歷年英語(yǔ)四級(jí)閱讀全解析（2002-2008）
2002.1
Passage one
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
Some pessimistic experts feel that the automobile is bound to fall into disuse. They see a day in the not-too-distant future when all autos will be abandoned and allowed to rust. Other authorities, however, think the auto is here to stay. They hold that the car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the foreseeable future.
The motorcar will undoubtedly change significantly over the next 30 years. It should become smaller, safer, and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine. The car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present types.
Regardless of its power source, the auto in the future will still be the main problem in urban traffic congestion . One proposed solution to this problem is the automated highway system.
When the auto enters the highway system, a retractable arm will drop from the auto and make contact with a rail, which is similar to those powering subway trains electrically. Once attached to the rail, the car will become electrically powered from the system, and control of the vehicle will pass to a central computer. The computer will then monitor all of the cars movements.
The driver will use a telephone to dial instructions about his destination into the system. The computer will calculate the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway. The driver will then be free to relax and wait for the buzzer that will warn him of his coming exit. It is estimated that an automated highway will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day highway.
21. One significant improvement in the future car will probably be ________.
A) its power source
B) its driving system
C) its monitoring system
D) its seating capacity(A)
22. What is the authors main concern?
A) How to render automobiles pollution-free.
B) How to make smaller and safer automobiles.
C) How to solve the problem of traffic jams.
D) How to develop an automated subway system.(C)
23. What provides autos with electric power in an automated highway system?
A) A rail.
B) An engine.
C) A retractable arm.
D) A computer controller.(A)
24. In an automated highway system, all the driver needs to do is ________.
A) keep in the right lane
B) wait to arrive at his destination
C) keep in constant touch with the computer center
D) inform the system of his destination by phone(D)
25. What is the authors attitude toward the future of autos?
A) Enthusiastic.
B) Pessimistic.
C) Optimistic.
D) Cautious.(C)
這篇材料講的是未來(lái)汽車(chē)的問(wèn)題。第一段先是舉出了兩種截然相反的觀點(diǎn)：在不久的未來(lái)，汽車(chē)將會(huì)被人類廢棄(all autos will be abandoned and allowed to rust)，在可預(yù)見(jiàn)的將來(lái)，汽車(chē)依然會(huì)是城市交通的主要方式(the car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the foreseeable future)。這樣本文討論的側(cè)重點(diǎn)也就呈現(xiàn)出來(lái)了這里將要討論的是汽車(chē)的未來(lái)。
下文接續(xù)第一段所提的第二個(gè)觀點(diǎn)，說(shuō)明未來(lái)被人類繼續(xù)使用的汽車(chē)可能會(huì)發(fā)生的變化。未來(lái)的汽車(chē)會(huì)變得更小，更加安全，也更有經(jīng)濟(jì)性，同時(shí)不會(huì)使用汽油驅(qū)動(dòng)(smaller, safer, and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine)，污染也會(huì)比現(xiàn)在的汽車(chē)小得多。
以上算是未來(lái)汽車(chē)相較現(xiàn)在的優(yōu)點(diǎn)，不過(guò)，未來(lái)的汽車(chē)也依然存在問(wèn)題，那就是交通擁堵(still be the main problem in urban traffic congestion)。但作者馬上提出了解決辦法：自動(dòng)公路系統(tǒng)(automated highway system)。最后的兩個(gè)大段對(duì)這一系統(tǒng)的工作原理進(jìn)行了解釋。
汽車(chē)進(jìn)入自動(dòng)公路系統(tǒng)后，車(chē)身上會(huì)有一條伸縮臂與鐵軌連接，此時(shí)汽車(chē)的動(dòng)力便由系統(tǒng)提供電力控制(解決了污染問(wèn)題)，而汽車(chē)的操控則轉(zhuǎn)交給中心電腦，由電腦監(jiān)控汽車(chē)所有的運(yùn)行動(dòng)作(第四段)。
司機(jī)所要做的是只是用電話輸入指令，告訴系統(tǒng)所要到達(dá)的目的地。系統(tǒng)會(huì)計(jì)算最佳路徑，同時(shí)保證行進(jìn)路徑的暢通。這時(shí)，司機(jī)就有時(shí)間放松了，因?yàn)榭煲竭_(dá)目的地的時(shí)候系統(tǒng)會(huì)自動(dòng)發(fā)出提示(第五段)。
這一系統(tǒng)的效率如何呢?它在一個(gè)小時(shí)內(nèi)的容量是10000輛汽車(chē)，而如今的公路只能容許1500-2000輛汽車(chē)通過(guò)(will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day highway)。
21. A
題目問(wèn)未來(lái)汽車(chē)的一項(xiàng)重要發(fā)展很可能是
A，動(dòng)力來(lái)源。
B，駕駛系統(tǒng)。
C，監(jiān)控系統(tǒng)。
D，可乘坐人數(shù)。
第二段對(duì)未來(lái)汽車(chē)的可能發(fā)展做了展望：It should become smaller, safer, and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine. The car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present type，這里提到了5種可能的情況，包括大小(smaller)，安全性(safer)，經(jīng)濟(jì)性(more economical)，動(dòng)力來(lái)源(not be powered by the gasoline engine)，環(huán)保(more pollution-free)。四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中只有A與其中一種情況一致，本題選A。
22. C
題目問(wèn)作者主要關(guān)心的問(wèn)題是什么。
A，如何實(shí)現(xiàn)汽車(chē)無(wú)污染。
B，如何制造更小更安全的汽車(chē)。
C，如何解決交通擁堵問(wèn)題。
D，如何發(fā)展一套自動(dòng)地鐵系統(tǒng)。
上一題考查了第二段，那么這一題應(yīng)該考查第二段以后的內(nèi)容了。第三段指出the auto in the future will still be the main problem in urban traffic congestion，即未來(lái)汽車(chē)依然會(huì)存在交通擁堵問(wèn)題。此后的兩段全部圍繞如何解決交通問(wèn)題展開(kāi)，說(shuō)明了一種新的公路系統(tǒng)如何可以解決這一問(wèn)題。這樣 的話，本題的答案應(yīng)該是C。A和B在第二段中都提到了，但只是一筆帶過(guò)，沒(méi)有繼續(xù)論述。D有一定迷惑性，要注意D說(shuō)的是subway系統(tǒng)，而不是文章所著 力說(shuō)明的highway系統(tǒng)。D這個(gè)選項(xiàng)應(yīng)該是源于第四段which is similar to those powering subway trains electrically這句，但這里僅是把highway系統(tǒng)的一項(xiàng)裝置(rail)和subway(地鐵)的裝置進(jìn)行對(duì)比而已(which指代前面的 rail，is similar to是與相似，power做動(dòng)詞講，指為地鐵列車(chē)提供電力。全句意思就是與那些在地鐵里為列車(chē)提供電力的rail一樣)。
23. A
題目問(wèn)在自動(dòng)公路系統(tǒng)中，是什么為汽車(chē)提供電力。
A，一根鐵軌。
B，一臺(tái)發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)。
C，一支可伸縮的機(jī)械臂。
D，一個(gè)電腦控制器。
文章講到自動(dòng)公路系統(tǒng)的動(dòng)力問(wèn)題是在第四段。第四段一共三句話，第一句講的是汽車(chē)進(jìn)入系統(tǒng)后，會(huì)從車(chē)身伸出一條可伸縮的機(jī)械臂，搭在一根鐵軌上。第二句講 的是與鐵軌連接后，汽車(chē)就交由公路系統(tǒng)提供電力作為動(dòng)力。第三句講的是汽車(chē)的控制問(wèn)題，講的是汽車(chē)的操控完全交予電腦。從這三句話可以看出，機(jī)械臂是從汽 車(chē)車(chē)身伸出的，不會(huì)提供電力，僅起到一個(gè)連接鐵軌的作用。鐵軌通過(guò)機(jī)械臂為汽車(chē)提供電力，并開(kāi)始以電力作為動(dòng)力，與發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)無(wú)關(guān)了。電腦只起控制汽車(chē)的作 用，與動(dòng)力無(wú)關(guān)。這樣，本題應(yīng)該選A。
24. D
題目問(wèn)在自動(dòng)公路系統(tǒng)中，司機(jī)所要做的只有什么。
A，保持正確的行進(jìn)路線。
B，等待最后到達(dá)終點(diǎn)。
C，隨時(shí)與電腦中心保持聯(lián)系。
D，用電話把行車(chē)目的地告知系統(tǒng)。
文章的最后一段講到了司機(jī)在自動(dòng)公路系統(tǒng)中應(yīng)做哪些事情。首先是電話通知系統(tǒng)其行車(chē)目的地(The driver will use a telephone to dial instructions about his destination into the system)，此后電腦會(huì)計(jì)算最佳行車(chē)路線并為該車(chē)保留行車(chē)路段(The computer will calculate the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway)。最后司機(jī)所要做的就是等待到達(dá)終點(diǎn)了。
從這里可以看出，司機(jī)需要做的事情是電話通知系統(tǒng)其行車(chē)目的地，D的說(shuō)法與此相符。B的說(shuō)法在文中雖然也可以找到，但等待本身不能算是實(shí)質(zhì)的事情。如果不輸入目的地，而只是等待的話，永遠(yuǎn)也到不了要去的地方。
25. C
題目問(wèn)作者對(duì)汽車(chē)未來(lái)的態(tài)度是怎樣的。
A，熱情的。
B，悲觀的。
C，樂(lè)觀的。
D，謹(jǐn)慎的。
作者在開(kāi)頭首先介紹了兩種關(guān)于汽車(chē)未來(lái)的觀點(diǎn)，一是汽車(chē)將會(huì)被人廢棄，二是汽車(chē)依然會(huì)是城市交通的主要方式。此后，作者的論述一直以第二個(gè)觀點(diǎn)為前提展開(kāi)。可見(jiàn)作者首先是看好汽車(chē)在未來(lái)世界的地位的。作者的觀點(diǎn)至少不是悲觀的。
第二段對(duì)未來(lái)汽車(chē)的變化進(jìn)行了展望，作者認(rèn)為汽車(chē)會(huì)朝向更小、更安全、更環(huán)保等方面發(fā)展。這一觀點(diǎn)應(yīng)該說(shuō)是樂(lè)觀的。
第三段指出了未來(lái)汽車(chē)發(fā)展的問(wèn)題所在，但馬上提出了解決方法，最后兩段具體描述了這一方法。雖有問(wèn)題，但可以解決，這里體現(xiàn)的還是樂(lè)觀的態(tài)度。
Enthusiastic是熱情的、充滿激情的意思，所表達(dá)的情緒非常熱烈，顯然并不符合文章的基調(diào)。Cautious所體現(xiàn)的態(tài)度應(yīng)該是樂(lè)觀方面與悲觀方面等量齊觀，同等重視，與文意同樣不符。綜上，C最為合適。
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Foxes and farmers have never got on well. These small dog-like animals have long been accused of killing farm animals. They are officially classified as harmful and farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them.
Farmers can also call on the services of their local hunt to control the fox population. Hunting consists of pursuing a fox across the countryside, with a group of specially trained dogs, followed by men and women riding horses. When the dogs eventually catch the fox they kill it or a hunter shoots it.
People who take part in hunting think of as a sport; they wear a special uniform of red coats and white trousers, and follow strict codes of behavior. But owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive, so most hunters are wealthy.
It is estimated that up to 100,000 people watch or take part in fox hunting. But over the last couple of decades the number of people opposed to fox hunting, because they think it is brutal , has risen sharply. Nowadays it is rare for a hunt to pass off without some kind of confrontation between hunters and hunt saboteurs . Sometimes these incidents lead to violence, but mostly saboteurs interfere with the hunt by misleading riders and disturbing the trail of the foxs smell, which the dogs follow.
Noisy confrontations between hunters and saboteurs have become so common that they are almost as much a part of hunting as the pursuit of foxes itself. But this year supporters of fox hunting face a much bigger threat to their sport. A Labour Party Member of the Parliament, Mike Foster, is trying to get Parliament to approve a new law which will make the hunting of wild animals with dogs illegal. If the law is passed, wild animals like foxes will be protected under the ban in Britain.
26. Rich people in Britain have been hunting foxes ________.
A) for recreation
B) in the interests of the farmers
C) to limit the fox population
D) to show off their wealth(A)
27. What is special about fox hunting in Britain?
A) It involves the use of a deadly poison.
B) It is a costly event which rarely occurs.
C) The hunters have set rules to follow.
D) The hunters have to go through strict training.(C)
28. Fox hunting opponents often interfere in the game ________.
A) by resorting to violence
B) by confusing the fox hunters
C) by taking legal action
D) by demonstrating on the scene(B)
29. A new law may be passed by the British Parliament to ________.
A) prohibit farmers from hunting foxes
B) forbid hunting foxes with dogs
C) stop hunting wild animals in the countryside
D) prevent large-scale fox hunting(B)
30. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A) killing foxes with poison is illegal
B) limiting the fox population is unnecessary
C) hunting foxes with dogs is considered cruel and violent
D) fox-hunting often leads to confrontation between the poor and the rich(C)
這篇材料講的是獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)的興衰。前三段可以看做是一個(gè)部分，主要論述獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)的源起和特點(diǎn)。后兩段的主要內(nèi)容則是反獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)的興起。
開(kāi)頭從狐貍與農(nóng)民的關(guān)系講起，講到狐貍自古就被認(rèn)為是家畜殺手，從而被正式歸為對(duì)人類有害的動(dòng)物，農(nóng)民們通過(guò)射殺和毒殺的方式不遺余力地減少狐貍的數(shù)量(farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them)。從這一段可以看到，狐貍因?qū)θ祟愑泻Χ獾綔鐨ⅲ@可以說(shuō)獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)得以興起的緣由之一。
第二段開(kāi)始介紹獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)的特點(diǎn)，而把這一內(nèi)容與上文連接起來(lái)的就是第二段第一句話。獵狐，也就是一群經(jīng)過(guò)特殊訓(xùn)練的狗在鄉(xiāng)村追蹤狐貍，騎馬的男女跟在狗群的后面。狗群捉住狐貍以后便會(huì)把它們咬死，或由獵手用槍擊斃(When the dogs eventually catch the fox they kill it or a hunter shoots it)。
參與獵狐的人們把獵狐當(dāng)作是一種運(yùn)動(dòng)，他們因此會(huì)身穿特殊的制服，紅帽白褲，遵循嚴(yán)格的行為規(guī)則(follow strict codes of behavior)。而擁有馬匹和定期打獵是很燒錢(qián)的，所以大多數(shù)獵手都是富翁。
第四段開(kāi)始講反對(duì)獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)，講到反對(duì)者的人數(shù)在過(guò)去二十年內(nèi)猛增(the number of people opposed to fox hunting has risen sharply)，反對(duì)的原因就是：殘忍(because they think it isbrutal)。反對(duì)者與獵手的沖突幾乎在每次獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)中都會(huì)發(fā)生(it is rare for a hunt to pass off without some kind ofconfrontation)，那么反對(duì)者通常會(huì)采取哪些行動(dòng)呢?少數(shù)會(huì)升級(jí)為暴力事件，但多數(shù)情況下，反對(duì)者會(huì)采取誤導(dǎo)騎手和祛除狐貍留下的氣味等方式(misleading riders and disturbing the trail of the foxs smell)。
這種沖突只不過(guò)是對(duì)正在進(jìn)行的獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)的阻撓，運(yùn)動(dòng)本身還是可以繼續(xù)。然而近年來(lái)獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)本身開(kāi)始面臨嚴(yán)重的威脅。最后一段講到，工黨某議員正在促使議會(huì)兩院通過(guò)一項(xiàng)新的法律，宣布驅(qū)使獵狗獵殺野生動(dòng)物為非法(trying to get Parliament to approve a new law which will make the hunting of wild animals with dogs illegal)。如果這項(xiàng)法律獲得通過(guò)，那么像狐貍這樣的野生動(dòng)物在英國(guó)就將受到保護(hù)(wild animals like foxes will be protected under the ban in Britain)。
26. A
題目問(wèn)英國(guó)的富人進(jìn)行獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)的目的是什么。
A，為了消遣。第三段第一句話：People who take part in hunting think of it as a sport，這一句道出了參與獵狐的人對(duì)獵狐本身的看法sport，一種運(yùn)動(dòng)。運(yùn)動(dòng)與競(jìng)技體育不同，其本身即是一種娛樂(lè)消遣。因此A的說(shuō)法是對(duì)的。
B，為了保護(hù)農(nóng)民的利益?？吹诙蔚谝痪洌篎armers can also call on the services of their local hunt to control the fox population， 農(nóng)民為了控制狐貍的數(shù)量，會(huì)召集當(dāng)?shù)氐墨C戶去獵殺狐貍。這應(yīng)該是獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)的緣起，自此后，很多人就模仿獵戶的行為，最終使獵狐成為一種運(yùn)動(dòng)?？梢哉f(shuō)，富人 們參與獵狐純粹是為了消遣，而不是為了農(nóng)民的利益。二者之間的聯(lián)系僅僅是：農(nóng)民為了自己的利益召集獵人獵狐，富人模仿獵狐者，使獵狐本身成為一種富人自己 的消遣運(yùn)動(dòng)。
C，為了限制狐貍的數(shù)量。限制狐貍的數(shù)量符合農(nóng)民的利益，與富人無(wú)關(guān)。
D，為了顯示他們的富有。這個(gè)選項(xiàng)與But owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive, so most hunters are wealthy一句有關(guān)。此句意思比較易懂：擁有馬匹和定期狩獵是相當(dāng)費(fèi)錢(qián)的，因此大多數(shù)獵手都是有錢(qián)人。這里僅僅說(shuō)明參與獵狐的條件之一：有錢(qián);不能從中推導(dǎo)出獵狐是為了炫富。
27. C
題目問(wèn)英國(guó)獵狐的特別之處是什么。
A，會(huì)使用一種致命毒藥。這一說(shuō)法在文中確實(shí)提到了：farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them，農(nóng)民們?yōu)榱藴p少狐貍的數(shù)量會(huì)采用射殺或毒殺等等手段。需要注意的是農(nóng)民的自發(fā)行為并不是狩獵運(yùn)動(dòng)，而是一種自衛(wèi)行為，它與為了生計(jì)(獵戶)和為了消遣(富人)的獵殺行為是不一樣的。因此，嚴(yán)格的說(shuō)，A的說(shuō)法指的并不是獵狐運(yùn)動(dòng)，不符合題意。
B，這是一種花銷(xiāo)昂貴的運(yùn)動(dòng)，較少發(fā)生?；ㄤN(xiāo)昂貴在文中可以找到相應(yīng)的注腳：owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive;但注意這里的一個(gè)單詞regularly，定期的，既然是定期舉行，顯然不是rarely了，B錯(cuò)誤。
C，獵手們制定了需要遵守的規(guī)則。這句話也可以在文中找到相應(yīng)的內(nèi)容：follow strict codes of behavior;Codes of behavior，是行為規(guī)范的意思,也就是C所說(shuō)的規(guī)則。C是對(duì)的。
