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http://www.ekaotang.com B) It may create more problems than it might solve.
C) It is a waste of money because a collision of asteroids with Earth is very
unlikely. D) Further research should be done before it is proved applicable. 24. We can conclude from the passage that ________.
A) while pushing asteroids off course nuclear weapons would destroy the world B) asteroids racing across the night sky are likely to hit Earth in the near future C) the worry about asteroids can be left to future generations since it is unlikely
to happen in our lifetime D) workable solutions still have to be found to prevent a collision of asteroids
with Earth 25. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone in this
passage?
A) Optimistic. B) Critical. C) Objective. D) Arbitrary.
Passage Two
Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage.
Believe it or not, optical illusion (错觉) can cut highway crashes.
Japan is a case in point. It has reduced automobile crashes on some roads by nearly 75 percent using a simple optical illusion. Bent stripes, called chevrons (人字形), painted on the roads make drivers think that they are driving faster than they really are, and thus drivers slow down.
Now the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety in Washington D.C. is planning to repeat Japan’s success. Starting next year, the foundation will paint chevrons and other patterns of stripes on selected roads around the country to test how well the patterns reduce highway crashes.
Excessive speed plays a major role in as much as one fifth of all fatal traffic accidents, according to the foundation. To help reduce those accidents, the foundation will conduct its tests in areas where speed-related hazards are the greatest—curves, exit slopes, traffic circles, and bridges.
Some studies suggest that straight, horizontal bars painted across roads can initially cut the average speed of drivers in half. However, traffic often returns to full speed within months as drivers become used to seeing the painted bars. 在线考试、考试资讯、课程辅导、互动问答更多资源尽在易考堂网校http://www.ekaotang.com
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http://www.ekaotang.com Chevrons, scientists say, not only give drivers the impression that they are driving faster than they really are but also make a lane appear to be narrower. The result is a longer lasting reduction in highway sped and the number of traffic accidents.
26. The passage mainly discusses ________.
A) a new way of highway speed control B) a new pattern for painting highways C) a new approach to training drivers D) a new type of optical illusion
27. On roads painted with chevrons, drivers tend to feel that ________.
A) they should avoid speed-related hazards B) they are driving in the wrong lane C) they should slow down their speed D) they are approaching the speed limit
28. The advantage of chevrons over straight, horizontal bars is that the
former ________.
A) can keep drivers awake B) can cut road accidents in half C) will have a longer effect on drivers D) will look more attractive
29. The American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety
plans to ________.
A) try out the Japanese method in certain areas B) change the road signs across the country C) replace straight, horizontal bars with chevrons D) repeat the Japanese road patterns
30. What does the author say about straight, horizontal bars painted
across roads?
A) They are falling out of use in the United States.
B) They tend to be ignored by drivers in a short period of time. C) They are applicable only on broad roads.
D) They cannot be applied successfully to traffic circles.
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http://www.ekaotang.com Passage Three
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.
Amtrak (美国铁路客运公司) was experiencing a downswing in ridership (客运量) along the lines comprising its rail system. Of major concern to Amtrak and its advertising agency DDB Needham, were the long-distance western routes where ridership had been declining significantly.] At one time, trains were the only practical way to cross the vast areas of the west. Trains were fast, very luxurious, and quite convenient compared to other forms of transportation existing at the time. However, times change and the automobile became America’s standard of convenience. Also, air travel had easily established itself as the fastest method of traveling great distances. Therefore, the task for DDB Needham was to encourage consumers to consider other aspects of train travel in order to change their attitudes and increase the likelihood that trains would be considered for travel in the west.
Two portions of the total market were targeted: 1) anxious fliers—those concerned with safety, relaxation, and cleanliness and 2) travel-lovers—those viewing themselves as relaxed, casual, and interested in the travel experience as part of their vacation. The agency then developed a campaign that focused on travel experiences such as freedom, escape, relaxation, and enjoyment of the great western outdoors. It stressed experiences gained by using the trains and portrayed western train trips as wonderful adventures.
Advertisements showed pictures of the beautiful scenery that could be enjoyed along some of the more famous western routes and emphasized the romantic names of some of these trains (Empire Builder, etc.). These ads were strategically placed among family-oriented TV shows and programs involving nature and America in order to most effectively reach target audiences. Results were impressive. The Empire Builder, which was focused on in one ad, enjoyed a 15 percent increase in profits on its Chicago to Seattle route.
31. What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A) To show the inability of trains to compete with planes with respect to speed
and convenience. B) To stress the influence of the automobile on America’s standard of
convenience. C) To emphasize the function of travel agencies in market promotion.
D) To illustrate the important role of persuasive communication in changing
consumer attitudes. 32. It can be inferred from the passage that the drop in Amtrak ridership
was due to the fact that ________.
A) trains were not suitable for short distance passenger transportation 在线考试、考试资讯、课程辅导、互动问答更多资源尽在易考堂网校http://www.ekaotang.com
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http://www.ekaotang.com B) trains were not the fastest and most convenient form of transportation C) trains were not as fast and convenient as they used to be
D) trains could not compete with planes in terms of luxury and convenience 33. To encourage consumers to travel by train, DDB Needham emphasized
________.
A) the freedom and convenience provided on trains B) the practical aspects of train travel C) the adventurous aspects of train trips D) the safety and cleanliness of train trips
34. The train ads were placed among family-oriented TV programs involving
nature and America because ________.
A) they could focus on meaningful travel experiences B) they could increase the effectiveness of the TV programs C) their profits could be increased by some 15 percent
D) most travel-lovers and nervous fliers were believed to be among the audiences 35. According to the passage, the Empire Builder enjoyed an increase in
ridership and profits because ________.
A) the attractiveness of its name and route was effectively advertised B) it provided an exciting travel experience
C) its passengers could enjoy the great western outdoors
D) it was widely advertised in newspapers and magazines in Chicago and Seattle
Passage Four
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.
Why does cram go bad faster than butter? Some researchers think they have the answer, and it comes down to the structure of the food, not its chemical composition—a finding that could help rid some processed foods of chemical preservatives.
Cream and butter contain pretty much the same substances, so why cream should sour much faster has been a mystery. Both are emulsions—tiny globules (小球体) of one liquid evenly distributed throughout another. The difference lies in what’s in the globules and what’s in the surrounding liquid, says Brocklehurst, who led the investigation.
In cream, fatty globules drift about in a sea of water. In butter, globules of a watery solution are locked away in a sea of fat. The bacteria which make the food go 在线考试、考试资讯、课程辅导、互动问答更多资源尽在易考堂网校http://www.ekaotang.com
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http://www.ekaotang.com bad prefer to live in the watery regions of the mixture. “This means that in cream, the bacteria are free to grow throughout the mixture,” he says.
When the situation is reversed, the bacteria are locked away in compartments (隔仓室) buried deep in the sea of fat. Trapped in this way, individual colonies cannot spread and rapidly run out of nutrients (养料). They also slowly poison themselves with their waste products. “In butter, you get a self-limiting system which stops the bacteria growing,” says Brocklehurst.
The researchers are already working with food companies keen to see if their products can be made resistant to bacterial attack through alterations to the food’s structure. Brocklehurst believes it will be possible to make the emulsions used in salad cream, for instance, more like that in butter. The key will be to do this while keeping the salad cream liquid and not turning it into a solid lump.
36. The significance of Brocklehurst’s research is that ________.
A) it suggested a way to keep some foods fresh without preservatives B) it discovered tiny globules in both cream and butter
C) it revealed the secret of how bacteria multiply in cream and butter D) it found that cream and butter share the same chemical composition
37. According to the researchers, cream sours fast than butter because
bacteria ________.
A) are more evenly distributed in cream B) multiply more easily in cream than in butter C) live on less fat in cream than in butter D) produce less waste in cream than in butter
38. According to Brocklehurst, we can keep cream fresh by ________.
A) removing its fat B) killing the bacteria C) reducing its water content D) altering its structure
39. The word “colonies” (Line 2, Para. 4) refers to ________.
A) tiny globules B) watery regions C) bacteria communities D) little compartments
40. Commercial application of the research finding will be possible if
salad cream can be made resistant to bacterial attack ________. 在线考试、考试资讯、课程辅导、互动问答更多资源尽在易考堂网校http://www.ekaotang.com
2014年大学英语四级试题
