2013年12月四级真题及答案(第1套)

SectionBDirections:Thereare2passagesinthissection.Eachpassageisfollowedbysomequestionsorunfinishedstatements.ForeachofthemtherearefourchoicesmarkedA,B,CandD.Youshoulddecideonthebestchoice.TheGataisusedtofrownwhentheyreceivedpowerbillsthatroutinelytopped$200.LastSeptemberthecouplemovedintoa1,500-square-foothomeinPremierGardens,asubdivisionof95zero-energyhomes(ZEH)justoutsidetown.Nowthey'reactuallyeagertoseetheirelectricitybills.Thegrandtotaloverthe10monthsthey'velivedinthethree-bedroomhouse:$75.Forthepasttwomonthstheyhaven'tpaidacent.ZEHcommunitiesaretheleadingedgeoftechnologiesthatmightsomedaycreatehousesthatproduceasmuchenergyastheyconsume.PremierGardensisoneofahalf-dozensubdivisionsinCaliforniawhereeveryhomecutspowerconsumptionby50%,mostlybyusinglow-powerappliancesandsolarpanels.Asidefromthepanelsontheroof,PremierGardenslookslikeacommunityofconventionalhomes.Butinside,specialwindowscutpowerbillsbyblockingsolarheatinsummerandretainingindoorwarmthinwinter.Therestoftheenergysavingscomesfromthesolarunits.Theydon'tjustfeedthehometheyserve.Iftheygeneratemorepowerthanthehomeisusing,theexcessflowsintotheutility'spowergrid(电网).Theresidentsarebilledbynetmetering:theypayfortheamountofpowertheytapoffthegrid,lessthekilowatts(千瓦)theyfeedintoit.Ifahomegeneratesmorepowerthanituses,thebilliszero.Thatsoundslikeabaddealforthepowercompany,butit'snot.Solarhomesproducethemostpoweronthehotsunnyafternoonswheneveryonerusheshometoturnuptheairconditioner.Ithelpsuslowerusageatpeakpowertimes,sayssolarexpertMikeKeesee.Thatletsusavoidbuildingcostlyplantsorbuyingexpensivepoweratpeakusagetime.What'snottolike?Mostlythecosts.Thespecialfeaturescanadd$25,000ormoretothepurchasepriceofahouse.Taxbreaksbringthecostdown,especiallyinCalifornia,butinmanystatesZEHscanbeprohibitivelyexpensive.Fortheconsumer,it'samatterofpayingnowforthehardwaretosavelaterontheutilities.58．WhyaretheGataiseagertoseetheirelectricitybillsnow?A．Theywanttoseehowmuchtheyhavesaved.B．Theywanttocutdowntheirutilityexpenses.C．Theywanttoknowiftheyareabletopay.D．Theywanttoavoidbeingovercharged.59．WhatisspecialabouttheZEHcommunities?A．Theyhavecreatedcutting-edgetechnologies.B．Theyaimtobeself-sufficientinpowersupply.C．Theyaresubdividedintohalfadozensections.D．Theyarebuiltinharmonywiththeenvironment.60．HowaretheresidentsintheZEHcommunitiesbilledforelectricityuse?A．Theyareonlychargedfortheamountofpowertheyconsumeonrainydays.B．Theyneedn'tpayasinglecentfortheirpowerconsumptiononsunnydays.C．Theyonlypayfortheexcesspowerthatflowsintotheutility'spowergrid.D．Theypayfortheelectricityfromthegridlesstheirhome-generatedpower.61．Whatdoesthenetmeteringpracticemeantothepowercompany?A．Morepressureatpeaktime.B．Lessprofitsintheshortterm.C．Increasedelectricityoutput.D．Reducedoperationalcosts.62．TheauthorbelievesthatbuyingahouseinaZEHcommunity______.A．isbutadreamforaverageconsumersB．givestheownersubstantialtaxbenefitsC．isaworthyinvestmentinthelongrunD．contributestoenvironmentalprotectionRomanticlovehasclearevolutionaryrootsbutourviewsaboutwhatmakesanidealromanticrelationshipcanbeswayedbythesocietywelivein.SosayspsychologistMaureenO'SullivanfromtheUniversityofSanFrancisco.Shesuggeststhathumanshavealwaystriedtostrengthenthepair-bondtomaximise(使最大化)reproductivesuccess.Manysocietiesthroughouthistoryandaroundtheworldtodayhavecultivatedstrongpressurestostaymarried.Inthosewheretiestofamilyandcommunityarestrong,lifelongmarriagescanbepromotedbypracticessuchastheculturalprohibitionofdivorceandarrangedmarriagesthatareseenasacontractbetweentwofamilies,notjusttwoindividuals.Inmodernwesternsocieties,however,thefocusonindividualityandindependencemeansthatpeoplearelessconcernedaboutconformingto(遵守)thedictatesoffamilyandculture.Intheabsenceofsocietalpressurestomaintainpair-bonds,O'Sullivansuggeststhatromanticlovehasincreasinglycometobeseenasthefactorthatshoulddeterminewhowestaywithandforhowlong.That'swhyhistoricallyweseeanincreaseinromanticloveasabasisforforminglong-termrelationships,shesays.AccordingtoO'Sullivanculturealsoshapesthesortsoffeelingsweexpecttohave,andactuallydoexperience,wheninlove.Althoughthenegativeemotionsassociatedwithromanticlove—fearofloss,disappointmentandjealousy—arefairlyconsistentacrosscultures,thepositivefeelingscanvary.IfyouaskJapanesestudentstolistthepositiveattributestheyexpectinaromanticpartner,theyratehighlythingslikeloyalty,commitmentanddevotion,saysO'Sullivan.IfyouaskAmericancollegewomen,theyexpecteverythingunderthesun:inadditiontobeingcommitted,partnershavetobeamusing,funnyandafriend.Wejudgeapotentialpartneraccordingtoourspecificculturalexpectationsaboutwhatromanticloveshouldfeellike.Ifyoubelievethatyouhavefoundtrueromance,andyourculturetellsyouthatthisiswhatalong-termrelationshipshouldbebasedon,thereislessneedtorelyonsocialorfamilypressurestokeepcouplestogether,O'Sullivanargues.63．Whatdoestheauthorsayaboutpeople'sviewsofanidealromanticrelationship?A．Theyvaryfromculturetoculture.B．Theyensurethereproductivesuccess.C．Theyreflecttheevolutionaryprocess.D．Theyareinfluencedbypsychologists.64．We