1、大学英语四级-268 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、Reading Comprehensio(总题数：0，分数：0.00)How My Life“s Journey BeganIt was 1961 and I was in the fifth grade. My marks in school were miserable and, the thing was, I didn“t know enough to really care. My older brother and I lived with Morn in a humble house in Detro
2、it. We watched TV every night. But one day Morn changed our world forever. She turned off the TV. She had noticed something in the suburban houses she cleanedbooks. So she came home one day, snapped off the TV, sat us down and explained that her sons were going to make something of themselves. “You
3、boys are going to read two books every week,“ she said. “And you“re going to write me a report on what you read.“ We moaned and complained about how unfair it was. Besides, we didn“t have any books in the house other than Mom“s Bible . But she explained that we would go where the books were: “I“1l d
4、rive you to the library.“ So pretty soon there were these two bad-tempered boys sitting in her car on their way to Detroit Public Library. I wandered reluctantly among the children“s books. The first book I read clear through was about seals. For the first time in my life I was lost in another world
5、. There were images forming in my mind instead of before my eyes. Soon I began to look forward to visiting this quiet sanctuary (避难所) from my other world. Now my older brother is an engineer and I am chief of paediatric neurosurgery (小儿神经外科). Sometimes I still can“t believe my life“s journey, from a
6、 failing and indifferent student in a Detroit public school to this position, which takes me all over the world to teach and perform critical surgery. But I know when the journey beganthe day Mom snapped off the TV set and put us in her car for that drive to the library.（分数：12.50）(1).We can learn fr
7、om the beginning of the passage that _.（分数：2.50）A.the author and his brother had done poorly in schoolB.the author had been very concerned about his school workC.the author had spent much time watching TV after schoolD.the author had realized how important schooling was(2).The mother was _ to make h
8、er two sons switch to reading books.（分数：2.50）A.hesitantB.unpreparedC.reluctantD.determined(3).What can we infer from the passage about the author“s family?（分数：2.50）A.He studied in a suburban school.B.He was not from a rich family.C.His mother loved reading very much.D.His mother had received much ed
9、ucation.(4).How did the two boys feel about going to the library at first?（分数：2.50）A.They were afraid.B.They were unwilling.C.They were indifferent.D.They were eager to go.(5).The author began to love books for the following reasons EXCEPT that _.（分数：2.50）A.he began to see something in his mindB.he
10、could visualize what he read in his mindC.he could get many awards from his motherD.he realized that books offered him new experienceInterview MattersIt often happens that a number of applicants with almost identical qualifications and experience all apply for the same position. In their educational
11、 background, special skills and work experience, there is little, if anything, to choose between half a dozen candidates. How then does the employer make a choice? Usually on the basis of an interview. There are many arguments for and against the interview as a selection procedure. The main argument
12、 against it is that it results in a wholly subjective (主观的) decision. As often as not, employers do not choose the best candidate, they choose the candidate who makes a good first impression on them. The main argument in favor of the interviewand it is, perhaps, a good argumentis that an employer is
13、 concerned not only with a candidate“s ability, but with the suitability of his or her personality for the particular work situation. Many employers, for example, will overlook occasional small mistakes from their secretary provided she has a pleasant personality. It is perhaps true to say, therefor
14、e, that the real purpose of an interview is not to assess the assessable aspects of each candidate but to make a guess at the more intangible (难以捉摸的；无形的) things, such as personality, character and social ability. Unfortunately, both for the employers and applicants for jobs, there are many people of
15、 great ability who simply do not interview well. There are also, of course, people who interview extremely well, but are later found to be very unsatisfactory employees. Candidates who interview well tend to be quite confident, but never boastful; direct and honest in their questions and answers; ch
16、eerful and friendly, but never over-familiar; and sincerely enthusiastic and optimistic. Candidates who interview badly tend to be at either end of the range of human behavior. They are either very shy or over-confident. They show either a lack of enthusiasm or an excess of it. They either talk too
17、little or never stop talking. They are either over-polite or rudely abrupt.（分数：12.50）(1).What kind of candidates do employers often choose?（分数：2.50）A.Those who received better education.B.Those who made a good first impression.C.Those with serious personality.D.Those with good appearances.(2).An emp
18、loyer might tolerate his secretary“s occasional mistakes, if the latter is _.（分数：2.50）A.directB.cheerfulC.shyD.capable(3).What is the author“s attitude towards the interview as a selection procedure?（分数：2.50）A.Unclear.B.Negative.C.Objective.D.Indifferent.(4).People argue for the interview as a selec
19、tion procedure mainly because employers have _.（分数：2.50）A.different selection proceduresB.different test forms in the interviewsC.different standards for competenceD.different experiences in interviews(5).What do candidates interview well tend to be?（分数：2.50）A.Boastful, friendly and optimistic.B.Con
20、fident, honest and optimistic.C.Honest, very shy and confident.D.Enthusiastic, talkative and friendly.Impression on CairoNo matter how many times you have seen images of the golden mask of Tutankhamen (图坦卡蒙，埃及法老名), come face to face with it in Egypt“s Cairo museum, and you will suck in your breath .
21、 It was on Nov 4, 1923, that British archaeologist (考古学家) Howard Carter accidentally found a stone at the base of a tomb in Luxor that eventually led to a sealed doorway. Then, on Nov 23, Carter found a second door and when he stuck his head through it, what he saw was to shock the world. Inside lay
22、 a great stone coffin (棺材) enclosing three chests of gilded (镀金的) wood. A few months later, when the coffins were removed one after another, Carter found a solid block of gold weighing110kg. In it was the mummy of the 19-year-old Tutankhamen, covered in gold with that splendid funeral mask. And all
23、this lay buried for more than 3,000 years. Cairo, a dusty city of 20 million people, is a place where time seems to both stand still and rush into utter chaos. It is a place where the ancient and contemporary happily go along on parallel tracks. Take the Great Pyramids of Giza, sitting on the wester
24、n edge of the city. Even as the setting sun silhouettes (使呈现轮廓) these gigantic structures against the great desert expanse, a call for prayer floats over semi-finished apartment blocks filled with the activity of city life. While careful planning for the afterlife may lie buried underground in Cairo
25、, it is noise and confusion on the streets. Donkey carts battle for space with passersby and the only operative road rule is “might is right“. But it is a city that is full of life from the small roadside restaurants to the coffee shops. Donkey carts piled high with fiat-breads magically find their
26、way in and out the maddening traffic; young women in long skirts and headscarves hold hands with young men in open collar shirts, while conversations revolve around Kuwait“s chances at the soccer World Cup.（分数：12.50）(1).According to the context, “ suck in your breath “ (Line 3, Para. 1) means “feel
27、a sense of _“.（分数：2.50）A.respect and fearB.horror and doubtC.doubt and disappointD.delight and surprise(2).What do we learn about the mummy?（分数：2.50）A.The masked mummy was covered in pure silver.B.The discovery of the mummy came as a surprise.C.It was first discovered by a British artist.D.It was fo
28、und lying right inside the stone coffin.(3).Which word CANNOT be used to describe Cairo?（分数：2.50）A.Crowded.B.Quiet.C.Noisy.D.Confused.(4).What does the author mean by saying “ It is a place where the ancient and contemporary happily go along on parallel tracks. “ (Line 2, Para. 5)?（分数：2.50）A.Cairo i
29、s both ancient and modern.B.Cairo has lots of train tracks.C.People in Cairo live more happily than ever.D.People in Cairo get along well with each other.(5).What is the author“s attitude towards Cairo?（分数：2.50）A.Positive.B.Negative.C.Objective.D.Unclear.Fashionable Fast Food: On a RollOn Friday eve
30、nings diners seeking a table at MeatLiquor, a fashionable burger restaurant in central London, can expect to queue for an hour. For big groups the wait doubles. At nearby Patty ready meals, particularly meaty ones, are up. Yet people are still eating out. It has consistently topped spending prioriti
31、es after utility bills, says Helen Spicer, an analyst. At restaurants people want reliable treats that are gentle on the wallet. Burgers are nostalgic (怀旧的) and comforting, says Mr Byng. And dinner at Byron costs just 15 pounds. Many of the fancy burger suppliers started as pop-ups (弹出式广告), allowing
32、 restaurateurs to test their products and build a customer base before renting an expensive property. Their restaurants are frugal (节俭的). They have short menus, which are easier to do well. Fewer ingredients means less waste and more purchases. Restaurants then can keep prices low while still turnin
33、g a comfortable profit. People eat fast, so lots of people can eat here in a limited time. Honest Burger, in London, can turn its tables as many as five times at lunch and seven or eight times at dinner. Full-service restaurants might manage one turnover (周转) at lunch and two at dinner. Investors ar
34、e now tempted by another meat, says David Campbell, head of the restaurants and bars team at BDO, a consultancy. There is little in the way of an upmarket Kentucky Fried Chicken. Might fashionable chicken have wings?（分数：12.50）(1).What can we know from the first two paragraphs?（分数：2.50）A.All Britons
35、like to eat burgers on Friday evenings.B.Fancy burgers are the Britons“ favorite food.C.Byron will have more branches in a short time.D.Gourmet Burger Kitchen has 59 branches in Edinburgh.(2).What can we learn about Britons since the financial crisis?（分数：2.50）A.They are more likely to buy meaty read
36、y meals.B.They begin to buy more vegetables instead of meat.C.Many of them cannot afford to cook at home.D.Less people eat out so as to save money.(3).What do people want at restaurants according to Mr Byng?（分数：2.50）A.Cheap and convenient food.B.Reliable and cheap food.C.Free and comforting food.D.N
37、ormal and cheap food.(4).How did many of the fancy burger suppliers start?（分数：2.50）A.They rented cheap properties to cut cost.B.They established a customer base first.C.They provided various fancy dishes.D.They kept a high turnover and made a small profit.(5).Fancy burger restaurants have the follow
38、ing characteristics except _.（分数：2.50）A.they make a considerable profitB.they have lots of customersC.their customers come and go fastD.their products are rather expensiveArtist Lead PoisoningIn 1713, Italian physician Bernardinus Ramazzini described in his book a mysterious set of symptoms he was n
39、oticing among artists: “Of the many painters I have known, almost all I found unhealthy.if we search for the cause of the extremely thin and colorless appearance of the painters, as well as the sad feelings that they are so often victims of, we should look no further than the harmful nature of the p
40、aint.“ He was one of the first to make the connection between paint and artists“ health, but it would take centuries for painters to switch to less-harmful materials, even as medicine gradually found some clues to the painters“ health problems. The 1834 London Medical and Surgical Journal describes
41、sharp stomach pains occurring in patients with no other evidence of intestinal (肠的) disease, thus leading the authors to suspect that this “painter“s stomachache“ was a “nervous affection“ of the intestine that occurs when lead “is absorbed into the system“. Paints weren“t the only source of saturni
42、sm (铅中毒) in past centuries, though. Through the 1500s, lead was widely used in wine to make the wine tastes sweeter. Occasionally, lead was even used as a medicine. In the Middle Ages, lead could be found in makeup. Though many kinds of people fell victim to saturnism, the disease was perhaps most w
43、idespread among those who worked with paint. The symptoms of this “stomachache“ ranged, but they often included a pale face, tooth loss, fatigue, painful stomach aches, and so on. In fact, the illness that many famous artists experienced didn“t just prompt their gloomy worksthey might have been caus
44、ed by them, too. Lead poisoning among historical figures is difficult to prove, in part because the condition was not known or recognized in most of their lifetimes. We can“t know whether the madness, depression, and illnesses many Renaissance masters experienced can be attributed to their paint or
45、just their physiologies.（分数：12.50）(1).In his book, Bernardinus Ramazzini described the following symptoms of many painters except _.（分数：2.50）A.pale appearanceB.feeling depressedC.being extremely thinD.being always energetic(2).What can we know about Bernardinus Ramazzini?（分数：2.50）A.He was an Italian
46、 physicist.B.He loved painting himself.C.He thought paints do harm to health.D.He made artists stop using paints.(3).When may be the connection between paint and artists“ health first established?（分数：2.50）A.In the 16th century.B.In the 18th century.C.In the 19th century.D.In the 20th century.(4).Lea
47、d can be found in _.（分数：2.50）A.only paintsB.paints and chalksC.makeup and wineD.medicine and candy(5).What is the main idea of the passage?（分数：2.50）A.Typical symptoms of artists“ disease may be connected to paints.B.Lead was widely used throughout history in daily life.C.All the artists are unhealth
48、y for they use harmful paints.D.Saturnism in past centuries came from various sources.Teach Kids to DaydreamToday“s children are exhausted, and not just because one in three kids is not getting sufficient sleep. Sleep deprivation (缺乏，不足) in kids has been found to significantly decrease academic achi
49、evement, lower intelligence test scores, slower physical growth, heighten moodiness and so on. While the argument for protecting our children“s sleep time is compelling, there is another kind of rest that is equally beneficial to our children“s academic, emotional, and creative lives: daydreaming. Daydreaming, which looks lazy from the outside, may just be the hidden wellspring (源泉) of creativity and learning. Not all mental downtime (停工休息期) is alike, of course. Downtime spent playing a videogame or watching a television show may have its cha
