歷年英語四級閱讀全解析（2002-2008）
2002.1
Passage one
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.
Some pessimistic experts feel that the automobile is bound to fall into disuse. They see a day in the not-too-distant future when all autos will be abandoned and allowed to rust. Other authorities, however, think the auto is here to stay. They hold that the car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the foreseeable future.
The motorcar will undoubtedly change significantly over the next 30 years. It should become smaller, safer, and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine. The car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present types.
Regardless of its power source, the auto in the future will still be the main problem in urban traffic congestion . One proposed solution to this problem is the automated highway system.
When the auto enters the highway system, a retractable arm will drop from the auto and make contact with a rail, which is similar to those powering subway trains electrically. Once attached to the rail, the car will become electrically powered from the system, and control of the vehicle will pass to a central computer. The computer will then monitor all of the cars movements.
The driver will use a telephone to dial instructions about his destination into the system. The computer will calculate the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway. The driver will then be free to relax and wait for the buzzer that will warn him of his coming exit. It is estimated that an automated highway will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day highway.
21. One significant improvement in the future car will probably be ________.
A) its power source
B) its driving system
C) its monitoring system
D) its seating capacity(A)
22. What is the authors main concern?
A) How to render automobiles pollution-free.
B) How to make smaller and safer automobiles.
C) How to solve the problem of traffic jams.
D) How to develop an automated subway system.(C)
23. What provides autos with electric power in an automated highway system?
A) A rail.
B) An engine.
C) A retractable arm.
D) A computer controller.(A)
24. In an automated highway system, all the driver needs to do is ________.
A) keep in the right lane
B) wait to arrive at his destination
C) keep in constant touch with the computer center
D) inform the system of his destination by phone(D)
25. What is the authors attitude toward the future of autos?
A) Enthusiastic.
B) Pessimistic.
C) Optimistic.
D) Cautious.(C)
這篇材料講的是未來汽車的問題。第一段先是舉出了兩種截然相反的觀點：在不久的未來，汽車將會被人類廢棄(all autos will be abandoned and allowed to rust)，在可預見的將來，汽車依然會是城市交通的主要方式(the car will remain a leading means of urban travel in the foreseeable future)。這樣本文討論的側重點也就呈現出來了這里將要討論的是汽車的未來。
下文接續第一段所提的第二個觀點，說明未來被人類繼續使用的汽車可能會發生的變化。未來的汽車會變得更小，更加安全，也更有經濟性，同時不會使用汽油驅動(smaller, safer, and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine)，污染也會比現在的汽車小得多。
以上算是未來汽車相較現在的優點，不過，未來的汽車也依然存在問題，那就是交通擁堵(still be the main problem in urban traffic congestion)。但作者馬上提出了解決辦法：自動公路系統(automated highway system)。最后的兩個大段對這一系統的工作原理進行了解釋。
汽車進入自動公路系統后，車身上會有一條伸縮臂與鐵軌連接，此時汽車的動力便由系統提供電力控制(解決了污染問題)，而汽車的操控則轉交給中心電腦，由電腦監控汽車所有的運行動作(第四段)。
司機所要做的是只是用電話輸入指令，告訴系統所要到達的目的地。系統會計算最佳路徑，同時保證行進路徑的暢通。這時，司機就有時間放松了，因為快要到達目的地的時候系統會自動發出提示(第五段)。
這一系統的效率如何呢?它在一個小時內的容量是10000輛汽車，而如今的公路只能容許1500-2000輛汽車通過(will be able to handle 10,000 vehicles per hour, compared with the 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles that can be carried by a present-day highway)。
21. A
題目問未來汽車的一項重要發展很可能是
A，動力來源。
B，駕駛系統。
C，監控系統。
D，可乘坐人數。
第二段對未來汽車的可能發展做了展望：It should become smaller, safer, and more economical, and should not be powered by the gasoline engine. The car of the future should be far more pollution-free than present type，這里提到了5種可能的情況，包括大小(smaller)，安全性(safer)，經濟性(more economical)，動力來源(not be powered by the gasoline engine)，環保(more pollution-free)。四個選項中只有A與其中一種情況一致，本題選A。
22. C
題目問作者主要關心的問題是什么。
A，如何實現汽車無污染。
B，如何制造更小更安全的汽車。
C，如何解決交通擁堵問題。
D，如何發展一套自動地鐵系統。
上一題考查了第二段，那么這一題應該考查第二段以后的內容了。第三段指出the auto in the future will still be the main problem in urban traffic congestion，即未來汽車依然會存在交通擁堵問題。此后的兩段全部圍繞如何解決交通問題展開，說明了一種新的公路系統如何可以解決這一問題。這樣 的話，本題的答案應該是C。A和B在第二段中都提到了，但只是一筆帶過，沒有繼續論述。D有一定迷惑性，要注意D說的是subway系統，而不是文章所著 力說明的highway系統。D這個選項應該是源于第四段which is similar to those powering subway trains electrically這句，但這里僅是把highway系統的一項裝置(rail)和subway(地鐵)的裝置進行對比而已(which指代前面的 rail，is similar to是與相似，power做動詞講，指為地鐵列車提供電力。全句意思就是與那些在地鐵里為列車提供電力的rail一樣)。
23. A
題目問在自動公路系統中，是什么為汽車提供電力。
A，一根鐵軌。
B，一臺發動機。
C，一支可伸縮的機械臂。
D，一個電腦控制器。
文章講到自動公路系統的動力問題是在第四段。第四段一共三句話，第一句講的是汽車進入系統后，會從車身伸出一條可伸縮的機械臂，搭在一根鐵軌上。第二句講 的是與鐵軌連接后，汽車就交由公路系統提供電力作為動力。第三句講的是汽車的控制問題，講的是汽車的操控完全交予電腦。從這三句話可以看出，機械臂是從汽 車車身伸出的，不會提供電力，僅起到一個連接鐵軌的作用。鐵軌通過機械臂為汽車提供電力，并開始以電力作為動力，與發動機無關了。電腦只起控制汽車的作 用，與動力無關。這樣，本題應該選A。
24. D
題目問在自動公路系統中，司機所要做的只有什么。
A，保持正確的行進路線。
B，等待最后到達終點。
C，隨時與電腦中心保持聯系。
D，用電話把行車目的地告知系統。
文章的最后一段講到了司機在自動公路系統中應做哪些事情。首先是電話通知系統其行車目的地(The driver will use a telephone to dial instructions about his destination into the system)，此后電腦會計算最佳行車路線并為該車保留行車路段(The computer will calculate the best route, and reserve space for the car all the way to the correct exit from the highway)。最后司機所要做的就是等待到達終點了。
從這里可以看出，司機需要做的事情是電話通知系統其行車目的地，D的說法與此相符。B的說法在文中雖然也可以找到，但等待本身不能算是實質的事情。如果不輸入目的地，而只是等待的話，永遠也到不了要去的地方。
25. C
題目問作者對汽車未來的態度是怎樣的。
A，熱情的。
B，悲觀的。
C，樂觀的。
D，謹慎的。
作者在開頭首先介紹了兩種關于汽車未來的觀點，一是汽車將會被人廢棄，二是汽車依然會是城市交通的主要方式。此后，作者的論述一直以第二個觀點為前提展開。可見作者首先是看好汽車在未來世界的地位的。作者的觀點至少不是悲觀的。
第二段對未來汽車的變化進行了展望，作者認為汽車會朝向更小、更安全、更環保等方面發展。這一觀點應該說是樂觀的。
第三段指出了未來汽車發展的問題所在，但馬上提出了解決方法，最后兩段具體描述了這一方法。雖有問題，但可以解決，這里體現的還是樂觀的態度。
Enthusiastic是熱情的、充滿激情的意思，所表達的情緒非常熱烈，顯然并不符合文章的基調。Cautious所體現的態度應該是樂觀方面與悲觀方面等量齊觀，同等重視，與文意同樣不符。綜上，C最為合適。
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Foxes and farmers have never got on well. These small dog-like animals have long been accused of killing farm animals. They are officially classified as harmful and farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them.
Farmers can also call on the services of their local hunt to control the fox population. Hunting consists of pursuing a fox across the countryside, with a group of specially trained dogs, followed by men and women riding horses. When the dogs eventually catch the fox they kill it or a hunter shoots it.
People who take part in hunting think of as a sport; they wear a special uniform of red coats and white trousers, and follow strict codes of behavior. But owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive, so most hunters are wealthy.
It is estimated that up to 100,000 people watch or take part in fox hunting. But over the last couple of decades the number of people opposed to fox hunting, because they think it is brutal , has risen sharply. Nowadays it is rare for a hunt to pass off without some kind of confrontation between hunters and hunt saboteurs . Sometimes these incidents lead to violence, but mostly saboteurs interfere with the hunt by misleading riders and disturbing the trail of the foxs smell, which the dogs follow.
Noisy confrontations between hunters and saboteurs have become so common that they are almost as much a part of hunting as the pursuit of foxes itself. But this year supporters of fox hunting face a much bigger threat to their sport. A Labour Party Member of the Parliament, Mike Foster, is trying to get Parliament to approve a new law which will make the hunting of wild animals with dogs illegal. If the law is passed, wild animals like foxes will be protected under the ban in Britain.
26. Rich people in Britain have been hunting foxes ________.
A) for recreation
B) in the interests of the farmers
C) to limit the fox population
D) to show off their wealth(A)
27. What is special about fox hunting in Britain?
A) It involves the use of a deadly poison.
B) It is a costly event which rarely occurs.
C) The hunters have set rules to follow.
D) The hunters have to go through strict training.(C)
28. Fox hunting opponents often interfere in the game ________.
A) by resorting to violence
B) by confusing the fox hunters
C) by taking legal action
D) by demonstrating on the scene(B)
29. A new law may be passed by the British Parliament to ________.
A) prohibit farmers from hunting foxes
B) forbid hunting foxes with dogs
C) stop hunting wild animals in the countryside
D) prevent large-scale fox hunting(B)
30. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A) killing foxes with poison is illegal
B) limiting the fox population is unnecessary
C) hunting foxes with dogs is considered cruel and violent
D) fox-hunting often leads to confrontation between the poor and the rich(C)
這篇材料講的是獵狐運動的興衰。前三段可以看做是一個部分，主要論述獵狐運動的源起和特點。后兩段的主要內容則是反獵狐運動的興起。
開頭從狐貍與農民的關系講起，講到狐貍自古就被認為是家畜殺手，從而被正式歸為對人類有害的動物，農民們通過射殺和毒殺的方式不遺余力地減少狐貍的數量(farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them)。從這一段可以看到，狐貍因對人類有害而遭到滅殺，這可以說獵狐運動得以興起的緣由之一。
第二段開始介紹獵狐運動的特點，而把這一內容與上文連接起來的就是第二段第一句話。獵狐，也就是一群經過特殊訓練的狗在鄉村追蹤狐貍，騎馬的男女跟在狗群的后面。狗群捉住狐貍以后便會把它們咬死，或由獵手用槍擊斃(When the dogs eventually catch the fox they kill it or a hunter shoots it)。
參與獵狐的人們把獵狐當作是一種運動，他們因此會身穿特殊的制服，紅帽白褲，遵循嚴格的行為規則(follow strict codes of behavior)。而擁有馬匹和定期打獵是很燒錢的，所以大多數獵手都是富翁。
第四段開始講反對獵狐運動，講到反對者的人數在過去二十年內猛增(the number of people opposed to fox hunting has risen sharply)，反對的原因就是：殘忍(because they think it isbrutal)。反對者與獵手的沖突幾乎在每次獵狐運動中都會發生(it is rare for a hunt to pass off without some kind ofconfrontation)，那么反對者通常會采取哪些行動呢?少數會升級為暴力事件，但多數情況下，反對者會采取誤導騎手和祛除狐貍留下的氣味等方式(misleading riders and disturbing the trail of the foxs smell)。
這種沖突只不過是對正在進行的獵狐運動的阻撓，運動本身還是可以繼續。然而近年來獵狐運動本身開始面臨嚴重的威脅。最后一段講到，工黨某議員正在促使議會兩院通過一項新的法律，宣布驅使獵狗獵殺野生動物為非法(trying to get Parliament to approve a new law which will make the hunting of wild animals with dogs illegal)。如果這項法律獲得通過，那么像狐貍這樣的野生動物在英國就將受到保護(wild animals like foxes will be protected under the ban in Britain)。
26. A
題目問英國的富人進行獵狐運動的目的是什么。
A，為了消遣。第三段第一句話：People who take part in hunting think of it as a sport，這一句道出了參與獵狐的人對獵狐本身的看法sport，一種運動。運動與競技體育不同，其本身即是一種娛樂消遣。因此A的說法是對的。
B，為了保護農民的利益。看第二段第一句：Farmers can also call on the services of their local hunt to control the fox population， 農民為了控制狐貍的數量，會召集當地的獵戶去獵殺狐貍。這應該是獵狐運動的緣起，自此后，很多人就模仿獵戶的行為，最終使獵狐成為一種運動。可以說，富人 們參與獵狐純粹是為了消遣，而不是為了農民的利益。二者之間的聯系僅僅是：農民為了自己的利益召集獵人獵狐，富人模仿獵狐者，使獵狐本身成為一種富人自己 的消遣運動。
C，為了限制狐貍的數量。限制狐貍的數量符合農民的利益，與富人無關。
D，為了顯示他們的富有。這個選項與But owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive, so most hunters are wealthy一句有關。此句意思比較易懂：擁有馬匹和定期狩獵是相當費錢的，因此大多數獵手都是有錢人。這里僅僅說明參與獵狐的條件之一：有錢;不能從中推導出獵狐是為了炫富。
27. C
題目問英國獵狐的特別之處是什么。
A，會使用一種致命毒藥。這一說法在文中確實提到了：farmers try to keep their numbers down by shooting or poisoning them，農民們為了減少狐貍的數量會采用射殺或毒殺等等手段。需要注意的是農民的自發行為并不是狩獵運動，而是一種自衛行為，它與為了生計(獵戶)和為了消遣(富人)的獵殺行為是不一樣的。因此，嚴格的說，A的說法指的并不是獵狐運動，不符合題意。
B，這是一種花銷昂貴的運動，較少發生。花銷昂貴在文中可以找到相應的注腳：owning a horse and hunting regularly is expensive;但注意這里的一個單詞regularly，定期的，既然是定期舉行，顯然不是rarely了，B錯誤。
C，獵手們制定了需要遵守的規則。這句話也可以在文中找到相應的內容：follow strict codes of behavior;Codes of behavior，是行為規范的意思,也就是C所說的規則。C是對的。
