大学英语四级模拟试题（十一）

part　ii　reading　comprehension　(35　minutes)　
directions:there　are　four　reading　passages　in　this　part.　each　passage　is　followed　by　some　questions.　for　each　question　there　are　four　suggested　answers　marked　a,b,c　and　d.　you　should　choose　the　one　best　answer　and　blacken　the　corresponding　letter　on　the　answer　sheet　with　a　pencil.
passage　1　

mrs.　lester　kept　on　asking　her　husband　to　take　her　to　the　ballet.　mr.　lester　hates　the　ballet,　but　when　his　employer　invited　him　and　his　wife,　he　could　not　get　out　of　it.　as　they　drove　to　the　theatre　that　evening,　the　fog　got　worse　and　worse.　the　traffic　slowed　down　to　a　walking　pace　and　almost　stopped.　when　they　eventually　got　to　the　theatre,　the　ballet　was　over.　mrs.　lester　could　not　work　out　how　it　had　taken　them　so　long　to　get　there,　even　taking　the　fog　into　account.　the　theatre　was　within　walking　distance　of　their　house.　it　took　her　a　long　time　to　get　over　the　disappointment.　

a　month　later,　mrs.　lester　found　out　what　had　happened.　mr.lester　told　a　friend　of　his　that　he　had　taken　wrong　turning　on　purpose.　this　friend　told　his　wife,　and　the　wife　immediately　went　around　to　tell　mrs.　lester.　the　two　women　began　to　plan　a　revenge.　one　day,　when　mr.　lester　was　not　in,　they　broke　into　his　study,　which　he　always　locked.　his　hobby　was　collecting　old　coins.　mrs.　lester　had　already　worked　out　how　much　his　collection　was　worth:$850!they　were　taking　some　coins　out　of　the　case　when　they　heard　a　car　pull　up　outside　the　house.　mrs.　lester　quickly　switched　the　light　off,　and　they　waited,　holding　their　breath.　the　front　door　opened　and　mr.　lester　came　in.　they　heard　him　take　hisc　oat　off.　he　walked　towards　the　study　door　and　opened　it.　there　was　no　chance　for　the　women　to　get　away　without　being　seen.　mr.　lester　switched　the　light　on　and　was　astounded　to　see　his　wife　standing　there　with　a　handful　of　valuable　coins.　it　took　both　husband　and　wife　a　long　time　to　get　over　this.　　

1.　which　of　the　following　is　correct?看答案
a.　mr.　lester　likes　to　watch　ballet.　
b.　mrs.　lester　likes　to　watch　ballet.
c.　both　of　them　like　to　watch　ballet　
d.　neither　of　them　likes　to　watch　ballet.　　

2.　it　was　quite　when　they　drove　to　the　theatre..看答案
a.　rainy
b.　stormy
c.　cloudy
d.　foggy

3.　the　theater　is　from　mr.　and　mrs.　lester's.看答案
a.　an　hour-driving
b.　in　the　other　side　of　the　city　
c.　very　near
d.　half　an　hour　of　bicycle　riding　　

4.　the　wife　of　mr.　lester's　friend　is　a　.看答案
a.　social　worker
b.　house　cleaner
c.　baby　sitter
d.　gossip　　

5.　how　many　persons　are　mentioned　in　this　story?看答案
a.　three
b.　four
c.　five
d.　six.　

passage　2

the　motor　vehicle　has　killed　and　disabled　more　people　in　its　brief　history　than　any　bomb　or　weapon　ever　invented.　much　of　the　blood　on　the　street　flows　essentially　from　uncivil　behavior　of　drivers　who　refuse　to　respect　the　legal　and　moral　rights　of　others.　so　the　massacre　on　the　road　may　be　regarded　as　a　social　problem.　

in　fact,　the　enemies　of　society　on　wheels　are　rather　harmless　people　just　ordinary　people　acting　carelessly,　you　might　say.　but　it　is　a　principle　both　of　law　and　common　morality　that　carelessness　is　no　excuse　when　one's　actions　could　bring　death　or　damage　to　others.　a　minority　of　the　killers　go　even　beyond　carelessness　to　total　negligence.　

researchers　have　estimated　that　as　many　as　80　per　cent　of　all　automobile　accidents　can　be　attributed　to　the　psychological　condition　of　the　driver.　emotional　upsets　can　distort　drivers'　reactions,　slow　their　judgement,　and　blind　them　to　dangers　that　might　otherwise　be　evident.　the　experts　warn　that　it　is　vital　for　every　driver　to　make　a　conscious　effort　to　keep　one's　emotions　under　control.　

yet　the　irresponsibility　that　accounts　for　much　of　the　problem　is　not　confined　to　drivers.　street　walkers　regularly　violate　traffic　regulations,　they　are　at　fault　in　most　vehicle　walker　accidents;　and　many　cyclists　even　believe　that　they　are　not　subject　to　the　basic　rules　of　the　road.　

significant　legal　advances　have　been　made　towards　safer　driving　in　the　past　few　years.　safety　standards　for　vehicle　have　been　raised　both　at　the　point　of　manufacture　and　through　periodic　road-worthiness　inspections.　in　addition,　speed　limits　have　been　lowered.　due　to　these　measures,　the　accident　rate　has　decreased.　but　the　accident　experts　still　worry　because　there　has　been　little　or　no　improvement　in　the　way　drivers　behave.　the　only　real　and　lasting　solution,　say　the　experts,　is　to　convince　people　that　driving　is　a　skilled　task　requiring　constant　care　and　concentration.　those　who　fail　to　do　all　these　things　present　a　threat　to　those　with　whom　they　share　the　road.

6.　what　is　the　author's　main　purpose　in　writing　the　passage?看答案
a.　to　show　that　the　motor　vehicle　is　a　very　dangerous　invention.
b.　to　promote　understanding　between　careless　drivers　and　street　walkers.
c.　to　discuss　traffic　problems　and　propose　possible　solutions.
d.　to　warn　drivers　of　the　importance　of　safe　driving.　　

7.　according　to　the　passage,　traffic　accidents　may　be　regarded　as　a　social　problem　because　.看答案
a.　autos　have　become　most　destructive　to　mankind
b.　people　usually　pay　little　attention　to　law　and　morality
c.　civilization　brings　much　harm　to　people
d.　the　lack　of　virtue　is　becoming　more　severe　　

8.　why　does　the　author　mention　the　psychological　condition　of　the　driver　in　paragraph　three?看答案
a.　to　give　an　example　of　the　various　reasons　for　road　accidents.
b.　to　show　how　important　it　is　for　drivers　to　be　emotionally　healthy.
c.　to　show　some　of　the　inaccurate　estimations　by　researchers.
d.　to　illustrate　the　hidden　tensions　in　the　course　of　driving.　　

9.　who　are　not　mentioned　as　being　responsible　for　the　road　accidents?看答案
a.　careless　bicycle-riders.
b.　mindless　people　walking　in　the　street.
c.　irresponsible　drivers.
d.　irresponsible　manufactures　of　automobiles.　　

10.　which　of　the　following　best　reflects　the　author's　attitude　toward　a　future　without　traffic　accident　problems?看答案
a.　doubtful　yet　still　longing　for
b.　happy　and　rather　confident
c.　surprised　and　very　pleased
d.　disappointed　and　deeply　worried