閱讀理解部分

一、題型簡介

本部分采用多項選擇題和簡答題形式，有數篇閱讀材料組成。閱讀材料共有1800個單詞左右，要求考生根據所讀材料內容，從每題的四個選擇項中選出一個最佳答案，或根據問題做簡短回答。本部分測試考生通過閱讀獲取有關信息的能力。既要求準確性，也要求一定的速度。閱讀速度為每分鐘120個單詞。

二、大綱分析

根據新《英語專業四級考試大綱》，閱讀理解部分題型有較大的改變，由原來單一的選擇題調整為選擇題和簡答題相結合的測試形式。選擇題由原來的20題縮減至10題，分值仍為1分；新增了5道簡答題，每題2分，總體分值與以前保持一致。考試時間由原來的25分鐘增加到35分鐘，雖然考試時長有所增加，但新增的簡答題要求考生具有良好的概括能力和語法基礎，且分值較重，這些都增加了考試的難度。

三、解題技巧

首先考生要知曉針對同一篇文章預設的選擇題和簡答題并沒有安排在一起，試卷將所有文章的簡答題部分全部安排在閱讀理解部分的最后。所以，為了保持思路的連貫和和閱讀的整體性，建議考生在做完閱讀理解選擇題后，接著做針對同一篇文章提出的簡答題。在做簡答題的時候要注意，答案不能超過十個單詞，所以在作答時要做到準確和簡潔，若整合的答案過長，可以用代詞或短語對原文進行同義替換。此外還要注意答案語法正確，和問題相匹配。

閱讀理解不管是選擇題還是簡答題，其題目均可大致分為主旨題、細節題、推斷題、語義題和態度題，每種題型都有相應的解題思路。

主旨題：

主旨題主要檢測考生對文章中心思想的理解，既可以提問文章的主旨大意，也可以問文章的標題和寫作目的。找出文章的主題句是回答主旨題的關鍵，掌握文章的結構能夠提高答案的正確率。

（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題）

A.Concept of Peace.

B.Origin of Peace Symbols.

C.Popular Peace Symbols.

D.Cultural Difference of Peace.

答案：C

文章首段最后兩句為本文的主題句：there are certain symbols which people in very different cultures recognize as representing peace.Let’s look at a few of them.意為“在不同的文化中都有一些象征物可以用來代表和平”，之后文章羅列出鴿子、橄欖枝等象征和平的物體，所以文章的標題應為“各種流行的和平象征”，故選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題）

A.Causes of Stress

B.Types of Stress

C.College Life and Stress

D.Stress and Control Methods

答案：C

文章開頭兩段以事例和調查引入主題pressure to excel often creates stress,and many students are not learning how to effectively handle this stress（競爭的壓力通常帶來精神緊張，但很多大學生并不知道如何來有效地處理自己的精神壓力），后面文章會講到精神壓力的方方面，包括緊張的原因，種類和處理方式等，只有C選項完整地概括了文章的中心，故選C。

細節題：

細節題占到英語專業四級考試閱讀測試的一半，其重要性不言而喻。解答時主要依靠題干或選項中的關鍵詞回到原文進行準確定位，但要注意的是關鍵詞或定位詞通常是同義詞的替換。

……

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 Biblical?ood 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 modern?ags 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題）

A.Sweden

B.Greece

C.Finland

D.China

答案：D

文章第五段in Greek mythology it was associated with Iris（在希臘神話中，彩虹與Iris女神密切相連），in Scandinavian mythology the rainbow was a bridge between the gods and the earth（在斯堪的納維亞神話中，彩虹是神界與人類的橋梁）可知在瑞典、芬蘭（均位于斯堪的納維亞半島）和希臘，彩虹都代表人類與眾神的紐帶，故答案選D。即便考生不了解瑞典、芬蘭與斯堪的納維亞的關系，也能從in the Chinese tradition,the rainbow is a common symbol for marriage because the colours represent the union ofyin andyang（在中國傳統中，彩虹象征著婚姻，因為彩虹的顏色代表了陰陽的結合）中找出答案。不過本題也提醒考生，作為英語專業的學生應該對西方文化、地理、歷史等知識有一定的了解。

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

A.friendship

B.love

C.kinship

D.honour

答案：A

根據題干的North Europe將答案定位在第六段最后一句（北歐即位于斯堪的納維亞半島）：It was often hung in doorways as a sign of friendship.答案當然選A。

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

答案：Because it symbolizes peace and unity.

根據olive branch和UN將答案定位于第八段：the olive branch is a part of many modern?ags symbolizing peace and unity（橄欖枝出現在當代許多旗幟上，象征著和平和統一），答案顯而易見，不過考生不能照抄原文，要根據提問的方式，用正確的結構來回答：Because it symbolizes peace and unity.或者It is the symbol of peace and unity.

推斷題：

推斷題要求考生根據定位信息對句子或段落進行推斷和引申，考生尤其要揣測作者的寫作意圖，發現句子或段落暗含之意，類似于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題）

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

此題主要考查對第二段長難句的理解，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，意為“只是我剛一動彈想去撿梨，總有哪一雙過路的火眼金睛發現我的舉動，我自然又站得直直的，沒事人兒一樣，好像從來就沒有在那個爛梨身上打過主意”。此句屬于主人公的心理描寫，事實上根本沒人注意到他，是他的自尊心讓他彎不下腰，故選A。

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

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（然后兩兄弟在窗戶旁觀察了一整天，想找到適合的人選來檢測百萬英鎊的效果），而最后一段I fnally became the pick of them，自然我成了他們的目標，故答案為I was chosen to try out the million-pound banknote.即便沒有最后一段的提示，英語專業的考生也應該知道本文選自馬克·吐溫著名短篇小說《百萬英鎊》。如果考生對其故事情節有大致的了解，既能提高答題的成功率，也能增強考生考試時的信心。2017年英語專業四級考試閱讀理解的第二篇文章同樣選自英國作家勞倫斯的經典作品《兒子與情人》，所以考生在平時的學習中要加強對英美名篇的閱讀，既能提高詞匯量，也能培養審美情趣。

語義題：

語義題作為英語專業四級閱讀常考題型，主要考查考生對閱讀文章中出現的詞、詞組或句子的含義的理解能力，除要求考生具備一定的詞匯量之外，更要求考生具有根據上下文推斷生詞含義的能力。

（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題）

A.put me aside

B.prepare me

C.let me walk

D.start my journey

答案：B

set foot in意為“到達，進入，踏上”，but these were setting my feet in the road to eventualfortune意為“但這些（前文提到的我的智慧和清白的名聲）讓我踏上最終通往財富的道路”。這里考查的是set foot in動詞短語的比喻義，即我的智慧和清白的名聲為我后來的成功做好了準備，故選B。

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

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，意為“見到如此奢侈的食物，我無法集中精力，保持鎮定。但是，既然沒有人邀請我品嘗，我只能盡力忍受我的麻煩”，這里my trouble當然是美食在眼前卻無法品嘗的痛苦，故答案為I had to endure hunger and not to eat.

態度題：

態度題主要考查作者對文章主旨的態度，或者文章中出現的特定人物對特定事件的態度。在議論文中，考生要找準主題句；在記敘文中，考生要體會作者的創作傾向，找到表明或暗示情感態度的詞語，或者烘托氣氛和渲染情感的詞語。態度題的選項可分為褒義詞、貶義詞和中性詞。

……

（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題）

A.neutral

B.negative

C.reserved

D.positive

答案：D

從兄弟倆的爭辯定位回第六段，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（弟弟說他愿出兩萬鎊打賭，這人靠百萬英鎊大鈔無論如何也能活三十天，而且也進不了監獄），可知弟弟的態度是積極的，故選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題）

A.Pessimistic.

B.Optimistic.

C.Suspicious.

D.Sarcastic.

答案：C

根據題干Clinton’s proposal to welfare定位于第四段，而作者的態度在第五段maybe something useful will come of Clinton’s idea,but I’m not all that hopeful（也許克林頓的提議會產生一些有用的東西，而我卻沒那么樂觀），并進一步對此提出質疑it looks to me like one more example of trying to manipulate people into taking care of themselves（在我看來，這不過是另一個例子，來證明是可以操縱人民讓他們自己照顧自己的），所以作者對克林頓限制福利的提案持懷疑的態度，故選C。

四、真題分析

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（埋藏的寶藏）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”（搶劫、掠奪）.

（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語義題

hit the jackpot最初指賭博時贏得一場牌局，后來引申為贏得大筆金錢或重大勝利。第四段Fisher had been trying to locate the underwater treasure for over 16 years when he fnally hit the jackpot（當Fisher找到財寶時，他已經在水下搜索了16年），這里的hit the jackpot就是指前文的locate the underwater treasure，故選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推斷題

第五段Archaeologists object to the fact that with commercial salvaging operations like Fisher’s,the objects are sold and dispersed.（考古學家反對Fisher這樣的商業拯救行為，因為珍寶被隨意販賣，散落四處）。UNESCO are also worried about protecting our underwater heritage from what it describes as“pillaging”.（聯合國教科文組織同樣擔憂，不知如何讓水下遺產免受掠奪）。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這樣專業的商業拯救行為，能精確詳細地記錄下每一件珍寶；而且這樣的拯救行動能幫助積累考古方面的知識）。顯然各方對Fisher的尋寶行動持不同的態度，故選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推斷題

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，我無法觸摸到彩虹的盡頭；但令人欣慰的是，只要點一下鼠標，我也能享受到Atocha上的財富）。這里的in consolation對應glad，have a share in the riches that Atocha has revealed對應have a chance to see the treasure，故選A。

51.What doesThis in Para.2 refer to?

答案：Leprechauns’treasure hoards.語義題

This所在句子的正常語序為：As all of Ireland knows,they hidethis at the end of the rainbow.（正如所有的愛爾蘭人知道的那樣，他們把this藏在彩虹的盡頭）。指代題的答案通常出現在題干所在句子的前方，他們指的就是Leprechauns（小矮仙），this指的就是矮仙們藏匿的寶藏，故答案為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.

第四段原文為The State of Florida took Fisher to court over ownership of the fnd.（佛羅里達州因為財寶的所有權問題將Fisher告上法庭）。按照短問題回答要求，答案需控制在十個單詞之內，故答案可簡化為：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 ruf?ed,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細節題

第一段中若干細節均描寫了保羅和米利亞姆的關系：Now it was spring and there was battle between him and Miriam,his girlfriend.This year he had a good deal against her.（已經是春天了，他和米利亞姆之間有了激烈的沖突。這一年來，他老是和她作對）。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.（她從心底里就不相信自己能擁有他，主要是她不相信自己，懷疑自己是否能做到保羅要求的那樣）。She saw tragedy,sorrow,and sacrifce ahead.（前方她只看到悲劇、憂傷和犧牲）。種種跡象表明Miriam對兩人之間的關系充滿悲觀，故選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細節題

第三段Hearing the clack of the gate she stood in suspense.（聽到大門咯吱一聲，米利亞姆心神不寧地站在那兒）對應uncertainty。She knew him well by now,and could tell from keen-looking what was happening inside him.（她現在已對他了如指掌，從他敏銳的外表就能看出他心底的想法）對應expectation。There was a cold correctness in the way he put his bicycle in its place,that made her heart sink.（他不經意地把車停在老地方，米利亞姆看著不禁心里一沉）對應foreboding。唯獨沒有細節展現米利亞姆高興的情緒，故選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細節題

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.（米利亞姆的母親笑得直抹眼淚，她的父親剛從周日的午睡中醒過來，也高興得直摸腦袋）。The three brothers sat with ruf?ed,sleepy appearance in their shirt-sleeves,giving a guffaw from time to time.（米利亞姆的三個兄弟穿著襯衣，衣冠不整，睡眼惺忪地坐在那兒，時不時地哈哈大笑）。His mockery always hurt her;it was too near the reality.（一直以來，他的嘲弄對她是一種傷害，因為實在是過于逼真）。所以米利亞姆的父母和兄弟被保羅的模仿逗樂，但米利亞姆對他的模仿望而卻步，故選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.細節題

根據a new net blouse將答案定位至第四段：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.（網眼襯衫高高的皺領上帶有飛邊，她暗自以為，這讓她看上去既漂亮又高貴。……她有些害怕他。他會注意到她身上的新襯衫的）。故答案為：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.語義題

題干所在句子意為“他過于敏銳，也過于殘忍。每當他眼睛這樣冷，這樣充滿嘲諷的恨意時，她就知道他一定不會放過任何人，包括他自己”，結合第五段He sat at the head of the table,...in imitation of various people he was mocking.（他坐在餐桌的一頭，……模仿著那些他嘲諷對象的模樣）。說明他會不遺余力地模仿那些他想嘲諷的人，故答案為：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推斷題

第二段中的第一個例子為：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?（令我母親震驚的是，我們隔壁的女鄰居竟然去超市前要寫一張購物單。她為什么記不住自己要買的東西呢？）說明在母親的認知中literacy可以是remember；第二個例子為：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.（所以當父親必須得寫的時候就會感覺不自在或不自信。這是不是意味著父親的“文化水平低下”呢？我不這樣認為）說明作者認為，父親讀寫水平不高并不代表他文化水平低。這些都跟文章首段中提到的We’re both literate——we can read and write（我們能讀會寫說明我們有文化）相背，說明不同的人對literacy的定義是不一樣的，且第三段首句There are lots of different defnitions of literacy（文化的定義各有不同）也證明了這一點，故選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細節題

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”.（如果你能處理日常生活中的各種事物——讀說明書、寫支票、填表格等，那么你就有文化）對應functional。第四段Other people say that you are illiterate if you think that you are illiterate.（另一個看法是，如果你自己認為自己沒有文化，那你真的就沒有文化）對應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.（如果你不會讀寫卻生活在一個人人都有文化的社會，那么你會感到羞恥或是尷尬，極力避免要求讀寫的情況）對應social。只有independent沒有提及，故選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細節題

第八段Writing was a skilled profession.If you needed something written then you paid an expert to write it for you.（在過去寫作是項技能職業，如果你需要寫點什么，那么你得花錢請個能手幫你寫）排除A選項。第七段You were not allowed to vote if you couldn’t sign the voting register.（如果你不會在選票上簽名，就會被剝奪投票的權利）排除B選項。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.（現在人們把讀寫看成一回事，但在過去并不是如此，很多人會讀但不會寫）排除D選項。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.（閱讀是一個合作的過程——通常是某個人面向一群人朗讀《可蘭經》或《圣經》這樣的宗教讀物），這里interaction是對co-operative activity的同義替換，故選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主旨題

第十段首句：Being illiterate can have a big effect on people’s lives.（不會讀寫對人們的生活有很大的影響）對應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.（世界范圍的數據顯示，讀寫問題與貧困和政治權利的缺失緊密相連）對應associated problems，故選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.語義題

文章最后一句提到Knowledge and wisdom isn’t only found in writing.（知識與智慧不僅僅存在于寫作之中），結合前句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.（別忘了一個不會讀寫的人，或者一個文化水平低的人，未必愚蠢或無知，也未必不快樂），說明不會讀寫的人也可能擁有知識和智慧，故答案為：Illiterate people may also have knowledge and wisdom.