英语四级阅读理解练习及答案详解(43)

　　After the violent earthquake that shook Los Angeles in 1994, earthquake scientists had good news to report: The damage and death toll could have been much worse. More than 60 people died in this earthquake. By comparison, and earthquake of similar __1__ that shook America in 1998 claimed 25,000 victims.

　　Injuries and deaths were __2__ less in Los Angeles because the quake occurred at 4:31 a.m. On a holiday, when traffic was light on the city s highway. In addition, __3__ made to the construction codes in Los Angeles during the last 20 years have strengthened the city s buildings and highways, making them more __4__ to quakes.

　　In the past, making structures quake-resist-ant meant firm yet __5__ materials, such as steel and wood, that bend without breaking. Later, people tried to lift a building off its foundation, and insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation to __6__ the impact of ground vibrations. The most __7__ designs give buildings brains as well as concrete and steel supports, called smart buildings, the structures respond like living organisms to an earthquake s vibrations. When ground shakes and the building tips forward, the computer would __8__ the building to shift in the opposite direction. The new designs should offer even greater __9__ to cities where earthquakes ofen take place.

　　The new smart structures could be very __10__ to build. However, they would save many lives and would be less likely to be damaged during earthquakes.

　　changes

　　flexible

　　decrease

　　recent

　　push

　　reduce

　　relatively

　　safety

　　resistant

　　expensive

　　force

　　accordingly

　　intensity

　　security

　　opposed

　　Answers：

　　1.选M)。此处应填名词，作介词of的宾语，作为后置定语修饰earthquake，说明该名词是 地震 的自然属性。选项中的名词有changes，safety，intensity和security，只有intensity可以表示地震的强度，故选M)。

　　2.选G)。此处应填副词，用来修饰形容词less。选项中的副词有relatively 相对的 和accordingly 相应的 ，第一段说这次地震和1998年的那次地震程度一样，但造成的损失却小很多，再从后句中 高速路上的车辆不是很多 可以推断：这次的地震造成的 死伤人数 与1998年比少很多，即少是相对的，故选G)relatively。

　　3.选A)。空格中要填的词是本句话中的主语，应为名词。这句话的主干是have strengthened the city s buildings and highways,从第三段的内容和注释3的解析可知：建筑结构发生了变化，故应选择A)changes。

　　4.选I)。此处应填形容词，和其前面的more构成形容词的比较级，描述新型建筑与地震有关的性能。them = the city s buildings and highways, have strengthened 被加固 说明他们更有抵御风险的能力了。选项中的四个形容词只有resistant符合这个意思，故选I)。

　　5.选B)。此处应填形容词，修饰名词materials。从后面的...bent without breaking 即使弯曲也不会折断 ，说明是有韧性的材料。选项中的四个形容词只有flexible表示 柔韧的，可变形的 ，故B)正确。

　　6.选F)。此处应填名词。根据上下文insert rubber and steel between the building and its foundation 在建筑物和地基之间填充橡胶和钢材 是为了减少the impact of ground vibrations 地面震动对建筑物的影响 。选项中decrease和reduce都可以表示 减少 的意思，前者指稳定的逐步地减少，后者强调在大小、程度或强度方面下降或减少。故F)reduce更符合题意。

　　7.选D)。根据注释3，可以推知，这里要填的词是和前面的In the past, Laer相对应的，选项中的形容词中只有recent可表示时间，the most recent desighs 最近的设计 ，在原文中可以对应 过去，后来 ，故D)为正确答案。

　　8.选K)。前面提到了智能建筑，这里说明当地震使这样的建筑向前倒的时候，电脑会怎样它，使它相反方向移动。在动词push和force之间悬着。push强调的是外加的力量，而这里的拖力者是与智能建筑一体的计算机系统，故这里force符合文意。

　　9.选N)。此后应填名词，做动词offer的宾语。本句前面一直在描述新型建筑采取的抗震措施，本句是这些措施的结果。抗震型建筑为城市提供的应该是更多的安全保障，选项中表示 安全 的词有safety和security，前者是处于安全状态，不受伤害，没有危险，多用于人身，货物。后者常指国家社会的免遭战争，灾难而安然无恙，故N)security更符合文意。

　　10.选J)。此处应填形容词。从后面的However后的一句说明智能建筑的优点而得知，However前所说的是智能建筑的缺点。既然智能建筑很聪明，又是新事物，那么建造起来肯定会耗费很多资金的，所以选J)expensive。