2016年6月英语六级全真模拟试题及答案（三）_第4页

　　Part IV Reading Comprehension (Reading in Depth) (25 minutes)

　　Section A

　　Directions: In this section, there is a short passage with 5 questions or incomplete statements. Read the passage carefully. Then answer the questions or complete the statements in the fewest possible words. Please write your answers on Answer Sheet 2.Questions 47 to 51 are based on the following passage.

　　For the last four years, scientists at the Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory have been looking for new soil and crop management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon and nitrogen (氮) separation.“If we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon separation by using alternative management practices, we can reduce global warming, improve soil and environmental quality, and increase crop output,” says Research Soil Scientist Upendra M. Sainju, lead researcher on the project.Now 20 to 25 percent of greenhouse gases come from agriculture, but Upendra hopes his research will lead the way for farmers to change their farming practices. He uses two experimental research programs in Rasmussen and Nesson Valley in which he tests four management practices. All treatments are applied with or without nitrogen fertilizer to wheat. He uses three standards to decide which is the best practice: reduce greenhouse gas emission, improve soil quality through carbon and nitrogen separation (taking carbon di- oxide from the air by plants and putting it back into the soil as well as reduce N losses), and maintain crop output.

　　Upendra’s results showed that on a yearly average, carbon dioxide emissions were reduced by about 10 percent when using wheat-corn rotation compared with continuous wheat. This is because wheat produces more than corn and also increases carbon dioxide emission through increased root respiration (breathing from roots).

　　Now the Laboratory is working to get the information out to farmers. One of the problems researchers have found is the expense of using the new method. The initial cost for buying the related equipment can run thousands of dollars. “So unless the government helps to cover that kind of expenses for farmers to use the equipment, it is hard to persuade them to change the system,” he said. “Carbon dioxide is only one of the three greenhouse gases emitted from the plant fields. The other two are nitrous oxide and methane (甲烷)”, Upendra says. “The present four-year study deals with carbon dioxide emission. Further studies are going on to test the effects of alternative farming practices on the other two greenhouse gases”.

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。

　　47. What could new crop management practices help in terms of environmental quality?

　　48. Upendra’s research is expected to reduce greenhouse gases to the level of less than

　　49. Carbon and nitrogen separation can do a part mostly in

　　50. Compared with wheat, corn may produce

　　51. would be one of the shortcomings of the new soil and crop management practices.

　　Section B

　　Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.

　　Passage One

　　Questions 52 to 56 are based on the following passage.

　　In our looks-obsessed society, a multitude of people hold that being overweight inevitably turns into an appearance issue; however being overweight in effect can mean a medical concern because it can seriously threaten a person’s health.

　　The health problems that stem from being overweight go way beyond the ones the public usually hear about, like diabetes and heart disease; besides, being overweight can also be detrimental (有害的) to a person’s joints, breathing, sleep, mood, and energy levels, and may compromise a person’s entire quality of life.

　　When people consume more calories than they burn off, their bodies store the extra calories as fat. A couple of pounds of extra body fat are not a health risk for most people; but when people sustain a pattern of eating more calories than they burn, more fat accumulates in their bodies. Eventually, the body attains to a point where the amount of body fat can impose a negative effect on a person’s health. Doctors use the terms “overweight” or “obese” to describe when someone is at greatest risk of developing weight-related health problems.

　　As you have probably observed, more people are overweight currently than ever before, to which experts refer as an “obesity epidemic.” This trend affects young people as well as adults—one third of all kids between the ages of 2 and 19 are overweight or obese. Consequently, younger people are now subject to health problems that used to affect only adults, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

　　Obesity has a tendency to run in families since some people have a genetic tendency to gain weight more easily than others do because they burn calories more slowly, which might be a real advantage during times when food was scarce. But now that food is available 24/7 in most industrialized countries, an efficient metabolism (新陈代谢) that once ensured our survival now works to our disadvantage.

　　The environment plays a role as well. People today may be putting on weight because of unhealthy food choices (like fast food) and family habits (like eating in front of the television instead of around a table). High-calorie, low-nutrient snacks and beverages, bigger portions of food, and less-active lifestyles are all contributing to the obesity epidemic.

　　Occasionally people turn to food for emotional reasons, such as when they feel upset, anxious, sad,stressed out, or even bored. When this happens, they often eat more than they actually need.

　　In fact, obesity is bad news for both body and mind. Not only can it make someone feel tired and uncomfortable, carrying extra weight puts added stress on the body, especially the bones and joints of the legs.

　　Fortunately, it is never too late to make changes that can effectively curb on weight and the health problems it produces. Those changes do not have to be huge. For a start, make a plan to cut back on sugary beverages, pass up on seconds, and get more exercise, even if it’s just 5-10 minutes a day. Build your way up to big changes by making such a series of small ones.

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。

　　52. What message does the author try to convey about being overweight?

　　A) It is in effect only an issue of physical appearance.

　　B) The obese need more energy and food to sustain their weight.

　　C) It will lead to more health problems than usually expected.

　　D) It is due to problems concerning one’s psychological state.

　　53. What do doctors want to describe by using the terms like “overweight”?

　　A) The current condition of one’s health. B) The process of accumulation of energy.

　　C) The improper functions of one’s heart. D) The grave concern for one’s appearance.

　　54. Why does the “obesity epidemic” sound alarming?

　　A) It exerts a powerful influence on the youth. B) It forces people to do physical exercise.

　　C) It indicates the amount of fat in the body. D) It causes people to be treated in hospital.

　　55. According to the text, what’s the key to avoid putting on weight?

　　A) Drinking much water in one’s daily life. B) Choosing more healthy foods for meals.

　　C) Adopting a simple and effective lifestyle. D) Finding ways to burn extra calories in body.

　　56. How does the author consider the obesity epidemic?

　　A) It causes physical as well as mental problems.

　　B) It needs time and patience to be conquered.

　　C) It threatens people in industrialized countries.

　　D) It may bring about a burden on the environment.

　　Passage Two

　　Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.

　　The continent of Europe encounters its worst crisis since World War II—one which threatens to smash it: long-established financial institutions run into deep trouble; millions are unemployed, with little hope of landing a job; millions of jobs are at risk; more and more lives are simply shattering. Extreme social unrest is brewing (酝酿着): angry, frustrated people are taking to the streets in violent protests against their governments—some of which have already fallen and others are faltering. Entire nations face bankruptcy, and the existence of the European Union hangs in the balance.

　　Leaders are frantically searching around for solutions, but to no avail. Europe is confronted with financial Armageddon: will it survive? And how will the crisis ultimately affect the world?

　　Everything that emerges on planet Earth is subject to a great unseen law—that of CAUSE and EFFECT. For every cause, there is one or more effects. Most people can see these effects—good or bad—but cannot trace them back to their origin—the cause that produced them. Europe is suffering from a host of effects—mostly BAD! There are causes behind these effects.

　　The situation in Europe is nearly catastrophic, and the stakes have never been higher: many European nations simply cannot repay their debts, while at the same time their economies are slowing, and tax revenue is decreasing. What is worse, it is harder and harder to borrow more money. With giant debt loads hanging over these countries, Europe is running out of options. Analysts now warn of impending (即将发生的) bank failures. According to one executive at a major global bank, “If anyone thinks things are getting better then they simply don’t understand how severe the problems are”.

　　One of the causes may be the growing distrust between banks, which are withdrawing deposits from one another and placing them with the European Central Bank (ECB). In December 2011, deposits there were at an all-time high of 905 billion euros! Moreover, many banks are becoming dependent on funding from their own central banks. As of December 2011, there is also an enormous 115 billion euro capital shortfall in the eurozone’s banking system. Banks have run out of proper forms of collateral needed to finance short-term loans, and are instead digging into their gold reserves—a last ditch emergency option.

　　Europe’s financial system is so unstable that few experts any longer believe that the European Union has the funds to address the banks’ problems. Even if the bailout (紧急财政援助) funds were raised to a trillion euros, some warn this would only help Italy and Spain—just two of 27 EU members.

　　Europe’s banks are battling a crisis of immense proportions, a collapse of at least one major European bank is more than a possibility, and it is imminent. When this happens, Europe’s financial sector will plunge into chaos, because its economies are already teetering (摇晃) on the edge.

　　注意：此部分试题请在答题卡 2 上作答。

　　57. Why is there social unrest coming around in Europe?

　　A) Countrymen there are furious about territorial disputes.

　　B) Their family members are wanting of daily substance.

　　C) Their governments are hopelessly corrupted and fallen.

　　D) The whole continent is faced with a bad financial status.

　　58. What does the phrase “financial Armageddon” (Line 2, Paragraph 2) mean in the passage?

　　A) A serious and confusing situation. B) A deadlock and blind alley.

　　C) An ending without any hope. D) A crucial and promising agony.

　　59. What does the author mean by speaking of the law of cause and effect?

　　A) He tries to persuade people to accept the reality.

　　B) He attempts to suggest the collapse of Europe.

　　C) He tries to guide readers to consider root causes.

　　D) He attributes the results to people’s foolishness.

　　60. What happened to the European Central Bank?

　　A) It caused distrust between banks and their central banks.

　　B) It collected a great deal of money from every single bank.

　　C) It still had the capability to provide long term loans.

　　D) It was facing the risk of laying off a lot of employees.

　　61. What’s the author’s tone in writing this passage?

　　A) Threatening. B) Exaggerating.

　　C) Alarming. D) Exciting.