大学英语(B)阅读理解练习题及答案

Passage 11

A foreigner's first impression of the U.S. is likely to be that everyone is in a rush-often under pressure. City people always appear to be hurrying to get where they are going restlessly, seeking attention in a store, and elbowing others as they try to complete their errands(任务). Racing through daytime meals is part of the pace of life in this country.

Working time is considered precious. Others in public eating places are waiting for you to finish so that they too can be served and get back to work within the time allowed. Each person hurries to make room for the next person. If you don’t, waiters will hurry you.

You also find drivers will be abrupt and people will push past you. You will miss smiles, brief conversations, and small courtesies with strangers. Don't take it personally. This is because people value time highly, and they resent someone else \

The view of time affects the importance we attach to patience. In the American system of values, patience is not a high priority. Many of us have what might be called “a short fuse.” We begin to move restlessly about if we feel time is slipping away without some re-turnbe this in terms of pleasure, work value, or rest. Those coming from lands where time is looked upon differently may find this matter of pace to be one of their most difficult adjustments in both business and daily life.

Many newcomers to the States will miss the opening courtesy of a business call, for example, They will miss the ritual interaction that goes with a welcoming cup of tea or coffee that may be a convention in their own country. They may miss leisurely business chats in a café or coffee house. Normally, Americans do not assess their visitors in such relaxed surroundings over prolonged small talks. We seek out evidence of past performance rather than evaluate a business colleague through social courtesies. Since we generally assess and probe professionally rather than socially, we start talking business very quickly.

1. Which of the following statements is wrong? A. Americans seem to be always under pressure. B. Americans attach less importance to patience.

C. Americans don’t care much about ritual socializing. D. Americans are impolite to their business colleagues. 2. In the fourth paragraph, “a high priority” means ________？ A. a less important thing B. a first concern C. a good business D. an attractive gift 3. Americans evaluate a business colleague ________. A. through social courtesy

B. through prolonged business talks C. by establishing business relations

D. by learning about their past performance

4. This passage mainly talks about ________. A. how Americans treasure their time B. how busy Americans are every day

C. how Americans do business with foreigners D. what American way of life is like

5. We can infer from the passage that the author’s tone in writing is ________.

A. critical B. ironical C. appreciative D. objective

一个外国人对于美国的第一印象很有可能是每个人都在压力下匆匆忙忙。城市里的人总是表现得匆匆忙忙不知疲倦的，为了尽快做完一件事情，他们会在店里拼命引起店员的注意或者用胳膊肘推搡别人。白天匆忙就餐也是这个国家生活节奏的一个部分。

工作时间被认为是很珍贵的。在一些公共饮食场所，其他人会等在你旁边等你吃完，这样大家都可以得到服务，并赶在规定的时间内回去工作。每个人都会尽快给下一个人腾出地方。如果你不这样，侍者会催促你的。

你会发现司机也都很匆忙，人们从你身边匆匆走过。你会错过一些微笑，简短的交谈和一些与陌生人的小礼节。不要在意，这是因为他们非常珍惜时间，而且他们认为一旦太注重这些社交礼节就是浪费时间。

对时间的观念还会影响到我们对耐心的理解。在美国价值体系中，耐心并不是首要要考虑的。我们中的很多人被称为”短保险丝”。如果我们觉得时间在毫无意义的溜走，既没有娱乐价值，工作价值，也不在休息，那就会开始不停地徘徊。那些来自时间观念不同的国家的人发现他们在商业和日常生活中最困难的就是对时间节奏的适应。

许多刚到美国来的人都会想念他们在商业会谈中一些开场礼节。举个例子，他们会想念因欢迎你到来而泡的一杯茶或咖啡这样的社交礼仪，这在他们国家是常规礼仪。他们会想念在咖啡屋悠闲的会谈。而通常，美国人不会与来访者在这么悠闲的环境中进行一些冗长的小会谈。对于同事，我们总是看他过去的表现而不是与他的社交礼仪。因为我们一般都是更注重专业性的，而不是社交性的，因此我们总是很快进入正题。

Passage 12

In the United States, it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 p.m. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he assumes it’s a matter of life or death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance. In social life, time plays a very important part. In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten. The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings arise between people from different cultures that treat time differently. Promptness is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the U.S. no one would think of keeping a business associate waiting for an hour, it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late, will say a few words of explanation, though perhaps he will not complete the sentence. (260 words)

1. What is the main idea of this passage?

A. It is not customary to telephone someone in the morning and in sleeping hours in the U.S. B. The role of time in social life over the world.

C. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible in the U.S. D. Not every country treats the concept of time as the same.

2. What does it mean in the passage if you call someone during his or her sleeping hours? A. A matter of work.

B. A matter of life or death. C. You want to see him or her.

D. You want to make an appointment with him or her.

3. Which of the following time is proper if you want to make an appointment with your friend? A. at 7: 00 am. B. at 4:00 pm. C. at the midnight. D. at 4:00 am. 4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. In the U.S.A guests tend to feel they are highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date.

B. There is no misunderstanding arising between people from different cultures about the concept of time.

C. It may be considered foolish to make an appointment well in advance in the U.S.A.. D. Promptness is valued highly in American life.

5. From the passage we can safely infer that _________. A. it’s a matter of life or death if you call someone in day time B. the meaning of time differs in different parts of the world

C. it makes no difference in the U.S. whether you are early or late for a business party D. if a person is late for a date, he needn’t make some explanation

Passage 13

People used to say, \摇) the cradle (摇篮) rules the world, \every successful man, there’s a woman. \world, but their wives rule them.

Most of the American women like making their husbands and sons successful, but some of them want something for themselves. They want good jobs. When they work, they want to be better paid, they want to be as successful as men.

The American women’s liberation movement was started by the women who don’t want to stand behind successful men. They don’t want to be told that certain jobs of offices are closed to them. They refuse to work side by side with men who do the same work for a higher pay.

A liberated woman must be proud of being a woman and confidence (信心) herself. If somebody says to her, \’ve come a long way, baby. \’ll smile and answer. \far as I’m going to go , baby.\

This movement is quite new, and many American women do not agree. But it has already made some important changes in women’s lives-in men’s lives, too. 1. \ A. woman can not only give birth to children but rule a country B. women not only raise their children but support their husbands C. women do play an important part in men’s lives and work D. a man can’t be successful without being married 2. \means _________. A. \

B. \ C. \ D. \

3. \ means ________. A. \

B. \ C. \

D. \

4. According to the passage, the writer ________ the women’s liberation. A. is all for B. doesn’t tell us his idea on C. is strongly against D. isn’t strongly against 5. The best title of this passage should be ________.

A. Something about Women B. Women and Their Husbands C. Men’s Liberation in the USA D. Women’s Liberation in the USA

Passage 14

Sixteen-year-old Maria was waiting in line at the airport in Santo Domingo. She was leaving her native country to join her sister in the United States. She spoke English very well. Though she was very happy she could go abroad, she was feeling sad at leaving her family and fiends. As she was thinking all about this, she suddenly heard the airline employee asking her to pick up her luggage and put it on the scales（称）. Maria pulled and pulled. The bag was too heavy and she just couldn’t lift it up. The man behind her got very impatient. He, too, was waiting to check in his luggage.

“What’s wrong with this girl?” He said, “Why doesn’t she hurry up?” He moved forward and placed his bag on the counter, hoping to check in fist. He was in a hurry to get a good seat.

Maria was very angry, but she was very polite. And in her best English she said, “Why are you so upset? There are enough seats for everyone on the plane. If you are in such a hurry, why can’t you give me a hand with my luggage?”

The man was surprised to hear Maria speak English. He quickly picked up her luggage and stepped back. Everyone was looking at him with disapproval.

1. Maria’s story happened ________. A. when she was leaving America B. on her way back to Santo Domingo C. before she left the USA D. when she arrived at the airport

2. You believer that the work of the airline employee mentioned in the story is to _______ at the airport.

A. help carry people’s luggage B. ask people to pick up the luggage C. check people’s luggage D. take care of people’s luggage

3. “Why are you so upset?” Maria said to the man. She wanted to tell him that he should not be _______.

A. surprised B. sad C. unhappy D. sorry

4. “Everyone was looking at him with disapproval.” This sentence means that the people around felt _______.

A. worried about Maria B. worried about the man C. sorry for Maria’s manners D. sorry for the man’s manners

5. The author mentioned Maria’s age at the beginning of the story in order to show that _________.

A. she was young but behaved properly B. she would not have left home alone C. everyone around her was wrong D. it was not good that nobody offered to help her