeopteryx had wh
24、at it took to fly. The new research suggests, moreover, mat birds probably started flying millions of years earlier than scientists previously thought. It is just mat fossils of those first flying birds predecessors of Archaeopteryx have never been found. The researchers, at the Natural History Muse
25、um in London, based their findings on the first X-ray examination and reconstruction of the braincase and inner ear of a 147-million-year-old Archaeopteryx specimen. They found that in size, shape and volume, its brain was similar to that of the modern eagle or sparrow. Measurements of the semicircu
26、lar canals, the mechanism for balance inside the ear, showed that Archaeopteryx had the “neurological and structural adaptations necessary for flight,“ the scientists concluded. Their research, involving an X-ray computed tomography scan, or C.T., of the fossils braincase and inner ear, is described
27、 today in the journal Nature. Previous studies of the feathered wing and tail of Archaeopteryx and its birdlike anatomy, including a pronounced wishbone, supported the prevailing view of experts that it was capable of some degree of powered flight. Archaeopteryx is considered a prime transitional sp
28、ecies in the evolution of some reptiles, probably dinosaurs, into todays birds. But the research team, led by Dr. Angela Milner, a paleontologist at the British museum, wrote that until their investigation of Archaeopteryx, “little was understood about the extent to which its brain and special sense
29、s were adapted for flight.“ Dr. Milner said the new study not only established that Archaeopteryx was capable of “controlling the complex business of flying,“ but also showed “how much there is still to discover about when and how bird flight began.“ In a statement issued by the museum, Dr. Milner s
30、aid, “If flight was this advanced by the time Archaeopteryx was around, then were birds actually flying millions of years earlier than wed previously thought?“ 10 What is the original meaning of “birdbrained“ and what does it mean here in the first paragraph? （ A） Naive; intelligent. （ B） Simple-min
31、ded; volant. （ C） Narrow-minded; navigational. （ D） Stupid; adapted for flight. 11 The reason why there still needs improvement in the past view of Archaeopteryx is that （ A） fossils of those earliest birds havent been discovered yet. （ B） the wishbone they studied is just so-called wishbone. （ C） t
32、here was no study of the role of its brain and some faculties in flight. （ D） Archaeopteryx is regarded as the earliest known bird. 12 It can be inferred from the passage that if birds started flying millions of years earlier than scientists previously thought （ A） Archaeopteryx can perform very int
33、ricate flying. （ B） Archaeopteryx is unlikely to be a prime transitional species between reptiles and birds. （ C） fossils of those first flying birds are bound to be excavated soon. （ D） a further investigation should be implemented in Archaeopteryxs anatomy. 13 In the sixth paragraph, here “anatomy
34、“ means （ A） body. （ B） fossil. （ C） analysis. （ D） skeleton. 14 The authors attitude towards the new research is （ A） supporting. （ B） neutral. （ C） negative. （ D） critical. 14 Womens minds work differently from mens. At least, that is what most men are convinced of. Psychologists view the subject
35、either as a matter of frustration or a joke. Now the biologists have moved into this minefield, and some of them have found that there are real differences between the brains of men and women. But being different, they point out hurriedly, is not the same as being better or worse. There is, however,
36、 a definite structural variation between the male and female brain. The difference is in a part of the brain that is used in the most complex intellectual processes the link between the two halves of the brain. The two halves are linked by a trunkline of between 200 and 300 million nerves, the corpu
37、s callosum. Scientists have found quite recently that the corpus callosum in women is always larger and probably richer in nerve fibres than it is in men. This is the first time that a structural difference has been found between the brains of women and men and it must have some significance. The qu
38、estion is “What?“, and if this difference exists, are there others? Research shows that present-day women think differently and behave differently from men. Are some of these differences biological and inborn, a result of evolution? We tend to think that it is the influence of society that produces
39、these differences. But could we be wrong? Research showed that these two halves of the brain had different functions, and that the corpus callosum enabled them to work together. For most people, the left half is used for word handling, analytical and logical activities; the right half works on pictu
40、res, patterns and forms. We need both halves working together. And the better the connections, the more harmoniously the two halves work. And, according to research findings, women have the better connections. But it isnt all that easy to explain the actual differences between skills of men and wome
41、n on this basis. In schools throughout the world girls tend to be better than boys at “language subjects“ and boys better at maths and physics. If these differences correspond with the differences in the hemispheric trunkline, there is an unalterable distinction between the sexes. We shant know for
42、a while, partly because we dont know of any precise relationship between abilities in school subjects and the functioning of the two halves of the brain, and we cannot understand how the two halves interact via the corpus callosum. But this striking difference must have some effect and, because the
43、difference is in the parts of the brain involved in intellect, we should be looking for differences in intellectual processing. 15 Which of the following statements is CORRECT? （ A） Biologists are conducting research where psychologists have given up. （ B） Brain differences point to superiority of o
44、ne sex over the other. （ C） Results of scientific research fail to support popular belief. （ D） The structural differences in the brain between the sexes has long been known. 16 According to the passage it is commonly believed that brain differences are caused by _factors. （ A） biological （ B） psych
45、ological （ C） physical （ D） social 17 “These differences“ in paragraph 5 refer to those in （ A） skills of men and women. （ B） school subjects. （ C） the brain structure of men and women. （ D） activities carried out by the brain. 18 At the end of the passage the author proposes more work on （ A） the b
46、rain structure as a whole. （ B） the functioning of part of the brain. （ C） the distinction between the sexes. （ D） the effects of the corpus callosum. 19 What is the main purpose of the passage? （ A） To outline the research findings on the brain structure. （ B） To explain the link between sex and br
47、ain structure. （ C） To discuss the various factors that cause brain differences. （ D） To suggest new areas in brain research. 专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 40答案与解析 【知识模块】 阅读 1 【正确答案】 D 【试题解析】 本题考查读者对文章首句的理解。这句话的意思是：适当的睡眠时间究竟为多少，人们对此各持己见；而其他的话题很少会引起如此大的分歧。在四个选项中，只有 D与原文意思相符 。注意选 A(存在许多像适当的睡眠是多少这样的充满争议的问题 )，与原文含义并不相
48、同。 【知识模块】 阅读 2 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 本题的答案在第 1段最后两句。 Burton博士认为人的身体会自我调节。但作者用 if引导的从句从侧面否定了博士的观点。作者说如果博士的观点是正确的话，那么许多人都属于睡眠不足。但实际上有些人睡眠的惯性比较大，他们早上起来还是觉得睡意朦胧，这种现象与身体是否疲倦没有关系。 C是正确地表达了作者的观点。 【知识模块】 阅读 3 【正确答案】 D 【 试题解析】 本题答案在本文最后一段最后两句，大意是：如果有些人在睡眠很少的情况下也能很好地工作和娱乐，并且这对他们的身体无害的话，就不应该阻止他们这样做，他们正是人类进步的先锋。故选 D。
49、 【知识模块】 阅读 4 【正确答案】 A 【试题解析】 本文对三种关于睡眠的观点作了介绍，并分别舴了评述，因此应选A。 【知识模块】 阅读 【知识模块】 阅读 5 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 纵观全文，可以发现文章围绕一个事件，即： “Cassini太空船在一个意外的地点探测到一个新 的辐射带 ”而 “科学家说，在太阳系其他行星上从未观察到单一独立辐射带的现象。 ”这说明这种辐射带是首次发现的。因此 C最能反映本文主题。 【知识模块】 阅读 6 【正确答案】 B 【试题解析】 原文第 5段说： “发光带要小一些，粒子能量也不如土星主要发光带强。 ”故正确答案为 B。 A称该辐射带是孤立的，它出人意料地穿透了土星环；原文说到，辐射带的颗粒可以穿透土星环，二者并不一致，故不选 A。 C本身没错，但说它与地球上的范 艾伦辐带不同，并未揭示该辐射带的特点，与题意不符。 D错误，该辐射带在土星环内侧，远比 土星的主要辐射带低。 【知识模块】 阅读 7 【正确答案】 C 【试题解析】 第 4段中 “先前探测土星的飞船没有到达适当的位置而没有作出如此发现。 ”说明先前飞船都没有如此的发现是由于 position不适当。 C中的 spot正是此义。注意理解 viewing spot matters是 “观察
