1、专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 50及答案与解析 0 Because of computers and cable television, the members of the audience will soon be more than watchers. They will be able to do more than choose their programs. They will also be able to give feedback on them. Two-way TV is not a dream. The hardware for such a two-way syste
2、m already exists. One experimental group of cable-television watchers is called Qube in Columbus, Ohio. Qube has thirty channels. Members pay for what they watch. The choice of programs includes everything from sports to childrens shows, from TV games to anthropology. Most importantly, however, the
3、viewers can talk back. A book-sized box of buttons makes it possible. For example, after a program, the announcer might ask for the opinion of the audience. The audience can respond by pushing buttons. An electronic signal goes to a bank of computers at the Qube station. Almost instantly, the data a
4、re analyzed, and the viewers see the results on their TV sets. A nationwide Qube system would have many uses. Government leaders could use it to get feedback from the people. It could even be used for voting. Furthermore, teachers in television classrooms could communicate with their unseen students
5、. A television communication system would have a great influence on a country. For example, after a talk about a new product, an announcer could ask the audience for opinions. Would they buy the product? During a talk by a government leader, the announcer could ask the audience to talk back. The lea
6、der would know whether the audience believed him or not. The communication-computer system is possible because of glass. The same material that is used in windows can carry information. Glass strings as fine as hair are being used in telephone wires. One glass string, which now carries only telephon
7、e signals, could connect a house to a central computer bank. Many different kinds of information could also travel on it. All of the telephone messages, a number of TV shows, and computer services could flow through the glass at the same time. The home TV screen could act as a computer cathode ray t
8、ube. It could give any information that had been stored in it. For example, instead of an advertisement in the newspaper, a supermarket could put an ad on the computer. The person at home could ask the system for the ad, read it, and other groceries all at one time. The television set could connect
9、a person to all other parts of the world. 1 Thanks to computers and cable TV, （ A） there will be more audience than watchers. （ B） the audience will have more programs to choose. （ C） the viewers can do more than watching programs. （ D） the watchers will become listeners as well. 2 Which of the foll
10、owing can be done by Qube? （ A） Giving oral feedback. （ B） Analyzing feedback on a computer. （ C） Playing games on TV. （ D） Responding by typing on a computer. 3 The nationwide Qube system would emphasize （ A） the influence of watchers. （ B） how to serve the watchers better. （ C） the development of
11、TV programs. （ D） serving the public instead of individuals. 4 The present use of glass string is （ A） economical. （ B） inefficient. （ C） unprofitable. （ D） scientific. 4 The level of discrimination has varied enormously in the history of human societies, from genocide where ethnics are killed off t
12、hrough expulsion and, when these extreme forms of discrimination are not possible, through segregation in a ghetto and a narrow range of jobs. One type of ethnic minority is lower class. Here disproportionate numbers of a population are isolated in slum housing tracts and pushed into the lowest-payi
13、ng occupations such that they are in the poverty classes of a society. African-Americans have suffered this fate in the United States. Another type of ethnic minority created by discrimination is the middleman minority where members are segregated but, at the same time, allowed to occupy a narrow ra
14、nge of entrepreneurial and professional economic positions which give them some affluence. For example, Jews in feudal and early modern Europe often occupied high positions in banking and finance; and many Asian immigrants in America today have moved into small business niches. What determines which
15、 type of a minority an ethnic population will become? One important condition is the resources money, entrepreneurial know-how, educational credentials that a population can mobilize. When ethnics have some resources, they can more readily move into intermediary minority positions and live a more mi
16、ddle-class life style. But resources are not the only factor; another is the absolute size of an ethnic population. A small minority with resources can more easily find intermediary niches than a large one, for the simple reason that there are not enough small-business positions for a large populati
17、on. A large ethnic population will, therefore, be pushed to lower niches especially if their resources are limited and, as a result, their ability to fight off discrimination is low. African-Americans have suffered this fate: They are too large a group to fill middlemen minority positions, and they
18、have insufficient resources to overcome discrimination. Indeed, what often happens is that members of a large minority who can mobilize resources say, educational credentials move into middle-class positions, leaving behind their fellow ethnics. For example, many blacks in America have made dramatic
19、 strides in moving to the middle-classes in the Post-Civil Rights era, but the fate of the vast majority of blacks in the lower classes has remained the same, or worsened over the last twenty-five years. Black America itself is thus divided by large class differences. 5 Which of the following is the
20、 correct description of “genocide“? （ A） It is a place where ethnics are discriminated. （ B） It is an extreme form of ethnic discrimination. （ C） It is manifested by means of segregation. （ D） It is the earliest discrimination in history. 6 How were the Jews in feudal and early modern Europe discrim
21、inated? （ A） They were isolated in living in slum housing tracts. （ B） Only the lowest-paying occupations were available to them. （ C） Only very few high-paying professions were open to them. （ D） They suffered the same fate as the African-Americans. 7 The Asian-Americans are classified as the middl
22、eman minority mainly because （ A） their population is smaller than that of the African Americans. （ B） they are not discriminated as severely as the African Americans. （ C） they cannot go beyond small business. （ D） they are a small minority with resources. 8 What is most likely to happen to the lar
23、ge ethnic minority, according to the last paragraph? （ A） All its members have to stay in the lower class. （ B） It is hard for its members to enter the middleman class. （ C） There is obvious class division in the group itself. （ D） There is no way for them to overcome discrimination. 9 Which of the
24、following factor determines ones chance to move into the middle class? （ A） The population of the group one is in. （ B） Ones ability to make use of resources. （ C） Ones educational background. （ D） The severity of discrimination. 9 If youd like to add a slice of your heritage to your wedding ceremon
25、y, youre not alone. Millions of couples are embracing their ancestry and choosing to incorporate some of the best traditions from around the world in their ceremonies here at home. Here are some of the most interesting wedding traditions you might find if you attended a wedding in a Scandinavian cou
26、ntry. If you or your family are from one of these countries, why not try adding some phrases from your ancestors native tongue in your wedding vows for a truly memorable touch? Origin of the original Britons, the Vikings, and Hamlet, Scandinavia is a cluster of countries with a unique set of wedding
27、 customs. In Denmark, an arch of pine limbs called a Gate of Honor is built in front of the brides home. At some point in the reception, the groom will leave the room and all the male guests will get to kiss the bride. When he returns, she will depart and the female guests will kiss the groom. In Vi
28、king times, the groom would pay a price for the bride, and the brides family would provide a dowry. These combined funds were then given to the couple at the end of the marriage ceremony in order to provide a starting point for the newlyweds. Today, the parents will tuck money into the brides shoes.
29、 The father contributes silver to the left shoe and the mother contributes gold to the right shoe. Also, the shoes are left untied in belief that this will ensure easy childbirth in the future. Truly traditional Viking weddings are always held on Friday, which was considered the day of Frigga and th
30、erefore sacred. The couple is often sanctified at the beginning of the ceremony with a sprinkling from a fir bough dipped in wine. Rings may be presented by the bride and groom to each other on the tip of a ceremonial sword, and vows are often recited while both hands hold the hilt, reminding the co
31、uple that marriage is a lifelong commitment that is equally binding on both male and female. Chris Simeral is the creator of The Ultimate Wedding Vow Toolkit, the wedding-coordinator-approved home-study course for couples personalizing or renewing their wedding vows. Sign up for the free wedding vow
32、 mini-course at http:/. 10 We can learn from the passage that ones wedding can be enriched by （ A） wedding traditions from around the world. （ B） some of the best customs from other countries. （ C） interesting Scandinavian wedding traditions. （ D） the presence of the previous generations. 11 What ca
33、n be inferred from the second paragraph? （ A） The Vikings are the ancestors of the Britons. （ B） Hamlet is one of the countries in Scandinavia. （ C） There are now three countries in Scandinavia. （ D） The Britons were originated from Scandinavia. 12 What do the brides parents do nowadays at the marri
34、age ceremony? （ A） They provide the bride with a dowry. （ B） They untie the brides shoes. （ C） They beautify the bride with gold and silver. （ D） They decorate the brides shoes. 13 What is included in a traditional Viking wedding, according to the fourth paragraph? （ A） Setting the wedding day on Fr
35、iggas birthday. （ B） Presenting the rings by a sword. （ C） Drinking wine at the beginning of the ceremony. （ D） Holding hands while making vows. 14 The passage is intended to （ A） introduce wedding traditions of Scandinavia. （ B） suggest incorporating traditions into weddings. （ C） arouse interest i
36、n a course about wedding vows. （ D） enable couples to personalize their wedding. 14 The Battle of Normandy was fought during World War II in the summer of 1944, between the Allied nations and German forces occupying Western Europe. More than 60 years later, the Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, remains t
37、he largest seaborne invasion in history, involving nearly three million troops crossing the English Channel from England to Normandy in occupied France. Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The assault phase, or the establishment of a secure foothold, was
38、known as Operation Neptune. Operation Neptune began on D-Day(June 1, 1944)and ended on June 30, when the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Operation Overlord also began on D-Day, and continued until Allied forces crossed the River Seine on August 19. The battle began months before
39、the invasion, when Allied bombers began to pound the Normandy coast and farther south, to destroy transportation links, and disrupt the German armys build-up of their military strength. More than 300 planes dropped 13,000 bombs over Normandy in advance of the invasion. Six parachute regiments, with
40、more than 13,000 men, also went ahead to cut railroad lines, blow up bridges, and seize landing fields. Gliders also brought in men, light artillery, jeeps, and small tanks. With the invasion of Normandy, General Dwight D. Eisenhower faced a task of magnitude and hazards never before attempted. He w
41、ould have to move his forces 100 miles across the English Channel and storm a heavily fortified coastline. His enemy was the weapon-and-tank-superior German army commanded by Erwin Rommel, one of the most brilliant generals of the war. Less than 15 percent of the Allied forces coming aboard the ship
42、s had ever seen combat. An invading army had not crossed the unpredictable and dangerous English Channel since 1688. Once the massive Allied force set out, there was no turning back. The Allies boasted a 5,000-vessel armada that stretched as far as the eye could see, transporting both men and vehicl
43、es across the channel to the French beaches. In addition, the Allies had 4,000 smaller landing craft and more than 11,000 aircraft. By nightfall on June 6, more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were dead or wounded, but more than 100,000 had made it ashore and secured French coastal villages. Within weeks
44、, supplies were being unloaded at Utah and Omaha beachheads at the rate of more than 20,000 tons per day. By June 11, more than 326,000 troops, 55,000 vehicles, and 105,000 tons of supplies had been landed on the beaches. By June 30, the Allies had established a firm foothold in Normandy. Allied for
45、ces crossed the River Seine on August 19. Military intelligence was an important part of the Normandy invasion. British and American cryptographers working in London deciphered coded messages that the German believed to be unbreakable. Messages could quite often be delivered to Eisenhower within two
46、 and a half hours of the time the Germans had sent it. In addition, reconnaissance teams took infrared pictures of Omaha Beach while avoiding German patrols. There is no official casualty figure for D-Day. It is estimated that more than 425,000 Allied and German troops were killed, wounded, or went
47、missing during the battle. That figure includes more than 209,000 Allied casualties. In addition to roughly 200,000 German troops killed or wounded, the Allies also captured 200,000 soldiers. Captured Germans were sent to American prisoner-of-war camps at the rate of 30,000 per month, from D-Day unt
48、il Christmas 1944. Between 15,000 and 20,000 French civilians were killed during the battle. In the end, the invasion of Normandy succeeded in its objective by sheer force of numbers. By July 1944, some one million Allied troops, mostly American, British, and Canadian, were entrenched in Normandy. D
49、uring the great invasion, the Allies assembled nearly three million men and stored 16 million tons of arms, munitions, and supplies in Britain. The occupation of Normandy was crucial for the Western Allies to bring the war to the western border of Germany. If the Normandy invasion had not occurred, there could conceivably have been a complete possession of northern and western Europe by Soviet forces. 15 Before the Battle of Normandy, Normandy was occupied by （ A） the Allied. （ B） Germany. （ C） France. （ D） Briton. 16 “The battle“ in the fi
