英语六级阅读专项：王长喜六级考试标准阅读
第九篇：
We can begin our discussion of population as global issue with what most persons mean when they discuss the population problem： too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute， It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to a long， thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.
To understand the current situation， which is characterized by rapid increases in population， it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8，000 years of demographic history， we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors， life was hard， often nasty， and very short. There was high fertility in most places， but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history， it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty， while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often， societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus， the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race. This pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective， but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children， but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality. Demographic history can be divided into two major periods： a time of long， slow growth which extended from about 8，000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years， the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present， the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650， an average of only 50，000 persons was being added annually to the worlds population each year. At present， this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80，000，000 persons annually.
1.Which of the following demographic growth pattern is most suitable for the long thin powder fuse analogy?
A.A virtually stable or slightly decreasing period and then a sudden explosion of population.
B.A slow growth for a long time and then a period of rapid， dramatic increase.
C.Too many people on earth and a few rapid increase in the number added each year.
D.A long period when death rates exceeds birthrates and then a short period with higher fertility and lower mortality.
2.During the first period of demographic history， societies were often in danger of extinction because___.
A.only one in ten persons could live past 40.
B.there was higher mortality than fertility in most places.
C.it was too dangerous to have babies due to the poor conditions.
D.our ancestors had little enthusiasm for more children.
3.Which statement is true about population increase?
A.There might be an increase of 2.2 billion persons from now to the year 2000.
B.About 50，000 babies are born every six hours at present.
C.Between 8000 BC and the present， the population increase is about 80，000，000 persons each year.
D.The population increased faster between 8000BC and 1650 than between 1650 and the present.
4.The author of the passage intends to___.
A.warn people against the population explosion in the near future.
B.compare the demographic growth pattern in the past with that after 1650.
C.find out the cause for rapid increase in population in recent years.
D.present us a clear and complete picture of the demographic growth.
5.The word demographic in the first paragraph means___.
A.statistics of human.
B.surroundings study.
C.accumulation of human.
D.development of human.
答案：ABADA
第十篇：
Most of us are taught to pay attention to what is saidthe words. Words do provide us with some information， but meanings are derived from so many other sources that it would hinder our effectiveness as a partner to a relationship to rely too heavily on words alone. Words are used to describe only a small part of the many ideas we associate with any given message. Sometimes we can gain insight into some of those associations if we listen for more than words.
We dont always say what we mean or mean what we say. Sometimes our words dont mean anything except Im letting off some steam. I dont really want you to pay close attention to what Im saying. Just pay attention to what Im feeling. Mostly we mean several things at once. A person wanting to purchase a house says to the current owner， This step has to be fixed before Ill buy. The owner says， Its been like that for years. Actually， the step hasnt been like that for years， but the unspoken message is： I dont want to fix it. We put up with it. Why cant you? The search for a more expansive view of meaning can be developed of examining a message in terms of who said it， when it occurred， the related conditions or situation， and how it was said.
When a message occurs can also reveal associated meaning. Let us assume two couples do exactly the same amount of kissing and arguing. But one couple always kisses after an argument and the other couple always argues after a kiss. The ordering of the behaviors may mean a great deal more than the frequency of the behavior. A friends unusually docile behavior may only be understood by noting that it was preceded by situations that required an abnormal amount of assertiveness. Some responses may be directly linked to a developing pattern of responses and defy logic. For example， a person who says No! to a serials of charges like Youre dumb， Youre lazy， and Youre dishonest， may also say No! and try to justify his or her response if the next statement is And youre good looking.
We would do well to listen for how messages are presented. The words， If sure has been nice to have you over， can be said with emphasis and excitement or ritualistically. The phrase can be said once or repeated several times. And the meanings we associate with the phrase will change accordingly. Sometimes if we say something infrequently it assumes more importance; sometimes the more we say something the less importance it assumes.
1.Effective communication is rendered possible between two conversing partners， if ___.
A.they use proper words to carry their ideas.
B.they both speak truly of their own feelings.
C.they try to understand each others ideas beyond words.
D.they are capable of associating meaning with their words.
2.Im letting off some steam in paragraph 1 means___.
A.Im just calling your attention.
B.Im just kidding.
C.Im just saying the opposite.
D.Im just giving off some sound.
3.The house-owners example shows that he actually means___.
A.the step has been like that for years.
B.he doesnt think it necessary to fix the step.
C.the condition of the step is only a minor fault.
D.the cost involved in the fixing should be shared.
4.Some responses and behaviors may appear very illogical， but are justifiable if___.
A.linked to an abnormal amount of assertiveness.
B.seen as ones habitual pattern of behavior.
C.taken as part of an ordering sequence.
D.expressed to a series of charges.
5.The word ritualistically in the last paragraph equals something done___.
A.without true intention.
B.light-heartedly.
C.in a way of ceremony.
D.with less emphasis.
答案：DBABC
第十一篇：
Which is safer-staying at home， traveling to work on public transport， or working in the office? Surprisingly， each of these carries the same risk， which is very low. However， what about flying compared to working in the chemical industry? Unfortunately， the former is 65 times riskier than the latter! In fact， the accident rate of workers in the chemical industry is less than that of almost any of human activity， and almost as safe as staying at home.
The trouble with the chemical industry is that when things go wrong they often cause death to those living nearby. It is this which makes chemical accidents so newsworthy. Fortunately， they are extremely rare. The most famous ones happened at Texas City (1947)，Flixborough (1974)， Seveso (1976)， Pemex (1984) and Bhopal (1984)。
Some of these are always in the minds of the people even though the loss of life was small. No one died at Seveso， and only 28 workers at Flixborough. The worst accident of all was Bhopal， where up to 3，000 were killed. The Texas City explosion of fertilizer killed 552. The Pemex fire at a storage plant for natural gas in the suburbs of Mexico City took 542 lives， just a month before the unfortunate event at Bhopal.
Some experts have discussed these accidents and used each accident to illustrate a particular danger. Thus the Texas City explosion was caused by tons of ammonium nitrate(硝酸铵)，which is safe unless stored in great quantity. The Flixborough fireball was the fault of management， which took risks to keep production going during essential repairs. The Seveso accident shows what happens if the local authorities lack knowledge of the danger on their doorstep. When the poisonous gas drifted over the town， local leaders were incapable of taking effective action. The Pemex fire was made worse by an overloaded site in an overcrowded suburb. The fire set off a chain reaction os exploding storage tanks. Yet， by a miracle， the two largest tanks did not explode. Had these caught fire， then 3，000 strong rescue team and fire fighters would all have died.
1.Which of the following statements is true?
A.Working at the office is safer than staying at home.
B.Traverlling to work on public transport is safer than working at the office.
C.Staying at home is safer than working in the chemical industry.
D.Working in the chemical industry is safer than traveling by air.
2.Chemical accidents are usually important enough to be reported as news because ____.
A.they are very rare
B.they often cause loss of life
C.they always occur in big cities
D.they arouse the interest of all the readers
3.According to passage， the chemical accident that caused by the fault of management happened at ____.
A.Texas city B.Flixborough C.Seveso D.Mexico City
4.From the passage we know that ammonium nitrate is a kind of ____.
A.natural gas， which can easily catch fire
B.fertilizer， which cant be stored in a great quantity
C.poisonous substance， which cant be used in overcrowded areas
D.fuel， which is stored in large tanks
5.From the discussion among some experts we may coclude that ____.
A.to avoid any accidents we should not repair the facilities in chemical industry
B.the local authorities should not be concerned with the production of the chemical industry
C.all these accidents could have been avoided or controlled if effective measure had been taken
D.natural gas stored in very large tanks is always safe
第十四篇答案：DBABC
第十二篇：
What we know of prenatal development makes all this attempt made by a mother to mold the character of her unborn child by studying poetry， art， or mathematics during pregnancy seem utterly impossible. How could such extremely complex influences pass from the mother to the child? There is no connection between their nervous systems. Even the blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly. An emotional shock to the mother will affect her child， because it changes the activity of her glands and so the chemistry her blood. Any chemical change in the mothers blood will affect the child for better or worse. But we can not see how a looking for mathematics or poetic genius can be dissolved in blood and produce a similar liking or genius in the child.
In our discussion of instincts we saw that there was reason to believe that whatever we inherit must be of some very simple sort rather than any complicated or very definite kind of behavior. It is certain that no one inherits a knowledge of mathematics. It may be， however， that children inherit more or less of a rather general ability that we may call intelligence. If very intelligent children become deeply interested in mathematics， they will probably make a success of that study.
As for musical ability， it may be that what is inherited is an especially sensitive ear， a peculiar structure of the hands or the vocal organs connections between nerves and muscles that make it comparatively easy to learn the movements a musician must execute， and particularly vigorous emotions. If these factors are all organized around music， the child may become a musician. The same factors， in other circumstance might be organized about some other center of interest. The rich emotional equipment might find expression in poetry. The capable fingers might develop skill in surgery. It is not the knowledge of music that is inherited， then nor even the love of it， but a certain bodily structure that makes it comparatively easy to acquire musical knowledge and skill. Whether that ability shall be directed toward music or some other undertaking may be decided entirely by forces in the environment in which a child grows up.
1. Which of the following statements is not true?
A. Some mothers try to influence their unborn children by studying art and other subjects during their pregnancy.
B. It is utterly impossible for us to learn anything about prenatal development.
C. The blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly.
D. There are no connection between mothers nervous systems and her unborn childs.
2. A mother will affect her unborn baby on the condition that ____.
A. she is emotionally shocked
B. she has a good knowledge of inheritance
C. she takes part in all kind of activities
D. she sticks to studying
3. According to the passage， a child may inherit____.
A. everything from his mother
B. a knowledge of mathematics
C. a rather general ability that we call intelligence
D. her mothers musical ability 4. If a child inherits something from his mother， such as an especially sensitive ear， a peculiar structure of the hands or of the vocal organs， he will ____.
A. surely become musician
B. mostly become a poet
C. possibly become a teacher
D. become a musician on the condition that all these factors are organized around music
5. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Role of Inheritance. B. An Unborn Child.
C. Function of instincts. D. Inherited Talents.
答案：BACDA
第九篇：
We can begin our discussion of population as global issue with what most persons mean when they discuss the population problem： too many people on earth and a too rapid increase in the number added each year. The facts are not in dispute， It was quite right to employ the analogy that likened demographic growth to a long， thin powder fuse that burns steadily and haltingly until it finally reaches the charge and explodes.
To understand the current situation， which is characterized by rapid increases in population， it is necessary to understand the history of population trends. Rapid growth is a comparatively recent phenomenon. Looking back at the 8，000 years of demographic history， we find that populations have been virtually stable or growing very slightly for most of human history. For most of our ancestors， life was hard， often nasty， and very short. There was high fertility in most places， but this was usually balanced by high mortality. For most of human history， it was seldom the case that one in ten persons would live past forty， while infancy and childhood were especially risky periods. Often， societies were in clear danger of extinction because death rates could exceed their birthrates. Thus， the population problem throughout most of history was how to prevent extinction of the human race. This pattern is important to notice. Not only does it put the current problems of demographic growth into a historical perspective， but it suggests that the cause of rapid increase in population in recent years is not a sudden enthusiasm for more children， but an improvement in the conditions that traditionally have caused high mortality. Demographic history can be divided into two major periods： a time of long， slow growth which extended from about 8，000 BC.till approximately AD. 1650. In the first period of some 9600 years， the population increased from some 8 million to 500 million in 1650. Between 1650 and the present， the population has increased from 500 million to more than 4 billion. And it is estimated that by the year 2000 there will be 6.2 billion people throughout the world. One way to appreciate this dramatic difference in such abstract numbers is to reduce the time frame to something that is more manageable. Between 8000BC and 1650， an average of only 50，000 persons was being added annually to the worlds population each year. At present， this number is added every six hours. The increase is about 80，000，000 persons annually.
1.Which of the following demographic growth pattern is most suitable for the long thin powder fuse analogy?
A.A virtually stable or slightly decreasing period and then a sudden explosion of population.
B.A slow growth for a long time and then a period of rapid， dramatic increase.
C.Too many people on earth and a few rapid increase in the number added each year.
D.A long period when death rates exceeds birthrates and then a short period with higher fertility and lower mortality.
2.During the first period of demographic history， societies were often in danger of extinction because___.
A.only one in ten persons could live past 40.
B.there was higher mortality than fertility in most places.
C.it was too dangerous to have babies due to the poor conditions.
D.our ancestors had little enthusiasm for more children.
3.Which statement is true about population increase?
A.There might be an increase of 2.2 billion persons from now to the year 2000.
B.About 50，000 babies are born every six hours at present.
C.Between 8000 BC and the present， the population increase is about 80，000，000 persons each year.
D.The population increased faster between 8000BC and 1650 than between 1650 and the present.
4.The author of the passage intends to___.
A.warn people against the population explosion in the near future.
B.compare the demographic growth pattern in the past with that after 1650.
C.find out the cause for rapid increase in population in recent years.
D.present us a clear and complete picture of the demographic growth.
5.The word demographic in the first paragraph means___.
A.statistics of human.
B.surroundings study.
C.accumulation of human.
D.development of human.
答案：ABADA
第十篇：
Most of us are taught to pay attention to what is saidthe words. Words do provide us with some information， but meanings are derived from so many other sources that it would hinder our effectiveness as a partner to a relationship to rely too heavily on words alone. Words are used to describe only a small part of the many ideas we associate with any given message. Sometimes we can gain insight into some of those associations if we listen for more than words.
We dont always say what we mean or mean what we say. Sometimes our words dont mean anything except Im letting off some steam. I dont really want you to pay close attention to what Im saying. Just pay attention to what Im feeling. Mostly we mean several things at once. A person wanting to purchase a house says to the current owner， This step has to be fixed before Ill buy. The owner says， Its been like that for years. Actually， the step hasnt been like that for years， but the unspoken message is： I dont want to fix it. We put up with it. Why cant you? The search for a more expansive view of meaning can be developed of examining a message in terms of who said it， when it occurred， the related conditions or situation， and how it was said.
When a message occurs can also reveal associated meaning. Let us assume two couples do exactly the same amount of kissing and arguing. But one couple always kisses after an argument and the other couple always argues after a kiss. The ordering of the behaviors may mean a great deal more than the frequency of the behavior. A friends unusually docile behavior may only be understood by noting that it was preceded by situations that required an abnormal amount of assertiveness. Some responses may be directly linked to a developing pattern of responses and defy logic. For example， a person who says No! to a serials of charges like Youre dumb， Youre lazy， and Youre dishonest， may also say No! and try to justify his or her response if the next statement is And youre good looking.
We would do well to listen for how messages are presented. The words， If sure has been nice to have you over， can be said with emphasis and excitement or ritualistically. The phrase can be said once or repeated several times. And the meanings we associate with the phrase will change accordingly. Sometimes if we say something infrequently it assumes more importance; sometimes the more we say something the less importance it assumes.
1.Effective communication is rendered possible between two conversing partners， if ___.
A.they use proper words to carry their ideas.
B.they both speak truly of their own feelings.
C.they try to understand each others ideas beyond words.
D.they are capable of associating meaning with their words.
2.Im letting off some steam in paragraph 1 means___.
A.Im just calling your attention.
B.Im just kidding.
C.Im just saying the opposite.
D.Im just giving off some sound.
3.The house-owners example shows that he actually means___.
A.the step has been like that for years.
B.he doesnt think it necessary to fix the step.
C.the condition of the step is only a minor fault.
D.the cost involved in the fixing should be shared.
4.Some responses and behaviors may appear very illogical， but are justifiable if___.
A.linked to an abnormal amount of assertiveness.
B.seen as ones habitual pattern of behavior.
C.taken as part of an ordering sequence.
D.expressed to a series of charges.
5.The word ritualistically in the last paragraph equals something done___.
A.without true intention.
B.light-heartedly.
C.in a way of ceremony.
D.with less emphasis.
答案：DBABC
第十一篇：
Which is safer-staying at home， traveling to work on public transport， or working in the office? Surprisingly， each of these carries the same risk， which is very low. However， what about flying compared to working in the chemical industry? Unfortunately， the former is 65 times riskier than the latter! In fact， the accident rate of workers in the chemical industry is less than that of almost any of human activity， and almost as safe as staying at home.
The trouble with the chemical industry is that when things go wrong they often cause death to those living nearby. It is this which makes chemical accidents so newsworthy. Fortunately， they are extremely rare. The most famous ones happened at Texas City (1947)，Flixborough (1974)， Seveso (1976)， Pemex (1984) and Bhopal (1984)。
Some of these are always in the minds of the people even though the loss of life was small. No one died at Seveso， and only 28 workers at Flixborough. The worst accident of all was Bhopal， where up to 3，000 were killed. The Texas City explosion of fertilizer killed 552. The Pemex fire at a storage plant for natural gas in the suburbs of Mexico City took 542 lives， just a month before the unfortunate event at Bhopal.
Some experts have discussed these accidents and used each accident to illustrate a particular danger. Thus the Texas City explosion was caused by tons of ammonium nitrate(硝酸铵)，which is safe unless stored in great quantity. The Flixborough fireball was the fault of management， which took risks to keep production going during essential repairs. The Seveso accident shows what happens if the local authorities lack knowledge of the danger on their doorstep. When the poisonous gas drifted over the town， local leaders were incapable of taking effective action. The Pemex fire was made worse by an overloaded site in an overcrowded suburb. The fire set off a chain reaction os exploding storage tanks. Yet， by a miracle， the two largest tanks did not explode. Had these caught fire， then 3，000 strong rescue team and fire fighters would all have died.
1.Which of the following statements is true?
A.Working at the office is safer than staying at home.
B.Traverlling to work on public transport is safer than working at the office.
C.Staying at home is safer than working in the chemical industry.
D.Working in the chemical industry is safer than traveling by air.
2.Chemical accidents are usually important enough to be reported as news because ____.
A.they are very rare
B.they often cause loss of life
C.they always occur in big cities
D.they arouse the interest of all the readers
3.According to passage， the chemical accident that caused by the fault of management happened at ____.
A.Texas city B.Flixborough C.Seveso D.Mexico City
4.From the passage we know that ammonium nitrate is a kind of ____.
A.natural gas， which can easily catch fire
B.fertilizer， which cant be stored in a great quantity
C.poisonous substance， which cant be used in overcrowded areas
D.fuel， which is stored in large tanks
5.From the discussion among some experts we may coclude that ____.
A.to avoid any accidents we should not repair the facilities in chemical industry
B.the local authorities should not be concerned with the production of the chemical industry
C.all these accidents could have been avoided or controlled if effective measure had been taken
D.natural gas stored in very large tanks is always safe
第十四篇答案：DBABC
第十二篇：
What we know of prenatal development makes all this attempt made by a mother to mold the character of her unborn child by studying poetry， art， or mathematics during pregnancy seem utterly impossible. How could such extremely complex influences pass from the mother to the child? There is no connection between their nervous systems. Even the blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly. An emotional shock to the mother will affect her child， because it changes the activity of her glands and so the chemistry her blood. Any chemical change in the mothers blood will affect the child for better or worse. But we can not see how a looking for mathematics or poetic genius can be dissolved in blood and produce a similar liking or genius in the child.
In our discussion of instincts we saw that there was reason to believe that whatever we inherit must be of some very simple sort rather than any complicated or very definite kind of behavior. It is certain that no one inherits a knowledge of mathematics. It may be， however， that children inherit more or less of a rather general ability that we may call intelligence. If very intelligent children become deeply interested in mathematics， they will probably make a success of that study.
As for musical ability， it may be that what is inherited is an especially sensitive ear， a peculiar structure of the hands or the vocal organs connections between nerves and muscles that make it comparatively easy to learn the movements a musician must execute， and particularly vigorous emotions. If these factors are all organized around music， the child may become a musician. The same factors， in other circumstance might be organized about some other center of interest. The rich emotional equipment might find expression in poetry. The capable fingers might develop skill in surgery. It is not the knowledge of music that is inherited， then nor even the love of it， but a certain bodily structure that makes it comparatively easy to acquire musical knowledge and skill. Whether that ability shall be directed toward music or some other undertaking may be decided entirely by forces in the environment in which a child grows up.
1. Which of the following statements is not true?
A. Some mothers try to influence their unborn children by studying art and other subjects during their pregnancy.
B. It is utterly impossible for us to learn anything about prenatal development.
C. The blood vessels of mother and child do not join directly.
D. There are no connection between mothers nervous systems and her unborn childs.
2. A mother will affect her unborn baby on the condition that ____.
A. she is emotionally shocked
B. she has a good knowledge of inheritance
C. she takes part in all kind of activities
D. she sticks to studying
3. According to the passage， a child may inherit____.
A. everything from his mother
B. a knowledge of mathematics
C. a rather general ability that we call intelligence
D. her mothers musical ability 4. If a child inherits something from his mother， such as an especially sensitive ear， a peculiar structure of the hands or of the vocal organs， he will ____.
A. surely become musician
B. mostly become a poet
C. possibly become a teacher
D. become a musician on the condition that all these factors are organized around music
5. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Role of Inheritance. B. An Unborn Child.
C. Function of instincts. D. Inherited Talents.
答案：BACDA
