1、专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 83及答案与解析 0 My grandmother cut a recipe sometime in the 1940s or 1950s for “Mrs. Orrs Chocolate Cake“ from the Monitor. When my dad tasted this cake, he was so enchanted with it that he requested this cake every year, both for Fathers Day and for his birthday in September. Dad was a cr
2、eature of habit. He didnt always greet new experiments in cooking with glee. When I graduated from college and got my first apartment, I began to learn to cook, with guidance and suggestions from my mom and the help of a few good cookbooks. I also began to experiment. Often when I invited Mom and Da
3、d over for dinner, I tried a new recipe. Dad would look at his plate suspiciously and ask, “Am I the guinea pig for this meal?“ Dad especially didnt encourage experimentation where his birthday cake was concerned. It had to be Mrs. Orrs cake, made in a metal 9-by-13-inch pan, rather than in layers,
4、and it had to have white butter cream icing, not the traditional chocolate icing that many people enjoy on chocolate cake. Once we asked if he would like chocolate icing for a change. Silly question. So we enjoyed Mrs. Orrs cake with white icing twice a year. Nothing fancy, nothing pretentious just
5、like Dad. No nuts, coconut, sprinkles, or other decorations. No pretty cake plate or beautiful presentation. Just plain cake with icing in a plain metal pan. Somehow, it seemed to fit Dad, a plain, no-nonsense kind of man with Midwestern down-home friendliness. Dad was very generous in sharing his s
6、pecial cake with family and friends. When my sister and I were no longer living at home, wed still get together for Fathers Day and Dads birthday. He always cut generous pieces for us to take home. When a neighbor came over for morning coffee, Dad always offered him a piece of cake, commenting with
7、awe that either his wife or daughters had made him this cake, and how much they must love him for going to “all that work“ a comment not so meaningful as it would have been if wed made him a layer cake and decorated it. Of course, we asked repeatedly if hed rather have a different cake, maybe decora
8、ted. Again, silly question. For some reason that no one understands, this cake always rises higher in the middle than a normal cake, sometimes looking rather lopsided. It doesnt seem to matter which kind of pan we use, or which type of chocolate. That means the corners and sides of the cake get more
9、 icing than the center. Personally, I always like a corner piece. So did Dad. Years ago, my cousin told me she makes Mrs. Orrs cake as a layer cake and uses chocolate icing. I tried it when I was having company(not Dad), using raspberry jam between two layers and a chocolate butter cream icing on th
10、e top and sides. The sides looked too messy for company, so I pressed chopped nuts into them, piped the chocolate icing around the bottom and top, and everyone thought I bought it at a bakery It was amazingly rich and wonderful, hence the name I gave it, Majestic Chocolate Cake. The funny thing, tho
11、ugh, is that I missed the white icing! Dad isnt with us anymore, but whenever I see this recipe in my file, Im filled with sweet memories of the man who loved his special cake, appreciated those whod baked it, and shared it so freely. 1 “ The Monitor in Paragraph 1 is most likely to be a_. （ A） cook
12、book （ B） website （ C） TV program （ D） newspaper 2 What can we infer from the last sentence in Paragraph 2? （ A） Dad ate too much food as a pig. （ B） Dad praised me for the new recipe. （ C） Dad refused the meal prepared according to a new recipe. （ D） Dad thought the food was too much for him. 3 Acc
13、ording to the passage,_may NOT be the character of the authors father. （ A） demanding （ B） practical （ C） stubborn （ D） liberal 4 What can NOT be inferred from the last but one paragraph? （ A） The author forgot to add the white icing. （ B） The author was a considerate person. （ C） The author missed
14、his father so much. （ D） The author might be qualified for a professional cook. 5 Which of the following can be the best title for the passage? （ A） Mrs. Orrs, A Professional Cook （ B） A “Stubborn“ Cake with Generations （ C） My Stubborn Father （ D） My Improved Cooking Skill 5 Ruth Handler invented s
15、omething in 1959 which became so quintessentially American as to be included in the official “Americas Time Capsule“ buried at the celebration of the Bicentennial in 1976: the Barbie doll. In the early 1950s, Handler saw that her young daughter, Barbara, and her girlfriends enjoyed playing with adul
16、t female dolls as much or more than with baby dolls. Handler sensed that it was just as important for girls to imagine what they themselves might grow up to become as it was for them to focus on what caring for children might be like. Inspired by her daughters fascination with adult paper dolls, Rut
17、h Handler suggested making a three-dimensional doll through which little girls could act out their dreams. In 1959, Mattel introduced the Barbie doll(named after the Handlers daughter), a pint-sized model of the “girl next door. “ Soon enough Barbie sprouted a coterie of friends and family. Ken(name
18、d for the Handlers son), Barbies boyfriend, appeared in 1961. Meanwhile, the longtime Southern California resident defied prevailing trends in the toy industry of the late 1950s when she proposed an alternative to the flat-chest baby dolls then marketed to girls. “ I believed it was important to a l
19、ittle girls self-esteem,“ Handler has said, “to play with a doll that has breasts. “ Barbie, a teenage doll with a tiny waist, slender hips and impressive bust, became not only a best-selling toy with more than 1 billion sold in 150 countries, but a cultural icon analyzed by scholars, attacked by fe
20、minists and showcased in the Smithsonian Institution. “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be,“ Handler wrote in her 1994 autobiography. “Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices. “ Ruth Handler undeniably invent
21、ed an American icon that functions as both a steady cynosure for girls dreams and an ever-changing reflection of American society. By 1966, Handler was 50 and Mattel ruled the highly competitive toy world; It controlled 12% of the $2-billion toy market in the United States. By 1970, however, her wor
22、ld began to unravel. Handler was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. New corporate managers began to diversify Mattel away from toys, and their machinations ultimately resulted in the Handlers ouster from the company they had founded. Although best known for her pivotal role as
23、Barbies inventor, Handler devoted her later years to a second, trailblazing career: manufacturing and marketing artificial breasts for women who had undergone mastectomies. Herself a breast cancer survivor, she personally sold and fitted the prosthesis and crisscrossed the country as a spokeswoman f
24、or early detection of the disease in the 1970s, when it was still a taboo subject. The Nearly Me prosthetic breast was made of liquid silicone enclosed in polyurethane and had a rigid foam backing. Her goal was to make an artificial breast so real that “a woman could wear a regular brassiere(= bra)a
25、nd blouse, stick her chest out and be proud.“ she said of the prosthetics business. “It sure rebuilt my self-esteem, and I think I rebuilt the self-esteem of others. “ By 1980, sales of the Nearly Me artificial breast had surpassed $1 million. In 1991, Handler sold the company to a division of Kimbe
26、rly-Clark. She died on April 27th, 2002. The family has asked that any memorial donations be made to the Stop Cancer Organization. 6 Little girls like Barbara want to have a doll to_their dreams. （ A） act and imitate （ B） express （ C） realize （ D） do 7 Kens girlfriend is named after_. （ A） Mattel （
27、B） Barbie （ C） Ken （ D） Barbara 8 Why is Barbie doll so attractive to girls? （ A） It is a three-dimensional doll. （ B） It looks like the female adult with breasts and a good shape. （ C） Its a teenage doll. （ D） It looks like the girl next door. 9 What is the main reason for Ruth Handlers leaving the
28、 company? （ A） She was diagnosed with breast cancer. （ B） She wanted to establish another company to sell prosthesis. （ C） She was marginalized by her business partners for their diversion of the company. （ D） She was determined to help the women having undergone mastectomies. 10 Which of the follow
29、ing is CORRECT according to the last paragraph? （ A） Ruth Handler died of breast cancer. （ B） Before the 1970s it is forbidden to talk about breast cancer. （ C） Before the 1970s people are reluctant to do the early detection of breast cancer. （ D） The Nearly Me prosthetic breast is a famous brand. 1
30、0 With the breakneck speed at which todays businesses move, theres one mantra wed all do well to remember: Change is constant. Even so, few businesses equip their employees with strategies for dealing with change. Its often up to savvy employees to negotiate changes on their own. Few companies can g
31、uarantee they wont need to redeploy workers or have them work a different shift. In fact, a quick search of the jobs on Yahoo! HotJobs found that 977 contained the words “subject to change. “ When approached with changing roles and responsibilities, resist the urge to protest by pointing to your ori
32、ginal job description. Employers expect their employees unless they are under an employment contract to be flexible, tackling whatever task theyre given with zeal. Its OK to be concerned that you may lack some of the key skills and experiences required for the new position. If so, consider asking fo
33、r additional training at a local college or other professional development organization. If classes are not in the budget, ask if you can expense instructional books related to the new job or visit your local library. Part of the fun of writing this newsletter is hearing all your stories. One came a
34、cross my desk recently that I think gets to the heart of todays tip. An employee was told that her company was adding a new managerial position that she would report into. Initially undaunted, she decided to interview for the managerial job(good for her), but when notified that she didnt get the job
35、, she shut down(bad for her). When I say “shut down“ , Im being literal. She no longer speaks to co-workers. She does what her job description says but nothing else. Having been a manager for more than a decade, I can tell you that this employee has forced herself into a dead end. Its not enough to
36、do your job while sending the message that youd rather be “anywhere but here“. Companies dont stop and tend to bruised egos. The only way to win in this employees situation is to come to terms with the circumstances and adopt a professional demeanor, or move on. In fact, change can happen because yo
37、ure the best. Companies often redeploy star performers in an attempt to turn around problem areas. Management may also hope that a star employees good habits will rub off on others. Companies sometimes impose change on a strong performer expressly for that employees benefit. Smart executives move st
38、ar employers to give them broader experience of operations and departments and to help groom them for senior management roles. Try not to focus on why you were tapped to change, but how you will turn it to your advantage. Dont dwell too long on the topic or complain. The key is to be curious without
39、 appearing to be resistant. Convey that youre eager to learn new skills and take on new challenges and that more information will help you be more effective. Embrace your new role with enthusiasm and optimism. Remember that change is ultimately what you make of it. 11 The best title for the passage
40、can be_. （ A） Attitude Is Everything （ B） Turn and Face the Strange （ C） It Happens to the Best of Us （ D） Change Is Constant 12 According to the passage,who should face and respond to the changes? （ A） The customers. （ B） The company. （ C） The employees. （ D） The boss of the company. 13 What is the
41、 expectation of the employers to their employees? （ A） Be optimistic. （ B） Be flexible. （ C） Be courageous. （ D） Be resistant. 14 Why did the woman employee force herself into a dead end? （ A） Companies dont stop bruised egos. （ B） She didnt come to terms with the circumstances. （ C） She is not eage
42、r to learn new skills and take on new challenges. （ D） She no longer speaks to her co-workers. 15 What is the main idea of the last paragraph of the passage? （ A） Change is unavoidable. （ B） The correct attitude of facing change is to turn it to your advantage. （ C） Changing your attitude to the cha
43、nge is important. （ D） To discuss it with your colleagues may release you from the pressure. 15 When the United Nations and world leaders made universal primary education one of their eight millennium development goals, more than 100 million children were not in school. They aimed to bring that numb
44、er down to zero by 2015. This week, marking the halfway point, ministers, donors, and others are meeting in Dakar to assess their progress. Ronald Siebes is co-president of the U. S.-based Fast Track Initiative, an organization aimed at channeling extra funding from partners including the World Bank
45、,the United Nations,and the European Union to the poorest countries to help them achieve the education goals. “We are really making progress,“he said. “There are huge challenges,but progress is being made to achieve this important goal. “ After a slow start in the 32 countries funded by the Fast Tra
46、ck Initiative,their annual report says by 2010 most will have 100 percent of kids starting first grade. An official with the same organization, Desmond Bermingham,says countries in West Africa,whether funded by the Fast Track Initiative or not,are making progress. “I would say the most critical issu
47、e is that the governments are making education a priority,“ he said. “It is a political will issue and they are really making very rapid progress. They have got a lot of catching up to do. They are moving faster than any region has ever moved before.“But he says part of the reason is that West Afric
48、a had the farthest to go. In some countries in the region,more than three-quarters of school-age children do not attend school. Bermingham says several countries are putting measures in place to block corruption in the education sector,rampant in many African countries. “Where it is working really w
49、ell is where there is a very short accountability line between the school and the parents,“he noted. “They have a really strong interest in making sure the money is used properly. Several countries are now introducing systems of publishing the school budget in the newspapers or even on the door of the school. Uganda is one of them,Kenya is one of them,and Niger has introduced a similar system.“But Lucia Fry,of the South Africa-based Global Campaign for Education, says if progress continues at the curren
