2016 专四阅读 真题(改革后)

PARTVREADINGCOMPREHENSION[35MIN]SECTIONAMULTIPLECHOICEQUESTIONSInthissectiontherearethreepassagesfollowedbytenmultiplechoicequestions.Foreachmultiplechoicequestion,therearefoursuggestedanswermarkedA,B,CandD.ChoosetheonethatyouthinkisthebestanswerandmarkyouranswersonANSWERSHEETTWO.PASSAGEONE(1)WhenIwastwenty-sevenyearsold,Iwasamining-broker’sclerkinSanFrancisco,andanexpertinallthedetailsofstocktraffic.Iwasaloneintheworld,andhadnothingtodependuponbutmywitsandacleanreputation;buttheseweresettingmyfeetintheroadtoeventualfortune,andIwascontentwiththeprospect.Mytimewasmyownaftertheafternoonboard,Saturdays,andIwasaccustomedtoputtingitinonalittlesail-boatonthebay.OnedayIventuredtoofar,andwascarriedouttosea.Justatnightfall,whenhopewasaboutgone,IwaspickedupbyasmallshipwhichwasboundforLondon.Itwasalongandstormyvoyage,andtheymademeworkmypassagewithoutpay,asacommonsailor.WhenIsteppedashoreinLondonmyclotheswereraggedandshabby,andIhadonlyadollarinmypocket.Thismoneyfedandshelteredmetwenty-fourhours.Duringthenexttwenty-fourIwentwithoutfoodandshelter.(2)Aboutteno’clockonthefollowingmorning,dirtyandhungry,IwasdraggingmyselfalongPortlandPlace,whenachildthatwaspassing,towedbyanurse-maid,tossedabigpear–minusonebite–intothegutter.Istopped,ofcourse,andfastenedmydesiringeyeonthatmuddytreasure.Mymouthwateredforit,mystomachcravedit,mywholebeingbeggedforit.ButeverytimeImadeamovetogetitsomepassingeyedetectedmypurpose,andofcourseIstraightenedupthen,andlookedindifferentandpretendedthatIhadn’tbeenthinkingaboutthepearatall.Thissamethinkkepthappeningandhappening,andIcouldn’tgetthepear.(3)Iwasjustgettingdesperateenoughtobravealltheshame,andtoseizeit,whenawindowbehindmewasraised,andagentlemanspokeoutofit,saying:“Stepinhere,please.”(4)Iwasadmittedbyamanservant,andshownintoasumptuousroomwhereacoupleofelderlygentlemenweresitting.Theysentawaytheservant,andmademesitdown.Theyhadjustfinishedtheirbreakfast,andthesightoftheremainsofitalmostoverpoweredme.Icouldhardlykeepmywitstogetherinthepresenceofthatfood,butasIwasnotaskedtosampleit,IhadtobearmytroubleasbestasIcould.(5)Now,somethinghadbeenhappeningtherealittlebefore,whichIdidnotknowanythingaboutuntilagoodmanydaysafterwards,butIwilltellyouaboutitnow.Thosetwooldbrothershadbeenhavingaprettyhotargumentacoupleofdaysbefore,andhadendedbyagreeingtodecideitbyabet,whichistheEnglishwayofsettlingeverything.(6)YouwillrememberthattheBankofEnglandonceissuedtwonotesofamillionpoundseach,tobeusedforaspecialpurposeconnectedwithsomepublictransactionwithaforeigncountry.Forsomereasonorotheronlyoneofthesehadbeenusedandcanceled;theotherstilllayinthevaultsoftheBank.Well,thebrothers,chattingalong,happenedtogettowonderingwhatmightbethefateofaperfectlyhonestandintelligentstrangerwhoshouldbeturnedadriftinLondonwithoutafriend,andwithnomoneybutthatmillion-poundbank-note,andnowaytoaccountforhisbeinginpossessionofit.BrotherAsaidhewouldstarvetodeath;BrotherBsaidhewouldn’t.BrotherAsaidhecouldn’tofferitatabankoranywhereelse,becausehewouldbearrestedonthespot.SotheywentondisputingtillBrotherBsaidhewouldbettwentythousandpoundsthatthemanwouldlivethirtydays,anyway,onthatmillion,andkeepoutofjail,too.BrotherAtookhimup.BrotherBwentdowntotheBankandboughtthatnote.Thenhedictatedaletter,whichoneofhisclerkswroteoutinabeautifulroundhand,andthenthetwobrotherssatatthewindowawholedaywatchingfortherightmantogiveitto.(7)Ifinallybecamethepickofthem.41.InPara.1,thephrase“setmyfeet”probablymeans____.A.putmeasideB.preparemeC.letmewalkD.startmyjourney42.ItcanbeconcludedfromPara.2that____.A.themanwantedtomaintaindignitythoughstarvedB.themancouldnotgetaproperchancetoeatthepear.C.themandidnotreallywantthepearsinceitwasdirtyD.itwasverydifficultforthemantogetthepear43.ComparedwithBrotherA,BrotherBwasmore____towardstheeffectoftheone-million-poundbank-noteonatotalstranger.A.neutralB.negativeC.reservedD.positivePASSAGETWO(1)Theconceptofpeaceisaveryimportantoneinculturesallovertheworld.Thinkabouthowwegreetpeople.Insomelanguages,thephrasesforgreetingscontainthewordforpeace.Insomecultureswegreetpeoplebyshakinghandsorwithanothergesturetoshowthatwearenotcarryingweapons–thatwecomeinpeace.Andtherearecertainsymbolswhichpeopleinverydifferentculturesrecognizeasrepresentingpeace.Let’slookatafewofthem.Thedove(2)Thedovehasbeenasymbolofpeaceandinnocenceforthousandsofyearsinmanydifferentcultures.InancientGreekmythologyitwasasymbolofloveandtherenewaloflife.InancientJapanadovecarryingaswordsymbolizedtheendofwar.(3)TherewasatraditioninEuropethatifadoveflewaroundahousewheresomeonewasdyingthentheirsoulwouldbeatpeace.Andtherearelegendswhichsaythatthedevilcanturnhimselfintoanybirdexceptforadove.InChristianare,thedovewasusedtosymbolizetheHolyGhostandwasoftenpaintedaboveChrist’shead.(4)ButitwasPabloPicassowhomadethedoveamodernsymbolofpeacewhenheuseditonaposterfortheWorldPeaceCongressin1949.Therainbow(5)Therainbowisanotherancientanduniversalsymbol,oftenrepresentingtheconnectionbetweenhumanbeingsandtheirgods.InGreekmythologyitwasassociatedwithIris,thegoddesswhobroughtmessagesfromthegodsonMoun