大学英语四级综合-简答(三)_真题-无答案

2024年1月29日发(作者：)

大学英语四级综合-简答(三)

(总分40,考试时间90分钟)

As researchers learn more about how children's intelligence develops, they are increasingly

surprised by the power of parents. The power of the school has been replaced by the home. To

begin with, all the factors which are part of intelligence- the child's understanding of language,

learning patterns, curiosity-are established well before the child enters school at the age of six.

Study after study has shown that even after school begins, children's achievements have been far

more influenced by parents than by teachers. This is particularly true about learning that is

language-related. The school rather than the home is given credit for variations in achievement in

subjects such as science.

In view of their power, it's sad to see so many parents not making the most of their child's

intelligence. Until recently parents had been wamed by educators who asked them not to educate

their children. Many teachers now realize that children cannot be educated only at school and

parents are being asked to contribute both before and after the child enters school.

Parents have been particularly aft'aid to teach reading at home. Of course, children shouldn't

be pushed to read by their parents, but educators have discovered that reading is best taught

individually-and the easiest place to do this is at home. Many four-and five-year-olds who have

been shown a few letters and taught their sounds **pose single words of their own with them even

before they have been taught to read.

1. What have researchers found out influence of parents and the school on

children's intelligence?

2. Researchers conclude that children's learning patterns______.

3. According to the passage, school may play a more important role in______.

4. Many parents failed to make the most of their children's intelligence because______.

5. In the last paragraph, the author suggests that the parents should______.

England's highest main-line railway station hangs on to life by a threat; deserted and unmanned

since it was officially closed in 1970, Dent, situated high in the hills of Yorkshire, wakes up on six

summer weekends each year, when a special charter train unloads walkers, sightseers and people

who simply want to catch a train from the station, onto its platform.

But even this limited existence may soon be brought to an end. Dent station is situated on the

Settle to Carlisle railway line said to be scenic in the country. But no amount of scenic beauty can

line from British Rail's cash problems. This year, for the sake of economy, the express trains

which used to pass through Dent station have been put on to another route.

It is now an open secret that British Rail sees no future for this railway line. Most of its trains

disappeared some time ago. Its bridge, built on a grand scale a century ago, is falling down. It is

not alone. Zen railway routes in the north of England are facing a similar problem which is a wom

out system and an almost total lack of repair. Bridges and tunnels are showing their age, the

wooden for the tracks are rotting and engines and coaches are getting old.

On major lines between large cities, the problem is not too bad. These lines still make a profit

and cash can be found to maintain them. But on the country branch line, the story is different. As

track wears out, it is not replaced. Instead speed limits are introduced making trip longer than

necessary and discouraging customers.

If a bridge is dangerous, there is often only one thing for British Rail to do: go out and fred

money from another source. This is exactly what it did a few months ago when a bridge at

Bridlington station was threatening to fall down. Repairs were estimated at $200,000 just for one

bridge-and British Rail was delighted, and rather surprised, when two local councils offered half

that amount between them.

6. Since 1970 Dent station is only used______.

7. According to the passage, ______railway line passes through Dent.

8. Which line has the similar problem with the line through Dent?

9. According to the passage, the most urgent problem for many country railway lines is______.

10. Who would be most affected by the difficulties facing British Rail?

Not too many decades ago it seemed "obvious" both to the general public and to sociologists that

modem society has changed people's natural relations, loosened their responsibilities to kin and

neighbors, and substituted in their place superficial relationships with passing acquaintances.

However, in recent years a growing body of research has revealed that the "obvious" is not true. It

seems that if you are a city resident, you typically know a smaller proportion of your neighbors

than you do if you are a resident of a **munity. But, for the most part, this fact has few significant

consequences. It does not necessarily follow that if you know few of your neighbors you will

know no one else.

Even in very large cities, people maintain close social ties within small, private social worlds.

Indeed, the number and quality of meaningful relationships do not differ between more and less

urban people. Small-town residents are more involved with kin than are big-city residents. Yet city

**pensate by developing friendships with people who share similar interests and activities.

Urbanism may produce a different style of life, but the quality of life does not differ between town

and city. Nor are residents of **munities any likelier to display psychological symptoms of stress

or alienation, a feeling of not belonging, than are residents of **munities. However, city dwellers

do worry more about crime, and this leads them to a distrust of strangers.

These findings do not imply that urbanism makes little or no difference. If neighbors are

strangers to one another, they are less likely to sweep the sidewalk of an elderly couple living next

door or keep an eye out for young trouble makers. Moreover, as Wirth suggested, there may be a

link between a community's population size and its social heterogeneity. For instance, sociologists

have found much evidence that the size of a community is associated with bad behavior including

gambling, drags, etc. Large-city urbanites are also more likely than their small-town counterparts

to have a cosmopolitan outlook, to display less responsibility to traditional kinship roles, to vote

for leftist political candidates, and to be tolerant of nontraditional religious groups, unpopular

political groups, and so-called undesirables. Everything considered, heterogeneity and unusual

behavior seem to be outcomes of large population size.

11. According to the passage, what was once a common belief about urban residents?

12. What is the difference between the quality of life in town and city?

13. Compared with residents of town, city dwellers worry more about______.

14. What do large-city dwellers probably do toward nontraditional religious groups?

15. The reason for heterogeneity and unusual behavior is______.

Sport is one of the world's largest industries, and most athletes are professionals who are paid for

their efforts. Because an athlete succeeds by achievement only-not by economic background or

family connections-sports can be a fast route to wealth, and many athletes play only for money

than for love.

This has not always been tree. In the ancient Olympics the winner got only a wreath of olive

leaves. Even though the winners became national heroes, the games remained amateur for

centuries. Athletes won fame, but no money. As time passed, however, the contests became

increasingly less amateur and cities began to hire athletes to represent them. By the fourth century

A.D., the Olympics were mined, and they were soon ended.

In 1896, the Olympic games were revived with the same goal of pure **petition. The roles bar

athletes who have ever received a $50 prize or an athletic scholar or who have spent four weeks in

a training camp. At least **petitor in the 1896 games met these qualifications. He was Spiridon

Loues, a water carrier who won the marathon race. After the race, a rich Athenian offered him

anything he wanted．A true amateur，Loues accepted only a cart and a horse．Then he gave up

running forever．But Loues was an exception and now，as the ChaiJxnan of the German Olympic

Committee said，“Nobody pays any attention to these rules．”Many countries pay their athletes to

train year—round，and Olympic athletes are eager to sell their names to companies that make

everything from ski equipment to fast food．

Even the games themselves have become a huge business．Counlries fight to hold the

Olympics not only for honor，but for money．The 1972 games in Munich cost the Germans 545

million dollars，but by selling medal symbols，TV rights，food， drink，hotel rooms，and

souvenirs，they managed to make a profit．Appropriately，the symbol of victory in the Olympic

Games is no longer a simple olive wreath—it is a gold medal．

16. According to the passage，many athletes of today go after______.

17. What reward could an ancient Greek athlete expect?

18. What is the goal the Olympic Games were revived with?

19. After he accepted the Athenian’s gift，Spiridon Loues______．

20. Why do countries fight to hold the Olympics?