【篇一】2021年下半年英语四级考试阅读理解
President Clinton’s decision on Apr.8 to send Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji packing without anagreement on China’s entry into the World Trade Organization seemed to be a massivemiscalculation. The President took a drubbing from much of the press, which had breathlesslyreported that a deal was in the bag. The Cabinet and Whit House still appeared divided, andbusiness leaders were characterized as furious over the lost opportunity. Zhu charged thatClinton lacked “the courage” to reach an accord. And when Clinton later telephoned the angryZhu to pledge a renewed effort at negotiations, the gesture was widely portrayed as a flip-flop.In fact, Clinton made the right decision in holding out for a better WTO deal. A lot more horsetrading is needed before a final agreement can be reached. And without the Administration’sgoal of a “bullet-proof agreement” that business lobbyists can enthusiastically sell to aRepublican Congress, the whole process will end up in partisan acrimony that could harmrelations with China for years.
THE HARD PART. Many business lobbyists, while disappointed that the deal was not closed, agree that better terms can still be had. And Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin, NationalEconomic Council Director Gene B. Sperling, Commerce Secretary William M. Daley, and toptrade negotiator Charlene Barshefsky all advised Clinton that while the Chinese had made aremarkable number of concessions, “we’re not there yet,” according to senior officials.
Negotiating with Zhu over the remaining issues may be the easy part. Although Clinton cansignal U.S. approval for China’s entry into the WTO himself, he needs Congress to grantBeijing permanent most-favored-nation status as part of a broad trade accord. And thetemptation for meddling on Capital Hill may prove over-whelming. Zhu had barely landedbefore Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss) declared himself skeptical that Chinadeserved entry into the WTO. And Senators Jesse A. Helms (R-N.C.) and Emest F. Hollings(D-S. C.) promised to introduce a bill requiring congressional approval of any deal.
The hidden message from these three textile-state Southerners: Get more protection for theU. S. clothing industry. Hoping to smooth the way, the Administration tried, but failed, tobudge Zhu on textiles. Also left in the lurch: Wall Street, Hollywood, and Detroit. Zhu refusedto open up much of the lucrative Chinese securities market and insisted on “cultural” restrictions on American movies and music. He also blocked efforts to allow U. S. auto makersto provide fleet financing.
BIG JOB. Already, business lobbyists are blanketing Capitol Hill to presale any eventualagreement, but what they’ve heard so far isn’t encouraging. Republicans, including Lott, saythat “the time just isn’t right” for the deal. Translation: We’re determined to make it look as ifClinton has capitulated to the Chinese and is ignoring human, religious, and labor rightsviolations; the theft of nuclear-weapons technology; and the sale of missile parts to America’senemies. Beijing’s fierce critics within the Democratic Party, such as Senator Paul D. Wellstoneof Minnesota and House Minority leader Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, won’t help, either.
Just how tough the lobbying job on Capitol Hill will be become clear on Apr. 20, when Rubinlectured 19chief executives on the need to discipline their Republican allies. With business andthe White House still trading charges over who is responsible for the defeat of fast-track tradenegotiating legislation in 1997, working together won’t be easy.
And Republicans—with a wink—say that they’ll eventually embrace China’s entry into theWTO as a favor to Corporate America. Though not long before they torture Clinton. But Zhu isout on a limb, and if Congress overdoes the criticism, he may be forced by domestic critics torenege. Business must make this much dear to both its GOP allies and the Whit House: Thishistoric deal is too important to risk losing to any more partisan squabbling
1. The main idea of this passage is
[A]. The Contradiction between the DemocraticParty and the Republican Party.
[B]. On China’s entry into WTO.
[C]. Clinton was right.
[D]. Business Lobbyists Control Capitol Hill.
2. What does the sentence “Also left in the lurch: Wall Street, Hollywood, Detroit” convey?
[A]. Premier Zhu rejected their requirements.
[B]. The three places overdid criticism.
[C]. They wanted more protection.
[D]. They are in trouble.
3. What was the attitude of the Republican Party toward China’s entry into the WTO?
[A]. Contradictory. [B].Appreciative.
[C]. Disapproving. [D]. Detestful.
4. Who plays the leading part in the deal in America?
[A]. White House . [B]. Republicans.
[C]. The Democratic Party. [D]. Businessmen.
5. It can be inferred from the passage that
[A]. America will make concessions.
[B]. America will hold out for a better WTO
[C]. Clinton has the right to signal U. S. approval for China’s entry.
[D]. Democratic party approve China’s entry into the WTO.
1. C. 总统是对的。这篇文章摘自Business Weekly. 文章是从商人的角度来看待中国加入WTO，他们希望从谈判中获得更多的利益，而克林顿的同意不同意的目的和他们相符——争取更多利益。这篇就是从四方利益最终趋向一致“同意中国加入世贸”来证明“总统结论正确”的中心思想。
第一段指出Clinton由打发朱总理回国，不同意中国入世到一百八十度大转弯，在电话中愤怒的朱总理表示再次努力协商。内阁和白宫官员意见分歧，商人对失去机会火冒三丈。
第二段点出克林顿故意拖延以谋取更多的利益的决定是正确的——文章的主旨句。商人院外活动集团成员要以“政府完美无缺的协议的目标来说服共和党赞成/接受。以免整个过程以党争而告终。
第三，四段是商业方面的高级官员的代表纷纷却说Clinton“当中国作出许多优惠让步时，美国不在那里。”(意：美国吃亏了现在不要再吃亏了。)克林顿有权签署赞成中国加入世贸组织，可他需要国会批准北京永久性最惠国作为扩大贸易协定的组成部分。再说对国会的干预的诱惑力相当大：就在朱踏上美国本土时，参议院多数派领袖Trent Lott宣布他对中国是该不该入世持怀疑态度，而参议院Tesse A Helms… 承诺提出一项要求国会批准任何交易的提案。
第五段讲了朱总理的强硬立场。第六段又是共和党的反对声，使民主党内站在北京以便的批评家也无能为力。
最后一段指出：尽管困难重重，这一历史事件太重要了，不能因党争而冒失失去机会的危险。
A. 民主党和共和党的矛盾。两党之争见上文译注，最终还是一致。 B. 论中国加入世贸组织。文章不是论中国加入而是论美国环绕中国入世贸的种种。 D. 商人院外活动集团成员控制国会。这在第五段中提到商人院外活动集团成员阻挠美国国会事先接受最终协议，但不是主题思想。
2. A. 朱总理拒绝了他们的要求。见难句译注9。B. 这三个地方批评过头。 C. 他们要求更多的保护。 D. 他们陷入困境。
3. A. 矛盾。共和党一开始就反对。什么对中国该不该加入世贸组织持怀疑态度。第六段说得更露骨，时间不对。意思是他们想把整个事件看起来好象克林顿屈从于中国，忽视了“中国违反人权，宗教权，劳动权，偷窃核武器技术，把导弹组成部件买给美国的敌人”等事实。最后一段共和党一下子又所他们最终将会接受中国加入世贸组织以表示对整体美国的好感。不管是商人院外活动集团的作用，还是明确指出重开谈判的重要性。这一历史事件太重要绝不能因党争而失去机会。共和党纵然心中不愿，也不得不接受现实。心情是矛盾的。B. 赞赏。 C. 不赞成。 D. 厌恶。
4. D. 商界。第一段中就点出：商界领袖对失去这次机会火冒三丈。第二段中提到商界院外活动成员要以实实在在的协议来说服共和党国会，免得以党争告终。第三段明确指出：许多商界院外人士一方面对协议未签定表示失望，另方面又同意，还会更好的条件。各种和商界直接关系的高级官员对克林顿劝说。
第五段：纺织，金融股票，汽车以至电影等都是商界的要求。朱总理拒绝的就是商界要求。
第六段提及商界院外活动的成员制止国会事先接受最终协定。
最后一段又是商界使共和党联盟和白宫懂得此事的重要性。
5. A. 美国将会作出让步，见上面注释。商人是绝对不会放弃中国市场的。
B. 美国会故意拖延以求取得更好的条件。这一点恐怕不会，见上文注释。朱总理的强硬立场，商人的见解。 C. 克林顿有签署批准中国入世之权。 D. 民主党赞成中国加入世贸，这两项都是事实。
【篇二】2021年下半年英语四级考试阅读理解
A remarkable variety of insects live in this planet More species of insects exist than all other animal species together. Insects have survived on earth for more than 300 million years, and may possess the ability to survive for millions more.Insects can be found almost everywhere -- on the highest mountains and on the bottom of rushing streams, in the cold South Pole and in bubbling hot springs. They dig through the ground, jump and sing in the trees,and run and dance in the air. They come in many different colors and various shapes. Insects are extremely useful to humans, pollinating (授粉)our crops as well as flowers in meadows, forests, deserts and otherareas. But licks and some insects, such as mosquitoes and fleas, can transmit disease.
There are many reasons why insects are so successful at surviving. Their amazing ability to adapt permits them to live in extreme ranges of temperatures and environments. The one place they have not yet been found to any major extent is in the open oceans. Insects can survive on a wide range, of natural and artificial foods—paint, pepper, glue, books, grain, cotton，other insects, plants and animals Because they are small they can hide in tiny spaces.
A strong, hard but flexible shell covers their soft organs and is resistant to chemicals, water and physical impact. Their wings give them the option of flying away from dangerous situations or toward food or males. Also, insects have an enormous reproductive capacity: An African ant queen can lay as many as 43,000 eggs a day.
Another reason for their success is the strategy of protective color. An insect may be right before our eyes, but nearly invisible because it is cleverly disguised like a green leaf, lump of brown soil, gray lichen (青苔),a seed or some other natural object Some insects use bright, bold colors to send warning signalsthat they taste bad,sting or are poison.Others have wing patterns that look like the eyes of a huge predator, bitter-tasting insects; hungry enemies are fooled into avoiding them.
练习题：
Choose correct answers to the question:
1.Insects can be found in large amounts in the following places EXCEPT _____.
A.on the mountains with little air
B.in the cold polar areas
C.in the hot desert areas
D.in the open oceans
2.Insects protect themselves from chemicals by _______
A.hiding in tiny spaces
B.having a strong shell
C.flying away when necessary
D.changing colors or shapes
3.Some insects disguise like natural objects so as to ______
A.frighten away their enemies
B.avoid being discovered
C.send warning signals
D.look bitter-tasting
4.The passage mentions that insects ______.
A.can be found in any extreme environments
B.have survived longer than any other creatures
C.can be fed on any natural or man-made foods
D.are important for the growth of crops and flowers
5.The passage is mainly about ______
A.how insects survive in different places
B.why insects can survive so successfully
C.what insects can do to the environment
D.where insects can be found in quantity
1.[D] 事实细节题。本题考查对复合句的理解。本题涉及两个段落，第2段及第3段都提及昆虫大量生长的地方，第3段第3句中的The one place指出了答案。
2.[B] 事实细节题。本题考查对复杂句的理解。第4段第1句指出了答案。protect…from…是对resistant to的同义替换。
3.[B] 推理判断题。本题考查对长句的理解。最后一段第2句中的nearly invisible表明昆虫伪装是为了不被发现，因此B为正确选项。其他选项虽然都是昆虫伪装的目的，但都与伪装成自然物体无关。
4.[D] 推理判断题。本题考查对含有分词结构句子的理解。根据第2段倒数第2句中的useful及分词结构pollinating可推断昆虫对植物的生长有益处。选项A、B、C中都有any,过于绝对。由第3段第2、3句可知选项A不对。文章虽在开头指出昆虫存活的年代久远，但全文未提到它是存活时间最长的生物，所以选项B错误。至于昆虫的食物，第3段倒数第2句有提及,但只是a wide range of,由此可排除选项C。
5.[B] 主旨大意题。本文前两段首先描述了昆虫生存了很长的时间，并能在各种地方生长，然后引出文章要讨论的重点，即昆虫为什么能成功存活。第3段第1句为本文的中心句，因此本题正确选项为B。
【篇三】2021年下半年英语四级考试阅读理解
reliterate communities. We become utterlydependent on the two most primitive media of communication: pictures and the spokenword.Television encourages passive enjoyment. We become content with second-handexperiences. It is so easy to sit in our armchairs watching others working. Little by little, television cuts us off from the real world. We get so lazy, we choose to spend a fine day insemi-darkness, glued to our sets, rather than go out into the world itself. Television may be ssplendid medium of communication, but it prevents us from communicating with each other. We only become aware how totally irrelevant television is to real living when we spend aholiday by the sea or in the mountains, far away from civilization. In quiet, naturalsurroundings, we quickly discover how little we miss the hypnotic tyranny of King Telly.
1. What is the biggest harm of TV?
[A] It deprives people of communication with the real world.
[B] People become lazy.
[C] People become dependent on second-hand experience.
[D] TV consumes a large part of one's life.
2. In what way can people forget TV?
[A] Far away from civilization.
[B] To a mountain.
[C] By the sea.
[D] In quiet natural surroundings.
3. What does a mother usually do to keep her children quiet?
[A] Let them watch the set.
[B] Put them in the living room.
[C] Let them watch the rubbish.
[D] Let them alone.
4. What does the first sentence in the first paragraph mean?
[A] We found it difficult to occupy our spare time.
[B] We become addicted to TV.
[C] What we used to do is different from now.
[D] We used to enjoy civilized pleasures.
Vocabulary
1. goggle 转动眼珠，瞪眼
goggle box (英俚)电视机
2. gulp 狼吞虎咽
3. telly 电视机
4. pacifier 平息者，抚慰者。这里指平静人，使人不吱声的东西。
5. rubbishy 垃圾的，无价值的
6. sadism 施*虐
7. glue 胶(水);粘牢
glue to the sets 和电视机粘在一起，指成了电视迷
8. hypnotic 催眠的
难句译注
1. There is a limit to the amount of creative talent available in the world.
【参考译文】
写作方法与文章大意
这是一篇论说“电视有害”的文章。采用对比分析手法。先提出问题，对比过去和现在“过去在业余时间，我们享受文明的欢乐，有各种嗜好，招待朋友，访友，外出娱乐，在家读书听音乐……现在一切受电视支配。匆忙赶回家，狼吞虎咽地吃完饭为的是准时看某个电视节目。只要不干扰节目，吃什么都可以!一块三明治，一杯啤酒就行。看时，谁都不许说话，完全没有了过去的那种悠闲，坐在一起吃晚饭，相互交谈白天的一切。”
然后列出电视种种恶果：整个几代人成了电视迷，连孩子也不能幸免，电视消耗了大量的创造性工作，人们成为以来电视生存的人，被动娱乐，制止我们和真实世界交流。
最后结论：到大自然去，忘掉电视。
答案详解
1. A 它剥夺了人们和真实世界的联系。文章多次提到现在我们不能探亲访友，一家人互不交流，而一旦离开电视就进入了真是世界。B. 人变懒。C. 人们变得依赖二手经验。D. 电视浪费了人生的大量时间。这三项只是危害重具体一个组成部分。
2. D 在安宁的大自然的怀抱中。答案在最后一段最后一句“在安详宁静的大自然环境中，我们很快发现我们对催眠的电视暴君连想都不怎么想!”A. 远离文明。B.去山上。C.在海边。
3. A 叫他们看电视。这在第二段第三句起“电视是一个万能安静器。母亲为使孩子们安静，就把他们放在起居室内，打开电视看。这是现在最权威的一招。至于孩子们看的使垃圾般的商业广告，还是施*虐或暴力片都无关紧要，只要他们安静不闹。”B.把他们搁在起居室。C.让他们看垃圾片。都是其中的具体一部分。D.让他们呆着。没有提到。
4. B 我们都成了电视迷。第一句“是的，可是没有电视之前，我们常干些什么?”这说明人们已经习惯于电视，以来电视，到了没有电视怎么办的境地。不知道没有电视前的情况。第二段“整个几代人越来越迷上了电视，饭不吃，家务不干，不睡觉。”可以说整篇文章都描写了人们对电视迷恋，依赖。第一句话是引言。所以B对。A. 难以消遣。只是人们的一种感受。C.过去和现在不同。是一种对比，并没有点出这句话的真正内涵。D.享受文明欢乐。是过去所作的一个具体例子。
