1990年1月：
Passage 1
Oceanography has been defined as "The application of a11 sciences to the study of the sea".
Before the nineteenth century scientists with an interest in the sea were few and far between. Certainly Newton considered some theoretical aspects of it in his writings, but he was reluctant to go to sea to further his work.
For most people the sea was remote, and with the exception of early intercontinental travelers or others who earned a living from the sea, there was little reason to ask many questions about it, 1et alone to ask what lay beneath the surface. The first time that the question "What is at the bottom of the oceans?" had to be answered with any commercial consequence was when the laying of a telegraph cable from Europe to America was proposed. The engineer had to know the depth profile (起伏形状) of the route to estimate the length of cable that had to be manufactured.
It was to Maury of the US Navy that the Atlantic Telegraph Company turned, in l853, for information on this matter. In the 1840s, Maury had been responsible for encouraging voyages during which soundings (测深) were taken to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Later, some of his findings aroused much popular interest in his book The Physical Geography of the Sea.
The cable was laid, but not until 1866 was the connection made permanent and reliable. At the early attempts, the cable failed and when it was taken out for repairs it was found to be covered in living growths, a fact which defied contemporary scientific opinion that there was no life in the deeper parts of the sea.
Within a few years oceanography was under way. In 1872 Thomson 1ed a scientific expedition(考察), which lasted for four years and brought home thousands of samples from the sea. Their classification and analysis occupied scientists for years and led to a five-volume report, the last volume being published in l895.
21. The proposal to 1ay a telegraph cable from Europe to America made oceanographic studies take on ___________.
A) an academic aspect B) a military aspect
C) a business aspect D) an international aspect
22. It was ____ that asked Maury for help in oceanographic studies.
A) the American Navy
B) some early intercontinental travelers
C) those who earned a living from the sea
D) the company which proposed to lay an undersea cable
23. The aim of the voyages Maury was responsible for in the 1840s was_____.
A) to make some sounding experiments in the oceans
B) to collect samples of sea plants and animals
C) to estimate the length of cable that was needed
D) to measure the depths of the two oceans
24. "Defied" in the 5th paragraph probably means "___"
A) doubted B) gave proof to C) challenged D) agreed to
25. This passage is mainly about____
A) the beginnings of oceanography
B) the laying of the first undersea cable
C) the investigation of ocean depths
D) the early intercontinental communications
Passage 3
Do you find getting up in the morning so difficult that it, spainful? This might be called 1aziness, but Dr. kleitman has a new explanation. He has proved that everyone has a daily energy cycle.
During the hours when you labour through your work you may say that you're"hot". That's true. The time of day when you feel most energetic is when your cycle of body temperature is at its peak. For some people the peak comes during the forenoon. For others it comes in the afternoon or evening. No one has discovered why this is so, but it 1eads to such familiar monologues (自言自语) as: "Get up, John! You'll be late for work again!" The possible explanation to the trouble is that John is at his temperature-and-energy peak in the evening. Much family quarrelling ends when husbands and wives realize what these energy cycles mean, and which cycle each member of the family has.
You can't change your energy cycle, but you can learn to make your life fit it better. Habit can help, Dr. K1eitman believes. Maybe you're sleepy in the evening but feel you must stay up late anyway. Counteract (对抗) your cycle to some extent by habitually staying up later than you want to. If your energy is low in the morning but you have an important job to do early in the day, rise before your usual hour. This won't change your cycle, but you'll get up steam (鼓起干劲) and work better at your low point.
Get off to a slow start which saves your energy. Get up with a leisurely yawl and stretch. Sit on the edge of the bed a minute before putting your feet on the floor. Avoid the trouble some search for clean clothes by laying them out the night before. When ever possible, do routine work in the afternoon and save tasks requiring more energy or concentration for your sharper hours.
31. If a person finds getting up ear1y a problem, most probably____
A) he is a lazy person
B) he refuses to follow his own energy cycle
C) he is not sure when his energy is low
D) he is at his peak in the afternoon or evening
32. Which of the following may lead to family quarrels according to the passage?
A) Unawareness of energy cycles.
B) Familiar monologues.
C) A change in a family member's energy cycle.
D) Attempts to control the energy cycle of other family member.
33. If one wants to work more efficiently at his low point in the morning, he should_____
A) change his energy cycle C) get up earlier than usual
B) overcome his laziness D) go to bed earlier
34 .You are advised to rise with a yawn and stretch because it will____
A) help to keep your energy for the day's work
B) help you to control your temper early in the day
C) enable you to concentrate on your routine work
D) keep your energy cycle under control a11 day
35. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A) Getting off to work with a minimum effort helps save one's energy.
B) Dr. Kleitman explains why people reach their peak at different hours of day.
C) Habit helps a person adapt to his own energy cycle.
D) Children have energy cycles, too.
Passage 4
We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed-ability teaching. On the contrary, both their knowledge and experience are enriched. We feel that there are many disadvantages in streaming (把……按能力分班) pupils. It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates. It can have a bad effect on both the bright and the not-so-bright child. After all, it can be quite discouraging to be at the bottom of the top grade!
Besides, it is rather unreal to grade people just according to their intellectual ability. This is only one aspect of their total personality. We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our pupils to the full, not just their academic ability. We also value personal qualities and social skills, and we find that mixed-ability teaching contributes to all these aspects of learning.
In our classrooms, we work in various ways. The pupils often work in groups：this gives them the opportunity to learn to co-operate, to share, and to develop leadership skills. They also 1earn how to cope with personal problems as well as 1earning how to think, to make decisions, to analyse and evaluate, and to communicate effectively. The pupils learn from each other as well as from the teacher.
Sometimes the pupils work in pairs; sometimes they work on individual tasks and assignments, and they can do this at their own speed. They also have some formal class teaching when this is appropriate. We encourage our pupils to use the library, and we teach them the skills they need in order to do this efficiently. An advanced pupil can do advanced work：it does not matter what age the child is. We expect our pupils to do their best, not their least, and we give them every encouragement to attain this goal.
36. In the passage the author's attitude towards "mixed-ability teaching" is ____.
A) critical C) approving
B) questioning D) objective
37. By "held back" (Line l) the author means "_________".
A) made to remain in the same classes
B) forced to study in the lower c1asses
C) drawn to their studies
D) prevented from advancing
38. The author argues that a teacher's chief concern should be the development of the student's _________.
A) personal qualities and social skills
B) total personality
C) 1earning ability and communicative skills
D) intellectual ability
39. Which of the following is NOT MENTIONED in the third paragraph?
A) Group work gives pupils the opportunity to learn to work together with others.
B) Pupils also learn to develop their reasoning abilities.
C)Group work provides pupils with the opportunity to learn to be capable organizers.
D) Pupils a1so learn how to participate in teaching activities.
40. The author's purpose in writing this passage is to _____________.
A) argue for teaching bright and not-so-bright pupils in the same class
B) recommend pair work and group work for classroom activities
C) offer advice on the proper use of the library
D) emphasize the importance of appropriate formal classroom teaching
试题分析：
Passage 1 (第21至25题)
内容大意
这是一篇叙述"海洋学"的文章。文章开头给海洋学下了一个定义, 认为"海洋学是综合应用所有科学学科对海洋进行的研究"。在19世纪前, 对海有兴趣的科学家凤毛麟角。牛顿在其著作中虽然也提到这方面的一些理论问题但对走向海洋作进一步的探测研究却停止不前。
在19世纪之前, 对大多数人来说, 海洋是遥远而陌生的。除早期飘洋过海旅行的人或靠海谋生的人之外; 很少有人对海洋感兴趣, 更谈不上关心海底有什么之类的问题了。只是当有人建议铺设一条从欧洲到美洲的海底电报电缆时, 人们才开始从商业意义上对海底进行探索。工程师要知道电线经过的海底的地貌, 以估算出要生产多长的电缆。
于是, 在1853年, 大西洋电报公司向美国海军的一位名叫Maury的人请教, 因为Maury 在40年代曾负责过多次令人鼓舞的航行, 对北大西洋和太平洋的水深进行过探测。他在The Physical Geography of the Sea这一著作中提到的发现引起了人们的广泛兴趣。直到1866年, 这条电缆才最终完成。在此之前出过几次故障。当人们将电缆从海底捞上来修复时, 还发现上面复盖了许多生物。这个事实批驳了当时认为海洋深处无生命的论点。
随着海底电缆的铺设成功, 海洋学得到发展。1872年, Thomson领导了长达4年的海洋考察, 收集了成千上万的海洋标本。通过数年的分类和分析, 科学家们完成了一份长达5卷的报告, 最后一卷于1895年出版。
试题分析
第21题：
本题要求学生推断：建议铺设海底电缆使得海洋学的研究具有什么样的性质。第3段讲到："只有当有人建议铺设一条从欧洲到美洲的海底电缆时, 人们才开始从商业意义上对海底进行探索"。人们必须要知道海底有什么, 是个什么样子, 需要多长的电缆等等。因此, 选项C是答案。答对本题的考生为38％。有29％的考生误选了A项, 有24％的考生误选了A项。这些考生没有根据文章内容来答题, 而是根据题目本身的字面意义想当然地答题。
第22题：
本题问的是谁向Maury请教海洋研究方面的问题。要答对这一题, 必须看懂原文第4段第l句。这是一个强调句型(1t was...that...), 原文突出"向美国海军的MauD请教"。而题干也是一个强调句型, 突出谁向Maury请教。理解本句的关键还在于学生要掌握 turned to...for...这个短语的用法。可见, 答案是选项D。60％的考生答对了本题。31％的考生误选了A项。还有少数考生误选B项或C项。
第23题：
本题问的是19世纪40年代Maury负责的远洋航行的目的是什么。这个问题比较具体。题干本身已点明了答案可能的出处, 即第4段的第2句。这句中动词不定式to investigate the depths of the North Atlantic and Pacific 0ceans回答了这个问题。所以, 答案是D项。这题比较容易, 77％的考生答对本题。但也有11％的考生粗心大意, 把40年代的这些航行与1853年以后的海底电缆铺设过程混淆起来, 错选了C项。
第24题：
本题考核学生根据上下文推测词义的能力。defied是defy的过去式。要准确地推测它的词义, 必须完全读懂defied前后部分的意思：前一部分是说："从海底捞出的电缆上覆盖着各种各样的生物", 后一部分是说："当时的科学观点认为海洋深处是没有生命的"。由此可见, 前一部分的"事实"(..., a fact which...)是"批驳"后一部分的"观点"。所以, 答案是C项challenged(向…挑战, 指责)。37％成绩较好的考生答对此题。既然前一部分是"事实", 当然无法"怀疑(doubted)"(即A项)后一部分"观点"; 既然前后两部分相左, 前者当然也不能为后者"提供证据(gave proof to)"(即B项), 更不可能与后面的观点"一致(agreed to)"(即D项)。但仍有不少考生误选了这几项。特别值得一提的是有近25％中等程度的考生误选了A项。这可能是因为这些考生没有理解这句话的意思。
第25题：
本题问及全篇的中心意思。考生只有读懂全文各段, 才能有把握地回答。第1段谈及是关于"海洋学"的定义; 第2段是讲19世纪前对海洋感兴趣的科学家不多; 第3段谈到由于有人提出铺设海底电缆, 人们才开始研究"海底深处究竟有什么"; 第4段说Maury考察北大西洋和太平洋的发现引起广泛的注意; 第5段讲在铺设海底电缆过程中发现大量海样生物; 最后一段是海洋学研究的成果。可见全篇主要还是讲海洋学的研究是如何开展起来的, 所以答案是A项, 有74％左右的考生答对了这一题。文章有好几个地方谈到铺设海底电缆(B项)和越洋通讯(D项), 但都是围绕着海洋学这条主线的。至于C项, 测量海洋深度, 只是一个细节, 不可能是文章中心意思。
Passage 3(第31至35题)
内容大意
本文讲解了人体的能量周期现象。为什么有些人早上起不来, 甚至感到难受?有人可能会把这说成是懒散。但是Kleitman博士却另有解释。他证实了每个人的精力在一天里有个周期。在你尽力工作的时候, 你会感到"热"。确实如此。一天中当你感到精力最充沛时, 也就是你的体温处于整个周期的高峰。有些人的高峰出现在上午, 而另一些人的高峰出现在下午。为什么会这样呢?没有人能说清楚。但这种现象确会导致屡见不鲜的自言自语："John, 快起来!否则上班又要迟到了"。对这种烦人的事可以这样解释：John的体温和能量高峰是在晚上。如果丈夫和妻子能明白不同的能量周期是怎么回事, 家里的每个人有什么样的能量周期, 很多家庭争吵就不会发生。
虽然你无法改变自己的能量周期, 但你可以使你的生活适应这一周期。Kleiman博士认为习惯性的行为能起作用。有可能晚上你感到很困倦, 但又必须熬夜。采取经常性地推迟睡觉的办法, 能在一定程度上不按周期行事。如果你在上午处于能量的低潮, 但你有重要的工作要在上午做, 那么你就要比平时早起。这并不改变你的周期, 但你可以在低潮时鼓起干劲, 工作得更好。
起床时慢慢来可以节省能量。起来时不慌不忙, 打个呵欠, 伸个懒腰, 在床边坐一坐。头一天晚上先把干净衣服放好, 早上就省去了寻找衣服的麻烦。在任何可能的情况下, 下午做些事务性的工作, 把耗费精力或者需要全神贯注的工作留待你思维最敏锐的时候去做。
试题分析
第31题：
本题的关键是搞清楚人们能否早起同什么有关。根据文章第1段可以看出早晨起不来是同一个人每天的能量周期有关。根据文章第2段中John的自言自语, 以及紧接着的解释：John is at his temperature-and-energy peak in the evening推理, 如果一个人早上不能早起, 这个人的能量高峰就很可能在下午或晚上。因此选项D是答案, 65％的考生答对了本题。有16％的考生误选了A项, 而第1段第2句说得很清楚："早晨起不来可能有人叫做懒, 但KIettnm博士却另有解释"。可见选项A不是答案, 说明这部分考生没有看懂文章。有11的考生误选了B项。第3段讲到"你无法改变自己的能量周期, 但你可使你的生活适应这一周期"。可见, 并不存在"拒绝遵守能量周期"的问题。
第32题：
本题要求看懂文章第2段的最后一句。该句的意思是"如果丈夫和妻子能明白能量周期是怎么回事, 了解家庭每个成员有什么样的周期, 很多家庭争吵就会停止"。也就是说, 家庭争吵的发生是因为丈夫和妻子不了解能量周期是怎么回事, 更谈不上了解每个家庭成员有什么样的能量周期了。因此A)Unawareness of energy cycles(不知道能量周期)应是答案。54％的考生做对了本题。各有21％的考生误选了C项和D项, 而文章中既没有讲到"改变"也没有讲到"控制"家庭成员的能量周期。
第33题：
本题要求学生依据文章第3段中的最后两句的信息作出正确判断。文章第3段中的最后两句说：...rise before your usual hour...work better at your low point。因此选项C是正确答案。这题比较容易, 82％的考生都答对了。
第34题：
本题考核学生的推理判断能力。回答这一问题应看懂文章最后一段的第1句： Get off to a slow start which saves your energy. 早上慢慢起床可以节省能量。紧接该句的3个句子都是慢慢起床的具体做法。因此选项A是答案, 59％的考生答对了本题。有20％的考生误选了C。选项C不正确可以从文章最后一句得到证实：routine work是不需要更多能量和注意力的工作。
第35题:
本题要求找出4个选项中与文章内容不符的选项。第2段中No one has discovered why this is so...的意思是"没有人发现为什么会有不同的能量周期", 既然没有人清楚这一点, K1eitman博士也不可能解释为什么人们会在一天的不同时刻达到能量高峰。因此B项是NOT TRUE, 也就是本题的答案。52％的考生答对了本题。有29％的考生误选了A项, 即："以最少的精力着手工作有助于节省能量"。这句话符合文章的原意, 因此不是本题的答案。有12％的考生误选了C项, 而第3段第2句讲的就是C项的内容, 因此选项C不是答案。
Passage 4(第36至40题)
内容大意
这是一篇讨论小学生混班上课优点的文章。文章认为, 程度不齐的学生混班上课极少阻碍聪明的孩子进步, 相反, 会使他们的知识和经验都得到充实。文章认为, 把小学生按能力分班有许多弊端。这样做忽视了一个事实：孩子们发展速度是不同的。分班上课对聪明的和不那么聪明的孩子都会产生坏的影响。对于处在高班底层的孩子来讲更令他们灰心丧气。
此外, 单凭智力分班也不太符合实际情况, 因为智力仅仅是他们整体素质中的一个方面。我们关心的是最充分地开发所有孩子的各项能力, 而不仅仅是发展他们的学业能力。我们同时也重视个人品质和社会能力的培养, 程度不同的学生混班上课有利于所有这些方面的培养。
我们在课堂里采用不同的方法。学生们经常分组活动, 分组活动为他们提供了学会合作、共享、以及培养领导能力的机会。他们不仅仅学习如何思考问题、作出决定、分析评估、善于交际, 同时也学习如何处理个人问题。他们不仅向老师学习, 同时也互相学习。
有时候他们两人一组进行活动; 有时候则独自从事自己的工作, 按自己的速度进行。在适当的时候他们也参加正规的课堂教学。我们鼓励他们利用图书馆, 教他们一些充分利用图书馆的必要的技能。孩子不分年龄大小, 能力强的可以做要求高的事。无论做什么, 我们都期望学生尽力做好, 而不是敷衍了事。为此, 我们总是鼓励他们尽其所能。
试题分析
第36题：
本题考核学生能否根据文章内容推断出作者对混合编班的态度。要回答该问题, 首先要读懂全篇文章, 特别是第1段的内容, 再依次弄清4个选项的不同含义。选项C表示持“赞同的”态度, 根据文章第1段的内容, 可以看出作者对“混合编班”持“赞同的”：态度, 因此答案是选项C。57％的考生答对了此题。
第37题：
本题考核学生对在具体上下文里的词组hold back的理解。根据上下文, 这个词组的意思是“阻挡、阻止…发展”, 因此选项D是答案。66％的考生答对了本题。
第38题：
本题要求考生根据文章第2段的内容判断作者的观点。从第2段的内容可以看出, 作者认为教师主要关心的应该是学生的total personality(总体素质), 其中包括academic ability或intellectual ability, personal qualities和social skills。也就是说这些能力都是total personality的方方面面。再看一下这一段的第2和第3两句, 可以得出结论, 答案应该是选项B。这个题比较难, 只有44％的考生答对了本题。有28％的考生误选了A项。第2段中提到personal qualities and social skills, 而且作者也认为这两个方面也是应该重视的, 但作者并不是认为academic(或intellectua1)ability不重要。所以作者的观点并不只限于A项的内容, A项不是答案。有19％的考生误选了C项, 而C项的内容也不能反映作者所主张的充分开发学生的全面能力。
第39题：
本题要求学生看懂文章第3段的意思, 并作出正确的判断。该段中的to learn to co-operate, to share, and to develop leadership skills (Line 2, Para.3)表明选项A和C都已提到, 因而都不是答案。该段中的learning how to think to make decisions, to analyse and evaluate(Para.3),包含了选项B所提的1earn to develop their reasoning abilities的内容, 因此B项也是文章中提到过的。唯有选项D在段落中找不到依据, 因此是该题的答案。有61％的考生答对此题。
第40题：
本题要求学生了解这篇文章的主题。文章中讨论了两种上课的方式：streaming pupils, 即把学生按能力分班进行教学, 和mixed-ability teaching, 即让程度不齐的学生混班上课。并列举了前者的弊端和后者的优点。因此A项是答案。而选项B、C、D中提到的几种做法只是mixed-ability teaching的具体做法, 因此不是作者写这篇文章的目的。
历年四级试题阅读理解部分集粹（二）
1991年6月
Passage 3
Just seven years ago, the Jarvik-7 artificial heart was being cheered as the model of human creativeness. The sight of Barney Clark-alive and conscious after trading his diseased heart for a metal-and-plastic pump-convinced the press, the public and many doctors that the future had arrived. It hadn't. After monitoring production of the Jarvik-7, and reviewing its effects on the 150 or so patients (most of whom got the device as a temporary measure) the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded that the machine was doing more to endanger lives than to save them. Last week the agency cancelled its earlier approval, effectively banning (禁止) the device.
The recall may hurt Symbion Inc., maker of the Jarvik-7, but it won't end the request for an artificial heart. One problem with the banned model is that the tubes connecting it to an external power source created a passage for infection. Inventors are now wording on new devices that would be fully placed, along with a tiny power pack, in the patient's chest. The first sample products aren't expected for another 10 of 20 years. But some people are already worrying that they'll work-and that America's overextended health-care programs will lose a precious $2.5 billion to $5 billion a year providing them for a relatively few dying patients. If such expenditures (开支) cut into funding for more basic care, the net effect could actually be a decline in the nation's health.
31. According to the passage the Jarvik-7 artificial heart proved to be _____.
a) a technical failure
b) a technical wonder
c) a good life-saver
d) an effective means to treat heart disease
32. From the passage we know that Symbion Inc. ____.
a) has been banned by the government from producing artificial hearts
b) will review the effects of artificial hearts before designing new models
c) may continue to work on new models of reliable artificial hearts
d) can make new models of artificial hearts available on the market in 10 to 20 years
33. The new models of artificial hearts are expected _____.
a) to have a working life of 10 or 20 years
b) to be set fully in the patient's chest
c) to be equipped with an external power source
d) to create a new passage for infection
34. The word "them" in Line 7, Para. 2 refers to ____.
a) doctors who treat heart diseases
b) makers of artificial hearts
c) America's health-care programs
d) new models of artificial hearts
35. Some people feel that _____.
a) artificial hearts are seldom effective
b) the country should not spend so much money on artificial hearts
c) the country is not spending enough money on artificial hearts
d) America's health-care programs are not doing enough for the nation's health
Passage Three(第31至35题)
内容大意
本文是一篇介绍人造心脏的说明文。文章的第一段介绍了名为Jarvik-7的人造心脏。曾被誉为人类创造性典范的Jarvik-7, 七年前初次问世时曾给人们带来希望。但经过美国食品和药物管理局对Jarvik-7的生产过程的进一步观察以及大约150人试用后, 最后得出结论, 认为Jarvik-7对生命的危害大于其拯救生命的作用, 于是撤消了当初对生产Jarvik-7的许可。
第2段指出, 美国食品和药物管理局的上述决定对制造Jarvik-7的Symbion公司是一种打击, 但不会消除人们对人造心脏的需求。Jarvik-7遭禁的一个原因, 是由于用以连接人造心脏和外部电源的通道容易引起感染。为了克服这一缺点, 现在研制的人造心脏的电源体积小, 可与人造心脏一并植入人体。然而, 这种人造心脏的样品还要等10到20年才能投入使用。不过, 即使如此, 现在已经有人在担心, 一旦这种新型人造心脏获得成功, 将不得不为少数病人花费25至50亿美元去购置这种昂贵的装置, 从而减少用于基本医疗保健方面的开支, 并使美国人的总体健康受到影响。
试题分析
第31题：
本题是考核学生根据上下文全面理解和进行正确判断的能力, 问的是本文论述的Jarvik-7人造心脏性能和效果到底如何。文章一开头说Jarvik-7是一大技术成就, 但文章第1段最后两句中说到：
...the U.S. Food and Drug administration concluded that the machine was doing more to endanger lives than to save them. Last week the agency cancelled its earlier approval, effectively banning the device.
这两句话提供了这个问题的答案。因此, 答案是选项A也就是说Jarvik-7人造心脏在技术上是一个失败。有59％的考生答对了本题。the machine was doing more to endanger lives than to save them中的thc machine就是指Jarvik-7, effectively banning the device中的the device也是指Jarvic-7, 第2段第3行的banned model也是指Jarvik-7。有22％的的学生误选了D项, 有14％的考生误选了B项。
第32题：本题要求考生根据文章内容进行正确的推论。文章第2段第1句说：The recall may hurt Symbion lnc., but it won't end the request for an artificial heart. 要求生产人造心脏的Symbion公司收回其销售的人造心脏, 这对该公司来说或许是一种损失, 但这一禁令不会消除人们对人造心脏的需求。从这一句可推断出答案应该是C项。64％的考生答对了本题。选项A的干扰较大, 因为第1段的最后一句提到政府禁止生产人造心脏一事, 即: Last week the agency cancelled…effectively banning the device. 但应注意, 遭禁的不是Symbion公司, 而是人造心脏Jarvik-7。考试结果表明有25％的考生误选了A项, 说明他们阅读时不够细心。误选D项的考生可能依据的是本文第2段的第3和第4句：Inventors are now working...in the patient's chest. The first sample products aren't expected for another l0 or 20 years. 但要注意的是, 这里所说的发明家是泛指的, 不是Symbion公司一家发明家, 因此选项D是错的。选项B也是错的, 因为与文章内容无关。第33题：本题考核正确理解事实细节的能力。选项B的意思与文章中第2段第3句, 即inventors are now working...in the patient's chest的意思相符合, 因此选项B是答案。本题不太难, 68％的考生答对了。A项、C项和B项都与文章内容相悖, 都不是答案第34题：本题要求考生找出该句中代词them指代什么。能够作them的先行词当然必须是复数名词, 根据代词them所在的语境, 在4个选项中有可能作them的先行词的是选项C中的America's health-care programs和选项D中的new models of artificial hearts。从句子意思看, "向为数不多的濒危病人提供"的显然是前一句中的sample products, 即可与电源组一并植于人体内的new devices。因此, 答案应该是D项。第35题：本题考核在理解全文的基础上进行推论的能力。第2段But some people are already worrying...这句话集中地体现了有些人已经在担心, 为a relatively few dying patients动用巨额资金购置新型的人造心脏是否合算。因此, 选项B是答案。答对本题的考生有52％。有26％的考生误选了D项。第2段这一部分中虽然提到America's health-care programs, 但指的是不应当把有限的医疗保健开支花在少数人身上而使全国人的总体健康受到影响, 因此选项D也是错的。选项A和C都不是答案, 因为文中并未提及这些问题。
1993年6月
Passage 1
Nursing at Beth Israel Hospital produces the best patient care possible. If we are to solve the nursing shortage, hospital administration and doctors everywhere would do well to follow Beth Israel's example.
At Beth Israel each patient is assigned to a primary nurse who visits at length with the patient and constructs a full-scale health account that covers everything from his medical history to his emotional sate. Then she writes a care plan centered on the patient's illness but which also includes everything else that is necessary.
The primary nurse stays with the patient through his hospitalization, keeping track with his progress and seeking further advice from his doctor. If a patient at Beth Israel is not responding to treatment, it is not uncommon for his nurse to propose another approach to his doctor. What the doctor at Beth Israel has in the primary nurse is a true colleague.
Nursing at Beth Israel also involves a decentralized (分散的) nursing administration; every floor, every unit is a self-contained organization. There are nurse-managers instead of head nurses; in addition to their medical duties they do all their own hiring and dismissing, employee advising, and they make salary recommendations. Each unit's nurses decide among themselves who will work what shifts and when.
Beth Israel's nurse-in-chief rank as an equal with other vice presidents of the hospital. She also is a member of the Medical Executive Committee, which in most hospitals includes only doctors.
21. Which of the following best characterizes the main feature of the nursing system at Beth Israel Hospital?
a) The doctor gets more active professional support from the primary nurse.
b) Each patient is taken care of by a primary nurse day and night.
c) The primary nurse writes care plans for every patient.
d) The primary nurse keeps records of the patient's health conditions every day.
22. It can be inferred from the passage that ____.
a) compared with other hospitals nurses at Beth Israel Hospital are more patient
b) in most hospitals patient care is inadequate from the professional point of view
c) in most hospitals nurses get low salaries
d) compared with other hospitals nurses have to work longer hours at Beth Israel Hospital
23. A primary nurse can propose a different approach of treatment when ____.
a) the present one is refused by the patient
b) the patient complains about the present one
c) the present one proves to be ineffective
d) the patient is found unwilling to cooperate
24. The main difference between a nurse-manager and a head nurse is that the former_____
a) is a member of the Medical Executive Committee of the hospital
b) has to arrange the work shifts of the unit's nurses
c) can make decisions concerning the medical treatment of a patient
d) has full responsibility in the administration of the unit's nurses
25. The author's attitude towards the nursing system at Beth Israel Hospital is ___.
a) negative b) neutral c) critical d) positive
passage one(第21至25题)
内容大意
这篇文章讲述了一家名为Beth Israel的医院, 建立了一套完整的护理体制, 为病人提供完善的护理。医院为每一位病人指派一名 "primary nurse" ( 理解为“责任护士” ), 对病人从病史、病情一直到情绪等作全面的了解, 并以病人的病情为中心, 制订一套涉及病人方方面面的护理方案。primary nurse全程护理自己的病人, 跟踪病人的医疗进展,征询医生对进一步护理的意见。倘若某种治疗对病人无甚疗效, primary nurse会向医生建议改变治疗方案。这种做法在这家医院并不是个别现象。在这家医院, 医生和primary nurse是真正的同事。
这家医院的护理系统(nursing)还包括分散管理体制：医院的每一层楼, 每一个科室都有一个完整的管理机构, 设有nurse-managers (护士主管)而不是head nurse(护士长), 除管理日常的护理工作之外, 还可以决定招聘和解雇、为雇员提供咨询、甚至推荐工资提升等, 各个科室的护士还可以自行决定当班的时间。在这家医院里的nurse-in-chief与医院的副院长同级, 而且还是the Medical Executive Committee(医务委员会)的成员, 而在许多医院里, 这种委员会的成员只能是医生。
文章强调, 医院要想加强护理工作, 解决护理不足(nursing shortage)的问题, 这家医院的做法值得借鉴。
试题分析
第21题：
本题问的是上面4个选择项中哪一句话最能“概括”这家医院“护理工作体制”的主要特征。注意：题干中的characterize的意思是“表示出……的特征”。这实质上是从一个侧面问及本篇的中心思想, 即文章反复强调的这种“护理体制”的最本质的东西。B、C、D这3项所提及的都是这家医院中primary nurse所做的“常规”工作：“日夜护理病人”(B项)；“制订护理方案”(C项)；“每天记录病人的身体状况”(D项)。这些并不反映这家医院特有的“护理工作体制”的本质特征。该医院护理工作的责任制(像each patient is assigned to a primary nurse; the primary nurse stays with the patient through his hospitalization 等)、护理工作的自主管理促进了护士对医疗工作的平等参与(包括writes a care plan; seeking further advice from his doctor; to propose another approach to his doctor; what the doctor. . . has in the primary nurse is a true
colleague; nurse-in-chief ranks as an equal with other vice presidents)等, 才是反映这家医院“护理工作体制”的本质特征, 并最终体现在医疗过程中医生与护士的平等合作中。A项所说的正是这一点, 是本题的正确答案。本题有一定的难度, 分别有37％、24％和12％的考生误选了B, C, 或D。
第22题：
本题要求学生判断4个选择项中哪一个是根据文章可以推断出的结论, 要求学生根据文章内容作出合理的推断。从本题所提供的4个选择项来看, 文章并未谈及护士的"耐心"(A项)；也未谈及护士的“工资待遇”(C项), 只是说到护士的工资提升要由各科室推荐, 更未涉及护士的"工作时间长短"(D项)。文章的第1段最后一句才是得出正确答案的依据：整句的意思是说：“如果我们确要解决护理工作不足(不充分)的问题, 那么各地医院的行政部门和医生最好还是效法一下Beth Israel医院的榜样”。主句中的虚拟语气也说明这-点事实上迄今还未做到。由此可以推断：1)护理不充分是一个应该解决的问题：2)这个问题普遍存在, 否则就没有必要要求各地医院行政部门和医生效法这家医院的做法。由此可见, 本题的正确答案是B项。
第23题：
本题问及责任护士在什么情况下可以向医生提出改变治疗方案的建议, 这是一个局部性问题。题目本身所用的语言A primary nurse can propose a different approach of treatment when.己点明了答案可能从什么地方找到。只要读懂了If a patient...( Para. 3)一句, 就会知道答案是C项。从考试的结果来看, 54％的考生答对了本题。但仍有28％的考生误选了D项, 可能是这些考生未能理解...is not responding to treatment的意思所造成的。D项所说的“病人不愿意合作”文章根本就没有谈到。
第24题：
本题也是一个局部性问题, 问及本文提到的nurse-manager(护士主管)和head nurse (护士长)的主要不同点。文章There are nurse-managers...ask salary recommendations. (Para. 4)这句就是回答这个问题的依据：their medical duties是这两者的共同之处, 但被in addition to排除在外了, 剩下的才是这两者的不同之处。选项D对不同之处加以概括, 所以是答案。58％的考生答对了本题。其中有11％的考生把文章中的nurse-manager与nurse-in-chief混同, 误选了A项。Nurse-managers是这家医院每个科室都有的, 而nurse-in-chief全医院只有一名。这种细节部分, 也是在阅读中应该注意的。
第25题：
本题问及文章作者对这家医院的nursing system的态度, 是一道比较简单的试题
文章的第1段提供了答案。作者对这家医院的nursing system的态度是positive(肯定的)。65％的考生答对了本题。但各有15％的考生误选了A项或B项, 显然这些考生没有完全把握文章作者写这篇文章的目的, 因而弄不清作者对那家医院的护理制度抱什么态度。
历年四级试题阅读理解部分集粹（三）
1995年6月四级试题：
Passage 1
Researchers have established that when people are mentally engaged, biochemical changes occur in the brain that allow it to act more effectively in cognitive（认知的）areas such as attention and memory. This is true regardless of age.
People will be alert (警觉) and receptive (接受能力强的) if they are faced with information that gets them to think about things they are interested in. And someone with a history of doing more rather than less will go into old age more cognitively sound than someone who has not had an active mind.
Many experts are so convinced of the benefits of challenging the brain that they are putting the theory to work in their own lives. "The idea is not necessarily to learn to memorize enormous amounts of information," says James Fozard, associate director of the National Institute on Aging. "Most of us don't need that kind of skill. Such specific training is less interest than being able to maintain mental alertness." Fozard and others say they challenge their brains with different mental skills, both because they enjoy them and because they are sure that their range of activities will help the way their brains work.
Gene Cohen, acting director of the same institute, suggests that people in their old age should engage in mental and physical activities individually as well as in groups. Cohen says that we are frequently advised to keep physically active as we age, but older people need to keep mentally active as well. Those who do are more likely to maintain their intellectual abilities and to be generally happier and better adjusted. "The point is, you need to do both," Cohen says, "Intellectual activity actually influences brain-cell health and size."
21. People who are cognitively healthy are that ____.
A) who can remember large amounts of information
B) who are highly intelligent
C) whose minds are alert and receptive
D) who are good at recognizing different sounds
22. According to Fozard's argument, people can make their brains work more efficiently by _____.
A) constantly doing memory work
B) taking part in various mental activities
C) going through specific training
D) making frequent adjustments
23. The findings of James and other scientists in their work _____.A) remain a theory to be further provedB) have been challenged by many other expertsC) have been generally acceptedD) are practised by the researchers themselves24. Older people are generally advised to _____.A) keep fit by going in for physical activities B) keep mentally active by challenging their brainsC) maintain mental alertness through specific training D) maintain a balance between individual and group activities25. What is the passage mainly about?A) How biochemical changes occur in the human brain.B) Why people should keep active not only physically but also mentally.C) How intellectual activities influence brain-cell health.D) Why people should receive special mental training as they age.Passage 1 (第21至25题)内容大意本文探讨人们应怎样保持头脑的健康。作者首先指出, 人在用脑的时候, 大脑会处于兴奋状态, 这时大脑在诸如注意力和记忆力等属于认知领域的能力会有效地得到发挥。接着, 作者谈及勤于动脑的重要性。经常思考问题的人, 即使到了老年, 仍能有较健康的头脑。勤于思考并不是说一定要记忆大量的信息；而是说让大脑经常处于警觉状态, 即对外界事物处于敏感状态。为了做到这点, 有人建议多从事一些有益于大脑工作的活动。最后, 作者指出, 老年人不仅要坚持锻炼身体, 而且要勤于动脑。只有这样, 老年人才能保持身心健康, 提高生活质量。总之, 本文用引经据典的方法强调了头脑健康, 尤其是老年人的头脑健康的重要性。试题分析第21题：回答本题要求考生把第2段的两句话的内在关系看懂。作者说, 当人们面对能使他们思考他们感兴趣的事情的信息时, 他们便会处于警觉的和接受能力强的状态。作者从这一现象推论, 一个过去乐于思考的人, 当他进入老年时, 将比一个缺少积极动脑习惯的人有较健全的认知能力。换句话说, 有健康认知能力的人是那些头脑敏捷并善于接受(外界事物)的人。这样, 本题的答案便顺理成章地出来了：答案是选项C。从整体上看, 这个问题不太难, 同时答案中的关键词alert and receptive很容易在文章中找到。
第22题：本题检查考生是否读懂了本文第3段, 是否读懂Fozard的论点。他的论点有的以直接引语形式出现, 也有的以间接引语形式出现, 例如从第3段 (...they challenge their brains..., both because...and because...)便是间接引语。但不论直接引语还是间接引语, 都说得十分明确, 不会给理解造成很大障碍, 即选项B是答案。本题是最容易的一道题, 86％的考生均能答对本题。第23题：本题首先考查考生是否读懂了第3段的第1句话。许多专家相信经常刺激大脑是有益处的, 于是他们要把这一理论在他们自己的生活中付诸实施。这说明这种理论还不曾被前人验证过, 这种理论正是他们研究的成果。读懂了这层意思, 当考生看到了本题时, 便能很快地与第3段的第1句话联系起来, 找到答案选项D。58％的考生答对了本题。A、B、C这3项本文根本没有提到过。然而, 为什么有42％的考生未能答对本题如果我们仔细推敲一下便会发现, 考生在词汇的掌握上还存在着问题。许多考生可能在findings一词上遇到了困难, 不知在文章的什么地方提到过findings, 恐怕也不知道findings的确切含义就是“科研成果”。所以, 他们答题时多凭主观臆断, 而不是到文章中去找依据。这也说明掌握好词汇对提高阅读理解能力是十分重要的。第24题：本题本来是一个非常浅显的问题, 只要抓住第4段第2行的we are frequently advised...一句, 自然会明白答案是A项。第25题：本题检查考生对本文中心思想的理解, 要求考生从4个选择项中识别出答案选项B。57％的考生答对了本题。这说明, 这部分考生掌握文章大意, 能找出文章的中心思想。有20％的考生因受文章最后一句话的影响, 对全文又缺乏融会贯通的理解, 也没有看清why和how的区别, 误选了C项。事实上, 本文通篇谈论的是为什么在保持身体活力的同时, 还必须保持大脑的活力, 因为身心健康是一个统一体。文章并没有过多地探讨智力活动是怎样影响到脑细胞的健康, 因此C项在文章里找不到根据, 不是答案。 Passage 2 (第26至30题)Attention to detail is something everyone can and should do-especially in a tight job market. Bob Crossley, a human-resources expert notices this in the job applications that come cross his desk every day. "It's amazing how many candidates eliminate themselves." he says. "Resumes(简历) arrive with stains. Some candidates don't bother to spell the company's name correctly. Once I see a mistake, I eliminate the candidate," Crossley concludes, "If they cannot take care of these details, why should we trust them with a job?"
Can we pay too much attention to details? Absolutely. Perfectionists struggle over little things at the cost of something larger they work toward. "To keep from losing the forest for the trees," says Charles Garfielk, associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, "we must constantly ask ourselves how the detail we're working on fit into the larger picture. If they don't, we should drop them and move to something else."
Garfield compares this process to his work as a computer scientist at NASA. "The Apollo II moon launch was slightly off-course 90 percent of the time," says Garfield. "But a successful landing was still likely because we knew the exact coordinates of our goal. This allowed us to make adjustments as necessary." Knowing where we want to go helps us judge the importance of every task we undertake.
Too often we believe what accounts for others' success is some special secret or a lucky break(机遇). But rarely is success so mysterious. Again and again, we see that by doing little things within our grasp well, large rewards follow.
26. According to the passage, some job applicants were rejected ________.
A) because of their carelessness as shown in their failure to present a clean copy of a resume
B) because of their inadequate education as shown in their poor spelling in writing a resume
C) because they failed to give a detailed description of their background in their applications
D) because they eliminated their names from the applicants list themselves
27. The word "perfectionists" (Line 1, para. 3) refers to those who_____.
A) demand others to get everything absolutely right
B) know how to adjust their goals according to the circumstances
C) pay too much attention to details only to lose their major objectives
D) are capable of achieving perfect results in whatever they do
28. Which of the following is the author's advice to the reader?
A) Although too much attention to details may be costly, they should not be overlooked.
B) Don't forget details when drawing pictures
C) Be aware of the importance of a task before undertaking it.
D) Careless applicants are not to be trusted.
29. The example of the Apollo II moon launch is given to illustrate that ____.
A) minor mistakes can be ignored in achieving major objectives
B) failure is the mother of success
C) adjustments are the key to the success completion of any work
D) keeping one's goal in mind helps in deciding which details can be overlooked
30. The best title for this passage would be ____.
A) Don't Be a Perfectionist B) Importance of Adjustments
C) Details and Major Objectives D) Hard Work Plus Good luck
内容大意
本文是一篇富有哲理性的议论文。作者从我们身边琐事谈起, 深入浅出地说明了一条道理：要成就一番大事业, 必须从小事做起。在当前竞争激烈的人才市场上, 一张沾满墨迹的求职履历表, 或者一纸布满错字的申请信, 足可将你自己淘汰。因为, 对一个连这种小事都做不好的人, 任何单位也不敢对他委以重任。可见, 做好每件小事是何等重要。同时, 作者从另一个角度讨论做好小事的价值, 指出不能只注重小事情而牺牲了大目标, 我们应当防止见树不见林。要做到正确处理小事与大事的辩证关系, 我们应时刻弄清每件小事与终极目标之间的关系。凡是有利于实现终极目标的小事, 必须件件做好, 而那些与实现大目标不相干的小事则应让位于更重要的事情。每个人在实现终极目标的过程中, 都要时常做些调整, 调整的根据是终极目标。所以, 只注重小事而忘记最终目的, 是不可取的。但是, 正如文章开头指出的那样, 做好每件小事是不容忽视的, 小事是成就大业的基穿任何人取得成功都是靠一点一滴做出来的, 成功的秘密只有一条：千里之行, 始于足下。
试题分析
第26题：
本题是针对本文第1和第2段提出的局部性问题, 问及有些求职者失败的原因是什么, 要求考生在弄懂这两段含义的基础上, 从4个选项中找出答案。A项把作者要表达的思想进行了概括, 是本题的答案。55％的考生答对了本题。但是有27％的考生误选了C项。这部分考生首先可能有词汇障碍, 未必看懂文中的...arrive with stains是什么意思, 因此无法与A项中的a clear copy of a resume挂钩。其次, 他们没有看懂第2段直接引语中的几句话之间的相互关系, 把these details误解成了简历缺乏细节说明, 以致错误地把C项当成了答案。
第27题：
本题考查学生对perfectionists一词的理解。我们知道, 说话时的场景和文章的上下文都会给与一个词特殊的含义, 仅记住这个词在词典里的词义是不够的。perfectionist在词典里是“十全十美主义者”或“追求完美的人”的意思。“追求完美的人”没有什么不好, 但在本文的perfectionists是指那些过分追求完美的人；事情过了头就走向反面。“过分”两字并不是我们加上去的, 而是作者在第3段头两句话中示意给读者的。因为作者自问自答地说出：“我们会不会过分注重小事?当然会。追求完美的人为小事而操劳, 岂不知是以牺牲较大的工作目标为代价的”。这种追求显然是不适当的, 因而也是过分的。所以, 本题的答案是C项。55％的考生答对了本题。有26％的考生误选了D项, 这些考生可能就错在未能根据上下文弄清perfectionists在本文中的确切含义。
第28题：
这是一个综合性的问题, 涉及到本文的主题。作者在第1和第2段以引用人才市场专家原话的手法议论小事的重要, 继而在第3和第4段通过引用科学家的话说明小事与大目标相辅相成的
道理, 尤其在文章的结尾, 作者再一次强调做好每一件小事的重要性。因此, 作者通篇要告诉读者的便是：小事绝不能忽视, 虽然过分注重小事可能要付出代价。答案是A项。55％的考生答对了本题。但是, 有25％的考生误选了C项, 因为他们没有抓住本文的中心思想, 又急于找出答案, 就选择了在句型和用词上与本文中的某句话相近似的答案。但是这句话和选项C在意思上相去甚远。
第29题：
本题考核学生对本文第4段的理解。作者引用Apollo II登月一段话, 是为了说明他的观点：做好小事能保证大目标的实现。Garfield说, 90％的时间阿波罗II 号都稍稍偏离轨道, 而最终仍可顺利到达月球, 是因为不断地做出必要的调整。调整就是做好每件小事。有了上述理解, 考生便不难看懂本段最后一句话：知道我们要去向何方有助于判断我们所从事的每件工作的重要性。这句话暗示我们：事情有轻重缓急, 为了达到最终目标非做不可的小事再小也是大事, 而与实现终极目标无关或关系不大的事再大也是小事, 可以忽略不管。因此, 本题的答案是D项。53％的考生答对了本题。有34％的考生误选了C项, 是因为他们把第4段孤立起来, 忘记了它是整篇文章的一部分。
第30题：
本题是考核学生对全文的概括能力。答案是C项。这个问题不难, 81％的考生都答对了。