大学英语四级考试阅读材料每日一练.doc

大学英语四级考试阅读材料每日一练 Passage 18Taste is such a subjective matter that we dont usually conduct preference tests for food. The most you can say about anyones preference, is that its one persons opinion. But because the two big cola companies-Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola are marketed so aggressively, weve wondered how big a role taste preference actually plays in brand loyalty. We set up a taste test that challenged people who identified themselves as either Coca-Cola or Pepsi fans: Find your brand in a blind tasting.We invited staff volunteers who had a strong liking for either Coca-Cola Classic or Pepsi, Diet Coke, or Diet Pepsi. These were people who thought theyd have no trouble telling their brand from the other brand.We eventually located 19 regular cola drinkers and 27 diet cola drinkers. Then we fed them four unidentified samples of cola one at a time, regular colas for the one group, diet versions for the other. We asked them to tell us whether each sample was Coke or Pepsi; then we analyzed the records statistically to compare the participants choices with what mere guess-work could have accomplished.Getting all four samples right was a tough test, but not too tough, we thought, for people who believed they could recognize their brand. In the end, only 7 out of 19 regular cola drinkers correctly identified their brand of choice in all four trials. The diet-cola drinkers did a little worse-only 7 to 27 identified all four samples correctly.While both groups did better than chance would predict, nearly half the participants in each group made the wrong choice two or more times. Two people got all four samples wrong. Overall, half the participants did about as well on the last round of tasting as on the first, so fatigue, or taste burnout, was not a factor. Our preference test result suggest that only a few Pepsi participants and Coke fans may really be able to tell their favorite brand by taste and price.86. According to the passage the preference test was conducted in order to _A) find out the role taste preference plays in a persons drinkingB) reveal which cola is more to the liking of the drinkersC) show that a persons opinion about taste is mere guess-workD) compare the ability of the participants in choosing their drinks87. The statistics recorded in the preference tests show_A) Coca-Cola and Pepsi are peoples two most favorite drinksB) There is not much difference in taste between Coca-Cola and PepsiC) Few people had trouble telling Coca-Cola from PepsiD) Peoples tastes differ from one another88. It is implied in the first paragraph that_A) the purpose of taste tests is to promote the sale of colasB) the improvement of quality is the chief concern of the two cola companiesC) the competition between the two colas is very strongD) blind tasting is necessary for identifying fans89. The word “burnout” (Line 4, Para. 5) here refers to the state of _A) being seriously burnt in the skin B) being unable to burn for lack of fuelC) being badly damaged by fire D) being unable to function because of excessive use90. The authors purpose in writing this passage is to _A) show that taste preference is highly subjectiveB) argue that taste testing is an important marketing strategyC) emphasize that taste and price are closely related to each otherD) recommend that blind tasting be introduced in the quality control of colasPassage 18（）味觉是极为主观的东西，因而我们通常不会做对食品喜好程度的测试。我们能对任何人的偏好所说的最多的，便是那是个人意见。（）但因为两大可乐公司可口可乐与百事可乐的销售是如此的具有攻击性，（）我们不由地想知道对味道的偏好在品牌忠诚度上实际起了多大的作用。我们开始了一项味觉测试，它会挑战那些自称是可口可乐或是百事可乐的拥护者的人：蒙眼尝味来发现你喜爱的品牌。 我们请了一批志愿者，他们对传统可口可乐、百事可乐、低糖可乐与低糖百事四者中的一种十分喜爱。他们都认为自己可以毫不费力把自己喜爱的牌子与其它牌子区分开来。我们最终确定了名普通可乐饮用者与名低糖可乐饮用者。然后我们给他们喝四种不知种类的可乐样品，每次一种，一组喝普通可乐，另一组喝低糖可乐。我们请他们说出每种样品是可口可乐还是百事可乐；然后以统计的角度分析数据，以把参加测试者的选择与猜测相比较。我们认为把四种样品都判断正确可不容易，但也不算困难，因为这些人都相信自己可以分辨出自己喜爱的品牌。（）结果，个普通可乐饮用者中只有个正确地在全部四个测试样品中区分出了自己喜爱的品牌。低糖可乐饮用者做得更糟，个人中只有个人把全部四个都判断对了。两组的结果都比随机猜测的正确率要高，但每组中几乎有一半人选错了两次以上，有两个人把全部四个都弄错了。总体来说，（）一半的参与测试者在最后一轮测试中与第一轮中表现差不多，因此疲劳或是味觉失灵不是原因。我们的口味偏好测试的结果表示，只有很少的百事可乐爱好者与可口可乐爱好者真的可以由口味和价格判断出他们喜爱的品牌。、根据本文，做这个口味偏好测试是为了_）弄清在人们饮用饮料时口味偏好所起的作用）揭示哪一种可乐更受人喜爱）显示人们对口味的评价仅仅是猜测而已）比较参与测试者选择自己喜爱饮料的能力、在口味偏好测试中的统计显示_）可口可乐与百事可乐是人们最喜爱的两种饮料）可口可乐与百事可乐的口味没有很大差别）很少有人无法区分可口可乐与百事可乐）人们的口味互不相同、在第一段中暗示_）口味测试的目的是促进可乐的销售）提高品质是两家可乐公司最关心的事）两种可乐的竞争很激烈）要区分品牌爱好者，蒙眼测试是必要的、“burn out”这个词（第段第行）指的是_的状态）皮肤严重烧伤）因为缺乏燃料不能燃烧）被火损伤得很严重）因为过度使用而失灵了、作者写本文的目的是_）显示味觉偏好是十分主观的）提出观点，即味觉测试是一项重要的市场推广策略）强调口味与价格两者密切相关）推荐在可乐品质管理中引入蒙眼测试大学英语四级考试阅读材料每日一练(十七)作者: 网络转载 发布日期: 无 Passage 17Space is a dangerous place, not only because of meteors but also because of rays from the sum and other stars. The atmosphere again acts as our protective blanket on earth. Light gets through, and this is essential for plants to make the food which we eat. Heat, too, makes our environment endurable. Various kinds of rays come through the air from outer space, but enormous quantities of radiation from the sun are screened off. As soon as men leave the atmosphere they are exposed to this radiation but their spacesuits or the walls of their kspacecraft, if they are inside, do prevent a lot of radiation damage.Radiation is the greatest known danger to explorers in space. The unit of radiation is called “rem”. Scientists have reason to think that a man can put up with far more radiation than 0.1 rem without being damaged; the figure of 60 rems has been agreed on. The trouble is that it is extremely difficult to be sure about radiation damage-a person may feel perfectly well, but the cells of his or her sex organs may be damaged, and this will no be discovered until the birth of deformed children or even grandchildren.Missions of the Apollo flights have had to cross belts of high amount of rems. So far, no dangerous amounts of radiation have had to cross belts of high amount of rems. So far, no dangerous amounts of radiation have been reported, but the Apollo missions have been quite short. We simply do not know yet how men are going to get on when they spend weeks and months outside the protection of the atmosphere, working in a space laboratory. Drugs might help to decrease the damage done by radiation, but no really effective ones have beenfound so far.81. According to the first paragraph, the atmosphere is essential to man in that_A) it protects him against the haumful rays from spaceB) it provides sufficient light for plant growthC) it supplies the heat necessary for human survivalD) it screens off the falling meteors82. We know from the passage that_A) exposure to even tiny amounts of radiation is fatalB) the effect of exposure to radiation is slow in comingC) radiation is avoidable in space explorationD) astronauts in spacesuits neednt worry about radiation damage83. The harm radiation has done to the Apollo crew members_A) is insignifiacant B) seems overestimatedC) is enormous D) remains unknown84. It can be inferred from the passage that_A) the Apollo mission was very successfulB) protection from space radiation is no easy jobC) astronauts will have deformed children or grandchildrenD) radiation is not a threat to well-protected space explorers85. The best title for this passage would be _A) The Atmosphere and Our Environment B) Research on RadiationC) Effects of Space Radiation D) Importance of Protection Against RadiationPassage 17宇宙是个危险的地方，不仅因为有流星，还因为来自太阳与其它星球的辐射。大气层实际上也起了地球保护毯的作用。光线可以穿过大气层，这一点对于植物为我们提供食用物品来说致关重要。热量也令我们的环境达到可以忍受的程度。各种来自外太空的射线穿过大气，但无数来自太阳的射线被遮蔽了。（）一旦人离开了大气，他们就会暴露在射线中，但如果他们穿着宇航服，或是在太空飞行物里，就会防止很多射线伤害。辐射是宇宙中已知的对探险队员最大的危险。辐射的单位叫做“雷姆”。科学家推断人可以忍受远大于0.1雷姆的辐射而不受到伤害，60雷姆也可以。（）问题在于要判断是否受到射线伤害极为困难一个人也许感觉状态极佳，他的细胞或她的性器官可能已受到损害了，而这要一直到生下畸形的子女或者甚至孙子女才会被发现。阿波罗号的飞行任务就必须在出发和返航的路上都穿过高辐射地带，阿波罗全体宇航员积累了大量雷姆。（）迄今为止，还没有辐射危害数量的报告，但阿波罗号的飞行任务时间相当短。我们只是不明白人们是怎样可以在大气保护层之外的太空实验室工作数周或数月。（）药物也许有助于减小辐射带来的伤害。但至今还没发现真正有效的药物。 、根据第一段，大气对人至关重要是在于_）它保护人不受来自太空的有害射线伤害）它为植物生长提供足够的光线）它提供人类生存所必需的热量）它遮蔽落下的流星、我们由本文可知_）暴露于哪怕数量极小的辐射中也是致命的）暴露在射线中的后果要比较长时间才看得出）在宇宙探险时可以避开辐射）穿着宇航服的宇航员不必担心辐射伤害、阿波罗号的船员已经受到的有害辐射_）无关紧要）似乎过分估计了）很大）还不清楚、由本文可推出_）阿波罗号的飞行任务非常成功）防止宇宙辐射不容易）宇航员会生下畸形的子女或孙子女）辐射对于完全受到保护的太空探险队员来说不构成威胁、本文最好的标题应是_-）大气与环境）对辐射的研究）太空辐射的后果）保护人们防止辐射的重要性大学英语四级考试阅读材料每日一练(十六)作者: 网络转载 发布日期: 无 Passage 16Where do pesticides fit into the picture of environmental disease? We have seen that they now pollute soil, water, and food, that they have the power to make our streams fishless and our gardens and woodlands silent and birdless. Man, however much he may like to pretend the contrary, is part of nature. Can he escape a pollution that is now so thoroughly distributed throughout our world?We know that even single exposures to these chemicals, if the amount is large enough, can cause extremely severe poisoning. But this is not the major problem. The sudden illness or death of farmers, farm workers, and others exposed to sufficient quantities of pesticides are very sad and should not occur. For the population as a whole, we must be more concerned with the delayed effects of absorbing small amounts of the pesticides that invisibly pollute our world.Responsible public health officials have pointed out that the biological effects of chemicals are cumulative over long periods of time, and that the danger to the individual may depend on the sum of the exposures received throughout his lifetime. For these very reasons the danger is easily ignored. It is human nature to shake off what may seem to us a threat of future disaster. “Men are naturally most impressed by diseases which have obvious signs,” says a wise physician, Dr. Rene Dubos, “yet some of their worst enemies slowly approach them unnoticed.”76. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the sentence “Man, is part of nature.” (Line 3-4, Para.1)?A) Man appears indifferent to what happens in natureB) Man acts as if he does not belong to natureC) Man can avoid the effects of environmental pollutionD) Man can escape his responsibilities for environmental protection77. What is the authors attitude to wards the environmental effects of pesticides?A) Pessimistic B) Indifferent C) Defensive D) Concerned78. In the authors view, the sudden death caused by exposure to large amounts of pesticides_A) is not the worst of thenegative consequences resulting from the use of pesticidesB) now occurs most frequently among all accidental deathsC) has sharply increased so as to become the center of public attentionD) is unavoidable because people cant do without pesticides in farming79. People tend to ignore the delayed effects of exposure to chemicals because_A) limited exposure to them does little harm to peoples healthB) the present is more important for them than the futureC) the danger does not become apparent immediatelyD) humans are capable of withstanding small amounts of poisoning80. It can be concluded from Dr Dubos remarks that_A) people find invisible diseases difficult to deal withB) attacks by hidden enemies tend to be fatalC) diseases with obvious sighs are easy to cureD) people tend to overlook hidden dangers caused by pesticidesPassage 16杀虫剂是怎么令人想到环境疾病的呢？我们已经目睹了它们在污染土壤、水与食物，令小溪中再也没有鱼儿，令我们的花园和林地不再有鸟鸣而陷入沉寂。（）而人类不论怎样想伪装成相反的事物，仍是自然的一部分。人们能够逃开如今彻底遍布全世界的污染吗？（）我们知道即便是只是暴露在这些化学品中，只要数量够大，就会引起极为严重的中毒。但这不是主要问题。农民、农场工人及其他接触足够量杀虫剂的人会突然发病或者死亡，（）这是很令人难过的事，不应该发生。对于人口整体来说，我们必须更加关注吸收少量杀虫剂的潜在后果，它们正在不知不觉地污染我们的世界。负责公众健康的官员已经指出（）化学品的生理影响会经过较长的时期累积下来，而它对个体危险则取决于一生中与其接触的多少。正是由于这些原因，危险很容易被忽视。人类的本性就是不理会看似在将来会造成灾难的威胁。“人们自然地对那些有明显症状的疾病印象最深，”明智的内科医生Rene Dubos博士说，（）“然而有些最可怕的敌人却在不知不觉中慢慢地来到了身边。” 、下列哪个选项与“而人类自然的一部分”（第一段第行）这句话的意思最接近？A) 人对自然界中发生的事情漠不关心B) 人的行为好像他不是自然界的一部似的。C) 人可以避免环境污染的后果D) 人可以推卸他对环境的责任、作者对杀虫剂造成的环境后果持什么态度？A)悲观的B)漠不关心的C)防御的D)关注的、作者认为，由于暴露在大量杀虫剂中而引起的突然死亡_A) 并不是由使用杀虫剂引起的负面影响中最糟的B) 目前在所有意外死亡中最为常见C) 已经迅速增加，从而成为公众关注的焦点D) 不可避免，因为人们在耕作时不能不使用杀虫剂、人们比较容易忽略与化学品接触造成的潜在后果，因为_A) 在一定限度内的接触对人的健康没什么影响B) 对他们来说眼前比将来更重要C) 危险没有立刻显现出来D) 人类能够忍受小剂量的中毒、由Dubos博士的话可以总结出_A) 人们发现觉察不到的疾病很难对付B) 由隐藏的敌人发起的袭击很容易致命C) 征兆明显的疾病容易治愈D) 人们容易忽视杀虫剂引起潜在危险大学英语四级考试阅读材料每日一练(十五)作者: 网络转载 发布日期: 无 Passage 15Britain almost more than any other country in the world must seriously face the problem of building upwards, that is to say of accommodation a considerable proportion of its population in high blocks of flats. It is said that the Englishman objects to this type of existence, but if the case is such, he does in fact differ from the inhabitants of most countries of the world today. In the past our own blocks of flats have been associated with the lower-income groups and they have lacked the obvious provisions, such as central heating, constant hot water supply, electrically operated lifts from top to bottom, and so on, as well as such details, important notwithstanding, as easy facilities for disposal of dust and rubbish and storage places for baby carriages on the ground floor, playgrounds for children on the top of the buildings, and drying grounds for washing. It is likely that the dispute regarding flats versus individual houses will continue to rage on for a long time as for as Britain is concerned. And it is unfortunate that there should be hot feelings on both sides whenever this subject is raised. Those who oppose the building of flats base their case primarily on the assumption that everyone prefers an individual home and garden and on the high cost per unit of accommodation. The latter ignores the higher cost of providing full services to a scattered community and the cost in both money and time of the journeys to work for the suburban resident.71. We can infer from the passage that_A) English people, like most people in other countries, dislike living in flatsB) People in most countries of the world today are not opposed to living in flatsC) People in Britain are forced to move into high blocks of flatsD) Modern flats still fail to provide the necessary facilities for living72. What is said about the blocks of flats built in the past in Britain ?A) They were mostly inhabited by people who did not earn much.B) They were usually not large enough to accommodate big families.C) They were sold to people before necessary facilities were installed.D) They provided playground for children on the top of the buildings73. The word “rage” (Line 10) means “_”A) be ignored B) develop with great forceC) encourage people greatly D) be in fashion74. Some people oppose the building of flats because_A) the living expenses for each individual family are higherB) it involves higher cost compared with the building of housesC) they believe people like to live in houses with gardensD) the disposal of rubbish remains a problem for those living in flats75.The author mentions that people who live in suburban houses_A) do not have access to easy facilities because they live away from the cityB) have to pay a lot of money to employ people to do service workC) take longer time to know each other because they are a scattered communityD) have to spend move money and time traveling to work every day.Passage 15英国几乎比世界上任何其他国家都更应该严肃的面对高层建筑问题，也就是说，在高层公寓内容纳相当大的一部分人口的问题。（）据说英国人反对这种建筑的存在，但如果真是这样，英国人的确与当今世界上的大多灵敏国家的居民不同。（）过去，我们的多层公寓一直是与低收入人群联系起来的，它们缺乏必要的供应，例如中央供暖，不断的热水供应，从顶层到底层的电梯等等，以及诸如此类的细微之处，而最令人难以忍受的是处理灰尘和垃圾的方便设施与存放婴儿车的地方在一楼，孩子们玩耍的运动场在顶楼，烘干层是用来洗衣服的。（）就英国来说，关于公寓与个人单独的房屋之间的争议很有可能继续激烈地进行下去，持续很长时间。不幸的是，不论何时只要提到这个问题，双方都会激动起来。（）那些反对公寓建筑的人主要是基于这样一种设想，即所有的人都喜欢有一个自己独立的房间与花园以及公寓住房每个铺位昂贵的花销。而后面这个原因忽略了为一个分散的社区提供一切服务所需要的较高费用以及（）从郊区的住所去上班所花的时间与金钱。 、我们可以从本文推出_-A) 英国人像其它国家的大多数人一样，不喜欢住在公寓里B) 当今世界大多数国家的人民不反对住在公寓里C) 英国人被迫住进高层公寓里D)现代公寓仍不能提供生活必须的设施、文中是如何讲述过去的英国公寓的？A)住在里面的人大多数没有很多钱B)它们通常不够大，容纳不下大家庭。C)在安装必需设施之前，它们就被卖给别人了D)它们为孩子们提供玩耍的运动场在顶楼。、“rage”这个词（第行）意思是_A)被忽略的B)越发激烈C)大大地鼓励人D)时髦、有些人反对公寓建筑，因为_A)对每一个家庭来说住房花销更大B)它与独立房屋相比费用更高C)他们认为人们喜欢住在带花园的房屋里D)处理垃圾对于住在公寓的人来说还是个问题、作者提到住在郊区的房屋里的人_-A) 接触不到方便设施，因为他们住得离城市很远B) 不得不花很多钱雇人做服务性工作C) 要花比较长的时间才能相互认识，因为他们是一个分散的社区D) 不得不每天花较多的时间和金钱去上班大学英语四级考试阅读材料每日一练(十四)作者: 网络转载 发布日期: 无 Passage 13Researchers have established that when people are mentally engaged, biochemical changes occur in the brain that allow it to act more effectively in cognitively areas such as attention and memory. This is true regardless of age.People will be alert and receptive if they are faced with information that gets them to think about things they are interested in. And someone with a history of doing more rather than less will go into old age more cognitively sound than someone who has not had an active mind.Many experts are so convinced of the benefits of challenging the brain that they are putting the theory to work in their own lives. “The idea is not necessarily to learn to memorize enormous amounts of information,” says James Fozard, associate director of the National Institute on Aging. “Most of us dont need that kind of skill. Such specific training is of less interest than being able to maintainmental alertness. ” Fozard and others say they challenge their brains work.Gene Cohen, acting director of the same institute, suggests that people in their old age should engage in mental and physical activities individually as well as in groups. Cohen says that we are frequently advised to keep physically active as we age, but older people need to keep mentally active as well. Those who do are more likely to maintain their intellectual abilities and to be generally happier and better adjusted. “The point is, you need to do both.” Cohen says, “Intellectual activity actually influences brain-cell health and size. ”61. People who are cognitively healthy are those_A) who can remember large amounts of informationB) who are highly intelligent C) whose minds are alert and receptiveD) who are good at recognizing different sounds62. According to Fozards argument, people can make their brains work more efficiently by_A) constantly doing memory work B) taking part in various mental activitiesC) going through specific training D) making frequent adjustments63. The findings of James and other scientists in their work_A) remain a theory to be further provedB) have been challenged by many other expertsC) have been generally acceptedD) are practiced by the researchers themselves64. Older people are generally advised to _A) keep fit by going in for physical activitiesB) keep mentally active by challenging their brainsC) maintain mental alertness through specific trainingD) maintain a balance between individual and group activities65. What is the passage mainly about?A) How biochemical changes occur in the human brainB) Why people should keep active not only physically but also mentallyC) How intellectual activities influence brain-cell healthD) Why people should receive special mental training as they age.Passage 13研究学者已经得出观点，当人们精神上投入时，大脑中也会发生生人变化，使它在注意力和记忆力这样的认知领域动作效率更高。这一事实与年龄无关。（）当人们面对可以联想到感兴趣事物的信息时，便会警觉起来，接受能力强。而习惯于多进行这种活动的人比那些从来没有积极主动思考的人在步入老年时明显更加健康。许多专家确信，向大脑提出挑战是极有好处的，因此他们将这一理论应于自己身上。国立老化研究所的副主任（）James Fozard说：“关键不是非得学会记忆大量的信息。我们大多数人并不需要那种技巧。这种特别的培训没有保持精神集中的能力更加有趣。”（）Fozard与其他人都宣称他们用各种不同的精神技巧向自己的大脑提出挑战，不仅因为他们喜欢这样，还因为他们确信自己的活动领域有助于大脑工作的方式。Gene Cohen是同一研究所的代理主任，他建议年纪较大的人参加脑力与体力活动时应使独自参与和集体行动兼而有之。Cohen说（）我们通常得到的建议时在年纪增长时要保持身体上的活动，但老人也需要保持精神上的活力。这样做的