專家解析大學英語四級考試歷年閱讀真題試題
Passage One
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
Reaching new peaks of popularity in North America is Iceberg Water, which is harvested from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Arthur von Wiesenberger, who carries the title Water Master, is one of the few water critics in North America. As a boy, he spent time in the larger cities of Italy, France and Switzerland, where bottled water is consumed daily. Even then, he kept a water journal, noting the brands he liked best. My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water, He says.
But is plain tap water all that bad? Not at all. In fact, New Yorks municipal water for more than a century was called the champagne of tap water and until recently considered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity. Similarly, a magazine in England found that tap water from the Thames River tasted better than several leading brands of bottled water that were 400 times more expensive.
Nevertheless, soft-drink companies view bottled water as the next battle-ground for market sharethis despite the fact that over 25 percent of bottled water comes from tap water: PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-Colas Dasani are both purified tap water rather than spring water.
As diners thirst for leading brands, bottlers and restaurateurs salivate over the profits. A restaurants typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water its often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands arent available in stores, most diners dont notice or care.
As a result, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water. According to an article in The Street Journal, some of the more shameless tactics include placing attractive bottles on the table for a visual sell, listing brands on the menu without prices, and pouring bottled water without even asking the diners if they want it.
Regardless of how its sold, the popularity of bottled water taps into our desire for better health, our wish to appear cultivated, and even a longing for lost purity.
注意：此部分試題請在答題卡2上作答。
57. What do we know about Iceberg Water from the passage?
A) It is a kind of iced water.
B) It is just plain tap water.
C) It is a kind of bottled water.
D) It is a kind of mineral water.
58. By saying My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water , von Wiesenberger wants to convey the message that ________.
A) plain tap water is certainly unfit for drinking
B) bottled water is clearly superior to tap water
C) bottled water often appeals more to dogs taste
D) dogs can usually detect a fine difference in taste
59. The fancier brands refers to ________.
A) tap water from the Thames River
B) famous wines not sold in ordinary stores
C) PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-Colas Dasani
D) expensive bottled water with impressive names
60. Why are some restaurants turning up the pressure to sell bottled water?
A) Bottled water brings in huge profits.
B) Competition from the wine industry is intense.
C) Most diners find bottled water affordable.
D) Bottled water satisfied diners desire to fashionable.
61. According to passage, why is bottled water so popular?
A) It is much cheaper than wine.
B) It is considered healthier.
C) It appeals to more cultivated people.
D) It is more widely promoted in the market.
這篇文章分析了瓶裝水在北美十分流行的原因。
文章開篇引題，以Iceberg Water為例，說明了瓶裝水在北美的火熱流行程度，為后文分析其流行的原因做好鋪墊。第一段只有一句話，作者把reach謂語提前，使用倒裝結構對Iceberg Water達到流行頂點這一事實進行強調，這樣Iceberg Water置于句末，借以使用非限制性定語從句對這種瓶裝水的來源進行描述。
第二段馬上指出了瓶裝水流行的原因，但這是借一位瓶裝水專家之口來指出媒體普遍的觀點：my dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water，含義是瓶裝水明顯優于自來水。
第二段的作用無疑是豎靶子以備批駁，第三段緊接著對這種觀點進行了分析，并用源自泰晤士河的自來水比幾種名牌瓶裝水口感更佳為例進行了反駁。
在接下來的四段中，作者具體分析了瓶裝水流行的真正原因。第四段有承上啟下的作用，把百事和可口可樂公司作為例子，既以兩家公司的瓶裝水25%來源于自來水的事實繼續反駁瓶裝水優于自來水的觀點，又以兩家公司對瓶裝水市場的重視引出瓶裝水流行的真正原因。
第五、六段論證了售賣方式是瓶裝水流行原因之一的觀點，最后一段指出除售賣方式之外的其他原因。
57. What do we know about Iceberg Water from the passage?
A) It is a kind of iced water.
B) It is just plain tap water.
C) It is a kind of bottled water.
D) It is a kind of mineral water.
本題問從文章可知Iceberg Water指的是什么。
文章在開頭即提到了Iceberg Water，講到它在北美的人氣達到了新的高度，其源頭是取自取自加拿大紐芬蘭的冰川。從全篇來看，本文以瓶裝水為論述的核心，說明其在當今社會的火爆程度，這與開頭所述Iceberg Water人氣達到新高的敘述意義一致。而在提到Iceberg Water之后的第二段，文章緊接著介紹了一位瓶裝水專業人士對瓶裝水流行原因的看法。由此來看，Iceberg Water很可能是一種瓶裝水，文章以它來開頭有引出論題的作用。
A說是一種冰水，B說是一種普通自來水，C說是一種瓶裝水，D說是一種礦物質水。
C是正確答案。
58. By saying My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water , von Wiesenberger wants to convey the message that ________.
A) plain tap water is certainly unfit for drinking
B) bottled water is clearly superior to tap water
C) bottled water often appeals more to dogs taste
D) dogs can usually detect a fine difference in taste
這句話的意義必須結合上下文來理解。這句話出現在第二段，這一段的意思是：
Wiesenberger享有飲用水大師的稱號，且是北美不多的幾位飲用水評論家之一。他小時候曾居住在意大利、法國和瑞士較大的城市中，在這些地方，人們每天都要消費瓶裝水。他在那時就訂了一份飲用水雜志，留心記下他最喜愛的瓶裝水牌子。我的狗都能分出瓶裝水跟自來水的區別。他說道。
從這段描述中可以看出，這位飲用水大師自小就對瓶裝水興趣濃厚，甚至為了追蹤最喜愛的牌子特意保有一份水雜志。作者的這些敘述顯然傳達了一個信息：瓶裝水可謂是此人的至愛。那么在這種隱含意義下，他所說的瓶裝水與自來水的區別決不真正是二者的實在區別，而是要突出瓶裝水要優于自來水;連狗都能分辨這種區別，這是一種夸張說法，意在表明二者的差距之大。
A， 自來水當然不適合飲用。從全文給出的信息來看，自來水是適合引用的，句意本身錯誤，同時也不符合該句的真實含義。
B， 瓶裝水顯而易見地要優于自來水。此說法與前面的分析一致，是正確的。
C，瓶裝水常常更符合狗的口味。Wiesenberger提到狗只是為了起到夸張的效果，并不是瓶裝水真的更符合狗的口味。
D，狗一般能靠味覺發現細微的差別。此項犯的錯誤與C一樣。
59. The fancier brands refers to ________.
A) tap water from the Thames River
B) famous wines not sold in ordinary stores
C) PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-Colas Dasani
D) expensive bottled water with impressive names
題目問fancier brands指的是什么。
Fancier應該是fancy的比較級，fancy有別致、價格高昂的的意思，brands指品牌。理解它具體的含義還是要看上下文。
這個詞組出現在A restaurants typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water its often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands arent available in stores, most diners dont notice or care一句中，意思是：飯店一般把酒價標高100%到150%，而瓶裝水常常會達到300%到500%。不過水要比酒便宜得多，同時許多fancier brands在商店里買不到，因此用餐者就沒有注意或者并不在乎。
從最后一句結論可以推測，fancier brands很有可能是更貴的水品牌，因為如果這些奢侈牌子在商店里買不到，人們就無從知道它的合理價格，即便到了飯店以高價挨宰，他們也并不知情，也就注意不到或不會在乎。只有這樣邏輯才能通順。四個選項分別是：
A， 源自泰晤士河的自來水
B， 不在普通商店中出售的名牌葡萄酒。
C，百事的Aquafina和可口可樂的Dasani。
D，擁有別致名字的昂貴瓶裝水。
四個選項中D符合上文的分析。
60. Why are some restaurants turning up the pressure to sell bottled water?
A) Bottled water brings in huge profits.
B) Competition from the wine industry is intense.
C) Most diners find bottled water affordable.
D) Bottled water satisfied diners desire to fashionable
首先了解turn up the pressure的意思，turn up有提高的意思，如turn up the radio，提高收音機的音量。turn up the pressure就是加大壓力、加大力度的意思。這樣題意就是一些飯店加大力度售賣瓶裝水的原因是什么。
文中有As a result, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water一句，as a result是所以、因此的意思，說明前文已經說明了加大力度的原因，答案需要到前一段去找。
上一段首先提到飯店對銷售品牌瓶裝水的利潤垂涎三尺，而后具體說明了其之所以能實現超額利潤的原因：消費者對瓶裝水合理價格水平一無所知。由此可以推斷，飯店大力售賣瓶裝水的原因就應該是高額利潤的誘使。
A，瓶裝水可以帶來巨額利潤。符合上面的分析。
B，來自酒業的競爭十分激烈。文中提到酒業只是為了突出瓶裝水的利潤豐厚，沒有提到二者存在競爭問題。
C，大多數就餐者認為瓶裝水的價格可以接受。文中提到就餐者對價格的反應時是這樣敘述的：most diners dont notice or care，意思是他們不知道瓶裝水的真實價格，因此沒有注意或不在乎。但飯店老板不會因為自己商品的價格可以被消費者接受而熱衷于售賣，這個價格中含有暴利才是原因。
D，瓶裝水滿足了就餐者喜歡時尚的需求。文章最后一段解釋了瓶裝水流行的其他原因，其中有它滿足了our wish to appear cultivated，與D的說法稍有接近，但這是從消費者的角度進行的分析，不是飯店老板熱衷于售賣瓶裝水的原因。
61. According to passage, why is bottled water so popular?
A) It is much cheaper than wine.
B) It is considered healthier.
C) It appeals to more cultivated people.
D) It is more widely promoted in the market.
題目問根據文意瓶裝水為什么如此流行。
文章的最后一段對此做出了說明，直譯如下：
不算其銷售方式，飲用瓶裝水能夠滿足我們對健康的更高追求，滿足對更有教養的形象的追求，甚至對水的純凈度的追求。
從這段話可以看出，銷售方式是瓶裝水流行的一個因素，此外就是文末的三種因素：更高健康、更好形象和純凈度。
A認為原因是瓶裝水比酒便宜。這是第五段的內容：water is much cheaper than wine，不過這里提到水更便宜是為了解釋人們為何沒有注意到瓶裝水價格的虛高。
B認為原因是人們認為它更為健康，符合另三種因素的第一個：更高健康。
C認為原因是它能吸引更有教養的人。文中所說的對更有教養的形象的追求，是指一個人企望比以前的自己顯得更有教養，而不是瓶裝水對更有教養的人群的吸引力比對一般教養的人吸引力更大。
D認為原因是它在市場中得到了更大的推廣。瓶裝水得到了更大的推廣，其意思等同于瓶裝水流行，一個句子不能用它本身來解釋本身。
Passage One
Questions 57 to 61 are based on the following passage.
Reaching new peaks of popularity in North America is Iceberg Water, which is harvested from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Arthur von Wiesenberger, who carries the title Water Master, is one of the few water critics in North America. As a boy, he spent time in the larger cities of Italy, France and Switzerland, where bottled water is consumed daily. Even then, he kept a water journal, noting the brands he liked best. My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water, He says.
But is plain tap water all that bad? Not at all. In fact, New Yorks municipal water for more than a century was called the champagne of tap water and until recently considered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity. Similarly, a magazine in England found that tap water from the Thames River tasted better than several leading brands of bottled water that were 400 times more expensive.
Nevertheless, soft-drink companies view bottled water as the next battle-ground for market sharethis despite the fact that over 25 percent of bottled water comes from tap water: PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-Colas Dasani are both purified tap water rather than spring water.
As diners thirst for leading brands, bottlers and restaurateurs salivate over the profits. A restaurants typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water its often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands arent available in stores, most diners dont notice or care.
As a result, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water. According to an article in The Street Journal, some of the more shameless tactics include placing attractive bottles on the table for a visual sell, listing brands on the menu without prices, and pouring bottled water without even asking the diners if they want it.
Regardless of how its sold, the popularity of bottled water taps into our desire for better health, our wish to appear cultivated, and even a longing for lost purity.
注意：此部分試題請在答題卡2上作答。
57. What do we know about Iceberg Water from the passage?
A) It is a kind of iced water.
B) It is just plain tap water.
C) It is a kind of bottled water.
D) It is a kind of mineral water.
58. By saying My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water , von Wiesenberger wants to convey the message that ________.
A) plain tap water is certainly unfit for drinking
B) bottled water is clearly superior to tap water
C) bottled water often appeals more to dogs taste
D) dogs can usually detect a fine difference in taste
59. The fancier brands refers to ________.
A) tap water from the Thames River
B) famous wines not sold in ordinary stores
C) PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-Colas Dasani
D) expensive bottled water with impressive names
60. Why are some restaurants turning up the pressure to sell bottled water?
A) Bottled water brings in huge profits.
B) Competition from the wine industry is intense.
C) Most diners find bottled water affordable.
D) Bottled water satisfied diners desire to fashionable.
61. According to passage, why is bottled water so popular?
A) It is much cheaper than wine.
B) It is considered healthier.
C) It appeals to more cultivated people.
D) It is more widely promoted in the market.
這篇文章分析了瓶裝水在北美十分流行的原因。
文章開篇引題，以Iceberg Water為例，說明了瓶裝水在北美的火熱流行程度，為后文分析其流行的原因做好鋪墊。第一段只有一句話，作者把reach謂語提前，使用倒裝結構對Iceberg Water達到流行頂點這一事實進行強調，這樣Iceberg Water置于句末，借以使用非限制性定語從句對這種瓶裝水的來源進行描述。
第二段馬上指出了瓶裝水流行的原因，但這是借一位瓶裝水專家之口來指出媒體普遍的觀點：my dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water，含義是瓶裝水明顯優于自來水。
第二段的作用無疑是豎靶子以備批駁，第三段緊接著對這種觀點進行了分析，并用源自泰晤士河的自來水比幾種名牌瓶裝水口感更佳為例進行了反駁。
在接下來的四段中，作者具體分析了瓶裝水流行的真正原因。第四段有承上啟下的作用，把百事和可口可樂公司作為例子，既以兩家公司的瓶裝水25%來源于自來水的事實繼續反駁瓶裝水優于自來水的觀點，又以兩家公司對瓶裝水市場的重視引出瓶裝水流行的真正原因。
第五、六段論證了售賣方式是瓶裝水流行原因之一的觀點，最后一段指出除售賣方式之外的其他原因。
57. What do we know about Iceberg Water from the passage?
A) It is a kind of iced water.
B) It is just plain tap water.
C) It is a kind of bottled water.
D) It is a kind of mineral water.
本題問從文章可知Iceberg Water指的是什么。
文章在開頭即提到了Iceberg Water，講到它在北美的人氣達到了新的高度，其源頭是取自取自加拿大紐芬蘭的冰川。從全篇來看，本文以瓶裝水為論述的核心，說明其在當今社會的火爆程度，這與開頭所述Iceberg Water人氣達到新高的敘述意義一致。而在提到Iceberg Water之后的第二段，文章緊接著介紹了一位瓶裝水專業人士對瓶裝水流行原因的看法。由此來看，Iceberg Water很可能是一種瓶裝水，文章以它來開頭有引出論題的作用。
A說是一種冰水，B說是一種普通自來水，C說是一種瓶裝水，D說是一種礦物質水。
C是正確答案。
58. By saying My dog could tell the difference between bottled and tap water , von Wiesenberger wants to convey the message that ________.
A) plain tap water is certainly unfit for drinking
B) bottled water is clearly superior to tap water
C) bottled water often appeals more to dogs taste
D) dogs can usually detect a fine difference in taste
這句話的意義必須結合上下文來理解。這句話出現在第二段，這一段的意思是：
Wiesenberger享有飲用水大師的稱號，且是北美不多的幾位飲用水評論家之一。他小時候曾居住在意大利、法國和瑞士較大的城市中，在這些地方，人們每天都要消費瓶裝水。他在那時就訂了一份飲用水雜志，留心記下他最喜愛的瓶裝水牌子。我的狗都能分出瓶裝水跟自來水的區別。他說道。
從這段描述中可以看出，這位飲用水大師自小就對瓶裝水興趣濃厚，甚至為了追蹤最喜愛的牌子特意保有一份水雜志。作者的這些敘述顯然傳達了一個信息：瓶裝水可謂是此人的至愛。那么在這種隱含意義下，他所說的瓶裝水與自來水的區別決不真正是二者的實在區別，而是要突出瓶裝水要優于自來水;連狗都能分辨這種區別，這是一種夸張說法，意在表明二者的差距之大。
A， 自來水當然不適合飲用。從全文給出的信息來看，自來水是適合引用的，句意本身錯誤，同時也不符合該句的真實含義。
B， 瓶裝水顯而易見地要優于自來水。此說法與前面的分析一致，是正確的。
C，瓶裝水常常更符合狗的口味。Wiesenberger提到狗只是為了起到夸張的效果，并不是瓶裝水真的更符合狗的口味。
D，狗一般能靠味覺發現細微的差別。此項犯的錯誤與C一樣。
59. The fancier brands refers to ________.
A) tap water from the Thames River
B) famous wines not sold in ordinary stores
C) PepsiCos Aquafina and Coca-Colas Dasani
D) expensive bottled water with impressive names
題目問fancier brands指的是什么。
Fancier應該是fancy的比較級，fancy有別致、價格高昂的的意思，brands指品牌。理解它具體的含義還是要看上下文。
這個詞組出現在A restaurants typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water its often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands arent available in stores, most diners dont notice or care一句中，意思是：飯店一般把酒價標高100%到150%，而瓶裝水常常會達到300%到500%。不過水要比酒便宜得多，同時許多fancier brands在商店里買不到，因此用餐者就沒有注意或者并不在乎。
從最后一句結論可以推測，fancier brands很有可能是更貴的水品牌，因為如果這些奢侈牌子在商店里買不到，人們就無從知道它的合理價格，即便到了飯店以高價挨宰，他們也并不知情，也就注意不到或不會在乎。只有這樣邏輯才能通順。四個選項分別是：
A， 源自泰晤士河的自來水
B， 不在普通商店中出售的名牌葡萄酒。
C，百事的Aquafina和可口可樂的Dasani。
D，擁有別致名字的昂貴瓶裝水。
四個選項中D符合上文的分析。
60. Why are some restaurants turning up the pressure to sell bottled water?
A) Bottled water brings in huge profits.
B) Competition from the wine industry is intense.
C) Most diners find bottled water affordable.
D) Bottled water satisfied diners desire to fashionable
首先了解turn up the pressure的意思，turn up有提高的意思，如turn up the radio，提高收音機的音量。turn up the pressure就是加大壓力、加大力度的意思。這樣題意就是一些飯店加大力度售賣瓶裝水的原因是什么。
文中有As a result, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water一句，as a result是所以、因此的意思，說明前文已經說明了加大力度的原因，答案需要到前一段去找。
上一段首先提到飯店對銷售品牌瓶裝水的利潤垂涎三尺，而后具體說明了其之所以能實現超額利潤的原因：消費者對瓶裝水合理價格水平一無所知。由此可以推斷，飯店大力售賣瓶裝水的原因就應該是高額利潤的誘使。
A，瓶裝水可以帶來巨額利潤。符合上面的分析。
B，來自酒業的競爭十分激烈。文中提到酒業只是為了突出瓶裝水的利潤豐厚，沒有提到二者存在競爭問題。
C，大多數就餐者認為瓶裝水的價格可以接受。文中提到就餐者對價格的反應時是這樣敘述的：most diners dont notice or care，意思是他們不知道瓶裝水的真實價格，因此沒有注意或不在乎。但飯店老板不會因為自己商品的價格可以被消費者接受而熱衷于售賣，這個價格中含有暴利才是原因。
D，瓶裝水滿足了就餐者喜歡時尚的需求。文章最后一段解釋了瓶裝水流行的其他原因，其中有它滿足了our wish to appear cultivated，與D的說法稍有接近，但這是從消費者的角度進行的分析，不是飯店老板熱衷于售賣瓶裝水的原因。
61. According to passage, why is bottled water so popular?
A) It is much cheaper than wine.
B) It is considered healthier.
C) It appeals to more cultivated people.
D) It is more widely promoted in the market.
題目問根據文意瓶裝水為什么如此流行。
文章的最后一段對此做出了說明，直譯如下：
不算其銷售方式，飲用瓶裝水能夠滿足我們對健康的更高追求，滿足對更有教養的形象的追求，甚至對水的純凈度的追求。
從這段話可以看出，銷售方式是瓶裝水流行的一個因素，此外就是文末的三種因素：更高健康、更好形象和純凈度。
A認為原因是瓶裝水比酒便宜。這是第五段的內容：water is much cheaper than wine，不過這里提到水更便宜是為了解釋人們為何沒有注意到瓶裝水價格的虛高。
B認為原因是人們認為它更為健康，符合另三種因素的第一個：更高健康。
C認為原因是它能吸引更有教養的人。文中所說的對更有教養的形象的追求，是指一個人企望比以前的自己顯得更有教養，而不是瓶裝水對更有教養的人群的吸引力比對一般教養的人吸引力更大。
D認為原因是它在市場中得到了更大的推廣。瓶裝水得到了更大的推廣，其意思等同于瓶裝水流行，一個句子不能用它本身來解釋本身。
