1、2010年 12月英语四六级考试阅读专项练习(1)Passage 1Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this passage, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passagequickly and answer the questions on Answer Sheet 1.For questions 1-7, mark Y (for YES) if the statement agrees with the information
2、givenin the passage; N (for NO) if the statement contradicts the information given inthe passage; NG (for NOT GIVEN) if the information is not given in the passage. For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the information given in the passage.How to Buy a Used CarNearly everybody buys a used
3、car sooner or later, as a primary vehicle (首要的交通工具) or as a second car. Indeed(当然), three out of four sales today are used cars, and theyre not cheap junkers (废物)eitherthe average price now is $ 5500, about half what a new car costs. Make the wrong selection and a major investment (投资)can be lost th
4、e moment you drive off the lot.There is far less chance of this happening to you if you know: when to buy, where to buy, how to examine (仔细检查) the car, how to conduct (进行) your own road test, and how to bargain over (讲价)the price.When to buyShop during the day. Lighting makes cars gleam (V 闪光)like j
5、ewels (宝石)at night. In daylight they look dull (黯淡的), but realistic.Dont shop in the rain. It can mask(掩盖) liquids (液体) that might be leaking (泄漏). If possible, shop in the winter when supplies are high and demand (需求)is low.Where to buyShop the suburbs. In more affluent (富有的)neighbourhoods cars are
6、 more likely to have been well cared for.A private owner normally sells a car for less than a dealer(商人) does, but almost always “as is,“ with no guarantee(质量保证). Thats an acceptable risk if what youre looking for is a cheap second car to “drive to the station. “Even though a used-car dealer general
7、ly charges more, you can often get some type of limited guarantee. This is often a 50-50 plan, in which you each pay half on repairs for a period (一段时间)that may range from 30 days to a year. Ask the dealer about the availability of an optional(可选择的) service policy.Used-car dealers often claim (声称)to
8、 have gone over (仔细查看)the car, and many have. But remember that small dealers often buy cars that are auctioned (拍卖 ) because nobody else wants them.Some experts feel that a new-car dealer is the best place to buy a secondhand car, especially if youre laying out a large sum (一笔金钱) for a late model.
9、Some of these dealers offer extensive (广阔的)guarantees, such as one on the “drive train,“ which covers any problems with engine (发动机), transmission(变速器) ， drive shaft and differential (差速器 ). Expect to pay for this, as well as for the markup (标高的价格). But if you shop soon after the new models have arr
10、ived, when a dealer has a lot of trade-ins tying up his profits, he might deal. The visual examination (视觉上的检查)Youve found your dream car, and can hardly wait to get in and roar away. Wait.First, look for any flaws (瑕疵)or ripples(划痕) in the body that might indicate a past accident (暗示曾经出过事故). To see
11、 if a car has been repainted(重新漆过), look under the rubber seals around the door or under the chrome trim. Repainting may mask deep flaws (重新上漆可能隐藏深层的瑕疵).Check the odometer (计程器) for total mileage (英里数), and then compare that figure (数字)with any stickers still attached to door posts. Its illegal to c
12、hange odometer readings, but it happens. If there are no stickers, be a little suspicious. Check pedals and controls: wear on these parts should agree with the mileage. If they are brand new, be suspicious. If they are worn out, beware.Check that the doors, hood and trunk all open smoothly and close
13、 with solid sound. Sight along the sides of the car from 30 feet away to be sure that the rear and front wheels line up.Look under the car for fluid leaks. Except for condensation from a working air conditioner on a hot day, no car should ever drip anything, any time.Now sit in the drivers seat and
14、try the controls. The car should fit youit should be comfortable. Check seat adjustment, door locks, window-raising mechanisms, horn, lights, directional signals, radioall accessories.Start the engine. It should turn over quickly and then settle down to a rather fast idle. Give the engine a moment o
15、r two before you press the accelerator a bit. Watch for smoke from the rear. Blue smoke might mean a complete engine overhaul (大修) , black a maladjusted carburettor (化油器). 2 White smoke can be.ignored if the engine is cold, but once it is warmed up, white smoke can mean a leaking head gasket (垫圈) :
16、expensive. Reject this car.After the engine has warmed, shut it off, and then go wipe your finger inside the tailpipe (making sure its not too hot). The residue should be whitish-gay. If you get a black, oily mark, refuse the carits probably an oil burner.Restart the engine and check the oil in an a
17、utomatic transmission. It should be clean and clear, with no burned odor. The test driveThe salesman may try to convince you that a short drive around the block is enough. Wrong. Make it clear that you plan to road test the car, and if he isnt happy with this look elsewhere.The test route you have m
18、apped out should include dry city streets, a freeway, a hill, a bumpy road and an empty parking lot. All gauges(计量器) should read steady and normal throughout the test, especially oil pressure and engine heat. If not, dont buy the car.Drive to a traffic-free city street on your predetermined route an
19、d then accelerate smoothly to about 35 miles per hour. The automatic transmission should shift without jerking and with no noise.(整理：胥桂苓)Slow to about 7 m. p. h. by gently applying the brakes. There should be no noise, no sharp sound or grinding. The car should slow in a straight line, with no pulli
20、ng to the right or left.Pick up speed to about 15; then making certain nobody is behind you, hit the brakes hard! The car should come to an immediate stop without making noise or swerving.In an empty, level parking lot, brake to a complete stop. Shift into reverse and back up at about 4 m. p. h. , b
21、rake to a halt, shift into forward, etc. Do this four or five times to test the transmission. All shifting should be smooth, with no noise or hesitation.Accelerate up a hill to about 40 m. p. h. The car should not labour. If it does, you could have a rotten transmission. Go back down the hill. Stop
22、halfway, shift into neutral and set the parking brake. The car should remain stationary when you take your foot off the brake pedal.Drive the car over the bumpy road, up a hill, and on the highway. Rarely will a car be perfect. However by now you should have a pretty good idea what needs to be done.
23、 How to bargainUse what youve learned from the visual exam, test drive and outside mechanic to get the price down. Have a maximum figure in mind, based on your inspection and on current prices from a used-car guide. Start your bidding lower than that. When you have nearly arrived at a price, get the
24、 seller to throw in certain repairs. It may be cheaper for him than further price cuts.1. Following the instructions here will help you make a good selection when buying a used car.2. Winter is a good time for purchasing a car because there is little rain in winter.3. You are more likely to pay less
25、 to a private owner for a car of poor quality.4. Refuse the car if you find any signs of a past accident in the visual examination.5. Dont buy the car if there is white smoke coming out of the rear because it is probably an oil burner.6. At certain speeds in the tests, a good car should not make any
26、 noise when the driver brakes either hard or gently.7. If you are patient and careful enough, you will certainly find a perfect used car.8. The last step before you make a decision to buy a car is_.9. Besides all gauges, the two very important systems mainly examined in the test drive are_.10. Accor
27、ding to some experts, the best place to buy a second-hand car is_.Unit oneI. Y 2. N 3. Y 4. NG 5. N 6. Y 7. N8. to bargain over the price 9. brake and transmission 10. a new-car dealer2010年 12月英语四六级考试阅读专项练习(3)Passage 1Worlds Nonsmokers Take up Fight for Cleaner AirIn country after country, talk of n
28、onsmokers rights is in the air. This fresh voice is heard from Australia to Sweden. Its force is freeing clean air for nonsmokersand tightening the situation for smokers.In west Germany, for instance, taxi driversknown for their independencepost signs saying “Nicht Raucher“(nonsmoker) and may refuse
29、 passengers who insist on smoking. . . Bans in Poland prevent smoking in factories, offices, snack bars, and other public places. . . And Venezuelans can be fined $ 230 to $ 1,000 for smoking in supermarkets, buses, and numerous other places. Many countries also are moving in step to limit tobacco p
30、romotion (despite a 7 percent jump in world tobacco production last year) and eliminate the “false claims of the glorification(美化) of smoking as a habit . “ says Jean de Moerloose of the United Nations World Health Organization.While a majority of countries have taken little or no action yet, some 3
31、0 nations have introduced legislative steps to control smoking abuse. Many laws have been introduced in other countries to help clear the air for nonsmokers, or to cut cigarette consumption.In many developing nations, however, cigarette smoking is seen as a sign of economic progressand is even encou
32、raged.“While it appears that in developed countries the consumption of cigarettes has become stabilized, there are some indications that it is still rising at a steady pace in Latin America,“ says Dr. Daniel J. Joly, an adviser to the Pan American Health Organization.Despite progress in segregating
33、(隔离) nonsmokers and smokers, most countries see little change in the number of smokers. In fact, there is a jump in the number of girls and young women starting to smoke.As more tobacco companies go international, new markets are sought to gain new smokers in developing countries. For example, great
34、 efforts are made by the American tobacco industry to sell cigarettes in the Middle East and North Africawhere U. S. tobacco exports increased by more than 27 percent last year, according the U. S. Foreign Agriculture Service. So far, any cooperation between tobacco interests and governments campaig
35、ns against smoking has been in the area of tobacco advertising.Restrictions on cigarette ads, plus health warnings on packages and bans on public smoking in certain places, are the most popular tools used by nations in support of nonsmokers or in curbing ( 限制) smoking.But world attention also is foc
36、using on other steps which will:make the smoker increasingly self-conscious and uncomfortable about his habit by publicizing public awareness of the decline of social acceptability of smoking.(This method is receiving strong support in the U. S. and other countries. )prevent pro-smoking scenes on te
37、levision and films.remove cigarette vending machines.provide support for those who want to kick the habit of smoking.make it illegal to sell or hand over tobacco products to minors and prohibit smoking in meeting places for young people.boost cigarette prices with higher tobacco taxesand use the mon
38、ey for antismoking campaigns.At a June UN conference on smoking, a goal set by Sir George E. Godber, chairman of the expert committee on smoking and health for the World Health Organization, stated: “ We may not have eliminated cigarette smoking completely by the end of this century, but we ought to
39、 have reached a position where relatively few addicts still use cigarettes, but only in private at most in the company of consenting adults. “ NATIONS ATTEMPT SOLUTIONSHere are brief sketches of major or unique attempts around the world to insure nonsmokers right to smoke-free air and to help smoker
40、s quit. SWEDENAn ambitious, concerted plan to raise a nation of nonsmokers is being implemented by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.Swedish children born after 1975 will grow up in environments that will be nonsmoking and antismoking as much as possible. General cigarette consumption
41、 will cut from 1,700 cigarettes a year per person to 1920 level of under 300 cigarettes a year, according to the 25-year plan.A campaign to restrict tobacco advertising, raise cigarette prices to over $ 2a pack, remove cigarette vending machines by 1979, ban pro-smoking content infilms and televisio
42、n programs, restrict public smoking, and give intensiveantismoking education in schools and the military, will promote the goal of asociety which “should be so unfavourable toward smoking that smoking could not arise once again as a major factor harmful to public health. “By Swedish law, life-insura
43、nce premiums (保险费 ) are lowered for nonsmokers. WEST GERMANYAn image-reversing advertising campaign began a few years ago in West Germany whereby it is the nonsmoker who is shown to be living the swinging life previously claimed by the cigarette addict.A government-sponsored program to warn the publ
44、ic about the dangers of smoking includes an attempt to encourage consideration of the nonsmoker at work and in public places. Tobacco television ads were stopped in 1973.But there are no firm plans at the federal level to ban smoking in public places, although it is being considered as a legislative
45、 proposal. Health experts say that the legally required warning on cigarette packages in the United States has not helped. Hence there are strong doubts about strict laws in the whole area of smoking. The governing idea here is to encourage consideration of others. But this angle of attack (moral pe
46、rsuasion) does not rule out legislation. In two of Germanys 11 states there are laws to protect public employees who do not smoke from their smoking fellow workers. “Smoke breaks“ are used to separate the smokers and nonsmokers.(整理：胥桂苓) “The nonsmoker today is just as much or more respected than the
47、 smoker. “ Says one health official, “and this is a success in itself. “ GREAT BRITAINA television advertising ban in 1965, a health warning on tobacco packages begun in 1971, a 20 percent price rise on cigarettes in 1974, and a constant campaign to isolate pubic smoking in airlines, trains, and oth
48、er public places have fuelled a forceful antismoking and nonsmokers program in Britain.In Ireland, an advertising code bans ads emphasizing the pleasure of smoking, featuring conventional heroes of the young as smokers, or implying that it is less harmful to smoke one brand than another. UNITED STAT
49、ESU. S. airlines are subject to $ 1,000 fines for failing to provide a smoke free seat for any passenger who wants one. The Interstate Commerce Commission has made “no smoking“ the rule, rather than the exception, on all interstate passenger trains and buses. The Military segregates smokers and no longer distributes cigarette in C rations.A growing number of restaurants now offer separate areas for nonsmokers. A ban on television and radio cigarette ads, health warnings and restrictions on public smoking in many states and cities make the
