英语专业四级考试阅读理解习题及答案

专业英语四级阅读理解辅导：先读文章后看题目
有的考生在做阅读理解题的 时候，喜欢先看题目后读文
章。他们认为这样会节省时间，但是大多数情况下结果与他
们的初衷 相反。
实际上，在做阅读理解题的时候先看题目不会节省时间，
反而会浪费时间。这是因 为如果你先看题目，在你阅读文章
的时候你的脑中就会充斥着这些题目，那么你就不能集中注
意 力。你就会集中注意力寻找这些题目的答案，从而影响对
文章整体的理解。因此在做阅读理解时要先读文 章，后看题
目。以下是一些具体的方法：
1.在阅读文章时不要担心时间不够，否则就不 能全神贯
注于文章内容。在阅读文章开头几句时，你要联想一下文章
的大意：文章是关于什么内 容、写的谁、谈论什么事物等。
2.当你继续阅读文章时，要努力识别出文章的文体，即
是科普文章、文学作品，还是新闻报道或是别的;同时要识
别出作者的写作手法，文章是写给谁看的，作 者是带着一种
什么样的感情写这篇文章的。
3.在读完文章一遍后，你会对文章的主题和 文章的结构
有了一定的印象，但是为了准确起见，在你回答问题的时候
一定要回过头来再看一遍 该文，以确认你的答案。不要根据

自己第一遍阅读时的印象答题，也不要根据自己所掌握的文
章以外的知识答题。
4.在阅读题目的时候，要注意一些关键字眼，比如
EXCEPT, CANNOT, NOT, INCORRECT 等出题者为了引起考生
特别注意的大写词
英语专业四级阅读理解面面观

一、专四阅读理解十大话题
社会话题:如商场偷窃(2004),体育商业化(2002)
教育话题:如儿童择校(2001),大学教育(1997),教学方
法(1997),
科技话题:如轻型飞机(1993), 昆虫思维(1994),
人物传记;某小说家(1992),个人历史(1996),姓氏溯源
(2000)
历史研究:北爱尔兰问题(1992),法国变化(1993)
妇女话题:夫妻关系(2001),家电与妇女(2002)
种族话题:民族矛盾(1998)
自然话题:雪崩(1996),海啸(1997),潮汐(1992)
健康话题:饮酒与心脏病(1995),
经济话题:如瑞士银行(2000),中国经济特区(2004)
二、阅读理解五种材料
说明文、记叙文、议论文、描写文、应用文 (尤其是新

闻报道)
三、题型分析及应对策略
1．主旨类
(1)What is the main idea (subject) of this passage ?
(2)What does this passage mainly
(primarily)concerned ?
(3)The main theme of this passage is ___________.
(4)The main point of the passage is__________.
(5)Which of the following is the best title for the
passage ?
(6)The title that best expresses thetheme of the
passage is ___________.
(7)On which of the following subject would the
passage most likely be found in a textbook ?
(8)The purpose of the writer in writing this
passage _________.
(9)Which of the following best describes the
passage as a whole ?
应对策略： 跳读（skimming）文章的开头、结尾及段落
的首句和尾句。主旨应该是宏观的，但有不能失之空 泛。
2．态度类
(1)What’s the writer’s attitude to ??

(2)What’s the tone of the passage?
(3)The author’s view is _______
(4)The writer’s attitude of .this passage is
apparently _________-
(5)The author suggests that _________
(6)According to author __________
应对策略：有的文章观 点明确，基调清楚，这时跳读
（skimming）文章的开头、结尾及段落的首句和尾句。而另
一些则需要阅读时对某些细节仔细琢磨。尤其应注意有些表
明作者观点词汇，如形容词、副词等。 3．细节类
(1)Which of the following is NOT true according to
the information in the passage?
(2) Which of the following is mentioned in the
passage?
(3) What is the example of . . . as described in
the passage?
(4) The author mentions all of the following
except . . .
(5) The reason for . . .is . . .
(6) The author states that . . .
(7) According to the passage, when (where, why, how,
who, etc. ) ...

应对 策略：寻读（scanning）出现关键词的相应段落，
四个答案中相同的词即为关键词。仔细对比答 案与文中相应
细节。
4．推理类
(1)The writer implies but not directly states
that__________-.
(2) It can be inferred from the passage
that_________.
(3) The author strongly suggests that__________ .
(4) It can be concluded from the passage
that________.
(5) The passage is intended to__________ .
(6)The writer indicates that__________ .
应对策略：推理类题，可能是针对文章 整体也可能是针
对某个细节。如果是前者，跳读（skimming）文章的开头、
结尾及段落 的首句和尾句。即可得出答案。如果是后者，寻
读（scanning）相应段落并仔细研读相应细节。
4．词汇类
(1)According to the author ,the word

(2)Which of the following is nearest in meaning to

(3)The term paragraph? can be best replaced
by ?.
(4)What’s the meaning of line ?of
paragraph?.?
(5)As used in the line ?, the word
_______.
应对策略：寻读（scanning）定 位相关词的出处。根据
上下文与词的构造来猜测。最好将四个选项带回文中，看看
哪一个最合适 。即使不是生词，也应当作生词来猜。
5．指代类
(1)What does “it” refers to in Line 2, Paragraph
5?
(2)What does “they” stand for in Line 3,
Paragraph 2?
(3) What does “their” stand for in Line 3,
Paragraph 2?
(4) What does “its” refer to in Line 3, Paragraph
2?
应对策略：寻读（scanning），定位相关代词的出处，
离它最近且单复数一致的名 词即是。注意英语中“they”既
可指代人也可指代物。

克服不良阅读习惯，提高英语阅读理解能力
克服不良阅读习惯，提 高英语阅读理解能力：通过有效分辨
意群、增强语感、加强速度训练等有效策略，既可以克服、
纠正上述影响阅读效率的不良习惯，同时又可以提高阅读速
度，加强阅读理解，愉悦阅读过程。英语阅读 理解能力是学
习者学习和运用英语需要掌握的一项基本技能，是否很好地
掌握这一技能直接影响 用英语进行交流和获取信息。事实证
明，培养良好的阅读习惯是提高阅读能力的一个有效手段。
很多学生之所以阅读速度跟不上，是因为没有养成正确的阅
读习惯。

多年的 教学实践发现学生中常见的不良阅读习惯有：(1)
指读。即为了集中注意力，用手指、笔尖或用尺子指 着文章
逐字阅读。(2)回读。读文章时，遇到生词、不熟悉的短语
或者对读过的部分不放心、 惟恐遗漏要点内容时，返回到旬
首甚至段首重读；如果遇到长句，常常反复多次。(3)译读。
在阅读中不断地进行词、短语乃至句子的翻译，通过译成母
语来达到理解。(4)多余、不自觉的习惯性 动作，如左右摆
头、发声阅读和潜意识里的默读。(5)慢读、细读，所有的
阅读材料都以习惯 性的、同样的慢速度来阅读 有了这些不
良习惯，要以较决的速度从大量材料中捕捉有关信息，的确是十分困难的。其后果表现为，无法以阅渎的自然方式一以

恿 群为单位阅读，导致注意力不能集中到整篇文章的内容上；
迟滞理解力集中，使信息的扩展，逻辑推理和 理解材料内容
受到影响；同时也挫伤了阅读兴趣，从而产生焦虑畏难等消
极情感，增强了学习者 对语言输人的过滤作用，妨碍读者对
语言信息的顺畅接受。因此，培养学生养成良好的阅读习惯
十分必要。

一、纠正不良习惯的教学对策

调查显示，回 读的原因一般有：(1)没读懂或者一知半
解。(2)生词较多，即使猜测词义也需要思考的时间，且往
往还对自己所猜的词义举棋不定。(3)注意力不集中，无法
统摄句、段、文的要旨和主题对此 问题可采取的策略是：首
先，对已养成回读习惯的学生，指导他们可用手掌或索引卡
作为控制行 步进的工具。把手放在卡片上，在读的过程中，
让卡片从上向下移动，遮住刚读过的一行。迫使自己专注 地
阅读不走神，做到身心并用，更好地理解文章。其次，对阅
读材料的难易度作出正确判断，并 给予有效的控制。伯林从
对注意力的研究中得出结论：只有当刺激物既不简单又不太
复杂时，人 们才能保持最长久的注意力。这就告诉我们，保
持最长久的注意力，刺激物的强弱必须适度。所以，最好 先
选择浅易的材料读。这样可以把注恿力集中在阅读当中的视

线移动，不受内容理解的描绊。再次，帮助学生培养积极的
态度，保持自信。默念：“我能够读得更 快更好。. (我可以
提高阅读速度并理解得更准确。. 【我是一个优秀的读者。”
鼓励他们 调动已有的知识和经验，敢于一口气越过障碍读完，
保持阅读的连贯性和整体性 最后，逐步养成纵式阅 读习惯。
让学生视线专注于阅i卖材料的每行中央，纵向移动。同时
余光扫描左右两边的文字， 要求学生按愚群向前跳读。在每
个意群中，把重点放在实词上，如名词、形容词、副词、数
词等 (不必过多注意虚词，如冠词、介词等)。抓住文章的主
要意思和主体框架，忽视细节和不相干的内容。

学生误认为指读能促使他们专注于文中的每个单词，能
帮助理解和记忆。其实， 专注于每个单独的单词，只能给他
们的理解制造难题。向大脑传送的是“弱信号”——看上去
是 一大堆互不相关的信息．以至于大脑无法集中于阅读上，
心不在焉或者感觉厌倦。对此，有必要让学生明 白两点：(1)
如同交谈时人们不会说话吞吞吐吐，在每个单词之后都停顿
反而通常一组词一组 词地说一样，阅读应以意群为单位，集
中注意思想内容而不是单词。(2)阅读是思维同语言之间相互反应的积极过程。阅读是眼和脑的体操，眼睛和大脑协同
工作时才能进行阅读。要具有高的阅读水 平，则需“眼明脑
快”，对外来视觉信号迅速加工和处理。因此，有效的对策

是：不断进行速读训练，增强语感。指导学生利用报刊上的
文章练习 扩展眼睛的视程，拓宽注视范围。眼睛要抓住成串
的文字，搜索有具体含义的慝群，一个意群一个意群的 扫描、
连贯阅读，保持流畅的、合逻辑的思维不被割断，捕捉表达
整篇文章重要文恿的关键词语 ，在最短的时间内获取所需的
信息

很多学生一眼能看五、六个词的意群或句子。可见，平
时训l练要强化这种薏 群组合能力，直到意群阅 读成为一
个自觉的过程，有效克服指读的习惯。针对慢读、细读的不
良习惯，通过课堂教学，让 学生掌握基本阅读技巧：预测、
略读、寻读，明白阅读时不仅有一种方法，阅读速度的提高
不会 影响理解效果。并根据阅读目的和读物材料的难易这两
个因素来调整自己的阅读速度，采用不同的阅读方 法，懂得
灵活运用阅读技巧进行高效阅读。有学生认为译读可以保证
他们理解文章的全部意思并 记住每个单词。实际上，这种咬
文嚼字、偏重语法分析的做法，使得阅读进程非常缓慢，阻
碍了 对内容的深化理解，而且常感到疑惑并失去阅读的乐趣。
阅读是一个理解的过程，而不是一字一句的翻译 过程。译读
只能理解字面意思，并不能充分理解作者真实的意图。
Goodman说：“阅读是 一个寻求意义、预测、证实和排除预测
的过程。”从阅读理解既是文字的解码过程也是意义假设的

过程这一观点出发，除了提高学生的解码技能，迅速感知文
字符 号所产生的视觉信息在大脑里直接产生意义以外，丰富
学生的非视觉信息，加强速读训练从语篇的角度来 把握文章
的理解，丢掉每次都试图100％获知信息的幻想，排除母语
干扰引起的负迁移，摆脱 抠语法、纠缠个别细节的做法，是
纠正译读习惯的良策。弗莱认为，读者看到印刷符号，就直
接 获得意思，而不经过声音阶段是完全可能的 ，阅读心理
学的研究亦表明：高效率的阅读可以跳过由文字 到声音这一
步来达到理解。可见，发声阅读和准发声阅读阻碍有效阅读。
为了克服这两个痼疾： 第一，训练学生把注意力集中在关键
词、文章的主旨上。第二、引导学生阅读时尽可能作形象化
思考，练习把看到的文字在脑海中转化成图像，为自己创造
一个内向的视频。尤其在读短篇故事时，像看 电影一样想象
它展示的情景，充分调动自己把文字形象化的行 力。

另外， 针对不必要、不自觉的习惯性动作，要求学生读
的时候要少眨眼、不摆头不动嘴唇，只要眼球来回转动就 可
以了，目光要尽可能少地停驻。每一次停驻时试着尽可能多
纳人一些信息。保持坐姿端正，书 本放在眼睛正前方，眼睛
与书本距离大约一尺为宜。这样才能保证同一适当距离，同
一视角范围 内尽可能多地摄人文字信息。

二、结语

实践表明：采取有效的策略克服、纠正影响阅读效率的
不良习惯，完全可以提高 阅读速度，加强对阅读内容的理解，
会使阅读过程变得更愉决。总之，通过大量的练习和树立积
极的态度，掌握实用的阅读方式技巧，调整阅读速度，阅读
时以恿群为单位纳人信息，视线移动时扩展视 幅，全身心沉
浸在所读的内容中，尽可能让内容形象化，能够避免影响阅
i卖效翠的坏习惯，成 为优秀的读者。当学生养成良好的阅
读习惯以后，会发现阅读是其乐无穷、受益终身的
专四阅读理解练习1
As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the
Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building
with adobe－sun baked brick plastered with mud. Their
homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses.
Some were four stories high and contained quarters for
perhaps a thousand people, along with store rooms for
grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put
up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and
for defense against enemies. They were really villages
in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have

realized since they called them
Spanish for town.
The people of the pueblos raised what are called
three sisters
excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so
fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has
always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The
Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields
and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so
important that it played a major role in their religion.
They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious
rituals to bring rain.
The way of life of less settled groups was simpler and
more strongly influenced by nature. Small tribes such
as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous
lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.
They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as
small rabbits and snakes. In the Far North the ancestors
of today’s Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great
whales. They lived right on the frozen seas in shelters
called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When

summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the
lordly caribou.
The Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Sioux tribes, known as the
Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the
Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted
bison, commonly called the buffalo. Its meat was the
chief food of these tribes, and its hide was used to
make their clothing and covering of their tents and
tipis.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The architecture of early American Indian
buildings.
B. The movement of American Indians across North
America.
C. Ceremonies and rituals of American Indians.
D. The way of life of American Indian tribes in early
North America.
2. It can be inferred from the passage that the
dwellings of the Hopi and Zuni were______.

答案：
1. D) 根据阅读短文可知，作者主要描述了北美地区不同印
第安部落的不同的生活方式 。故选项D为正确答案。

2. B) 此题为推断题。根据文章第一段可知，早在一千年 前
Hopi和Zuni两支北美印第安部落就用一种砖坯“adobe”来
建造房屋，高可达四 层楼高，有居住室还有储藏室，颇像现
代的公寓，故选项B（高度发达）为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习2
Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In
some parts of the world you can still find tools that
people used more than two million years ago. They made
these tools by hitting one stone against another. In
this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones.
These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side.
People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead
animals, and also for making other tools out of wood.
Human beings needed to use tools because they did not
have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals, such
as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food
more easily. Working with tools also helped to develop

human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and
human beings began to invent more and more tools and
machines. The stone chip was one of the first tools that
people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some
scientists say that it was the key to success of

1. The stone chip is thought to be the most important
tool because it ______.

A. was one of the first tools

C. led to the invention of machines

2. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest
that life in future is ______.
A. disastrous B. unpredictable C. exciting D.
colorful
■答案■
答案：

1. D) 这是一道细节题。根据文章第二段尾句
“Some scientists say that it was the key to the success
of mankind”
可知“stone chip”对于人类的发展起到了非常重要的作用，
这与D正好相符。
2. B) 在文章最后一段中作者说人类在过去的几百万年时间
里一直使用“stone chip”，人类社会发生的变化很小。
而我们使用“silicon chips”才不过几年，生活却发生了
巨大的变化。
于是作者发出了疑问：“二十年后的生活会是什么样子的
呢？”，
“ 二百万年后的世界又会是什么样子呢？”，
表明将来的生活无法预料，这与选项B相符。
专四阅读理解练习3
Glacier National Park in Montana shares boundaries with
Canada, an American Indian reservation, and a national
forest. Along the North Fork of the Flathead River, the
park also borders about 17,000 acres of private lands
that are currently used for ranching, timber, and
agriculture. This land is an important part of the
habitat and migratory routes for several endangered

species that frequent the park. These private lands are
essentially the only ones available for development in
the region.

With encouragement from the park, local landowners
initiated a land use planning effort to guide the future
of the North Fork. The park is a partner in an inter
local agreement that calls for resource managing
agencies to work together and with the more than 400
private owners in the area. A draft plan has been
prepared, with objective of maintaining traditional
economic uses but limiting new development that would
damage park resources. Voluntary action by landowners,
in cooperation with the park and the county, is helping
to restrict small lot subdivisions, maintain wildlife
corridors, and minimize any harmful impact on the
environment.

The willingness of local landowners to participate in
this protection effort may have been stimulated by
concerns that congress would impose a legislative
solution. Nevertheless, many local residents want to

retain the existing character of the area. Meetings
between park officials and landowners have led to a
dramatically improved understanding of all concerns.
1. The passage mainly discusses______.
A. the endangered species in Glacier National Park
B. the protection of lands surrounding Glacier National
Park
C. conservation laws imposed by the state of Montana
D. conservation laws imposed by Congress

2. Why are the private lands surrounding Glacier
National Park so important?
A. They function as a hunting preserve.
B. They are restricted to government use.
C. They are heavily populated.
D. They contain natural habitats of threatened
species.
3. The relationship between park officials and
neighboring landowners may best be described
as______.
disappointing

4. It can be inferred from the passage that a major
interest of the officials of Glacier National Park is
to______.
A. limit land development around the park
B. establish a new park in Montana
C. influence national legislation
D. settle border disputes with Canada




■填空答案■
答案：
1. B) 这是一道主旨题。通过阅读文章可知，为了保 护冰川
国家公园的濒危物种和资源，公园当局和地方土地所有者制
订了限制土地使用计划，故答 案为B。

2. D) 这是一道细节题。根据第一段第三句“This land is
an important part of the habitat and migratory routes
for several endangered species that frequent the park.”
（这片土地是非常重要的，因为这里是几种经常光顾此公园

的濒危物种的栖息地和迁徙路线。）可知选项D为正确答案。

3. C) 根据第二段可知，公园当局和地方土地所有者密切合
作来保护资源，因此他们的关 系是合作性
的)。

4. A) 这是一道推理题。根据第二段第三句和阅读全文， 我
们很容易就可以得到这样一个信息：为了保护自然资源和濒
危物种，公园管理者限制那些会破 坏资源的土地开发。因此
选项A为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习4
About 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians and other people
in the Near East began to use pictures as kind of writing.
They drew simple pictures or signs to represent things
and ideas, and also to represent the sounds of their
language. The signs these people used became a kind of
alphabet.
The Egyptians used to record information and to tell
stories by putting picture writing and pictures
together. When an important person died, scenes and
stories from his life were painted and carved on the

walls of the place where he was buried. Some of these
pictures are like modern comic strip stories. It has
been said that Egypt is the home of the comic strip.
But, for the Egyptians, pictures still had magic power.
So they did not try to make their way of writing simple.
The ordinary people could not understand it.
By the year 1,000 BC, people who lived in the area around
the Mediterranean Sea had developed a simpler system
of writing. The signs they used were very easy to write,
and there were fewer of them than in the Egyptian system.
This was because each sign, or letter, represented only
one sound in their language. The Greeks developed this
system and formed the letters of the Greek alphabet.
The Romans copied the idea, and the Roman alphabet is
now used all over the world.
These days, we can write down a story, or record
information, without using pictures. But we still need
pictures of all kinds: drawing, photographs, signs and
diagrams. We find them everywhere: in books and
newspapers, in the street, and on the walls of the
places where we live and work. Pictures help us to

understand and remember things more easily, and they
can make a story much more interesting.
1. Pictures of animals were painted on the walls of
caves in France and Spain because______.
A. the hunters wanted to see the pictures
B. the painters were animal lovers
C. the painters wanted to show imagination
D. the pictures were thought to be helpful
2. The Greek alphabet was simpler than the Egyptian
system for all the following reasons EXCEPT
that______.
A. the former was easy to write
B. there were fewer signs in the former
C. the former was easy to pronounce
D. each sign stood for only one sound
3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. The Egyptian signs later became a particular
alphabet.
B. The Egyptians liked to write comic strip stories.
C. The Roman alphabet was developed from the Egyptian
one.

D. The Greeks copied their writing system from the
Egyptians.
4. In the last paragraph, the author thinks that
pictures ______.
A. should be made comprehensible
B. should be made interesting
C. are of much use in our life
D. have disappeared from our life
1. D) 根据文章第一段第五行“Perhaps the painters
thought that their pictures would help them to catch
these animals.”可知古代人以为在墙上画画会对他们有所
帮助，故选项D为正确答案。
2. C) 在做此类题时要注意题干的要求。通过阅读文章第四
段很清楚就知道选项C “前者容易发音”在文中没有提及，
故为正确答案。
3. A) 可用排除法来做本题。通过阅读文章很清楚选项B和
D为错误陈述。选项C “罗马字母是从埃及字母发 展而来的”
根据文章第四段第四，五句可知为错误论述，因此只有选项
A为正确答案。
4. C) 文章最后一段讲述了图画在今天的用途，故选项C为
正确答案。

专四阅读理解练习5
There are many theories about the beginning of drama
in ancient Greece. The one most widely accepted today
is based on the assumption that drama evolved from
ritual. The argument for this view goes as follows. In
the beginning, human beings viewed the natural forces
of the world, even the seasonal changes, as
unpredictable, and they sought through various means,
to control these unknown and feared powers. Those
measures which appeared to bring the desired results
were then retained and repeated until they hardened
into fixed rituals. Eventually stories arose which
explained or veiled the mysteries of the rites. As time
passed some rituals were abandoned, but the stories,
later called myths, persisted and provided material for
art and drama.
Those who believed that drama evolved out of ritual also
argue that those rites contained the seed of theater
because music, dance, masks, and costumes were almost
always used. Furthermore, a suitable site had to be
provided for performances, and when the entire
community did not participate, a clear division was

usually made between the areaand the
In addition, there were performers, and,
since considerable importance was attached to avoiding
mistakes in the enactment of rites, religious leaders
usually assumed that task. Wearing masks and costumes,
they often impersonated other people, animals, or
supernatural beings, and mimed the desired
effect-success in hunt or battle, the coming rain, the
revival of the Sun-as an actor might. Eventually such
dramatic representations were separated from religious
activities.
Another theory traces the theater’s origin from the
human interest in storytelling. According to this view,
tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are
gradually elaborated, at first through the use of
impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and
then through the assumption of each of the roles by a
different person. A closely related theory traces
theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical
and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal
movements and sounds.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The origins of theater. B. The role of ritual in
modern dance.
C. The importance of storytelling. D. The variety of
early religious activities.
2. What aspect of drama does the author discuss in the

A. The reason drama is often unpredictable.
B. The seasons in which dramas were performed.
C. The connection between myths and dramatic plots.
D. The importance of costumes in early drama.
3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a common
element of theater and ritual?
A. Dance
4. According to the passage, what is the main difference
between ritual and drama?
A. Ritual uses music whereas drama does not.
B. Ritual is shorter than drama.
C. Ritual requires fewer performers than drama.
D. Ritual has a religious purpose and drama does not.
5. The passage supports which of the following

statements?
A. No one really knows how the theater began.
B. Myths are no longer represented dramatically.
C. Storytelling is an important part of dance.
D. Dramatic activities require the use of costumes.
1. A) 这是一道主旨题。根据文章第一句“There are many
theories about the beginning of drama in ancient
Greece.”及第三段第一句“Another theory traces the
theater’s origin from the human interest in
storytelling.”可知本文是讨论戏剧的起源的。故选项A
为正确答案。
2. C) 这也是一道主旨题。本题可用排除法来做。通过阅读
第一段，首先很明显可将选项 B和D排除；选项A（戏剧无
法预测的原因）也不正确，故只有选项C（神话与戏剧情节
的联系 ）为正确答案。
3. D) 这是一道细节题。在做本题时要注意题干中的NOT。
通过阅读文章很明显选项D Magic 为正确答案。
4. D) 根据文章第二段可知尽管有人说戏剧起源于宗教仪式，
但是它们还 是有区别的，例如：戏剧演出“performances”
要有合适的演出地点；戏剧表演时，“表演 区”（“acting
area”）和“观看区”（ “auditorium”）有明显的分界

线，另外表演戏剧还要 有演员。而宗教仪式在进行过程中为
了避免犯错误都是由宗教领袖来进行，由他们戴上面具，穿
上服装来模仿其他人，动物或超自然的东西，做出一些动作
以求达到一些目的，例如：在打猎或战斗中取 得胜利，祈雨
等。由此可判断宗教仪式都有一定的宗教目的，而戏剧却没
有，这正符合选项D。
5. A) 通过阅读文章可知，选项A 为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习6
Certainly no creature in the sea is odder than the
common sea cucumber. All living creature， especially
human beings， have their peculiarities， but
everything about the little sea cucumber seems unusual.
What else can be said about a bizarre animal that， among
other eccentricities， eats mud， feeds almost
continuously day and night but can live without eating
for long periods， and can be poisonous but is
considered supremely edible by gourmets？
For some fifty million years， despite all its
eccentricities， the sea cucumber has subsisted on its
diet of mud. It is adaptable enough to live attached
to rocks by its tube feet， under rocks in shallow water，

or on the surface of mud flats. Common in cool water
on both Atlantic and Pacific shores， it has the ability
to suck up mud or sand and digest whatever nutrients
are present.
Sea cucumbers come in a variety of colors， ranging from
black to reddish brown to sand color and nearly white.
One form even has vivid purple tentacles. Usually the
creatures are cucumber shaped- hence their name-and
because they are typically rock inhabitants， this
shape， combined with flexibility， enables them to
squeeze into crevices where they are safe from
predators and ocean currents.
Although they have voracious appetites， eating day and
night， sea cucumbers have the capacity to become
quiescent and live at a low metabolic rate-feeding
sparingly or not at all for long periods， so that the
marine organisms that provide their food have a chance
to multiply. If it were not for this faculty， they would
devour all the food available in a short time and would
probably starve themselves out of existence.

But the most spectacular thing about the sea cucumber
is the way it defends itself. Its major enemies are fish
and crabs， when attacked， it squirts all its internal
organs into water. It also casts off attached
structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber will
eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked or
even touched； it will do the same if the surrounding
water temperature is too high or if the water becomes

1. According to the passage， why is the shape of sea
cucumbers important？




2. The fourth paragraph of the passage primarily

3. What can be inferred about the defence mechanisms
of the sea cucumber？




4. Which of the following would NOT cause a sea cucumber
to release its internal organs into the water？
A. A touch
Pollution.


1. B） 通过阅读文章可以排除选项A、C、D，因为文中没有
提及，故选项B为正确答案。

D.
2. C） 此题为段落主旨题。通过阅读第四段可知作者都是
讲述海参的进食习惯，故选项C为正确答案。
3. A） 此题为推论题。根据最后一段可知海参在受到外界
刺激时，会做出一定的反应，这 也反映出它的防御机制非常
敏感，故A为正确答案。

4. B） 此题为细节题。根据最后一段可知惟有food不会使
海参将体内器官吐出来，故其为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习7
Municipal sewage is of relatively recent origin as a
pollutant. It was first brought to public attention in
the 19th century by a London physician who showed that
the city's cholera outbreak had been caused by just one
contaminated well. Even though the contamination
of drinking water by disease germs has been nearly
eliminated in this country, hundreds of communities
are still discharging raw sewage into streams and
rive
effluents from toilets, hospitals,
laundries,industrial plants, etc., then the potential

The problem of municipal sewage disposal is
complicated by the fact that, years ago, mostcities
combined their storm and waste disposal sewers. Many
of these combined systems work well, but others cannot
cope with sudden heavy rains. When such storms occur,
water mixed with sewage may flood and disable treatment

plants unless bypassed, untreated, into a stream. In
either case, the people may have little protection for
several days from these wastes that may contain disease
health hazard, sewage is aesthetically undesirable
because of odors and colors produced. Detergents have
posed a particular disposal problem. Although there is
no indication that they are injurious to health, they
can cause foaming, which can clog treatment plants and,
at the least, spoil the scenic beauty of
that septic tanks and cesspools are a potential source
of pollution to ground water supplies. This is
especially true in the suburban areas with a high
population density and with no municipal sewage
disposal and treatment system available. In some areas,
sewage disposal is accomplished by cesspools. Soil
research is furnishing guidelines for more effective

1. This passage is concerned primarily with the
_____ .

D. outbreak of cholera


2. The author mentions the London cholera epidemic

A. prove that the city refused to deal with

B. prove that medical science once knew little

C. introduce the idea of contaminated water


3. In densely populated suburban areas, a danger

A. streams that do not flow directly to open bodies

B. cesspools and septic tanks that contaminate

C. storm and waste disposal sewers that have been


4. In developing the main point, the author makes
use of _____ .







1.A。此题为主旨题。线索词为、、
等，这些词贯穿文章始 终，可见A项符
合题意。B、C、D三项皆为文中细节，不能反映主题。
2.C。此题为细节 题。答案在第一段。线索词为
cholera。此题考查作者引用的目的。A项与文中所述事实
相反。B项文中未涉及此话题。D项是一
个，却不是作者引用之目的。
3. B。此题为细节题。答案在最后一段的主题句中。线索词
为、of pollution和water。

4. C。此题为 篇章结构题。作者首先提出排污系统为污染源，
然后通过观察、分析、归纳来阐述观点，而没用A项科学
论证、B项令人信服的证据或D项类比。
专四阅读理解练习8
Certainly no creature in the sea is odder than the
common sea cucumber. All living creature, especially
human beings, have their peculiarities, but everything
about the little sea cucumber seems unusual. What else
can be said about a bizarre animal that, among other
eccentricities, eats mud, feeds almost continuously
day and night but can live without eating for long
periods, and can be poisonous but is considered
supremely edible by gourmets? For some fifty million
years, despite all its eccentricities, the sea cucumber
has subsisted on its diet of mud. It is adaptable enough
to live attached to rocks by its tube feet, under rocks
in shallow water, or on the surface of mud flats.
Common in cool water on both Atlantic and Pacific
shores, it has the ability to suck up mud or sand and
digest whatever nutrients are present. Sea cucumbers
come in a variety of colors, ranging from black to

reddish brown to sand color and nearly white. One form
even has vivid purple tentacles. Usually the creatures
are cucumber shaped—hence their name—and because
they are typically rock inhabitants, this shape,
combined with flexibility, enables them to squeeze into
crevices where they are safe from predators and ocean
currents. Although they have voracious appetites,
eating day and night, sea cucumbers have the capacity
to become quiescent and live at a low metabolic
rate—feeding sparingly or not at all for long periods,
so that the marine organisms that provide their food
have a chance to multiply. If it were not for this
faculty, they would devour all the food available in
a short time and would probably starve themselves out
of existence. But the most spectacular thing about the
sea cucumber is the way it defends itself. Its major
enemies are fish and crabs, when attacked, it squirts
all its internal organs into water. It also casts off
attached structures such as tentacles. The sea cucumber
will eviscerate and regenerate itself if it is attacked
or even touched; it will do the same if the surrounding

water temperature is too high or if the water becomes

20. According to the passage, why is the shape of sea


B. It helps them to protect themselves from danger.


21. The fourth paragraph of the passage primarily



C. the eatin

22. What can be inferred about the defence mechanisms



C. They require group

23. Which of the following would NOT cause a sea
cucumber to release its
internal
A. A touch.

C. Unusually warm water.
D. Pollution.
20. B)通过阅读文章可以排除选项A、C、D，因为文中没有
提及，故选项B为正确答案。

21. C)此题为段落主旨题。通过阅读第四段可知作者都是讲
述海参的进食习惯，故选项C为正确答案。
22. A)此题为推论题。根据最后一段可知海参在受到外界刺
激时，会做出一定的反应，这 也反映出它的防御机制非常敏
感，故A为正确答案。
23. B)此题为细节题。根据最后一段可知惟有food不会使
海参将体内器官吐出来，故其为正确答案。
专四阅读理解练习9
Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In

some parts of the world you can still find tools that
people used more than two million years ago.

They made these tools by hitting one stone against
another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one
of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp
on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin
from dead animals, and also for making other tools out
of wood. Human beings needed to use tools because they
did not have sharp teeth like other meat eating animals,
such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get


Working with tools also helped to develop human
intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human
beings began to invent more and more tools and
stone chip was one of the first tools that
people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some
scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.
Since 1960 a new kind of tool has appeared. This is the
silicon chip—a little chip of silicon crystal. It is
smaller than a fingernail, but it can store more than

a million“bits” of information. It is an electronic
brain. Every year these chips get cleverer, but their
size gets smaller, and their cost gets less.

They are used in watches, calculators and intelligent
machines that we can use in many ways. In the future
we will not need to work with tools in the old way.
Machines will do everything for us. They will even talk
and play games with us. People will have plenty of spare
time. But what will they do with it? Human beings used
stone chips for more than two million years, but human
life changed very little in that time. We have used
silicon chips for only a few years, but life is changing
faster every day. What will life be like twenty years
from now? What will the world be like two million years


24. The stone chip is thought to be the most important

the development of mankind

25. At the end of the passage the author seems to suggest

colorful
解析和答案
24. D) 这是一道细节题。根据文章第二段尾句“Some
scientists say that it was the key to the success of
mankind”可知“stone chip”对于人类的发展起到了非常
重要的作用，这与D正好相符。

25. B)在文章最后一段中作者说人类在过去的几百万年时间
里一直使用“stone chip”，人类社会发生的变化很校而我
们使用“silicon chips”才不过几年，生活却 发生了巨大
的变化。于是作者发出了疑问：“二十年后的生活会是什么
样子的呢？”，“二百万 年后的世界又会是什么样子呢？”，
表明将来的生活无法预料，这与选项B相符。
专四阅读理解练习10
California is a land of variety and contrast. Almost
every type of physical land feature, sort of arctic ice

fields and tropical jungles can be found within its
borders. Sharply contrasting types of land often lie
very close to one another. People living in Bakersfield,
for instance, can visit the Pacific Ocean and the
coastal plain, the fertile San Joaquin Valley, the arid
Mojave Desert, and the high Sierra Nevada, all within
a radius of about 100 miles.

In other areas it is possible to go snow skiing in the
morning and surfing in the evening of the same day,
without having to travel long distance.

Contrast abounds in California. The highest point in
the United States (outside Alaska) is in California,
and so is the lowest point (including Alaska).Mount
Whitney, 14,494 feet above sea level, is separated from
Death Valley, 282 feet below sea level, by a distance
of only 100 miles.

The two areas have a difference in altitude of almost
three miles. California has deep, clear mountain lakes
like Lake Tahoe, the deepest in the country, but it also

has shallow, salty desert lakes. It has Lake Tulainyo,
12,020 feet above sea level, and the lowest lake in the
country, the Salton Sea, 236 feet below sea level. Some
of its lakes, like Owens Lake in Death Valley, are not
lakes at all: they are dried-up lake beds. In addition
to mountains, lakes, valleys, deserts, and plateaus,
California has its Pacific coastline, stretching
longer than the coastlines of Oregon and Washington


26. Which of the following is the lowest point in the



27. Where is the highest point in the United States

29. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the
passage as being within a radius of about 100 miles of


30. Which statement best demonstrates that California


A. The highest lake in California is Lake Tulainyo.
B. It is possible to go surfing and snow skiing in some
parts of California without having to travel long
distan
C. Sierra Nevada, San Joaquin Valley, Mojave Desert and
the Pacific Ocean all lie within a radius of about 100

D. Owens Lake, in Death Valley, is not really a lake
at all.
答案和解析：

26. C) 这是一道细节题。根据第三段所给的海拔高度，可
知美国最低点在death valley。

27. D) 此题很容易误选为C，这是因为第三段提到Mount < br>Whitney的海拔高度；但是要注意此段第二句提到美国最高
点时在括号中补充说明这个最高 点是在Alaska以外的。这
就说明美国的海拔最高点不是Mount Whitney，而是位于
Alaska。

28. B) 这是一道细节题。根据第三段可找出答案。

29. D) 根据第二段可知答案。

30. C) 文中说加利福尼亚是一个地貌多样，富于变化的地
方，而选项C是一个最突出的例子
专四阅读理解练习11
Most earthquakes occur within the upper 15 miles of the
earth's surface. But earthquakes can and do occur at
all depths to about 460 miles. Their number decreases
as the depth increases. At about 460 miles one
earthquake occurs only every few years. Near the
surface earthquakes may run as high as 100 in a month,

but the yearly average does not vary much. In comparison
with the total number of earthquakes each year, the
number of disastrous earthquakes is very small.
The extent of the disaster in an earthquake depends on
many factors. If you carefully build a toy house with
an erect set, it will still stand no matter how much
you shake the table. But if you build a toy house with
a pack of cards, a slight shake of the table will make
it fall. An earthquake in Agadir, Morocco, was not
strong enough to be recorded on distant instruments,
but it completely destroyed the city. Many stronger
earthquakes have done comparatively little damage. If
a building is well constructed and built on solid ground,
it will resist an earthquake. Most deaths in
earthquakes have been due to faulty building
construction or poor building sites. A third and very
serious factor is panic. When people rush out into
narrow streets, more deaths will result.
The United Nations has played an important part in
reducing the damage done by earthquakes. It has sent
a team of experts to all countries known to be affected
by earthquakes. Working with local geologists and

engineers, the experts have studied the nature of the
ground and the type of most practical building code for
the local area. If followed, these suggestions will
make disastrous earthquakes almost a thing of the past.
There is one type of earthquake disaster that little
can be done about. This is the disaster caused by
seismic sea waves, or tsunamis. (These are often called
tidal waves, but the name is incorrect. They have
nothing to do with tides.) In certain areas,
earthquakes take place beneath the sea. These submarine
earthquakes sometimes give rise to seismic sea waves.
The waves are not noticeable out at sea because of their
long wave length. But when they roll into harbors, they
pile up into walls of water 6 to 60 feet high. The
Japanese call them meaning waves
because they reach a sizable height only in harbors.
Tsunamis travel fairly slowly, at speeds up to 500 miles
an hour. An adequate warning system is in use to warn
all shores likely to be reached by the waves. But this
only enables people to leave the threatened shores for
higher ground. There is no way to stop the oncoming
wave.

18. Which of the following CANNOT be concluded from the
passage?
A. The number of earthquakes is closely related to depth.
B. Roughly the same number of earthquakes occur each
year.
C. Earthquakes are impossible at depths over 460 miles.
D. Earthquakes are most likely to occur near the
surfaces.
19. The destruction of Agadir is an example of ______.

A. faulty building construction
B. an earthquake's strength
C. widespread panic in earthquakes
D. ineffective instruments
20. The United Nations' experts are supposed

A. construct strong buildings
B. put forward proposals
C. detect disastrous earthquakes
D. monitor earthquakes

21. The significance of the slow speed of tsunamis is

A. notice them out at sea
B. find ways to stop them
C. be warned early enough
D. develop warning systems
答案：
18-21 C A B C
专四阅读理解练习12
I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood and year- round
sun. You may think people in such a glamorous,
fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you
have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness.
Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun.
The truth is that fun and happiness have little or
nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an
act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It
is a deeper, more abiding emotion.
Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a
movie or television, are fun activities that help us
relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even

laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their
positive effects end when the fun ends.
I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role
to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing
to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have
constant access to glamorous parties, fancy cars,
expensive homes, everything that spells “happiness”.
But in memoir after memoir, celebrities reveal the
unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression,
alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled
children and profound loneliness.
Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he
finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he’s
honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making
a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful.
The single life is filled with fun, adventure and
excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not
its most distinguishing features.
Similarly, couples that choose not to have children are
deciding in favor of painless fun over painful
happiness. They can dine out ever they want and sleep

as late as they want. Couples with infant children are
lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three- day
vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the
word fun to describe raising children.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has
nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating
realizations we can ever come to. It liberates time:
now we can devote more hours to activities that can
genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money:
buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will
do nothing to increase our happiness now seems
pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now
understand that all those rich and glamorous people we
were so sure are happy because they are always having
so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
of the following is true?
creates long- lasting satisfaction.
provides enjoyment while pain leads to happiness.
ess is enduring whereas fun is short-lived.
that is long- standing may lead to happiness.

the author, Hollywood stars all have an important
role to play that is to __.
memoir after memoir about their happiness.
the public that happiness has nothing to do with
fun.
people how to enjoy their lives.
happiness to the public instead of going to
glamorous parties.
the author’s opinion, marriage___.
s greater fun.
to raising children.
tes commitment.
in pain.
s having infant children___.
lucky since they can have a whole night’s sleep.
fun in tucking them into bed at night.
more time to play and joke with them.
happiness from their endeavor.
one get the meaning of the true sense of happiness,
he will__.
playing games and joking with others.

the best use of his time increasing happiness.
a free hand to money.
himself with his family.
答案：CBCDB
词汇讲解
1. glamorous 富有魅力的,迷人的

I know you want adventure and, be that as it may, the
Foreign Legion is not as glamorous as it appears in the
films.
我知道你喜欢冒险，不过得想一想，“外国军团”并不像电
影中出现的那样具有魅力。

My job is not a very glamorous one but it does have its
moment.
我的工作虽不算十分吸引人，但也自有其乐趣所在。
2. equate ... with ... 同等看待,使相等

He equates poverty with misery.
他认为贫穷就是不幸.

many people equate passing examinations
with being educated.
当今很多人把考试及格与受过教育等同起来。


3. abiding 永久的,持久的,不变的

An abiding love of music.
对音乐持久的爱好
4. alcoholism 酒精中毒,酗酒

A person who drinks alcoholic substances habitually and
to excess or who suffers from alcoholism.
酗酒者习惯性和过量饮用含有酒精物质的人或者由于酗酒
或酒精中毒而遭受痛苦的人。
专四阅读理解练习13
Once it was possible to define male and female roles
easily by the division of labor. Men worked outside the
home and earned the income to support their families,
while women cooked the meals and took care of the home
and the children. These roles were firmly fixed for most

people, and there was not much opportunity for women
to exchange their roles. But by the middle of this
century, men’s and women’s roles were becoming less
firmly fixed.
In the 1950s, economic and social success was the goal
of the typical American. But in the 1960s a new force
developed called the counterculture. The people
involved in this movement did not value the
middle-class American goals. The counterculture
presented men and women with new role choices. Taking
more interest in childcare, men began to share
child-raising tasks with their wives. In fact, some
young men and women moved to communal homes or farms
where the economic and childcare responsibilities were
shared equally by both sexes. In addition, many
Americans did not value the traditional male role of
soldier. Some young men refused to be drafted as
soldiers to fight in the war in Vietnam.
In terms of numbers, the counterculture was not a very
large group of people. But its influence spread to many
parts of American society. Working men of all classes
began to change their economic and social patterns.

Industrial workers and business executives alike cut
down on “overtime” work so that they could spend more
leisure time with their families. Some doctors, lawyers,
and teachers turned away from high paying situations
to practice their professions in poorer neighborhoods.
In the 1970s, the feminist movement, or women’s
liberation, produced additional economic and social
changes. Women of all ages and at all levels of society
were entering the work force in greater numbers. Most
of them still took traditional women’s jobs as public
school teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. But
some women began to enter traditionally male
occupations: police work, banking, dentistry, and
construction work. Women were asking for equal work,
and equal opportunities for promotion.
Today the experts generally agree that important
changes are taking place in the roles of men and women.
Naturally, there are difficulties in adjusting to these
transformations.
of the following best express the main idea of
Paragraph 1?

usually worked outside the home for wages.
and women’s roles were easily exchanged in the
past.
’s roles at home were more firmly fixed than
women’s.
and women’s roles were usually quite separated
in the past.
sentence best expresses the main idea of
Paragraph 2?
first sentence.
second and the third sentences.
fourth sentence.
last sentence.
the passage the author proposes that the
counterculture___.
yed the United States.
ormed some American values.
not important in the United States.
t people more leisure time with their families.
could be inferred from the passage that___.
and women will never share the same goals.

men will be willing to exchange their
traditional male roles.
men will be happy to share some of the household
responsibilities with their wives.
American households are headed by women than
ever before.
best title for the passage may be ___.
s of Feminist Movements
influence in American Life
rculture and Its consequence
ional Division of Male and Female Roles.
答案 DCBCB
词汇讲解
1. division 区分,分开

The Bill was read without a division.
该法案未经分组表决即进行宣读。

The divisions between the various classes of society
are not so sharply marked as they used to be.
现在社会上各阶级的区分不象过去那样明显了。

2. counterculture反传统［主流］文化

A young person, especially a member of a rebellious
counterculture group.
叛逆的年轻人尤指加入反叛性的反文化组织的年轻人

An eccentric or nonconformist person, especially a
member of a counterculture.
离经叛道之人反常或不符合常规之人，尤指反主流文化的成
员


3. communal 公有的

A communal toilet of a type often used in a camp or
barracks.
公共厕所通常用在帐篷或营房里的一种公共厕所

Belief in or practice of communal ownership, as of goods
and property.
公社主义公社所有权的信仰或实践，如对商品和财产

4. adjust 调整,使...适于

Could you teach me how to adjust the iris of the camera?
你能教我怎么调照相机的光圈吗？

This kind of desk can be adjusted to the height you
need.
这种书桌的高低可以按照你的需要调节。
专四阅读理解练习14
Recent research has claimed that an excess of positive
ions in the air can have an ill effect on people’s
physical or psychological health. What are positive
ions? Well, the air is full of ions, electrically
charged particles, and generally there is a rough
balance between the positive and the negative charged.
But sometimes this balance becomes disturbed and a
larger proportion of positive ions are found. This
happens naturally before thunderstorm, earthquakes
when winds such as the Mistral, Hamsin or Sharav are
blowing in certain countries. Or it can be caused by
a build-up of static electricity indoors from carpets

or clothing made of man-made fibres, or from TV sets,
duplicators or computer display screens.
When a large number of positive ions are present in the
air many people experience unpleasant effects such as
headaches, fatigue, irritability, and some
particularly sensitive people suffer nausea or even
mental disturbance. Animals are also affected,
particularly before earthquakes, snakes have been
observed to come out of hibernation, rats to flee from
their burrows, dogs howl and cats jump about
unaccountably. This has led the US Geographical Survey
to fund a network of volunteers to watch animals in an
effort to foresee such disasters before they hit
vulnerable areas such as California.
Conversely, when large numbers of negative ions are
present, then people have a feeling of well-being.
Natural conditions that produce these large amounts are
near the sea, close to waterfalls or fountains, or in
any place where water is sprayed, or forms a spray. This
probably accounts for the beneficial effect of a
holiday by the sea, or in the mountains with tumbling
streams or waterfalls.

To increase the supply of negative ions indoors, some
scientists recommend the use of ionisers: small
portable machines, which generate negative ions. They
claim that ionisers not only clean and refresh the air
but also improve the health of people sensitive to
excess positive ions. Of course, there are the
detractors, other scientists, who dismiss such claims
and are skeptical about negativepositive ion research.
Therefore people can only make up their own minds by
observing the effects on themselves, or on others, of
a negative rich or poor environment. After all it is
debatable whether depending on seismic readings to
anticipate earthquakes is more effective than watching
the cat.
effect does exceeding positive ionization have
on some people?
think they are insane.
feel rather bad-tempered and short-fussed.
become violently sick.
are too tired to do anything.
accordance with the passage, static electricity
can be caused by___.

home-made electrical goods.
g clothes made of natural materials.
g on artificial floor coverings.
g TV programs on a computer.
3.A high negative ion count is likely to be found___.
a pound with a water pump.
to a slow-flowing river.
in some barren mountains.
a rotating water sprinkler.
kind of machine can generate negative ions
indoors?
rs.
-conditioners.
t-fans
pumps.
scientists believe that___.
ng animals to anticipate earthquakes is more
effective than depending on seismography.
unusual behavior of animals cannot be trusted.
r watching nor using seismographs is reliable.
uake

答案 BCDAA
词汇讲解
1. irritability 易怒,过敏性,兴奋性

Even in his irritability he was gentle, for Mary was
with child.
即使在他被激怒的时候，他仍很温柔，因为玛丽怀孕了。

Manic-depression, which affects about 2.3 million
American adults, involves episodes of depression and
mania, states of abnormally high mood or irritability.
目前美国有230万成年人饱受躁郁症之 苦。这种病的症候主
要是间歇性的抑郁和狂躁，出现反常的情绪高涨或者兴奋。
2. foresee 预见,预知

Do you foresee any problems with the new system?
对于这种新体制，你看会有什么问题吗？

He foresaw that his journey would be delayed by bad
weather.
他预知自己的旅程会被恶劣天气耽搁。

3. seismic 地震的，有关地震的，地震引起的

An electronic receiver designed to pick up seismic
vibrations.
地音探听器，地震检波器被设计用来收集地震震幅的电子接
收器

A surface at which seismic wave velocities change.
不连续面间断面，地震波速度突变面
专四阅读理解练习15
A study of art history might be a good way to learn more
about a culture than is possible to learn in general
history classes. Most typical history courses
concentrate on politics, economics, and war. But art
history focuses on much more than this because art
reflects not only the political values of a people, but
also religious beliefs, emotions, and psychology. In
addition, information about the daily activities of our
ancestors—or of people very different from our
own—can be provided by art. In short, art expresses
the essential qualities of a time and a place, and a

study of it clearly offer us a deeper understanding than
can be found in most history books.
In history books, objective information about the
political life of a country is presented; that is, facts
about politics are given, but opinions are not
expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective: it
reflects emotions and opinions. The great Spanish
painter Francisco Goya was perhaps the first truly
“political” artist. In his well-known painting The
Third of May 1808, he criticized the Spanish government
for its misuse of power over people. Over a hundred
years later, symbolic images were used in Pablo
Picasso’s Guernica to express the horror of war.
Meanwhile, on another continent, the powerful
paintings of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and
David Alfaro Siqueiros—as well as the works of Alfredo
Ramos Martines—depicted these Mexican artists’ deep
anger and sadness about social problems.
In the same way, art can reflect a culture’s religious
beliefs. For hundreds of years in Europe, religious art
was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches
and other religious buildings were filled with

paintings that depicted people and stories from the
Bible. Although most people couldn’t read, they could
still understand biblical stories in the pictures on
church walls. By contrast, one of the main
characteristics of art in the Middle East was (and still
is) its absence of human and animal images. This
reflects the Islamic belief that statues are unholy.
can be learned about a culture from a study of
art history than general history because art history__.
us the religious and emotions of a people in
addition to political values.
e us with information about the daily
activities of people in the past.
us an insight into the essential qualities of
a time and a place.
of the above.
is subjective in that__.
A.a personal and emotional view of history is presented
through it.
can easily rouse our anger or sadness about social
problems.

will find a ready echo in our hearts.
B and C.
of the following statements is true according
to the passage?
Francisco Goya, Pablo and several Mexican
artists expressed their political opinions in their
paintings.
y books often reveal the compilers’ political
views.
ous art remained in Europe for centuries the
only type of art because most people regarded the Bible
as the Holy Book.
the above mentioned.
passage is mainly discussing__.
difference between general history and art
history.
making of art history.
can we learn from art.
influence of artists on art history.
may be concluded from this passage that__.
c artists have had to create architectural

decorations with images of flowers or geometric forms.
y teachers are more objective than general
history.
is more difficult to study art history than general
history.
and stories from the Bible were painted on
churches and other buildings in order to popularize the
Bible.
答案：DDDCA
词汇讲解
1. misuse 误用,滥用

He felt misused by the company.
他觉得公司对他使用不当。

The manufacturers disclaim all responsibility for the
damage caused by misuse.
因使用不当造成的损坏，生产厂家不负任何责任。
2. depict 描述

It's a picture depicting him as a clown.

这是一幅把他画成小丑的画。

This painting depicts the birth of Venus.
这幅画描绘的是维纳斯的诞生。
专四阅读理解练习16
If the old maxim that the customer is always right still
has meaning, then the airlines that ply the world’s
busiest air route between London and Paris have a flight
on their hands.
The Eurostar train service linking the UK and French
capitals via the Channel Tunnel is winning customers
in increasing numbers. In late May, it carried its one
millionth passenger, having run only a limited service
between London, Paris and Brussels since November 1994,
starting with two trains a day in each direction to
Paris and Brussels. By 1997, the company believes that
it will be carrying ten million passengers a year, and
continue to grow from there.
From July, Eurostar steps its service to nine trains
each way between London and Paris, and five between

London and Brussels. Each train carries almost 800
passengers, 210 of them in first class.
The airlines estimate that they will initially lose
around 15%-20% of their London-Paris traffic to the
railways once Eurostar starts a full service later this
year (1995), with 15 trains a day each way. A similar
service will start to Brussels. The damage will be
limited, however, the airlines believe, with passenger
numbers returning to previous levels within two to
three years.
In the short term, the damage caused by the 1 million
people-levels traveling between London and Paris and
Brussels on Eurostar trains means that some air
services are already suffering. Some of the major
carriers say that their passenger numbers are down by
less than 5% and point to their rivals-Particularly Air
France-as having suffered the problems. On the Brussels
route, the railway company had less success, and the
airlines report anything from around a 5% drop to no
visible decline in traffic.

The airlines' optimism on returning traffic levels is
based on historical precedent. British Midland, for
example, points to its experience on Heathrow Leeds
Bradford service which saw passenger numbers fold by
15% when British Rail electrified and modernized the
railway line between London and Yorkshire. Two years
later, travel had risen between the two destinations
to the point where the airline was carrying record
numbers of passengers.
h airlines confide in the fact that__.
are more powerful than other European airlines.
total loss won’t go beyond a drop of 5%
passengers.
traffic levels will return in 2-3 years.
ing by rail can never catch up with traveling
by air.
author’s attitude towards the drop of passengers
may be described as__.
d.
ted
d.
led.

the passage, British Rail (Para 6) is mentioned
to__.
e a comparison with Eurostar.
t the airlines’ optimism.
the inevitable drop of air passengers.
for electrification and modernization of the
railway.
railway’s Brussels route is brought forth to
show that__.
Eurostar train service is not doing good business.
airlines can well compete with the railway.
Eurostar train service only caused little damage.
some airlines, such as Air France, are
suffering.
passage is taken from the first of an essay, from
which we may well predict that in the following part
the author is going to__.
the airlines’ clear-mindedness.
the airlines of high-speed rail services.
e a reduction of LondonParis flights.
the airlines to follow British Midland as
their model.

答案：CABCB
词汇讲解
1. initially 最初,开头

She came initially to spend a few days, but in the end
she stayed for a whole month.
起先她只打算来待几天，但後来却住了整整一个月。

Initially, I disagree with his proposal, but later I
changed my mind.
起初我不同意他的提议，不过后来我改了主意。
2. optimism 乐观,乐观主义

Her mood varied from optimism to extreme depression.
她的情绪由乐观一变而为极度消沉.

They professed optimism about the outcome.
他们对结果表示乐观.
专四阅读理解练习17
Without regular supplies of some hormones our capacity
to behave would be seriously impaired; without others

we would soon die. Tiny amounts of some hormones can
modify moods and actions, our inclination to eat or
drink, our aggressiveness or submissiveness, and our
reproductive and parental behavior. And hormones do
more than influence adult behavior; early in life they
help to determine the development of bodily form and
may even determine an individual’s behavioral
capacities. Later in life the changing outputs of some
endocrine glands and the body’s changing sensitivity
to some hormones are essential aspects of the phenomena
of aging.
Communication within the body and the consequent
integration of behavior were considered the exclusive
province of the nervous system up to the beginning of
the present century. The emergence of endocrinology as
a separate discipline can probably be traced to the
experiments of Bayliss and Starling on the hormone
secretion. This substance is secreted from cells in the
intestinal walls when food enters the stomach; it
travels through the bloodstream and stimulates the
pancreas to liberate pancreatic juice, which aids in
digestion. By showing that special cells secret

chemical agents that are conveyed by the bloodstream
and regulate distant target organs or tissues. Bayliss
and starling demonstrated that chemical integration
could occur without participation of the nervous
system.
The term “hormone” was first used with reference to
secretion. Starling derived the term from the Greek
hormone, meaning “to excite or set in motion. The term
“endocrine” was introduced shortly thereafter
“Endocrine” is used to refer to glands that secret
products into the bloodstream. The term “endocrine”
contrasts with “exocrine”, which is applied to glands
that secret their products though ducts to the site of
action. Examples of exocrine glands are the tear glands,
the sweat glands, and the pancreas, which secrets
pancreatic juice through a duct into the intestine.
Exocrine glands are also called duct glands, while
endocrine glands are called ductless.
is the author’s main purpose in the passage?
explain the specific functions of various hormones.
provide general information about hormones.

explain how the term “hormone” evolved.
report on experiments in endocrinology.
passage supports which of the following
conclusions?
human body requires large amounts of most
hormones.
tic hormones can replace a person’s natural
supply of hormones if necessary.
quantity of hormones produced and their effects
on the body are related to a person’s age.
short child of tall parents very likely had a
hormone deficiency early in life.
can be inferred from the passage that before the
Bayliss and Starling experiments, most people believed
that chemical integration occurred only___.
sleep.
the endocrine glands.
control of the nervous system.
strenuous exercise.
word “liberate” could best be replaced by which
of the following?

pate
rge
der

ing to the passage another term for exocrine
glands is___.
glands
ine glands
ss glands
inal glands.
1. capacity 能力,容量,容积

In prospect of increase in demand, we should operate
at full capacity.
预计需求会有很大增长, 我们应该开足马力生产。

The drama drew a capacity audience; you should have gone
to see it.
这出戏吸引了满场观众；你真该去看的。
2. impair 损害

On a communications link, noise or unwanted signals
that impair the receipt or correct interpretation of
speech or data.
在通信链路上出现的噪音或无用的信号，它损害语音、数据
的接收或正确的解释。

His illness has impaired his efficiency.
生病降低了他的效率。
3. aggressiveness 进取精神,侵犯,侵略

Surely, while most intellectuals cannot bear the
aggressiveness of Bill, they admire his generosity.
大多数的知识分子不能忍受盖茨的凶悍，但欣赏他的慷慨。
4. submissiveness 柔顺, 服从

The condition or quality of being passive; inactivity,
quiescence, or submissiveness.
被动性被动的状态或性质；不主动、沉默或顺从
5. pancreatic 胰(腺)的

The starch-digesting amylase produced by the pancreas

and present in pancreatic juice.
胰淀粉酶胰产生的淀粉酶，存在于胰液中
专四阅读理解练习18
The discovery of the Antarctic not only proved one of
the most interesting of all geographical adventures,
but created what might be called “the heroic age of
Antarctic exploration”. By their tremendous heroism,
men such as Shakleton, Scott, and Amundsen caused a new
continent to emerge from the shadows, and yet that
heroic age, little more than a century old, is already
passing. Modern science and inventions are
revolutionizing the endurance, future journeys into
these icy wastes will probably depend on motor vehicles
equipped with caterpillar traction rather than on the
dogs that earlier discoverers found so invaluable and
hardly comparable.
Few realize that this Antarctic continent is almost
equal in size to South America, and enormous field of
work awaits geographers and prospectors. The coasts of
this continent remain to be accurately charted, and the
maping of the whole of the interior presents a

formidable task to the cartographers who undertake the
work. Once their labors are completed, it will be
possible to prospect the vast natural resources which
scientists believe will furnish one of the largest
treasure hoards of metals and minerals the world has
yet known, and almost inexhaustible sources of copper,
coal, uranium, and many other ores will become
available to man. Such discoveries will usher in an era
of practical exploitation of the Antarctic wastes.
The polar darkness which hides this continent for the
six winter months will be defeated by huge batteries
of light, and make possible the establishing of
air- fields for the future inter-continental air
services by making these areas as light as day. Present
flying routes will be completely changed, for the
Antarctic refueling bases will make flights from
Australia to South America comparatively easy over the
5,000 miles journey.
The climate is not likely to offer an insuperable
problem, for the explorer Admiral Byrd has shown that
the climate is possible even for men completely
untrained for expeditions into those frozen wastes.

Some of his parties were men who had never seen snow
before, and yet he records that they survived the rigors
of the Antarctic climate comfortably, so that, provided
that the appropriate installations are made, we may
assume that human beings from all countries could live
there safely. Byrd even affirms that it is probably the
most healthy climate in the world, for the intense cold
of thousands of years has sterilize this continent, and
rendered it absolutely germfree, with the consequences
that ordinary and extraordinary sickness and diseases
from which man suffers in other zones with different
climates are here utterly unknown. There exist no
problems of conservation and preservation of food
supplies, for the latter keep indefinitely without any
signs of deterioration; it may even be that later
generations will come to regard the Antarctic as the
natural storehouse for the whole world.
Plans are already on foot to set up permanent bases on
the shores of this continent, and what so few years ago
was regarded as a “dead continent” now promises to
be a most active center of human life and endeavor.

did man begin to explore the Antarctic?
100years ago.
this century.
the beginning of the 19th century.
1798.
must the explorers be, even though they have
modern equipment and techniques?
and tough
rn and arrogant.
-liked and humorous.
and smart.
most healthy climate in the world is___.
South America.
the Arctic Region.
the Antarctic Continent.
the Atlantic Ocean.
kind of metals and minerals can we find in the
Antarctic?
ite, coal and ores.
, coal and uranium.

, natural gas and uranium.
um, copper and natural gas.
is planned for the continent?
ng dams along the coasts.
g up several summer resorts along the coasts.
g the coast and whole territory.
g up permanent bases on the coasts.
答案：BDCBA
词汇讲解
1. comparatively 比较地,相当地,多少

All this was comparatively slow until, with the coming
of science, the tempo was suddenly raised.
所有这些发展都比较缓慢，直到出现了科学，其速度才突然
加快。

The Norwegians live in a comparatively cold zone.
挪威人生活在比较寒冷的地区。
2. insuperable 不能制胜的, 不能克服的

The difficulties that confront us seem insuperable.

我们面临的困难似乎是不可克服的。

Your 15th difficulty not insuperable expect your utmost
endeavor advise result
15日电悉，困难并非不可克服，望尽最大努力并电告结果。
3. sterilize 使成不毛,断种,杀菌

After her fourth child she decided to behave herself
sterilized.
她生了第四个孩子後决定做绝育手术.
The doctor performs operations with sterilized
surgical instruments.
医生用消过毒的外科手术器械做手术。
4. deterioration 恶化,降低,退化

Inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or
society.
恶化，败坏系统或社会不可避免的无法逆转的恶化或败坏
专四阅读理解练习19
The discovery of the Antarctic not only proved one of
the most interesting of all geographical adventures,

but created what might be called “the heroic age of
Antarctic exploration”. By their tremendous heroism,
men such as Shakleton, Scott, and Amundsen caused a new
continent to emerge from the shadows, and yet that
heroic age, little more than a century old, is already
passing. Modern science and inventions are
revolutionizing the endurance, future journeys into
these icy wastes will probably depend on motor vehicles
equipped with caterpillar traction rather than on the
dogs that earlier discoverers found so invaluable and
hardly comparable.

Few realize that this Antarctic continent is almost
equal in size to South America, and enormous field of
work awaits geographers and prospectors. The coasts of
this continent remain to be accurately charted, and the
maping of the whole of the interior presents a
formidable task to the cartographers who undertake the
work. Once their labors are completed, it will be
possible to prospect the vast natural resources which
scientists believe will furnish one of the largest
treasure hoards of metals and minerals the world has

yet known, and almost inexhaustible sources of copper,
coal, uranium, and many other ores will become
available to man. Such discoveries will usher in an era
of practical exploitation of the Antarctic wastes.

The polar darkness which hides this continent for the
six winter months will be defeated by huge batteries
of light, and make possible the establishing of
air-fields for the future inter-continental air
services by making these areas as light as day. Present
flying routes will be completely changed, for the
Antarctic refueling bases will make flights from
Australia to South America comparatively easy over the
5,000 miles journey.

The climate is not likely to offer an insuperable
problem, for the explorer Admiral Byrd has shown that
the climate is possible even for men completely
untrained for expeditions into those frozen wastes.
Some of his parties were men who had never seen snow
before, and yet he records that they survived the rigors
of the Antarctic climate comfortably, so that, provided

that the appropriate installations are made, we may
assume that human beings from all countries could live
there safely. Byrd even affirms that it is probably the
most healthy climate in the world, for the intense cold
of thousands of years has sterilize this continent, and
rendered it absolutely germfree, with the consequences
that ordinary and extraordinary sickness and diseases
from which man suffers in other zones with different
climates are here utterly unknown. There exist no
problems of conservation and preservation of food
supplies, for the latter keep indefinitely without any
signs of deterioration; it may even be that later
generations will come to regard the Antarctic as the
natural storehouse for the whole world.

Plans are already on foot to set up permanent bases on
the shores of this continent, and what so few years ago
was regarded as a “dead continent” now promises to
be a most active center of human life and endeavor.

did man begin to explore the Antarctic
100years ago.

this century.
the beginning of the 19th century.
1798.

must the explorers be, even though they have
modern equipment and techniques
and tough
rn and arrogant.
-liked and humorous.
and smart.

most healthy climate in the world is___.
South America.
the Arctic Region.
the Antarctic Continent.
the Atlantic Ocean.

kind of metals and minerals can we find in the
Antarctic
ite, coal and ores.
, coal and uranium.
, natural gas and uranium.

um, copper and natural gas.

is planned for the continent
ng dams along the coasts.
g up several summer resorts along the coasts.
g the coast and whole territory.
g up permanent bases on the coasts.
答案：AACBD
词汇讲解
1. caterpillar 链轨, 履带车; 坦克车; 履带拖拉机

A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a
caterpillar.
蝴蝶是由毛虫蜕变而成的。

Jacob was a hairy man; a hairy caterpillar.
雅各是个多毛的男人；毛虫。
2. formidable 可怕的, 可畏的

To grapple with an unexpectedly formidable opponent.
遇上劲敌与一名出乎意料难对付的对手拼搏

The king's mother was formidable old lady.
国王的母亲是个令人望而生畏的老妇人。
3. inexhaustible 无穷尽的, 用不完的

I shall die again and again to know that life is
inexhaustible.
我将死了又死，以明白生是无穷无尽的。
These guerrilla units are powerful auxiliaries to the
main force and serve as inexhaustible reserves for its
continuous growth.
这种广大的游击部队，造成这个主力的丰富的羽翼，又是这
个主力继续扩大的不断的源泉。
4. insuperable 不能克服的, 难以超越的

Your 15th difficulty not insuperable expect your utmost
endeavor advise result
15日电悉，困难并非不可克服，望尽最大努力并电告结果。
专四阅读理解练习20
At some time in your life you may have a strong desire
to do something strange or terrible. However, chances

are that you don’t act on your impulse, but let it pass
instead. You know that to commit the action is wrong
in some way and that other people will not accept your
behavior.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon
of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years
within the same society, how certain behavior and
attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly
acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics
such as death, for example, were once considered so
upsetting and unpleasant that it was a taboo to even
talk about them. Now with the publication of important
books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say
Goodbye, people have become more aware of the
importance of expressing feelings about death and, as
a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo
subject.

One of the newest taboos in American society is the
topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is topic
that Americans talk about constantly. It’s not taboo

to talk about fat; it’s taboo to be fat. The “in”
look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies
prefer youthful-looking, trim executives to sell their
image as well as their products to the public. The thin
look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The
fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy
and lacking in energy, self-discipline, and
self-respect. In an image-conscious society like the
U.S., thin is “in”, fat is “out”.

It’s not surprising, then, that millions of Americans
have become obsessed with staying slim and “in shape”.
The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not,
however, the sole reason for America’s fascination
with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the
critical importance of diet and exercise for personal
health. As in most technologically developed nations,
the life-style of North Americans has changed
dramatically during the course of the last century.
Modern machines do all the physical labor that people
were once forced to do by hand. Cars and buses transport
us quickly from point to point. As a result of

inactivity and disuse, people’s bodies can easily
become weak and vulnerable to disease. In an effort to
avoid such a fate, millions of Americans are spending
more of their time exercising.

the passage we can infer taboo is__.
A.a strong desire to do something strange or terrible.
B.a crime committed on impulse.
or considered unacceptable in society’s eyes.
unfavorable impression left on other people.

on the ideas presented in the passage we can
conclude “being fat” __ in American society.
always remain a taboo.
not considered a taboo by most people.
long been a taboo.
no longer be a taboo some day.

topic of fat is __ many other taboo subjects.
same as
ent from
popular than

often talked about than.

the U.S., thin is “in”, fat is “out”, this
means__.
is “inside”, fat is “outside”.
is “diligent”, fat is “lazy”.
is “youthful”, fat is “spiritless”.
is “fashionable”, fat is “unfashionable”.

from this new understanding of the correlation
between health and exercise, the main reason the
passage gives for why so many Americans are exercising
regularly is__.
changed life- style.
eagerness to stay thin and youthful.
appreciation of the importance of exercise.
encouragement they have received from their
companies.
答案：CDBDB
词汇讲解

1. impulse 冲动，推动力

We were seized by a sudden impulse to run.
我们身不由己突然想跑.

On impulse, I picked up the phone and rang my sister
in Australia.
我一时心血来潮，拿起话筒就给在澳大利亚的妹妹打了个电
话。
2. taboo 禁忌,禁止接近,禁止使用

Questions and problems that were once taboo are now
discussed openly.
一度视为犯忌的许多问题现在可以公开谈论了.

Any mention of politics is taboo in his house.
在他家里一提政治就犯忌.
3. pursuit 追求,追赶,工作

He exercises everyday in pursuit of health.
他为了健康而每天锻炼。

His life is spent in the pursuit of pleasure.
他一生都在寻欢作乐.
4. vulnerable 易受伤害的,有弱点的

She is very young and vulnerable to temptationfraud.
她很年轻，易受诱惑／易受骗上当。

The potato is vulnerable to several pests.
马铃薯易受几种害虫的侵害.
英语专业四级考试阅读理解练习(21)
Racket, din clamor, noise, whatever you want to
call it, unwanted sound is America’s most widespread
nuisance. But noise is more than just a nuisance. It
constitutes a real and present danger to people’s
health. Day and night, at home, at work, and at play,
noise can produce serious physical and psychological
stress. No one is immune to this stress. Though we seem
to adjust to noise by ignoring it, the ear, in fact,
never closes and the body still responds—sometimes
with extreme tension, as to a strange sound in the
night.
The annoyance we feel when faced with noise is the

most common outward symptom of the stress building up
inside us. Indeed, because irritability is so apparent,
legislators have made public annoyance the basis of
many noise abatement programs. The more subtle and more
serious health hazards associated with stress caused
by noise traditionally have been given much less
attention. Nevertheless, when we are annoyed or made
irritable by noise, we should consider these symptoms
fair warning that other thing may be happening to us,
some of which may be damaging to our health.
Of many health hazards to noise, hearing loss is
the most clearly observable and measurable by health
professionals. The other hazards are harder to pin down.
For many of us, there may be a risk that exposure to
the stress of noise increases susceptibility to disease
and infection. The more susceptible among us may
experience noise as a complicating factor in heart
problems and other diseases. Noise that causes
annoyance and irritability in health persons may have
serious consequences for these already ill in mind or
body.
Noise affects us throughout our lives. For example,