英语四级考试仔细阅读练习5
Passage One
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1993, the owners of a large hotel and of several houses discovered, to their horror, that their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eaten into the soft limestone cliffs on which they had been built. While experts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.
Erosion of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has become more serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be abandoned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be swallowed up by the hungry sea.
Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents go further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland area of hard rock which will not be eaten as limestone is. Meanwhile, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain future, apply to a house agent in one of the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knockdown price but it may turn out to be a knockdown home.
11. What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?
A) The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens.
B) The experts lack of knowledge.
C) The rising of the sea level.
D) The washing-away of limestone cliffs.
12. The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ________.
A) will soon become a problem for people living in central England
B) has now become a threat to the local residents
C) is quickly changing the map of England
D) can be stopped if proper measures are taken
13. The experts study on the problem of erosion can ________.
A) lead to its eventual solution
B) provide an effective way to slow it down
C) help to prevent it from worsening
D) warn people whose homes are in danger
14. It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because ________.
A) it is too costly and will endanger neighbouring areas
B) the government is too slow in taking action
C) they will be easily knocked down by waves and currents
D) house agents along the coast do not support the idea
15. According to the author, when buying a house along the south coast of England, people should ________.
A) be aware of the potential danger involved
B) guard against being cheated by the house agent
C) take the quality of the house into consideration
D) examine the house carefully before making a decision
Passage Two
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.
Sport is not only physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive amount of anxiety or stress for young athletes . Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological, and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.
The early years of development are critical years for learning abut oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to cooperate with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents and coaches criticisms to heart and find a flaw in themselves.
Coaches and parents should also be cautious that youth sport participation does not become work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of learning the sport and other life lessons. In todays youth sport setting, young athletes may be worrying more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game, many parents and coaches focus on the outcome and find fault with youngsters performances. Positive reinforcement should be provided regardless of the outcome. Research indicates that positive reinforcement motivates and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.
16. An effective way to prevent the burnout of young athletes is ________.
A) to make sports less competitive
B) to make sports more challenging
C) to reduce their mental stress
D) to increase their sense of success
17. According to the passage sport is positive for young people in that ________.
A) it can help them learn more about society
B) it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves
C) it enables them to find flaws in themselves
D) it can provide them with valuable experiences
18. Many coaches and parents are in the habit of criticizing young athletes ________.
A) without realizing criticism may destroy their self confidence
B) in order to make them remember lifes lessons
C) believing that criticism is beneficial for their early development
D) so as to put more pressure on them
19. According to the passage parents and coaches should ________.
A) help children to win every game
B) pay more attention to letting children enjoy sports
C) enable children to understand the positive aspect of sports
D) train children to cope with stress
20. The authors purpose in writing the passage is ________.
A) to persuade young children not to worry about criticism
B) to stress the importance of positive reinforcement to children
C) to discuss the skill of combining criticism with encouragement
D) to teach young athletes how to avoid burnout
Passage Three
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
Humanity uses a little less than half the water available worldwide. Yet occurrences of shortages and droughts are causing famine and distress in some areas, and industrial and agricultural by-products are polluting water supplies. Since the world population is expected to double in the next 50 years, many experts think we are on the edge of a widespread water crisis.
But that doesnt have to be the outcome. Water shortages do not have to trouble the worldif we start valuing water more than we have in the past. Just as we began to appreciate petroleum more after the 1970s oil crises, today we must start looking at water from a fresh economic perspective. We can no longer afford to consider water a virtually free resource of which we can use as much as we like in any way we want.
Instead, for all uses except the domestic demand of the poor, governments should price water to reflect its actual value. This means charging a fee for the water itself as well as for the supply costs.
Governments should also protect this resource by providing water in more economically and environmentally sound ways. For example, often the cheapest way to provide irrigation water in the dry tropics is through small-scale projects, such as gathering rainfall in depressions and pumping it to nearby cropland.
No matter what steps governments take to provide water more efficiently, they must change their institutional and legal approaches to water sue. Rather than spread control among hundreds or even thousands of local, regional, and national agencies that watch various aspects of water use, countries should set up central authorities to coordinate water policy.
21. What is the real cause of the potential water crisis?
A) The world population is increasing faster and faster.
B) Half of the worlds water resources have been seriously polluted.
C) Humanity has not placed sufficient value on water resources.
D) Only half of the worlds water can be used.
22. As indicated in the passage, the water problem ________.
A) has been exaggerated by some experts in the field
B) is underestimated by government organizations at different levels
C) poses a challenge to the technology of building reservoirs
D) is already serious in certain parts of the world
23. According to the author, the water price should ________.
A) correspond to its real value
B) be reduced to the minimum
C) stimulate domestic demand
D) take into account the occurrences of droughts
24. The author says that in some hot and dry areas it is advisable to ________.
A) build big lakes to store water
B) construct big pumping stations
C) channel water from nearby rivers to cropland
D) build small and cheap irrigation systems
25. In order to raise the efficiency of the water supply, measures should be taken to ________.
A) centralize the management of water resources
B) increase the sense of responsibility of agencies at all levels
C) guarantee full protection of the environment
D) encourage local and regional control of water resources
Passage Four
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
We can see how the product life cycle works by looking at the introduction of instant coffee. When it was introduced, most people did not like it as well as regular coffee, and it took several years to gain general acceptance . At one point, though, instant coffee grew rapidly in popularity, and many brands were introduced . After a while, people became attached to one brand and sales leveled off . Sales went into a slight decline when freeze-dried coffees were introduced .
The importance of the product life cycle to marketers is this: Different stages in the product life cycle call for different strategies. The goal is to extend product life so that sales and profits do not decline. One strategy is called market modification. It means that marketing managers look for new users and market sections. Did you know, for example, that the backpacks that so many students carry today were originally designed for the military?
Market modification also means searching for increased usage among present customers or going for a different market, such as senior citizens. A marketer may re-position the product to appeal to new market sections.
Another product extension strategy is called product modification. It involves changing product quality, features, or style to attract new users or more usage from present users. American auto manufacturers are using quality improvement as one way to recapture world markets. Note, also, how auto manufacturers once changed styles dramatically from year to year to keep demand from falling.
26. According to the passage, when people grow fond of one particular brand of a product, its sales will ________.
A) decrease gradually
B) remain at the same level
C) become unstable
D) improve enormously
27. The first paragraph tells us that a new product is ________.
A) not easily accepted by the public
B) often inferior to old ones at first
C) often more expensive than old ones
D) usually introduced to satisfy different tastes
28. Marketers need to know which of the four stages a product is in so as to ________.
A) promote its production
B) work out marketing policies
C) speed up its life cycle
D) increase its popularity
29. The author mentions the example of backpacks to show the importance
of ________.
A) pleasing the young as well as the old
B) increasing usage among students
C) exploring new market sections
D) serving both military and civil needs
30. In order to recover their share of the world market, U.S. auto makers are ________.
A) improving product quality
B) increasing product features
C) modernizing product style
D) re-positioning their product in the market
Unit 5
11. C 12. B 13. A 14.B 15. D
16. A 17. C 18. B 19.A 20. C
21. D 22. A 23. C 24.C 25. B
26. D 27. D 28. A 29.B 30. A
Passage One
Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.
People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1993, the owners of a large hotel and of several houses discovered, to their horror, that their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eaten into the soft limestone cliffs on which they had been built. While experts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.
Erosion of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has become more serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be abandoned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be swallowed up by the hungry sea.
Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents go further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland area of hard rock which will not be eaten as limestone is. Meanwhile, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain future, apply to a house agent in one of the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knockdown price but it may turn out to be a knockdown home.
11. What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?
A) The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens.
B) The experts lack of knowledge.
C) The rising of the sea level.
D) The washing-away of limestone cliffs.
12. The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ________.
A) will soon become a problem for people living in central England
B) has now become a threat to the local residents
C) is quickly changing the map of England
D) can be stopped if proper measures are taken
13. The experts study on the problem of erosion can ________.
A) lead to its eventual solution
B) provide an effective way to slow it down
C) help to prevent it from worsening
D) warn people whose homes are in danger
14. It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because ________.
A) it is too costly and will endanger neighbouring areas
B) the government is too slow in taking action
C) they will be easily knocked down by waves and currents
D) house agents along the coast do not support the idea
15. According to the author, when buying a house along the south coast of England, people should ________.
A) be aware of the potential danger involved
B) guard against being cheated by the house agent
C) take the quality of the house into consideration
D) examine the house carefully before making a decision
Passage Two
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.
Sport is not only physically challenging, but it can also be mentally challenging. Criticism from coaches, parents, and other teammates, as well as pressure to win can create an excessive amount of anxiety or stress for young athletes . Stress can be physical, emotional, or psychological, and research has indicated that it can lead to burnout. Burnout has been described as dropping or quitting of an activity that was at one time enjoyable.
The early years of development are critical years for learning abut oneself. The sport setting is one where valuable experiences can take place. Young athletes can, for example, learn how to cooperate with others, make friends, and gain other social skills that will be used throughout their lives. Coaches and parents should be aware, at all times, that their feedback to youngsters can greatly affect their children. Youngsters may take their parents and coaches criticisms to heart and find a flaw in themselves.
Coaches and parents should also be cautious that youth sport participation does not become work for children. The outcome of the game should not be more important than the process of learning the sport and other life lessons. In todays youth sport setting, young athletes may be worrying more about who will win instead of enjoying themselves and the sport. Following a game, many parents and coaches focus on the outcome and find fault with youngsters performances. Positive reinforcement should be provided regardless of the outcome. Research indicates that positive reinforcement motivates and has a greater effect on learning than criticism. Again, criticism can create high levels of stress, which can lead to burnout.
16. An effective way to prevent the burnout of young athletes is ________.
A) to make sports less competitive
B) to make sports more challenging
C) to reduce their mental stress
D) to increase their sense of success
17. According to the passage sport is positive for young people in that ________.
A) it can help them learn more about society
B) it teaches them how to set realistic goals for themselves
C) it enables them to find flaws in themselves
D) it can provide them with valuable experiences
18. Many coaches and parents are in the habit of criticizing young athletes ________.
A) without realizing criticism may destroy their self confidence
B) in order to make them remember lifes lessons
C) believing that criticism is beneficial for their early development
D) so as to put more pressure on them
19. According to the passage parents and coaches should ________.
A) help children to win every game
B) pay more attention to letting children enjoy sports
C) enable children to understand the positive aspect of sports
D) train children to cope with stress
20. The authors purpose in writing the passage is ________.
A) to persuade young children not to worry about criticism
B) to stress the importance of positive reinforcement to children
C) to discuss the skill of combining criticism with encouragement
D) to teach young athletes how to avoid burnout
Passage Three
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
Humanity uses a little less than half the water available worldwide. Yet occurrences of shortages and droughts are causing famine and distress in some areas, and industrial and agricultural by-products are polluting water supplies. Since the world population is expected to double in the next 50 years, many experts think we are on the edge of a widespread water crisis.
But that doesnt have to be the outcome. Water shortages do not have to trouble the worldif we start valuing water more than we have in the past. Just as we began to appreciate petroleum more after the 1970s oil crises, today we must start looking at water from a fresh economic perspective. We can no longer afford to consider water a virtually free resource of which we can use as much as we like in any way we want.
Instead, for all uses except the domestic demand of the poor, governments should price water to reflect its actual value. This means charging a fee for the water itself as well as for the supply costs.
Governments should also protect this resource by providing water in more economically and environmentally sound ways. For example, often the cheapest way to provide irrigation water in the dry tropics is through small-scale projects, such as gathering rainfall in depressions and pumping it to nearby cropland.
No matter what steps governments take to provide water more efficiently, they must change their institutional and legal approaches to water sue. Rather than spread control among hundreds or even thousands of local, regional, and national agencies that watch various aspects of water use, countries should set up central authorities to coordinate water policy.
21. What is the real cause of the potential water crisis?
A) The world population is increasing faster and faster.
B) Half of the worlds water resources have been seriously polluted.
C) Humanity has not placed sufficient value on water resources.
D) Only half of the worlds water can be used.
22. As indicated in the passage, the water problem ________.
A) has been exaggerated by some experts in the field
B) is underestimated by government organizations at different levels
C) poses a challenge to the technology of building reservoirs
D) is already serious in certain parts of the world
23. According to the author, the water price should ________.
A) correspond to its real value
B) be reduced to the minimum
C) stimulate domestic demand
D) take into account the occurrences of droughts
24. The author says that in some hot and dry areas it is advisable to ________.
A) build big lakes to store water
B) construct big pumping stations
C) channel water from nearby rivers to cropland
D) build small and cheap irrigation systems
25. In order to raise the efficiency of the water supply, measures should be taken to ________.
A) centralize the management of water resources
B) increase the sense of responsibility of agencies at all levels
C) guarantee full protection of the environment
D) encourage local and regional control of water resources
Passage Four
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
We can see how the product life cycle works by looking at the introduction of instant coffee. When it was introduced, most people did not like it as well as regular coffee, and it took several years to gain general acceptance . At one point, though, instant coffee grew rapidly in popularity, and many brands were introduced . After a while, people became attached to one brand and sales leveled off . Sales went into a slight decline when freeze-dried coffees were introduced .
The importance of the product life cycle to marketers is this: Different stages in the product life cycle call for different strategies. The goal is to extend product life so that sales and profits do not decline. One strategy is called market modification. It means that marketing managers look for new users and market sections. Did you know, for example, that the backpacks that so many students carry today were originally designed for the military?
Market modification also means searching for increased usage among present customers or going for a different market, such as senior citizens. A marketer may re-position the product to appeal to new market sections.
Another product extension strategy is called product modification. It involves changing product quality, features, or style to attract new users or more usage from present users. American auto manufacturers are using quality improvement as one way to recapture world markets. Note, also, how auto manufacturers once changed styles dramatically from year to year to keep demand from falling.
26. According to the passage, when people grow fond of one particular brand of a product, its sales will ________.
A) decrease gradually
B) remain at the same level
C) become unstable
D) improve enormously
27. The first paragraph tells us that a new product is ________.
A) not easily accepted by the public
B) often inferior to old ones at first
C) often more expensive than old ones
D) usually introduced to satisfy different tastes
28. Marketers need to know which of the four stages a product is in so as to ________.
A) promote its production
B) work out marketing policies
C) speed up its life cycle
D) increase its popularity
29. The author mentions the example of backpacks to show the importance
of ________.
A) pleasing the young as well as the old
B) increasing usage among students
C) exploring new market sections
D) serving both military and civil needs
30. In order to recover their share of the world market, U.S. auto makers are ________.
A) improving product quality
B) increasing product features
C) modernizing product style
D) re-positioning their product in the market
Unit 5
11. C 12. B 13. A 14.B 15. D
16. A 17. C 18. B 19.A 20. C
21. D 22. A 23. C 24.C 25. B
26. D 27. D 28. A 29.B 30. A
