【篇一】2021年下半年英語四級考試閱讀理解
President Clinton’s decision on Apr.8 to send Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji packing without anagreement on China’s entry into the World Trade Organization seemed to be a massivemiscalculation. The President took a drubbing from much of the press, which had breathlesslyreported that a deal was in the bag. The Cabinet and Whit House still appeared divided, andbusiness leaders were characterized as furious over the lost opportunity. Zhu charged thatClinton lacked “the courage” to reach an accord. And when Clinton later telephoned the angryZhu to pledge a renewed effort at negotiations, the gesture was widely portrayed as a flip-flop.In fact, Clinton made the right decision in holding out for a better WTO deal. A lot more horsetrading is needed before a final agreement can be reached. And without the Administration’sgoal of a “bullet-proof agreement” that business lobbyists can enthusiastically sell to aRepublican Congress, the whole process will end up in partisan acrimony that could harmrelations with China for years.
THE HARD PART. Many business lobbyists, while disappointed that the deal was not closed, agree that better terms can still be had. And Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin, NationalEconomic Council Director Gene B. Sperling, Commerce Secretary William M. Daley, and toptrade negotiator Charlene Barshefsky all advised Clinton that while the Chinese had made aremarkable number of concessions, “we’re not there yet,” according to senior officials.
Negotiating with Zhu over the remaining issues may be the easy part. Although Clinton cansignal U.S. approval for China’s entry into the WTO himself, he needs Congress to grantBeijing permanent most-favored-nation status as part of a broad trade accord. And thetemptation for meddling on Capital Hill may prove over-whelming. Zhu had barely landedbefore Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss) declared himself skeptical that Chinadeserved entry into the WTO. And Senators Jesse A. Helms (R-N.C.) and Emest F. Hollings(D-S. C.) promised to introduce a bill requiring congressional approval of any deal.
The hidden message from these three textile-state Southerners: Get more protection for theU. S. clothing industry. Hoping to smooth the way, the Administration tried, but failed, tobudge Zhu on textiles. Also left in the lurch: Wall Street, Hollywood, and Detroit. Zhu refusedto open up much of the lucrative Chinese securities market and insisted on “cultural” restrictions on American movies and music. He also blocked efforts to allow U. S. auto makersto provide fleet financing.
BIG JOB. Already, business lobbyists are blanketing Capitol Hill to presale any eventualagreement, but what they’ve heard so far isn’t encouraging. Republicans, including Lott, saythat “the time just isn’t right” for the deal. Translation: We’re determined to make it look as ifClinton has capitulated to the Chinese and is ignoring human, religious, and labor rightsviolations; the theft of nuclear-weapons technology; and the sale of missile parts to America’senemies. Beijing’s fierce critics within the Democratic Party, such as Senator Paul D. Wellstoneof Minnesota and House Minority leader Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, won’t help, either.
Just how tough the lobbying job on Capitol Hill will be become clear on Apr. 20, when Rubinlectured 19chief executives on the need to discipline their Republican allies. With business andthe White House still trading charges over who is responsible for the defeat of fast-track tradenegotiating legislation in 1997, working together won’t be easy.
And Republicans—with a wink—say that they’ll eventually embrace China’s entry into theWTO as a favor to Corporate America. Though not long before they torture Clinton. But Zhu isout on a limb, and if Congress overdoes the criticism, he may be forced by domestic critics torenege. Business must make this much dear to both its GOP allies and the Whit House: Thishistoric deal is too important to risk losing to any more partisan squabbling
1. The main idea of this passage is
[A]. The Contradiction between the DemocraticParty and the Republican Party.
[B]. On China’s entry into WTO.
[C]. Clinton was right.
[D]. Business Lobbyists Control Capitol Hill.
2. What does the sentence “Also left in the lurch: Wall Street, Hollywood, Detroit” convey?
[A]. Premier Zhu rejected their requirements.
[B]. The three places overdid criticism.
[C]. They wanted more protection.
[D]. They are in trouble.
3. What was the attitude of the Republican Party toward China’s entry into the WTO?
[A]. Contradictory. [B].Appreciative.
[C]. Disapproving. [D]. Detestful.
4. Who plays the leading part in the deal in America?
[A]. White House . [B]. Republicans.
[C]. The Democratic Party. [D]. Businessmen.
5. It can be inferred from the passage that
[A]. America will make concessions.
[B]. America will hold out for a better WTO
[C]. Clinton has the right to signal U. S. approval for China’s entry.
[D]. Democratic party approve China’s entry into the WTO.
1. C. 總統(tǒng)是對的。這篇文章摘自Business Weekly. 文章是從商人的角度來看待中國加入WTO，他們希望從談判中獲得更多的利益，而克林頓的同意不同意的目的和他們相符——爭取更多利益。這篇就是從四方利益最終趨向一致“同意中國加入世貿(mào)”來證明“總統(tǒng)結(jié)論正確”的中心思想。
第一段指出Clinton由打發(fā)朱總理回國，不同意中國入世到一百八十度大轉(zhuǎn)彎，在電話中憤怒的朱總理表示再次努力協(xié)商。內(nèi)閣和白宮官員意見分歧，商人對失去機會火冒三丈。
第二段點出克林頓故意拖延以謀取更多的利益的決定是正確的——文章的主旨句。商人院外活動集團成員要以“政府完美無缺的協(xié)議的目標來說服共和黨贊成/接受。以免整個過程以黨爭而告終。
第三，四段是商業(yè)方面的高級官員的代表紛紛卻說Clinton“當中國作出許多優(yōu)惠讓步時，美國不在那里�！�(意：美國吃虧了現(xiàn)在不要再吃虧了。)克林頓有權(quán)簽署贊成中國加入世貿(mào)組織，可他需要國會批準北京永久性最惠國作為擴大貿(mào)易協(xié)定的組成部分。再說對國會的干預(yù)的誘惑力相當大：就在朱踏上美國本土時，參議院多數(shù)派領(lǐng)袖Trent Lott宣布他對中國是該不該入世持懷疑態(tài)度，而參議院Tesse A Helms… 承諾提出一項要求國會批準任何交易的提案。
第五段講了朱總理的強硬立場。第六段又是共和黨的反對聲，使民主黨內(nèi)站在北京以便的批評家也無能為力。
最后一段指出：盡管困難重重，這一歷史事件太重要了，不能因黨爭而冒失失去機會的危險。
A. 民主黨和共和黨的矛盾。兩黨之爭見上文譯注，最終還是一致。 B. 論中國加入世貿(mào)組織。文章不是論中國加入而是論美國環(huán)繞中國入世貿(mào)的種種。 D. 商人院外活動集團成員控制國會。這在第五段中提到商人院外活動集團成員阻撓美國國會事先接受最終協(xié)議，但不是主題思想。
2. A. 朱總理拒絕了他們的要求。見難句譯注9。B. 這三個地方批評過頭。 C. 他們要求更多的保護。 D. 他們陷入困境。
3. A. 矛盾。共和黨一開始就反對。什么對中國該不該加入世貿(mào)組織持懷疑態(tài)度。第六段說得更露骨，時間不對。意思是他們想把整個事件看起來好象克林頓屈從于中國，忽視了“中國違反人權(quán)，宗教權(quán)，勞動權(quán)，偷竊核武器技術(shù)，把導彈組成部件買給美國的敵人”等事實。最后一段共和黨一下子又所他們最終將會接受中國加入世貿(mào)組織以表示對整體美國的好感。不管是商人院外活動集團的作用，還是明確指出重開談判的重要性。這一歷史事件太重要絕不能因黨爭而失去機會。共和黨縱然心中不愿，也不得不接受現(xiàn)實。心情是矛盾的。B. 贊賞。 C. 不贊成。 D. 厭惡。
4. D. 商界。第一段中就點出：商界領(lǐng)袖對失去這次機會火冒三丈。第二段中提到商界院外活動成員要以實實在在的協(xié)議來說服共和黨國會，免得以黨爭告終。第三段明確指出：許多商界院外人士一方面對協(xié)議未簽定表示失望，另方面又同意，還會更好的條件。各種和商界直接關(guān)系的高級官員對克林頓勸說。
第五段：紡織，金融股票，汽車以至電影等都是商界的要求。朱總理拒絕的就是商界要求。
第六段提及商界院外活動的成員制止國會事先接受最終協(xié)定。
最后一段又是商界使共和黨聯(lián)盟和白宮懂得此事的重要性。
5. A. 美國將會作出讓步，見上面注釋。商人是絕對不會放棄中國市場的。
B. 美國會故意拖延以求取得更好的條件。這一點恐怕不會，見上文注釋。朱總理的強硬立場，商人的見解。 C. 克林頓有簽署批準中國入世之權(quán)。 D. 民主黨贊成中國加入世貿(mào)，這兩項都是事實。
【篇二】2021年下半年英語四級考試閱讀理解
A remarkable variety of insects live in this planet More species of insects exist than all other animal species together. Insects have survived on earth for more than 300 million years, and may possess the ability to survive for millions more.Insects can be found almost everywhere -- on the highest mountains and on the bottom of rushing streams, in the cold South Pole and in bubbling hot springs. They dig through the ground, jump and sing in the trees,and run and dance in the air. They come in many different colors and various shapes. Insects are extremely useful to humans, pollinating (授粉)our crops as well as flowers in meadows, forests, deserts and otherareas. But licks and some insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas, can transmit disease.
There are many reasons why insects are so successful at surviving. Their amazing ability to adapt permits them to live in extreme ranges of temperatures and environments. The one place they have not yet been found to any major extent is in the open oceans. Insects can survive on a wide range, of natural and artificial foods—paint, pepper, glue, books, grain, cotton，other insects, plants and animals Because they are small they can hide in tiny spaces.
A strong, hard but flexible shell covers their soft organs and is resistant to chemicals, water and physical impact. Their wings give them the option of flying away from dangerous situations or toward food or males. Also, insects have an enormous reproductive capacity: An African ant queen can lay as many as 43,000 eggs a day.
Another reason for their success is the strategy of protective color. An insect may be right before our eyes, but nearly invisible because it is cleverly disguised like a green leaf, lump of brown soil, gray lichen (青苔),a seed or some other natural object Some insects use bright, bold colors to send warning signalsthat they taste bad,sting or are poison.Others have wing patterns that look like the eyes of a huge predator, bitter-tasting insects; hungry enemies are fooled into avoiding them.
練習題：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1.Insects can be found in large amounts in the following places EXCEPT _____.
A.on the mountains with little air
B.in the cold polar areas
C.in the hot desert areas
D.in the open oceans
2.Insects protect themselves from chemicals by _______
A.hiding in tiny spaces
B.having a strong shell
C.flying away when necessary
D.changing colors or shapes
3.Some insects disguise like natural objects so as to ______
A.frighten away their enemies
B.avoid being discovered
C.send warning signals
D.look bitter-tasting
4.The passage mentions that insects ______.
A.can be found in any extreme environments
B.have survived longer than any other creatures
C.can be fed on any natural or man-made foods
D.are important for the growth of crops and flowers
5.The passage is mainly about ______
A.how insects survive in different places
B.why insects can survive so successfully
C.what insects can do to the environment
D.where insects can be found in quantity
1.[D] 事實細節(jié)題。本題考查對復合句的理解。本題涉及兩個段落，第2段及第3段都提及昆蟲大量生長的地方，第3段第3句中的The one place指出了答案。
2.[B] 事實細節(jié)題。本題考查對復雜句的理解。第4段第1句指出了答案。protect…from…是對resistant to的同義替換。
3.[B] 推理判斷題。本題考查對長句的理解。最后一段第2句中的nearly invisible表明昆蟲偽裝是為了不被發(fā)現(xiàn)，因此B為正確選項。其他選項雖然都是昆蟲偽裝的目的，但都與偽裝成自然物體無關(guān)。
4.[D] 推理判斷題。本題考查對含有分詞結(jié)構(gòu)句子的理解。根據(jù)第2段倒數(shù)第2句中的useful及分詞結(jié)構(gòu)pollinating可推斷昆蟲對植物的生長有益處。選項A、B、C中都有any,過于絕對。由第3段第2、3句可知選項A不對。文章雖在開頭指出昆蟲存活的年代久遠，但全文未提到它是存活時間最長的生物，所以選項B錯誤。至于昆蟲的食物，第3段倒數(shù)第2句有提及,但只是a wide range of,由此可排除選項C。
5.[B] 主旨大意題。本文前兩段首先描述了昆蟲生存了很長的時間，并能在各種地方生長，然后引出文章要討論的重點，即昆蟲為什么能成功存活。第3段第1句為本文的中心句，因此本題正確選項為B。
【篇三】2021年下半年英語四級考試閱讀理解
reliterate communities. We become utterlydependent on the two most primitive media of communication: pictures and the spokenword.Television encourages passive enjoyment. We become content with second-handexperiences. It is so easy to sit in our armchairs watching others working. Little by little, television cuts us off from the real world. We get so lazy, we choose to spend a fine day insemi-darkness, glued to our sets, rather than go out into the world itself. Television may be ssplendid medium of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other. We only become aware how totally irrelevant television is to real living when we spend aholiday by the sea or in the mountains, far away from civilization. In quiet, naturalsurroundings, we quickly discover how little we miss the hypnotic tyranny of King Telly.
1. What is the biggest harm of TV?
[A] It deprives people of communication with the real world.
[B] People become lazy.
[C] People become dependent on second-hand experience.
[D] TV consumes a large part of one's life.
2. In what way can people forget TV?
[A] Far away from civilization.
[B] To a mountain.
[C] By the sea.
[D] In quiet natural surroundings.
3. What does a mother usually do to keep her children quiet?
[A] Let them watch the set.
[B] Put them in the living room.
[C] Let them watch the rubbish.
[D] Let them alone.
4. What does the first sentence in the first paragraph mean?
[A] We found it difficult to occupy our spare time.
[B] We become addicted to TV.
[C] What we used to do is different from now.
[D] We used to enjoy civilized pleasures.
Vocabulary
1. goggle 轉(zhuǎn)動眼珠，瞪眼
goggle box (英俚)電視機
2. gulp 狼吞虎咽
3. telly 電視機
4. pacifier 平息者，撫慰者。這里指平靜人，使人不吱聲的東西。
5. rubbishy 垃圾的，無價值的
6. sadism 施*虐
7. glue 膠(水);粘牢
glue to the sets 和電視機粘在一起，指成了電視迷
8. hypnotic 催眠的
難句譯注
1. There is a limit to the amount of creative talent available in the world.
【參考譯文】
寫作方法與文章大意
這是一篇論說“電視有害”的文章。采用對比分析手法。先提出問題，對比過去和現(xiàn)在“過去在業(yè)余時間，我們享受文明的歡樂，有各種嗜好，招待朋友，訪友，外出娛樂，在家讀書聽音樂……現(xiàn)在一切受電視支配。匆忙趕回家，狼吞虎咽地吃完飯為的是準時看某個電視節(jié)目。只要不干擾節(jié)目，吃什么都可以!一塊三明治，一杯啤酒就行。看時，誰都不許說話，完全沒有了過去的那種悠閑，坐在一起吃晚飯，相互交談白天的一切�！�
然后列出電視種種惡果：整個幾代人成了電視迷，連孩子也不能幸免，電視消耗了大量的創(chuàng)造性工作，人們成為以來電視生存的人，被動娛樂，制止我們和真實世界交流。
最后結(jié)論：到大自然去，忘掉電視。
答案詳解
1. A 它剝奪了人們和真實世界的聯(lián)系。文章多次提到現(xiàn)在我們不能探親訪友，一家人互不交流，而一旦離開電視就進入了真是世界。B. 人變懶。C. 人們變得依賴二手經(jīng)驗。D. 電視浪費了人生的大量時間。這三項只是危害重具體一個組成部分。
2. D 在安寧的大自然的懷抱中。答案在最后一段最后一句“在安詳寧靜的大自然環(huán)境中，我們很快發(fā)現(xiàn)我們對催眠的電視暴君連想都不怎么想!”A. 遠離文明。B.去山上。C.在海邊。
3. A 叫他們看電視。這在第二段第三句起“電視是一個萬能安靜器。母親為使孩子們安靜，就把他們放在起居室內(nèi)，打開電視看。這是現(xiàn)在最權(quán)威的一招。至于孩子們看的使垃圾般的商業(yè)廣告，還是施*虐或暴力片都無關(guān)緊要，只要他們安靜不鬧。”B.把他們擱在起居室。C.讓他們看垃圾片。都是其中的具體一部分。D.讓他們呆著。沒有提到。
4. B 我們都成了電視迷。第一句“是的，可是沒有電視之前，我們常干些什么?”這說明人們已經(jīng)習慣于電視，以來電視，到了沒有電視怎么辦的境地。不知道沒有電視前的情況。第二段“整個幾代人越來越迷上了電視，飯不吃，家務(wù)不干，不睡覺�！笨梢哉f整篇文章都描寫了人們對電視迷戀，依賴。第一句話是引言。所以B對。A. 難以消遣。只是人們的一種感受。C.過去和現(xiàn)在不同。是一種對比，并沒有點出這句話的真正內(nèi)涵。D.享受文明歡樂。是過去所作的一個具體例子。
