2005年四级考试试题A卷（2）

　　Directions: There are 4 passages in this part. Each passageisfollowed by some questions or unfinished statements. For eachofthem there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). Youshoulddecide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letteron theAnswer Sheet with a single line through the centre.

　　Passage One

　　Questions 11 to 15 are based on the following passage.

　　Scratchy throats, stuffy noses and body aches all spellmisery,but being able to tell if the cause is a cold orflu ( ~,~ )maymake a difference in how long the misery lasts.

　　The American Lung Association (ALA) has issued new guidelinesoncombating colds and the flu(流感), and one of the keys is beingableto quickly tell the two apart. Thats because the pretiondrugsavailable for the flu need to be taken soon after the illnesssetsin. As for colds, the sooner aperson starts takingover-the-counterremedy, the sooner relief will come.

　　The common cold and the flu are both caused by viruses. Morethan200 viruses can cause cold symptoms, while the flu is causedbythree viruses - flu A, B and C. There is no cure foreitherillness,but the flu can be prevented by the flu vaccine ( ~-~), which is,for most people, the bestway to fight the flu,according to theALA.

　　But if the flu does strike, quick action can help. Althoughtheflu and common cold have manysimilarities, there are someobvioussigns to look for.

　　Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, runny nose and scratchythroattypically develop gradually, and adults and teens often donot geta fever. On the other hand, fever is one of thecharacteristicfeatures of the flu for all ages. And in general, flusymptomsincluding fever and chills, sore throat and body aches comeonsuddenly and are more severe than cold symptoms.

　　The ALA notes that it may be particularly difficult to tellwheninfants and preschool age children have the flu. It advisesparentsto call the doctor if their small children haveflu-likesymptoms.

　　Both cold and flu symptoms can be eased withover-the-countermedications as well. However,children and teenswith a cold or flushould not take aspirin for pain relief becauseof the risk of Reyesyndrome(综合症) ，a rare but serious condition ofthe liver andcentral nervous system.Reye syndrome .

　　There is, of course, no vaccine for the common cold. Butfrequenthand washing and avoiding close contact with people whohave coldscan reduce the likelihood of Catching one.

　　11. According to the author, knowing the cause of the miserywillhelp

　　A) shorten the duration of the illness

　　B) the patient buy medicine over the counter

　　C) the patient obtain cheaper pretion drugs

　　D) prevent people from catching colds and the flu

　　12. We learn from the passage that

　　A) one doesnt need to take any medicine if he has a cold ortheflu

　　B) aspirin should not be included in over-the-countermedicinesfor the flu

　　C) delayed treatment of the flu will harm the liver andcentralnervous system

　　D) over-the-counter drugs can be taken to ease the miserycausedby a cold or the flu

　　13. According to the passage, to combat the flu effectively,

　　A) one should identify the virus which causes it

　　B) one should consult a doctor as soon as possible

　　C) one should take medicine upon catching the disease

　　D) one should remain alert when the disease is spreading

　　14. Which of the following symptoms will distinguish the flufroma cold?

　　A)A stuffy nose.

　　B) A high temperature.

　　Ci A sore throat.

　　D) A dry cough.

　　15. If children have flu-like symptoms, their parents

　　A) are advised not to give them aspirin

　　B) should watch out for signs of Reye syndrome

　　C) are encouraged to take them to hospital for vaccination

　　D) should prevent them from mixing with people running afever

　　Passage Two

　　Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.

　　In a time of low academic achievement by children in theUnitedStates, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country ofhighacademic achievement and economic success, for possibleanswers.However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools arenot theones Americans expected to find. Inmost Japanesepreschools,surprisingly little emphasis is put on academicinstruction. In oneinvestigation, 300 Japanese and 210 Americanpreschool teachers,child development specialists, and parents wereasked about variousaspects of early childhood education. Only 2percent of theJapanese respondents (答问卷者)listed to give children agoodstartacademically as one of their top three reasons for asocietyto have preschools. In contrast, over half the Americanrespondentschose this as one of their top three choices. To preparechildrenfor success ful careers in first grade and beyond, Japaneseschoolsdo not teach reading, writing, and math ematics, but ratherskillssuch as persistence, concentration, and the ability to n as amr ofa group. The vast majority of young Japanese children aretaught toread at home by their parents.

　　In the recent comparison of Japanese and Americanpreschooleducation, 91 percent of Japanese respondents choseprovidingchildren with a group experience as one of their top threereasonsfor a society to have preschools. Sixty-two percent of themoreindividually oriented (强调个性发展的) Americans listed groupexperienceas one of their top three choices. An emphasis on theimportance ofthe group seen in Japanese early childhood educationcontinues intoelementary school education.

　　Like in America, there is diversity in Japanese earlychildhoodeducation. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims,such asearly musical training or potential development. In largecities,some kindergartens are attached to universities thathaveelementary and secondary schools.

　　Some Japanese parents believe that if their young childrenattenda university-based program, it will increase the childrenschancesof eventually being admitted to top-rated schools anduniversities.Several more progressive programs have introduced freeplay as away out for the heavy intellectualizing in someJapanesekindergartens.

　　16. We learn from the first graph that many Americans believe

　　A) Japanese parents are more involved in preschool educationthanAmerican parents

　　B) Japans economic success is a result of itsscientificachievements

　　C) Japanese preschool education emphasizesacademicinstruction

　　D)Japans higher education is superior to theirs

　　17. Most Americans surveyed believe that preschools shouldalsoattach importance to

　　A) problem solving

　　B) group experience

　　C) parental guidance

　　D) individually-oriented development

　　18. In Japans preschool education, the focus is on

　　A) preparing children academically

　　B) developing childrens artistic interests

　　C) tapping childrens potential

　　D) shaping childrens character

　　19. Free play has been introduced in some Japanesekindergartensin order to

　　A) broaden childrens horizon

　　B) cultivate childrens creativity

　　C) lighten childrens study load

　　D) enrich childrens knowledge

　　20. Why do some Japanese parents send their childrentouniversity:based kindergartens?

　　A) They can do better in their future studies.

　　B) They can accumulate more group experience there.

　　C) They can be individually oriented when they grow up.

　　D) They can have better chances of getting afirst-rateeducation.

　　Passage Three

　　Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.

　　Lead deposits, which accumulated in soil and snow duringthe1960s and 70s, were primarily the result of leadedgasolineemissions originating in the United States. In the twentyyearsthat the Clean Air Act has mandated unleaded gas use in theUnitedStates, the lead accumulation world-wide hasdecreasedsignificantly.

　　A study published recently in the journal Nature showsthatair-borne leaded gas emissions from the United States weretheleading contributor to the high concentration of lead in thesnowin Greenland. The new study is a result of the continuedresearchled by Dr. Charles Boutron, an expert on the impact ofheavy metalson the environment at the National Center forScientific Researchin France. A study by Dr. Boutron published in1991 showed thatlead levels in arctic(北极的) snow were declining.

　　In his new study, Dr. Boutron found the ratios of thedifferentforms of lead in the leaded gasoline used in the UnitedStates weredifferent from the ratios of European, Asian andCanadian gasolinesand thus enabled scientists to differentiate (分区) the leadsources. The dominant lead ratio found in Greenlandsnow matchedthat found in gasoline from the United States.

　　In a study published in the journal Ambio, scientists foundthatlead levels in soil in the North-eastern United Stateshaddecreased markedly since the introduction of unleadedgasoline.

　　Many scientists had believed that the lead would stay in soilandsnow for a longer period.

　　The authors of the Ambio study examined samples of theupperlayers of soil taken from the same sites of 30 forest floorsin NewEngland, New York and Pennsylvania in 1980 and in 1990.

　　The forest environment processed and redistributed the leadfasterthan the scientists had expected.

　　Scientists say both studies demonstrate that certain parts oftheecosystem (生态系统 ) respond rapidly to reductions inatmosphericpollution, but that these findings should not be used asa licenseto pollute.

　　21. The study published in the journal Nature indicates that

　　A) the Clean Air Act has not produced the desired results

　　B) lead deposits in arctic snow are on the increase

　　C) lead will stay in soil and snow longer than expected

　　D) the US is the major source of lead pollution in arcticsnow

　　22. Lead accumulation worldwide decreased significantly aftertheuse of unleaded gas in the US

　　A) was discouraged

　　B) was enforced by law

　　C) was prohibited by law

　　D) was introduced

　　23. How did scientists discover the source of lead pollutioninGreenland?

　　A) By analyzing the data published in journals like NatureandAmbio.

　　B) By observing the lead accumulations in different parts ofthearctic area.

　　C) By studying the chemical elements of soil and snowinNortheastern America.

　　D) By comparing the chemical compositions of leaded gasolineusedin various countries.

　　24. The authors of the Ambio study have found that

　　A) forests get rid of lead pollution faster than expected

　　B) lead accumulations in forests are more difficult todealwith

　　C) lead deposits are widely distributed in the forests oftheUS

　　D) the upper layers of soil in forests are easily polluted byleademissions

　　25. It can be inferred from the last graph that scientists

　　A) are puzzled by the mystery of forest pollution

　　B) feel relieved by the use of unleaded gasoline

　　C) still consider lead pollution a problem

　　D) lack sufficient means to combat lead pollution

　　Passage Four

　　Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.

　　Exercise is one of the few factors with a positive roleinlong-term maintenance of body weight.Unfortunately, thatmessagehas not gotten through to the average American, who wouldrathertry switching to light beer and low-calorie bread thanincreasephysical exertion. The Centers for Disease Control, forexample,found that fewer than one-fourth of overweight adults whoweretrying to shed pounds said they were combining exercise withtheirdiet.

　　In rejecting exercise, some people may be discouraged too muchbycaloric-expenditure charts;for example, one would have tobrisklywalk three miles just to work off the 275 calories in onedeliciousDanish pastry (小甜饼). Even exercise professionals concedehalf apoint here. Exercise by itself is a very tough way toloseweight, says York Onnen, program director of thePresidentsCouncil on Physical Fitness and Sports.

　　Still, exercises supporting role in weight reduction is vital.Astudy at the Boston University Medical Center of overweightpoliceofficers and other public employees confirmed that those whodietedwithout exercise regained almost all their old weight, whilethosewho worked exercise into their daily routine maintained theirnewweight.

　　If you have been sedentary (极少活动的) and decide to start walkingonemile a day, the added exercise could burn an extra 100caloriesdaily. In a years time, assuming no increase in foodintake, youcould lose ten pounds. By increasing the distance ofyour walksgradually and making other dietary adjustments, you maylose evenmore weight.

　　26. What is said about the average American in the passage?

　　A) They tend to exaggerate the healthful effect oflightbeer.

　　B) They usually ignore the effect of exercise onlosingweight.

　　C) They prefer light beer and low-calorie bread to otherdrinksand food.

　　D) They know the factors that play a positive role in keepingdownbody weight.

　　27. Some people dislike exercise because

　　A) they think it is physically exhausting

　　B) they find it hard to exercise while on a diet

　　C) they dont think it possible to walk 3 miles every day

　　D) they find consulting caloric-expenditure chartstroublesome

　　28. Even exercise professionals concede half a point here(Line3, . 2) means They

　　A) agree that the calories in a small piece of pastry canbedifficult to work off by exercise

　　B) partially believe diet plays a supporting role inweightreduction

　　C) are not fully convinced that dieting can help maintainonesnew weight

　　D) are not sufficiently informed of the positive role ofexercisein losing weight

　　29. What was confirmed by the Boston University MedicalCentersstudy?

　　A) Controlling ones calorie intake is more important thandoingexercise.

　　B) Even occasional exercise can help reduce weight.

　　C) Weight reduction is impossible without exercise.

　　D) One could lose ten pounds in a years time if theresnoincrease in food intake.

　　30. What is the authors purpose in writing this article?

　　A) To justify the study of the Boston UniversityMedicalCenter.

　　B) To stress the importance of maintaining proper weight.

　　C) To support the statement made by York Onnen.

　　D) To show the most effective way to lose weight.