专业英语四级(阅读)模拟试卷171(题后含答案及解析)

专业英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷171 (题后含答案及解析)

题型有： 5. READING COMPREHENSION

PART V READING COMPREHENSION

SECTION AIn this section there are several passages followed by ten multiple-choice questions. For each question, there are four suggested answers marked [A], [B], [C] and [D]. Choose the one that you think is the best answer.

The art teacher who accused Prince Harry of cheating has won her case against Eton College for unfair dismissal. Sarah Forsyth, 30, took the public school to an employment tribunal after her contract was not renewed. The tribunal yesterday upheld Ms. Forsyth’s claim that she had been bullied by Eton’s head of art, Ian Burke. But it rejected her allegations that Mr. Burke had ordered her to help Prince Harry cheat in his AS-level art by completing his written work for him. It also criticised as “unprofessional” her decision to secretly record a conversation with the prince on his way to his final exam to try to support her claim. Ms. Forsyth brought the case after the school, which charges ￡23, 688 a year, decided not to renew her contract after the summer of 2003. She also accused Mr. Burke of bullying her and giving improper assistance to pupils during exams. At her hearing in May, Ms. Forsyth claimed she had written most of the text of the prince’s AS-level art coursework journal, something she said was “unethical and probably constituted cheating”. She also claimed Mr. Burke “touched up” aboriginal-inspired artwork which was displayed to the media as an example of Prince Harry’s work when the prince finished his time at Eton. The prince has strenuously denied any suggestion that he cheated and an investigation by the examination board found no evidence of any improper behaviour. In its 40-page judgment, the tribunal said it was for the exam board to rule whether cheating had occurred. While the report described Ms. Forsyth as consistent and “truthful” on the whole, it rejected her allegations about Prince Harry. It ruled that her relationship with Mr. Burke was so bad that it was not plausible that he would have tried to enlist her help in any attempt to cheat. It concluded that her account of the help she had given the prince was muddled and that Mr. Burke’s story was more believable. She claimed she had written a sample answer for the prince to use as a guide which, in her account, was given to Prince Harry, cut up and stuck in the journal. The tribunal sided with Mr. Burke, who said that Ms, Forsyth had not written the piece on her own but simply sat with Prince Harry and suggested vocabulary. However, the panel was critical of Mr, Burke and said its “Inevitable conclusion” was Ms. Forsyth’s dismissal had been unreasonable. The panel said, “He did undermine and bully her.” Anthony Little, Eton’s headmaster, was criticised for failing to look at the case fairly. The school was criticised for failing to produce any written “capability procedure” to the tribunal. A spokesman for Eton said the school regretted its employment procedures had not

been “up to scratch”, but said it was pleased the tribunal had rejected the “publicity-seeking” allegations regarding Prince Harry. He added the school would be calling for the tribunal to award no compensation to Ms. Forsyth, arguing she would have been dismissed for secretly tape-recording a conversation with a pupil.

1． Who is the winner of the suit against Eton College? A．Sarah Forsyth. B．Mr. Burke. C．Prince Harry. D．Eton College.

正确答案：A

解析：文章第一句The art teacher who accused Prince Harry of cheating has won her case against Eton College for unfair dismissal．就清楚地表明了这位艺术老师赢得了这场官司，故答案为[A]。 知识模块：阅读

2． Which of the following is INCORRECT according to the last paragraph? A．The tribunal had rejected the “publicity-seeking” allegations regarding Prince Harry.

B．The art teacher will be dismissed for secretly tape-recording a conversation with a pupil.

C．The employment procedures of Eton College are not up to the standard.

D．The spokesman called for the tribunal to award no compensation to Ms. Forsyth,

正确答案：B 解析：从文章末段可以看出发言人从另一个角度呼吁法庭把这位艺术教师开除，那就是因为她私下为自己和学生的谈话录音，但是并未明确表示这将成为她被开除的最终原因，所以[B]与原文不符，故为答案。[A]与原文中的but said it was pleased the tribunal had rejected the“publicity-seeking”allegations regarding Prince Harry．对应；[C]与原文中的A spokesman for Eton said the school regretted its employment procedures had not been“up to scratch”…对应；[D]与原文中Headded the school would be calling for the tribunal to award no compensation to Ms．Forsyth…对应。 知识模块：阅读

3． The central topic of the passage is______. A．the unfair dismissal of Sarah Forsyth

B．that the art teacher was dismissed by Eton College with no reason C．that the art teacher accused Prince Harry of cheating

D．that the art teacher has won her case against Eton College for unfair dismissal

正确答案：D 解析：主旨题。本文的中心话题就是这位艺术老师赢得了这场与伊顿学院的

官司，并叙述了这场官司的原委，[A]、[B]和[C]均为这起官司的具体缘由，只有[D]既说明了原因，又说明了事情的结局．故为答案。 知识模块：阅读

One of the more noted optical illusions in the annals of visual deception appeared in the night sky this week when a giant full moon appeared on the horizon. The giant ball of yellow-white light made the Moon appear to linger for longer, and Earth’s satellite seemed larger at that point in its journey across the sky than at any other position. In fact, the size of the Moon in the sky does not vary and its apparent enlargement on the horizon is purely a trick of the eye. It was first written about by the ancient Chinese and Greeks— although scientists are still arguing over its cause. The illusion was especially visible on Wednesday night because this month’s full moon coincided with the summer solstice, while clear skies gave spectacular views as the moon rose slowly above the horizon. When the Moon is full, it and the Sun are on opposite sides of the sky. During summer, when the Sun rises high in our sky, the full moons are correspondingly low—allowing them to linger longer over the horizon. The astronomer Sir Patrick Moore said that there was no doubt that when a full moon was low on the horizon it invariably looked bigger than when it was high up in the sky, but that this was purely an illusion. “The effect is visible at every full moon but was particularly good this time because the full moon was as low in the sky as it could ever be and appeared to hover above the horizon, “ Sir Patrick said. One way of showing that the Moon does not really vary in size is to hold up a small coin to the sky to see how far away it can be held before it blocks out the Moon—it should do it at the same distance no matter where the Moon is positioned. “It has been known and commented on for many hundreds of years. An explanation was given by the last and greatest astronomer of ancient times, Ptolemy, who said the illusion was due to the fact that we were seeing the Moon across filled space and could compare it with objects such as trees and houses, “ Sir Patrick said. The conventional explanation for the illusion today is that it Is a combination of two psychological effects. The first is the Ponzo illusion, named after Mario Ponzo in 1913, who drew two identical bars across converging lines such as railway tracks. Both bars are the same size but the nearer looks smaller because the eye and the brain judge the farther bar to be bigger in proportion to its surroundings. This could explain why we perceive the Moon to be larger when it lies against a background of familiar objects such as trees and buildings. However, critics of this idea point out that airline pilots flying at high altitudes sometimes experience the Moon illusion even without seeing any recognizable features on the horizon. And, curiously, the illusion disappears for many people when they bend down and watch a full moon through their legs. The second explanation is that the brain does not see the sky as the “ceiling” of a true hemisphere, but rather as a flattened dome. In other words, objects that are overhead, such as flying birds, are perceived to be nearer than objects on the horizon—which is why we imagine objects on the horizon to be bigger than objects overhead. But this explanation does not satisfy some scientists, either. In a theory similar in some ways to the Ponzo illusion, Professor Don McCready of the University of Wisconsin believes the true explanation rests in the fact that our brains

tend to make objects smaller when they appear closer to us based on distance cues. When the Moon is on the horizon, the surroun-ding buildings and trees give us clues that it is very far away which causes the brain to perceive it to be larger than it would normally appear, Professor McCready said.

4． The conventional explanation for the Moon illusion today is that______. A．our brains tend to make objects smaller when they appear closer to us based on distance cues

B．objects that are overhead are perceived to be nearer than objects on the horizon

C．the effects of Ponzo illusion

D．it is a combination of two psychological effects

正确答案：D 解析：细节题。由文章第五段中的The conventional explanation for the illusion today is that it is a combination of two psychological effects．可明确得出[D]为答案。 知识模块：阅读

5． Which of the following is INCORRECT according to the passage? A．The brain does not see the sky as the “ceiling” of a true hemisphere, but rather as a flattened dome.

B．The size of the Moon in the sky does not vary and its apparent enlargement on the horizon is purely a trick of the eye.

C．Professor Don McCready believes our brains tend to make objects bigger when they appear closer to us based on distance cues.

D．The moon illusion is an optical illusion.

正确答案：C

解析：细节题。从文章末段Professor Don McCready of the University of Wisconsin believes the true explanation rests in the fact that our brains tend to make objects smaller when they appear closer to us based on distance cues．可以看出[C]与原文不符，故为答案。 知识模块：阅读

6． The passage suggests that there is______. A．no final answer to the Moon illusion B．no final answer to the size of the Moon C．a definite answer to the Moon illusion D．no final answer to people’s visual illusion

正确答案：A

解析：推理题。本文对于月亮错觉给出了几种不同的解释，但是并未明确认定哪种解释是最终的结论，所以[A]为正确答案。 知识模块：阅读

Parents will be able to run an official check on the status of childminders for the first time from today. Ofsted, the education standards watchdog, will shame the worst providers and praise the best by placing details of all childminders’ reports on its website. The providers will be ranked on a scale of one to four, with one meaning “outstanding “, two “good”, three “satisfactory” and four “inadequate”. Of the first 1, 060 inspections to be posted this morning, 45(32 childminders and 13 day-care providers)have been ranked as “inadequate” while only 16(14 childminders and 2 day-care nurseries)warranted the ranking “outstanding”. The vast majority were either good(680)or satisfactory(319). However, Ofsted warned that a “satisfactory” rating meant there was “scope for improvement”. Maurice Smith, Ofsted’s director of early years, said, “Over one million children are placed with childminders and in nurseries every day so it’s imperative parents have easy access to good information about the quality of care that their children are getting. “ David Bell, the chief schools inspector and Ofsted’s chief executive, has acknowledged that parents are almost certain to shun the services of any childminder ranked as inadequate. A childminder could be rated as inadequate if their premises fail to pass health and safety requirements or if a complaint alleging physical abuse of a child is upheld. In extreme circumstances, their registration can be withdrawn immediately but their report would be published if they were served with a notice to improve within a 12-month period. Mr. Smith said of the “outstanding” ratings, “This is a fantastic achievement by those who work in the childcare profession and go all out to provide a top-class service. All providers will have the chance to shine during their inspections under the new framework. I hope that today’s ‘outstanding’ providers will act as an inspiration to others. “ The 1, 060 inspections to be placed on the Internet today were all carried out in the first year of inspection of child-minding services. Ofsted only had its brief to inspect services extended from schools and colleges last year. It plans to inspect all childminding and day-care services over a three-year period with a total of 94, 000 reports placed on its website by 2007. Fears that paedophiles could gain access to details of child-minding services have prompted inspectors to agree restrictions on how parents can access information. As of today, parents will be able to type their postcode into Ofsted’s website and search for registered childminders in their area. Services within a five-mile radius of the address can be accessed. However, the report will not contain the name or address of the childminder. To obtain that, the parent will have to contact their local Children’s Information Service. Ofsted warned that some providers may have chosen to opt out of having their details available on request—and that this is likely to be because they are full and do not have the space to mind more children. Ofsted has also agreed that nurseries will be given no notice of inspections so inspectors get a “warts and all” picture. Childminders will be rung the previous week and asked to indicate which days they will be available to avoid inspectors arriving when they are out with their charges on a trip. One of the days will be selected by the inspectors without giving further notice.

7． The possible title of the passage is______.

A．Ofsted, the Education Standards Watchdog B．The Four Ratings of the Childminders C．How to Choose Childminders

D．Ratings Help Parents Choose Child Care

正确答案：D

解析：主旨题. 本文主要讲述了英国教育标准办公室设立了四个评估保育员服务质量的标准，以帮助家长们选择合适的保育员，故选[D]。[A]的重心放在了此机构上；[B]只侧重了评定的保育员的四个级别；[C]“如何选择保育员”只侧重了帮助作用。 知识模块：阅读

8． Which of the following is INCORRECT according to the last paragraph? A．Some providers may choose to refuse to care for more children.

B．If the childminders are not available they will give a notice to the Ofsted. C．Inspectors can get a “warts and all” picture. D．Nurseries will be given no notice of inspections.

正确答案：B

解析：推理题。 根据最后一段，视察员在视察前一周会打电话询问保育员具体工作或出差的时间，在视察前不会提前通知，但是没有提到保育员会向标准教育办公室通报自己不在的时间，[B]与原文内容不符，故为答案。 知识模块：阅读

On the map there’s just one island, but when you get there you’ll find two distinct Sardinias. If you’re wondering which is the right destination for you, take the ice-cream test and try two gelati in Sardinia. On the wealthy Costa Smeralda I was served an ice-cream with enormous speed and efficiency by a Tom Cruise look-alike—all teeth, tan and ambition. But on Sardinia’s quieter western coast—the Riviera de Corallo—it was served, quite slowly and with elegance, by a girl with the face of an angel. My vote goes—narrowly—to this less-visited shore. There I found a seat in Alghero’s Piazza Civica, where the late afternoon sun was warming the old stones and the fishing boats were back at anchor just through the archway of the Porta al Mare. I reflected, as I ate my ice-cream and watched the locals make their evening passeggiata through the ancient square and the Door to the Sea, that the world is not such a bad place after all. By contrast, at a little cafe near the marina at Porto Cervo on the Costa Smeralda, watching beautiful young things leaping on and off their yachts, I reflected mainly that most people seemed to have a lot more money than I. It’s all very idyllic, the sea is always blue and the weather from May to October is invariably perfect. But is this plutocrats’ playground Sardinia? No—not if you mean the rugged Sardinia with its roots in prehistory and its future in a possible split with mother Italy. To see the real Sardinia you could take the overnight ferry from Livorno on the Italian mainland to Olbia just below the Costa Smeralda. Perhaps hire a little Fiat—although Ferraris are available—and take the road that skirts the millionaire belt, heading north and then west. Head inland now, towards Sassari and

Alghero. The hills crowd the shoreline, the villages are few and the roads are empty. Dotted around the fields, sticking up through olive groves like huge rock cones, are the remains of forts built by the mysterious Nuragic people, who came here long before the Romans and Phoenicians. A little way down the coast along a precipitous new highway is the ancient town of Bosa, where lace making and timber working keep many of the locals occupied. There is, of course, a great deal more to Sardinia than the Costa Smeralda and the Riviera del Corallo—there’s a whole islandful of things to see and do. South-central is where the main chain of mountains runs; snow-capped for four months of the year and a popular climbing and walking venue in gentler seasons. The coastline is longer than mainland Italy’s entire western side, with resorts dotted around natural harbours and scenic inlets. You could take in most of them in a two-day tour by car. But nothing compares with the Costa Smeralda or the Riviera del Corallo. It just depends on how you like your gelati.

9． It can be inferred from the passage that______. A．the island is very backward and primitive B．the people on the island are rich C．no people live on the island

D．it is an isolated and mysterious island

正确答案：B

解析：推理题。从文章中作者对该岛的描绘可以看出这个岛屿并不荒凉、原始、落后或无人居住，而且这里居住的人还很有钱，如作者在第三段末提到I reflected mainly that most people seemed to have a lot more money than I．所以[B]为正确答案。 知识模块：阅读

10． Which of the following is INCORRECT according to the passage? A．There is a road that skirts the millionaire belt.

B．Nuragic people came here long before the Romans and Phoenicians. C．The coastline is dotted with resorts. D．The author doesn’t like gelati.

正确答案：D

解析：推理题。从文章开头和结尾处作者对gelati这种意大利冰糕的描写来看，他很喜欢这种食品以及出售这种食品的当地人([C])，[A]和[B]也都可在第五段中找到，所以[D]与原文不符，故为答案。 知识模块：阅读

SECTION BIn this section there are five short answer questions based on the passages in Section A. Answer the questions with No more than TEN words in the space provided.

PASSAGE ONE

11． How can we describe the relationship between Sarah Forsyth and Mr.

Burke?

正确答案：Their relationship is quite bad． 解析：文章开始就提出了…Ms．Forsyth’s claim that she had been bullied by…Ian Burke．可以判断出二者之间的关系并不好，否则不会上法庭，因此正确答案为Their relationship is quite bad。 知识模块：阅读

PASSAGE TWO

12． What is the passage mainly about?

正确答案：Has the Moon got bigger? 解析：本文主要探讨了月亮在地平线上和高悬在天空时，使人在视觉上产生错觉的现象，并对此提出了几种不同的解释。由此可知，Has the Moon got bigger?更符合文章主旨，故为正确答案。 知识模块：阅读

PASSAGE THREE

13． How many childminders were scored “outstanding” of the 1, 060 inspections?

正确答案：14

解析：从第二段中的…only 16(14 childminders and 2 day-care nurseries)warranted the ranking outstanding．可知，仅有14名保育员和2个日间托儿所被评为“优秀”，故14为正确答案。 知识模块：阅读

14． To obtain the name or address of the childminder, what must the parent do?

正确答案：Contact their local Children’s Information Service．

解析：从倒数第二段末句To obtain that，the parent will have to contact their local Children’s Information Service．可知，正确答案为Contact their local Children’s Information Service。 知识模块：阅读

PASSAGE FOUR

15． How about the weather of the island from May to October?

正确答案：Idyllic，fine and perfect．

解析：从文章第四段首句It’s all very idyllic，the sea is always blue and the weather from May to October is invariably erfect．可知，从五月份到十月份，岛上的天气是田园式的，并且很完美。因此Idyllic，fine and perfect为正确答案。 知识模块：阅读