阅读理解部分

一、题型简介

本部分采用多项选择题和简答题形式，有数篇阅读材料组成。阅读材料共有1800个单词左右，要求考生根据所读材料内容，从每题的四个选择项中选出一个最佳答案，或根据问题做简短回答。本部分测试考生通过阅读获取有关信息的能力。既要求准确性，也要求一定的速度。阅读速度为每分钟120个单词。

二、大纲分析

根据新《英语专业四级考试大纲》，阅读理解部分题型有较大的改变，由原来单一的选择题调整为选择题和简答题相结合的测试形式。选择题由原来的20题缩减至10题，分值仍为1分；新增了5道简答题，每题2分，总体分值与以前保持一致。考试时间由原来的25分钟增加到35分钟，虽然考试时长有所增加，但新增的简答题要求考生具有良好的概括能力和语法基础，且分值较重，这些都增加了考试的难度。

三、解题技巧

首先考生要知晓针对同一篇文章预设的选择题和简答题并没有安排在一起，试卷将所有文章的简答题部分全部安排在阅读理解部分的最后。所以，为了保持思路的连贯和和阅读的整体性，建议考生在做完阅读理解选择题后，接着做针对同一篇文章提出的简答题。在做简答题的时候要注意，答案不能超过十个单词，所以在作答时要做到准确和简洁，若整合的答案过长，可以用代词或短语对原文进行同义替换。此外还要注意答案语法正确，和问题相匹配。

阅读理解不管是选择题还是简答题，其题目均可大致分为主旨题、细节题、推断题、语义题和态度题，每种题型都有相应的解题思路。

主旨题：

主旨题主要检测考生对文章中心思想的理解，既可以提问文章的主旨大意，也可以问文章的标题和写作目的。找出文章的主题句是回答主旨题的关键，掌握文章的结构能够提高答案的正确率。

（1）The concept of peace is a very important one in cultures all over the world.Think about how we greet people.In some languages,the phrases for greetings contain the word for peace.In some cultures we greet people by shaking hands or with another gesture to show that we are not carrying weapons——that we come in peace.And there are certain symbols which people in very different cultures recognize as representing peace.Let’s look at a few of them.

……

Which of the following is the best title for the passage?（2016年PASSAGE TWO第44题）

A.Concept of Peace.

B.Origin of Peace Symbols.

C.Popular Peace Symbols.

D.Cultural Difference of Peace.

答案：C

文章首段最后两句为本文的主题句：there are certain symbols which people in very different cultures recognize as representing peace.Let’s look at a few of them.意为“在不同的文化中都有一些象征物可以用来代表和平”，之后文章罗列出鸽子、橄榄枝等象征和平的物体，所以文章的标题应为“各种流行的和平象征”，故选C。

（1）For parents who send their kids off to college saying,“These will be the best years of your life,”it would be very appropriate to add,“If you can handle the stress of college life.”

（2）Freshmen are showing up already stressed out,according to the latest CIRP Freshman Survey that reported students’emotional health levels at their lowest since the survey started in 1985.While in school,more students are working part-time and near-full-time jobs.At graduation,only 29 percent of seniors have jobs lined up.

（3）Pressure to excel often creates stress,and many students are not learning how to effectively handle this stress.Let me share fve facts that I believe every college student should know about stress.

……

Which of the following is the best as the title of the passage?（2014年TEXT B第90题）

A.Causes of Stress

B.Types of Stress

C.College Life and Stress

D.Stress and Control Methods

答案：C

文章开头两段以事例和调查引入主题pressure to excel often creates stress,and many students are not learning how to effectively handle this stress（竞争的压力通常带来精神紧张，但很多大学生并不知道如何来有效地处理自己的精神压力），后面文章会讲到精神压力的方方面，包括紧张的原因，种类和处理方式等，只有C选项完整地概括了文章的中心，故选C。

细节题：

细节题占到英语专业四级考试阅读测试的一半，其重要性不言而喻。解答时主要依靠题干或选项中的关键词回到原文进行准确定位，但要注意的是关键词或定位词通常是同义词的替换。

……

The rainbow

（5）The rainbow is another ancient and universal symbol,often representing the connection between human beings and their gods.In Greek mythology it was associated with Iris,the goddess who brought messages from the gods on Mount Olympus.In Scandinavian mythology the rainbow was a bridge between the gods and the earth.In theBible a rainbow showed Noah that the Biblicalflood was fnally over,and that God had forgiven his people.In the Chinese tradition,the rainbow is a common symbol for marriage because the colours represent the union ofyin andyang.Nowadays the rainbow is used by many popular movements for peace and the environment,representing the possibility of a better world in the future and promising sunshine after the rain.

Mistletoe

（6）This plant was sacred in many cultures,generally representing peace and love.Most people know of the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas time,which probably comes from Scandinavian mythology.The goddess Freya’s son was killed by an arrow made of mistletoe,so,in honour of him,she declared that it would always be a symbol of peace.It was often hung in doorways as a sign of friendship.

（7）The ancient Druids believed that hanging mistletoe in your doorway protected you from evil spirits.Tribes would stop fghting for a period of time if they found a tree with mistletoe.But you will never see mistletoe in a Christian church——it is banned because of its associations with pagan religion and superstition.

The olive branch

（8）The olive tree has always been a valuable source of food and oil.In Greek mythology,the goddess Athena gave the olive tree to the people of Athens,who showed their gratitude by naming the city after her.But no one knows for sure when or why it began to symbolize peace.There is probably a connection with ancient Greece.Wars between states were suspended during the Olympic Games,and the winners were given crowns of olive branches.The symbolism may come from the fact that the olive tree takes a long time to produce fruit,so olives could only be cultivated successfully in long periods of peace.Whatever the history,the olive branch is a part of many modernflags symbolizing peace and unity.One well-known example is the United Nations symbol.

……

The rainbow represents the connection between human beings and their gods in all the following countries EXCEPT_____.（2016年PASSAGE TWO第45题）

A.Sweden

B.Greece

C.Finland

D.China

答案：D

文章第五段in Greek mythology it was associated with Iris（在希腊神话中，彩虹与Iris女神密切相连），in Scandinavian mythology the rainbow was a bridge between the gods and the earth（在斯堪的纳维亚神话中，彩虹是神界与人类的桥梁）可知在瑞典、芬兰（均位于斯堪的纳维亚半岛）和希腊，彩虹都代表人类与众神的纽带，故答案选D。即便考生不了解瑞典、芬兰与斯堪的纳维亚的关系，也能从in the Chinese tradition,the rainbow is a common symbol for marriage because the colours represent the union ofyin andyang（在中国传统中，彩虹象征着婚姻，因为彩虹的颜色代表了阴阳的结合）中找出答案。不过本题也提醒考生，作为英语专业的学生应该对西方文化、地理、历史等知识有一定的了解。

In North Europe mistletoe was often hung in doorways to indicate_____.（2016年PASSAGE TWO第46题）

A.friendship

B.love

C.kinship

D.honour

答案：A

根据题干的North Europe将答案定位在第六段最后一句（北欧即位于斯堪的纳维亚半岛）：It was often hung in doorways as a sign of friendship.答案当然选A。

Why does the UN use the Olive branch in its symbol?（2016年PASSAGE TWO第53题）

答案：Because it symbolizes peace and unity.

根据olive branch和UN将答案定位于第八段：the olive branch is a part of many modernflags symbolizing peace and unity（橄榄枝出现在当代许多旗帜上，象征着和平和统一），答案显而易见，不过考生不能照抄原文，要根据提问的方式，用正确的结构来回答：Because it symbolizes peace and unity.或者It is the symbol of peace and unity.

推断题：

推断题要求考生根据定位信息对句子或段落进行推断和引申，考生尤其要揣测作者的写作意图，发现句子或段落暗含之意，类似于paraphrase。

……

（2）About ten o’clock on the following morning,dirty and hungry,I was dragging myself along Portland Place,when a child that was passing,towed by a nurse-maid,tossed a big pear——minus one bite——into the gutter.I stopped,of course,and fastened my desiring eye on that muddy treasure.My mouth watered for it,my stomach craved it,my whole being begged for it.But every time I made a move to get it some passing eye detected my purpose,and of course I straightened up then,and looked indifferent and pretended that I hadn’t been thinking about the pear at all.This same think kept happening and happening,and I couldn’t get the pear.

……

（6）You will remember that the Bank of England once issued two notes of a million pounds each,to be used for a special purpose connected with some public transaction with a foreign country.For some reason or other only one of these had been used and canceled;the other still lay in the vaults of the Bank.Well,the brothers,chatting along,happened to get to wondering what might be the fate of a perfectly honest and intelligent stranger who should be turned adrift in London without a friend,and with no money but that million-pound bank-note,and no way to account for his being in possession of it.Brother A said he would starve to death;Brother B said he wouldn’t.Brother A said he couldn’t offer it at a bank or anywhere else,because he would be arrested on the spot.So they went on disputing till Brother B said he would bet twenty thousand pounds that the man would live thirty days,anyway,on that million,and keep out of jail,too.Brother A took him up.Brother B went down to the Bank and bought that note.Then he dictated a letter,which one of his clerks wrote out in a beautiful round hand,and then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to.

（7）I fnally became the pick of them.

It can be concluded from Para.2 that_____.（2016年PASSAGE ONE第42题）

A.the man wanted to maintain dignity though starved

B.the man could not get a proper chance to eat the pear

C.the man did not really want the pear since it was dirty

D.it was very diffcult for the man to get the pear

答案：A

此题主要考查对第二段长难句的理解，but every time I made a move to get it some passing eye detected my purpose,and of course I straightened up then,and looked indifferent and pretended that I hadn’t been thinking about the pear at all，意为“只是我刚一动弹想去捡梨，总有哪一双过路的火眼金睛发现我的举动，我自然又站得直直的，没事人儿一样，好像从来就没有在那个烂梨身上打过主意”。此句属于主人公的心理描写，事实上根本没人注意到他，是他的自尊心让他弯不下腰，故选A。

What can be inferred from the last sentence of the passage?（2016年PASSAGE ONE第52题）

答案：I was chosen to try out the million-pound banknote.

文章第六段最后一句then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to（然后两兄弟在窗户旁观察了一整天，想找到适合的人选来检测百万英镑的效果），而最后一段I fnally became the pick of them，自然我成了他们的目标，故答案为I was chosen to try out the million-pound banknote.即便没有最后一段的提示，英语专业的考生也应该知道本文选自马克·吐温著名短篇小说《百万英镑》。如果考生对其故事情节有大致的了解，既能提高答题的成功率，也能增强考生考试时的信心。2017年英语专业四级考试阅读理解的第二篇文章同样选自英国作家劳伦斯的经典作品《儿子与情人》，所以考生在平时的学习中要加强对英美名篇的阅读，既能提高词汇量，也能培养审美情趣。

语义题：

语义题作为英语专业四级阅读常考题型，主要考查考生对阅读文章中出现的词、词组或句子的含义的理解能力，除要求考生具备一定的词汇量之外，更要求考生具有根据上下文推断生词含义的能力。

（1）When I was twenty-seven years old,I was a mining-broker’s clerk in San Francisco,and an expert in all the details of stock traffc.I was alone in the world,and had nothing to depend upon but my wits and a clean reputation;but these were setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune,and I was content with the prospect.My time was my own after the afternoon board,Saturdays,and I was accustomed to putting it in on a little sail-boat on the bay.One day I ventured too far,and was carried out to sea.Just at nightfall,when hope was about gone,I was picked up by a small ship which was bound for London.It was a long and stormy voyage,and they made me work my passage without pay,as a common sailor.When I stepped ashore in London my clothes were ragged and shabby,and I had only a dollar in my pocket.This money fed and sheltered me twenty-four hours.During the next twenty-four I went without food and shelter.

……

（4）I was admitted by a man servant,and shown into a sumptuous room where a couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting.They sent away the servant,and made me sit down.They had just finished their breakfast,and the sight of the remains of it almost overpowered me.I could hardly keep my wits together in the presence of that food,but as I was not asked to sample it,I had to bear my trouble as best as I could.

……

In Para.1,the phrase“set my feet”probably means_____.（2016年PASSAGE ONE第41题）

A.put me aside

B.prepare me

C.let me walk

D.start my journey

答案：B

set foot in意为“到达，进入，踏上”，but these were setting my feet in the road to eventualfortune意为“但这些（前文提到的我的智慧和清白的名声）让我踏上最终通往财富的道路”。这里考查的是set foot in动词短语的比喻义，即我的智慧和清白的名声为我后来的成功做好了准备，故选B。

In Para.4,what does the man mean by saying“I had to bear my trouble”?（2016年PASSAGE ONE第51题）

答案：I had to endure hunger and not to eat.

第四段末尾I could hardly keep my wits together in the presence of that food,but as I was not asked to sample it,I had to bear my trouble as best as I could，意为“见到如此奢侈的食物，我无法集中精力，保持镇定。但是，既然没有人邀请我品尝，我只能尽力忍受我的麻烦”，这里my trouble当然是美食在眼前却无法品尝的痛苦，故答案为I had to endure hunger and not to eat.

态度题：

态度题主要考查作者对文章主旨的态度，或者文章中出现的特定人物对特定事件的态度。在议论文中，考生要找准主题句；在记叙文中，考生要体会作者的创作倾向，找到表明或暗示情感态度的词语，或者烘托气氛和渲染情感的词语。态度题的选项可分为褒义词、贬义词和中性词。

……

（6）You will remember that the Bank of England once issued two notes of a million pounds each,to be used for a special purpose connected with some public transaction with a foreign country.For some reason or other only one of these had been used and canceled;the other still lay in the vaults of the Bank.Well,the brothers,chatting along,happened to get to wondering what might be the fate of a perfectly honest and intelligent stranger who should be turned adrift in London without a friend,and with no money but that million-pound bank-note,and no way to account for his being in possession of it.Brother A said he would starve to death;Brother B said he wouldn’t.Brother A said he couldn’t offer it at a bank or anywhere else,because he would be arrested on the spot.So they went on disputing till Brother B said he would bet twenty thousand pounds that the man would live thirty days,anyway,on that million,and keep out of jail,too.Brother A took him up.Brother B went down to the Bank and bought that note.Then he dictated a letter,which one of his clerks wrote out in a beautiful round hand,and then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to.

……

Compared with Brother A,Brother B was more_____towards the effect of the one-million-pound bank-note on a total stranger.（2016年PASSAGE ONE第43题）

A.neutral

B.negative

C.reserved

D.positive

答案：D

从兄弟俩的争辩定位回第六段，so they went on disputing till Brother B said he would bet twenty thousand pounds that the man would live thirty days,anyway,on that million,and keep out of jail（弟弟说他愿出两万镑打赌，这人靠百万英镑大钞无论如何也能活三十天，而且也进不了监狱），可知弟弟的态度是积极的，故选D。

……

（4）We’ve been thinking about it for two reasons:the“nanny”problems of two high-ranking government offcials（who hired undocumented foreigners as household helpers,presumably because they couldn’t fnd Americans to do the work）and President Clinton’s proposal to put a two-year limit on welfare.

（5）Maybe something useful will come of Clinton’s idea,but I’m not all that hopeful.It looks to me like one more example of trying to manipulate people into taking care of themselves.

……

What is the author’s attitude towards Clinton’s proposal to welfare?（2016年PASSAGE THREE第48题）

A.Pessimistic.

B.Optimistic.

C.Suspicious.

D.Sarcastic.

答案：C

根据题干Clinton’s proposal to welfare定位于第四段，而作者的态度在第五段maybe something useful will come of Clinton’s idea,but I’m not all that hopeful（也许克林顿的提议会产生一些有用的东西，而我却没那么乐观），并进一步对此提出质疑it looks to me like one more example of trying to manipulate people into taking care of themselves（在我看来，这不过是另一个例子，来证明是可以操纵人民让他们自己照顾自己的），所以作者对克林顿限制福利的提案持怀疑的态度，故选C。

四、真题分析

PASSAGE ONE

（1）When I was a young girl living in Ireland,I was always pleased when it rained,because that meant I could go treasure hunting.What’s the connection between a wet day and a search for buried treasure?Well,it’s quite simple.Ireland,as some of you may already know,is the home of Leprechauns——little men who possess magic powers and,perhaps more interestingly,pots of gold.

（2）Now,although Leprechauns are interesting characters,I have to admit that I was more interested in the stories of their treasure hoard.This,as all of Ireland knows,they hide at the end of the rainbow.Leprechauns can be fearsome folk but if you can discover the end of the rainbow,they have to unwillingly surrender their gold to you.So whenever it rained,I would look up in the sky and follow the curve of the rainbow to see where it ended.I never did unearth any treasure,but I did spend many happy,showery days dreaming of what I could do with the fortune if I found it.

（3）As I got older,and started working,rainy days came to be just another nuisance and my childhood dreams of fnding treasure faded.But for some people the dream of striking it lucky never fades,and for a fortunate few,the dream even comes true!Such is the case of Mel Fisher.His dream of fnding treasure also began in childhood,while reading the great literature classics“Treasure Island”and“Moby Dick”.However,unlike me,he chased his dream and in the end managed to become one of the most famous professional treasure hunters of all time,and for good reason.In 1985,he fshed up the priceless cargo of the sunken Spanish ship Atocha,which netted him an incredible 400 million dollars!

（4）After the ship sank in 1622 off the coast of Florida,its murky waters became a treasure-trove（埋藏的宝藏）of precious stones,gold bars and silver coins known as“pieces of eight”.The aptlynamed Fisher,who ran a commercial salvaging operation,had been trying to locate the underwater treasure for over 16 years when he fnallyhit the jackpot!His dreams had come true but fnding and keeping the treasure wasn’t all plain sailing.After battling with hostile conditions at sea,Fisher then had to battle in the courts.In fact,the State of Florida took Fisher to court over ownership of the fnd and the Federal government soon followed suit.After more than 200 hearings,Fisher agreed to donate 20%of his fndings for public display,and so now there is a museum in Florida which displays hundreds of the objects which were salvaged from the Atocha.

（5）This true story seems like a modern-day fairytale:a man pursues his dream through hardship and in the end,he triumphs over the diffculties——they all live happily ever after,right?Well,not exactly.Archaeologists object to the fact that with commercial salvaging operations like Fisher’s,the objects are sold and dispersed,and UNESCO are also worried about protecting our underwater heritage from what it describes as“pillaging”（抢劫、掠夺）.

（6）The counter-argument is that in professional,well-run operations such as Fisher’s,each piece is accurately and minutely recorded and that it is this information which is more important than the actual object,and that such operations help increase our wealth of archaeological knowledge.Indeed,as in Fisher’s case,they make history more accessible to people through museum donations and information on web sites.

（7）The distinction of whether these treasure hunters are salvaging or pillaging our underwater heritage may not be clear,but what is clear is that treasure hunting is not just innocent child’s play anymore but proftable big business.I have learnt that the end of the rainbow is beyond my reach,but in consolation,with just a click of the mouse,I too can have a share in the riches that the Atocha hasrevealed.As Friedrich Nietzsche so wisely said:“Our treasure lies in the beehive of our knowledge.”

41.In Para.4,the phrase“hit the jackpot”means_____according to the context.

A.discovered the jackpot

B.found the treasure

C.broke one of the objects

D.ran a salvaging operation

答案：B语义题

hit the jackpot最初指赌博时赢得一场牌局，后来引申为赢得大笔金钱或重大胜利。第四段Fisher had been trying to locate the underwater treasure for over 16 years when he fnally hit the jackpot（当Fisher找到财宝时，他已经在水下搜索了16年），这里的hit the jackpot就是指前文的locate the underwater treasure，故选B。

42.It can be concluded from Paras.5 and 6 that_____.

A.UNESCO’s view is different from archaeologists’

B.all salvaging operations should be prohibited

C.attention should be paid to the fnd’s educational value

D.people hold entirely different views on the issue

答案：D推断题

第五段Archaeologists object to the fact that with commercial salvaging operations like Fisher’s,the objects are sold and dispersed.（考古学家反对Fisher这样的商业拯救行为，因为珍宝被随意贩卖，散落四处）。UNESCO are also worried about protecting our underwater heritage from what it describes as“pillaging”.（联合国教科文组织同样担忧，不知如何让水下遗产免受掠夺）。第六段in professional operations such as Fisher’s,each piece is accurately and minutely recorded...and that such operations help increase our wealth of archaeological knowledge.（像Fisher这样专业的商业拯救行为，能精确详细地记录下每一件珍宝；而且这样的拯救行动能帮助积累考古方面的知识）。显然各方对Fisher的寻宝行动持不同的态度，故选D。

43.How did the author feel about the treasure from the Atocha（Para.7）?

A.She was glad that people can have a chance to see the treasure.

B.She was sad that she was unable to discover and salvage treasure.

C.She was angry that treasure hunters were pillaging heritage.

D.She was unconcerned about where the treasure came from

答案：A推断题

第七段I have learnt that the end of the rainbow is beyond my reach,but in consolation,with just a click of the mouse,I too can have a share in the riches that the Atocha has revealed.（我懂得，我无法触摸到彩虹的尽头；但令人欣慰的是，只要点一下鼠标，我也能享受到Atocha上的财富）。这里的in consolation对应glad，have a share in the riches that Atocha has revealed对应have a chance to see the treasure，故选A。

51.What doesThis in Para.2 refer to?

答案：Leprechauns’treasure hoards.语义题

This所在句子的正常语序为：As all of Ireland knows,they hidethis at the end of the rainbow.（正如所有的爱尔兰人知道的那样，他们把this藏在彩虹的尽头）。指代题的答案通常出现在题干所在句子的前方，他们指的就是Leprechauns（小矮仙），this指的就是矮仙们藏匿的宝藏，故答案为Leprechauns’treasure hoards.

52.Why did Fisher have to battle in the courts after he found the treasure（Para.4）?

答案：Because he was sued over the ownership of the treasures.

第四段原文为The State of Florida took Fisher to court over ownership of the fnd.（佛罗里达州因为财宝的所有权问题将Fisher告上法庭）。按照短问题回答要求，答案需控制在十个单词之内，故答案可简化为：Because he was sued over the ownership of the treasures.

PASSAGE TWO

（1）Paul was dissatisfed with himself and with everything.The deepest of his love belonged to his mother.When he felt he had hurt her,or wounded his love for her,he could not bear it.Now it was spring and there was battle between him and Miriam,his girlfriend.This year he had a good deal against her.She was vaguely aware of it.The old feeling that she was to be sacrifce to this love,which she had had when she prayed,was mingled in all her emotions.She did not at the bottom believe she ever would have him.She did not believe in herself primarily:doubted whether she could ever be what he would demand of her.Certainly she never saw herself living happily through a lifetime with him.She saw tragedy,sorrow,and sacrifce ahead.And in sacrifce she was proud,in renunciation she was strong,for she did not trust herself to support everyday life.She was prepared for the big things and the deep things,like tragedy.It was the suffciency of the small day-life she could not trust.

（2）The Easter holidays began happily.Paul was his own frank self.Yet she felt it would go wrong.On the Sunday afternoon she stood at her bedroom window,looking across at the oak-trees of the wood,in whose branches a twilight was tangled,below the bright sky of the afternoon.Grey-green rosettes of honeysuckle leaves hung before the window,some already,she fancied,showing bud.It was spring,which she loved and dreaded.

（3）Hearing the clack of the gate she stood in suspense.It was a bright grey day.Paul came into the yard with his bicycle,which glittered as he walked.Usually he rang his bell and laughed towards the house.Today he walked with shut lips and cold,cruel bearing,that had something of a slouch and a sneer in it.She knew him well by now,and could tell from keen-looking what was happening inside him.There was a cold correctness in the way he put his bicycle in its place,that made her heart sink.

（4）She came downstairs nervously.She was wearing a new net blouse that she thought became her.It had a high collar with a tiny ruff,making her,she thought,look wonderfully a woman,and dignifed.At twenty she was full-breasted and luxuriously formed.Her face was still like a soft rich mask,unchangeable.But her eyes,once lifted,were wonderful.She was afraid of him.He would notice her new blouse.

（5）He,being in a hard,ironical mood,was entertaining the family to a description of a service given in the Primitive Methodist Chapel.He sat at the head of the table,his mobile face,with the eyes that could be so beautiful,shining with tenderness or dancing with laughter,now taking on one expression and then another,in imitation of various people he was mocking.His mockery always hurt her;it was too near the reality.He was too clever and cruel.She felt that when his eyes were like this,hard with mocking hate,he would spare neither himself nor anybody else.But Miriam’s mother was wiping her eyes with laughter,and her father,just awake from his Sunday nap,was rubbing his head in amusement.The three brothers sat with ruffled,sleepy appearance in their shirt-sleeves,giving a guffaw from time to time.The whole family loved a“take-off”more than anything.

44.It can be learned from the beginning that Miriam’s attitude towards love between her and Paul is_____.

A.indifferent

B.desperate

C.pessimistic

D.ambiguous

答案：C细节题

第一段中若干细节均描写了保罗和米利亚姆的关系：Now it was spring and there was battle between him and Miriam,his girlfriend.This year he had a good deal against her.（已经是春天了，他和米利亚姆之间有了激烈的冲突。这一年来，他老是和她作对）。She did not at the bottom believe she ever would have him.She did not believe in herself primarily:doubted whether she could ever be what he would demand of her.（她从心底里就不相信自己能拥有他，主要是她不相信自己，怀疑自己是否能做到保罗要求的那样）。She saw tragedy,sorrow,and sacrifce ahead.（前方她只看到悲剧、忧伤和牺牲）。种种迹象表明Miriam对两人之间的关系充满悲观，故选C。

45.The narration in Para.3 tells us that Miriam had all the following feelings EXCEPT_____.

A.delight

B.expectation

C.uncertainty

D.foreboding

答案：A细节题

第三段Hearing the clack of the gate she stood in suspense.（听到大门咯吱一声，米利亚姆心神不宁地站在那儿）对应uncertainty。She knew him well by now,and could tell from keen-looking what was happening inside him.（她现在已对他了如指掌，从他敏锐的外表就能看出他心底的想法）对应expectation。There was a cold correctness in the way he put his bicycle in its place,that made her heart sink.（他不经意地把车停在老地方，米利亚姆看着不禁心里一沉）对应foreboding。唯独没有细节展现米利亚姆高兴的情绪，故选A。

46.Which of the following statements is CORRECT about the family’s response to Paul’s mockery?

A.Only the parents found it entertaining.

B.Every member except Miriam was amused.

C.The brothers found it hard to appreciate.

D.Miriam also thought it was amusing.

答案：B细节题

第五段Miriam’s mother was wiping her eyes with laughter,and her father,just awake from his Sunday nap,was rubbing his head in amusement.（米利亚姆的母亲笑得直抹眼泪，她的父亲刚从周日的午睡中醒过来，也高兴得直摸脑袋）。The three brothers sat with ruffled,sleepy appearance in their shirt-sleeves,giving a guffaw from time to time.（米利亚姆的三个兄弟穿着衬衣，衣冠不整，睡眼惺忪地坐在那儿，时不时地哈哈大笑）。His mockery always hurt her;it was too near the reality.（一直以来，他的嘲弄对她是一种伤害，因为实在是过于逼真）。所以米利亚姆的父母和兄弟被保罗的模仿逗乐，但米利亚姆对他的模仿望而却步，故选B。

53.Why did Miriam wear a new net blouse on Sunday afternoon?

答案：It made her look dignifed and would arouse Paul’s attention.细节题

根据a new net blouse将答案定位至第四段：It had a high collar with a tiny ruff,making her,she thought,look wonderfully a woman,and dignifed....She was afraid of him.He would notice her new blouse.（网眼衬衫高高的皱领上带有飞边，她暗自以为，这让她看上去既漂亮又高贵。……她有些害怕他。他会注意到她身上的新衬衫的）。故答案为：It made her look dignifed and would arouse Paul’s attention.

54.What is the meaning of the sentence“...he would spare neither himself nor anybody else”in Para.5?

答案：He would imitate anyone he wanted to mock.语义题

题干所在句子意为“他过于敏锐，也过于残忍。每当他眼睛这样冷，这样充满嘲讽的恨意时，她就知道他一定不会放过任何人，包括他自己”，结合第五段He sat at the head of the table,...in imitation of various people he was mocking.（他坐在餐桌的一头，……模仿着那些他嘲讽对象的模样）。说明他会不遗余力地模仿那些他想嘲讽的人，故答案为：He would imitate anyone he wanted to mock.

PASSAGE THREE

（1）I’ve written this article and you’re reading it.So we are members of the same club.We’re both literate——we can read and write.And we both probably feel that literacy is essential to our lives.But millions of people all over the world are illiterate.Even in industrialised western countries,such as the UK and the USA,approximately 20%of the population have“low literacy levels”.But what exactly does that mean?

（2）My parents both left school at 14.They could read and write,but except for a quick look at the daily newspaper,reading and writing didn’t play a big part in their lives.There were very few books in the house.My mother was amazed because the woman who lived next door always wrote a list of what she needed before she went to the supermarket.Why couldn’t she remember?We laughed about that for weeks.Our family didn’t write lists!And when I was only 14 years old my father gave me an important letter that he’d written to the bank and asked me to check it for grammar and spelling mistakes.And there were quite a lot.He never usually wrote letters or postcards or even Christmas cards.So when he had to write he wasn’t comfortable or confdent.Does that mean that my father had a“low level of literacy”?I don’t think so.

（3）There are lots of different defnitions of literacy.Some experts defne it as having the reading and writing skills that you need to be independent in your everyday life.So,for example,if you can read instructions,write a cheque,fll in a form,——anything that you need to do in everyday life——then you are“functionally literate”.

（4）Other people say that you are illiterate if you think that you are illiterate.In other words,if you feel that you can’t read or write as well as you would like to.

（5）If you live in a society where most people are literate,then you will feel ashamed or embarrassed and avoid situations in which you have to read or write.The father of a friend of mine fnally admitted to his family that he couldn’t read when he was 45 years old.He bought the newspaper every day and pretended to read it——and believe it or not,his family had no idea.

（6）We often forget that writing is a recent invention.Many years ago,the word“literate”meant being able to communicate well in speaking,in other words what we now call“articulate”.Story telling was an important activity in the past and still is today in some societies.Reading was often a cooperative activity——someone would read aloud to a group,often from a religious text such as theKoranor theBible.

（7）Only a hundred years ago,in the United States,you were considered to be literate if you could sign your name to a piece of paper.It was an important skill.You were not allowed to vote if you couldn’t sign the voting register,so literacy was connected with political rights,and many people were excluded from the democratic process.

（8）Nowadays we see reading and writing as being connected,but that wasn’t so in the past.Many people could read,but not write.Writing was a skilled profession.If you needed something written then you paid an expert to write it for you.

（9）And of course,rich and important people have always employed people to write things for them.Important company bosses dictated letters to their secretaries or personal assistants.And now with new computer software you can dictate directly to your computer.

（10）Being illiterate can have a big effect on people’s lives.For example,a study in the UK showed that people who write and spell badly are seen as careless,immature and unreliable,and often unintelligent.So it is more diffcult for them to fnd jobs,even when reading and writing are not necessary for the work.

（11）World-wide statistics show that literacy problems are associated with poverty and a lack of political power.More women than men are illiterate.Illiterate people have worse health,bigger families and are more likely to go to prison.So literacy campaigns must be a good thing.But don’t forget that an illiterate person,or someone with a low level of literacy,isn’t necessarily stupid or ignorant,and may not be unhappy at all.Knowledge and wisdom isn’t only found in writing.

47.Why does the author give two examples in Para.2?

A.To show that literacy is interpreted in different ways.

B.To show that Father was more literate than Mother.

C.To indicate how important reading and writing are.

D.To compare the level of literacy between neighbours.

答案：A推断题

第二段中的第一个例子为：My mother was amazed because the woman who lived next door always wrote a list of what she needed before she went to the supermarket.Why couldn’t she remember?（令我母亲震惊的是，我们隔壁的女邻居竟然去超市前要写一张购物单。她为什么记不住自己要买的东西呢？）说明在母亲的认知中literacy可以是remember；第二个例子为：So when he had to write he wasn’t comfortable or confident.Does that mean that my father had a“low level of literacy”?I don’t think so.（所以当父亲必须得写的时候就会感觉不自在或不自信。这是不是意味着父亲的“文化水平低下”呢？我不这样认为）说明作者认为，父亲读写水平不高并不代表他文化水平低。这些都跟文章首段中提到的We’re both literate——we can read and write（我们能读会写说明我们有文化）相背，说明不同的人对literacy的定义是不一样的，且第三段首句There are lots of different defnitions of literacy（文化的定义各有不同）也证明了这一点，故选A。

48.According to the author,the following are some of the defining features of literacy EXCEPT_____.

A.psychological

B.functional

C.social

D.independent

答案：D细节题

第三段If you can read instructions,write a cheque,fll in a form,——anything that you need to do in everyday life——then you are“functionally literate”.（如果你能处理日常生活中的各种事物——读说明书、写支票、填表格等，那么你就有文化）对应functional。第四段Other people say that you are illiterate if you think that you are illiterate.（另一个看法是，如果你自己认为自己没有文化，那你真的就没有文化）对应psychological。第五段If you live in a society where most people are literate,then you will feel ashamed or embarrassed and avoid situations in which you have to read or write.（如果你不会读写却生活在一个人人都有文化的社会，那么你会感到羞耻或是尴尬，极力避免要求读写的情况）对应social。只有independent没有提及，故选D。

49.Which of the following statements about reading and writing is CORRECT?

A.Reading and writing have always been regarded as equally diffcult.

B.People had to read and write well in order to be allowed to vote.

C.Reading often requires more immediate interaction than writing.

D.Reading and writing have always been viewed as being connected.

答案：C细节题

第八段Writing was a skilled profession.If you needed something written then you paid an expert to write it for you.（在过去写作是项技能职业，如果你需要写点什么，那么你得花钱请个能手帮你写）排除A选项。第七段You were not allowed to vote if you couldn’t sign the voting register.（如果你不会在选票上签名，就会被剥夺投票的权利）排除B选项。第八段Nowadays we see reading and writing as being connected,but that wasn’t so in the past.Many people could read,but not write.（现在人们把读写看成一回事，但在过去并不是如此，很多人会读但不会写）排除D选项。第六段Reading was often a co-operative activity——someone would read aloud to a group,often from a religious text such as theKoran or theBible.（阅读是一个合作的过程——通常是某个人面向一群人朗读《可兰经》或《圣经》这样的宗教读物），这里interaction是对co-operative activity的同义替换，故选C。

50.What do the last two paragraphs mainly focus on（Paras.10 and 11）?

A.Effects of illiteracy and employment problems.

B.Effects of illiteracy and associated problems.

C.Effects of illiteracy on one’s personality development.

D.Effects of illiteracy on women’s career development.

答案：B主旨题

第十段首句：Being illiterate can have a big effect on people’s lives.（不会读写对人们的生活有很大的影响）对应effects of illiteracy；第十一段首句：World-wide statistics show that literacy problems are associated with poverty and a lack of political power.（世界范围的数据显示，读写问题与贫困和政治权利的缺失紧密相连）对应associated problems，故选B。

55.Explain the meaning of the last sentence of Para.11 according to the context.

答案：Illiterate people may also have knowledge and wisdom.语义题

文章最后一句提到Knowledge and wisdom isn’t only found in writing.（知识与智慧不仅仅存在于写作之中），结合前句Don’t forget that an illiterate person,or someone with a low level of literacy,isn’t necessarily stupid or ignorant,and may not be unhappy at all.（别忘了一个不会读写的人，或者一个文化水平低的人，未必愚蠢或无知，也未必不快乐），说明不会读写的人也可能拥有知识和智慧，故答案为：Illiterate people may also have knowledge and wisdom.