四级基础阅读题.docx

1、四级基础阅读题Passage 1It is often difficult for a man to be quite sure what tax he ought to pay to the government because it depends on so many different things: whether the man is married; how many children he has; whether he supports any relations; how much he earns; how much interest he receives; how m

2、uch he has spent on his house during the year, and so on and so forth. All this makes it difficult to decide exactly how much the tax is.There was a certain artist who was always very careful to pay the proper amount.One year, after posting his check as usual, he began to wonder if he had paid enoug

3、h, and after a lot of work, with a pencil and paper, decided that he had not. He believed that he owed the government something.He was just writing another check to sent to the tax-collector when the postman dropped a letter into the box at the front door. Opening it, the artist was surprised to fin

4、d inside it a check for five pounds from the tax-collector. The official explained that too much had been paid, and that therefore the difference was now returned to the taxpayer.1. According to the passage, to decide the exact amount of tax to be paid is _C_. A. simple B. easy C. difficult D. inter

5、esting2. It is mentioned in the passage that one has to pay tax according to _B_. A. how much education on has received B. whether one is single or married C. how old ones children are D. where one lives3. The word “proper” in the first line of the second paragraph means _C_. A. small B. big C. righ

6、t D. wrong4. After a lot of work, the artist thought that he had paid the government _A_. A. less tax than he should have B. more tax than he should have C. as much tax as usual D. just enough tax5. Why did the tax-collector send a letter to the artist? B A. To send him a new tax form. B. To return

7、the money over-paid C. To remind him of paying the tax. D. To explain the rules of tax-paying.Passage 2Pressure Cooker (压力锅) SafetyWhen you are cooking with a pressure cooker, you should learn a few common sense（常识）rules:1. Never leave the cooker unwatched when it is in use.2. Add sufficient liquid

8、but never past the recommended fill point. Overfilling the cooker may block the vent pipe (排气孔) and cause the cooker to explode.3. Set the cooking time. Too much time may overcook the food or too much pressure may build up the cooker. Too little time will lead to undercooked food.4. If you are new t

9、o pressure cooking, follow the cooking instructions carefully. Heat and time can either result in a great meal or a ruined one.5. Never try to force a pressure cooker cover open. Allow the cooker to cool or run it under cool water before trying to open the cover.6. Clean the cooker thoroughly after

10、each use. Mild detergent (洗涤剂) and hot water work the best. Do not use stove ash or sand for they may damage the cooker. The gasket (密封圈) is best cleaned in warm soapy water and then dried. Store the gasket in the bottom of the pot.1. According to the first rule, the user should _A_. A. keep the coo

11、ker under close watch B. always keep the cooker half full C. never leave the cooker empty D. never turn off the stove2. According to the second rule, too much liquid in the cooker may result in _D_. A. a ruined meal B. undercooked food C. too little pressure D. a blocked vent pipe3. According to the

12、 fifth rule, a pressure cooker cover should be opened _D_. A. as soon as the cooking is finished B. while it is still on the stove C. with force when it is hot D. after it is cooled down4. According to the instructions, which of the following is TRUE? B A. The gasket should be cleaned thoroughly wit

13、h cold water. B. Mild detergent and hot water can best clean the cooker. C. Soapy water will often damage the cooker. D. Sand can be used to clean the cooker.5. Which of the following operations may be dangerous? A A. Overfilling the cooker with food and water. B. Cleaning the cooker with detergent.

14、 C. Cooling the cooker with cold water. D. Setting too little cooking time.Passage 3Mountain climbers around the world dream about going up Mount Everest (珠穆朗玛峰). It is the highest mountain in the world. But many people who have climbed the mountain have left waste material that is harming the envir

15、onment.A team of Americans is planning the largest clean-up effort ever on Mount Everest. They will make the risky trip up the mountain next month.The team of eight Americans will be guided by more than twenty Sherpas of Nepal (尼泊尔夏尔巴人). Their goal is to remove all the trash (废物，垃圾) they see. They w

16、ill spend two months cleaning up the mountain by gathering oxygen bottles, fuel containers, batteries, drink cans, human waste and other kinds of trash. They are expected to remove at least three tons of trash in large bags.Team leader Robert Hoffman is making his fourth trip up the mountain. He say

17、s he hopes to bring Everest to the condition it was in before the first successful climb fifty years ago. He says he hopes the effort will influence other people to clean up the environment.Human waste on Everest is a major concern. So the clean-up team will take along newly developed equipment to c

18、ollect and treat human waste. Over the years, the waste articles have polluted the mountain. In the warm season when the ice melts, the polluted water flows to Nepali villages below. The problem has gotten worse in recent years because climbing Everest has become more popular. 1. What are those Amer

19、icans concerned about when they are planning the trip up Mount Everest? A A. The environmental pollution of the mountain. B. The success in climbing up the mountain. C. The equipment for their trip to the mountain. D. The risks facing the climbers of the mountain.2. From the passage we can learn tha

20、t the clean-up effort _D_. A. is opposed by the local people B. is the largest one supported by Nepal C. is encouraged by the American government D. is the greatest one ever made on Mount Everest3. What does the American team plan to do on the trip up the mountain? C A. To make Everest even cleaner

21、than it was. B. To tell climbers not to leave waste materials. C. To take away all the trash they could find there. D. To collect and treat human waste before the ice melted.4. Team leader Mr. Hoffman hopes to turn Mount Everest into _B_. A. its former state a few years ago B. its original condition

22、 half a century ago C. a place with no pollution at all D. the cleanest mountain in the world5. What is probably the best title for this passage? C A. A Risky Trip Up Mount Everest. B. Pollution on Mount Everest. C. Mount Everest-Clean-up Effort. D. Robert Hoffman and His Clean-up Team.Passage 4Chai

23、n stores have been developing rapidly in China during the past few years and taking hold of ever-increasing retail (零售) market share, an official survey indicates. The State Economic and Trade Commission (SETC) survey shows that the annual sales volume of Chinas 20 biggest chains leapt last year by

24、43 percent and the number of their retail stores rose by 46.7 percent, while sales for the whole retail market grew by 10.1 percent. Shanghai Lian Hua Supermarket Company holds the top position with 14.06 billion yuan (US $1.7 billion) in sales and 1,225 retail stores.The statistics indicate that th

25、e biggest stores are swallowing more market share, leaving little development space for medium and small stores, said analysts (分析家). Analysts also note that almost all the giant chains have their headquarters in East China, but they are likely to explore western regions in the near future. With Chi

26、nas entrance into the World Trade Organization, its market is attracting overseas retailers too. The country is committed to opening gradually its retail business, and as a result, more chain stores from outside China will have a share of the pie. Successful domestic retailers are preparing to battl

27、e for market share. Shops like Hua Lian and Guo Mei, a giant home appliance distributor in Beijing, have announced ambitious plans for development. 1. According to the passage, Shanghai Lian Hua Supermarket Company is _B_. A. a bargain shop B. a chain of stores C. a department store D. a goods distr

28、ibutor2. We learn from the first paragraph that _C_. A. the market share of the 20 biggest chains grew last year by 10.1%. B. the number of retail stores in China increased last year by 46.7%. C. sales of Chinas 20 biggest chains increased last year by 43%. D. 1,225 new retail stores were set up in

29、Shanghai in recent years.3. Facing the challenge of foreign rivals, the Chinese chain stores will _A_. A. fight for their market share with confidence B. cooperate with foreign retail chain stores C. shift their focus to western areas D. form even bigger companies4. Which of the following statements

30、 is TRUE according to the passage? D A. The biggest stores are enjoying most of the market share. B. A number of chain stores have started to explore western areas. C. Medium and small stores dont have any space for development D. China will allow more foreign investor to invest in its retail busine

31、ss.5. The passage is mainly about _A_. A. the rapid growth of big chain stores B. the present and future retail market in China C. the leading role of Lian Hua Supermarket Company D. the competition between domestic and foreign chain storesPassage 5Its 8:30, time for John to start work. So he turns

32、on his radio. Then he eats breakfast. As he eats, he reads his e-mail and reviews his to-do list. Then he sits on the sofa and thinks about an article he needs to write Wait a minute! Radio? Breakfast? Sofa? What kind of workplace is this? Well, actually it is Johns house, and he is a telecommuter-he works at home, communicating with the workplace through t