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英语六级长篇阅读练习题
引导语：英语六级长篇阅读练习题，由应届毕业生培训网整理而成，谢谢您的阅读。
练习题一
Paper--More than Meets the Eye
A) We are surrounded by so much paper and card that it is easy to forget just how complex it is. There are many varieties and grades of paper materials, and whilst it is fairly easy to spot the varieties, it is far more difficult to spot the grades.
B) It needs to be understood that most paper and card is manufactured for a specific purpose, so that whilst the corn-flake packet may look smart, it is clearly not something destined for the archives. It is made to look good, but only needs a limited life span. It is also much cheaper to manufacture than high grade card.
C) Paper can be made from an almost endless variety of cellulose-based material which will include many woods, cottons and grasses or which papyrus is an example and from where we get the word "paper". Many of these are very specialized, but the preponderance of paper making has been from soft wood and cotton or rags, with the bulk being wood-based.
Paper from Wood
D) In order to make wood into paper it needs to be broken down into fine strands. Firstly by powerful machinery and then boiled with strong alkalies such as caustic soda, until a fine pulp of cellulose fibers is produced. It is from this pulp that the final product is made, relying on the bonding together of the cellulose into layers. That, in a very small nutshell, is the essence of paper making from wood. However, the reality is rather more complicated. In order to give us our white paper and card, the makers will add bleach and other materials such as china clay and additional chemicals.
E) A further problem with wood is that it contains a material that is not cellulose. Something called lignin. This is essential for the tree since it holds the cellulose fibres together, but if it is incorporated into the manufactured paper it presents archivists with a problem. Lignin eventually breaks down and releases acid products into the paper. This will weaken the bond between the cellulose fibers and the paper will become brittle and look rather brown and careworn. We have all seen this in old newspapers and cheap paperback books. It has been estimated that most paper back books will have a life of not greater than fifty years. Not what we need for our archives.
F) Since the lignin can be removed from the paper pulp during manufacture, the obvious question is "why is it left in the paper?" The answer lies in the fact that lignin makes up a considerable part of the tree. By leaving the lignin in the pulp a papermaker can increase his paper yield from a tree to some 95%. Removing it means a yield of only 35%. It is clearly uneconomic to remove the lignin for many paper and card applications.
G) It also means, of course, that lignin-free paper is going to be more expensive, but that is nevertheless what the archivist must look for in his supplies. There is no point whatsoever in carefully placing our valuable artifacts in paper or card that is going to hasten their demise. Acid is particularly harmful to photographic materials, causing them to fade and is some cases simply vanish!
H) So, how do we tell a piece of suitable paper or card from one that is unsuitable? You cannot do it by simply looking, and rather disappointingly, you cannot always rely on the label. "Acid-free" might be true inasmuch as a test on the paper may indicate that it is a neutral material at this time. But lignin can take years before it starts the inevitable process of breaking down, and in the right conditions it will speed up enormously.
I) Added to this, as I have indicated earlier, paper may also contain other materials added during manufacture such as bleach, china clay, chemical whiteners and size. This looks like a bleak picture, and it would be but for the fact that there are suppliers who will guarantee the material that they sell. If you want to be absolutely sure that you are storing in, or printing on, the correct material then this is probably the only way.
J) Incidentally, acids can migrate from material to material. Lining old shoe boxes with good quality acid-free paper will do little to guard the contents. The acid will get there in the end.
Paper from Rag
K) Paper is also commonly made from cotton and rag waste. This has the advantage of being lignin-free, but because there is much less cotton and rag than trees, it also tends to be much more expensive than wood pulp paper. You will still need to purchase from a reliable source though, since even rag paper and card can contain undesirable additives.
L) A reliable source for quality rag papers is a recognized art stockiest. Many water color artists insist on using only fine quality rag paper and board.
M) The main lesson to learn from this information is that you cannot rely on purchasing archival materials from the high street. The only safe solution is to purchase from specialist suppliers. It may cost rather more, but in the end you will know that your important and valuable data and images have the best home possible.
1. The corn-flake packet is cheaper than high grade card.
2. There are a lot of materials which can be used for making paper, but the superiority ones are soft wood, cotton and rags.
3. During the whole manufacturing process, the final product is made from a pulp of cellulose fibres.
4. In order to make white paper and card, the makers will add bleach.
5. Liguin is essential for the tree but it will make paper easy to break.
6. Many paper producers will preserve lignin during manufacture, because leaving the lignin will make more paper from a tree.
7. Acid is particularly harmful to photographic materials.
8. If the lignin is removed from the paper, the paper will be more expensive.
9. Although free of lignin, paper made from cotton and rag waste can also cost more money than wood pulp paper because there is much less cotton and rag than trees.
10. What we can learn from "Paper from Rag" is that you had better buy archival materials from specialist suppliers.
答案：1.B
根据题干中的信息提示词corn—flake packet,high grade card,可定位到文章第二段，该部分最后提到corn-flake packet在制造过程中比高等级的纸(high grade card)便宜.
2.C
根据题干中的信息提示词soft wood，cotton and rags，可定位到文章第三段最后一句。
3.D
根据题干中的信息提示词final product，可将答案定位到D段，第二、三句提到最后的产品来源于纤维素纸浆。
4.D
根据题干中的信息提示词white paper and card，可将答案定位到D段，该部分最后提到为了得到白纸，纸张生产者在制造过程中添加了漂粉和其他化学物质。
5.E
根据题干中的信息提示词essential for the tree，可将答案定位到E段，该部分提到木质素是木头的主要组成物，其作用是凝聚纤维素，但它会使纸张变得易碎。
6.F
根据题干中的信息提示词lignin，可将答案定位到F段，该部分最后提到许多纸张生产者在生产过程中会保留木质素，主要是因为它会增加树木的造纸产量。
7.G
根据题干中的信息提示词acid，可将答案定位到G段，该部分最后提到酸对相纸的原料尤其不利。
8.F
根据题干中的信息提示词lignin和paper可定位到文章的F段，因为该段提到，如果在纸张的生产中去除木质素，将会降低树木出产纸张的量，由此可以知道，去除了木质素的纸张价格必定会更加昂贵。
9.K
根据题干中的信息提示词cotton and rag waste可定位到文章的K段，该部分告诉我们，尽管用棉花和破布料造的纸里没有木质素，但它们要比木制的纸贵很多，这是因为棉花和破布料的数量比树木少得多，由此可以得出答案。
10.M
根据题干中的信息提示词Paper from Ra9可定位到文章的最后一段，该部分提出最好到专业的供应商那里去买档案材料，由此可以得出答案。
练习题二
How to Make Attractive and Effective PowerPoint Presentations
A) Microsoft PowerPoint has dramatically changed the way in which academic and business presentations are made. This article outlines few tips on making more effective and attractive PowerPoint presentations.
The Text
B) Keep the wording clear and simple. Use active, visual language. Cut unnecessary words—a good rule of thumb is to cut paragraphs down to sentences, sentences into phrases, and phrases into key words.Limit the number of words and lines per slide. Try the Rule of Five-five words per line, five lines per slide. If too much text appears on one slide, use the AutoFit feature to split it between two slides. Click within the placeholder to display the AutoFit Options button (its symbol is two horizontal lines with arrows above and below), then click on the button and choose Split Text between Two Slides from the submenu.
C) Font size for titles should be at least 36 to 40, while the text body should not be smaller than 24.Use only two font styles per slide—one for the title and the other for the text. Choose two fonts that visually contrast with each other. Garamond Medium Condensed and Impact are good for titles, while Garamond or Tempus Sans can be used for the text body.
D) Embed the fonts in your presentation, if you are not sure whether the fonts used in the presentation are present in the computer that will be used for the presentation. To embed the fonts: (1) On the File menu, click Save As. (2) On the toolbar, click Tools, click Save Options, select the Embed TrueType Fonts check box, and then select Embed characters in use only.
E) Use colors sparingly; two to three at most. You may use one color for all the titles and another for the text body. Be consistent from slide to slide. Choose a font color that contrasts well with the background.
F) Capitalizing the first letter of each word is good for the title of slides and suggests a more formal situation than having just the first letter of the first word capitalized. In bullet point lines, capitalize the first word and no other words unless they normally appear capped. Upper and lower case lettering is more readable than all capital letters. Moreover, current styles indicate that using all capital letters means you are shouting. If you have text that is in the wrong case, select the text, and then click Shift+F3 until it changes to the case style that you like. Clicking Shift+F3 toggles the text case between ALL CAPS, lower case, and Initial Capital styles.
G) Use bold or italic typeface for emphasis. Avoid underlining, it clutters up the presentation.Don’t center bulleted lists or text. It is confusing to read. Left align unless you have a good reason not to. Run “spell check” on your show when finished.
The Background
H) Keep the background consistent. Simple, light textured backgrounds work well. Complicated textures make the content hard to read. If you are planning to use many clips in your slides, select a white background. If the venue of your presentation is not adequately light-proof, select a dark-colored background and use any light color for text. Minimize the use of “bells and whistles” such as sound effects, “flying words” and multiple transitions. Don’t use red in any fonts or backgrounds. It is an emotionally overwhelming color that is difficult to see and read.
The Clips
I) Animations are best used subtly; too much flash and motion can distract and annoy viewers. Do not rely too heavily on those images that were originally loaded on your computer with the rest of Office. You can easily find appropriate clips on any topic through Google Images. While searching for images, do not use long search phrases as is usually done while searching the web-use specific words.
J) When importing pictures, make sure that they are smaller than two megabytes and are in a .jpg format. Larger files can slow down your show. Keep graphs, charts and diagrams simple, if possible. Use bar graphs and pie charts instead of tables of data. The audience can then immediately pick up the relationships.
The Presentation
K) If you want your presentation to directly open in the slide show view, save it as a slide show file using the following steps. Open the presentation you want to save as a slide show. On the File menu, click Save As. In the Save as type list, click PowerPoint Show. Your slide show file will be saved with a ppt file extension. When you double-click on this file, it will automatically start your presentation in slide show view. When you’re done, PowerPoint automatically closes and you return to the desktop. If you want to edit the slide show file, you can always open it from PowerPoint by clicking Open on the File menu.
L) Look at the audience, not at the slides, whenever possible. If using a laser pointer, don’t move it too fast. For example, if circling a number on the slide, do it slowly. Never point the laser at the audience. Black out the screen (use “B” on the keyboard) after the point has been made, to put the focus on you. Press the key again to continue your presentation.
M) You can use the shortcut command [Ctrl]P to access the Pen tool during a slide show. Click with your mouse and drag to use the Pen tool to draw during your slide show. To erase everything you’ve drawn, press the E key. To turn off the Pen tool, press [Esc] once.
Miscellaneous
N) Master Slide Set-Up: The “master slide” will allow you to make changes that are reflected on every slide in your presentation. You can change fonts, colors, backgrounds, headers, and footers at the “master slide” level. First, go to the “View” menu. Pull down the “Master” menu. Select the “slide master” menu. You may now make changes at this level that meet your presentation needs.
1. The ways in which academic and business presentations are made have been changed by Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. When making the PowerPoint, the wording of the text should not be complicated.
3. In each slide, the font styles for the title and the text should contrast with each other.
4. A more formal situation is capitalizing the first letter of the first word.
5. Centering bulleted lists or text can not help to read.
6. Sound effects should be used as less frequently as possible.
7. When importing pictures, make sure that they are smaller than two megabytes.
8. When making the presentation, you should look at the audience as possible as you can.
9. Pressing the E key can help you to erase everything you've drawn.
10. In order to meet your presentation needs, you can make changes at the “slide master” level.
答案： 1.A
A段讲到了微软的PowerPoint对学术及商业陈述形式的改变，可以直接定位到文章的首段。
2.B
根据题干中的信息词wording of the text定位到第一个小标题下的第一段。
3.C
根据题干中的信息词the font styles for the title and the text定位到C段。
4.F
根据题干中的信息词more formal situation和capitalizing定位到第一个小标题下的F段。
5.G
根据题干中的信息词Centering bulleted lists or text定位到第一个小标题下的G段。
6.H
根据题干中的信息词Sound effects定位到第二个小标题下的H段，Minimize the use of “bells and whistles” such as sound effects。
7.J
根据题干中的信息词importing和two megabytes定位到第三个小标题下的J段。
8.L
根据题干中的信息词look at the audience定位到第四个小标题下的L段。
9.M
根据题干中的信息词Pressing the E key定位到第四个小标题下的M段。
10.N
根据题干中的信息词make changes at the “slide master” level定位到文章的最后一段可得答案。
练习题三
Preparing for Computer Disasters
A: Summary: When home office computers go down, many small businesses grind to a halt. Fortunately, taking steps to recover from disasters and minimize their effects is quite straightforward.
B: Fires, power surges, and floods, they're all facts of life. We read about them in the morning paper and see them on the evening news. We sympathize with the victims and commiserate over their bad luck. We also shake our heads at the digital consequences—melted computers, system failures, destroyed data. Yet, somehow, many of us continue to live by that old mantra of denial: "It won't happen to me." Well, the truth is, at some point you'll probably have to deal with at least one disaster. That's just how it goes, and in most aspects of our lives we do something about it. We buy insurance. We stow away provisions. We even make disaster plans and run drills. But for some reason, computer disaster recovery is a blind spot for many of us. It shouldn't be. Home computers contain some of our most important information, both business and personal, and making certain our data survives a disaster should be a priority. Moreover, even the smallest disaster can be a serious disruption. Personal computers have become an integral part of the smooth-running household. We use them to communicate, shop, and do homework, and they're even more vital to home office users. When home office computers go down, many small businesses grind to a halt. Fortunately, taking steps to recover from disasters and minimize their effects is quite straightforward. With a good offsite storage plan and the right tools, you can bounce back quickly and easily from minor computer disasters. And, should a major calamity strike, you can rest assured your data is safe.
Offsite Storage: Major Disasters
C: House fires and floods are among the most devastating causes of personal computer destruction. That's why a solid offsite backup and recovery plan is essential. Although many home users faithfully back up their hard drives, many would still lose all their data should their house flood our burn. That's because they keep their backups in relatively close to their computers. Their backup disks might not be in the same room as their computers—tucked away in a closet or even the garage—but they're not nearly far enough away should a serious disaster strike. So, it's important to back up your system to a removable medium and to store it elsewhere.
D: There are many ways to approach offsite storage. It starts with choice of backup tools and storage medium. Disaster situations are stressful, and your recovery tools shouldn't add to that stress. They must be dependable and intuitive, making it easy to schedule regular backups and to retrieve files in a pinch. They must also be compatible with your choice of backup medium. Depending on your tools, you can back up to a variety of durable disk types—from CDs to Jaz drives to remote network servers. Although many of these storage media have high capacity, a backup tool with compression capabilities is a big plus, eliminating the inconvenience of multiple disks or large uploads.
E: Once you select your tools and a suitable medium, you need to find a remote place to store your backups. The options are endless. However, no matter where you choose, be sure the site is secure, easily accessible, and a good distance away from your home. You may also want to consider using an Internet-based backup service. More and more service providers are offering storage space on their servers, and uploading files to a remote location has become an attractive alternative to conventional offsite storage. Of course, before using one of these services, make certain you completely trust the service provider and its security methods. Whatever you do, schedule backups regularly and store them far away from your home.
Come What May: Handling the Garden Variety Computer Crisis
F: Not all home computer damage results from physical disaster. Many less menacing problems can also hobble your PC or destroy your information. Systems crash, kids "rearrange" data, adults inadvertently files. Although these events might not seem calamitous, they can have serious implications. So, once again, it's important to be prepared. As with physical disasters, regular backups are essential. However, some of these smaller issues require a response that's more nuanced than wholesale backup and restoration. To deal with less-than-total disaster, your tool set must be both powerful and agile. For example, when a small number of files are compromised, you may want to retrieve those files alone. Meanwhile, if just your settings are affected, you'll want a simple way to roll back to your preferred setup. Yet, should your operating system fail, you'll need a way to boot your computer and perform large-scale recovery. Computer crises come in all shapes and sizes, and your backup and recovery tools must be flexible enough to meet each challenge.
The Right Tools for the Right Job: Gearing up for Disaster
G: When disaster strikes, the quality of your backup tools can make the difference between utter frustration and peace of mind. Symantec understands this and offers a range of top quality backup and recovery solutions. Norton GoBack is the perfect tool for random system crashes, failed installations, and inadvertent deletions. With this powerful and convenient solution, it's simple to retrieve overwritten files or to bring your system back to its pre-crash state. Norton Ghost is a time-tested home office solution. Equipped to handle full-scale backups, it's also handy for cloning hard drives and facilitating system upgrades. A favorite choice for IT professionals, it's the ideal tool for the burgeoning home office. You can buy Norton Ghost and Norton GoBack separately, or get them both when you purchase Norton System Works.
H: Life's disasters, large and small, often catch us by surprise. However, with a little planning and the right tools, you can reduce those disasters to bumps in the road. So, don't wait another day. Buy a good set of disaster recovery tools, set up an automatic backup schedule, and perform a dry run every now and again. Then, rest easy.
1. You should take steps to recover from computer disasters so as to minimize their effects.
2. For some reason, computer disaster recovery is always ignored by many of us.
3. You can bounce back quickly and easily minor computer disasters with the help of a good offsite storage plan and the right tools.
4. The most devastating causes of personal computer destruction includes house fires and floods.
5. It's necessary for us to back up our systems to some transferable medium and to put it somewhere else.
6. You should find a distant place to store your backups after selecting your tools and a suitable medium.
7. Not only physical disaster can damage your computer.
8. The backup and recovery tools must be flexible enough to deal with various computer crises.
9. The quality of your backup tools determines whether you are frustrated or have a peaceful mind when disaster strikes.
10. You should prepare for your computer disasters now and again.
答案：1. A
根据题干中的信息词recover from computer disasters定位到本文的第一段。
2. B
根据题干中的信息词computer disaster recovery和many of us定位到本文的第二段第11句话，computer disaster recovery is a blind spot for many of us。
3. B
根据题干中的信息词offsite storage plan and the right tools定位到本文的第二段倒数第二句话。
4. C
根据题干中的信息词most devastating causes定位到第一个小标题下第一段的第一句话可知原文提到了家庭火灾和水灾是个人电脑危机的最具毁灭性的根源。
5. C
根据题干中的信息词back up our system及medium定位到第一个小标题下第一段的最后一句话。
6. E
根据题干中的信息词find a remote place to store your backups定位到第一个小标题下第三段的第一句话。
7. F
根据题干中的信息词physical disaster定位到第二个小标题下的前两句话。
8. F
根据题干中的信息词backup and recovery tools及computer crises定位到第二个小标题下的最后一句话。
9. G
根据题干中的信息词The quality of your backup tools和frustrated定位到第三个小标题下第一段的第一句话。
10.H
根据题干中的信息词prepare for your computer，总结文章最后一段大意即可找到答案。
练习题四
Definitions of Obesity
A: How does one define when a person is considered to be obese and not just somewhat overweight? Height-weight tables give an approximate guideline as to whether one is simply overweight or has passed into the obese stage.
B: The World Health Organization recommends using a formula that takes into account a person's height and weight. The "Body Mass Index" (BMI) is calculated by dividing the person's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters, and is thus given in units of kg/m2. A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is considered to be the healthiest. A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight, while a BMI of over 30 is considered to be obese.
C: However, it is recognized that this definition is limited as it does not take into account such variables as age, gender and ethnic origin, the latter being important as different ethnic groups have very different fat distributions. Another shortcoming is that it is not applicable to certain very muscular people such as athletes and bodybuilders, who can also have artificially high BMIs. Agencies such as the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) in the USA and the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF) are starting to define obesity in adults simply in terms of waist circumference.
Health Effects of Obesity
D: Over 2000 years ago, the Greek physician Hippocrates wrote that "persons who are naturally very fat are apt to die earlier than those who are slender". This observation remains very true today. Obesity has a major impact on a person's physical, social and emotional well-being. It increases the risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2 ("mature onset diabetes") and also makes Type 2 diabetes more difficult to control. Thus weight loss improves the levels of blood glucose and blood fats, and reduces blood pressure. The association between obesity and coronary heart disease is also well-known.
Cancer
E: Furthermore, in 2001 medical researchers established a link between being overweight and certain forms of cancer, and estimated that nearly 10,000 Britons per year develop cancer as a result of being overweight. This figure was made up of 5,893 women and 3,220 men, with the strongest associations being with breast and colon cancers. However, it is thought that being overweight may also increase the risk of cancer in the reproductive organs for women and in the prostate gland for men.
F: The link between breast cancer and nutritional status is thought to be due to the steroid hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which are produced by the ovaries, and govern a woman's menstrual cycle. Researchers have found that the more a woman eats, or the more sedentary her lifestyle, the higher are the concentrations of progesterone. This link could explain why women from less affluent countries have lower rates of breast cancer. Women from less affluent nations tend to eat less food and to lead lifestyles which involve more daily movement. This lowers their progesterone level, resulting in lower predisposition to breast cancer.
G: The Times newspaper, in 2002 reported that obesity was the main avoidable cause of cancer among non-smokers in the Western world!
Aging
H: Research published by St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK in 2005 showed a correlation between body fat and aging, to the extent that being obese added 8.8 years to a woman's biological age. The effect was exacerbated by smoking, and a non-overweight woman who smokes 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years added 7.4 years to their biological age. The combination of being obese and a smoker added at least ten years to a woman’s biological age, and although the study only involved women, the lead researcher Professor Tim Spector believes the finding would also apply to men.
I: The aging effect was determined by measuring the length of telomeres, tiny "caps" on the ends of chromosomes, which help protect the DNA from the ageing process. Indeed, telomeres have been dubbed the "chromosomal clock" because, as an organism ages, they become progressively shorter, and can be used to determine the age of the organism. Beyond a certain point, the telomere becomes so short that it is no longer able to prevent the DNA of the chromosome from falling apart. It is believed that excess body fat, and the chemicals present in tobacco smoke release free radicals which trigger inflammation. Inflammation causes the production of white blood cells which increases the rate of erosion of telomeres.
Dementia
J: Recent research (2005) conducted in the USA shows that obesity in middle age is linked to an increased risk of dementia, with obese people in their 40s being 74% more likely to develop dementia compared to those of normal weight. For those who are merely overweight, the lifetime risk of dementia risk was 35% higher.
K: Scientists from the Aging Research Centre at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have been able to take information such as age, number of years in education, gender, body mass index, blood pressure level, physical activity and genetic factors, assigning each a risk score. They then used this information to devise a predictive test for dementia. This test will enable people at risk, for the first time, to be able to affect lifestyle changes which will reduce their risk of contracting dementia.
Other Problems
L: The world-wide upsurge in obesity, particularly in children, is of major economic concern, liable to drain economies. Of further concern is that research conducted in Australia and published in 2006, shows that up to one third of breech pregnancies were undetected by the traditional "palpation" examination, the danger being greatest for those women who are overweight or obese—a growing proportion of mothers. This means that such women are not getting the treatment required to turn the baby around in time for the birth, and in many cases require an emergency Caesarean section.
M: This is a true health-care crisis, far bigger than Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and ultimately, even bigger than AIDS.
1. You can judge whether one is simply overweight or has passed into the obese stage according to the height-weight table.
2. Using the "Body Mass Index"to define a person's weight ideal is limited, because it does not takes into account many variables such as age, gender and ethnic origin.
3. A person's emotional well-being would be affected by obesity.
4. Obesity has something to do with cancer in the prostate gland for man.
5. Women from less affluent nations tend to have much less breast cancer.
6. A non-overweight woman who smokes 20 cigarettes a day for 20 years added 7.4 years to her biological age.
7. The excess body fat, like the chemicals present in tobacco smoke, can lead to inflammation.
8. Obese people in middle age run an increased risk of dementia .
9. The predictive test for dementia will help people to affect lifestyle changes that will reduce their risk of contracting dementia.
10. The world-wide upsurge in obesity, particularly in children, will possibly drain economies.
答案：1. A 2. C 3. D 4. E 5. F 6. H 7. I 8. J 9. K 10. L
练习题五
Passage One
Words: 1,036
Earthquakes
A) An earthquake is one of the most terrifying phenomena that nature can dish up. We generally think of the ground we stand on as “rock-solid” and completely stable. An earthquake can shatter (粉碎)that perception instantly, and often with extreme violence.
B) Up until relatively recently, scientists only had unproven guesses as to what actually caused earthquakes. Even today there is still a certain amount of mystery surrounding them, but scientists have a much clearer understanding. There has been enormous progress in the past century. Scientists have identified the forces that cause earthquakes, and developed technology that can tell us an earthquake"s magnitude and origin. The next hurdle is to find a way of predicting earthquakes, so they don’t catch people by surprise. In this article, we’ll find out what causes earthquakes, and we’ll also find out why they can have such a devastating effect on us.
C) An earthquake is a vibration(震动)that travels through the earth’s crust. Technically, a large truck that rumbles down the street is causing a mini-earthquake, if you feel your house shaking as it goes by; but we tend to think of earthquakes as events that affect a fairly large area, such as an entire city. All kinds of things can cause earthquakes: volcanic eruptions, meteor(流星)impacts, underground explosions (an underground nuclear test, for example), collapsing structures (such as a collapsing mine). But the majority of naturally-occurring earthquakes are caused by movements of the earth’s plates.
D) We only hear about earthquakes in the news every once in a while, but they are actually an everyday occurrence on our planet. According to the United States Geological Survey, more than 3 million earthquakes occur every year. That’s about 8,000 a day, or one every 11 seconds! The vast majority of these 3 million quakes are extremely weak. The law of probability also causes a good number of stronger quakes to happen in uninhabited places where no one feels them. It is the big
quakes that occur in highly populated areas that get our attention.
E) Earthquakes have caused a great deal of property damage over the years, and they have claimed many lives. In the last hundred years alone, there have been more than 1.5 million earthquake-related fatalities. Usually, it’s not the shaking ground itself that claims lives; it’s the associated destruction of man-made structures and other natural disasters it causes, such as tsunamis, avalanches (雪崩)and landslides.
F) The biggest scientific breakthrough in the history of seismology—the study of earthquakes—came in the middle of the 20th century, with the development of the theory of plate tectonics(筑造学).Scientists proposed the idea of plate tectonics to explain a number of peculiar phenomena on earth, such as the apparent movement of continents over time, the clustering of volcanic activity in certain areas and the presence of huge ridges at the bottom of the ocean.
G) The basic theory is that the surface layer of the earth—the lithosphere—is comprised of many plates that slide over the lubricating (润滑的)asthenosphere layer. At the boundaries between these huge plates of soil and rock, three different things can happen.
H) Plates can move apart. If two plates are moving apart from each other, hot, molten rock flows up from the layers of mantle below the lithosphere. This magma (岩浆) comes out on the surface (mostly at the bottom of the ocean), where it is called lava (熔岩).As the lava cools, it hardens to form new lithosphere material, filling in the gap. This is called a divergent plate boundary.
I) Plates can push together. If the two plates are moving toward each other, one plate typically pushes under the other one. This plate below sinks into the lower mantle layers, where it melts. At some boundaries where two plates meet, neither plate is in a position to push under the other, so they both push against each other to form mountains. The lines where plates push toward each other are called convergent plate boundaries.
J) Plates slide against each other. At other boundaries, plates simply slide by each other—one moves north and one moves south, for example. While the plates don’t drift directly into each other at these transform boundaries, they are pushed tightly together. A great deal of tension builds at the boundary.
K) We understand earthquakes a lot better than we did even 50 years ago, but we still can’t do much about them. They are caused by fundamental, powerful geological processes that are far beyond our control. These processes are also fairly unpredictable, so it’s not possible at this time to tell people exactly when an earthquake is going to occur. The first detected earthquake waves will tell us that more powerful vibrations are on their way, but this only gives us a few minutes’ warning, at most.
L) So what can we do about earthquakes? The major advances over the past 50 years have been in preparedness, particularly in the field of construction engineering. In 1973, the Uniform Building Code, an international set of standards for building construction,7 added7 specifications7 to7 strengthen7 buildings7 against7 the7 force7 of7 earthquake7 waves.7 This7 includes7 strengthening7 support7 material7 as7 well7 as7 designing buildings so they are flexible enough to absorb vibrations without falling or deteriorating. It’s very important to design structures that can undergo this sort of attack, particularly in earthquake -prone areas.
M) Another component of preparedness is educating the public. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other government agencies have produced several brochures explaining the processes involved in an earthquake and giving instructions on how to prepare your house for a possible earthquake, as well as what to do when a quake hits.
N) In the future, improvements in prediction and preparedness should further minimize the loss of life and property associated with earthquakes. But it will be a long time, if ever, before we’ll be ready for every substantial earthquake that might occur. Just like severe weather and disease, earthquakes are an unavoidable force generated by the powerful natural processes that shape our planet. All we can do is increase our understanding of the phenomenon and develop better ways to deal with it.
1. Earthquake-related fatalities are usually caused by buildings，collapse and other ensuing natural disasters, not by the shaking ground itself.
2. Besides movements of the earth’s plates, other forces such as volcanic eruptions, meteor impacts and so on, can also cause earthquakes.
3. Earthquakes actually occur every day; most of them are not big enough to get our attention.
4. People generally think the ground beneath their feet is completely stable, but earthquakes shatter that idea in no time.
5. We cannot prevent earthquakes but we can actively find better ways to face them.
6. Earthquakes are hardly predictable, and people cannot be told when an earthquake is going to occur.
7. Scientists have found out forces that cause earthquakes through years of efforts.
8. Architects now have designed flexible buildings to minimize the damages of earthquakes.
9. Scientists use the theory of plate tectonics to explain the apparent movement of continents over time.
10. The convergent plate boundaries refer to the lines where plates push toward each other.
答案： 1. E 本题是对E段最后一句话的同义转述。定位关键词是Earthquake-related fatalities。原文用it’s not...that claims lives; it’s...结构指出“通常不是地壳晃 动引起的死亡，而是伴随而来的房屋倒塌或其他自然灾害导致的死亡”， 题目用...be caused by...not by...结构表达了同样的意思。
2. C 本题是对C段最后两句的归纳，题目将两句话的含义概括为一句话。定位关键词是 movements of the earth$s plates, volcanic eruptions, meteor impacts。
3. D 本题是对D段的总结。定位关键词是get our attention。D段首句就提到每天都会发生地震，最后一句提到只有大地震才能引起人们的注意，本题就是 对这两句话的概括。
4. A 本题是对A段最后两句的同义转述。定位关键词是shatter。题目中的the ground beneath their feet同义转述了原文中的the ground we stand on。
5. N 本题是对N段最后两句的概括。定位关键词是better ways。文章最后一句提到，我们能做的就是增加我们对地震的认识，寻找更好的方法来应对它， 与题干表达一致。
6. K 本题是对K段第三句的同义转述。定位关键词是hardly predictable。原文提到：虽然我们对地震有了更深的了解，但地震仍然不受我们的控制，地震 是无法预测的，人们不可能得知地震什么时候会发生，表达与题干一致。
7. B 本题是对B段第三、四句的同义转述。定位关键词是cause earthquakes。题目中的found out同义转述了原文中的identified。
8. L 本题是对L段最后两句的概括。定位关键词是designed。原文提到：过去50年我们在应对地震方面取得了进步，尤其是在建筑工程领域。我们用特殊 材料加固房屋以应对地震的破坏，我们设计足够灵活的房屋，确保地震不 会导致房屋倒塌，这与题干表达的完全一致。
9. F 本题是F段中举例的一部分。定位关键词是the theory of plate tectonics。原文提到科学家用the idea of plate tectonics解释很多现象，其中之一就是the apparent movement of continents over time。
10. I 本题是对I段最后一句的同义转述。定位关键词是convergent plate boundaries。题干中的refer to与原文中的are called属于同义转述。
练习题六
Passage Two
Words: 1,103
How Ozone Pollution Works
A) The weather report on the radio or TV tells you that it is going to be sunny and hot and that an orange ozone alert has been issued. What is ozone? What does an orange alert mean? Why should you be concerned about it? In this article, we will examine what ozone is, how it is produced, what health hazards it poses and what you can do to reduce ozone pollution.
B) Ozone is a molecule of three oxygen atoms bound together (O3). It is unstable and highly reactive. Ozone is used as a bleach, a deodorizing agent, and a sterilization agent for air and drinking water. At low concentrations, it is toxic. Ozone is found naturally in small concentrations in the stratosphere, a layer of Earth’s upper atmosphere. In this upper atmosphere, ozone is made when ultraviolet light from the sun splits an oxygen molecule (O2), forming two single oxygen atoms. If a freed atom collides with an oxygen molecule, it becomes ozone. Stratospheric ozone has been called “good” ozone because it protects the Earth’s surface from dangerous ultraviolet light.
C) Ozone can also be found in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere. Tropospheric ozone (often termed “ bad ” ozone) is man - made, a result of air pollution from internal combustion engines and power plants. Automobile exhaust and industrial emissions release a family of nitrogen oxide gases (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), by-products of burning gasoline and coal. NOx and VOC combine chemically with oxygen to form ozone during sunny, high- temperature conditions of late spring, summer and early fall. High levels of ozone are usually formed in the heat of the afternoon and early evening, dissipating during the cooler nights.
D) Although ozone pollution is formed mainly in urban and suburban areas, it ends up in rural areas as well, carried by prevailing winds or resulting from cars and trucks that travel into rural areas. Significant levels of ozone pollution can be detected in rural areas as far as 250 miles downwind from urban industrial zones.
E) You can make ozone test strips to detect and monitor ozone levels in your own backyard or around your school. You will need corn starch, filter paper (coffee filters work well) and potassium iodide (can be ordered from a science education supplier such as Carolina Biological Supply or Fisher Scientific). Basically, you make a paste from water, corn starch and potassium-iodide, and you paint this paste on strips of filter paper. You then expose the strips to the air for eight hours. Ozone in the air will react with the potassium iodide to change the color of the strip. You will also need to know the relative humidity, which you can get from a newspaper, weather broadcast or home weather station.
F) When you inhale ozone, it travels throughout your respiratory tract. Because ozone is very corrosive, it damages the bronchioles and alveoli in your lungs, air sacs that are important for gas exchange. Repeated exposure to ozone can inflame lung tissues and cause respiratory infections.
G) Ozone exposure can aggravate existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, reduce your lung function and capacity for exercise and cause chest pains and coughing. Young children, adults who are active outdoors and people with respiratory diseases are most susceptible to the high levels of ozone encountered during the summer. In addition to effects on humans, the corrosive nature of ozone can damage plants and trees. High levels of ozone can destroy agricultural crops and forest vegetation.
H) To protect yourself from ozone exposure, you should be aware of the Air Quality Index (AQI) in your area every day—you can usually find it in the newspaper or on a morning weather forecast on TV or radio. You should also be familiar with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide for ozone-alert values.
I) What do the numbers in the AQI mean? The AQI measures concentrations of five air pollutants: ozone, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. The EPA has chosen these pollutants as criteria pollutants, but these are not all of the pollutants in the air. These concentrations are compared to a standard set out in federal law. An index value of 100 means that all of the criteria pollutants are at the maximum level that is considered safe for the majority of the population. To reduce your exposure to ozone, you should avoid exercising during afternoon and early evening hours in the summer.
J) There are several ways you can help to decrease ozone pollution. Limit using your automobile during afternoon and early evening hours in the late spring, summer and early fall. Do not use gasoline-powered lawn equipment during these times. Do not fuel your car during these times. Do not light fires or outdoor grills during these times. Keep the engine of your car or boat tuned. Make sure that your tires are properly inflated. Use environmentally safe paints, cleaning and office products (some of these chemicals are sources of VOC).
K) Besides personal attempts to reduce ozone pollution, the EPA has initiated more stringent air-quality standards (such as the Clean Air Act and its modifications) to reduce air pollution. Compliance with these standards by industries, manufacturers and state and local governments has significantly reduced the levels of many common air pollutants.
L) With continued conservation and reduction practices, adherence to ozone-pollution warnings, research and government regulation, ozone-pollution levels should
continue to fall. Perhaps future generations will not be threatened by this environmental pollutant.
M) The thing that determines whether ozone is good or bad is its location. Ozone is ‘‘good，，when it is in the stratosphere. The stratosphere is a layer of the atmosphere starting at the level of about 6 miles (about 10 kilometers) above sea level. The stratosphere naturally contains about six parts per million of ozone, and this ozone is very beneficial because it absorbs UV radiation and prevents it from reaching us.
N) Ozone is “bad” when it is at ground level. Ozone is a very reactive gas that is hard on lung tissue. It also damages plants and buildings. Any ozone at ground level is a problem. Unfortunately, chemicals in car exhaust and chemicals produced by some industries react with light to produce lots of ozone at ground level. In cities, the ozone level can rise to a point where it becomes hazardous to our health. That’s when you hear about an ozone warning on the news.
1. When ultraviolet rays from the sun separate an oxygen molecule into two single oxygen atoms in the stratosphere, the combination of a single oxygen atom and an oxygen molecule forms ozone.
2. You can make ozone test strips by yourself to find out about ozone levels in your own locale.
3. Long-time exposure to ozone is badly harmful to our respiratory system.
4. Chemicals in industrial waste gas and vehicle exhaust react with light to form lots of ozone at ground level.
5. Internal combustion engines and power plants cause the artificial tropospheric ozone, also known as “bad” ozone.
6. Ozone is very helpful because it absorbs UV radiation and separates us from it.
7. Using gasoline-powered lawn equipment in the late spring, summer and early fall may increase ozone pollution.
8. Ozone pollution occurs in urban and suburban areas as well as in rural areas.
9. In order to decrease ozone pollution, the EPA has set up more rigorous air-quality standards.
10. Pay close attention to the Air Quality Index in your area every day can keep you away from ozone exposure.
答案： 1. B 本题答案的信息来自B段的倒数第二、三句话。原文中提到太阳紫外线将 氧分子分成了两个单独的氧原子，氧原子与氧分子再结合就生成了臭氧。 题干正好表达了这个意思。ultraviolet rays即是原文中的ultraviolet light。
2. E 本题答案的信息来自E段第一句话。题目中的find out about意为“弄清有关 的情况”，和原文中的detect and monitor含义相对应;题目中的inyour own locale和原文中的in your own backyard相对应。
3. F 本题答案的信息来自F段。F段提到人吸入臭氧后，它可以贯穿你的呼吸系统。接着提到它可能损害细支气管、肺部等呼吸系统的部位，故可知长期 暴露在臭氧下有损呼吸系统。
4. N 本题答案的信息来自N段第五句话，题干是对本句的同义转述。
5. C 本题答案的信息来自C段的第二句话。原句中先说“果”后说“因”，题目将
“因”提前，然后说“果”;原文中的man-made与题干中的artificial相对应; 原文中的termed与题干中的known as相对应。
6. M 本题答案的信息来自M段第二句和最后一句话。原文中第二句话首先提到
Ozone is “good” when it is in the stratosphere.，在最后一句中提到臭氧为什 么有益;原文中的beneficial与题干中的helpfUl相对应;题目中的separates from对应原文中的prevents from。
7. J 本题答案的信息来自J段第一、二、三句话。原文中J段的首句提到有几种可以降低臭氧污染的方法，接下来提到的一种方法是Do not use gasoline- powered lawn equipment during these times.由此推测Using gasoline-powered lawn equipment会导致臭氧污染增加;而由第二句话可推测出原文中的 during these times指的是in the late spring, summer and early fall。
8. D 本题答案的信息来自D段第一句话。原文提到臭氧污染主要在城市和城市郊区出现，但因为风和汽车、卡车运输的作用，农村也会发生臭氧污染， 题干是对此的归纳。
9. K 本题答案的信息来自K段第一句话。原文中的initiated和题目中的set up属于同义转换;原文中的stringent替换为了rigorous;原文中的reduce ozone pollution替换为了decrease ozone pollution。
10. H本题答案的信息来自H段第一句话。题目中的keep you away from对应原文的protect yourself from;题目中的Pay close attention to 对应原文的should be aware of。
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