2016年大学英语四级模拟试题备考强化卷(十)

　　Part Ⅱ Reading Comprehension (35 minutes)

　　Directions:There are 4 passages in this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choices marked A),B),C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the centre.

　　Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage: Ascientist who does research in economic psychology and who wants to predict the way in which consumers will spend their money must study consumer behavior. He must obtain data both on resources of consumers and on the motives that tend to encourage or discourage money spending.

　　If an economist as asked which of three groups borrow most—people with rising incomes, stable incomes, or declining incomes—he would probably answer:those with declining incomes. Actually, in the years 1947—1950, the answer was: people with rising incomes. People with declining incomes were next and people with stable incomes borrowed the least. This shows us that traditional assumptions about earning and spending are not always reliable. Another traditional assumption is that if people who have money expect prices to go up, they will hasten to buy. If they expect prices to go down, they will postpone buying. But research surveys have shown that this is not always true. The expectations of price increase may not stimulate buying. One typical attitude was expressed by the wife of a mechanic in an interview at a time of rising prices. “In a few months,” she said, “we’ll have to pay more for meat and milk; we’ll have less to spend on other things.” Her family had been planning to buy a new car but they postponed this purchase. Furthermore, the rise in prices that has already taken place may be resented and buyer’s resistance may be evoked.

　　The investigations mentioned above were carried out in America. Investigations conducted at the same time in Great Britain, however, yielded results that were more in agreement with traditional assumptions about saving and spending patterns. The condition most conductive to spending appears to be price stability. If prices have been stable and people consider that they are reasonable, they are likely to buy. Thus, it appears that the common business policy of maintaining stable prices is based on a correct understanding of consumer psychology.21.If a scientist wants to study consumer behavior, what must he do?A) He must predict the way in which consumers will spend their money.B) He must do scientific research.C) He must know background of customers.D) He must do research and learn the resources and motives of customers.22.Which of the following groups borrow money most according to

　　traditional assumption?A) People with rising incomes.B) People with stable incomes.C) People with declining incomes.D) None of the above.23.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to

　　the passage?A) Traditional assumptions about earning and spending are not always

　　reliable.B) The condition that most helps to produce spending appears to be price rising.C) Maintaining stable prices is a common business policy.D) The results of the investigation in America were not the same as

　　those in Great Britain.24.The research survey in America have showed that when the

　　prices rise, ____.A) people will hasten to buyB) people will stop buyingC) people will postpone their purchaseD) people will buy more than they can use25.The saving and spending patterns in America are ____ those at the same time in Britain.A) different from C) the same asB) much better than D) much worse than

　　Questions 26 to 30 are

　　based on the following passage.

　　In the past, American families tended to be quite large. Parents raising

　　five or more children were common. Over the years, the size of the family has decreased. One reason for this is an increase in the cost of living. On

　　the average, children attend schools for more years than they used to,

　　making them financially dependent on their families longer. Moreover, children nowadays are better dressed and have more money to spend on entertainment. The parents usually take the responsibility for all the expenses. Meanwhile, families are less close than they used to be. More and more American mothers work away from home. The breakup of the family occurs when the parents divorce. A lot of children in the U. S. live part of their young lives with only one parent. Broken families usually result in problems for children and parents alike. Children blame themselves when their parents separate. They grow up feeling unsettled as they are moved back and forth between parents. Usually one parent is responsible for raising the children. These single parents must care for the children’s emotional and psychological needs while also supporting them financially. This is very demanding and leaves very little time for the parent’s own personal interests. Single parents often marry other single parents. In this type of family, unrelated children are forced to develop brother or sister relationship. The situations of many American families today are not good. However, recent signs indicate that things are getting better. The divorce rate is declining. The rate of childbirth is rising. Perhaps Americans have learned how important families are.26.In the past, American families tended to be ____.A) quite small C) quite largeB) medium sized D) small27. To parents who take the responsibility for children’s

　　expenses, the cost of living increases because ____.A) children attend school for more yearsB) children are better dressedC) children spend more money on entertainmentD) all of the above28.What problems would broken families bring to both children

　　and parents?A) Children grow up feeling unsettled and parents didn’t pay much attention to children.B) Children grow up feeling free and one parent is responsible for raising the children.C) Children are moved back and forth between parents and the single parent is busy working to make money to support himself/herself.D) Children grow up feeling unsettled, and the parents have little

　　time for his/her own interests because one parent is too busy taking care

　　of children.29.According to the author, the situations of American families

　　in the future may ____.A) become worse C) get betterB) remain the same D) keep unchanged30.The title of the article might be ____.A) American Children C) American MotherB) American Families D) American Parents

　　Questions 31 to 35 are

　　based on the following passage:

　　Albert Schweitzer was born in 1875 in Alsace. At that time, it was a part of

　　Germany. His generous spirit was first awakened through his training as a Lutheran minister. Besides gaining a reputation as a preacher, he also became respected for his ability to play the organ. He was a man of many talents. His concern for other people turned his attention to medicine. He had also acquired doctoral degrees in philosophy and music. His wife took an interest in medicine too and became a nurse. Many people thought that he should remain and lecture

　　in Europe to have a strong impact on Western civilization. Though he listened to their suggestions, he ultimately decided to follow his own conscience. This led him to Africa. Albert had felt that all men should accept the responsibility of helping others. He felt particularly concerned for black Africans who had been exploited by white men. He earned the money he needed by performing on the organ and by lecturing. With this money he bought equipment and opened a hospital in Africa. He was a man of great strength who faced great problems with courage. The threat of war, the reality of imprisonment during World War, one as a German citizen, and the unbearable heat in Africa did not deter him at all. He believed that man could overcome these obstacles if he had a sense of idealism. He died in 1965.31.Albert Schweitzer was ____.A) a pianist C) a humanitarianB) an African D) a nurse32.He had talents for ____.A) training his wife to be a nurse, giving concert and lecturingB) giving medical care, lecturing, playing the organC) taking care of sick people, fighting as a soldier, lecturingD) giving concert, making equipment, helping others33.In spite of people’s suggestions, Albert decided to go to

　　Africa ____.A) because he was born thereB) because he wanted to help others particularly black Africans who had

　　been exploited by white menC) because he wanted to give a concert to African peopleD) because he wanted to make money there34.Why did the author think he was a man of great strength?A) He always faced great problems with courage.B) The threat of war and the reality of imprisonment during World War

　　didn’t discourage him.C) The unbearable heat in Africa did not deter him at all.D) All of the above.35.Albert Schweitzer lived to be ____.A) 70 years old C) 90 years oldB) 80 years old

　　D) 100 years old

　　Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:

　　Social change is more likely to occur in societies where there is a mixture of different kinds of people than in societies where people aresimilar in many ways. The simple reason for this is that there are more different ways of looking at things present in the first kind of society. There are more ideas, more disagreements in interest, and more groups and organizations with different beliefs. In addition, there is usually a greater worldly interest and greater tolerance in mixed societies. All these factors tend to promote social change by opening more areas of life to decision. In a society where people are quite similar in many ways, there are fewer occasions for people to see the need or the opportunity for change because everything seems to be the same. And although conditions may not be satisfactory, they are atleast customary and undisputed.

　　Within a society, social change is also likely to occur more frequently

　　and more readily in the material aspects of the culture than in the nonmaterial, for example, in technology rather than in values; in what has been learned later in life rather than what was learned early; in the less basic and less emotional aspects of society than in their opposites; in the simple elements

　　rather than in the complex ones; in form rather than in substance; and in elements that are acceptable to the culture rather than in strange elements.

　　Furthermore, social change is easier if it is gradual. For example, it

　　comes more readily in human relations on a continuous scale rather than one with sharp dichotomies ( 一分为二). This is one reason why change has not come

　　more quickly to Black Americans as compared to other American minorities,

　　because of the sharp difference in appearance between them and their white counterparts.36.What kind of society tends to promote social changes?A) A society where people are similar in many ways.B) A society where there are only white people.C) A society where there are only black people.D) A society where there is a mixture of different kinds of people.37.In a mixed society, there may be disagreement in ____.A) ideas C) beliefs B) interests D) all of the above38.Which of the following is not true, according to the passage?A) Social change is more likely to occur in the material aspect of society.B) Social change is less likely to occur in what people learned when they were old.C) Disagreement with and argument about conditions tend to promote

　　social change.D) Social change tends to meet with more difficulty in basic and emotional aspects of society.39.Social change is less likely to occur in a society where

　　people are quite similar in many ways because ____.A) people there are easy to pleaseB) people there are less argumentaryC) people there have got so accustomed to their conditions that they seldom think it necessary to changeD) people there have same needs that can be satisfied without much difficulty40.The passage is mainly discussing ____.A) two different societiesB) certain factors that determine the case with which social change oc

　　cursC) the necessity of social changeD) the significance of social change