1、大学英语四级改革适用（阅读）模拟试卷 215及答案与解析 Section B 0 Astrology A) Astrology is the study of how the sun, the moon, planets, and stars are supposedly related to life and events on the earth. It is based on the belief that the heavenly bodies form patterns that can reveal a persons character or future. Many peopl
2、e throughout the world believe in astrology. These people base important decisions on the advice of an astrologer (a person who tells fortunes by studying the stars). Other people declare there is no scientific basis for astrology, and they consider it a form of entertainment. B) Astrology differs f
3、rom astronomy. Astrology developed from a set of principles that originated more than 2,000 years ago. At that time, astronomy was also based on those same principles. But during the 1500s and 1600s, several astronomers, including Nicolaus Copernicus of Poland and Tycho Bra-he of Denmark, made disco
4、veries about the heavenly bodies that conflicted with the principles of astrology. As a result, astrology and astronomy became widely different in their methods and purposes. Today, astrologers observe the heavenly bodies to understand things that happen on the earth. Astronomers seek scientific kno
5、wledge about the various objects in space. C) The basic principle of astrology is that the heavenly bodies influence what happens on the earth. Astrologers learn about this influence by casting (drawing) a circular chart called a horoscope or birth chart A horoscope shows the position of the planets
6、 in relation to both the earth and the stars at a certain time. In most cases, it shows the position of these bodies at the time of a persons birth. The system used by astrologers to cast a horoscope is based on a special view of the universe. This view involves four elements: the earth, the planets
7、, the zodiac (黄道 ), and the houses. D) In casting a horoscope, astrologers place the earth at the center of the solar system. Therefore, all heavenly bodies revolve around the earth rather than around the sun. Astrologers use this arrangement to determine the positions of the heavenly bodies in rela
8、tion to the earth. They believe that the study of the positions of the heavenly bodies can reveal a persons character and future. In astrology, the moon and the sun are considered planets, along with Jupiter, Mars, Neptune, Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, and Venus. Each planet supposedly represents a force
9、that affects people in a certain way. Astrologers believe the planets influence a person more than any other heavenly bodies do. E) The zodiac is a band of stars that appear to encircle the earth. It is divided into 12 equal parts, called signs. Each sign of the zodiac has certain characteristics, w
10、hich are determined by a particular planet and other factors. Astrologers believe the signs determine how the planets affect a persons character. The houses. Like the zodiac, the earths surface is divided into 12 parts. Each of these parts, called houses, represents certain characteristics of an ind
11、ividuals life. Astrologers believe the houses determine how the planets and the signs influence a persons daily life. F) Astrology began sometime before 2000 B.C. in Babylonia (now southeastern Iraq). Astrologers of that time knew of five planetsJupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn and Venus. They believe
12、d that the sun, the moon, and planets sent out different forces, which had certain characteristics. For example, one of the planetsnow known as Marsappeared to be red. Astrologers linked it with anger, aggression and war. G) The zodiac was probably developed in ancient Egypt, and the Babylonians ado
13、pted it sometime after 1000 B.C. Astrologers gradually developed a system that linked seasonal changes with specific group of stars called constellations (星座 ). At that time, for example, heavy rainfall occurred in Babylonia when the sun was in a certain constellation. As a result, astrologers named
14、 the constellation Aquarius, the water bearer. H) At first, astrologers studied the heavenly bodies in making general predictions about the future. But between 600 B.C. and 200 B.C., they developed the system of casting individual horoscopes (以占星术算命 ). The ancient Greeks and Romans practiced astrolo
15、gy and greatly influenced its development. The Roman names for the planets and the signs of the zodiac are still used today. I) Interest in astrology declined in Europe with the coming of Christianity as people sought guidance from religious leaders rather than from astrologers. Astrology regained p
16、opularity during the A.D. 1100s. By the 1600s, it was particularly strong in England. Several astrological (历书 ) were published, and many other books either defended or attacked astrology. The number of followers of astrology fell in England during the 1700s, but the subjects popularity returned aga
17、in in the early 1800s. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, interest in astrology had spread to many other nations. Newspapers in England began publishing horoscope columns during the 1930s. Such columns soon appeared in newspapers throughout the world, and people became increasingly interested in ast
18、rology. Today, astrology is followed more widely than ever before. J) Many people believe astrology is simply a superstition, and scientists declare that its whole basis is unscientific. Scientists point out that the earths position has changed in space since ancient times. As a result, the signs of
19、 the zodiac used by astrologers no longer match the constellations for which they were named. Some people who believe in astrology support it in terms of magnetic fields, solar storms and other natural occurrences. Others, though they also believe in astrology, claim that it cannot be supported scie
20、ntifically. They consider it a set of powerful symbols that can provide a deep understanding of human beings. They defend astrology by pointing out that, in many cases, it works. 1 Astrologers hold the belief that the planets exert more influence on a person than other heavenly bodies do. 2 Publishi
21、ng horoscope columns in newspapers helped to make astrology spread across the world widely. 3 Whenever the sun was in the constellation Aquarius, it rained heavily in Babylonia. 4 The discoveries of heavenly bodies that were against the principles of astrology led to great differences between astrol
22、ogy and astronomy in their methods and purposes. 5 Astrology is based on the conviction that the patterns the heavenly bodies form can tell a persons character or future. 6 Some people still believe in astrology, though they know it is unscientific, by claiming that it works in many cases. 7 During
23、the 1700s in England, astrology gained less popularity than before. 8 In astrology, the earth is regarded as the center of the solar system. 9 Since Mars appeared to be red, astrologers believed that it represented anger, aggression and war. 10 Its believed by the astrologers that the houses determi
24、ne how the planets and the signs influence a persons daily life. 10 The US Congress A) The US congress is the legislative branch of the federal government. It is a bicameral (两院制的 ) law-making body of more than 500 members. Its two chambers are respectively called the House of Representatives and th
25、e Senate. The American two-house legislature, a product of the compromise between big states and small ones, embodies the American principle of balances and checks. All bills must carry both houses before becoming laws. B) The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Congress. Th
26、e membership of the House is distributed among the states according to their different populations. Since 1910, the House has had a permanent membership of 435, with each Representative representing about half a million Americans. Under the principle that each state is guaranteed at least one repres
27、entative, Nevada, a state with a small population, sends only one Representative to the House. California has more than 40 Representatives in the House because of its large population. C) The election of Representatives is organized by the state legislature which divides the state into a number of d
28、istricts known as Congressional districts. Each district, with a population of nearly half a million, elects one Representative to the House. A Representatives term of office is set at two years, but there is no limit to the number of his terms. A new Representative can hardly feel easy about his po
29、sition. Hardly has he begun his work in the Congress when he finds its time for him to seek re-election. D) The Senate is the upper house of the US Congress. Representation in the Senate is based on the principle of state equality. The Senate is comprised of 100 Senators, two from each of the fifty
30、states. Senators have been directly elected by voters of their respective states since 1913. Their term of office is six years. With one-third of the Senate seats up for election every two years. A Senator must be at least thirty years old and a citizen for nine years. E) Generally speaking, Senator
31、s are accorded greater prestige than their colleagues in the lower house. Many Representatives aspire to win the election to the Senate. Senators derive their prestige from the following facts. They are less numerous, for there are fewer than one fourth as many Senators as Representatives, or Congre
32、ssmen. Elected by the whole state instead of a single congressional district, most Senators represent more constituents (选民 ) than do House members. They are less worried by the problem of seeking re-electives. Whats more, the Senate has special powers which it does not share with the House. It has
33、the power to approve or deny proposed treaties, nominations proposed by the President. In line with the tradition of “senatorial courtesy (礼貌 )“, the Senate always rejects a nominee who is objected to by a Senator of the state from which he comes. F) It wont do to neglect the importance of the Senat
34、e in foreign affairs. Without its cooperation and support, the President can hardly take any significant action in foreign relations. A Secretary of State on good terms with the Senators is always important for the President. Foreign countries must try to establish good relations with the US Senate
35、if they intend to make a bargain with the United States. G) The presiding (主持的 ) officer of the Senate is the Vice President who functions as a kind chairman when the Senate is in session (开会 ). The chief spokesman of the House is known as the Speaker who is the leader of the majority party in the H
36、ouse. The Speaker is the most influential figure in the House because he directs his partys forces in legislative battles. H) The Congress is a legislative body, but it relies on its various committees to do preparatory work. The Senate and the House have several dozen standing and special committee
37、s to deal with problems of different natures. The seats of the committees are divided between the two parties in proportion to their respective membership in the Congress. But the committee chairman is always a member of the majority party who has been in the Senate or the House without interruption
38、 for longer than anybody else on the committee. The custom is known as “seniority rule“. I) Most proposed laws in the Congress are known as bills. All bills introduced during a two-year congressional term are designated “HR“ in the House and “S“ in the Senate, with consecutive (连续的 ) numbers assigne
39、d in order in which they are introduced in each house. After this, the bills are referred to the relevant committees for further study. J) To assess the bill at its true worth, the relevant committee usually organizes its sub-committee to conduct detailed study. There is no doubt that the sub-commit
40、tee will study the literal sense of the bill. But it also holds meetings with the citizens who want to state their opinions about the bill. These meetings are commonly known as hearings. The purpose of the sub-committee in holding these hearings is to obtain information on the bill before it. The su
41、b-committee may summon people to appear at the hearings and to testify. After finishing study of the bill, the sub-committee will report the result to the full committee. The committee chairman then has a choice between two things. He can send the bill to the house for further consideration. He can
42、also postpone, or kill it by putting it aside and not reporting it. For this reason, a committee chairman is regarded as an important person in the Congress. It wont do to neglect them. 11 The Vice President plays a role as a kind chairman and the presiding officer in the Senate meetings. 12 The sea
43、ts of the committees are distributed between the two parties based on their respective membership in the Congress. 13 Since 1910, the House has had a permanent membership of four hundred and thirty-five. 14 In order to obtain information on the potential bills before implementation, the sub-committe
44、e holds hearings. 15 A new Representative can hardly feel easy about his position in that he has to prepare for re-election at the start of his new job. 16 If the President wants to take significant action in foreign relations, it is necessary to gain the Senates cooperation and support. 17 As the S
45、enators are elected by the whole state instead of a single congressional district, they are accorded greater prestige than Representatives. 18 The American two-house legislature reflects the American principle of balances and checks. 19 According to the principle of state equality, each state is rep
46、resented by two Senators in the Senate. 20 Nominations proposed by the President may be disapproved by the Senate. 20 Pub-talk A) Pub-talk, the most popular activity in all pubs, is a native dialect with its own distinctive grammar. There are very few restrictions on what you can talk about in pubs:
47、 pub etiquette (礼节 ) is concerned mainly with the form of your conversation, not the content When a regular enters the pub, you will often hear friendly greetings from other regulars, the publican and bar staff (“Evening, Joe“, “Alright, Joe?“, “Wotcha, Joe“, “Usual is it, Joe?“, etc.). The regular
48、responds to each greeting, usually addressing the greeter by name or nickname (“Evening, Doc“, “Alright, there, Lofty?“, “Wotcha, Bill“ “Usual, thanks, Pauline“, etc.). No one is conscious of obeying a rule or following a formula, yet you will hear the same greeting ritual in every pub in the countr
49、y. Pub etiquette does not limit the actual words to be used in this exchangeand you may hear some inventive and peculiar variations. The words may not even be particularly polite: a regular may be greeted with “Back again, Joe?havent you got a home to go to?“ or “Ah, just in time to buy your round, Joe! “ B) When you first enter a pub, dont just order a drinkstart by saying “Good evening“ or “Good morning“, with a friendly nod and a smile, to the bar staff and the regulars at the bar counter. For most natives, this will start an automatic greeting-res
