2015大学英语四级阅读预测练习题
President Clinton met with leaders of some major U.S. high-tech companies on Thursday to enlist their support in an uphill battle to secure Congress’ blessing for a landmark trade agreement with China. White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said Clinton stopped in to talk to several of the industry’s top executives while they were at the White House for talks with Chief of Staff John Podesta. “The president’s main focus of his comments to the group was the importance of, early this year, getting NTR (normal trade relations) on China worked through,” Lockhart said. Clinton discussed “the importance not only to their particular businesses, which is clearly important, but also to the American economy and to the idea that we can continue this prosperity, we can continue this economic expansion,”Lockhart said.
The industry executives who met with Clinton and Podesta included Cisco Systems (NasdaqNM:CSCO - news) CEO John Chambers; Dell Computer Corp. (NasdaqNMELL - news) CEO Michael Dell; Intel Corp. (NasdaqNM:INTC - news) Chairman Andrew Grove; Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE:CPQ - news) CEO Mike Capella; Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HWP - news) CEO Carly Fiornia; NCR Corp. (NYSE:NCR - news) CEO Lars Nyberg; and Silicon Graphics Inc. (NYSE:SGI - news) Chairman and CEO Robert Bishop.
The White House has said Clinton and his cabinet would launch a major campaign to convince Congress to approve permanent NTR status for China, which would clear the way for China to join the World Trade Organization.U.S. Commerce Secretary William Daley said on Wednesday it was critical that Congress vote soon on the trade agreement, warning the November election could jeopardize its chance of passage. The trade agreement, hammered out last November after years of negotiation, calls for China to slash tariffs and other barriers in a wide range of markets, from agriculture and automobiles to telecommunications. The agreement is backed by big business and free-trade Republicans, but is under fire from labor union leaders and many of their Democratic allies in Congress, who see more trade with China as a threat to U.S. jobs.
In return for China opening its markets, Congress must grant Beijing permanent NTR status and do away with its annual review process. That process has become increasingly controversial with lawmakers often speaking out against China’s human rights record and recently on allegations that China stole U.S. nuclear secrets. A White House official said the high-tech executives also discussed the “digital divide”—the growing division in the United States between those with easy access to the Internet and those without—in their talks with Podesta. “Both the administration and the CEOs said it was a very positive meeting,” he said. “Both sides pledged to work together.”
1.What does “blessing” mean in the context?
A. An act of asking or receiving God’s favor, help or protection.
B. A gift from God; something one is glad of .
C. Approval; encouragement.
D. Something not very pleasant, which however is really a good thing after all.
2.The importance of “getting normal trade relations on China worked through” is .
A. the normal trade relations with China is important to the American economy
B. the normal trade relations with China is important to the idea that the US can continue its prosperity and its economy expansion
C. the normal trade relations with China is important to the big businesses and trade
D. all of the above
3.Which of the following are the two sides that were present at the meeting?
A. Clinton, President the US-Cisco Systems; Dell computer Corp; Intel Corp; Compaq Computer Corp; Hewlett; NCR Corp; Silicon Graphics Inc.
B. Clinton and Podesta-leaders of some major U.S. high-tech companies.
C. Clinton, Podesta, Joe Lockhart-Cisco systems CEO; Dell Computer Corp CEO; Intel Corp Chairman; Compay computer Corp CEO; Hewlett-Packard CEO; NCR Corp CEO; Silicon Graphics Inc, Chairman and CEO.
D. Podesta-John Chambers; Michael Dell; Andrew Grove; Mike Capella; Carly Fiornia; Lars Nyberg; Robert Bishop.
4. The reason for labor union’s disapproval to NTR status for China is probably .
A. out of political consideration
B. for the fear that China’s low labor cost may cause more unemployment in America.
C. unreasonable and ridiculous
D. for the fear of more business conflict between America and China as partners
5.What conclusion can we draw about the meeting ,according to the passage?
A. It was a positive meeting and both sides are willing to work together on the landmark trade agreement.
B. The trade agreement is backed by big business and free-trade Republicans, but the labor union leaders and many of their Democratic allies in Congress are against it.
C. The high-tech executives discussed the “digital divide” -the growing division in the United States between those with easy access to the Internet and those without.
D. Clinton and his cabinet would launch a major campaign to convince congress to approve permanent NTR status for China.
答案与解析：
1.C
词汇题。阅读全文可知，克林顿总统召集全美几家主要的高科技公司首脑商谈的主要目的是获得他们的支持以保证十一月份与中国签署贸易协定通过国会的批准。所以blessing这个词应是批准的意思。在新闻类文章中常常使用一些非正式的语言，或者是口语、俚语、俗语甚至随意复合新词，以吸引读者，所以在阅读此类文章时要注意一些词的特殊用法，否则容易引起误解文章的意思。第一项是指祝福、祈福;第二项是赐福、恩赐，可喜之事，第四项应为a blessing in disguise，祸中得福，塞翁失马焉知非福。
2.D
细节题。恢复与中国的贸易关系对美国的经济发展具有重要的意义，特别是对大公司企业的'产品出口，占领国外市场都具有特殊的意义。克林顿总统说这对于美国继续保持繁荣，经济增长的梦想是非常重要的，所以三项都应选。
3.B
细节题。此题很简单，但必须要仔细。其实有一部分试题不在于考考生的推理分析能力，而是在考查从文章中获取信息的能力以及掌握信息的速度和准确率，此题就是一个例子。考生应在这方面多作些训练，根据文章，会谈双方应选B。
4. B
推断题。由文中第三段末可知，工会对给中国贸易通常贸易伙伴关系主要是害怕造成过分的本土失业。因为中国的人力成本对国外企业是有相当吸引力的。
5.A
推断题。从文中我们可以推测，总统及内阁和高科技公司将共同努力，支持与中国恢复正常贸易伙伴关系，因为对于大的商业和贸易公司来说，这将带来更多的利润和机会。其他几项已经是既成事实，所以不必推测，不符题意，故排除。
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