2024年月大學英語六級閱讀考前習題及參考答案

12月大學英語六級閱讀考前習題及參考答案1

Egypt

EversinceHerodotus2,theancientGreekhistorianandtraveler,firstdescribed

Egyptas“thegiftoftheNile3〃,shehasbeencapturingtheimaginationofallwhovisit

her.

Theawe-inspiringmonuments,leftbythePharaohs,GreeksandRomansaswellas

bytheearlyChristiansandMuslims,attractthousandsofvisitorseveryyear—butthe

pyramids,temples,tombs,monasteriesandmosquesarejustpartofthiscountryzs

fascination.

ModernEgypt—wheremud-brickvillagesstandbesidePharaonicruins

surroundedbytoweringsteel,stoneandglassbuildings——isattheculturalcrossroads

ofEastandWest,ancientandmodern.WhileTVantennaedecoraterooftops

everywhere,fromthecrowdedapartmentblocksofCairotothemudhomesoffarming

villagesandthegoatskintentsoftheBedouins4,thefellahinthroughouttheNile's

fertilevalleystilltendtheirfieldswiththearchaictoolsoftheirancestors.

Inthegargantuan5cityofCairothesoundofthemuezzin6summoningthefaithful

toprayercompeteswiththepopmusicofghettoblasters?andthescreechofcarhorns.

Andeverywheretherearepeople:swathedinlongflowingrobesorwestern-style

clothes,hangingfrombuses,weavingthroughanobstaclecourseofanimalsand

exhaust-spewingtrafficorspillingfromhivelikebuildings.

Spectacularedificesaside,theattractionofthiscountryliesinitsincrediblenatural

beautyandintheoverwhelminghospitalityoftheEgyptianpeople.

ThrougheverythingtheNileRiverflowssereneandmajestic,thelifebloodofEgypt

asithasbeensincethebeginningofhistory.

閱讀自測

I.Givethesynonymstothefollowingwords:

1.archaic2.swathe3.incredible4.screech5.serene6.gargantuan

n.TranslatethesentencesintoEnglishwiththewordsinparentheses:

1.她的精彩表演使觀眾為之神往。（capture）

2.她初見長城時，敬畏之感油然而生。（awe）

3.他被召進宮里。（summon）

4.消除緊張的方法在于學會放松。（lie）

1.1.ancient/antique2.wrap/clothe3.unbelievable/inconceivable4.shriek/

scream5.quiet/tranquil/peaceful6.giant/huge/tremendous

n.1.Herbrilliantperformancecapturedtheaudience/simagination.2.Herfirst

viewoftheGreatWallfilledherwithawe.3.Hewassummonedtothepalace.4.Thecure

forstressliesinlearningtorelax.

Australia

Anislandcountry,awholecontinent,Australiahasaremarkablycohesive

personalityandonewhich,muchtooursurprise,ismarkedlyforeign.Itisnolongerthe

infantcolony,peopledbyBritishconvicts2andpioneers,butamaturing,perhaps

stillsomewhatadolescentindividual,ruggedlysteeringavitalnewcourseinlife.

Australiaisasprawlofrockanddesert,fringedwithlushvalleys,snowfields,

coralspectaculars,storm-stabbedcliffsandrollingbeaches,alandrichinminerals,

colors,curiousflora3,230speciesofmammals4,700ofbirds,400ofreptiles,70of

amphibia,2,200offishand50,000speciesofinsects—andseeminglyinfinitespace.

Australiaisbecomingtherichestcountryintheworld,materially.

TotalareaofthecontinentisabouthalfasbigasEurope,or25timesthesizeof

Britainandlreland.Populationisbunchedmainlyincoastalcities,thebiggestofwhich

arecapitalsofthecountry'sstatesandthefederalcapitalCanberra5.Canberraisa

modelofaplannedgardencityandistheseatofamajoruniversity.Itissmallishinsize,

butbiginimportance.Sydneyisthelargestcity,andcommercialcapitalofthecountry.

Throughoutthecountry,thebasicaccommodationunitisthemotel,aflat

prefabricated6sprawlofbedrooms.Butpricesarereasonableand,mostimportant,the

roomsareexcellentandequippedusuallywithair-conditioning,arefrigeratorandtea

andcoffeemakingfacilities.Bathtubsarerare,asAustraliansprefertheconvenience

andhygieneofashower.Porterageandotherservicesarerare,asAustraliansdon't

likedoingajobwhichsmacksof7servility.Afterall,thisisthelandofequalityand

opportunity.

閱讀自測

I.ArethesestatementsTrueorFalseaccordingtothearticle?

n.Matchthefollowingcountrieswiththeircorrespondingcapitals:

1.AustraliaisasbigasEurope,or25timesthesizeofBritainandIreland.2.

CanberraisnotonlythecapitalbutalsothebiggestcityofAustralia.3.Motelisvery

popularforaccommodationinAustralia.

1.EgyptWellington2.AustraliaAthens3.NewZealandSeoul4.CanadaCairo5.

GreeceOttawa6.SouthKoreaCanberra

Brazil

NocountryignitestheWesternimaginationasBrazildoes.Forhundredsofyearsit

hassymbolizedaprimordial,tropicalparadise.FromthemadpassionofCarnival2tothe

vastnessofthedarkAmazon3,Brazilisacountryofmythicalproportions.

RoughlythesizeoftheUS(excludingAlaska),Brazilisahugecountry

encompassingnearlyhalfofSouthAmerica,andborderingonmostofthecontinents

othernations—EcuadorandChilearetheexceptions.After40yearsofinternal

migrationandpopulationgrowth,Brazilisalsoanurbancountry;fouroutofeveryfive

Braziliansliveinacity.SaoPaulo,withmorethan17millioninhabitants,istheworld's

secondmostpopulouscity.Brazil'spopulationisclusteredalongtheAtlanticcoast,

andmuchofthecountry,includingthemassiveAmazonBasin,remainsscarcely

populatedandhardtoaccess.

Formost,theBrazilianjourneybeginsinRiodeJaneiro4.Oneoftheworld7sgreat

cities,Riohasdevelopedahighlyadvancedcultureofpleasure.Itrevolvesaroundthe

famousbeachesofCopacabana,andisfueledbythemusicofsamba5andthe

athleticismofsoccer.ThishedonismreachesitsclimaxeveryFebruaryorMarch,during

theCarnival—fivedaysofrevelry,unrivaledbyanyotherpartyontheglobe.Riode

Janeirostateisblessedwithsomeofthecountry'sbestbeaches.Inland,thecoastal

mountainsriserapidlyfromlush,green,tropicalforest,culminatinginspectacularpeaks.

ThemountainsarepunctuatedbynationalparkswhereyoucanenjoyBrazil'sbest

hikingandclimbing.

TheAmazonjunglesaretheworld'slargesttropicalrainforest,fedbytheworld's

largestriver,andhometotherichestandmostdiverseecosystemonearth—anature

lover7sultimatefantasy!Thoughthreatenedbyrapiddeforestation,therainforeststill

offersyearsofexplorationfortheadventuroustraveler.

WhereveryougoinBrazil,you'IIseeBraziliansattheirbeachesplaying.Thebeach

isthenationalpassion.Fortunately,withover8,000kmofcoastline,therearean

incrediblenumberofsuperbbeaches,soyoushouldhavelittleproblemfindingyour

owntropicalhideaway.

BrazilmaynotbetheparadiseonEarththatmanytravelersonceimagined,butitis

alandofoftenunimaginablebeauty.Therearestillstretchesofunexploredrainforest,

islandswithpristinetropicalbeaches,andendlessrivers.Andtherearethepeople

themselves,whodelightthevisitorwiththeirenergy,fantasyandjoy.

閱讀自測

I.Fillintheblankswithproperprepositions:

1.Hiswordsborderedrudeness.

2.Thefemininetalkrevolvedmostlyclothes,bargainsandsmallscandals.

3.Heisblessedgoodhealth.

4.Thesciencefairculminatedtheawardingofprizes.

5.Hedelightedtheaudiencehisperformance.

n.Answerthequestioninyourownwords:

WhyisRiodeJaneirosoattractivetotravelers?

1.1.on2.around3.with4.in5.with

n.Becauseithasdevelopedahighlyadvancedcultureofpleasure,withbeautiful

beaches,samba,soccer,annualcarnivalsandnationalparks.

12月大學英語六級閱讀考前習題及參考答案2

TheHistoryofChineseAmericans

ChinesehavebeenintheUnitedStatesforalmosttwohundredyears.Infact,the

ChinesehadbusinessrelationswithHawaiipriortorelationswiththemainlandwhen

HawaiiwasnotyetpartoftheUnitedStates.ButUnitedStatesinvestmentscontrolled

thecapitalofHawaiiatthattime.In1788,ashipsailedfromGuangzhoutoHawaii.Most

ofthecrewmenwereChinese.TheywereconsideredthepioneersofHawaii.The

ImmigrationCommissionreportedthatthefirstChinesearrivedintheUnitedStatesin

1820.eightin1830andsevenhundredandeightyin1850.TheChinesepopulation

graduallyincreasedandreached64,199in1870.

FormanyyearsitwascommonintheUnitedStatestoassociateChineseAmericans

withrestaurantsandlaundries.PeopledidnotrealizethattheChinesehadbeendriven

intotheseoccupationsbytheprejudiceanddiscriminationthatfacedtheminthis

country.

TheFirstChinesetoreachthemainlandUnitedStatescameduringtheCalifornia

GoldRushof1849.Likemostoftheotherpeoplethere,theyhadcometosearchfor

gold.Inthatlargelyunoccupiedland,themenstakedaclaimforthemselvesbyplacing

markersintheground.However,eitherbecausetheChineseweresodifferentfromthe

othersorbecausetheyworkedsopatientlythattheysometimessucceededinturninga

seeminglyworthlessminingclaimintoaprofitableone,theybecamechescapegoatsof

theirenviouscompetitors.Theywereharassedinmanyways.Oftentheywere

preventedfromworkingtheirclaims;somelocalitiesevenpassedregulations

forbiddingthemtoownclaims.TheChinesethereforestartedtoseekoutotherwaysof

earningaliving.Someofthembegantodochelaundryforthewhiteminers;othersset

upsmallrestaurants.(TherewerealmostnowomeninCaliforniainthosedays,andthe

Chinesefilledarealneedbydoingthis“womanswork".)Somewenttoworkas

farmhandsorasfishermen.

Intheearly1860smanymoreChinesearrivedinCalifornia.Thistimethemenwere

importedasworkcrewstoconstructthefirsttranscontinentalrailroad.Theyweresorely

neededbecausetheworkwassostrenuousanddangerous,anditwascarriedonin

sucharemotepartofthecountrythattherailroadcompanycouldnotfindother

laborersforthejob.Asinthecaseoftheirpredecessors,theseChinesewerealmostall

males;andlikethem,too,theyencounteredagreatdealofprejudice.Thehostilitygrew

especiallystrongafrertherailroadprojectwascomplete,andtheimportedlaborers

returnedtoCalifornia-thousandsofthem,alloutofwork.Becausethereweresomany

moreofthemthistime,theseChinesedrewevenmoreattentionthantheearliergroup

did.Theyweresoverydifferentineveryrespect:intheirphysicalappearance,including

along“pigtail“atthebackoftheirotherwiseshavedheads;inthestrange,

non-Westernclothestheywore;intheirspeech(fewhadlearnedEnglishsincethey

plannedtogobacktoChina);andintheirreligion.Theywerecontemptuouslycalled

“heathenChinese"becausethereweremanysacredimagesintheirhousesof

worship.

Whentimeswerehard,theywereblamedforworkingforlowerwagesandtaking

jobsawayfromwhitemen.whowereinmanycasesrecentimmigrantsthemselves.

Anti-Chineseriotsbrokeoutinseveralcities,culminatinginarsonandbloodshed.

ChinesewerebarredfromusingthecourtsandalsofrombecomingAmericancitizens.

CaliforniansbegantodemandthatnomoreChinesebepermittedtoentertheirstate.

Finally,in1882.theypersuadedCongresstopasstheChineseExclusionAct,which

stoppedtheimmigrationofChineselaborers.ManyChinesererurnedtotheir

homeland,andtheirnumbersdeclinedsharplyintheearlypartofthiscentury.However,

duringtheWorldWarII,whenChinawasanallyoftheUnitedStates,theExclusionlaws

wereended;asmallnumberofChinesewereallowedtoimmigrateeachyear,and

ChinesecouldbecomeAmericancitizens.In1965,inageneralrevisionofour

immigrationlaws,maymoreChinesewerepermittedtosettlehere,asdiscrimination

againstAsianimmigrationwasabolished.

Fromthestart,theChinesehadlivedapartintheirownseparateneighborhoods,

whichcametobeknownas“Chinatowns”.Ineachofthemtheresidentsorganized

anunofficialgovernmenttomakerulesforthecommunityandtosettledisputes.

Unabletofindjobsontheoutside,manywentintobusinessforthemselves-primarilyto

servetheirownneighborhood.Asforlaundriesandrestaurants.someofthemsoon

spreadtootherpartsofthecity,sincesuchservicescontinuedtobeindemandamong

non-Chinese,too.Tothisday.certainChinatowns,especiallythoseofSanFranciscoand

NewYork,arebusy,thrivingcommunities,whichhavebecomegreatattractionsfor

touristsandforthosewhoenjoyChinesefood.

MostoftodaysChineseAmericansarethedescendantsofsomeoftheearlyminers

andrailroadworkers.ThoseimmigrantshadcomefromthevicinityofCantonin

SoutheastChina,wheretheyhadbeenuneducatedfarmlaborers.Thesamekindof

youngmen,fromthesameareaandfromsimilarhumbleorigins,migratedtoHawaiiin

thosedays.Theretheyfaredfarbetter,mainlybecausetheydidnotencounterhostility.

SomemarriednativeHawaiians,andotherbroughttheirwivesandchildrenover.They

werenotrestrictedtoChinatownandmanyofthemsoonbecamesuccessfulmerchants

andactiveparticipantsingeneralcommunityaffairs.

ChineseAmericansretainmanyaspectsoftheirancientculture,evenafterhaving

livedhereforseveralgenerations.ForExample,theirfamilytiescontinuetobe

remarkablyscrong（encompassinggrandparents,uncles,aunts,cousins,andothers）.

Membersofthefamilylendeachothermoralsupportandalsopracticalhelpwhen

necessary.Fromaveryyoungagechildrenareimbuedwiththeoldvaluesandattitudes,

includingrespectfortheireldersandafeelingofresponsibilitytothefamily.Thishelps

coexplainwhythereissolittlejuveniledelinquency（少年）巳罪）amongthem.

ThehighregardforeducationwhichisdeeplyimbeddedinChineseculture.andthe

willingnesstoworkveryhardtogainadvancement,areothernoteworthycharacteristics

oftheirs.Thisexplainswhysomanydescendantsofuneducatedlaborershave

succeededinbecomingdoctors.lawyers,andotherprofessionals.(Manyofthemost

outstandingChineseAmericanscholars,scientists,andartistsaremorerecentarrivals,

whocomefromChinasformerupperclassandwhorepresentitshighcultural

traditions.)

ChineseAmericansmakeuponlyatinyfractionofourpopulation;therearefewer

thanhalfamiilion,livingchieflyinCalifornia.NewYork,andHawaii.AsAmerican

attitudestowardminoritiesandtowardethnicdifferenceshavechangedinrecentyears,

thelong-reviledChinesehavegainedwideacceptance.Today,theyaregenerally

admiredfortheirmanyremarkablecharacteristics,andareoftenheldupasanexample

worthfollowing.Andtheirnumerouscontributionstotheiradoptedlandaremuch

appreciated.

l.MostChineseAmericansworkedinrestaurantsandlaundriesbecause

of.

A)theskillstheyacquiredatthemotherland

B)localpeoplesdiscriminationagainstthem

Qtheirhighemploymentrates

D)theircomparativelyhighpay

2.DuringtheCaliforniaGoldRush.restaurantandlaundrywereregarded

as.

A)unprofitablework

B)comfortablework

Qwomanswork

D)Chinesework

3.1ntheearly1860s,moreChinesewereshippedtoCaliforniatowork

as.

A)goldminers

B)railroadbuilders

Qsteelworkers

D)farmhands

4.FewChineselearnedEnglishatthattimebecause.

A)theyseldomusedEnglishinChinatown

B)theyweretoooldtolearnanewtongue

QtheycouldntfindgoodEnglishteachers

D)theywouldntstayinAmericaforlong

5.TheChineseExclusionActcametoanend.

A)bytheCaliforniagovernorthen

B)afteramassivebloodshed

QduringWWII

D)in1965

6.0neoftheChinatownsasabusyandthrivingcommunitynowislocated

in.

A)Florida

B)Hawaii

C)NewJersey

D)NewYork

7.ChineseimmigrantstoHawaiifoundthatthey.

A)weretreatedwithoutdiscrimination

B)wereprovidedwithfewerjobchoices

QcouldnttraveltomainlandAmerica

D)couldonlyliveorworkinChinatown

8.TheoldvaluesandattitudesimpartedintotheyoungChineseAmericans

effectivelyhelpprevent.

9.ChinashighculturaltraditionsarerepresentedbytheChinese

American.

lO.ThecontributionsmadebyChinesetoAmericahadgainedmuch.

答案解析：

l.[B][定位根據題干中的restaurantsandlaundries定位到第2段。

解析:第2段首句提到了中國移民被迫到餐廳和洗衣房打工，第2句則揭示了個中的原因，

B的內容在第2句中提及，為本題答案。

2.[C][定位]根據題干中的CaliforniaGoldRush,restaurant和laundry定位到第3段倒

數第2、3句。

解析：原文該句中的this"womanswork〃指的就是前一句提到的laundry和restaurant

的工作，可見本題應選

Co

3.[B][定位根據題干中的Intheearly1860s定位到第4段開頭兩句。

解析：原文該段第2句中的workcrewstoconstructthefirsttranscontinentalrailroad

表明那時候華人到美國是為了修建鐵路，可見本題應選

Bo

4.［D］［定位］根據題干中的Few和learnedEnglish定位到第4段倒數第2句。

解析：原文該句中括號里的內容明確表明很少華人學習英語的原因是他們都計劃要回中國，

也就是他們沒想過要長久留在美國，因此本題應選D。

54C］［定位］根據題干中的TheChineseExclusionAct定位到第5段倒數第2句。

解析：原文該句中的duringtheWorldWarII...theExclusionlawswereended明確表

明本題應選干擾項中的在原文該段末句提及，但與無關，

CoD1965ChineseExclusionAct

故不能選。

6.［D］［定位］根據題干中的Chinatowns和busyandthrivingcommunity定位到第6段末

句。

解析：原文該段提到繁榮的Chinatown時，只提到了SanFrancisco和NewYork,D正

是其中一個，其他選項均未提及。

7.［A］［定位］根據題干中的immigrants和Hawaii定位到第7段第3、4句。

解析：原文該段第4句中because引出的原因從句表明華人在夏威夷"沒有遭到敵視"，

A"沒有受到歧視"與原文該句意思一致。所以本題應選A。

8.［juveniledelinquency］

［定位］根據題干中的oldvaluesandattitudes定位到第8段最后兩句。

解析：空白處應為名詞（詞組）。原文該段最后兩句表明孩子們從小就被灌輸古代的價值觀與

看問題的方法，這使他們在青少年時期很少犯罪，也就是說，這些價值觀與看問題的方法可有助

于減少"青少年犯罪”，即juveniledelinquency。

9.［scholars,scientists,andartists］

［定位］根據題干中的highculturaltraditions和represented定位到第9段末句。

解析：空白處應為名詞（詞組）。原文該段末尾的whorepresentitshighculturaltraditions

中的who指的'是末句開頭提到的ManyofthemostoutstandingChineseAmerican

題目將段末的定語從句改寫為被動語態，所以所指的

scholars,scientists,andartistsowho

內容就是本題答案，即

scholars,scientistsandartistso

10.[appreciation]

[定位]根據題干中的contributions定位到末段末句。

解析：空白處應為不可數名詞。題目是對原文該句的同義改寫，所不同的是，原文的謂語部

分是aremuchappreciated.而題目的是hadgainedmuch…，作答時要將appreciated改為

其名詞形式叩predation,才可作題目中gained的賓語。

12月大學英語六級閱讀考前習題及參考答案3

PassageOne

Questions46to50arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Economicallyspeaking,are

webetteroffthanweweretenyearsago?Twentyyearsago?Intheirthirstforevidence

onthisissue,commentatorsseizedontherecentreportbytheCensusBureau,which

foundthataveragehouseholdincomeroseby5.2%in2023.Unfortunately,that

conclusionputstoomuchweightonauseful,butflawedandincomplete,statistic.

AmongthemoresignificantproblemswiththeCensussmeasurearethat:1)itexcludes

taxes,transfers,andcompensationlikeemployer-providedhealthinsurance;and2)itis

basedonsurveysratherthandata.Evenifpreciselymeasured,incomedataexclude

importantdeterminantsofeconomicwell-being,suchasthehoursofworkneededto

earnthatincome.Whilethinkingaboutthequestion,wecameacrossarecently

publishedarticlebyCharlesJonesandPeterKlenow,whichproposesaninterestingnew

measureofeconomicwelfare.

Whilebynomeansperfect,itisconsiderablymorecomprehensivethanaverage

income,takingintoaccountnotonlygrowthinconsumptionperpersonbutalso

changesinworkingtime,lifeexpectancy,andinequality.Moreover,itcanbeusedto

assesseconomicperformancebothacrosscountriesandovertime.TheJones-Klenow

methodcanbeillustratedbyacross-countryexample.Supposewewanttocompare

theeconomicwelfareofcitizensoftheU.S.andFrancein2005.In2005,astheauthors

observe:realconsumptionperpersoninFrancewasonly60%ashighastheU.S.,

makingitappearthatAmericanswereeconomicallymuchbetteroffthantheFrenchon

average.However,thatcomparisonomitsotherrelevantfactors:leisuretime,life

expectancy,andeconomicinequality.TheFrenchtakelongervacationsandretire

earlier,sotypicallyworkfewerhours;theyenjoyahigherlifeexpectancy,presumably

reflectingadvantageswithrespecttohealthcare,diet,lifestyle,andthelike;and

incomeandconsumptionaresomewhatmoreequallydistributedtherethanintheU.S.

Becauseofthesedifferences,comparingFrancesconsumptionwiththeU.S.soverstates

thegapineconomicwelfare.

SimilarcalculationscanbeusedtocomparetheU.S.andothercountries.For

example,thiscalculationputseconomicwelfareintheUnitedKingdomat97%ofU.S.

levels,butestimatesMexicanwell-beingat22%.TheJones-Klenowmeasurecanalso

assessaneconomysperformanceovertime.Accordingtothismeasure,asofthe

early-to-mid-2000s,theU.S.hadthehighesteconomicwelfareofanylargecountry.

Since2023,economicwelfareintheU.S.hascontinuedtoimprove.However,thepace

ofimprovementhasslowedmarkedly.Methodologically,thelessonfromthe

Jones-Klenowresearchisthateconomicwelfareismulti-dimensional.Theirapproachis

flexibleenoughthatinprincipleotherimportantquality-of-lifechangescouldbe

incorporated-forexample,decreasesintotalemissionsofpollutantsanddeclinesin

crimerates.46.Whatdoestheauthorthinkofthe2023reportbytheCensusBureau?

A.Itisbasedonquestionablestatistics.B.Itreflectstheeconomicchanges.C.It

evidencestheimproved-welfare.D.Itprovidesmuchfoodforthought.

47,WhatdoestheauthorsayabouttheJones-Klenowmethod?A.Itiswidelyused

tocomparetheeconomicgrowthacrosscountries.B.Itrevolutionizesthewayof

measuringordinarypeopleslivelihood.C.Itfocusesonpeoplesconsumptionrather

thantheiraverageincome.D.Itisamorecomprehensivemeasureofpeopleseconomic

well-being.48.WhatdoJonesandKlenowthinkofthecomparisonbetweenFranceand

theU.S.intermsofrealconsumptionperperson?A.Itreflectedtheexistingbiggap

betweenthetwoeconomies.B.Itneglectedmanyimportantindicatorsofpeoples

welfare.C.Itcoveredupthedifferencesbetweenindividualcitizens.D.Itfailedtocount

intheirdifferenceinnaturalresources.49,WhatisanadvantageoftheJones-Klenow

method?A.Itcanaccuratelypinpointacountryscurrenteconomicproblems.

B.Itcanhelptoraisepeoplesawarenessoftheireconomicwell-being.C.Itcan

diagnosethecausesofacountrysslowingpaceofeconomicimprovement.D.Itcan

compareacountryseconomicconditionsbetweendifferentperiodsoftime.5O.What

canweinferfromthepassageaboutAmericanpeopleseconomicwell-being?A.Itis

muchbetterthanthatoftheirEuropeancounterparts.B.Ithasbeenonthedeclineever

sincetheturnofthecentury.C.IthasnotimprovedasmuchasreportedbytheCensus

Bureau.D.Ithasnotbeenaccuratelyassessedandreportedsincemid-2000s.Passage

Two

Questions51to55arebasedonthefollowingpassage.Ifyouveeverstarteda

sentencewith,"IfIwereyou...."orfoundyourselfscratchingyourheadatacolleagues

agonyoveradecisionwhentheansweriscrystal-clear,theresascientificreasonbehind

it.Ourowndecision-makingabilities

12月大學英語六級閱讀考前習題及參考答案4

Recentresearchhasclaimedthatanexcessofpositiveionsintheaircanhaveanill

effectonpeople'sphysicalorpsychologicalhealth.Whatarepositiveions?Wellzthe

airisfullofions,electricallychargedparticles，andgenerallythereisaroughbalance

betweenthepositiveandthenegativecharged.Butsometimesthisbalancebecomes

disturbedandalargerproportionofpositiveionsarefound.Thishappensnaturally

beforethunderstorm,earthquakeswhenwindssuchastheMistral,HamsinorSharav

areblowingincertaincountries.Oritcanbecausedbyabuild-upofstaticelectricity

indoorsfromcarpetsorclothingmadeofman-madefibres,orfromTVsets,

duplicatorsorcomputerdisplayscreens.

Whenalargenumberofpositiveionsarepresentintheairmanypeople

experienceunpleasanteffectssuchasheadaches,fatigue,irritability,andsome

particularlysensitivepeoplesuffernauseaorevenmentaldisturbance.Animalsarealso

affected,particularlybeforeearthquakes,snakeshavebeenobservedtocomeoutof

hibernation,ratstofleefromtheirburrows,dogshowlandcatsjumpabout

unaccountably.ThishasledtheUSGeographicalSurveytofundanetworkof

volunteerstowatchanimalsinanefforttoforeseesuchdisastersbeforetheyhit

vulnerableareassuchasCalifornia.

Conversely,whenlargenumbersofnegativeionsarepresent,thenpeoplehave

afeelingofwell-being.Naturalconditionsthatproducetheselargeamountsarenear

thesea,closetowaterfallsorfountains,orinanyplacewherewaterissprayed,or

formsaspray.Thisprobablyaccountsforthebeneficialeffectofaholidaybythesea,

orinthemountainswithtumblingstreamsorwaterfalls.

Toincreasethesupplyofnegativeionsindoors,somescientistsrecommendthe

useofionisers:smallportablemachines,whichgeneratenegativeions.Theyclaim

thationisersnotonlycleanandrefreshtheairbutalsoimprovethehealthofpeople

sensitivetoexcesspositiveions.Ofcourse,therearethedetractors,otherscienti