四级阅读：英语词汇阅读练习（2）

(6)

Women are also underrepresented in the administration and this is because there are so few women full professors. In 1985,Regent Beryl Milburn produced a report blasting the University of Texas System adminitration for not encouraging women.The University was rated among the lowest for the system.In a 1987 update ,Milburn commended the progress that was made and called for even more improvement.
One of the positive results from her study was a System-wide program to inform women of available administrative jobs.

　　College of Communication Associate Dean Patrica Witherspoon,said it is important that woman be flexible when it comesto relocating if they want to rise in the ranks.

　　Although a woman may face a chilly climate on campus , many times in order for her to succeed , she must rise above the problems around her and concentrate on her work.

　　Until women make up a greater percentage of the senior positions in the University and all academia,inequities will exist.

　　"Women need to spend their energies and time doing scholarly activities that are important here at the University." Spirduso said. "If they do that will be successful in this system.If they spend their time in little groups mourning the sexual discrimination that they think exists here, they are wasting valuable study time."
 
1.According to Spirduso,women need to ____.
a.produce a report on sexual discrimination
b.call for further improvement in their working conditions
c.spend their energies and time fighting against sexual discrimination
d.spend more time and energy doing scholarly activities
 
2.From this passage ,we know that _____.
a.there are many women full professors in the University of Texas
b.women play an important part in adminitrating the University
c.the weather on the campus is chilly
d.women make up a small percentage of the senior positions in the University
 
3.Which of the following statements is true?
a.the number of women professors in the University in 1987 was greater than that of 1985
b.the number of women professors in the University in 1987 was smaller than that of 1985
c.the number of women professors was the same as that of 1985
d.more and more women professors thought that sexual discrimination did exit in the University
 
4.One of the positive results from Milburn's study was that _____.
a.women were told to con centrate on teir work
b.women were given information about available administrative jobs
c.women were encouraged to take on all the administrative jobs in the Unversity
d.women were encouraged to do more scholarly activities
 
5. The title for this passage should be _______.
a.The University of Texas
b.Milburn's Report
c.Women Professors
d.Sexual Discrimination in Academia

答案：D D A D B

(7)

New Orleans, Louisiana, was established as part of the French Empire in 1718.
 
　　Its location on the east bank of the Mississippi River gave it control of the American hinerland and it became strategically important to many nations. It was transferred from France to Spain, returned to France,and finally sold by Napoleon to the United States in 1803. The city was the site of a famous battle fought in 1815 between the British, who hoped to control it , and the Americans under General And rew Jackson.
 
　　The riverbed of the Mississippi is constantly silting and the river is now actually higher than the city. Levees hold back the river and giant pumps are used to move water from the city into the river.
 
　　Although New Orleans haas beena part of the United States for almost two centuries, its population takes great pride in its French heritage. Louisiana still retains parts of the Code Napoleon which,form many years,was its only law.

　　New Orleans is carefree city and it boasts its hot, spicy Creole seafood and its native Dixieland Jazz. The jackson Square neighborhood maintains its French colonial homes and in other sections are pre-Civil War mansions. Visitors are surprised to find that behind this interesting facade of yesteryear, is a busy industrial and port city. Grain and coal come from the Midwest and foreigh cargoes are unloaded here. New Orleans is no longer a sleepy Southern town----but it's still fun to visit.

1.What accounts for the levees and pumps in New Orleans?
a.The Mississippi frequently floods the city.
b.The riverbed has raised inthe past 200 years.
c.The torrential rains flood the city frequently.
d.The high humidity cannot otherwise be comtrolled.

2.The battle of New Orleans was fought by jackson against______.
a.France
b.Britain
c.Spain
d.The North

3.The Code Napoleon was _______.
a.an agreement to sell Louisiana
b.a body of laws
c.a city plan
d.a military code for the army

4.Which of the following elements does not apply to the attiude of the inhabitants of New Orleans?
a.Pride in their French heritage.
b.A desire to retain picturesque colonial buildings.
c.A refusal to engage in trade and commerce
d.A praising of Dixieland Jazz.

5.Tourists visiting New Orleans are surprised to encounter_____.
a.Creole food
b.Dixieland jazz
c.bustling city
d.authentic colonial homes

答案： B B B C C

(8)

Newdays,a standard for measuring power has changed.These changes foretell a new standard for measuring power.No longer will a nation's political influence be based solely on the strength of its military forces. Of course, military effectiveness will remain a primary primary measure of power.But political influence is also closely tied to industrial competitiveness. It's often said that without its military the Soviet Union would really be a third-world nation. The new standard of opwer and influence that is evolving now places more emphasis on the ability of a country to compete effectively in the economic markets of the world.

　　America must recognize this new course of events. Our success in shaping world events over the past 40 years has been the direct result of our ability to adapt technology and to take advantage of the capabilities of our people for the purpose of maintaining peace. Our industrial prowess over most of this period was unchallenged. It is ironic that it is just this prowess that has enabled other countries to prosper and in turn to threaten our industrial leadership.

　　The competitiveness of America's industrial base is an issue bigger than the Department of Defense and is going to require the efforts of the major institutional forces in our society-government,industry,and education. That is not to say that the Defense Department will not be a strong force in the process because we will. But we simply cannot be, nor should we be, looked upon by others as the savior of American industry.

1. Now a nation's political influence depends on _________.
a. the strength of its military forces
b. its ability to compete in industry
c. economic markets
d. both a and b

2. The Soviet Union was not listed as a third-world nation just because of _________.
a. its powerful military forces
b. its vast land
c. its industrial competitiveness
d. its contributions to world peace

3. The author indicates that ______ is threatening American political power.
a. other countries
b. the declining U.S. industrial base
c. a new standard for measuring power
d. less advanced technology

4. America succeeded in shaping world events over past 40 years probably because of ___________.
a. its ability to adapt technology
b. its ability to take advantage of the capabilities of its people
c. its ability to compete in the world markets
d. both a and b

5. The purpose of writing this article is __________.
a. to draw the readers' attention to a new standard for measuring power
b. to demonstrate American political influence in the world
c. to emphasize that efforts must be made to strengthen the declining U.S. industrial base
d. to show American industrial prowess

答案：D A B D C

(9)

The United States is on the verge of losing its leading place in the world's technology. So says more than one study in recent years. One of the reasons for this decline is the parallel decline in the number of U.S. scientists and engineers.

　　Since 1976,employment of scientists and engineers is up 85 percent. This trend is expected to continue. However, the trend shows that the number of 22-year-olds--the near term source of future PH.D.s-is declining. Further adding to the problem is the increased competition for these candidates from other fields-law,medicine,business,etc. While the number of U.S. PH.D.s in science and engineering declines,the award of PH.D.s to foreign nationals is increasing rapidly.

　　Our inability to motivate students to pursue science and engineering careers at the graduate level is compounded because of the intense demand industry has for bright Bachelor's and Master's degree holders. Too often, promising PH.D.candidates, confronting the cost and financial sacrifice of pursuing their education,find the attraction of industry irresistible.
1.The U.S.will come to lose its leading place in technology probably because ________.
a. the number of PH.D. degree holders is declining
b. the number of scientists and engineers is decreasing
c. the number of 22-year-ilds is declining
d. scientists and engineers are not employed

2.The field of science and engineering is facing a competition from ________ .
a. technology
b. foreign nationals
c. such fields as law, medicine and business
d. postgraduates

3.Large-scale enterprises now need _______.
a. bright graduates and postgraduates
b. new inventions
c. advanced technology
d. engineers

4.Many promising postgraduates are unwilling to pursue a PH.D. degree because _________.
a. they are not encouraged to be engaged in science
b. industry does not require PH.D. holders
c. they have financial difficulties

d. they will spend much time and energy completing PH.D.
5.PH.D. candidates "find the attraction of industry irresistible" means that _________.
a. they find industry is attracting more and more college students
b. they don't think they can prevent themselves from working for industry
c. they cannot resist any attraction from all sides
d. they cannot work for industry any longer

答案：B C A D B

(10)

If the population of the earth goes on increasing at its present rate, there will eventually not be enough resources left to sustain life on the planet.By the middle of the 21st century,if present trends continue, we will have used up all the oil that drives our cars,for example.Even if scientists develop new ways of feeding the human race,the crowded conditions on earth will make it necessary for lus to look for open space somewhere else. But none of the other planets in our solar system are capable of supporting life at present. One possible solution to the problem, however,has recently been suggested by American scientist, Professor Carl Sagan.

　　Sagan believes that before the earth's resources are compleetely exhausted it will be possible to change the atmophere of Venus and so create a new world almost as large as earth itself. The difficult is that Venus is much hotter than the earth and there is only a tiny amount of water there.

　　Sagan proposes that algae organisms that can live in extremely hot or cold atmospheres and at the same time produce oxygen,should be bred in condition similar to those on Venus.As soon as this has been done, the algae will be placed in small rockets. Spaceship will then fly to Venus and fire the rockets into the atmosphere .In a fairly short time, the alge will break down the carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon.

　　When the algae have done theri work, the atmosphere will become cooler,but befor man can set foot on Venus it will be neccessary for the oxygen to produce rain. The surface of the planet will still be too hot for man to land on it but the rain will eventually fall and in a few years something like earth will be reproduced on Venus.

1.Inte long run, the most insoluble problem caused by population growth on earth will probably be the lack of ______.
a.food
b.oil
c.space
d.resources

2.Carl Sagan believes that Venus might be colonized from earth because _____
a.it might be possible to change its atmosphere
b.its atmosphere is the same as the earth's
c.there is a good supply of water on Venus
d.the days on Venus are long enough

3.On Venus there is a lot of ________.
a.water
b.carbon dioxide
c.carbon monoxide
d.oxygen

4.Algae are plants that can____.
a.live in very hot temperatures
b.live in very cold temperatures
c.manufacture oxygen
d.all of the above

5. Man can land on Venus only when_______.
a.the algae have done their work
b.the atmosphere becomes cooler
c.thereis oxygen
d.it rains there

答案：C A B D D