四级阅读训练（一）

Passage　One
Questions　1　to　5　are　based　on　the　following　passage.　
On　average,　American　kids　ages　3　to　12　spent　29　hours　a　week　in　school,　eight　hours　more　that　they　did　in　1981.　They　also　did　more　household　work　and　participated　in　more　of　such　organized　activities　as　soccer　and　ballet　(芭蕾舞).　Involvement　in　sports,　in　particular,　rose　almost　50%　from　1981　to　1997:　boys　now　spend　an　average　of　four　hours　a　week　playing　sports;　girls　log　hall　that　time.　All　in　all,　however,　children's　leisure　time　dropped　from　40%　of　the　day　in　1981　to　25%　
"Children　are　affected　by　the　same　time　crunch　(危机)　that　affects　their　parents,"　says　Sandra　Hofferth,　who　headed　the　recent　study　of　children's　timetable.　A　chief　reason,　she　says,　is　that　more　mothers　are　working　outside　the　home.　(Nevertheless,　children　in　both　double-income　and　"male　breadwinner"　households　spent　comparable　amounts　of　time　interacting　with　their　parents.19　hours　and　22　hours　respectively.　In　contrast,　children　spent　only　9　hours　with　their　single　mothers.)
All　work　and　no　play　could　make　for　some　very　messed-up　kids.　"Play　is　the　most　powerful　way　a　child　explores　the　world　and　learns　about　himself,"　says　T.　Berry　Brazelton,　professor　at　Harvard　Medical　School　Unstructured　play　encourages　independent　thinking　and　allows　the　young　to　negotiate　their　relationships　with　their　peers,　but　kids　ages　3　to　12　spent　only　12　hours　a　week　engaged　in　it.
The　children　sampled　spent　a　quarter　of　their　rapidly　decreasing　"free　time"　watching　television.　But　that,　believe　it　or　not,　was　one　of　the　findings　parents　might　regard　as　good　news.　If　they're　spending　less　time　in　front　of　the　TV　set,　however,　kids　aren't　replacing　it　with　reading.　Despite　efforts　to　get　kids　more　interested　in　books,　the　children　spent　just　over　an　hour　a　week　reading.　Let's　face　it,　who's　got　the　time?

1.　By　mentioning　"the　same　time　crunch"　(Line　1,　Para.　2)　Sandra　Hofferth　means
A)　children　have　little　time　to　play　with　their　parents
B)　children　are　not　taken　good　care　of　by　their　working　parents
C)　both　parents　and　children　suffer　from　lack　of　leisure　time
D)　both　parents　and　children　have　trouble　managing　their　time

2.　According　to　the　author,　the　reason　given　by　Sandra　Hofferth　for　the　time　crunch　is
A)　quite　convincing　C)　totally　groundless
B)　partially　true　   D)　rather　confusing

3.　According　to　the　author　a　child　develops　better　if
A)　he　has　plenty　of　time　reading　and　studying
B)　he　is　left　to　play　with　his　peers　in　his　own　way
C)　he　has　more　time　participating　in　school　activities
D)　he　is　free　to　interact　with　his　working　parents

4.　The　author　is　concerned　about　the　fact　that　American　kids
A)　are　engaged　in　more　and　more　structured　activities
B)　are　increasingly　neglected　by　their　working　mothers
C)　are　spending　more　and　more　time　watching　TV
D)　are　involved　less　and　less　in　household　work

5.　We　can　infer　from　the　passage　that
A)　extracurricular　activities　promote　children's　intelligence
B)　most　children　will　turn　to　reading　with　TV　sets　switched　off
C)　efforts　to　get　kids　interested　in　reading　have　been　fruitful
D)　most　parents　believe　reading　to　be　beneficial　to　children

Passage　Two
Questions　6　to　10　are　based　on　the　following　passage.
Henry　Ford,　the　famous　U.S.　inventor　and　car　manufacturer,　once　said,　"The　business　of　America　is　business."　By　this　he　meant　that　the　U.S.　way　of　life　is　based　on　the　values　of　the　business　world.　
Few　would　argue　with　Ford's　statement.　A　brief　glimpse　at　a　daily　newspaper　vividly　shows　how　much　people　in　the　United　States　think　about　business.　For　example,　nearly　every　newspaper　has　a　business　section,　in　which　the　deals　and　projects,　finances　and　management,　stock　prices　and　labor　problems　of　corporations　are　reported　daily.　In　addition,　business　news　can　appear　in　every　other　section.　Most　national　news　has　an　important　financial　aspect　to　it.　Welfare,　foreign　aid,　the　federal　budget,　and　the　policies　of　the　Federal　Reserve　Bank　are　all　heavily　affected　by　business.　Moreover,　business　news　appears　in　some　of　the　unlikeliest　places.　The　world　of　arts　and　entertainment　is　often　referred　to　as　"the　entertainment　industry"　or　"show　business."
The　positive　side　of　Henry　Ford's　statement　can　be　seen　in　the　prosperity　that　business　has　brought　to　U.S.　life.　One　of　the　most　important　reasons　so　many　people　from　all　over　the　world　come　to　live　in　the　United　States　is　the　dream　of　a　better　job.　Jobs　are　produced　in　abundance　(大量地)　because　the　U.S.　economic　system　is　driven　by　competition.　People　believe　that　this　system　crates　more　wealth,　more　jobs,　and　a　materially　better　way　of　life.
The　negative　side　of　Henry　Ford's　statement,　however,　can　be　seen　when　the　word　business　is　taken　to　mean　big　business.　And　the　term　big　business　--　referring　to　the　biggest　companies,　is　seen　in　opposition　to　labor.　Throughout　U.S.　history　working　people　have　had　to　fight　hard　for　higher　wages,　better　working　conditions,　and　the　fight　to　form　unions.　Today,　many　of　the　old　labor　disputes　are　over,　but　there　is　still　some　employee　anxiety.　Downsizing　----　the　laying　off　of　thousands　of　workers　to　keep　expenses　low　and　profits　high　--　creates　feelings　of　insecurity　for　many.

6.　The　United　States　is　a　typical　country
A)　which　encourages　free　trade　at　home　and　abroad
B)　where　people's　chief　concern　is　how　to　make　money
C)　where　all　businesses　are　managed　scientifically
D)　which　normally　works　according　to　the　federal　budget

7.　The　influence　of　business　in　the　U.S.　is　evidenced　by　the　fact　that
A)　most　newspapers　are　run　by　big　businesses
B)　even　public　organizations　concentrate　on　working　for　profits
C)　Americans　of　all　professions　know　how　to　do　business
D)　even　arts　and　entertainment　are　regarded　as　business

8.　According　to　the　passage,　immigrants　choose　to　settle　in　the　U.S.,　dreaming　that
A)　they　can　start　profitable　businesses　there
B)　they　can　be　more　competitive　in　business
C)　they　will　make　a　fortune　overnight　there
D)　they　will　find　better　chances　of　employment

9.　Henry　Ford's　statement　can　be　taken　negatively　because
A)　working　people　are　discouraged　to　fight　for　their　fights
B)　there　are　many　industries　controlled　by　a　few　big　capitalists
C)　there　is　a　conflicting　relationship　between　big　corporations　and　labor
D)　public　services　are　not　run　by　the　federal　government

10.　A　company's　efforts　to　keep　expenses　low　and　profits　high　may　result　in
A)　reduction　in　the　number　of　employees
B)　improvement　of　working　conditions
C)　fewer　disputes　between　labor　and　management
D)　a　rise　in　workers'　wages

Passage　Three
Questions　11　to　15　are　based　on　the　following　passage.　
Professor　Smith　recently　persuaded　35　people,　23　of　them　women,　to　keep　a　diary　of　all　their　absent-minded　actions　for　a　fortnight.　When　he　came　to　analyse　their　embarrassing　lapses　(　差错)　in　a　scientific　report,　he　was　surprised　to　find　that　nearly　all　of　them　fell　into　a　few　groupings,　Nor　did　the　lapses　appear　to　be　entirely　random　(随机的).
One　of　the　women,　for　instance,　on　leaving　her　house　for　work　one　morning　threw　her　dog　her　earrings　and　tried　to　fix　a　dog　biscuit　on　her　ear.　"the　explanation　for　this　is　that　the　brain　is　like　a　computer,"　explains　the　professor.　"People　programme　themselves　to　do　certain　activities　regularly.　It　was　the　woman's　custom　every　morning　to　throw　her　dog　two　biscuits　and　then　put　on　her　earrings.　But　somehow　the　action　got　reversed　in　the　programme,"　About　one　in　twenty　of　the　incidents　the　volunteers　reported　were　these　"programme　assembly　failures,"
Altogether　the　volunteers　logged　433　unintentional　actions　that　they　found　themselves　doing　--　an　average　of　twelve　each,　There　appear　to　be　peak　periods　in　the　day　when　we　are　at　our　zaniest　(荒谬可笑的).　These　are　two　hours　some　time　between　eight　a.m.　and　noon,　between　four　and　six　p.m.　with　a　smaller　peak　between　eight　and　ten　p.m.　"Among　men　the　peak　seems　to　be　when　a　changeover　in　brain　'programmes'　occurs,　as　for　instance　between　going　to　and　from　work."　Women　on　average　reported　slightly　more　lapses　--　12.5　compared　with　10.9　for　men　m　probably　because　they　were　more　reliable　reporters.
A　startling　finding　of　the　research　is　that　the　absent-minded　activity　is　a　hazard　of　doing　things　in　which　we　are　skilled.　Normally,　you　would　expect　that　skill　reduces　the　number　of　errors　we　make.　But　trying　to　avoid　silly　slips　by　concentrating　more　could　make　things　a　lot　worse　m　even　dangerous.

11.　In　his　study　Professor　Smith　asked　the　subjects
A)　to　keep　track　of　people　who　tend　to　forget　things
B)　to　report　their　embarrassing　lapses　at　random
C)　to　analyse　their　awkward　experiences　scientifically
D)　to　keep　a　record　of　what　they　did　unintentionally

12.　Professor　Smith　discovered　that
A)　certain　patterns　can　be　identified　in　the　recorded　incidents
B)　many　people　were　too　embarrassed　to　admit　their　absent-mindedness
C)　men　tend　to　be　more　absent-minded　than　women
D)　absent-mindedness　is　an　excusable　human　weakness

13.　"Programme　assembly　failures"　(Line　6,　Para.　2)　refers　to　the　phenomenon　that　people
A)　often　fail　to　programme　their　routines　beforehand
B)　tend　to　make　mistakes　when　they　are　in　a　hurry
C)　unconsciously　change　the　sequence　of　doing　things
D)　are　likely　to　mess　things　up　if　they　are　too　tired

14.　We　learn　from　the　third　paragraph　that
A)　absent-mindedness　tends　to　occur　during　certain　hours　of　the　day
B)　women　are　very　careful　to　perform　actions　during　peak　periods
C)　women　experience　more　peak　periods　of　absent-mindedness
D)　men's　absent-mindedness　often　results　in　funny　situations

15.　It　can　be　concluded　from　the　passage　that
A)　people　should　avoid　doing　important　things　during　peak　periods　of　lapses
B)　hazards　can　be　avoided　when　people　do　things　they　are　good　at
C)　people　should　be　careful　when　programming　their　actions
D)　lapses　cannot　always　be　attributed　to　lack　of　concentration

Passage　Four
Questions　16　to　20　are　based　on　the　following　passage.
It's　no　secret　that　many　children　would　be　healthier　and　happier　with　adoptive　parents　than　with　the　parents　that　nature　dealt　them.　That's　especially　true　of　children　who　remain　in　abusive　homes　because　the　law　blindly　favors　biological　parents.　It's　also　true　of　children　who　suffer　for　years　in　foster　homes　(收养孩子的家庭)　because　of　parents　who　can't　or　won't　care　for　them　but　refuse　to　give　up　custody　(监护)　rights.
Fourteen-year-old　Kimberly　Mays　fits　neither　description,　but　her　recent　court　victory　could　eventually　help　children　who　do.　Kimberly　has　been　the　object　of　an　angry　custody　baffle　between　the　man　who　raised　her　and　her　biological　parents,　with　whom　she　has　never　lived.　A　Florida　judge　ruled　that　the　teenager　can　remain　with　the　only　father　she's　ever　known　and　that　her　biological　parents　have　"no　legal　claim"　on　her.
The　ruling,　though　it　may　yet　be　reversed,　sets　aside　the　principle　that　biology　is　the　primary　determinant　of　parentage.　That's　an　important　development,　one　that's　long　overdue.
Shortly　after　birth　in　December　1978,　Kimberly　Mays　and　another　infant　were　mistakenly　switched　and　sent　home　with　the　wrong　parents.　Kimberly's　biological　parents,　Ernest　and　Regina　Twigg,　received　a　child　who　died　of　a　heart　disease　in　1988.　Medical　tests　showed　that　the　child　wasn't　the　Twiggs'　own　daughter,　but　Kimt　only　was,　thus　sparking　a　custody　battle　with　Robert　Mays.　In　1989,　the　two　families　agreed　that　Mr.　Mays　would　maintain　custody　with　the　Twiggs　getting　visiting　fights.　Those　rights　were　ended　when　Mr.　Mays　decided　that　Kimberly　was　being　harmed.
The　decision　to　leave　Kimberly　with　Mr.　Mays　rendered　her　suit　debated.　But　the　judge　made　clear　that　Kimberly　did　have　standing　to　sue　(　起诉)　on　her　own　behalf.　Thus　he　made　clear　that　she　was　more　than　just　property　to　be　handled　as　adults　saw　fit.
Certainly,　the　biological　link　between　parent　and　child　is　fundamental.　But　biological　parents　aren't　always　preferable　to　adoptive　ones,　and　biological　parentage　does　not　convey　an　absolute　ownership　that　cancels　all　the　rights　of　children.

16.　What　was　the　primary　consideration　in　the　Florida　judge's　ruling?
A)　The　biological　link.　C)　The　traditional　practice.
B)　The　child's　benefits.　D)　The　parents'　feelings.

17.　We　can　learn　from　the　Kimberly　case　that
A)　children　are　more　than　just　personal　possessions　of　their　parents
B)　the　biological　link　between　parent　and　child　should　be　emphasized
C)　foster　homes　bring　children　more　pain　and　suffering　than　care
D)　biological　parents　shouldn't　claim　custody　rights　after　their　child　is　adopted

18.　The　Twiggs　claimed　custody　rights　to　Kimberly　because
A)　they　found　her　unhappy　in　Mr.　Mays'　custody
B)　they　regarded　her　as　their　property
C)　they　were　her　biological　parents
D)　they　felt　guilty　about　their　past　mistake

19.　Kimberly　had　been　given　to　Mr.　Mays
A)　by　sheer　accident　C)　at　his　request
B)　out　of　charity　D)　for　better　care

20.　The　author's　attitude　towards　the　judge's　ruling　could　be　described　as
A)　doubtful　C)　cautious
B)　critical　D)　supportive

参考答案与详解

1． 答案C）。第一段最后一句说孩子的闲暇时间减少了，接着第二段就说孩子与父母面临着同样危机，可见是C）。

2．答案B）。见第二段第三句"Nevertheless……"，是一个转折，可见作者不完全同意Sandra Hofferth的观点，单身母亲和孩子相处的闲暇时间明显要少，但也不是完全没道理，在双亲家庭里，母亲也在外工作的家庭比只有父亲工作的家庭和孩子相处的时间要少。

3．答案B）。见第三段第二句"Play is the most powerful way a 'child explores the world and learns about himself"。

4．答案A）。第三段最后一句说孩子越来越少地参与"Unstructured play"，可见他们越来越多的参与"structured activities"。

5．答案D）。见最后一句，父母做各种努力使孩子对书感兴趣，可见父母认为阅读有益于孩子。A)课外活动是"organized activities"，即属于"structured activities"，作者推崇的是"Unstructured play"；B) 明显错误；C) 应该是没有成效。

6．答案B)。第二段"glimpse at a daily newspaper vividly shows　how much people in the United States think about business"几乎每份日报都有一个涉及交易、工程、财经、管理、股票、企业劳动力等内容的商业板面，而且其它版面也有很多商业新闻，可见人们很关注如何赚钱。

7．答案D）。从第二段最后一句"The world of arts and entertainment is often referred to as'the entertainment industry' or'show business'可知。

8．答案Ｄ）。见第三段最后一句"People believe that this system creates more wealth, more jobs, and a materially better way of life"。

9．答案C）。第四段第二句"And the term big business--- referring to the biggest companies, is seen in opposition to labor"，"in opposition to"与"a conflicting relationship"只是换个说法。

10．答案A）。见本文最后一句"Downsizing---the laying off of thou-sands of workers to keep expenses low and profits high"。

11．答案D）。见第一句"to keep a diary of all their absent-minded actions for a fortnight"。

12．答案A）。见第一段第二句"When he came to analyses their embarrassing lapses（差错）in a scientific report, he was surprised to find that nearly all of them fell into a few groupings." "a few groupings"和"certain patterns"是换个说法；而且"he was surprised to find"与题干"Professor Smith discovered that"正好符合。而B）明显是错的;C)见第三段最后一句"Women on average reported slightly more lapses ----- 12.5 compared with 10.9 for men --- probably because they were more reliable reporters";D)史密斯教授未明确指出这一现象是可谅解的，只是解释了其理由。

13．答案C）。本题是细节题，只要读懂第二段就不难得到答案。

14．答案Ａ）。见第三段第二句"There appear to be peak periods in the day when we are at our zaniest"。

15．答案D）。见最后一句"But trying to avoid silly slips by concentrating more could make things a lot worse--- even dangerous"。A) C）文中没提，B）见最后一段第一句"the absent-minded activity is a hazard of doing things in which we are skilled"。
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16．答案B）。从一开始"many children would be healthier and happier……"可知法庭判决的考虑点是孩子的利益--更健康幸福，而不是A)血缘关系(见第三段)。

17．答案A）。见第五段最后一句"Thus he made clear that she was more than just property to be handled as adults saw fit"。

18．答案C）。见第四段第三句"Medical tests showed that the child　wasn't the Twiggs' own daughter, but Kimberly was, thus sparking a custody battle with Robert Mays"。

19．答案A）。这里A)和D）有争议，首先看清楚题干用的是过去完成时，是指过去的情况而不是现在法院的判决，再看几个选项，可知题目的意思是问"为什么Kimberly到了Mr. Mays家？"如果要选D），就应该用一般完成时或一般过去时，表示"为什么把 Kimberly判给了Mr. Mays"。

20．答案D)。由本文最后一段的议论可知，作者对法庭的判决是赞同的。