牧人马2020年大学英语四级阅读理解练习题及解析(8)

2020年12月12日发(作者：常执桓)
2020年大学英语四级阅读理解练习题及解析(8)

【阅读练习】

Until the 1980s, the American homeless population
comprised mainly older males. Today, homelessness strikes
much younger part of society. In fact, a 25-city survey by
the U. S. Conference of Mayors in 1987 found that families
with children make up the fastest growing part of the
homeless population. Many homeless children gather in inner
cities; this transient(变化无常的) and frequently frightened
student population creates additional problems — both legal
and educational — for already overburdened urban school
administrators and teachers.

Estimates of the number of homeless Americans range from
350,000 to three million. Likewise, estimates of the number
of homeless school children vary radically. A U.S. Department
of Education report, based on state estimates, states that
there are 220,000 homeless school-age children, about a third
of whom do not attend school on a regular basis, But the
National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that there are
at least two times as many homeless children, and that less
than half of them attend school regularly. One part of
the homeless population that is particularly difficult to
count consists of the “throwaway” youths who have been cast
of their homes. The Elementary School Center in New York City
estimates that there are 1.5 million of them, many of whom
are not counted as children because they do not stay in
family shelters and tend to live by themselves on the streets.
Federal law, the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act
of 1987, includes a section that addresses the educational
needs of homeless children. The educational provisions of the
McKinney Act are based on the belief that all homeless
children have the right to a free, appropriate education.

1. It is implied in the first paragraph that ____.

A) the writer himself is homeless, even in his eighties

B) many older homeless residents are going on strike in
25 cities

C) there is a serious shortage of academic facilities

D) homeless children are denied the opportunity of
receiving free education

2. The National Coalition for the homeless believes that
the number of homeless children is _____.

A) 350,000

B) 1,500,000

C) 440,000

D) 110,000

3. One part of the homeless population is difficult to
estimate. The reason might well be ____.

A) the homeless children are too young to be counted as
children

B) the homeless population is growing rapidly

C) the homeless children usually stay outside school

D) some homeless children are deserted by their families

4. The McKinney Act is mentioned in this passage in order
to show that ___.

A) the educational problems of homeless children are
being recognized

B) the estimates on homeless children are hard to
determine

C) the address of grade-school children should be located

D) all homeless people are entitled to free education

5. The passage mainly deals with ____.

A) the legal problems of the homeless children

B) the educational problems of homeless children

C) the social status of older males

D) estimates on the homeless population

【答案及详解】

答案：C C D A B

直到20世纪80年 代，美国无家可归的人口主要包括的还是年龄
较大的男性。现在，社会上年龄较小的一些人也面临无家可 归的威胁。
的确，美国市长会议在1987年对25个城市实行了一项调查，结果表
明，在无家 可归的人口中，儿童的增长比例是最快的。很多无家可归
的儿童都聚集在城市的中心地带。其中学龄儿童 四处流浪，饱受惊吓。
这给已经负担考试大过重的城市教学和教学管理带来了很多额的外的
麻烦 ，其中既涉及法律问题又涉及教育问题。

美国无家可归的人口数量估计在35万到300 万人之间。同样，无
家可归的学龄儿童人数也无法做出准确的估计。一份根据各州估计数