[阅读理解专项训练]阅读理解专项练习（一）

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Passage1

In 1939 two brothers, Mac and Dick McDonald, started a drive-in restaurant in San Bernadino, California. They carefully chose a busy corner for their location. They had run their own businesses for years, first a theater, then a barbecue（烤肉）restaurant., then another drive-in. But in their new operation, they offered a new, shortened menu: French fries, hamburgers, and sodas. To this small selection they added one new concept: quick service, no waiters or waitresses, and no tips.

Their hamburgers sold for fifteen cents. Cheese was another four cents. Their French fries and hamburgers had a remarkable uniformity, for the brothers had developed a strict routine for the preparation of their food, and they insisted on their cooks’ sticking to their routine. Their new drive-in became incredibly popular, particularly for lunch. People drove up by the hundreds during the busy noontime. The self-service restaurant was so popular that the brothers had allowed ten copies of their restaurant to be opened. They were content with this modest success until they met Ray Kroc.

Kroc was a salesman who met the McDonald brothers in 1954, when he was selling milkshake-mixing machines. He quickly saw the unique appeal of the brothers’ fast-food restaurants and bought the right to franchise（特许经营）other copies of their restaurants. The agreement struck included the right to duplicate the menu. The equipment, even their red and white buildings with the golden arches（拱门）.

Today McDonald’s is really a household name. Its names for its sandwiches have come to mean hamburger in the decades since the day Ray Kroc watched people rush up to order fifteen-cent hamburgers. In 1976, McDonald’s had over $ 1 billion in total sales. Its first twenty-two years is one of the most incredible success stories in modern American business history.

 

1. This passage mainly talks abort　　　　 .

A)　　 the development of fast food services

B)　　　how McDonald’s became a billion-dollar business

C)　　 the business careers of Mac and Dick McDonald

D)　　 Ray Kroc’s business talent

 

2. Mac and Dick managed all of the following businesses except　　　 .

　A) a drive-in　　　　　　　　 C) a theater

　B) a cinema　　　　　　　　 D) a barbecue restaurant

 

3. We may infer from this passage that　　　　　.

A)　　 Mac and Dick McDonald never became wealthy for they sold their idea to Kroc

B)　　　The location the McDonalds chose was the only source of the great popularity of their drive-in

C)　　 Forty years ago there were numerous fast-food restaurants

D)　　 Ray Kroc was a good businessman

 

4. The passage suggests that　　　 .

A)　　 creativity is an important element of business success

B)　　　Ray Kroc was the close partner of the McDonald brothers

C)　　 Mac and Dick McDonald became broken after they sold their ideas to Ray Kroc

D)　　 California is the best place to go into business

 

5. As used in the second sentence of the third paragraph, the word ”unique” means　　 .

　A) special　　　　　　　C) financial

　B) attractive　　　　　　D) peculiar

 

Passage2

You’re busy filling out the application form for a position you really need; let’s assume you once actually completed a couple of years of college work or even that you completed your degree. Isn’t it tempting to lie just a little, to claim on the form that your diploma represents a Harvard degree? Or that you finished an extra couple of years back at State University?

More and more people are turning to utter deception like this to land their job or to move ahead in their careers, for personnel officers, like most Americans, value degrees from famous schools. A job applicant may have a good education anyway, but he or she assumes that chances of being hired are better with a diploma from a well-known university. Registrars at most well-known colleges say they deal with deceitful claims like these at the rate of about one per week.

Personnel officers do check up on degrees listed on application forms, then . If it turns out that an applicant is lying, most colleges are reluctant to accuse the applicant directly. One Ivy League school calls them “impostors 骗子”; another refers to them as “special cases.” one well-known West Coast school, in perhaps the most delicate phrase of all, says that these claims are made by “no such people.”

To avoid outright (彻底的) lies, some job-seekers claim that they “attended” or “were associated with” a college or university. After carefully checking, a personnel officer may discover that “attending” means being dismissed after one semester. It may be that “being associated with” a college means that the job – seeker visited his younger brother for a football weekend. One school that keeps records of false claims says that the practice dates back at least to the turn of the century – that’s when they began keeping records, anyhow.

If you don’t want to lie or even stretch the truth, there are companies that will sell you a phony （假的）diploma. One company, with offices in New York and on the West Coast, will put your name on a diploma from any number of nonexistent colleges. The price begins at around twenty dollars for a diploma from “Smoot State University.” The prices increase rapidly for a degree from the “University of Purdue.” As there is no Smoot State and the real school in Indiana is properly called Purdue University, the prices seem rather high for one sheet of paper.

 

6. The main idea of this passage is that　　　　　.

A)　　　　　　employers are checking more closely on applicants now

B)　　　　　　 lying about college degrees has become a widespread problem

C)　　　　　　college degrees can now be purchased easily

D)　　　　　　employers are no longer interested in college degrees

 

7. According to the passage, “special cases” refers to cases where　　　　　 .

A)　　　　　　students attend a school only part-time

B)　　　　　　 students never attended a school they listed on their application

C)　　　　　　students purchase false degrees from commercial films

D)　　　　　　students attended a famous school

 

8. We can infer from the passage that　　　　　　 .

A)　　　　　　performance is a better judge of ability that a college degree

B)　　　　　　 experience is the best teacher

C)　　　　　　past work histories influence personnel officers more than degrees do

D)　　 a degree from a famous school enables an applicant to gain advantage over others in job competition

 

9. This passage implies that　　　　　　.

A)　　　　　　buying a false degree is not moral

B)　　　　　　 personnel officers only consider applicants from famous schools

C)　　　　　　most people lie on applications because they were dismissed from school

D)　　　　　　society should be greatly responsible for lying on applications

 

10. As used in the first. Line of the second paragraph, the word “utter” means　　　 .

A) address　　　C) thorough

B) ultimate　　　D) decisive

 

Passage 3

Everyone has heard of the San Andreas fault (断层), which constantly threatens California and the West Coast with earthquakes. But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri?

Between December of 1811 and February of 1812, three major earthquakes occurred, all centered around the town of New Madrid, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. Property damage was severe. Buildings in the area were almost destroyed. Whole forests fell at once, and huge cracks opened in the ground, allowing smell of sulfur （硫磺）to filter upward.

The Mississippi River itself completely changed character, developing sudden rapids and whirlpools. Several times it changed its course, and once, according to some observers, it actually appeared to run backwards. Few people were killed in the New Madrid earthquakes, probably simply because few people lived in the area in 1811; but the severity of the earthquakes are shown by the fact that the shock waves rang bells in church towers in Charleston, South Carolina, on the coast. Buildings shook in New York City, and clocks were stopped in Washington, D.C.

Scientists now know that America’s two major faults are essentially different. The San Andreas is a horizontal boundary between two major land masses that are slowly moving in opposite directions. California earthquakes result when the movement of these two masses suddenly lurches (倾斜) forward.

The New Madrid fault, on the other hand, is a vertical fault; a some point, possibly hundreds of millions of years ago, rock was pushed up toward the surface, probably by volcanoes under the surface. Suddenly, the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed, leaving huge cracks. Even now, the rock continues to settle downwards, and sudden sinking motions trigger (触发) earthquakes in the region. The fault itself, a large crack in this layer of rock, with dozens of other cracks that split off from it, extends from northeast Arkansas through Missouri and into southern lllinois.

Scientists who have studied the New Madrid fault say there have been numerous smaller quakes in the area since 1811; these smaller quakes indicate that larger ones are probably coming, but the scientists say have no method of predicting when a large earthquake will occur.

 

11. This passage is mainly about　　　　 .

A)　　　　　　the New Madrid fault in Missouri

B)　　　　　　 the San Andreas and the New Madrid faults

C)　　　　　　the causes of faults

D)　　　　　　current scientific knowledge about faults

 

12. The New Madrid fault is　　　　　.

A)　　　　　　a horizontal fault

B)　　　　　　 a vertical fault

C)　　　　　　a more serious fault than the San Andreas fault

D)　　　　　　responsible for forming the Mississippi River

 

13. We may conclude from the passage that　　　　　 .

A)　　　　　　it is probably as dangerous to live in Missouri as in California

B)　　　　　　 the New Madrid fault will eventually develop a mountain range in Missouri

C)　　　　　　California will become an island in future

D)　　　　　　A big earthquake will occur to California soon

 

14. This passage implies that　　　　　　.

A)　　　　　　horizontal faults are more dangerous than vertical faults.

B)　　　　　　 Vertical faults are more dangerous than horizontal faults

C)　　　　　　Earthquakes occur only around fault areas

D)　　　　　　California will break into pieces by an eventual earthquake

 

15. As used in the first sentence of the fourth paragraph, the word “essentially” means　　　　.

A) greatly　　 C) basically

B) extremely　D) necessarily

 

Passage 4

Those who welcomed the railway saw it as more than a rapid and comfortable means of passing. They actually saw it as a factor in world peace. They did not foresee that the railway would be just one more means for the rapid movement of aggressive armies. None of them foresaw that the more we are together-the more chances there are of war. Any boy or girl who is one of a large family knows that.

Whenever any new invention is put forward, those for it and those against it can always find medical men to approve or condemn. The anti-railway group produced doctors who said that tunnels would be most dangerous to public health: they would produce colds, catarrhs (粘膜炎) and consumptions. The deafening noise and the glare of the engine fire, would have a bad effect on the nerves. Further, being moved through the air at a high speed would do grave injury to delicate lungs. In those with high blood-pressure, the movement of the train might produce apoplexy (中风). The sudden plunging of a train into the darkness of a tunnel, and the equally sudden rush into full daylight, would cause great damage to eyesight. But the pro-railway group was of course able to produce equally famous medical men to say just the opposite. They said that the speed and swing of the train would equalize the circulation, promote digestion, tranquilize the nerves, and ensure good sleep.

The actual rolling-stock was anything but comfortable. If it was a test of endurance to sit for four hours outside a coach in rain, or inside in dirty air, the railway offered little more in the way of comfort. Certainly the first-class carriages had cushioned seats; but the second-class had only narrow bare boards, while the third-class had nothing at all; no seats and no roof; they were just open trucks. So that third-class passengers gained nothing from the few mode except speed. In the matter of comfort, indeed they lost; they did, on the coaches, have a seat, but now they had to stand all the way, which gave opportunities to the comic (滑稽的) press. This kind of thing: ‘A man was seen yesterday buying a third-class ticket for the new London and Birmingham Railway. The state of his mind is being enquired into.’

A writer in the early days of railways wrote feelingly of both second-and third-class carriages. He made the suggestion that the directors of the railways must have sent all over the world to find the hardest possible wood. Of the open third-class trucks he said that they had the peculiar property of meeting the rain from whatever quarter it came. He described them as horizontal shower-baths, from whose searching power there was no escape.

 

16. All boys and girls in large families know that　　　　　　　.

A)　　　　　　a boy and a girl usually fight when they are together

B)　　　　　　 people tend to be together more than they used to be

C)　　　　　　a lot of people being together makes fights likely

D)　　　　　　Railway leads the world to peace

 

17. According to those who welcomed the railway, the railway itself should include all the following except　　　　　 .

A)　　　　　　the railway enables people travel fast

B)　　　　　　 the railway brings comfort to people

C)　　　　　　the railway makes the world peaceful

D)　　　　　　the railway leads the world to war as well.

 

18. According to the anti-railway group, all the followings are true but　　　　　　.

A)　　　　　　tunnels are dangerous to public health

B)　　　　　　 the noise and the glare of the engine fire may affect people’s nerves

C)　　　　　　the rapid speed through the air does damage to people’s lungs

D)　　　　　　to those with high blood-pressure, the rapid speed of the train causes them to die

 

19. We may safely conclude that　　　　　　.

A)　　　　　　the author belongs to the anti-railway group

B)　　　　　　 the author belongs to the for-railway group

C)　　　　　　the author speaks highly of the railway

D)　　　　　　the author may never take train because of its potential dangers

 

20. What is the tone of this passage?

A) Practical　　　C) Satirical

B) Humorous.　　 D) Exaggerated

 

Passage 5

In 1960-1961, Chad (乍得) harvested 9800 tons of cotton seed for the first time in its history, and put out the flag a little too soon. The efforts of the authorities to get the peasants ‘back’ to work, as they had slacked off (松懈) a great deal the previous year during independence celebrations, largely contributed to it. Also, rains were well spaced, and continued through the whole month of October. If the 1961-1962 total is back to the region of 45000 tons, it is mostly because efforts slackened again and sowing was started too late.

The average date of sowing is about July 1st. If this date is simply moved up fifteen or twenty days, 30000 to 60000 tons of cotton are gained, depending on the year. The peasant in Chad sows his millet (小米) first, and it is hard to criticize this instinctive priority given to his ‘daily bread’ . An essential reason for his lateness with sowing cotton is that at the time when he should leave to prepare the fields he has just barely sold the cotton of the previous season. The work required to sow, in great heat, is psychologically far more difficult if one’s pockets are full of money. The date of cotton sales should therefore be moved forward as much as possible, and purchases of equipment and draught animals encouraged.

Peasants should also be encouraged to save money, to help them through the difficult period between harvests. If necessary they should be forced to do so, by having the payments for cotton given to them in installments (分期付款). The last payment would be made after proof that the peasant has planted before the deadline, the date being advanced to the end of June. Those who have done so would receive extra money whereas the last planters would not receive their last payment until later.

Only the first steps are hard, because once work has started the peasants continue willingly on their way. Educational campaigns among the peasants will play an essential role in this basic advance, early sowing, on which all the others depend. It is not a matter of controlling the peasants. Each peasant will remain master of his fields. One could, however, suggest the need for the time being of kind but firm rule, which, as long as it cannot be realized ‘by the people’ , should at least be ‘for the people.’

 

21. In 1960-1961, Chad had a good harvest of cotton because　　　　　　.

A)　　　　　　the government greatly encouraged peasants

B)　　　　　　 rains favored the growth of cotton

C)　　　　　　Chad gained independence in the previous year

D)　　　　　　Both A) and B)

 

22. We learn from the passage that the date of sowing cotton is usually　　　 .

A) on June 15th　　　　　C) on July 1st

B) on July 15th　　　　　 D) on July 20th

 

23. As used in the third sentence of the second paragraph, “ daily bread” refers to　　　　　.

A) breakfast　　　C) rice

B) bread and butter　　　D) millet

 

24. In order to help them through the difficult time between harvests the peasants have to　　　 .

A)　　　　　　sell cotton in advance

B)　　　　　　 be encouraged to save money

C)　　　　　　sow cotton in time

D)　　　　　　plant millet first

 

25. Which of the following is NOT true?

A)　　　　　　Educational campaigns are very important to early sowing.

B)　　　　　　 Of all the advances that the writer hopes for, early sowing is the most important.

C)　　　　　　Peasants should remain the masters of their fields.

D)　　　　　　Government might as well make good and firm rule for peasants.

 

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