英语阅读专四模拟练习4

Exercises4PartICloze[A]changes[B]flexible[C]decrease[D]recent[E]push[F]reduce[G]relatively[H]safety[I]resistant[J]expensive[K]force[L]accordingly[M]intensity[N]security[O]opposedAftertheviolentearthquakethatshookLosAngelesin1994,earthquakescientistshadgoodnewstoreport:Thedamageanddeathtoll(死亡人数)couldhavebeenmuchworse.Morethan60peoplediedinthisearthquake.Bycomparison,andearthquakeofsimilar__1__thatshookAmericain1998claimed25,000victims.Injuriesanddeathswere__2__lessinLosAngelesbecausethequakeoccurredat4:31a.m.Onaholiday,whentrafficwaslightonthecity'shighway.Inaddition,__3__madetotheconstructioncodesinLosAngelesduringthelast20yearshavestrengthenedthecity'sbuildingsandhighways,makingthemmore__4__toquakes.Inthepast,makingstructuresquake-resistantmeantfirmyet__5__materials,suchassteelandwood,thatbendwithoutbreaking.Later,peopletriedtoliftabuildingoffitsfoundation,andinsertrubberandsteelbetweenthebuildinganditsfoundationto__6__theimpactofgroundvibrations.Themost__7__designsgivebuildingsbrainsaswellasconcreteandsteelsupports,calledsmartbuildings,thestructuresrespondlikelivingorganismstoanearthquake'svibrations.Whengroundshakesandthebuildingtipsforward,thecomputerwould__8__thebuildingtoshiftintheoppositedirection.Thenewdesignsshouldofferevengreater__9__tocitieswhereearthquakesoftentakeplace.Thenewsmartstructurescouldbevery__10__tobuild.However,theywouldsavemanylivesandwouldbelesslikelytobedamagedduringearthquakes.PartIIReadingComprehensionPassage1Questions1to2arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Whichissafer-stayingathome,travelingtoworkonpublictransport,orworkingintheoffice?Surprisingly,eachofthesecarriesthesamerisk,whichisverylow.However,whataboutflyingcomparedtoworkinginthechemicalindustry?Unfortunately,theformeris65timesriskierthanthelatter!Infact,theaccidentrateofworkersinthechemicalindustryislessthanthatofalmostanyofhumanactivity,andalmostassafeasstayingathome.Thetroublewiththechemicalindustryisthatwhenthingsgowrongtheyoftencausedeathtothoselivingnearby.Itisthiswhichmakeschemicalaccidentssonewsworthy.Fortunately,theyareextremelyrare.ThemostfamousoneshappenedatTexasCity(1947),Flixborough(1974),Seveso(1976),Pemex(1984)andBhopal(1984).Someofthesearealwaysinthemindsofthepeopleeventhoughthelossoflifewassmall.NoonediedatSeveso,andonly28workersatFlixborough.TheworstaccidentofallwasBhopal,whereupto3,000werekilled.TheTexasCityexplosionoffertilizerkilled552.ThePemexfireatastorageplantfornaturalgasinthesuburbsofMexicoCitytook542lives,justamonthbeforetheunfortunateeventatBhopal.Someexpertshavediscussedtheseaccidentsandusedeachaccidenttoillustrateaparticulardanger.ThustheTexasCityexplosionwascausedbytonsofammoniumnitrate(硝酸铵),whichissafeunlessstoredingreatquantity.TheFlixboroughfireballwasthefaultofmanagement,whichtookriskstokeepproductiongoingduringessentialrepairs.TheSevesoaccidentshowswhathappensifthelocalauthoritieslackknowledgeofthedangerontheirdoorstep.Whenthepoisonousgasdriftedoverthetown,localleaderswereincapableoftakingeffectiveaction.ThePemexfirewasmadeworsebyanoverloadedsiteinanovercrowdedsuburb.Thefiresetoffachainreactionofexplodingstoragetanks.Yet,byamiracle,thetwolargesttanksdidnotexplode.Hadthesecaughtfire,then3,000strongrescueteamandfirefighterswouldallhavedied.1.Fromthepassageweknowthatammoniumnitrateisakindof____.A.naturalgas,whichcaneasilycatchfireB.fertilizer,whichcan'tbestoredinagreatquantityC.poisonoussubstance,whichcan'tbeusedinovercrowdedareasD.fuel,whichisstoredinlargetanks2.Fromthediscussionamongsomeexpertswemayconcludethat____.A.toavoidanyaccidentsweshouldnotrepairthefacilitiesinchemicalindustryB.thelocalauthoritiesshouldnotbeconcernedwiththeproductionofthechemicalindustryC.alltheseaccidentscouldhavebeenavoidedorcontrolledifeffectivemeasurehadbeentakenD.naturalgasstoredinverylargetanksisalwayssafePassage2Questions3to5arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Mostofusaretaughttopayattentiontowhatissaid—thewords.Wordsdoprovideuswithsomeinformation,butmeaningsarederivedfromsomanyothersourcesthatitwouldhinderoureffectivenessasapartnertoarelationshiptorelytooheavilyonwordsalone.Wordsareusedtodescribeonlyasmallpartofthemanyideasweassociatewithanygivenmessage.Sometimeswecangaininsightintosomeofthoseassociationsifwelistenformorethanwords.Wedon'talwayssaywhatwemeanormeanwhatwesay.Sometimesourwordsdon'tmeananythingexceptI'mlettingoffsomesteam.Idon'treallywantyoutopaycloseattentiontowhatI'msaying.JustpayattentiontowhatI'mfeeling.Mostlywemeanseveralthingsatonce.Apersonwantingtopurchaseahousesaystothecurrentowner,ThisstephastobefixedbeforeI'llbuy.Theownersays,It'sbeenlikethatforyears.Actually,thestephasn'tbeenlikethatforyears,buttheunspokenmessageis.Idon'twanttofixit.Weputupwithit.Whycan'tyou?Thesearchforamoreexpansiveviewofmeaningcanbedevelopedofexaminingamessageintermsofwhosaidit,whenitoccurred,therelatedconditionsorsituations,andhowitwassaid.Whenamessageoccurscanalsorevealassociatedmeaning.Letusassumetwocouplesdoexactlythesameamountofkissingandarguing.Butonecouplealwayskissesafteranargumentandtheothercouplealwaysarguesafter