2009年12月英语四级真题精讲：阅读理解
Section BDirections: There are 2 passages in this section. 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 Answer Sheet 2 with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 57 to 61 are based on
the following passage.
Throughout this long, tense election, everyone has focused on the
presidential candidates and how they'll change America. Rightly so, but selfishly,
I'm more fascinated by Michelle Obama and what she might be able to do, not
just for this country, but for me as an African-American woman. As the
potential First Lady, she would have the world's attention. And that means that
for the first time people will have a chance to get up close and personal with
the type of African-American woman they so rarely see.
Usually, the lives of black women go largely unexamined. The
prevailing theory seems to be that we're all hot-tempered single mothers who
can't keep a man. Even in the world of make-believe, black women still can't
escape the stereotype of being eye-rolling, oversexed females raised by our
never-married, alcoholic (酗酒的) mothers.
These images have helped define the way all women are viewed,
including Michelle Obama. Before she ever gets the chance to commit to a cause,
charity or foundation as First Lady, her most urgent and perhaps most
complicated duty may be simple to be herself.
It won't be easy. Because few mainstream publications have done
in-depth features on regular African-American women, little is known about who
we are, what we think and what we face on a regular basis. For better or worse,
Michelle will represent us all.
Just as she will have her critics, she will also have millions of
fans who usually have little interest in the First Lady. Many African-American
blogs have written about what they'd like to see Michelle bring to the White
House-mainly showing the world that a black woman can support her man and raise
a strong black family. Michelle will have to work to please everyone-an
impossible task. But for many African-American women like me, just a little of
her poise (沉着), confidence and intelligence
will go a long way in changing an image that's been around for far too long.
57. Why does Michelle Obama hold a strong
fascination for the author?
A) She serves as
a role model for African women.
B) She possesses many admirable qualities becoming a First Lady.
C) She will present to the world a new image of African-American
women.
D) She will pay closer attention to the interests of
African-American women.
58. What is the common stereotype of
African-American women according to the author?
A) They are victims of violence. B)
They are of an inferior violence.
C) They use quite a lot of body language. D) They live on charity and social welfare.
59. What do many African-Americans write
about in their blogs?
A) Whether Michelle can live up to the high expectations of her
fans.
B) How Michelle should behave as a public figure.
C) How proud they are to have a black woman in the White House.
D) What Michelle should do as wife and mother in the White House.
60. What does the author say about Michelle
Obama as a First Lady?
A) However many fans she has, she should remain modest,
B) She shouldn't disappoint the African-American community.
C) However hard she tries, she can't expect to please everybody.
D) She will give priority to African-American women's concerns.
61. What do many African-American women
hope Michelle Obama will do?
A) Help change the prevailing view about black women.
B) Help her husband in the task of changing America.
C) Outshine previous First Lady.
D) Fully display her fine qualities.
Passage Two
Questions 62 to 66
are based on the following passage.
When next year's crop of high-school graduates arrive at Oxford University
in the fall of 2009, they'll be joined by a new face; Andrew Hamilton, the
55-year-old provost (教务长) of Yale, who'll become Oxford's
vice-chancellor-a position equivalent to university president in America.
Hamilton isn't
the only educator crossing the Atlantic.
Schools in France, Egypt, Singapore, etc, have also recently
made top-level hires from abroad. Higher education has become a big and
competitive business nowadays, and like so many businesses, it's gone global.
Yet the talent flow isn't universal. High-level personnel tend to head in only
one direction: outward from America.
The chief reason is that American schools don't tend to seriously
consider looking abroad. For example, when the board of the University of Colorado
searched for a new president, it wanted a leader familiar with the state
government, a major source of the university's budget. "We didn't do any global
consideration," says Patricia Hayes, the board's chair. The board ultimately
picked Bruce Benson, a 69-year-old Colorado businessman and political activist (活动家) who is likely to do well in the main task of modern university
presidents: fund-raising. Fund-raising is a distinctively American thing, since
U.S.
schools rely heavily on donations. The fund-raising ability is largely a
product of experience and necessity.
Many European universities, meanwhile, are still mostly dependent on
government funding. But government support has failed to keep pace with rising
student number. The decline in government support has made funding-raising an
increasing necessary ability among administrators and has hiring committees
hungry for Americans.
In the past few years, prominent schools around the world have
joined the trend. In 2003, when Cambridge
University appointed
Alison Richard, another former Yale provost, as its vice-chancellor, the
university publicly stressed that in her previous job she had overseen "a major strengthening of
Yale's financial position."
Of course, fund-raising isn't the only skill outsiders offer. The
globalization of education means more universities will be seeking heads with
international experience of some kind of promote international programs and
attract a global student body. Foreigners can offer a fresh perspective on
established practices.
62. What is the current trend in higher
education discussed in the passage?
A) Institutions
worldwide are hiring administrators from the U.S.
B) A lot of
political activists are being recruited as administrators.
C) American
universities are enrolling more international students.
D) University
presidents are paying more attention to funding-raising.
63. What is the chief consideration of American
universities when hiring top-level administrators?
A) The
political correctness. B)
Their ability to raise funds.
C) Their fame in
academic circles. D)
Their administrative experience.
64. What do we learn about European
universities from the passage?
A) The tuitions
they charge have been rising considerably.
B) Their
operation is under strict government supervision.
C) They are strengthening
their position by globalization.
D) Most of their
revenues come from the government.
65. Cambridge University
appointed Alison Richard as its vice-chancellor chiefly because _____.
A) she was known
to be good at raising money
B) she could help
strengthen its ties with Yale
C) she knew how
to attract students overseas
D) she had
boosted Yale's academic status
66. In what way do top-level administrators
from abroad contribute to university development?
A) They can
enhance the university's image.
B) They will
bring with them more international faculty.
C) They will
view a lot of things from a new perspective.
D) They can set
up new academic disciplines.
2010年6月英语四级、六级考试冲关班开班>>
点击直接报名2010年6月英语四级冲关班>>
点击直接报名2010年6月英语六级冲关班>>
页:
[1]