专家解析大学英语四级考试历年阅读真题试题
Passage One
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
Scratchy throats, stuffy noses and body aches all spell misery, but being able to tell if the cause is a cold or flu may make a difference in how long the misery lasts.
The American Lung Association has issued new guidelines on combating colds and the flu, and one of the keys is being able to quickly tell the two apart. Thats because the prescription drugs available for the flu need to be taken soon after the illness sets in. As for colds, the sooner a person starts taking over-the-counter remedy, the sooner relief will come.
The common cold and the flu are both caused by viruses. More than 200 viruses can cause cold symptoms, while the flu is caused by three virusesflu A, B and C. There is no cure for either illness, but the flu can be prevented by the flu vaccine , which is, for most people, the best way to fight the flu, according to the ALA.
But if the flu does strike, quick action can help. Although the flu and common cold have many similarities, there are some obvious signs to look for.
Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchy throat typically develop gradually, and adults and teens often do not get a fever. On the other hand, fever is one of the characteristic features of the flu for all ages. And in general, flu symptoms including fever and chills, sore throat and body aches come on suddenly and are more severe than cold symptoms.
The ALA notes that it may be particularly difficult to tell when infants and preschool age children have the flu. It advises parents to call the doctor if their small children have flu-like symptoms.
Both cold and flu symptoms can be eased with over-the-counter medications as well. However, children and teens with a cold or flu should not take aspirin for pain relief because of the risk of Reye syndrome ，a rare but serious condition of the liver and central nervous system.
There is, of course, no vaccine for the common cold. But frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who have colds can reduce the likelihood of catching one.
11. According to the author, knowing the cause of the misery will help ________.
A) shorten the duration of the illness
B) the patient buy medicine over the counter
C) the patient obtain cheaper prescription drugs
D) prevent people from catching colds and the flu
12. We learn from the passage that ________.
A) one doesnt need to take any medicine if he has a cold or the flu
B) aspirin should not be included in over-the-counter medicines for the flu
C) delayed treatment of the flu will harm the liver and central nervous system
D) over-the-counter drugs can be taken to ease the misery caused by a cold or the flu
13. According to the passage, to combat the flu effectively, ________.
A) one should identify the virus which causes it
B) one should consult a doctor as soon as possible
C) one should take medicine upon catching the disease
D) one should remain alert when the disease is spreading
14. Which of the following symptoms will distinguish the flu from a cold?
A) A stuffy nose.
B) A high temperature.
C) A sore throat.
D) A dry cough.
15. If children have flu-like symptoms, their parents ________.
A) are advised not to give them aspirin
B) should watch out for signs of Reye syndrome
C) are encouraged to take them to hospital for vaccination
D) should prevent them from mixing with people running a fever
这篇文章讲的是应该如何区别对待感冒和流感。因为文章旨在向普通民众传播医疗知识，所以遣词造句较为简易，结构清晰易辨，理解的难度不大。
文章开篇指出两点，一是感冒与流感有很多相似的症状，二是应当学会区分感冒和流感。这两点也是文章所述内容的纲领，后者是论述的侧重点。
第二段引用医疗权威ALA的指导原则，指出区分普通感冒与流感的原因所在：辨别出是哪种疾病后可以立即进行相应的治疗。对于流感来说，要马上把医生的药房付诸实施;对感冒来说，则要立即服用非处方药。
接下来的几段从致病成因、预防手段、症状等方面介绍了感冒与流感的区别。
第三段讲述了二者的致病因素，感冒源于二百多种病毒，而流感源于三种病毒。作者附带讲到流感的预防方法：接种疫苗。而普通感冒的预防方法则跳到了最后一段：frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact，勤洗手，不与感冒病人密切接触。
四、五、六段介绍了感冒与流感在症状上的区别。第四段只起了承上启下的作用，第五段详细讲解了二者的区别。第六段则指出一个特例：婴幼儿和学龄前儿童的流感症状不易辨认。
第七段讲的是治疗方法，着重说明了治疗禁忌：少年儿童不宜服用阿司匹林。
Passage Two
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.
In a time of low academic achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one investigation, 300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents listed to give children a good start academically as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The vast majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.
In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education, 91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. Sixty-two percent of the more individually oriented Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An emphasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.
Like in America, there is diversity in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools. Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the childrens chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens.
16. We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ________.
A) Japanese parents are more involved in preschool education than American parents
B) Japans economic success is a result of its scientific achievements
C) Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction
D) Japans higher education is superior to theirs
17. Most Americans surveyed believe that preschools should also attach importance to ________.
A) problem solving
B) group experience
C) parental guidance
D) individually-oriented development
18. In Japans preschool education, the focus is on ________.
A) preparing children academically
B) developing childrens artistic interests
C) tapping childrens potential
D) shaping childrens character
19. Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to ________.
A) broaden childrens horizon
B) cultivate childrens creativity
C) lighten childrens study load
D) enrich childrens knowledge
20. Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens?
A) They can do better in their future studies.
B) They can accumulate more group experience there.
C) They can be individually oriented when they grow up.
D) They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education.
这是一篇讲述日本学前教育的材料，因为文章是讲给美国人看的，所以附带介绍美国的学前教育以和日本进行对比。材料一共只有三大段，第一大段指出日本学前教育的侧重点，第二段进一步说明日本学前教育侧重点中对集体主义的重视，第三段则说明日本学前教育除集体主义外的丰富内容。
第一段开头实际上提出了研究日本学前教育的原因：low academic achievement by children in the United States，大意是美国的儿童教育成效不明显，这迫使人们把目光投向了教育和经济水平都很高的日本，以期得到答案。这一探询的结果是出乎美国人意料的，日本学前教育很少强调功课指导，这也是本文的主要观点。文章接下来以问卷调查为论据对这一观点进行了论证。
问卷调查的结果是日本人更重视坚韧、专注和集体主义等素质的培养，第二段继续对集体主义这一项素质做了进一步说明：91%的日本人将其列为学前教育的三大目标之一，这项教育甚至会延续到小学教育。
最后一段讨论了除去上述素质教育外，日本学前教育的其他内容和特色。其中包括早期音乐训练和潜力发掘，附属于大学，以及自由玩耍。
Passage Three
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
Lead deposits, which accumulated in soil and snow during the 1960s and 70s, were primarily the result of leaded gasoline emissions originating in the United States. In the twenty years that the Clean Air Act has mandated unleaded gas use in the United States, the lead accumulation worldwide has decreased significantly.
A study published recently in the journal Nature shows that air-borne leaded gas emissions from the United States were the leading contributor to the high concentration of lead in the snow in Greenland. The new study is a result of the continued research led by Dr. Charles Boutron, an expert on the impact of heavy metals on the environment at the National Center for Scientific Research in France. A study by Dr. Boutron published in 1991 showed that lead levels in arctic snow were declining.
In his new study, Dr. Boutron found the ratios of the different forms of lead in the leaded gasoline used in the United States were different from the ratios of European, Asian and Canadian gasolines and thus enabled scientists to differentiate the lead sources. The dominant lead ratio found in Greenland snow matched that found in gasoline from the United States.
In a study published in the journal Ambio, scientists found that lead levels in soil in the Northeastern United States had decreased markedly since the introduction of unleaded gasoline.
Many scientists had believed that the lead would stay in soil and snow for a longer period.
The authors of the Ambio study examined samples of the upper layers of soil taken from the same sites of 30 forest floors in New England, New York and Pennsylvania in 1980 and in 1990. The forest environment processed and redistributed the lead faster than the scientists had expected.
Scientists say both studies demonstrate that certain parts of the ecosystem respond rapidly to reductions in atmospheric pollution, but that these findings should not be used as a license to pollute.
21. The study published in the journal Nature indicates that ________.
A) the Clean Air Act has not produced the desired results
B) lead deposits in arctic snow are on the increase
C) lead will stay in soil and snow longer than expected
D) the US is the major source of lead pollution in arctic snow
22. Lead accumulation worldwide decreased significantly after the use of unleaded gas in the US ________.
A) was discouraged
B) was enforced by law
C) was prohibited by law
D) was introduced
23. How did scientists discover the source of lead pollution in Greenland?
A) By analyzing the data published in journals like Nature and Ambio.
B) By observing the lead accumulations in different parts of the arctic area.
C) By studying the chemical elements of soil and snow in Northeastern America.
D) By comparing the chemical compositions of leaded gasoline used in various countries.
24. The authors of the Ambio study have found that ________.
A) forests get rid of lead pollution faster than expected
B) lead accumulations in forests are more difficult to deal with
C) lead deposits are widely distributed in the forests of the US
D) the upper layers of soil in forests are easily polluted by lead emissions
25. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that scientists ________.
A) are puzzled by the mystery of forest pollution
B) feel relieved by the use of unleaded gasoline
C) still consider lead pollution a problem
D) lack sufficient means to combat lead pollution
这是一篇典型报刊写法的文章，文章开头首先点出全篇论述的主题，把核心思想和关键信息和盘托出。第一段提供的信息主要有两点，一是六七十年代的铅沉积的主要源头是美国，二是无铅汽油在美国推广后，全球范围内的铅沉积减少幅度很大。以后段落的内容全部围绕这两个信息点展开说明。
第二段是对第一段所提供的两点信息进行具体地解释，其中包括信息来源，研究机构，研究者，以及信息细节;第二个信息源于Boutron于1991年发表的另一项研究成果。
第三段是对第一个信息的说明，指出之所以把格陵兰的雪中沉积的铅归因于美国的含铅汽油，是因为美国与其他地区所使用的汽油成分比率不同，这里的雪中铅的比率大部分符合美国汽油特点。
接下来的三个段落是对第二个信息的说明。首先是信息来源和信息内容，其次是研究结果发表之前许多科学家们的设想，最后是研究主要过程。
最后一段总结了这两项研究成果的现实意义，指出其不应成为对污染不加控制的理由。
Passage Four
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Exercise is one of the few factors with a positive role in long-term maintenance of body weight. Unfortunately, that message has not gotten through to the average American, who would rather try switching to light beer and low-calorie bread than increase physical exertion. The Centers for Disease Control, for example, found that fewer than one-fourth of overweight adults who were trying to shed pounds said they were combining exercise with their diet.
In rejecting exercise, some people may be discouraged too much by caloric-expenditure charts: for example, one would have to briskly walk three miles just to work off the 275 calories in one delicious Danish pastry . Even exercise professionals concede half a point here. Exercise by itself is a very tough way to lose weight, says York Onnen, program director of the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
Still, exercises supporting role in weight reduction is vital. A study at the Boston University Medical Center of overweight police officers and other public employees confirmed that those who dieted without exercise regained almost all their old weight, while those who worked exercise into their daily routine maintained their new weight.
If you have been sedentary and decide to start walking one mile a day, the added exercise could burn an extra 100 calories daily. In a years time, assuming no increase in food intake, you could lose ten pounds. By increasing the distance of your walks gradually and making other dietary adjustments, you may lose even more weight.
