Ⅳ. Reading Comprehension (60 points)
Directions:
There are four reading passages in this part Each passage is followed by five questions. For each question there are four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D. Choose one best answer and blacken the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet.
Passage One
Researchers have found that REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is important to human beings. This type of sleep generally occurs four or five times during one night of sleep lasting five minutes to forty minutes for each occurrence. The deeper a person’s sleep becomes, the longer the periods of rapid eye movement.
There are physical charges in the body to show that a person has changed from NREM (non-rapid eye movement) to REM sleep. Breathing becomes faster, the heart rate increases, and, as the name implies, the eyes begin to move quickly.
Accompanying these physical changes in the body is a very important characteristic of REM sleep. It is during REM sleep that a person dreams.
61. According to the passage, how often does REM sleep occur in one night?
A. Once B. Twice C. Four of five times D. Forty times
62. The word “deeper” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. heavier. B. louder. C. stronger. D. happier.
63. Which of the following shows that a person is NOT dreaming in his sleep?
A. His eyes begin to move. B. His breathing becomes faster.
C. His heart rate increases. D. His eyes stop moving.
64. The subject of this passage is ________.
A. why people sleep B. the human need for REM sleep
C. the characteristic of REM sleep D. physical changes in the human body
65. Which of the following is the best title of the article?
A. REM Sleep B. Two Types of Sleep C. Sleepers D. What Happens to Sleepers
Passage Two
The Mother Goose Stories, so well known to children all over the word, are commonly said to have been written by a little old woman for her grandchildren. According to some people, she lived in Boston, and her real name was Elizabeth Vergoose. Her son-in-law, a printer named Thomas Fleet, was supposed to have published the famous stories and poems for small children in 1719. However, no copy of this book has ever been found, and most scholars doubt the truth of this story—and doubt, moreover, that Mother Goose was ever a real person. They point out that the name is a direct translation of the French “Mere I’ Oye.” In 1697 the Frenchman Charles Perrault published the first book in which this name was used. The collection contains eight tales, including “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” and “Puss in Boots.” But Perrault did not originate these stories; they were already quite popular in his day, and he only collected them.
66. What is suppssed to have happened in 1719?
Elizabeth Vergoose wrote the first Mother Goose Stories.
Thomas Fleet published the Mother Goose Stories.
The Mother Goose Stories were translated into French.
Charles Perrault published the first Mother Goose Stories.
67. Most scholars consider Mother Goose to be _________.
A. a real person B. a book written by a little old woman
C. a collection by Elizabeth Vergoose D. a translation from French
68. When Perrault published the first book in 1679, _______.
no story of the book had been known to people
some stories of the book were already well known
few people were interested in the stories of the book
stories like “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella” became popular
69. The name used in the first book published in 1679 is supposed to have been _______.
A. Mother Goose B. Mere I’ Oye C. Elizabeth Vergoose D. Charles Perrault
70. On the basis of this passage, what may be concluded about the real origin of stories “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella”?
They were invented by Elizabeth Vergoose.
They were invented by Thomas Fleet.
They were invented by Charles Perrault.
Their writers are unknown.
Passage Three
Banks are not ordinarily prepared to pay out all accounts; they rely on depositors (储户) not to demand payment all at the same time. If depositors should come to fear that a bank is not safe, that it cannot pay off all its depositors, then that fear might cause all the depositors to appear on the same day. If they did, the bank could not pay all accounts. However, if they did not all appear at once, then there would always be enough money to pay those who wanted their money when they wanted it. Mrs. Elsie Vaught has told us of a terrifying bank run that she experienced. One day in December of 1925 several banks failed to open in a city where Mrs. Vaught lived. The other banks expected a run the next day, and so the officers of the bank in which Mrs Vaught worked as a teller had enough money on hand to pay off their depositors. The officers simply told the tellers to pay on demand. The next morning a crowd gathered in the bank and on the sidewalk outside. The length of the line made many think that the bank could not possibly pay off everyone. People began to push and then to fight for places near the tellers’ windows, The power of the panic atmosphere was such that two tellers, though they knew that the bank was quite all right and could pay all depositors, drew their own money from the bank. Mrs Vaught says that she had difficulty keeping herself from doing the same.
71. A bank run happens when _______.
a bank is closed for one or more days
too many depositors try to draw out their money at one time
there is not enough money to pay all its depositors at one time
tellers of a bank take their own money from the bank
72. The tellers in Mrs. Vaught’s bank were told to ________.
explain why they could not pay out all accounts
pay out accounts as requested
make the depositors believe that the bank was stand
pay out money as slowly as possible
73. The main cause of a bank run is _______.
A. loss of confidence B. lack of money
C. crowds of people D. inexperienced tellers
74. Which of the following did Mrs. Vaught say?
She know that the bank was not sound.
She feared that too many depositors drawing their money would close the bank.
She was not able to draw out her money.
She was tempted to draw out her money.
75. According to the passage, the actions of the depositors of Mrs. Vaught’s bank were affected mainly by the _______.
ease with which they could get their money
confidence that Mrs. Vaught showed
failure of several other banks to open
confidence shown by other depositors of the bank
Passage Four
One of the greatest problems for those settlers in Nebraska in the last quarter of the previous century was fuel. Little of the state was forested when the first settlers arrived and it is probable that by 1880, only about one-third of the originally forested area remained, down to a mere 1 percent of the state’s 77,000 square miles. With wood and coal out of the question, and with fuel needed year-round for cooking, and during the harsh winter months for heating, some solution had to be found.
Somewhat improbably, the buffalo provided the answer. Buffalo chips (干粪块) were found to burn evenly, hotly, and cleanly, with little smoke and interestingly, no odor, Soon, collecting them became a way of life for the settlers’ children who would pick them up on their way to and from school, or take part in competitions designed to counteract their natural reluctance. Even a young man, seeking to impress the girl he wanted to marry, would arrive with a large bag of chips rather than with a box of candy or a bunch of flowers.
76. What is the main topic of this passage?
The solution to the Nebraska settlers’ fuel problem.
Life in Nebraska in the late ninteenth century.
The imporance of the American buffalo.
Deforestation in Nebraska in the late nineteenth century.
77. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
Nebraska was not a densely-forested state even before the settlers arrived.
The children enjoyed collecting the buffalo chips.
The children spent a lot of time collecting the chips.
Buffalo chips were satisfactory as a fuel.
78. The passage implies that buffalo chips were needed _______.
A. in greater amounts in summer B. in greater amounts in winter
C. only in summer D. only in winter
79. Which of the following does the author not express surprise at?
The children needed competitions to them.
The buffalo chips gave off no smell.
Buffalo chips were the answer to the settlers’ fuel problem.
Young men took bags of buffalo chips to their girl friends.
80. What’s the best title of the passage?
A. Early Settlers B. One Use of the Buffalo Chips
C. Nebraska’s Problems D. How Young Men Express Their Love for Girls
