我的家庭医生2013年12月英语六级阅读理解练习

2021年1月17日发(作者：禅语悟道)
练习一
It is a curious paradox that we think of the physical sciences as “hard”, the social sciences as
“soft,” and the biological sciences as somewhere in between. This is interpreted to mean that our
knowledge of physical system is more certain than our knowledge of biological systems, and these
in turn are more certain than our knowledge of social systems. In terms of our capacity of sample
the relevant universes, however, and the probability that our images of these universes are at least
approximately correct, one suspects that a reverse order is more reasonable. We are able to sample
earth’s social systems with some degree of confidence that we have a reasonable sample of the
total universe being investigated. Our knowledge of social systems, therefore, while it is in many
ways extremely inaccurate, is not likely to be seriously overturned by new discoveries. Even the
folk knowledge in social systems on which ordinary life is based in earning, spending, organizing,
marrying, taking part in political activities, fighting and so on, is not very dissimilar from the more
sophisticated images of the social system derived form the social sciences, even though it is built
upon the very imperfect samples of personal experience.
In contrast, our image of the astronomical universe, or even if earth’s geological history, ca
easily be subject to revolutionary changes as new data come in and new theories are worked out. If
we define the “security” of our image of various parts of the total system as the probability of
their suffering significant changes, then we would reverse the order for hardness and as the most
secure, the physical sciences as the least secure, and again the biological sciences as somewhere in
between. Our image of the astronomical universe is the least secure of all simply because we
observe such a fantastically small sample of it and its record-keeping is trivial records of
biological systems. Records of the astronomical universe, despite the fact that we learnt things as
they were long age, are limited in the extreme.
Even in regard to such a close neighbor as the moon, which we have actually visited, theories
about its origin and history are extremely different, contradictory, and hard to choose among. Our
knowledge of physical evolution is incomplete and insecure.
1. The word “paradox” (Line 1, Para. 1) means “_____”.
A. implication B. contradiction
C. interpretation D. confusion
2. Accroding to the author, we should reverse our classification of the physical sciences as
“hard” and the social sciences as “soft” because _______.
A. a reverse ordering will help promote the development of the physical sciences
B. our knowledge of physical systems is more reliable than that of social systems
C. our understanding of the social systems is approximately correct
D. we are better able to investigate social phenomena than physical phenomena
3. The author believes that our knowledge of social systems is more secure than that of
physical systems because______.
A. it is not based on personal experience
B. new discoveries are less likely to occur in social sciences
C. it is based on a fairly representative quantity of data
D. the records of social systems are more reliable
4. The chances of the physical sciences being subject to great changes are the biggest because
_____.
A. contradictory theories keep emerging all the time
B. new information is constantly coming in
C. the direction of their development is difficult to predict
D. our knowledge of the physical world is inaccurate
5. We know less about the astronomical universe than we don about any social system
because ______.
A. theories of its origin and history are varied
B. our knowledge of it is highly insecure
C. only a very small sample of it has been observed
D. few scientists are involved in the study of astronomy



练习二
The economy of the United states after 1952 was the econnomy of a well-fed,almost fully
employed people. Despit occasional alarms, the country escaped any postwar depression and lived
in a state of boom. A n economic survey of the year 1955, a typical year of the 1950’s, may be
typical as illustrating the rapid economic growth of the decade. The national output was value at
10 percent above that of 1954 (1955 output was estimated at 392 billion dollars). The production
of manufacturers was about 40 percent more than it had averaged in the years immediately
following World War 2. The country’s business spent about 30billion dollars for new factories and
machinery. National income available for spending was almost a third greater than it had been it
had been in 1950. Consumers spent about 256 billion dollars; that is about 700 million dollars a
day ,or about twenty-five million dollars every hour , all round the clock. Sixty-five million people
held jobs and only a little more than two million wanted jobs but could not find them . Only
agriculture complained that it was not sharing in the room. To some observers this was an ominous
echo of the mid-1920’s . As farmer’s shre of their products declined , marketing costs rose. But
there were , among the observers of the national economy, a few who were not as confident as the
majority . Those few seemed to fear that the boom could not last and would eventually lead to the
oppsite-depression.
1. What is the best title of the passage?
a. The Agriculatural Trends of 1950’s b. The Unemployment Rate of 1950’s
c. U.S. Economy in the 50’s d. The Federal Budget of 1952
2. In Line 3, the word “boom” could best be replaced by______.
a. nearby explosion b. thunderous noise
c. general public support d. rapid economic growth
3. It can be inferred the national from the passage that most people in the United States in
1955 viewed the national economy with an air of _________.
a. confidence b. confusion c. disappointment d. suspicion
4. Which of the following were LEAST satisfied with the national economy in the 1950’s?
a. Economists b. Frmaers c. Politicians d. Steelworkers
5. The passage states that incom available for spending in the U.S. was greater in 1955 than
in 1950 . How much was it ?
a. 60% b. 50% c. 33% d. 90%

练习三
I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood and year-round sun. You may think people in such a
glamorous, fun- filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the
nature of happiness.
Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun and happiness
have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we
experience after an act. It is a deeper, more abiding emotion.
Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities
that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring
happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends.
I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness
has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have constant access to glamorous
parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that spells “happiness”. But in memoir after
memoir, celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism,
drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and profound loneliness.
Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less
satisfying. If he’s honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For
commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure and excitement.
Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Similarly, couples that choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless fun over
painful happiness. They can dine out ever they want and sleep as late as they want. Couples with
infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three-day vacation. I don’t know any
parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most
liberating realizations we can ever come to. It liberates time: now we can devote more hours to
activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or
those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it
liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those rich and glamorous people we were so
sure are happy because they are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
of the following is true?
creates long- lasting satisfaction.
provides enjoyment while pain leads to happiness.
ess is enduring whereas fun is short-lived.
that is long-standing may lead to happiness.
the author, Hollywood stars all have an important role to play that is to __.
memoir after memoir about their happiness.
the public that happiness has nothing to do with fun.
people how to enjoy their lives.
happiness to the public instead of going to glamorous parties.
the author’s opinion, marriage___.
s greater fun.
to raising children.
tes commitment.
in pain.