1993年1月大学英语四级考试阅读附试题和答案_第2页

　　Passage Three
Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage.

In only two decades Asian Americans have become the fastest-growing U.S. minority (少数民族). As their children began moving up through the nation’s schools, it became clear that a new class of academic achievers was emerging. Their achievements are reflected in the nation’s best universities, where mathematics, science and engineering departments have taken on a decidedly Asian character. This special liking for mathematics and science is partly explained by the fact that Asian-American students who began their educations abroad arrived in the U.S. with a solid grounding in mathematics but little or no knowledge of English. They are also influenced by the promise of a good job after college. Asians feel there will be less unfair treatment in areas like mathematics and science because they will be judged more objectively. And the return on the investment in education is more immediate in something like engineering than with an arts degree.

Most Asian-American students owe their success to the influence of parents who are determined that their children take full advantage of what the American educational system has to offer. An effective measure of parental attention is homework. Asian parents spend more time with their children than American parents do, and it helps. Many researchers also believe there is something in Asian Culture that breeds success, such ideals that stress family values and emphasize education.

Both explanations for academic success worry Asian Americans because of fears that they feed a typical racial (种族的) image. Many can remember when Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants (移民) were the victims of social isolation. Indeed, it was not until 1952 that laws were laid down giving all Asian immigrants the right to citizenship.

31. While making tremendous achievements at college, Asian-American students ________.
A) feel they are mistreated because of limited knowledge of English
B) are afraid that their academic successes bear a strong Asian character
C) still worry about unfair treatment in society
D) generally feel it a shame to have to depend on their parents（C）

32. What are the major factors that determine the success of Asian Americans?
A) A solid foundation in basic mathematics and Asian Americans?
B) Hard work and intelligence.
C) Parental help and a limited knowledge of English.
D) Asian culture and the American educational system.（D）

33. Few Asian-American students major in human sciences mainly because ________.
A) their English is not good enough
B) they are afraid they might meet with unfair judgement in these areas
C) there is a wide difference between Asian and Western cultures
D) they know little about American cultures and Western cultures（B）

34. Why do the two “explanations” (Para. 3, Line 1) worry Asian Americans?
A) They are afraid that they would again be isolated from American society in general.
B) People would think that Asian students rely on their parents for success.
C) Asian American would be a threat to other minorities.
D) American academic achievements have taken on too strong an Asian character.（A）

35. The author’s tone in this passage is ________.
A) sympathetic
B) doubtful
C) critical
D) objective（D）
　　Passage Four
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.

Like fine food, good writing is something we approach with pleasure and enjoy from the first taste to the last. And good writers, good cooks, do not suddenly appear full-blown. Quite the contrary, just as the cook has to undergo an intensive training, mastering the skills of his trade, the writer must sit at his desk and devote long hours to achieving a style in his writing, whatever its purpose-schoolwork, matters of business, or purely social communication. You may be sure that the more painstaking the effort, the more effective the writing, and the more rewarding.

There are still some remote places in the world where you might find a public scribe to do your business or social writing for you, for a fee. There are a few managers who are lucky enough to have the service of that rate kind of secretary who can take care of all sorts of letter writing with no more than a quick note to work from. But for most of us, if there is any writing to be done, we have to do it ourselves.

We have to write school papers, business papers or home papers. We are constantly called on to put words to paper. It would be difficult to count the number of such words, messages, letters, and reports put into the mails or delivered by hand, but the daily figure must be enormous. What is more, everyone who writes expects, or at least hopes. We want whatever we write to be read, from first word to last, not just thrown into some “letters-to-be-read” file (档案) or into a wastepaper basket. This is the reason we bend our efforts toward learning and practicing the skill of interesting, effective writing.

36. In this passage, good writing is compared to fine food because ________.
A) both writers and cooks have to work long hours every day
B) both are essential to life
C) both writers and cooks can earn a good living
D) both are enjoyable（D）

37. A public “scribe” (Para. 2, Line 1) is ________.
A) a secretary who does your business or social writing
B) a machine that does writing for you
C) a public school where writing is taught
D) a person who ears a living by writing for others（D）

38. According to the passage, some managers don’t have to do any letter writing because ________.
A) they rely on quick notes
B) they have excellent secretaries
C) they have a computer to do it
D) they prefer making phone calls（B）

39. According to the author, if your letter is thrown into some “letter-to-be-read” file, ________.
A) it will receive immediate attention
B) it will be dealt with by the secretary
C) it is likely to be neglected
D) it is meant to be delivered soon（C）

40. The purpose of the author in writing this passage is ________.
A) to explain and persuade
B) to comment and criticize
C) to interest and entertain
D) to argue and demonstrate（A）