1、专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 41及答案与解析 0 Spring is here: flowers are in bloom, birdsong fills the air, and the inboxes of employers are filled with desperate appeals for summer internships. College students and graduates are well aware of the impact a desirable placement could have on their careers. With ever fewe
2、r entry-level jobs in many industries, internships have become a critical first step into employment. In America, three-quarters of students on a four-year university course will have toiled as an intern at least once before graduation. Up to half of these workers will have given their services free
3、. Some may even have had to pay for the privilege of coming to work. Unpaid internships seem to be an example of mutual utility: inexperienced youngsters learn something about a chosen field while employers get to farm out some unskilled work. The arrangement is consensual, and companies often use i
4、nternships to test potential recruits. But the increasing popularity of these unpaid placements has caused some controversy lately. Nick Clegg, Britains deputy prime minister, recently launched a crusade to ban them, arguing that they favour the wealthy and privileged. Others complain that uncompens
5、ated internships violate labour standards, exploit new workers and surely depress wages for everyone else. In America, they tend to be illegal at for-profit companies, according to guidelines set out in 1947. But the Department of Labour barely enforces such rules, in part because interns are often
6、too afraid to file complaints. Organisations in America save $2 billion a year by not paying interns a minimum wage, writes Ross Perlin in “Intern Nation“, a new book about the “highly competitive race to the bottom of the corporate ladder“. Perhaps one-third of all internships at for-profit compani
7、es are unpaid, and interns now often fill roles once held by full-time employees. “Young people and their parents are subsidising labour for Fortune 500 companies,“ Mr Perlin comments. To avoid legal complications, companies often encourage students to work in exchange for academic credits from thei
8、r college. But such credits can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Some colleges abolish their fees or earn them by offering guidance and oversight. For many institutions, however, they are an easy source of revenue, more beneficial to themselves than their students. Calls for new labour la
9、ws that reflect the growing prominence of internships have got nowhere. Instead, interns will have to look out for each other, for example by rating their experiences on websites such as InternshipRatings and Internocracy. At any rate, students may be buoyed by a rare bit of good news from the Natio
10、nal Association of Colleges and Employers: employers intend to hire 19% more graduates this year than last. This should spare some from the misery of working without pay. 1 According to the first paragraph, college students and graduates find it most essential to （ A） get an entry-level job. （ B） pr
11、ovide free service. （ C） do an internship. （ D） pay for the privilege of getting a job. 2 Nick Clegg recently launched a crusade to ban （ A） internships before employment. （ B） uncompensated internships. （ C） consensual internships. （ D） internships for rich college students. 3 From Ross Perlins new
12、 book “Intern Nation“, we can learn that （ A） competition for internships is intense. （ B） interns are usually looked down upon. （ C） one third of interns work for for-profit companies. （ D） internships are least valued by for-profit companies. 4 What can we learn from the last paragraph? （ A） New l
13、abor laws will soon be enforced. （ B） Graduates will not have to work as an intern. （ C） More job vacancies will be available for graduates. （ D） Working without pay will soon be banned. 5 What is the best title for the passage? （ A） Reform of Internships and Employment （ B） Employment at For-profit
14、 Industries （ C） Desperate Graduates （ D） Ordeals for Interns 5 Job stress and worrying about job security can both take a toll on a womans body, although the two issues affect female health differently, according to research presented last month at the American Heart Associations Annual Meeting in
15、Chicago. But whether chronic work-related stress is eating at your nerves or ballooning your waistline, there are natural solutions with no toxic side effects that you can use to relax the pressure. In a recent study looking at work stress and women, researchers from Harvard and Brigham and Womens H
16、ospital studied more than 17,000 otherwise healthy women, generally in their 50s, enrolled in the Womens Health Study for 10 years. Women who reported work-related strain, such as having little or no authority over decisions or being unable to contribute creativity and skills to the job, were up to
17、88 percent more likely to experience a heart attack than women who reported no work strain. Overall, working women reporting high job strain faced a 40 percent higher rate of cardiovascular(心血管的 )disease, too. Worrying about losing a job did not appear to increase heart attack risk, but it was linke
18、d to obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol(胆固醇 ), all of which can eventually lead to cardiovascular disease. Previous research out of the University of Oregon has found that you could adopt stress-zapping properties of Integrative Body-Mind Training(IBMT)before the workweeks out. After
19、 practicing it for 20 minutes a day for five days in a row, participants reported reduced stress and increased energy. Prevention suggests this intro IBMT exercise: Sit quietly in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and think of your mind as a full cup; as thoughts come and go, keep returning to
20、 an image of the cup becoming empty. Repeat for five minutes. Regardless of your meditation style, know this: Compared to non-meditators, women who practice meditation enjoy up to a 66 percent drop in stress hormone levels, which can dramatically improve heart health. If youre in need of an emergenc
21、y quick freak-out fix, reach for a piece of gum.(Avoid artificial sweetened gum, though some are linked to health issues.)One study found that chewing gum boosts blood flow to the brain by up to 40 percent, helping you stay calm and in the present. This prevents you from pondering over some aggravat
22、ing office event. You dont need to be a monk to enjoy the benefits of meditation. In fact, more and more Western integrative medicine practitioners are using it as a nontoxic health improver. 6 According to the passage, which of the following can probably lead to womens work-related strain? （ A） The
23、y are not creative enough in their work. （ B） They could not afford to lose their job. （ C） They have no say in decision-making. （ D） They are underpaid compared with men. 7 The word “zapping“(Para. 4)is closest in meaning to （ A） relieving. （ B） specifying. （ C） preventing. （ D） aggravating. 8 Medi
24、tation benefits our heart by （ A） boosting blood flow in the brain. （ B） increasing stress hormone levels. （ C） slowing blood flow in the brain. （ D） reducing stress hormone levels. 9 The author most probably agrees that artificial sweetened gum （ A） is not effective in reducing stress. （ B） may cau
25、se some health problems. （ C） should be avoided although it is healthful. （ D） is harmful for ones health due to its sugar containing. 10 Whats the function of the last four paragraphs in the passage? （ A） To illustrate a problem with examples. （ B） To provide tips for solving a problem. （ C） To ind
26、icate the results of a problem. （ D） To reveal the causes of a problem. 10 Lisa began walking up the steep hill leading from the group of shacks where she lived. She wore a small, faded green hat with a rim big enough to shade her eyes from the sun. Looking down, she saw the powdery soil scatter wit
27、h each of her steps. Every time she stopped, the dust would settle in a thin mist over her dark, bare feet. She reached the top of the hill and stopped to rest on a big rock by the side of the path. Sitting there, she saw her mother come out and stand on the small porch. She was a big woman not like
28、 Lisa, who was small and thin. Lisa took after her father who had also been small, or so her mother said. Lisa didnt remember her father well enough to recall what he looked like. He left after Lisas fifth sister was born. Lisa looked down again and saw her mother turn in her direction, her hands re
29、sting on her hips. “What you doin just sittin there?“ Lisa could imagine her saying. “Girl, dont you know Im waitin for things from the store?“ “Come on now, stupid. Get up,“ she told herself. “Shes really gonna be mad if you dont get going quick! “ She walked on hurriedly, over the hill. The dirt p
30、ath that she had been walking on there turned into a proper pavement with a sidewalk running along each side. Every time Lisa walked through town she never knew whether she should walk in the road or on the sidewalk. She didnt want to be noticed. When walking down the clean, tree-shaded street she w
31、ould always realize she had no shoes on and that she wore a faded dress and hat. Now she stopped and tried brushing some of the dust from her clothes. Seeing that this had no effect on the dull and dirty color of the dress, she gave a sigh and again started to walk. She walked another ten minutes be
32、fore she reached the store. Lisa stepped inside and felt the air conditioning all around her. “Wonder if theyd mind me spending the night here?“ she thought, and then laughed. “Let me see bread, sausage, lettuce. I guess thats all.“ As she reached the cashier, she suddenly wondered, “Oh, no! Do I ha
33、ve enough money?“ “Seventy-two cents.“ She sighed and handed the man three quarters. “Seventy-two out of seventy-five. Here you go three cents.“ As she turned to leave the store, a bright poster drew her attention. It read: “Has the heat got you down? Try an ice-cream bar. Only cents.“ Lisa walked o
34、ver to the display and stared at the frozen chocolate bars. Her hand held only three cents. She looked up at the sign again, then down at the freezer and pulled one out, just as another customer walked around the corner. Lisa looked up and saw him watching her. She hurried down the aisle, glancing b
35、ack to see if he was following. The man called out: “Wait! Hey, wait! You didnt pay for that! “ He turned to the cashier. “Hey, that girl she didnt pay.“ “Huh? Ah they come in here and do that all the time. Never been taught any better. Oh, let her go.“ The cashier said. Lisa ran fast down the black
36、 pavement. Her feet burned as they slapped the hard road. She held on tightly to the groceries and to her ice-cream and kept running. She stopped when she reached that rock and sat on it. The groceries slid through her arm onto the ground, but she continued to hold the ice-cream. With her free hand
37、she slowly removed the wrapper. The ice-cream bar, soft from the heat, fell off the stick and onto the ground. Lisa sat very still and stared at the dry ground. From below a voice called to her. “Lisa? Come over here! Ive been waiting for ya. Come on! Girl! “ But Lisa didnt move. 11 Lisas home can b
38、est be described as （ A） dangerous. （ B） crude. （ C） beautiful. （ D） dirty. 12 What did Lisa remember about her father? （ A） She could only recall that he was small and thin. （ B） She had a vague memory about her father. （ C） She remembered that he had been ill for long. （ D） She forgot about her fa
39、ther completely. 13 Lisa had to “get going quick“(Para. 3)because （ A） her mother yelled at her when she was resting. （ B） her mother would beat her if she didnt go to the store. （ C） she had to come back home before dusk. （ D） she had to buy some groceries for her mother. 14 Lisa stole the ice-crea
40、m bar because （ A） she didnt want to spend the three cents. （ B） there wasnt anybody around. （ C） it cost more than she could afford. （ D） the cashier was very tolerant. 15 What did Lisa do with the ice-cream bar? （ A） She shared it with her sisters. （ B） She dumped it on the ground. （ C） She saw it
41、 melt on the ground. （ D） She ate it as soon as it was unmelted. 16 At the end of the story, the voice was （ A） Lisas mothers. （ B） the cashiers. （ C） from Lisas heart. （ D） merely Lisas illusion. 16 Not far off the Pacific coast in the Costa Rican jungle, a community has taken to the trees to craft
42、 a new, sustainable life off the grid and away from urbanity(文雅 ). Finca Bellavista is a community of long-term residents and travel guests housed in a network of tree houses built right into the rain forest. Perched above the forest floor, these tree houses are connected by zip lines and sky bridge
43、s, accessible by stairs and ladders from the ground level. Its the Swiss Family Robinson come alive, created by two dreamers who had enough of on-grid living in the United States. Founders Matthew and Erica Hogan created Finca Bellavista not as their own private escape, but as an evolving community
44、that is continuing to attract traveling guests and established residents alike. Plots are available for purchase in the community where new residents can craft their own tree houses and join the growing number of residents. Visitors can choose from a number of existing rentals for short or long-term
45、 stays, perfect for those who need a temporary getaway from modernized life. Thats not to say that modern touches arent available at Finca Bellavista. Limited electricity, hot showers and even WiFi are available, primarily at the Finca Bellavista community center. While many of the raised structures
46、 are connected by zip lines only, the community is continuing to develop a sky bridge that currently connects a smaller cluster of tree houses. As new residents get involved, more of these developments are produced by the community. The nature around Finca Bellavista is the central focus of communit
47、y life. Two rivers run along the community property with crystal clear water and large, flowing waterfalls that often encourage visitors to dive in. The ocean is a hike from the community, and a small rural town is just a mile-and-a-half away. But the most valued experience of life at Finca Bellavis
48、ta is the environment directly within the forest itself. Wild lizards, birds and monkeys share the plot with its human inhabitants, providing for a very different experience than your standard house pet. 17 Which of the following is NOT true about Finca Bellavista? （ A） It was created by two dreamer
49、s. （ B） Its residents are living an on-grid life. （ C） It is featured by a network of tree houses. （ D） It is a sustainable community. 18 The “plots“ available for purchase in Finca Bellavista are （ A） new tree houses. （ B） building materials. （ C） small pieces of land. （ D） construction schemes. 19 What needs developing in Finca Bellavista? （ A） Network connection. （ B） Electricity supply. （ C） Sky bridges. （ D） Zip lines. 20 Which of the following words best describes the life in Finca Bellavista community? （ A） Natural. （ B） Barbaric. （
